25. Then having learned the divine knowledge from the Sun himself, Maya considered himself as one who had done his duty, and free from sins.
26. Then having known that Maya had obtained a blessing of the Sun (some) saints approached and asked him respectfully the knowledge.
27. He (Maya) being delighted gave the great knowledge of the planets to them (the saints) which is very surprising in this world, secret and equivalent to the holy knowledge.
End of the 14th Chapter, of the Second Part, and of the work.
Postscript by the Translator.
It is stated in the Súrya-siddhánta that a dialogue took place between a man partaking of the nature of the Sun and a Demon called Maya 2,164,960 years before the present time. But nobody knows who has put this dialogue into verse or the date of this versification. People believe that it is the production of some Muni (saint), and many are of opinion that it is the oldest of eighteen ancient astronomical works. Its style is easy, and the reading of it, as of the Puráṇas, is considered to be meritorious. Every subject is treated more fully in this than in any other of the ancient Siddhántas, and the revolutions of the planets are so correctly stated in it that their places can be determined with great accuracy.
The names of the eighteen ancient Siddhántas are:—
- Súrya-siddhánta.
- Brahma-s.
- Vyása-s.
- Vasishṭha-s.
- Atri-s.
- Parás'ara-s.
- Kas'yapa-s.
- Nárada-s.
- Garga-s.
- Marichi-s.
- Manu-s.
- Angiras-s.
- Lomas'a-s.
- Pulis'a-s.
- Chyavana-s.
- Yavana-s.
- Bhṛigu-s.
- S'aunaka or Soma-s.
