Mathematics in Ancient and Medieval India c4.s3.t1.1

c4.s3.t1.1

This manuscript¹ written in Sāradā script was first discovered, in course of excavation by a farmer at Bakshālī, a village near Peshwar in 1881 A.D. It attracted the attention of H. Hoernlé², G. R. Kaye³ and Datta⁴, who examined the manuscript from various aspects but failed to come to a satisfactory conclusion in ascertaining its age. Hoernlé considered it as 3rd to 4th century A.D. manuscript, which has been accepted as fair by Bühler, Cantor and Cajori. But Kaye placed it in the 12th century A.D. Datta opines that since the direct evidence is absent, there will be no better evidence than to depend on historical grounds. In this respect, the mathematical principles, symbols and terminology employed in the work would be better guides. Accordingly he examined the manuscript thoroughly and came to the conclusion that it was a work of 3rd to 4th century A.D.