TriNetre - Archive for August 03, 2003

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August 03, 2003
Vedic Mathematics - An Introduction
[Science] @ 01:09 AM

This is the beginning of a new series at TriNetre - Vedic Matehmatics. Through a series of blog notes, I plan to present some astounding mathematical knowledge available to us in the Vedas.

These notes borrow heavily from the book "Vedic Mathematics" by Jagadguru Swami Sri Bharati Krsna Tirthaji Maharaja. The idea of presenting this here is to help in the dissemination of the vast knowledge of Vedic Mathematics to the general public. I do not (and never can) assert that the work is mine.

What is Vedic Mathematics?
The book "Vedic Mathematic", from which I have heavily borrowed material from, was written by Jagadguru Sankaracarya Sri Bharati Krsna Tirthaji Maharaja of Govardhana Matha, Puri. Questions have been asked about the actual existence of the Sutras (mathematical aphorism) discussed as a part of Vedic mathematics, in the Vedic literature as we know it. As the editor of the book clarifies, the sixteen Sutras mentioned in the book form a part of the Parisista (Appendix) of the Atharvaveda, one of the four Vedas. However, the work should be considered as a new Parisista by itself and that the Sutras mentioned herein "do not appear in the hitherto know Parisistas". Readers who are interested in the origin of the work should read the Foreword and Author's Preface of the book.

The Vedas form the most ancient Indian scriptures, and, as some point out, the oldest "Religious" scriptures of the whole world. The word "Veda" has a derivational meaning of "fountain-head of knowledge". There are four Veda:
  1. Rig Veda
  2. Yaju Veda
  3. Sama Veda
  4. Atharva Veda
These Vedas have four Upavedas (supplementary Vedas), namely Ayurveda, Gandharvaveda, Dhanurveda and Sthapathyaveda, and six Vedangas (limbs of Vedas), all of which in cohesion is supposed to be "all-round complete and perfect and able to throw the fullest necessary light on all matters which any aspiring seeker after knowledge can possibly seek to be enlightened on".

Next Week - Multiplication.

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On writing
[Quotes] @ 12:45 AM

I am writing in order to . . . locate myself, if not within a body, then in the narrow space between one letter and the next, between the lines where the ghosts of meaning are.
-- Hilary Mantel (writing in London Review of Books, 6 Feb 2003)

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