ΤΟ

The Honorable the Court of Directors

OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY,

THIS WORK, THE FRUIT OF LONG AND LABORIOUS RESEARCH,

IS RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED,

BY THEIR VERY OBEDIENT AND FAITHFUL SERVANT

THE AUTHOR.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

PREFACE.

CHAPTER I. METRICAL SYSTEMS OF INDIA.

General introduction; Different opinions as to the true origin of the Stand-
ards of Weights and Measures. · Standards of Great Britain and
France. the Linear measures of Hindoos and Mahomedans, Authorities
for the foregoing statements.-Land measure;-Itinerary measure.— Su.
perficial Land Measure. - Dry Measures or Measures of Capacity. — Li-
Solid, or
quid Measures.
Cubic Measures. - Weights. Money
Weights. Lesser Weights. Gross Weights. - Jewellers Weights.—
Allowances, or Customary excess on Weight or Measure: Summary review
of Coins in connection with Weights
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CHAPTER II. INDIAN MEASURES OF TIME.

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Elementary Tables. - Luni-Solar Reckoning. - Lunar Reckoning. - Si-
dereal Reckoning. Years, Months, Seasons; Cycles, Intercalations.
Solar Tropical or Astronomical year.- Vague years. Eras. Mohum-
mudan years.
Construction of the Punchung, or Calendars; - Ta-
bles...

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CHAPTER III. COMPARATIVE VIEW OF MODERN AND AN-
CIENT STANDARDS OF WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
General Summary of the Hindoo System. The Hustuh or Cubit, the
general Standard for all Measures, Linear, Superficial, Solid, and of Capa-
city; &c. thronghout India. -The Indian Tables from original Sunskrit
works-systematically arranged with approximate equivalent values in
English inches.-The foregoing originals do not appear to have been im-
mediately obtained from any scientific process or actual measurement of the
earth in India. - 'The Standard of the Linear Measure deduced from the
Hindoo Astronomical books identified with the Arabian, by means of which
the connection is traced to the Chaldean, the Jewish, or Scripture Mea-
sures, the Egyptian, the Roman, and the Greek.— - The true value of the
Ancient Standards. Further comparison of the Modern and Ancient
Indian Standard of Superficial measures, of Asiatic nations, of Modern and
Ancient European Nations. The Indian Systems of Dry Measure and
Weights compared with those of the various Asiatic nations, the Jews,
Arabians, Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Europeans. The whole refer-
red to the Jewish Standard, or Prototype of the Metrical Systems through-
out the world. • • • • • •

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page 260
CHAPTER IV. OF THE PRINCIPLES OF THE HINDOO CHRO-
NOLOGY: AND A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE ELEMENTS
OR MEASURES OF TIME AS THEY ARE SET FORTH IN THE
LITERARY WORKS OF THE BRAHMINS AND THE PRESENT
USAGES OF INDIA, WITH THE SYSTEMS OF OTHER NATIONS
ANCIENT AND MODERN.

The rule of eliciting the fundamental elements of all systems of Heathen
Chronology explained. - Three notable indications that the existing chrono-
logical and mythological systems of all the Oriental nations are of compara

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tively recent fabrication. The idea of a Divine Saviour, derived wholly

from the Scriptures of Truth. The heathen and unenlightened Israelites,

looked only for a temporal human prince. This was the chief cause and

still continues to be the chief cause for the rejection and crucifixion of the

true Messiah with Judaizing Christians, Jews, and Infidels. — The second

or spiritual birth, perfectly unknown and incomprehensible, till the doctrine

was first taught to Nicodemus by our blessed Lord. - The mystery of the

Trinity however obscurely intimated by Heathen writers neither received

nor understood by the most enlightened as a fundamental principle of any

Heathen creed, till the disputes and heresies of Christianity had so perplex-

ed and darkened the scheme by human reasoning as to pave the way for

its introduction into the new corrupt religious creeds which started forth

into being throughout the whole earth in the beginning of the seventh cen-

tury. Connection traced between the astronomy and mythology of all

Heathen nations. The Hindoo astronomical works have many internal evi-

dences of their modern character: - First, measurement of an arc of the

Meridian, derived from the Arabs. Second, proportion of the diameter

To the circumference of a circle, derived through the Arabs from Archi-

medes. Third, table of sines, framed on the principles of the latter and

the Greek and Arabian geometricians. Fourth, precession of the Equi-

noxes, from the Jewish or patriarchal astronomy, intermediately through

Hipparchus, Ptolomy, and the Arabs. Fifth, Libration of the Equinoxes

from Ptolomy and the Arabians. — Sixth, the cycles of the Planets from

the Europeans, with the elements of the early Greek astronomers. Seventh,

the Julian year and reckoning from the Europeans; subsequently also, the

epoch of the reformation of the Calendar by Pope Gregory. The dis-

covery of the whole is to be found in the Vrihusputee yoog, or cycle of

Jupiter of sixty years. Arrangement and use of this cycle in Northern

and Southern India. Corresponding years of each cycle, and those of the

Christian Vulgar æra, signification of the title of the Eras. The date of

the fabrication of the Brahminical scheme between A. D. 606 and 638,

fixes the utmost limit of all authentic history in India, prior to that date. -

The Vikramadityu, or Bengal Era refers to the reformation of the calendar

by Julius Cæsar. The Shalivahan Era to the crucifixion of Christ.

The Era of Yoodhishtir to the building of the city of Rome, 753 years

before Christ. The commencement of the Kulee yoog, to the flood. -

These particulars, discussed at length-from the reputed ancient commence-

ment of the Hindoo year with the winter solstice :-

have been adopted from the Romans, who next to the Egyptians, deviated

which is shown to

from the most encient mode of commencing the year with the vernal equi-

nox: - and this deviation is the first direct proof of the modern character

of the Chinese and Japanese astronomy, which still adheres to its original

reformed practice of beginning the year at, or near the winter solstice.--

The Hindoos and Chinese began the year with the full moon nearest the

winter solstice at the beginning of the seventh century. The whole of the

systems of the Orientals, as well as the Greeks, Chaldeans, and Egyptians,

deduced from the ancient Jewish or primitive Patriarchal astronomy which

has for its basis the great cycle of 600 Tropical Luni-solar years commencing

with the Creation at the vernal equinox. — Remarkable properties of the

Jewish or primitive patriarchal cycle of 600 years. The precise date to

which the Hindoo fabrication refers, considered. The reformation of the

calendar by Julius Cæsar. The Vulgar Era of Christ, The true

Era. The ministry of our Lord. The crucifixion. The building of

the city of Rome. The grand epoch of the rise of the Antichristian powers

over the whole earth. General comparative view of the Egyptian, Chal-

dean, Grecian, Chinese, Japanese, and American astronomy; The calendar

of the Muysca Indians, the Mexicans, Toltecks, Azteks; striking confor-

mity of the whole, and reference to the great prophetic epoch at the begin-

ning of the seventh century. - A Tabular sketch of the whole. Conclu-

sive inferences and remarks.....................................

Concluding observations•••••.................................................

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