Geometry in Ancient and Medieval India

This book is a geometrical survey of the Sanskrit and Prakrt scientific and quasi-scientific literature of India, beginning with the Vedic literature and ending with the early part of the 17th century. It deals in detail with the Sulbasutras in the Vedic literature, with the mathematical parts of Jaina Canonical works and of the Hindu Siddhantas and with the contributions to geometry made by the astronomer mathematicians Aryabhata I II, Sripati, Bhaskara I II, Sangamagrama Madhava, Paramesvara, Nilakantha, his disciples and a host of others. The works of the mathematicians Mahavira, Sridhara and Narayana Pandita and the Bakshali Manuscript have also been studied. The work seeks to explode the theory that the Indian mathematical genius was predominantly algebraic and computational and that it eschewed proofs and rationales. There was a school in India which delighted to demonstrate even algebraical results geometrically. In their search for a sufficiently good approximation for the value of pie Indian mathematicians had discovered the tool of integration. Which they used equally effectively for finding the surface area and volume of a sphere and in other fields. This discovery of integration was the sequel of the inextricable blending of geometry and series mathematics.

Review(s)

“The book under review is an almost exhaustive survey of geometry in Sanskrit and Prakrit literature right from the Vedic times down to the early part of the seventeenth century A.D. The contributions to geometry made by Sulba Sutras, Hindu Siddhants, Jai

About the Author:

Dr. T. A. Sarasvati Amma took her basic degree in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Madras. She took her master’s degree in Sanskrit from B.H.U. and her Master’s degree in english Literature from Bihar University. This book is her doctoral thesis on which she was awarded the Ph.D. degree by Ranchi University. Equipped as she is with a good knowledge of both Mathematics and Sanskrit she was eminently suitable to carry on research on this very important topic. She has made extensive contributions in the field of Sanskrit and mathematics by way of publications, papers, post-doctoral research and participation in various national and international conferences.