A Bibliography of Sanskrit Works on Astronomy and Mathematics, Part I: Manuscripts, Texts, Translations and Studies c8.51

c8.51

The *Śulba-sūtra* of Āpastamba comprises 223 *sūtras* or rules for the construction of sacrificial altars and envisages geometrical rules and mathematical ideas of considerable importance. It is among the earliest of the *Śulbas*, being posterior to Baudhāyana, a much larger and also older work. It is broadly divided into six sections or *paṭalas*, each sub-divided into a number of chapters or *adhyāyas*, e.g., the 1st section into 3 chapters, the 2nd into 4, the 3rd into 3, the 4th into 4, the 5th into 3 and the 6th into 4 chapters. The rules mainly describe various types of *vedis*, their spatial magnitudes, relative positions and such other construction details and provide geometrical propositions and rules for achieving these details.