The Science of Vedic Mathematics and the advancements that it has seen.
Introduction
Mathematics is not my cup of tea. This is what I told my father when I was making the decision of which subject to choose after class 10th. He insisted on me taking up mathematics as a subject because it would help me a lot in the future. But I thought the other way round and was sure that mathematics would not help me much later in life.
It was then when my father introduced me to the history of mathematics. He told me how, since ancient times, mathematics has played a major role and is the founding stone for other subjects and fields.
A Note on the the Inception
Talking of the Ancient period, the Vedas are the oldest literary record of Indo- Aryan civilization. They are the original scriptures of Hindu teachings containing information regarding all the spheres of life.
The word Veda is derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Vid’ which means to know. Veda is, therefore, the storehouse of knowledge. As per Dr Krishna Lal, supreme knowledge is present in Vedas. It also contains information and history of how Vedic mathematics was found and useful in all fields.
It is the ancient system of calculation that was revived by Sri Bharati Krishna Tirthaji Maharaj between the years 1911 and 1918. According to him, Vedic mathematics is based on sixteen formulas or sutras. It is said that any kind of calculation can be solved mentally with the help of these sutras.
Vedic mathematics has a very unique and striking theory and method quite distinct from modern mathematics. It explains certain tricks and shortcuts to solve various problems like dividing, multiplying, and factoring big numbers in a faster way. Let’s discuss the evolution of how mathematics was discovered and how it was helpful in real-life situations.
The Applications of Vedic Mathematics
Vedic mathematics has been used in the context of spirituality earlier. Mathematics was used to explore those principles which were needed for the advancement of the realization of God. But after realizing the power of principles of mathematics, the later civilizations further researched and explored them to know more about nature.
The world’s oldest civilization, the Indus Valley civilization had developed its own unique system of mathematics. The geometrical and mathematical investigations are contained in the Vedic sutra. The basis of all the Indian mathematical concepts is geometry.
The Indus Valley has evidence of the geometrical drawing instruments. The beginning of the concept of algebra is also credited to Vedic mathematics. The altars and arenas used for religious purposes were measured and oriented accurately in the sulba sutra.
The geometrical formula was employed to make these calculations known as the Pythagoras theorem. This means that this theorem was already brought into use centuries even before the Greek mathematician.
After this, the Vedic system of mathematics was needed in the field of astronomy. They wanted a system where the priests could know the exact time of performing their religious rituals. So the priest would look and spend the whole night watching the moon advancing through the nakshatras. And also saw the progress of the sun day after day to see its movement.
Vedic Mathematics Vis-a-Vis Other forms
An insight into the Vedic system of mathematics shows that it was more advanced than the mathematical structures of the civilisation of the Nile and Euphrates. The Vedic mathematicians had developed the decimal system of tens, hundreds and thousands. This has made the calculations much easier.
The number 0 or shunaya was first introduced by the Indian mathematician. It is one of the most important developments in the history of mathematics. The concept of Indian numerals which were evolved from Brahmi numerals has been used in Arabia and other countries.
The medieval mathematicians made several discoveries like the system of finding cube roots and square roots, solving quadratic equations and understanding the import of positive and negative quantities.
The contribution of Mahavir where he found out the treatment of fractions and how one fraction can be divided by another was remarkable and was not known to Europe till the 16th century. The use of symbols and letters of the alphabets to denote unknowns and equations also became popular in India first.
They had given birth to the science of algebra. The Indian mathematician Bhaskaracharya found out solutions to some complex problems that were not known by Europe until the 17 and 18th centuries.
The Indian system of mathematics has served as a base for most of the discoveries and inventions in Europe.
Aryabhata was the first Indian mathematician to claim that earth revolves around the sun way before Copernicus. The foundation stone of science is mathematics. With mathematical advancement, one has to advance scientifically also.
The Vedic system of mathematics and its concepts helped the people apply it in the real world. The mathematics of that time was connected with the literature, which is not so commonly seen with modern mathematics.
The 16 sutras given by Sri Bharati Krishna Tirthaji Maharaj were conveyed through poetry that was written in Sanskrit so that it can be easily understood by people.
Conclusion
The relevance of Vedic mathematics is still prevalent. The modern-day system of mathematics says that Vedic mathematics is the world of perennial knowledge. These concepts should be taken to schools and should be added in the curriculum. Vedic mathematics is relevant for times to come.
The concepts will help children apply them practically and in real life. Our Vedas are full of knowledge, and the history of mathematics is proof. Some of the most significant discoveries have been done in India and used by other countries later. The Vedic system which works on providing knowledge with religious and spiritual beliefs has chances of survival and validation and can be applied across various disciplines.
