Foundation and Philosophy of Numbers, Encryptions and

Enumerations in Vedic Sanskrit : Early Rigvedic Period to

Brahmana Scriptures ( ~ upto 600 BCE)
- By Lalit Mishra, email : mishra.lalit@gmail.com, IT
Architect, traditionally belonging to Kauthum Branch of
Samveda School

Mathematics is regarded as mother of all sciences, Investigation for mathematics into Vedic age is of
paramount importance to evaluate realistic level of scientific vision achieved. Mathematics begin with
arithmetic which requires numbers, an attempt is made into following passages to investigate and to
understand how number system might have been originated, evolved and turned to become more complex
in the hindsight of evolution of Vedic age society and its culture.
The present narrative on history of mathematics presents a paradox as it accepts two contradictory versions
on history of mathematics, One is the claim that mathematics as an organized science did not exist before
the classical Greeks of the period from 600 BCE to 300 BCE1 and the other is, The unanimous acceptance
beginning with Pierre-Simon Laplace2 (1749 CE-1827 CE ) that decimal number system and mathematics is
evolved sophisticatedly in Vedic age of Bharat, in his Overview of Indian mathematics, Laplace wrote:The ingenious method of expressing every possible number using a set of ten symbols (each symbol having
a place value and an absolute value) emerged in India. The idea seems so simple nowadays that its
significance and profound importance is no longer appreciated. Its simplicity lies in the way it facilitated
calculation and placed arithmetic foremost amongst useful inventions. The importance of this invention is
more readily appreciated when one considers that it was beyond the two greatest men of Antiquity,
Archimedes and Apollonius.
To be successful in mathematics, its believed that the students should have good logical reasoning,
however, neuroscientists have shown through brain imaging that logical reasoning and mathematical
abilities are dis-associated. Ability to learn mathematics requires to reason transitively3 about visual objects
that means mathematics needs writing numerals or drawing symbols.
Learning mathematics, acquiring abilities in it and then passing its knowledge to students is not possible
without writing. The complex mathematics and geometry found consistently from early Vedic age to period
of Brahmana scriptures age, presumably upto 600 BCE, rejects the prevalent notion that there was no script
available to mathematicians for writing in this period.
Another unique observation is, unlike other civilizations, since beginning Vedic seers demonstrated an
excellent insight, they differentiated numbers and regular letters of text moreover they made different set
1 Kline, Morris, Mathematical Thought from Ancient to Modern Times Vol 1 (New York: OUP US, 1990)
2
http://www.omniglot.com/language/numerals.htm
3

Brian Butterworth, Mathematics and the Brain

of symbols to represent numbers and non-number letters, this differentiation has been proven very
conducive for future generations to learning basic mathematics and to quickly acquire advanced
mathematical skills which is evident in early Vedic period scriptures from Rigveda to Atharva Veda. This
unprecedented rapid growth while thinking in todays term, can be divided into six stages out of this
classification the last two stages represent continuous evolution of skills to deal with obvious complex
mathematics
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)

Invention and evolution of early notion of numbers and their representation.

Invention of basic arithmetical operations
Evolution of advanced arithmetical operations and devising numerals to represent big numbers
Application of mathematics in early stage astronomy and geometry
Invention of techniques for encryption and enumerations which represents advent of complexity
Advanced geometry

Invention and evolution of early notion of numbers and their representation.

As said above, Vedic seers started out with a revolutionary idea of using difference set of symbols for
representation of numbers and texts, they also developed different terminology for numbers as explained
in following passages and invented exclusive symbols to denote numerical operations. for instance, for
numbers one and two corresponding representation by 1 or 2 are distinct. Such an excellence was not
known to Greeks.
Semitic languages didnt have such an exclusive representational mechanism for numbers as noted by AlBaruni (1020-30) visiting India who stated
Whilst we use letters for calculation according to their numerical value, the Indians do not use letters at all
for arithmetic. And just as the shape of the letters that they use for writing is different in different regions of
their country, so the numerical symbols vary.
Philosophy of Numbers Tells Story of Evolution
Philosophy of numbers in Vedic Sanskrit indicates evolution of Vedic civilization en route wherein need for
counting and quantifying material objects in possession, observing celestial objects and to track recurring
natural phenomena such as cycle of days and nights, seasons and years etc are key drivers. Evolutionary
phase of civilization is also noted in comparative ideas of richness that generates on amount of wealth in
possession.
In totality, finding out means to represent these evolutionary observations had been increasingly becoming
a necessity as evident with exclusive term ri4 in Rigveda denoting heap of wealth, gaaka5 in yajurveda.
In a surprise to many of us, the Rigveda the earliest scripture in world as per UNESCOs heritage list, in fact
contains references to place value system6 (Rigveda, 10.51.3) in terms -


/ citrabhno dantaruyd atirocamnam, similar idea is expressed in Rigveda (10.94.7
4

(Rigveda,6.55.3),
: / ryo dhrsy ghe vaso rir ajva

dhvato-dhvata sakh
5
Yajurveda (30.20 ), Taitireeya Brahmin (3.4.15)
6

/ acikec citrabhno dantaruyd atirocamnam

and 10.94.8) concept of infinity (Rigveda, 1.113.3) by casting relation to unending rotational circle of day

and night, probably this rigvedic reference is the first citation of Infinity in world history of mankind.
Concept of zero/
is present in Rigveda in sense of absence of wealth as we find in many hymns for
instance ( Rigveda, 1.105.3)7 and in Atharva veda (14.2.99), it appears that in the Rigveda rishis had noted
circular shape of hole in axis of wheel of chariot( Rigveda, 8.91.7) .
The philosophy of Vedic numbers has been preserved in Yasks nirukta which is dated around 800 BCE, is a
treatise on etymology of Vedic words. Yasks explanation on philosophy of number is amazing as we find
modern concept of numbers, that is their being cardinal, ordinal and nominal, is well embedded into nirukta

for number one Yask says /Eeka ita sankhya that means the number one is the unit,
identifying one as a unit of all other numbers is as important as discovery of zero as it forms basis of the
cardinality.
For the number two, Yask said
/ dvau drutatara sankhya, here the number twos
correspondence is made to the stage of speediness, in a sense close to leaping forward, the number three
it is said / trayasteernatama sankhya. That is the position achieved by floating forward,
whereas the number four, the reasoning is given in terms / catvaarashcalit tama
sankhya. That implies at ease of movement.
its inferable with explanations provided by Yask for numbers two, three and four, probably evolved at stage
when the invention of wheel happened and making of a two wheeled chariot in early stage of civilization
began, then three wheeled cart came and then it is the arrival of four wheeled wagon which were found to
be very convenient for travelers to distant places.
For number five, Yask presents a simile to five original tribes of early rigvedic age, he says that '
,

/ yat paannccajanyaya visha, pannc prkta sankhya

streepunnapunsakee, this is the concept of nominal numbers in time of Yask.

For number six, Yask makes its correspondence to cycle of six seasons (8/ shadar) wherein each season
is represented by a spoke, however this correspondence is not all, Yask also says six is formed by making
three units of twos9 .
Number seven is equated with seven sons of Sun.

(Rigveda, 8.91.07), :
, khe rathasya khe 'nasa khe yugasya atakrato,

(Rigveda, 1.105.3), :
/ ambhuva ne bhma kad cana vittam
7

me asya rodas
8
9

Rigveda(1.164.12),
/ aara hur arpitam

/ Janghee baahu shiroo madhy shadangamid mucyatee

For number eight, Yask says / ashtau ashnutee, which is the idea to spread out, might be in
eight directions. Yask doesnt appreciate number nine says it is not to be retained (
/ Nav na vananeeya na avaapta va) probably, the reason is number ten ( ) which reflects sense of
completeness.
For the number twenty, Yask clearly says it is the two times ten or / Vinshatirdvidashatah,
similarly, for the number hundred, Yask puts / shatam dashadashatah,
For the number thousand, Yask says / Sahastran sahasavaan that means thousand is a
powerful number, here in the case, magnitude of number is used to explain the number thousand, similar
idea continued to explain ayut/
, equal to ten thousands and niyut/
, equal to one lakh in modern
decimal sense. Mahidhara in his commentary on Shukla Yajurveda ( 17.2) listed out numerals denoting
numbers from 100 to 1018 .
We find some differences in numerals used to denote higher numbers as panchvimshati Brahmana puts
three different numerals in sequence after nyurbud which are nikharva, vadava and akshit whereas in
shaankhyayan shraut sutra10 we find nikhharava, samudra, salila, antya and ananta
Invention of Multiplication Tables
In Vedas, particularly in Rigveda11 and Atharvaveda12, we encounter amazing scenarios wherein seers were
seen using multiplication tables in ascending as well as in descending order. Probably, in the early phase of
Vedic civilization, it was learnt that arithmetical operations involving large numbers or small numbers in
groups, could not have been performed easily, such attempts were obviously error prone and therefor, they
the philosopher seers, might have thought of having multiplication tables which saves lot of memory that
gets consumed in doing arithmetical operations.
Mathematical tables are not just tables to learn multiplication values by rote, they are also a very complex
neurological tool that helped humanity in acquiring higher arithmetical skills. Recently, at Stanford
University, An Indian American psychologist Dr Vinod Menon13 et al, peeked into the brains of children as
they solved a series of mathematical problems inside a brain-scanning MRI machine and found that
memorizing multiplication values help students getting speed in calculations as working memory of brain
doesnt need to do entire exercise repeatedly.
Historians have overlooked higher significance of invention of tables by Vedic seers whereas credit to
invention of tables goes certainly to those seers.

10
11

Yajurveda( 17.2), shankhayana shraut sutra (15.11.4)

Rigveda (2.18.4), / dvbhy haribhym indra yhy

caturbhir abhir hyamna

12
Atharvaveda (19.47.3 to 47.5), , . / Navatirnav, asheetih ashta
eekaadashaavamaah
13
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2727268/Peek-brain-shows-kids-learn-math-skills.html

Inventing multiplication tables and their higher adoption in a short period shows Vedic seers were infact a
broad minded knowledge community who welcomed knowledge, gave it due respect and shared selflessly.
An interesting observation between Sanskrit and English has been, how English borrows suffix Ti from
Sanskrit and still continued. Pls look at Vedic Numbers in the Rigvedic System of counting

Sr

Sanskrit

English

- /Vimsha-Ti

Twen-Ty

- / Trimsha-Ti

Thir-Ty

- / Chatvarimsha-Ti

For-Ty

Vedic seers excelled so much in the time of Rigveda that they successfully used knowledge of mathematics
into creating geometry as a new faculty of study. We find in Rigveda (1.155.6)14 they divide a circle of 360
degrees into four quarters of 90 degrees, a specific term /sakam used to refer to multiplication i.e
ninety multiplied by four and in another mantra of Rigveda (10.130.3) they refer to isosceles triangle which
keeps two equal arms they termed it prayug/
.
Enumeration and indexing shows an advanced stage of application of mathematics. In order to ensure
integrity of Vedic texts, seers discovered brilliant idea of enumeration and indexing, they counted every
syllable, marked its accent, every word, every mantra, classification of every mantra into mathematically
counted poetical meter or chhanda and thereby making a fusion of poetry and mathematics which finds no
parallel in any other civilization of ancient world, they went further to enumerate every hymn, they
maintained six layers of enumeration in the index they created as we find in various anukramanikas
beginning with rishi shaunka.
Encryption is relatively a modern idea that has been devised in 20th century for security of information,
however, in Vedic age, right from the Rigveda, they visionary seers or rishis appear to use encryption for
dual purposes of making process of learning simpler as well as for keeping information secured.
In Rigveda, various words reflect initial Idea of encryption such that the / Tureey and /krita
reflected fourth object or stage in sequence, in yajurveda15 , we get a complete list of initial encryptions
which is reproduced here - Agni/ = 1 , /ashvinau = 2, Vishnu/ = , Soma/ = ,
Pusha/
= 5, Savita/ = , Maruta/ = , Brihaspati/
= 8, Mitra/ = , Varuna/ =
14
15

:

Yajurveda (9.31-34)

, Indra/ = 11, Vishvadeva/ = 12, Vasu/ = 13, Rudra/ = 14, = 15, Aditi/=16
Prajapati/ = 17.
Not only the initial idea of encryption of we get a smart application of abbreviations which comes from
Lagadhs Yajush vedang jyotish that is dated in between 1200 BCE to 1400 BCE. In Yajush vedang jyotish
where in Jau/ denotes Ashvayujau, Dra/ denotes Adra, denotes bhaga and so on. This initial
application of encryption and encoding is extremely important from the perspectives of the history of
humanity.
Mathematical Abilities May Not Be Acquired Well in Hard Nomadic Life
An Indian American researcher, Ranjana Mehta (Michigan University) discovered in one of her researches
that too much psychical activity happening at the same time as the mental math computation takes place,
cannot be done to their optimal performance level, another research published in Japanese journal of
physiology by Kenichi Matsuani et al., in year 2001 shows mental calculations generate large waves in brain.
Based on these two researches, in view of relatively complex mathematical applications found in Vedas, it
can obviously be inferred that Vedic civilization represented in Rig-Veda, was not a primitive civilization of
hunter gatherer nomads struggling with hardships of life but considerably evolved matured civilization
strongly rooted in land of then Bharata. The nomad narrative doesnt hold true. The stated desire for
enrichment of individual life when satiates, leads to satisfaction and happiness in family and generates
natural motivation in hearts of other families living in vicinity, ultimately, families and individuals
collaborates and competes with one another to excel, which triggers basic mathematical skills to go up to
next level of complexity to meet growing demand alongside continued evolution of societies, evident to
such an evolution is in theme of rashtra or nation and further vertical gradation of states16 within the
rashtra
To understand growth of mathematics in hindsight of societal evolution in Vedic age, analyzing status of its
economy may help us substantially. As nations had already came into existence in rigvedic times, to govern
nations, they required to have a system of taxation, a system for maintaining record of resources and
revenue, in all its the accounting that is required, it appears that the ganka ()17 noted in earlier passage
of this essay , was a position for accountancy and vittad'dha ()18 was a position for a financier.
Interestingly, we also find citation for organized crimes with named positions such that head of thieves or
stenapati ()19, plunderer or taskarpati ()20 and the army of dacoits, malimlusena
( )21 which endorses the finding that In Vedic age, Bharat was a developed materialistic economy
in its contemporary world.

Rigveda (7.84.02 ),

/
/ yuvo rram bhadinvati. Rigveda (10.173.05),
rra dhrayat dhruvam and morethen a dozen references are found for rashtra
17
Yajurveda (30.20), Taitireeya Brahman (3.4.15),
18
Yajurveda (30.11)
19
Yajurveda (16.20)
20
Yajurveda (16.21)
21
Yajurveda (11.71)
16