A Bibliography of Sanskrit Works on Astronomy and Mathematics, Part I: Manuscripts, Texts, Translations and Studies c8.145

c8.145

It is the earliest and the largest of the Śulba works. It comprises 525 sūtras and is divided into three chapters. The first chapter contains 116 sūtras which give geometrical propositions necessary for the construction of the sacrificial altars and deal briefly with the relative positions and spatial magnitudes of various vedis. The second chapter consists of 86 sūtras of which the major portion is devoted to the description of the spatial relations in the different constructions of the Agnis and the remaining portion explains the construction of several Agnis. The third chapter in 323 sūtras, describes mainly the construction of various types of Agnis. The work is of considerable importance owing to the various mathematical rules and principles implied in the descriptions and rules concerning the sacrificial altars, some of which involve irrational numbers, the so-called Pythagorean theorem, squaring the circle, indeterminate problems and elementary treatment of surds.