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Gaṇita-yukti-bhāṣā (Rationales in Mathematical Astronomy) of Jyeṣṭhadeva Volume II: Astronomy
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- Title
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Gaṇita-yukti-bhāṣā (Rationales in Mathematical Astronomy) of Jyeṣṭhadeva
Volume II: Astronomy - Language of Original Text
- Malayalam
- list of authors
- Jyeṣṭhadeva
- list of editors
- K. V. Sarma
- K. Ramasubramanian
- M. D. Srinivas
- M. S. Sriram
- Subject
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Mathematics
Value Annotations
- Description
- Kerala School
- Language of Edited Volume
- English
- Publisher
- Hindustan Book Agency
- volume
- 2
- issue
- 5
- Date Issued
- 2008
- abstract
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Ganita-yukti-bhāṣā (Rationales in Mathematical Astronomy) of Jyeşțhadeva (c.1530) is a seminal text of the Kerala School of Astronomy. It is composed in the Malayalam language and presents detailed yuktis or explanations and demonstrations for the results and processes of Mathematical Astronomy. The Text comprising fifteen Chapters is naturally divided into two parts, namely Mathematics and Astronomy, and purports to give an exposition of the techniques and theories employed in the computation of planetary motions as set forth in the great treatise Tantrasaṅgraha (c.1500) of Nīlakaṇṭha Somayājī. Even though the importance of Ganita-yukti-bhāṣā was brought to the notice of modern scholarship by C.M. Whish in 1830s, a critical edition of the entire Malayalam text is being brought out for the first time along with English translation and detailed explanatory notes.
The Astronomy part is divided into eight Chapters and the topics covered are Grahagati (computation of mean and true longitudes of planets), Bhūgola and Bhagola (Earth and celestial spheres), Pañcadaśa-praśna (fifteen problems relating to right ascension, declination, longitude, etc.), Chāyā-gaṇita (determination of time, place, direction, etc., from gnomonic shadow), Grahaņa (eclipses), Vyatīpāta (when Sun and Moon have the same declination), Darśana-saṃskāra (visibility correction for planets) and Candra-śṛṅgonnati (phases of Moon). A distinguishing feature of this work is that it gives a detailed exposition of the revised planetary model proposed by Nīlakaṇṭha which, for the first time in the History of Astronomy gives the correct formulation of the equation of centre and the latitudinal motion of the interior planets, Mercury and Venus. Another unique feature of Ganita-yukti-bhāṣā is that it presents systematic derivations of most of the results of spherical astronomy (pertaining to diurnal and shadow problems, parallax, eclipses, etc.) that are discussed in Indian Astronomy. The work should be of interest to historians of Mathematics and Astronomy and to philosophers of Science.
Part of Gaṇita-yukti-bhāṣā (Rationales in Mathematical Astronomy) of Jyeṣṭhadeva Volume II: Astronomy