- Publisher's Note
It is with pride and pleasure that the Indian Institute of Astronomical & Sanskrit Research brings out its second monumental work 'Brahma Sphuta Siddhanta'.
research into anunn promoting of object the with 1957, November, Indian manuscripts on Astronomy and allied Sciences, started its progra mm e of publication with the preparation of a critical edition of Vateshwara Siddhanta running into more than 700 pages. It was far back in early forties that the idea of reviving the treasures of knowledge hidden in ancient manuscripts came to my mind. In 1945 I out Id succeed in editing and publishing 'Trailokya Prakasa' of Acharya
Unm
Prabha
Suri.
Albruni's Travel Accounts of India contain a reference to Vateshwara Siddhanta and this fact was responsible for promptnu! me to arrange publication of Vateshwar Siddhanta. It was rather difficult to search out this manuscript and the clue given by Mahama!io;nd!iy,ivfi Sudhaksr Dv.ivedi (a great Mathematician and Astronomer of Hfh century) that the manuscript was available in Gwnlior did nor lead me to any results. I kept my search on and found a copy of this text in t he collection of manuscripts inherited by a Brahman widow oi Ciujr.mwah District in west Pakistan. The same style of copy was later seen by me in the Panjab University Library at Lahore.
Vatesbwaracharya, the great writer of Vateshwara SiddhSnra, h as Brahma Sphuta Siddhanta of Brahma Gupta, in his work, This naturally aroused my curiosity to procure and publish Br.lhm.i Sphuta Siddhanta so?s to provide right perspective to the students ni ancient Indian Scientific literature. Moreover, in one of my discussions with the late Dr. K. S. Krishnnn, Director. National Physical Laboratories, New Delhi, he refe* criticised
rred toDr.Colebrook (a German Writer) as having translated into English two chapters of 'Brahma Sphut,a Siddhanta*, namely, VynkiM
(Arithmetic )and Ayakta(Algetra). The late Dr. Krishnnn showed keen interest this manuscript and encouraged me in taking up preparation ltl edmon of this tect The Institute is grateful to the tiovt. °I ? ?of India (Department of cultural Affairs) for meeting part of the n publlcation and thereby enabling us to °
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