Essay name: Glories of India (Culture and Civilization)
Author: Prasanna Kumar Acharya
This book, “Glories of India on Indian Culture and Civilization”, emphasizes the importance of recognizing distinct cultural traits across different societies. The historical narrative of Indian civilization highlights advancements in agriculture, medicine, science, and arts, tracing back to ancient times. The author argues for the need to understand the past to meaningfully engage with the present and future.
Page 296 of: Glories of India (Culture and Civilization)
296 (of 510)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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PRACTICAL SCIENCES 263 of astrology. He elucidates the effects of the movements
of the sun, of the changes of the moon, its conjunction
with the planets and eclipses. He describes several
constellations and their powers on the fate of man. He
mentions what lands, peoples, and things stand under
the orgies of each planet. The planetary movements
also determine the wars of kings, and each year owes
its fortune or mishap to the planet which presides over
it. He explains the signs of weather and how to foretell
not merely the crop but the rise and fall of prices. The
importance of astrology is emphasised in connection
with architecture, the digging of tanks, the laying out
of gardens and the making of images. In his Brihat-
vivahapatala the question of marriage is further dis-
cussed and his Svalpa-vivahapatala further refers to
this subject. He deals with the wars of kings in his
Yogayātrā (marching out under favouring conditions).
In his Brihaj-jätaka and Laghu-jātaka he further deals
with the Hora which name like other terms was bor-
rowed once from Greece.¹ There is a Yavana-Jātaka
(old and new union) ascribed to Minarāja Yavanāchārya.
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics comprising geometry (jyamiti), algebra
(bija-ganita) and arithmetic (gaṇita or ankaśāstra) are
direct descendants from Astronomy. The origion of
geometry is traced to the architectural measurement
of altars, which were required for the great Soma sacri-
fice. They were made in ten different shapes as
enumerted in the Sulba-satras (200 B.C.) or supplement-
ary portions of Kalpa sūtra of Baudhayana and Apastamba
to the Taittiriya Samhita. These altars refer to the
construction of squares and triangles; the relation of
the diagonal to the sides; the equivalence of rectangles
and squares; and the construction of equivalent squares
and circles.
Aryabhaṭṭa was the first to insert a definitely
mathematical section (ganita) in his astronomy. 'He deals
in it with evolution and involution, area and volumes,
progression, algebraic identities, and indeterminate
For instance Panahara, Apoklima, Hibuka, trikoṇa jimitra,
Meshurana, signs of zodiac including kriya, tavuri, jituma, leya,
pathona juka, kampya, tankshika, anokero, Hridroga and Itthya, etc.
