Foreword

The Indian Institute of Astronomical & Sanskrit Research
has done a very useful piece of work by publishing the Brāhma
Sphuṭa Siddhānta. This is an original work on Astronomy
written about twelve hundred years ago. Mainly devoting himself
to Astronomy as was natural, the author, Brahma Gupta, has
also given considerable space to such branches of Mathematics as
in his opinion are particularly applicable to Astronomy. Brahma
Gupta is not a mere theoriser. His work bears ample evidence of
close observation of astronomical phenomena, though he did not
have at his disposal any large and well equipped Vedhālaya or
Observatory. He has had to find fault with some of his predece-
ssors. The main reason for his criticism was as stated by him :
ब्रह्मोक्तं ग्रहगणितं महता कालेन यत् श्लथीभूतम् ।
अभिधीयते स्फुटं तज्जिष्णुसुतब्रह्मगुप्तेन ॥
The creator Brāhma himself had given certain calculations
in his book namely Brahma Siddhānta. But in the course of many
years these calculations have been found to have bocome inaccu-
rate. Of course, in referring to calculations, the author is referr-
ing to the bases of these calculations, the main data of astronomy.
The excellent and fairly exhaustive introduction by Dr. Satya
Parkash is of very great help in understanding the book because
it brings out clearly the various points on which Brahma Gupta
has laid stress, particularly those on which he differs from other
great astronomers.
A great controversy still rages between two schools of Indian
astronomers which for want of better names may be called the
schools of Arya Bhata and Brahma Gupta. Some years ago the
Indian Institute of Astronomical & Sanskrit Research published
the Vateshwar Siddhānta which is supposed to be associated with
the Arya Bhata School. It is, therefore, in the fitness of things
that it should now publish the present standard volume of the
other school.
To my mind the Publication of such books is of great value
from two points of view. It helps to remove the ignorance of
average educated Indian of today about the achievements of his
ancestors. In the field of two important branches of science,
Mathematics and Astronomy, it is really surprising how those
ancient astronomers could reach such heigts of accuracy with the
help of instruments which seem to be laughably crude compared
to those that modern astronomers have at their disposal. At the
same time a study of such literature is a very salutary corrective