Geometry in Ancient and Medieval India c4.2

c4.2

Indeed the last one should have been the nucleus around which the other sections are to be grouped. For, at least after the Śulbasūtra period, the main developments in Indian mathematics were oriented towards and inspired by the needs of astronomy. The word, *Jyotiṣa* (the science of the luminaries) covered all branches of mathematics. The word '*gaṇita*' (calculations) which combined with *Pāṭi* (calculating board), *Bīja* (algebraical elements) and *Kṣetra* (field or figure), denotes arithmetic, algebra and geometry respectively has also got an astronomical colouring, since the root '*gaṇ*' has always had a special association with astronomical computations.