Hi,
The post on Thoppukaranam alias "Super Brain Yoga" seems to have garnered a lot of interest. These days your blog is averaging 50+ hits a day! Sadly, this also goes on to show that when our ancient practices are marketed by the west, they receive a tremendous response... But my belief is that if people are going to be benefited by it, there is no harm in whichever method the publicity comes...
With this post I am starting a series on possibly ancient world's greatest mathematician and astronomer, Aryabhatta.
Aryabhatta was born around 475 AD, and had already published his most significant work, "Aryabhatiyam", by the age of 23.
Though Aryabhatta has made innumerous contributions to both mathematics and astronomy, in this post, I would like to specifically elucidate how he was the first person to identify the irrationality of possibly the most enchanting and intriguing of numbers, Pi.
Aryabhatiyam is also referred to as Ashtamkara and also as Aryashastasashta (108 verses), but is now popularly called Aryabhatiyam. The Sanskirt verse describing Pi is given below:
The English interpretation of the above Shloka would be:
Add 4 to 100, multiply by 8, then add 62000, then divide by 20000. The result is "approximately" circumference of a circle of diameter 20000.
The answer of the above calculation is 62832/20000 = 3.1416.
By using the word "Asanna" (last word in the Sanskrit verse), Aryabhatta clearly states that the value so found is not exact, but an "approximate" one, something that was "approaching" the exact value. So he is referring to it being irrational.
This is quite a significant contribution, as it was not until the 17th century that Pi was proved to be irrational in Europe.
Keep watching out in the forthcoming weeks for more such interesting stuff on Aryabhatta...
- Nikhil Mundra
www.gandhistamps.com
www.nikhilloids.blogspot.com
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7 comments:
Yes, we should be proud of the fact that a great astronomer and mathematician like Aryabhatta was an Indian.
Looking forward to further posts in this series...
Oh WOW this is amazing! Thanks for efforts to revive a sense of pride in our culture and heritage.
Very interesting. It looks like Pi was discovered in various civilizations over time, by the Egyptians, Babylonians, Indians and Greeks. It was mentioned in the Indian text, Shatapatha Brahmana. Was Aryabhatta's discovery an extension of this earlier Indian research or independent of it?
_/\_
*I must humbly say that Thoppukaranam was marketed "to" the West by a Chinese Philipino gentleman.
Hello Manjuji,
Thanks a lot for your appreciative comments.
Nikhil Mundra
www.gandhistamps.com
www.nikhilloids.blogspot.com
14th April 2009
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Hello Chrysalis,
Thanks a lot for your encouraging comments.
As you are a new reader, I hope you can help me in my endeavor by sharing the scientific background of any Hindu ritual/tradition that you may be aware of.
Looking forward to your regular feedback,
Nikhil Mundra
www.gandhistamps.com
www.nikhilloids.blogspot.com
14th April 2009
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Hello Rinzai,
Thanks a lot for your informative comment.
From what I have gathered till now, Pi was initially discovered in India and then travelled to various parts of the world.
Regarding your query about its occurance in the Satapatha Brahmana, I will do some research and get back to you ASAP.
Namaste _/\_
Nikhil Mundra
www.gandhistamps.com
www.nikhilloids.blogspot.com
14th April 2009
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We have to salute to these great people who without any equipment discovered laws, theorems, solutions starting from an Atom level to Spacial objects. Added to this we must also think about the path of this achievement from a human being without any external aid. I think those paths are definately needed now with modern society needs in addition to create Aryabhattas, Kanadas, Varahimihiras, Charakas, Sushruthas etc.
But at the same de-valuation of this knowledge by misusing and exploiting it for the sake of money must be stopped. Because knowledge can not be valued and also can not restricted. It is open for all who can give respect and utilise it for the sake better life of living being. If somebody is trying to break this ethic it must be discouraged, otherwise we ourself are dishonouring our ancient people's knowledge and ethical values.
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