Aksharapalli, Akṣarapallī, Akshara-palli: 2 definitions

Introduction:

Aksharapalli means something in Hinduism, Sanskrit, the history of ancient India. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

The Sanskrit term Akṣarapallī can be transliterated into English as Aksarapalli or Aksharapalli, using the IAST transliteration scheme (?).

In Hinduism

Ganitashastra (Mathematics and Algebra)

Source: archive.org: Hindu Mathematics

Akṣarapallī (अक्षरपल्ली) refers to the “letter system” and represents an “alphabetic notation system” (i.e., using the letters of the alphabet to denote numbers), which was used in Sanskrit texts mathematics, metrics, as well as in the dates of inscriptions and manuscripts in ancient Indian literature.—Various peculiarities are found in the forms as well as the arrangement of the numerical symbols used in the pagination of old manuscripts. These symbols are known as the Akṣarapallī, i.e., the letter system. In this system the letters or syllables of the script in which the manuscript is written are used to denote the numbers. [...] The symbols are written on the margin of each leaf. Due to lack of space they are generally arranged one below the other in the Chinese fashion. This is so in the Bower manuscript which belongs to the sixth century A.D. In later manuscripts the pages are numbered both in the Akṣarapallī as well as in decimal figures.

The Akṣarapallī has been used in Jaina manuscripts upto the sixteenth century. After this period, the decimal figures are generally used. In Malabar, a system resembling the Akṣarapallī is in use upto the present day.

Ganitashastra book cover
context information

Ganitashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, gaṇitaśāstra) refers to the ancient Indian science of mathematics, algebra, number theory, arithmetic, etc. Closely allied with astronomy, both were commonly taught and studied in universities, even since the 1st millennium BCE. Ganita-shastra also includes ritualistic math-books such as the Shulba-sutras.

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India history and geography

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Indian Epigraphical Glossary

Akṣarapalli.—(IA 11), the system of writing numbers by syllables; name applied to the system of writing numbers as found in inscriptions before the popularisation of the decimal system, though the symbols employed in the Brāhmī inscriptions do not appear to be akṣaras in all cases. Note: akṣarapalli is defined in the “Indian epigraphical glossary” as it can be found on ancient inscriptions commonly written in Sanskrit, Prakrit or Dravidian languages.

India history book cover
context information

The history of India traces the identification of countries, villages, towns and other regions of India, as well as mythology, zoology, royal dynasties, rulers, tribes, local festivities and traditions and regional languages. Ancient India enjoyed religious freedom and encourages the path of Dharma, a concept common to Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism.

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