CHAPTER XXXVII.
 

357
 

That which has northern declination is called uttarakvlla
or meshddi, i.e. having A ries as beginning; that which
has southern declination is called dakshakula or tulddi,
i.e. having Libra as hecginning.

Further, the ecliptic is by both these divisions divided The seasons.
into four parts, and the periods during which the sun
traverses them are called the seasons of the year—spring,
summer, autumn, and winter. Accordingly, the zodiacal
signs are distributed over the seasons. However, the
Hindus do not divide the year into four, but into six
parts, and call these six parts ritu. Each ritu com¬
prehends two solar months, i.e. the period of the sun's
marching through two consecutive zodiacal signs. Their
names and dominants are represented, according to the
most widespread theory, in the following diagram,

I have been told that in the region of Somanath people
divide the year into three parts, each consisting of four
months, the first being varshctkdla, beginning with the
month Ashadha; the second, sitakala, i.e. the winter;
and the third, ushnakdla, i.e. the summer.
 

uttardyana,

belonging to the Devas

or Angels.
 


 

The Zodiacal Signs
of the Ritu.
 

Capricornus
and Amphora.
 

Pisces and
Aries.
 

Taurus and
Gemini.
 

Their name.
 

S'isira.
 

Vasanta or
Kusum^kara.
 

Grishma or
Nid^gha.
 

Their domi¬
nants.
 

Narada.
 

Agni the Fire.
 

Indra the
Kuler.
 

Scorpio and
Sagittarius.
 

Virgo and
Libra.
 

Cancer and
Leo.
 

The Zodiacal Signs
of the Ritu.
 

-
 

Dakshindyana,

belonging to the Pitaras

or Fathers.
 

Hemanta.
 

S'arad.
 

Varshakala.
 

Their names.
 

Vaishnava.
1
 

Praj§.pati.
 

Visvedevah.
 

Their domi¬
nants.