neither hemisphere the winter-solstice marks the beginning of the spring, the first of the Deva seasons. It is difhcult to definitely ascertain the time when the commencement of the year was changed from the vernal equinox to the winter solstice. When this change was made, Uttarayana must have gradually come to denote the first half of the new year, i.e., the period from the winter to the summer solstice especially as the word was capable of being understood as "turning towards the North from the Southern-most point."
All our present calenders are prepared on the supposition that the Vernal equinox still coincides with the end of Revati and our enumeration of the Nakshatras begins with Ashvini, though the equinox has now receded about 18° from Revati. This position of the Vernal equinox was true at about 490 A.D. when probably the present system was introduced. Let us now see if we can trace back the position of the Vernal equinox amongst the fixed circle of stars. From Varahamihira, we know that before the Hindus began to make their measurements from the Vernal equinox in Revati, there existed a system in which the year commenced with the winter solstice in the month of Magha and the Vernal equinox was in the last quarter of Bharani or the beginning of the Krittikas. The Vedanga- Jyotish, the oldest astronomical work in Sanskrit, gives the following positions of the solstice and the equinoxes:—
- (i) The winter solstice in the beginning of Shravishtha (divisional).
- (2) The Vernal equinox in 10° of Bharani.
- (3) The summer solstice in the middle of Ashlesha,
- (4) The autumnal equinox in 3° 20' of Vishakha.
