The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c7.2

c7.2

There are now available several commentaries on the *Śulbas*. The more important manuals are found to have been commented upon by more than one writer. Thus we have two commentaries on the *Śulba* of Baudhāyana. One of them is by Dvārakanātha Yajvā and is named *Śulba-dīpikā* ("The Light of the *Śulba*"). The other, called *Śulba-mīmāṁsā* ("The investigation into the *Śulba*"), is by Veṅkaṭeśvara Dīkṣita. On the *Āpastamba Śulba*, there are as many as four well-known commentaries: (1) *Śulba-vyākhyā* ("The Explanation of the *Śulba*") by Kapardisvāmī, (2) *Śulba-pradīpikā* ("The Light of the *Śulba*") by Karavindasvāmī, (3) *Śulba-pradīpa* ("The Light of the *Śulba*") by Sundararāja and (4) *Āpastambīya Śulba-bhāṣya* ("The commentary on the *Śulba* of Āpastamba") by Gopāla, son of Gārgya Nṛsiṁha Somasuta. Sundararāja's work is also called *Sundara-rājīya* ("The work of Sundararāja") after the name of the author, as is usual in Sanskrit. I have come across two commentaries on the *Kātyāyana Śulba*, namely, *Śulba-sūtra-vṛtti* ("The Explanation of the *Śulba-sūtra*") of Rāma or Rāmacandra, son of Sūryadāsa and *Śulba-sūtra-vivaraṇa* ("The Exposition of the Śulba-sūtra") by Mahīdhara.