12/24/2018 Software to decrypt ancient Indian maths from classical texts
THE NEWS SCROLL
12 FEBRUARY 2017 Last Updated at 1:16 PM | SOURCE: PTI
Software to decrypt ancient Indian maths from classical
texts
New Delhi, Feb 12 Important works of ancient Indian mathematicians on topics like
obliquity of earth or value of "pi" can now be deciphered from classical texts using a new
software application, researchers have claimed.
R Anusha, student of Sastra University in Thanjavur, tweaked modules of an engineering
software, used for signal processing and circuit testing, to decrypt ancient numerical
systems used in classical texts authored by Indian philosophers of yore.
Their findings have been published in the science journal Current Science.
In ancient times, astronomers and mathematicians represented digits using linguistic
phrases, a common practice in civilisations across globe that time.
Speaking to over phone, V Ramanathan, one of the authors of the paper and a faculty at the
Chemistry Department of the University, explained that in ancient literature and bodies of
knowledge, numerals are embedded as words.
In India, philosophers, astronomers and mathematicians used three systems-- Katapaydi,
Aryabhata and Bhutasankhya which used linguistic phrases-- to represent numbers.
In Bhutasankhya system, words for earth and moon were used to depict "1" while those for
eyes, ears were used to denote "2". Katapaydi and Aryabhata's system use Devnagri
consonants and vowels in a complex manner to depict numerals.
Giving an example of such numerical values in ancient scriptures, he said in 'Aryabhatiya',
penned by Aryabhata, there is a verse "Bha Apakramo Grihaamsha".
Ramanathan, Fulbright fellow and member of INYAS, said the letter 'bha' represents number 24 and this completes the meaning of the
sentence which reads as earth's obliquity is 24 degrees.
"It is very important to know the coding procedure to correctly decode the number. The software helps in decoding the numbers from
words in an error free and fast manner," he said.
The Indian National Young Academy of Science (INYAS) is an Initiative of Indian National Science Academy (INSA). (MORE)
It was Ramanathan who seeded the idea in the mind of one
of his B Tech students, Anusha, having interests in historical and classical science literature.
With active help from C Nithya, another faculty at the University, and R Venketeswara Pai of Indian Institute of Science Education
and Research (IISER), Anusha was able to develop a software platform wherein if a particular text from these scriptures was entered,
the user can get numerical value associated with it quickening the decoding process.
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12/24/2018 Software to decrypt ancient Indian maths from classical texts
The group plans to make the software open source and also develop an app so that anyone having interest can get down and starts
decrypting these texts.
Ramanthan cited another text which gives value of "pi" "anunanunnanananunnanityai, ssmahatascakra kalavibhaktoh,
candamsucandradhamakumpbhipalair, vyasastadarddham, ibhamaurvika syat".
In this, he said, the second and fourth lines are lyrical in nature while the first and third lines are numbers in codes using Katapayadi
system of numerals.
He said the above verse means that the circumference of a circle with diameter 10000000000 (anunanunnanananunnanityai) is
3.1415926536 (candamsucandradhamakumpbhipalair).
"This verse is found in the text called Karana Padhati composed by Kerala mathematician Puthumana Somayaji and dated to the 15th
century," Ramanathan said.
"pi" is commonly defined as the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter.The ratio is constant,regardless of the circle's size.
He also cited classic text Narayaneeyam written by Kerala philosopher and mathematician Melpathur Narayana Bhattathiri who
concludes his collection of about 1000 verses by saying AayurArogyasoukhyam Krishna which gives the number of days passed since
the beginning of Kaliyug when this scripture namely Narayaneeyam was completed.
"From the above example of Narayaneeyam we see the creative and poetic ways of our thinkers incorporating the time stamp on their
composition. They had not only given the accurate information of the time but also have managed poetic excellence by adhering to the
metre and other requirements purely from poetry point of view," he said.
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ARTICLE TAGS:
India New Delhi Aryabhata Indian National Young Academy of Science Sastra University Indian National Science Academy INYAS
Chemistry Department
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