The Suryaprakasa of Suryadasa - A Commentary on Bhaskaracarya's Bijaganita (Volume 1 An Old & Rare Book)

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The present volume constitutes a critical edition and translation into English of the first three chapters, the Upodghata, the Sadvidhaprakarapa and the Kuttakadhikara of the Sanskrit commentary, the SURYAPRAKASA (written in 1538 A.D.) of SURYADASA on BHASKARA'S (1114 A.D.) Sanskrit classic on algebra, the BIJAGANITA. This is the first edition and first translation of this work. The edition of this portion of the text, which constitutes about one third of the Suryaprakasa, is a large step toward an edition of the entire commentary. This volume also contains her extensive mathematical and historical commentary on this Sanskrit work and this in turn includes an intensive study of a large portion of the relevant medieval Sanskrit mathematical literature. The mathematical content of the portion which has been edited is as follows: Arithmetical operations involving positive and negative numbers, zero, colours (unknowns), and karani (surds); and the kuttaka (pulverizer), which involves the solution of indeterminate equations of the first degree. These algebraic topics, first produced in India even centuries before the time of Bhaskara, were not discovered in Europe until many centuries later.

It gives me great pleasure to present to the world of scholars this book entitled, "Suryaprakasa of Süryadasa", critically edited and translated by Dr. Pushpa Kumari Jain of Simon Fraser University, Canada, being published as Gaekwad's Oriental Series No. 182. The book incorporates the Sanskrit Commentary Suryaprakasa of the Indian mathematician Suryadasa (1507-1588 A.D.) on the three portions - Upodghata, Ṣadvidhaprakarana & Kuttakadhikara of the Bijaganita of Bhaskaracarya (1114 A.D.). It not only presents the Sanskrit text of Bhaskaracarya and the commentary by Suryadasa, critically edited for the first time on the basis of twelve Mss., but also is the first attempt at a lucid English translation of the technical subject of mathematics along with a historical commentary by the scholar herself. This further enhances the worth of the book, so carefully edited by herself with the help of renowned scholars like Prof. Allen Freedman. The Indian mathematics could be traced back to the Vedic period. The allusions to numerals & calculations found in Vedic samhitas presuppose some knowledge of mathematics at that hoary age. The Brahmaṇa-works also contain references to numerals. The Sulvasutras are replete with several kinds of geometrical and mathematical theories. Several Indian mathematicians have written independent treatises on mathematics. The Lilavati and the Bijaganita are two independent treatises of Bhaskaracarya on Indian mathematics. The Suryaprakasa of Suryadasa is said to be the first known commentary on the Bhaskara's Bijaganita, which had hitherto remained unpublished.

Preparing the Critical Edition on the basis of twelve Mss., arriving at the supposed original text and presenting the collated critical material systematically under critical apparatus is really a very arduous task, but has been accomplished in a praiseworthy manner by the learned editor. Still more difficult is the job of translating the technical subject in a language like English. Only a scholar, well versed in Sanskrit as well as the Indian Algebra can give proper justice to the task. Dr. Pushpa Jain has been quite successful in both these aspects.The work was received by the Oriental Institute for consideration of its inclusion in the Gaekwad's Oriental Series and was first referred to late Prof. D.D. Mahulkar, a scholar of mathematics & Sanskrit grammar & linguistics. He praised it as a "Superb work" and a "Model of research in ancient mathematical scholarship". The second referee Prof. J.P. Thaker also opined it to be "an excellent work", "very interesting and useful work explaining the significance of Ancient Indian Mathematics in Modern terms". Prof. Dr. Nanavati earnestly pursued the matter of publishing this valuable work. He made correspondence by letters, fax and E-mail several times with Dr. Jain and tried to guide her to prepare the press-copy in the form of final tracing - the ready-to-print computerized copy. The author very willingly responded to his requests and requirements, though some deviations from our standard format could not be avoided. To keep up symmetry in printing page numbers, the Devanagari page numbers of the text are shifted from bottom to the upper corners of the page. Our hearty thanks are due to the editor Dr. Pushpa Jain and to Professor Dr. Allen Freedman who have thus spared us from the time- consuming, tiresome and prolonged procedure of composing and proof reading and made the printing of the volume more easy and speedy. As officiating Director, I am also now happy to be associated with this important work. We are extremely grateful to the editor Dr. Pushpa Kumari Jain for preparing this scholarly book as per our requirement and for her prompt responses, constant co-operation, for this publication. We are also thankful to the University Authorities for releasing the necessary grant for its publication. We also thank Shri P.N. Shrivastav, Manager, M.S. University Press and his co operative colleagues for the neat & speedy printing of the book.

**Contents and Sample Pages**