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Indian Literature Vedic, Buddhist, Jain and Sanskrit

Vedic Literature

The Vedas are said to have been passed on from one generation to the next through verbal
transmission and are, therefore, also known as Shruti (to hear) or revelation.

The term Vedic literature means the four Vedas in their Samhita and the allied literature
based on or derived from the Vedas. We classify the Vedic literature into the following
categories:

I. The four Vedas i.e. the Rig, Sama, Yajur and Atharva and their Samhitas.
II. The Brahmanas attached to each Samhita.
III. The Aranyakas.
IV. The Upanishads.

Shruti Literature and Smriti Literature

The Vedic literature is broadly divided into two categories viz. Shruti and Smriti.

Shruti is that which has been heard and is canonical, consisting of revelation and
unquestionable truth, and is considered eternal.

Shruti describes the sacred texts comprising the central canon of Hinduism viz.
Vedas, Brahmanas, Aranyakas, & Upanishads.

Smiriti literally means "that which is remembered, supplementary and may change
over time.

It is authoritative only to the extent that it conforms to the bedrock of Shruti and it is
entire body of the post Vedic Classical Sanskrit literature.

It comprises Vedanga, Shad darsana, Puranas, Itihasa, Upveda, Tantras,

Agamas, Upangas.

Shruti Literature

Rig-Veda
Rig-Veda is known as the oldest religious text in the world. It is also known
as First testament of mankind.

It was composed around 1700 BC. Last hymns were composed between
1500-1200 BC.

Its a collection of hymns by a number of priest families.

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It is organized in10 books which are called Mandalas. The first and tenth
Mandalas are the youngest and the longest books. Second to Seventh
Mandalas are oldest parts of Rig-Veda but the shortest books.

Rig-Veda is neither a historical nor a heroic poem but is mainly a collection

of hymns by a number of priestly families. These were recited at the time of
sacrificial rites and other rituals with utmost devotion.

The Rig-Veda contains 1017 (1028, including 11 hymns of the Valakhilya

recession) hymns (Sukta) and is divided into ten mandalas.

The first and the tenth Mandalas are said to have been added later as their
language differs slightly from the other eight Mandalas.

Yajurveda
Yajus means "sacrificial formula" and Yajurveda is the book of sacrificial
prayers. It contains the rituals of the Yajnas.

It is estimated to have been composed between 1,400 and 1000 BC.

It prescribes the rituals for performing different sacrifices.

Distinction between Black and White Yajurveda

i. There are two distant forms of this Veda. In the oldest, the instructions
about rituals are mingled with the verses from the Rig-Veda. The chief
recession of this is that taught by a school of teachers called the
Taitttiriyans. This was called Black Yajurveda.

ii. At a later date other scholars called the Vajasaneyins separated the
explanatory matter from the verses to be recited and hence were called
white (Shukla) YajurVeda, the other being called the black (Krishna)
Yajur-Veda.

iii. This implies that the Krishna Yajurveda includes the Brahmana prose
discussions within the Samhita (i.e. it has no Brahman) while the Shukla
Yajurveda has separately a Brahmana text, the Shatapatha Brahmana.

Sam Veda
Saman means melody and it contains the Rhythmic compilation of Hymns
of Rigveda.

It contains 1549 hymns which are meant to be sung at the soma sacrifice by

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a special class of Brahmans called "Udgatris".

Gandharveveda is Samvedas Upveda is is a technical treatise on Music,

Dance and Drama. Bharats Natyashashtra is based upon Gandharvaveda.

Atharva-Veda
Atharva-Veda is entirely different from the other three Vedas and is
chronologtically the last of the four.

It is important and interesting as it describes the popular beliefs and

superstitions of the humble folk.

Atharvaveda contains the magic spells, incorporates much of early traditions

of healing and magic that are paralleled in other Indo-European literatures.

For a very long time it was not included in the category of the Vedas.

Brahmanas
The Brahmanas are the prose texts which explain the hymns in the Vedas,
give explanation and applications and related stories of their origin.

They also have some stories related to the certain persons related to the
Vedic Text.

Aranyakas
The Aranyakas were written in Forests and are concluding parts of the
Brahmans.

Aranyakas dont lay much emphasis on rites, ritual and sacrifices but have
philosophy and mysticism. So they have moral science and philosophy. It
also provides the details of the Rishis who lived in jungles.

Aranyakas were written mainly for the hermits and students living in the
jungles.

Aranyakas are the concluding portion of the Brahmanas or their appendices.

They lay emphasis not on sacrifices but on meditation. They are in fact,
opposed to sacrifices and many of the early rituals. Their stress is on moral
values.

They form a bridge between way of work (karma marga) which was the sole
concern of the Brahmanas and the way of knowledge (gyan marga) which

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the Upanishads advocated.

The Upanishads
Upa means nearby and sada means sit. So Upanishads contain the
knowledge imparted by the gurus to their disciples.

Eventually the word began to be used for the secret knowledge imparted by
the guru to his selected pupils.

Upanishads specify philosophical knowledge and spiritual learning.

The main motto of the Upanishads is Knowledge Awards Salvation

Upanishads are called Vedanta (the end of the Veda) firstly, because they
denote the last phase of the Vedic period and secondly, because they reveal
the final aim of the Veda.

The Oldest Upanishads are Brhadaranyaka and Chandogya Upanishads

which date as back as the first millennium BC. Latest were composed in the
medieval and early modern period.

The latest Upnishad is Muktika Upnishad and was recorded by Dara Shikoh.
It dates to 1656. Dara Shikoh was son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan and is
known to have translated fifty Upanishads into Persian.

There are 108 Upanishads. 11 are predominant and they are called Mukhya
Upanishads.

Smriti Texts

Vedangas
Vedangas are the first series in the Smriti Literature. These refer to six
auxiliary disciplines associated with the study and understanding of the
Vedas. They are as follows:

1. Shiksha (Phonetics)

Its aim is the teaching of the correct pronunciation of the Vedic hymns
and mantras.

2. Kalpa (Ritual Canon)

It contains the sacrificial practice and systematic sutras. There are three
kinds of Sutras part of Kalpa:

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Srautasutras, which are based on the Shruti, and teach the performance
of the great sacrifices, requiring three or five sacrificial fires.

Smartasutras, or rules based on the Smriti or tradition.

The Smartasutras have two classes viz. Grhyasutras, or domestic rules

which are basically treating the rites of passage, such as marriage, birth,
namegiving, etc., connected with simple offerings into the domestic fire
and Dharmasutras or customs and social duties.

The Dharmasutras are the first four texts of the Dharmasastra tradition
and they focus on the idea of dharma, the principal guide by which
Hindus strive to live their lives. The Dharmasutras are written in concise
prose, leaving much up to the educated reader to interpret.

3. Vyakaran (Grammar)

Vyakaran includes the Aadhyayi, of Panini. Most of the work of very

early Indian grammarians ranging to 8th century BC is lost. There are 4
parts of Paninis Grammar:

Sivasutra: Contains phonology

Aadhyayi:Contains morphology (construction rules for complexes)
Dhatupaha:Contains list of roots (classes of verbal roots)
Gaapaha: Contains list of classes of primitive nominal stems

4. Nirukta (explanation)

It is traditionally attributed to Yaska, an ancient Sanskrit grammarian. It

deals with etymology, particularly of obscure words, especially those
occurring in the Veda.

5. Chhanda (Vedic meter)

It measures and divides Vedic Mantras by number of padas in a verse.

Number of padas divides each verse, hymn, or mantra and number of

syllables divides each pada.

6. Jyotisha (Astrology)

It describes rules for tracking the motions of the sun and the moon and
the foundation of Vedic Jyotish.

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Epics (Itihasa)
Ramayana

Created by Maharishi Valmiki. Consists of 24,000 verses in seven books

(Kandas) and 500 sargas and tells the story of Rama.

Valmiki is also regarded as India's First Poet.

It inspired Tulsikrita Ramayan Ram Charit Manas in 1576 by Tulsi

Das.

Mahabharta

The Mahabharta is attributed to Maharishi Vyas and the tale known as

Bharta is a shorter version of 24,000 verses, while the Mahabharta
contains 1 Lakh verses and 1.8 million words which makes it 4 times of
Ramayana.

Puranas:
They are late descriptions of ancient legends and consist of history of the
universe from creation to destruction, genealogies of kings, heroes, sages,
and demigods, and descriptions of Hindu cosmology, philosophy, and
geography.

They are colored with superstitions and also represent acorrupt form of
Hindu Philosophy. There are 18 major Puranas.

Upaveda
Upaveda means applied knowledge and are traditional literatures which
contain the subjects of certain technical works. They are as follows:

Ayurveda: Deals in Medicine and associated with the Rigveda

Dhanurveda: Deals in Archery and associated with the Yajurveda

Gandharvaveda: Deals with Music and Dance and associated with the
Samaveda

Shastrashastra: Deals with military technology and associated with the

Atharvaveda.

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Notable Early Scholars in Sanskrit and Their Works

Some scholars have shown on the basis of evidence in Shatapatha Brahmana that Indian
geometry predates Greek geometry by centuries.

It has been argued that Geometry and Mathematics had a ritualistic beginning in India
centuries before Greeks or Babylon. In these rituals, Earth was represented by Circular
altar and heavens were represented in Square altar. There were eagle shaped altars also.

Sulvasutras
It deals with complex fire altars of various shapes constructed with bricks of
specific shapes and area: the total area of the altar must always be carefully
respected. This proves that despite of no existence of algebra, there was an
awareness of precise purely geometrical calculations.

Sulva sutras belong to a bigger text Shrauta Sutras

The four major Sulva Sutras, which are mathematically the most significant,
are those composed by Baudhayana, Manava, Apastamba and
Katyayana.

Out of them the oldest belongs to Baudhayana and dates back to 600BC.
They discuss the cases of the Pythagorean Theorem and Pythagorean triples.

The Baudhayan Sulbasutra 1.48 says: The diagonal of a rectangle produces

both areas produced separately by its two sides.

Sulva Sutra also mentions a ritual which included Squaring the circle (and
vice-versa), thus geometrically constructing a square having the same area
as a given area.

Manusmriti
Manusmriti is one of the earliest and most authoritative law texts followed
by the Hindus, covering a wide range of topics such as creation of the world,
sacraments like Upanayana' and marriage; duties of men and women placed
in different strata of society and stages of life; penitential rites for violation
of codes of conduct; and so on.

It is a metrical (one that is written in poetic verses) text, which presents a

discourse given by the Prajapati Manu, to a congregation of seers after a
Mahapralaya (great Floods) in ancient India.

The discourse was recorded and preserved in memory as a dialog between

himself and the sage Bhrigu in some 2700 Shlokas.

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Manusmriti remained the standard point of reference for all future

Dharmasastras. It was translated in 1794 by Sir William Jones.

Manusmriti and the Concept of Varna

In line with the ancient Indian tradition, Manu distinguished between
various human beings on the basis of their basic tendencies and inclinations.

The human beings were classified on the basis of the preponderance of a

particular guna. Thus in according to Manusmriti, the Satvik guna
preponderates in Brahmins, Rajas Guna dominates in Kshatriyas and Tamas
Guna dominates in the Vaishyas and Shudras.

Further, in the ancient texts, the four Varnas were compared with the limbs
of human body. Thus, Brahmin was represented by mouth; the Kshatriya by
arms; the vaishya by navel and the shudra by feet. This is why Brahmins got
the top status. They used to teach, preach and advise, that is, the functions of
higher intellect were their prerogative. The kshatriyas were the protectors of
dharma, while vaishyas performed trade and agriculture. The shudras used
to serve the higher varnas.

Though the possession of quality and not the accident of birth was said
to determine one's varna; but in actual fact this salutary advice was followed
more in breach than in observance.

Selected Topics in Buddhist Literature

Tripitaka
Tripitaka or Three Baskets is a traditional term used for various Buddhist
scriptures.

The three pitakas are Sutta Pitaka, Vinaya Pitaka and Abhidhamma Pitaka.

1. Sutta Pitaka:

It contains over 10 thousand suttas or sutras related to Buddha and his

close companions. This also deals with the first Buddhist council which
was held shortly after Buddha's death, dated by the majority of recent
scholars around 400 BC, under the patronage of king Ajatasatru with
the monk Mahakasyapa presiding, at Rajgir.

2. Vinaya Pitaka

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The subject matter of Vinay Pitaka is the monastic rules for monks and
nuns. It can also be called as Book of Discipline.

Its three books are Suttavibhanga, Khandaka and Parivara.

3. Abhidhammapitaka

Abhidhammapitaka deals with the philosophy and doctrine of Buddhism

appearing in the suttas. However, it does not contain the systematic
philosophical treatises.

Jatakas
Jatakas are very much close to folklore literature and they contain the tales
of previous births of Buddha in poems.

Milinda Panha
Milinda Panha means "Questions of Milinda". It contains the dialogue of
Indo-Greek king Meander and Buddhist monk Nagasena.

It has been written in second to first century BC and initially written in

Sanskrit. There is only one copy in Sri Lankan Pali of this work. It was
printed in the 6th Buddhist council in 1954.

Dipavamsa
The meaning of Dipavamsa is "Chronicle of Island". It is the oldest
historical record of Sri Lanka.

It is believed to have been compiled around 3rd or 4th century BC

somewhere in Anuradhapura in Sri Lanka during the reign of King
Dhatusena of Sri Lanka, the first Mauryan King of Sri Lanka.

Dipavamsa is one of the most important works in Pali Literature. It details

the tooth relic and Bodhi Tree's arrival in Sri Lanka. It also deals with the
arrival of Buddha's teaching and preachers in Sri Lanka. It mentions that
Buddha visited Kelaniya and Dighavapi in Sri Lanka.

Mahavamsa
Mahavamsa is the most important Pali epic poem. Mahavamsa means
"Great Chronicle". Its a historical poem in Pali Language which deals about
the Kings of Sri Lanka.

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The Mahavamsa, Dipavamsa, Culavamsa (small chronicle) all together are

sometimes known as Mahavamsa. It deals with the royal dynasties of not
only Sri Lanka but the whole Indian subcontinent and is known as world's
longest unbroken historical accounts. The consecration of Asoka and details
of Selucus and Alexander have been detailed in it.

Mahavastu
Mahavastu means the "Great Event". Its a work in prose and verse and is
written in Sanskrit, Pali and Prakrit. It details the miracles & earlier lives of
Buddha.

Buddha Charita
Buddha Charita is an epic style Sanskrit work by Ashavaghosa.

It mainly deals with Buddha's Life.

Lalitavistara

In Sanskrit Lalit is a Lotus. Lalitvistara is a Sanskrit text that deals with the
biography of Buddha.

Select Buddhist Scholars

Moggaliputta Tissa
The most important turning point in the expansion of Buddhism in India was
the emergence and conversion of Asoka the Great (304232 BC). He
embraced Buddhism after 8 years of his coronation; he became a Buddhist
and made it his state religion in 260 BC.

He convened the third Buddhist council, which was held in Pataliputra in the
presidency of Moggaliputta Tissa.

Asvaghosa
Asvaghosa is the greatest Indian Poet Prior to Kalidasa. He is known as first
Sanskrit Dramatist of the world.

His epics rivalled the contemporary Ramayana. He wrote Buddhist texts in

Classical Sanskrit.

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He was the court writer and religious advisor of Kushana king Kanishka. His
main works are Buddhacharita, Mahalankara (Book of Glory) and
Saundaranandakavya (details the life of Nanda).

Nagarjuna
Nagarjuna founded the Madhyamika school of Mahayan Buddhism. He was
contemporary of Satavahana King Gautamiputra. He was born in a Brahmin
family in Nagarjunkonda in modern Andhra Pradesh.

Most important work is Mulamadhyamakakarika , which means

Fundamental Verses on the Middle Way.

His theory is also known as Shunyavad emptiness".

Select Topics in Jain Literature

Purva, Agama, Bhadrabahu, Sthulbhadra & Vishaka

The canonical literature of Jainism is claimed to have started from Adinatha,

the first tirthankara. It is said that these teachings were forgotten and revived
by the Tirthankaras from time to time.

The teachings of the Tirthankaras before Mahavir are known as Purva.

There were total 14 Purvas which were memorized and passed on through
the ages, but later lost into oblivion.

Some Jain traditions say that Jain Scholar Bhadrabahu, who was also a Sutra
Kevali (one who can recite all sutras), could recite the 14 Purvas.
Bhadrabahu is considered to be the last expert of fourteen Purvas. He later
migrated to South India, where he would later become guru of Chandragupta
Maurya.

Jain Literature is called Jain Agamas. They are canonical texts of Jainism
based on Mahaviras teachings. There are in all 46 texts.

12 Angas
12 Upangas
6 Chedasutras
4 Mulasutras
10 Prakirnaka sutras
2 Culikasutras

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Jain Religious Canon

12 Upanga Agams: Upanga Agamas are explanations to Angas

6 Chedasutras: These are texts related to behavior of Monks and Nuns.

4 Mulasutras: These are texts which provide a base in the earlier stages of
the monkhood

10 Prakirnaka sutras: These are texts on Independent or miscellaneous

subjects

2 Culikasutras: These are texts which further enhance or decorate the

meaning of Angas.

Acharang Sutra (Acaranga Sutra)

Acharanga Sutra is the first of the eleven (or 12) Anga Agamas. It is the first
text that was studied by the Jain monks.

This agam describes the conduct and behaviour of ascetic life and the
description of the penance of Lord Mahavir. This is the oldest agam from a
linguistic point of view. It was written in Ardhamagadhi Prakrit.

Kalpa Sutra
Kalpa Sutra was written by Bhadrabahu.

It contains the biographies of the Jain Tirthankaras, most notably

Parshvanath and Mahavira, including the latter's Nirvana.

Classic Sanskrit Literature

The classical period of Sanskrit literature dates to the Gupta period and the
successive pre-Islamic Middle kingdoms of India.

This period is known for development of Sanskrit literature in all genres viz.
Drama, Scholarly treatises, Stories, Epic Poems, Literature related to
Science and Technology and the Puranas.

Famous Sanskrit literature and their writers

Asvaghosha

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Asvaghoa (Circa. 80 150 AD) is considered to be the first Sanskrit

Dramatist of the world. He was a born Brahmin, but later turned into a
Buddhist Monk.

He was the court poet of the Kushana king Kanishka.

Asvaghosha wrote in Classical Sanskrit.

His work, Buddha Charita is an epic style Sanskrit work. It mainly deals
with Buddha's Life.

Asvaghosa also wrote a Sanskrit Drama Sariputra Prakaran which deals

about Sariputta or Sariputra the disciple of Buddha.

Asvaghosha also wrote the Saundaranandakavya, a kavya poem with the

theme of conversion of Nanda, Buddhas half-brother, so that he might reach
salvation.

Sudraka
The real name of Sudraka was Indranigupta and he was an Abhira King of
first or second century AD. The Abhiras were contemporary and vassals of
the Saatavahans.

Sudraka has become immortal in the form of three Sanskrit Plays ascribed to
him viz. Mricchakatika (The Little Clay Cart), Vinavasavadatta, and a bhana
(short one-act monologue), Padmaprabhritaka.

Bhasa
A very little is known about Bhasa. He is most probably senior to Kalidasa
and is one of the earliest and most celebrated Indian playwrights.

His most important works are Swapnavasavadattam, Panch-ratra,

Madhyama-vyayoga, DutaGhattotkacha, Duta-Vakya, Urubhanga,
Karna-bhara and Bal Charita.

Svapnavasavadattam is the best known work of Bhasa. It was lost and

rediscovered in 1912 in Kerala. This play is around the Vatsa king Udayana
and his queen Vasavadatta, the daughter of Pradyota, the ruler of Avanti.

Kalidasa
Kalidasa is the immortal poet and playwright of India and a peerless genius

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whose works became famous worldwide in modern world. Translation of

Kalidasa's works in numerous Indian and Foreign Languages have spread
his fame all of the word and now he ranks among the top poets of all times.

Works of Kalidasa

1. Malavikagnimitram

Malavikagnimitram is the Sanskrit play, which depicts Agnimitra as its

hero. Malvika is a maid servant whom Agnimitra falls in love. This was
known to his chief queen, who imprisons her. Later it was known that
Malvika was of a royal birth and she was accepted as queen of
Agnimitra. Malavikagnimitram gives account of Rajsuya Yajna of
Pushyamitra Shunga, father of Agnimitra.

2. Abhijanasakuntalam

Abhijanasakuntalam is a Sanskrit play which depicts the story of

Dushyanta, king of Hastinapur, and Shakuntala, daughter of the sage
Vishwamitra and the apsara Menaka.

3. Vikramorvasiyam

Vikramorvasiyam is a Sanskrit Drama which depicts the love story of

Puruvas a Vedic King and Urvashi. Puruvas is chosen to reflect the
qualitites of Chandragupta Vikramaditya.

4. Raghuvamsa

Raghuvamsa is a Sanskrit epic poem that is a long (19 Sargas) narration

of genealogy of Lord Rama's Raghu Vamsa beginning with King Dileep
up to Agnivarna.

5. Kumarasambhava

Kumarasambhava is an epic poem which has 17 sirgs, out of which only

8 are accepted as his authorship. Kumara or prince is Kartikeya and it
refers to birth of Kartikeya, son of shiva and Parvati after a lot of
Tapasya to win Shiva who had already won Kamdeva (God of Love).

Kartikeya later killed Tarakasur demon who was blessed that he would
not be killed by any other than son os Shiva and Parvati.

6. Ritusamhara

Ritusamhara is again a mini epic poem in Sanskrit which has 6 Sargas.

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These Sargas refer to 6 seaosns (Ritu) viz, Grisma (Summer) , varsha

(Rains), Sharad (Autumn), Hemanta (Cool), Sisira (Winter) and
Vasantha (Spring).

It mentions the feelings, emotions and experiences of lovers in 6

seasons. Ritusamhara is considered to be the earliest work of Kalidasa.

7. Meghaduta

Meghaduta means a messenger of Clouds. Its a poem with 11 stanzas.

The theme of Meghaduta is a Yaksha, who is subject of Lord Kubera
(King of Wealth). His wife is waiting for him at Mount Kalidasa.
Kubera at some place in central India exiled the Yaksha and he wishes
to send his message to his wife. For that, he convinces a cloud to take
his message and pass it on to his wife. The poem narrates about the
beautiful sights and visual perceptions he would come across while
going northwards to take this message to his wife.
Bharavi

Bharavi is best known for Kiratarjuniya, written around 550 CE. Kirat is
Shiva who speaks to Arjuna in for form of a mountain dwelling hunter.
This epic style Kavya is considered to be among the greatest works in
Sanskrit which is known for complexity of the Sanskrit.

Magha
Sisupala-vadha was written by Magha in 7th century AD and is one of the 6
Sanskrit Mahakavyas.

It was inspired by the works of Kalidasa, Bharavi and Dandin, all of them,
as the author says but surpasses Bharavi in his style and wordplay.

Vishakhadatta
We know about only two plays of Vishakhadatta viz. Mudrarakasa and
the Devichandraguptam. Out of them Mudraraksasa is the only surviving
play. Devichandraguptam is survived in fragments only.

Mudrarakshasha means "Ring of the Demon". It narrates the ascent of

Chandragupta Maurya to throne. Rakshasha is the last Minister of Nandas
who is lured in Chandragupta's side, by Chanakya.

Vatsyayana

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Vatsyayana was the author of Nyaya Sutra Bhashya, which was the first
commentary on Gautama's Nyaya Sutras.

Kamasutra is a treatise on Human Sexual behaviour and makes the part of

the Kamashashtra. The first transmission of the Kamashashra is attributed to
Nandi, the bull of Shiva, as per the traditions.

Sanskrit Literature in Science and Technology

Aryabhatta
Aryabhatta was the legendary mathematician of the Gupta Era. He wrote
Aryabhattiya at the age of 23 years and later, Arya-Siddhanta.

He worked on the approximation for pi to 3.1416.

In trigonometry, he concluded for a triangle, the result of a perpendicular

with the half-side is the area.

He also worked on the motions of the solar system and calculated the length
of the solar year to 365.8586805 days.

Aryabhatta lived in Kusumpur in Pataliputra.

Aryabhata is the author Aryabhatiyam which sketches his mathematical,

planetary, and cosmic theories. This book is divided into four chapters:

The astronomical constants and the sine table

Mathematics required for computations,
Division of time and rules for computing the longitudes of planets using
eccentrics
The armillary sphere, rules relating to problems of trigonometry and the
computation of eclipses.

Aryabhatta took the earth to spin on its axis; this idea appears to have been
his innovation.

Not only did Aryabhata believe that the earth rotates, but there are
glimmerings in his system (and other similar systems) of a possible
underlying theory in which the earth (and the planets) orbits the sun, rather
than the sun orbiting the earth. The evidence is that the basic planetary
periods are relative to the sun.

That Aryabhata was aware of the relativity of motion is clear from this
passage in his book Just as a man in a boat sees the trees on the bank
move in the opposite direction, so an observer on the equator sees the

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stationary stars as moving precisely toward the west."

Aryabhatta deduced that earth is a rotating sphere: the stars do not move, it
is the earth that rotates. Its diameter is 1,050 yojanas. Its circumference is
therefore 1050 x 13.6 x p = 44,860 km.

Aryabhatta also deduced that: The moon eclipses the sun, and the great
shadow of the earth eclipses the moon.

Varahamihira
Varahamihira lived in Ujjain and was one of the nine jewels (Navaratnas) of
the court of Chandragupta II.

He wrote Panchasiddhantaka, the five treatises on astronomy (NOT

astrology). It summarises five earlier astronomical treatises, namely the
Surya Siddhanta, Romaka Siddhanta, Paulisa Siddhanta, Vasishtha
Siddhanta and Paitamaha Siddhantas

Varahamihira has done a valuable job of compilation of five astronomical

theories, which were in use before Crist, and suryasidhanta is one of them.

This compiled book is known as 'Panchasidhanta'.

Bhaskaracharya
Bhaskaracharya was one of the prominent Indian mathematician and
astronomer, who wrote a book Sidhantshiromani'.

In his book he has documented valuable ancient literature and given the
references of many of the instruments used by the astronomers before him.

Similarly he has documented the various methods for the use of these
instruments.

Pingala
The Indian scholar Pingala (circa. 5th-2nd century BC) used binary numbers
in the form of short and long syllables (the latter equal in length to two short
syllables).

This was very much similar to today's Morse code.

The knowledge of binary numbers indicates his deep understanding of

arithmetic. Binary repersentation has now become the basis of information

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storage in terms of sequences of 0s and 1s in modern-day computers.

Bhaskara
Bhaskara (born 1114), who was from the Karnataka region, was an
outstanding mathematician and astronomer. Amongst his mathematical
contributions is the concept of diffeentials.

He was the author of Siddhanta Shiromani, a book in four parts:

Lilavati on arithmetic
Bijaganita on algebra
Ganitadhyaya on astronomy
Goladhyaya on astronomy

Bhaskara's epicyclic eccentric theories of planetary motions are more

developed than in the earlier siddhantas.

Madhava
Madhava (c. 1340-1425) developed a procedure to determine the positions
of the moon every 36 minutes.

He also provided methods to estimate the motions of the planets.

He gave power series expansions for trigonometric functions, and for pi

correct to eleven decimal places.

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Sanskrit Literature in Early Medieval India

During early medieval period, there was a considerable development in the literature.
However, the quality of the content in them was not of a high order. It was basically of
general imitative and reproductive character.

Shriharsha
Naishadhiyacharitam of Shriharsha is the most outstanding epic of this
period, written under the patronage of Gahadawala king Jayachandra of
Kannauj.

Kalhana
Rajatarangini of Kalhana is unique as the only known attempt at true
history in the whole of surviving Sanskrit literature. A few short poems were
also written during this period.

Jayadeva
The Gita-Govindam of Jayadeva is known as the most musical song ever
written in Sanskrit.

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