The Science of the Shulba: A Study in Early Hindu Geometry c9.2

c9.2

For the geometrical operations described in the *Sulba*, the authors, we find, have tacitly assumed the truth of certain other results without any attempt to describe them beforehand or to indicate how they could be effected. These results we have called here postulates of the *Sulba*. They might not be postulates in the Euclidean sense of the term; but they can certainly be so called in accordance with the meaning given by Aristotle, namely "whatever is assumed, though it is a matter for proof, and used without being proved." Most of the postulates of the *Sulba* are concerning the division of figures, such as straight lines, rectangles, circles and triangles. A few of them are about other matters of importance.