Siri Bhoovalaya : A Unique Multilingual Epic
Scripted in Numerals
Anil Kumar Jain, SMIEEE, SMCSI, FIE(I), FIETE
YESpay IT Services (India) P. Ltd.
Indore – 452010 M.P. INDIA
email: ak.jain@ieee.org
Abstract—About thousand years ago Muni Kumudendu , a of 1270 Chakras. Each Chakra is matrix of 27x27 integers.
great genius, created a unique treasure house of knowledge Each integer has value in range from 1 to 64 only. Each
known as ‘Siri Bhoovalaya’. ‘Siri Bhoovalaya’ is a unique integer is associated with a Character (Kannada) and which
piece of literature which is scripted in numerals. Integers (of has a corresponding phonetic value as well. In order to
values 1 to 64) are arranged in 1270 Chakras where each decipher a Chakra a scheme of traversing the matrix is
Chakra is a matrix of 27x27 Integers. Each of the Integers is specified, which is called a ‘Bandha’. Many of Bandhas have
associated or encoded with a phonetic character primarily of been specified by Muni Kumudendu but a many more yet
origin in Kannada. Deciphering of sequences of numerals of a remain to be discovered. [1][2]
Chakra in specific manner reveals poetry and verses in
different languages. In addition to Kannada, the languages in
which the Chakras manifest poetry and verses include CRYPTOGRAPHIC CONSTITUENTS
Prakrita, Samskrit, Telugu, Tamil, Apabhramsha and Pali etc. We have tried to associate a computable algorithm with
totaling 718 of dialects. The subject matters covers religious some of the Bandhas and deciphered the contents in a
scriptures of Jains, Vedas, Ayurveda, Astrology and number Chakras. A broad level analysis of Bandhas exhibits
Mathematics too. Most of this work has not come to light due
use of a number of Cryptographic constructs, like
to difficulty in deciphering the schemes in respective Chakras.
Substitution, Transposition, Permutation and Steganography.
The object of the proposed paper is to analyze the In all modern encryption techniques basic building blocks
Cryptographic algorithms deployed in respective Chakras for are Substitution and Transposition. [4]
Computerization. These algorithms largely include
substitution, permutation, and principles of Steganography etc.
Substitution Cipher
Attempt has been made to implement few of these algorithms
and evaluate the outcome and understand the potentials and In Substitution cipher technique letters in plaintext are
opportunities. replaced by another letter or number or by symbols [4]. We
find that in all Chakras we need to substitute the integer in
Keywords—Chakra, Bandha, Cryptography, Steganography the cell of the 27x27 matrix. Following figure shows this
Substitution Table.
INTRODUCTION
It is my very humble endeavor to understand the great
Figure -1 : Integer to Character Substitution Table
creativity of Muni Kumudendu who crafted a unique marvel
about thousand years ago. Muni Kumudendu was a Jain saint
in lineage of Deshi Gana / Nandi Sangh. Under strange
circumstances only remaining copy of the original
manuscript of unique epic ‘Siri Bhoovalaya’ was brought to
light by Pandit Yellapa Shastri through his tireless efforts in
around 1950’s. Till that time this spectacular and only such
creation in human history remained undiscovered. Since the
whole script was in numerals and that too enciphered in
variety of schemes, the work did not attract attention of even
great scholars. Pandit Yellapa Shashtri deserves countless
thanks for bringing this gem of originality to be recognized
and appreciated by concerned persons.[1][2]
Siri Bhoovalaya has primarily a Kannada base, but has
been claimed to contain verses and poetry of 18 major
languages and 700 minor ones. The whole volume consists
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Steganography
Transposition Cipher In Steganography the intended message is hidden either
to conceal its existence or render it unintelligible to
Transposition cipher is a mapping involving some sort of outsiders.[4]
permutation on the plaintext letters. In most of Chakras the
Transposition is deciphered first and the substitution is We find that principles of Steganography have been used
deciphered next in sequence. There are instances of various in numbers ways in Siri Bhoovalaya. For example if the
patterns in trans-positioning in Chakras.. Chakra 1-1-1 is deciphered using Chakra-Bandha the
resulting text is in Kannada. If first Character of each of the
Following is figure-2 of Scheme which is called Chakra lines of this Kannada Text is picked up, and assembled it
Bandh and traverses the whole matix of 27x27 = 729 cells in results in a Gatha in Prakrit. If the character in the center of
a Chakra. each of the Kannada text is picked up it aggregates to a
Figure -2 Transposition over 27x27 = 729 Cells Shloka in Samskrit.
Beside this technique of Steganography where a message
is hidden inside a message, Muni Kumudendu has applied a
number of Graphical Patterns which when transposed on the
Chakra Matrix reveal poetry and verses. This technique has
been practiced in small extents by some Samskrit poets and
is described as Chitra Kavya. A large variety of Chitra-
Bandhas or Chitra-Kavyas have been used by Muni
Kumedendu.
Figure -4 One Example of Chitra Bandh
In another Transposition Scheme, one 27x27 matrix is
tiled into 3x3 matrices where each of the tiles is a 9x9
matrix. Figure-3 demonstrates this scheme to decipher the
Transposition. One has to traverse from cell containing
number 1 to number 81 as specified.
Figure -3 Transposition in a Tile of 9x9 Matrix
Herein above example the numbers are indicative of the
relative cell numbers (range 1 to 729) in the 27x27 matrix of
the chakra. Each cell contains a number (range 1 to 64).
Stating from cell 1 its content is substituted with
corresponding Character and appended into a text-string with
corresponding character in next Cell. Thus all characters add
up from the contents in Cells starting from 1 to the last in the
ChitraBandh.
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IMPLEMENTATION SCHEME We have used MicroSoft Small Basic to implement these
algorithms. It is tough work to create error free Chakra Files.
An Integer to Character conversion table was Lack of Knowledge in Kannada was very well bridged
implemented wherein characters were represented in UTF-8 with the Hindi Version of Siri Boovlaya Volume-1 which
(UCS Transformation Format—8-bit). It is a variable-width contains 8 Addhyayas with total of 85 Chakras. [1] However
encoding that can represent every character in the Unicode a lot remains to be discern, implement, interpret and
character set. distirbute.
To decipher according to Chakra-Bandh scheme, the Addhyayas 9 to 20 are contained in Kannad Edition Volume-
matrix is traversed once only in each of the cells in 27x27 2. It describes ChitraKavya Bandh which are not described in
matrix of the respective Chakra. Volume-1.[2].
Following was the algorithm for Chakra-Bandh, Remaining 21-59 Adhyayas are not yet published yet and
there remains a enormous knowledge to be discovered.
1. Start with cell at row=1 and column=14
2. : loop for 729 times CONCLUSION
3. get integer from cell(row, column)
4. substitute integer with Character using CodeTable It is estimated that in 1270 Chakras, which are divided into
5. append the Character in output file 56 Chapters the whole subject matter consist of 600000
6. compute row=row-1 and column=column+1 Shlokas or 1400000 Characters. Huge effort is required to
7. if row < 1 then row=27 or col > 27 then col=1 dig up this treasure-house of knowledge. Use of Computers
8. goto :loop and appropriate techniques will help a lot in re-discovery of
9. save output file this great epic. A great limitation exists in lack of language
10. exit experts who can understand older versions of Kannada and
The Characters in Ouptut File for Chakra 1-1-1 are shown are also conversant with Prakrit, Samskrit etc. etc.
in the following Screenshot,
In addition to enhance and explore algorithms for the
existing Bandhas, We plan to associate corresponding sound
so that deciphered matter so that is available in audible form
as well. This will perhaps make the outcome more acceptable
and will enhance its reach.
One Commercial Software is available at website:
http://www.conchsolutions.com/siribhoovalaya.html, This is
For implementing Navamaank Bandh the whole 27x27 a worksheet based auto substitution scheme.
matrix of the chakra is divided in tiles of 9x9 each. Thus
there are Nine Tiles in the Chakra with Tile Sequence ACKNOWLEDGMENT
Starting from1 at the top left.
Thanks to Dr. Mahendra Kumar Jain ‘Manuj’, Director,
Tile sequences for processing the Chakra are different for Siri Bhoovalaya Pariyojana, Indore, for introducing to me
different Addhyayas. For Chakras in Addhyaya-2 the tile this amazing epic. A useful informative description of ‘Siri
sequence is 3,4,5,2,1,6,9,8,7. For Chakras in Addhyaya-3 Bhoovalya’ exists in Wikipedia Web Pages at the URL:
the http:// en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siribhoovalaya.
corresponding sequence is 2,3,4,9,1,5,8,7,6. Similarly for
other Addhyayas sequence is differently described.
REFERENCES
[1] Sri Kumudendu Muni: Hindi Translation: Swarna Jyothi :
“Siribhoovalaya Hindi Vol 1”: Edited and Revised by Hon.Editorial
Board, Pustakshakti: Pustak Shakti Publication, Bangalore, 2008.
[2] Sri Kumudendu Muni: “Siribhoovalaya Volume - 2 (Chapters 9 - [3] William Stallings : 'Cryptography and Network Security - Principles
20)”: Edited and Revised by Hon.Editorial Board, Pustakshakti: and Practices': Fourth Edition : Pearson Education India: 2006.
Pustak Shakti Publication, Bangalore, 2008..
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