Hi Ernst/Jaimini adepts,
Is there any theory or evidence about the date that Upadesha Sutras was originally written? I understand that there is a theory that Jaimini the astrologer may not have been the same Jaimini who wrote the Purva Mimamsa Sutras (But it may or may not be true. I don't have an axe to grind either way).
Professor Abhyankar stated something about "a few centuries before the Christian era". I think Ernst mentioned a B.C. date.
When is the first evidence of, or reference to, Jaimini and his astrological text that we know of currently?
Thanks,
S.
Abhyankar's dating is most likely the most correct. I would say 100-300 BC. I think it was a bit after the time the greeks renamed the stars to constellations and so around the time the sidereal rasis aries, taurus, etc were created so he was making a statement against that. Interesting enough, shortly after the renaming of the stars by the greeks, ALexander the great rose and came to india brining a lot of greek knowledge to India and so Jaimini would have been very aware of the activities of the greek astrologers and the embracement of much of that by the Indians.
It reminds me of how the secretive tight-knit lineage of Jaimini astrologers in the Ponmudi Forrest region use an ayanamsa of 149 BC, which would be around Jaimini's time. (They are said to possess some rare and relatively ancient literature, including about nakshatras as well.)