Ganitasarakaumudi: The Moonlight of the Essence of Mathematics by Thakkura Pheru
Edited with Introduction, Translation and Mathematical Commentary by SaKHYa
The Ganitasarakaumudi was composed in the early fourteenth century at Delhi by the Jain polymath Thakkura Pheru who held a high position at the treasury of Ala al-Din Khalji, and contributed to the popularization of science by producing six treatises in Apabhramsa verse on diverse scientific subjects.
The Ganitasarakaumudi extends the range of mathematics far beyond the traditional framework. The first three chapters are structured like the earlier mathematical texts in Sanskrit and treat traditional topics like fundamental operations, fractions, series, proportion, plane and solid geometry and so on. The remaining two chapters contain supplementary material derived from diverse areas of contemporary life where numbers play a role such as mathematical riddles, conversion of dates from Vikrama era to Hijri era, magic squares, and most remarkably, average yield per bigha of several kinds of grains and pulses – topics that were not touched upon in any mathematical text before.
The present volume offers, besides an introduction, a critically emended text, an English translation, and a detailed mathematical commentary where efforts were made to interpret Pheru’s formulas and algorithms in modern notation. There are several appendices, including a comprehensive glossary-index.
Sreeamula Rajeswara Sarma, formerly Professor of Sanskrit at Aligarh Muslim University, published Thakkura Pheru’s Ratnapariksa with an English translation and commentary in 1984.
The Ganitasarakaumudi was composed in the early fourteenth century at Delhi by the Jain polymath Thakkura Pheru who held a high position at the treasury of Ala al-Din Khalji, and contributed to the popularization of science by producing six treatises in Apabhramsa verse on diverse scientific subjects.
The Ganitasarakaumudi extends the range of mathematics far beyond the traditional framework. The first three chapters are structured like the earlier mathematical texts in Sanskrit and treat traditional topics like fundamental operations, fractions, series, proportion, plane and solid geometry and so on. The remaining two chapters contain supplementary material derived from diverse areas of contemporary life where numbers play a role such as mathematical riddles, conversion of dates from Vikrama era to Hijri era, magic squares, and most remarkably, average yield per bigha of several kinds of grains and pulses – topics that were not touched upon in any mathematical text before.
The present volume offers, besides an introduction, a critically emended text, an English translation, and a detailed mathematical commentary where efforts were made to interpret Pheru’s formulas and algorithms in modern notation. There are several appendices, including a comprehensive glossary-index.
Sreeamula Rajeswara Sarma, formerly Professor of Sanskrit at Aligarh Muslim University, published Thakkura Pheru’s Ratnapariksa with an English translation and commentary in 1984.
Takanori Kusuba, Professor of History and Philosophy of Science at Osaka University of Economics, published jointly with Professor David Pingree,
Takao Hayashi, Professor of History of Science at Doshisha University, Kyoto, wrote extensively on the history of Indian mathematics and translated Bhaskara’s Lilavati into Japanese.
Michio Yana, Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Studies at the Kyoto Sango University and the chief editor of SCIAMVS.
Takao Hayashi, Professor of History of Science at Doshisha University, Kyoto, wrote extensively on the history of Indian mathematics and translated Bhaskara’s Lilavati into Japanese.
Michio Yana, Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Cultural Studies at the Kyoto Sango University and the chief editor of SCIAMVS.
ISBN 978-81-7304-809-8 2009 328p. Rs.995/ Pounds 80
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MANOHAR PUBLISHERS & DISTRIBUTORS
4753/23 Ansari Road, Daryaganj, New Delhi 110002
Phones: 23284848, 23289100
Fax: 23265162
E-mail: manbooks@vsnl.com
sales@manoharbooks.com
To order your copy at www.manoharbooks.com
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