CHAPTER XLV.                            393

make such a computation for the present year (1030
A.D.), we get 9° 17^ in the lunar station Anurtdha as
the position of the Great Bear.

The people of Kashmir believed that the Great Bear
wanders through a lunar station in 100 years. There¬
fore the above-mentioned calendar says that of the
present centennium of the motion of the Great Bear
there is still a remainder of twenty-three years.

Mistakes and confusion such as we have here laid Theological

opinions

open arise, in the first place, from the want of the neces- mixed up

.     .                         .                                                                            with

sary skill in astronomical researches, and secondly, from astronomy.
the way of the Hindus of mixing up scientific questions
with religious traditions. For the theologians believe
that the Seven Rishis stand higher than the fixed stars,
and they maintain that in each manvantara there will
appear a new Manu, whose children will destroy the
earth ; but the rule will be renewed by Indra, as also
the different classes of the angels and the Seven Rishis.
The angels are necessary, for mankind must offer sacri¬
fices to them and must bring to the fire the shares for
them ; and the Seven Rishis are necessary, because they P'^s^ 197.
must renew the Veda, for it perishes at the end of each
onanvanta^^a.

Our information on this subiect we take from the The seven

"                                                    Rishis ill the

Vishnu-Burdna.   From the same source we have taken different
the names of the Seven Rishis m each manvantaixt, as *»''«»•
exhibited by the following table:—
 

manvan-