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Western
scholars unanimously consider India the birthplace of mathematics.
Upon studying the ancient textbooks, Indologists wonder at the
advanced
mathematically-based
astronomical
knowledge
possessed by the ancients of India. Among the eighteen basic
astronomical texts of ancient India, r Srya-siddhnta is
unanimously accepted as the oldest. Negligence has pushed this
book to the verge of oblivion. Indians have always shown disregard
in preserving the ancient knowledge of their ancestors, and I do not
expect that they will give that up upon the words of someone like
myself. In spite of that, being driven by my conscience, I take
pleasure in presenting this version of the text along with
translation, devoting myself with utmost effort for the benefit of
todays astronomers and laymen, even though I am incapable of
doing so effectively.
At present most persons reputed as learned are averse to stric
understanding. They shamelessly promote themselves as
knowledgeable in stra even if totally unaware of their contents.
So the evil lies in this circle of aversion and attempt of attaining
false praise. This evil has unfortunately engulfed the jyotirtrthas
and as a result we can see really stupid and short-sighted
mistakes.1 I have brought out this translation of r Sryasiddhnta with the hope of attracting the attention of really
intelligent persons toward the study of astronomy. The
jyotirtrthas spend most of their life busily increasing the size of
their bellies and have completely stopped cultivation of the
complex knowledge of mathematical astronomy received in guruparampar. To add to this, they take the help of the tables provided
in different reference books. Without ever reading or even seeing
r Srya-siddhnta they continually quote it to defend their wrong
calculations. We would become extremely disappointed were we to
make a list of the actual number of supposed experts who had
actually even seen r Srya-siddhnta.
Nowadays in India a new brand of expert has cropped up who lauds
newly invented siddhntas and cares not for the tradition based on
Srya-siddhnta. The main types include logicians, experts in
public works, those who consider themselves authorities in general
mathematics, persons trying to attain honor by proficiency in
promoting new-fangled theories,
and those students of
accomplished astronomers who are themselves adept in studying
the literature of the science. Some have read only the
mathematical chapter of the Siddhnta-iromai by Bhskarcrya;
some having received from their gurus a few formulas of the
Western astronomers obtained as translations, and seek honor as
astronomers on that basis, while thinking themselves genuine
1