17. What are the differences between the Aryabhata's theory and Orthodox theory in
the Ancient India?
Answers
Explanation:
The Genius And The Myths
He ranks with Archimedes, Euclid, Isaac Newton and Leonard Euler as one of the greatest mathematicians of the world.
He began a new epoch in Indian astronomy and mathematics, that continued for more than a millennium. His book Aryabhateeyam is a masterpiece of brevity and eloquence.
But what did Aryabhata actually do? Aryabhata did not invent zero; or gravity; or the heliocentric system.
As I wrote in my first essay, even Indian mathematics and Sanskrit scholars are stunningly ignorant of Aryabhata’s actual accomplishments.
Since we are equally ignorant of almost all of ancient India’s glories, this is not specifically galling; just generally abysmal.
Only Bhaskara was, perhaps, as popular and admired, but unlike Newton’s apple or Watt’s tea kettle, or the anecdotes of Birbal or Tenali Raman, we don’t even have popular legends about him.
But we are so creative, we blame the British for this situation, decades after they left.
Ever computed a square root? Aryabhata.
Cube root? Aryabhata.
Summed up a series of numbers? Aryabhata.
Series of squares? Aryabhata.
Divided by a fraction by multiplying by its inverse? Aryabhata.
Computed the areas of triangles, circles, trapeziums? Aryabhata.
Calculated sines? Aryabhata.
And that’s just the simple mathematics we learn in school.
Wait! Did he invent all of these? Ah, that’s the question. Aryabhata himself claims not a single invention.
He explicitly states that “by the grace of Brahma, the precious jewel of knowledge (jnana-uttama-ratnam) has been extracted from the sea of true and false knowledge (sat-asat-jnaana-samudraat), by the boat of my intellect (sva-mati-navaa).”