Ganitatilaka (Sanskrit text and English introduction)
by H. R. Kapadia | 1937 | 49,274 words
The Sanskrit text of the Ganitatilaka with an English introduction and Appendices. Besides the critically-edited text, this edition also includes the commentary of Simhatilaka Suri. The Ganitatilaka is an 11th-century Indian mathematical text composed entirely of Sanskrit verses and authored by astronomer-mathematician Shripati. The text itself dea...
Part 8 - The word-symbol notation
A notation in which any word conveying the idea of a number is used is called a 'word-symbol notation'. This notation has not only been extremely well-known in India from ancient times but has also been extra-ordinarily popular.1 The Jaina writers, too, have utilized it in their works, 2 the foremost,
1 In "Indian Mathematics" by G. R. Kaye, it is mentioned on p. 31 that this notation was introduced (into India) about the ninth century, possibly from the east. Mr. Rangacharya M. A. has stated in his preface to "The Ganitasarasangraha of Mahaviracarya" that "there is evidence in his (Aryabhatta's) writings to show that he was familiar with nominal numerical......Similarly in Brahmagupta's writings also there is evidence to show that he was acquainted with the use of nominal numbers and the decimal system of notation." My friend Dr. Datta just informs me that he has written in Bengali several articles connected with this topic, which have appeared in the Bangiya Sahitya Parisad Patrika. For instance, "Jaina-sahitye nama-samkhya" in B. S. P. P. 1337 B. S. pp. 28-39; "Nama-samkhya", ibid, 1337 B. S. pp. 7-27; "Sabda-samkhya Pranali," ibid., 1335 B. S. (=1928-29 A. C.), pp. 8-30; "Aksara-samkhya Pranali", ibid., 1336 B. S. pp. 22-50; and "Ankanam vamato gatih", ibid., 1337 B. S. pp. 7-30.
2 Amongst the Digambara writers Nemicandra (cir. 10 th century) wellknown as "Siddhantacakravartin" and author of Gommatasara, Trilokasara and Labdhisara, has employed both the right-ward and left-ward moves while. employing various numerical notations. In Trilokasara (gatha 21), the number 197,912,092,999,680,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 is mentioned by the right-ward move as under:- vidhu nidhi-ga-va-ravi nabha nidhi-nayana-baladdhi- nidhi-kharahatthi igitisa sugunasahiya ......" In gatha 313 of the same work, he, however, mentions by the left-ward: gatha move, the number 7905694150 as " pannasamekadala navachappannakhasunnavasadari .—That he uses contrary moves even while expressing numbers by resorting to Katapayadi system in its second variant is borne out by Gommatasara (Jivakanda, v. 158) and Trilokasara (gatha 98 ).
definitely known at present being Jinabhadra Gani KsamaA list of words signifying different numbers is given in the appendix.2 sramana.
1 See Brhatksetrasamasa I. 69. 2 While representing various numerical quantities by certain things, Sripati has invariably followed the decimal system of notation. The words used by him are marked with an asterisk.