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Mathematics in Ancient and Medieval India c4.s4.t1: Nārāyaṇa Paṇḍita (c. 1356 A.D.)

Mathematics in Ancient and Medieval India c4.s4.t1

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Nārāyaṇa Paṇḍita (c. 1356 A.D.)

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Nārāyaṇa Daivajña or Nārāyaṇa Paṇḍita, as he was popularly called, was the son of Nṛsiṃha Daivajña. He is solely a mathematician and the author of two works namely (i) *Gaṇitakaumudī*¹, a mathematical treatise in 14 chapters and (ii) *Bījagaṇitāvataṃsa*², a work on algebra.

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¹ Ed. by Padmākara Dvivedi, two parts, The Prince of Wales Saraswati Bhavan Text No. 57, Benaras, 1936 and 1942.

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² See Algebra of Nārāyaṇa by B. Datta, *Isis*, *19*, 472-85, 1933; Ed. by K. S. Shukla, Lucknow, 1970.

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The date of composition of the *Gaṇitakaumadī*³ is given in the work itself as *gaja-naga-ravi-mite śake* or 1278 śaka corresponding to 1356 A.D.

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³ *Ibid.*, Part II, p. 411; vide also the preface of *Gaṇitakaumadī* (Part I), *Saraswati Bhavan Text* no. 57, 1936.

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In this work he dealt, in addition to the eight fundamental operations, the problems on series and a general formula for the sum of any order of triangular numbers. Nārāyaṇa's method of summation of any order triangular number or *vārasaṃkalita* shortly, has established a way for the development of integration series in connection with quadrature of the circle and allied problems. In his *Bījagaṇita*, besides usual topics on algebra, the method of finding the approximate values of the square-root of a non-square number is noteworthy.

Cites (2)