The Date of Mricchakatika

from Astrological Data.

BY

JYOTIS CHANDRA GHATAK., M.A.

There are at least three passages in the Mricchakatika which are of towering importance in as much as they afford us some definite clues as to the chronology of this drama. The data which these passages give us, are astrological; and I shall put down the principal points here as briefly as possible.

These passages are all verses. Two of them are to be found in the 6th Act (the 9th and 10th verses there) and the third occurs in the 9th Act (being the 33rd verse of it). Of these verses the last-viz., 9, 33, I consider to be of paramount importance as it furnishes certain very definite data as regards the age of the composition of this drama.

In this verse, Charudatta (the hero) who is a very generous and high-souled gentleman is compared to Brihaspati (the planet called Jupiter). In Astrology Brihaspati is considered to be the most benevolent of all planets. (Cf. गुरु-ध्वज-कवि-ज्ञाः स्युर्यथापूर्वं शुभग्रहाः । ) The Sakāra who is the brother-in-law of the king is compared to Mars (Skt.'Mangala' or 'Angāraka'). Now, as luck would have it, Charudatta was brought before the Court of Justice under a false charge of having killed a woman of the city named Basantasenā and having robbed her of her ornaments. Circumstantial evidence was already against him, since the mischievous Sakara managed everything so cleverly as to implicate Charudatta very thoroughly. The miserable plight into which Charudatta was thus brought is compared to '' or utter weakness of the planet called Jupiter. And when to fill the cup of Charudatta's misery, his friend

he

Vidūshaka accidentally dropped some other ornaments which was carrying elsewhere in that very Court room, it became very easy for Sakara to implicate Charudatta. Hence this Vidūshaka has been compared to '' or comet; since comets not only physically overpower the luminous rays of the planets but are believed to overcome and spoil the benevolent influence which a good planet may shed.

Now, Jupiter is here stated as being-fact,' i.e., 'inimical to Mars.' Now, in Astrology, each of the planets has got its enemies, its friends and also its neutrals. It is a superbly noteworthy fact that this Mars was known to be the enemy of Jupiter in very old treatises on Astrology and long before the time of Varaha-Mihira. This I shall prove in the folowing lines.

There are two kinds of enmity or friendship amongst planets: one is Essential' or 'Natural' (f) and the other is Mutable' or 'Accidental' (q-af). Now all the astrologers beginning from Varāha-Mihira up to those belonging to the very present time, designate 'Mars and Jupiter' as friends to each other. So that even if we interpret the said passage of Mric chakatika, in the light of Accidental friendship, the two planets can never grow to be friends to each other, since according to the method of Accidental relationship ( तात् कालिक - मैत्री- विचार ) they can, at the highest, become 'or Neutral' to each other. Tbus it would be quite obvious that 'अङ्गारक - विरुद्धस्य ' must be interpreted from the stand-point of Natural fellowship.

The weakness of Jupiter which is referred to in the said passage by the term '' may be due to any one of the following causes or to a combination of some of them.

(1) When a planet is in his Fall-House (-zea ). It is then called ',' i.e., wretchedly weak' (according to Kalyāṇavarman, the author of Sārāvali); ‘fa-ta' ('terrified'), according to Jātaka-Pārijāta.

(2) When a planet is in his Detriment House (9F ).

(3) When a planet is Combust' ("") or ( vuafua). Then it is technically called 'face' (out of order') according to Sārāvali, 'fan,' i.e., 'robbed,' according to' Daivajna-ballabha' of Śrīpati-bhatta; ',' i.e., ‘agitated' according to 'Sanketa-kaumudi.'

(4) When in Siege' or 'besieged' ' besieged' ( पाप - मध्य-गत ). Then it is called'' (i.e., angry) according to Māna-Sāgarī and other treatises, (i.e., wretched) according to Sārāvali. (5) When defeated in fight with other planets (ax-yî qua'). Then it is called 'fe' according to some; पराजित प्रपोडित' 'fa-utfea' according to Pārijāta.

(6) When in conjunction with malefic planets-('ra ym”). Then it is called 'f' (bashful") according to some; 'विकल' and 'खल' according to others.

(7) When posted in enemy's house--(-). Then it is variously called as a ('hungry'); ('asleep'); 'अति-दोन' (very wretched) and even 'अति- दुःखित' according

to some.

(8) When progressing towards the Fall-House. Then it is called ‘परिहोयमान - वीय. '

(9) When in conjunction with Saturn (fa-ga). Then called also ' क्षुधित. '

(10) When in a watery-sign and aspected by enemy without being aspected by benefic planets. Then it is technically called 'afa' ('thirsty').

(11) When in the house of a malefic planet (1-7). Then it is called (mischievous ').

'प्रक्षीण'

Thus we see that Jupiter like any other planet can be effete or '' (cf. perigrine planet') when it fulfils any one or more of the conditions given above.

Brihajjātaka' that in his

We find in Varaha-Mihira's time that system of planets' mutual relationship which counts Mars as a foe of Jupiter, was still known but not much in vogue and was very rapidly falling into disuse. This will be apparent from the very language which

Varaha uses, viz., “âonfata xaq" (Ch. 2, Vol. 15). Moreover we learn from the commentator Utpala Bhatta that the Yavana professors of Astrology were very much in favour of this Mars-Jupiter-as-adversary system. Indeed he quotes passages from Yavaneswara. These Yavana scholars, whether they be Greek or other non-Aryan race, were held in high esteem even by Varaha-Mihira. In a most important chapter of his book, viz., 'आयुदीयाध्याय' (Determination of Longevity of creatures), he refers to Yavana' in a mood of high veneration. In his (11th chapter) he refers to him and even accepts his opinion.

Now, if by the word 'Yavana' we mean the Greeks (which is not the actual fact as I shall show in another paper of mine) alone, even then the age of Mricchakatika falls back by many centuries before Varaha-Mihira-very nearly in the 3rd century B.C. to 2nd century B.C. This appears to be so, because of the following reasons :—

(1) Firstly because the Grand period of great Greek contact of India occurred in the 4th century B.C. to 1st century B.C.

(2) The saintly sanctity which Varaha attaches to the name of Yavana, must have taken a good many centuries to mature itself into.

(3) The expressions 'Vriddha Yavana,' 'Yavanāchāryya,' 'Yavaneswara,' etc., which we meet very frequently in astrological treatises of some antiquity even, show that there were many sets of Yavana scholars of variedly different ages as well.

(4) As this Mars-Jupiter-adversary system was fast disappearing and had almost disappeared when Varaha flourished, it becomes quite obvious that the system when it prevailed in full force, must date back by a good number of centuries even from the time of Varāha-Mihira.

(5) The mention of Yavana' even before the name of Parāśara in ‘42-497-Afua-ofa-ya' (Ch. 7, V. I) betrays

probably the remote antiquity of the Yavana professor to whom Varaha alludes.

(6) The Yavanas were the great exponents of this MarsJupiter-adversary system as we learn from various sources of which Utpala Bhatta's verbatim quotation is also one.

Thus we see that 3rd to 2nd century B.C. is the lowest limit for M ricchakatika even if we mean by Yavanas the Greeks only. But if by Yavana is meant not simply the Greeks but some of the Non-Aryan or Mleccha races of Northwestern Asia as well [as we have abundant reasons to believe and as Varaha very clearly shows when he states-"

हि यवनाः " (Ch. 2, V. 14)], then the date of Mricchakatika must be pushed back by still some centuries more. In Adbhuta-Sâgara, Vallâlasena gives a list of authors or books he consulted in preparing his own book and in so doing seems to give an approximately correct chronology of those authors. This appears to be so because Vṛddha-Garga is mentioned first, then Garga, then Parasara and so forth, and Yaveneswara is mentioned before Varaha-Mihira. Now this Yavaneswara was simply one of such Yavana professors who was very probably a king. But that there existed very ancient Yavana astrologers would be apparent from the fact that one such ancient professor is spoken of as being one of the 18 (eighteen) principal first exponents of this science. We have got at least three authentic lists of these 18 e s on Astrology and it is a noteworthy fact that the name of Yavana occurs in all of them.

E.g., (1) कश्यपः

“सूर्य्यः पितामहः व्यासः वशिष्ठोऽत्रिः पराशरः ।
कश्यपो नारदो गर्गः मरीचिर्मनुरङ्गिराः ॥
लोमशः पौलिशश्च व च्यवनो यवनो भृगुः ।

Madisetçurâ â sulfa:me-garden: ""