: Venketeswara Pai, K. Ramasubramanian, M.S. Sriram, M.D. Srinivas
: Karaṇapaddhati of Putumana Somayājī
: Springer-Verlag
: 9789811068140
: 1
: CHF 85.30
:
: Allgemeines, Lexika
: English
: 450
: Wasserzeichen
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: PDF
This book is an important text of the Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics, probably composed in the 16th century. In the Indian astronomical tradition, thekaraṇatexts are essentially computational manuals, and they often display a high level of ingenuity in coming up with simplified algorithms for computing planetary longitudes and other related quantities.Karaṇapaddhati< i>, however, is not akaraṇatext. Rather, it discusses thepaddhatior the rationale for arriving at suitable algorithms that are needed while preparing akaraṇatext for a given epoch. Thus the work is addressed not to the almanac maker but to the manual maker.

< iv>Karaṇapaddhatiprese ts the theoretical basis for thevākyasystem, where the true longitudes of the planet are calculated directly by making use of certain auxiliary notions such as thekhaṇḍa,maṇḍalaanddhruva along with tabulated values of changes in the true longitude over certain regular intervals which are expressed in the form of vākyasor mnemonic phrases. The text also discusses the method ofvallyupasaṃhāra, which is essentially a technique of continued fraction expansion for obtaining optimal approximations to the rates of motion of planets and their anomalies, involving ratios of smaller numbers. It also presents a new fast convergent series for π which is not mentioned in the earlier works of the Kerala school. As this is a unique text presenting the rationale behind thevākyasystem and the computational procedures used in thekaraṇatexts, it would serve as a useful companion for all those interested in the history of astronomy. The authors have provided a translation of the text followed by detailed notes which explain all the computational procedures, along with their rationale, by means of diagrams and equations.