Ganita Shastra (गणितशास्त्रम्)

Ganita shastra (Samskrit: गणितशास्त्रम्) or Ganita (गणितम्) means the science of calculation which is an equivalent name for the term mathematics. This ancient term occurs copiously in Vedic literature. Vedanga Jyotisha by Lagadha gives it the highest place of honour among the sciences which form the Vedanga.

यथा शिखा मयूराणां नागानां मणयो यथा । तद्वद्वेदाङ्गशास्राणां ज्योतिषं (गणितं) मूर्धनि स्थितम् ॥ १९ ॥ (Veda. Jyot. 4)

yathā śikhā mayūrāṇāṁ nāgānāṁ maṇayo yathā । tadvadvedāṅgaśāsrāṇāṁ jyotiṣaṁ (gaṇitaṁ) mūrdhani sthitam ॥ 19 ॥

As the crests on the heads of peacocks, as the gems on the hoods of the snakes (cobras), so is astronomy (mathematics) is at the highest position of vedanga shastras (which are the Shad Vedangas or the six ancillary branches of knowledge).

Introduction

Ganita or Indian mathematics is quintessentially a science of computation and texts of Indian mathematics essentially present systematic and efficient procedures or algorithms for the solution of various mathematical problems. The ancient texts of geometry, Shulbasutras (of the Kalpa Vedanga), give us procedures for the construction and transformation of geometrical figures. The much later classical text Aryabhatiya of Aryabhata presents most of the procedures of arithmetic, algebra, geometry and trigonometry, which are taught today in schools, in just thirty-two verses comprising the Ganitapada.

Chandogya Upanishad's Narada Sanathkumara Samvada, clearly elucidates the existence of the subjects of sciences and arts depicting their antiquity in ancient India. Narada, entreated by Sanathkumara, enumerates the various sciences and arts studied by him and this list includes astronomy (nakshatra-vidya) and arithmetic (rasi-vidya). The culture of science of astronomy and mathematics classified under Aparavidya were not considered to be a hindrance to Paravidya or spiritual knowledge; they were part of the Chaturdasha and Asthadasa vidyas which was the basic curriculum of education. On the contrary they were considered as helpful adjuncts and were studied to aid the progress of Paravidya as expounded in Mundakopanishad (1.1.3-5).

The elementary stage in ancient education system lasted from the age of five till about the age of twelve. The main subjects of study were Lipi or lekha (alphabets, reading and writing), rupa (drawing and geometry) and ganita (arithmetic). It is said in the Arthashastra of Kautilya that having undergone the Choula ceremony (tonsure), the student shall learn the alphabets (lipi) and arithmetic (samkhyana).

वृत्त-चौल-कर्मा लिपिं संख्यानं चौपयुञ्जीत ।। ०१.५.०७ ।। (Arth. Shast. 1.5.7)7

Mention of lekha, rupa and ganana is also found in the Jaina canonical works.

Our ancestors were well aware that mathematics is the language by which one can express any associated science compactly. It involved simplified ways of manipulation and calculations, helping one to develop the mind and also to communicate well. Thus mathematics was considered to be a very important subject in ancient India taught from a very young age.

Scope of Ganita

In Vedangas Astronomy (jyotisha) became a separate subject and geometry (kshetra-ganita) came to be included within its scope. It is to be noted that the Jain and Buddhist scholars have played a significant role in the development of astronomy and mathematics in India. Importance of Ganita is also given by the Jainas in their religious literature. Ganitanuyoga, meaning the exposition of the principles of mathematics and Samkhyana meaning the science of numbers, in terms of arithmetic and astronomy, is stated to be one of the principal accomplishments of the Jaina priest (Bhagavati-sutra, 90 and Uttaradhyayana-sutra, 25). Buddhist literature regards arithmetic (ganana and samkhyana) as the first and noblest of the arts. In ancient Buddhist literature we find a mention of three classes of Ganita:

1. Mudra ("finger arithmetic")
2. Ganana ("mental arithmetic")
3. Samkhyana ("higher arithmetic in general")

Subject Matter of Ganita

The subjects treated in Ganita of the early periods consisted of the following:

Parikarma ("fundamental operations"),

Vyavahara ("determinations")

Rajju ("rope," meaning geometry)

Rasi ("rule of three")

Kalasavarna ("operations with fractions")

Yavat tavat ("as many as," meaning simple equations)

Varga ("Square," meaning quadratic equations)

Ghana ("Cube", meaning cubic equations)

Varga-varga (biquadratic equations)

Vikalpa ("permutations and combinations").