ब्राह्मस्फुटसिद्धान्त (ब्रह्मगुप्त - शून्य, कुट्टक, बीजगणित एवं सम्पूर्ण २१ अध्याय सान्वय सटीक)

192 BRAHMAGUPTA AS AN ALGEBRAIST . Bhāskara and by other astronomical writers; and the title of the work, Brāhmasiddhānta or sometimes Brāh- masphuṭasiddhānta, corresponds, in the shorter form, to the known title of Brahmagupta's treatise in the usual references to it by Bhāskara's commentators, and answers, in the longer form, to the designation of it, as indicated in an introductory couplet which is quoted from Brahmagupta by Lakṣmīdāsa, a scholiast of Bhās- kara II. Remarking this coincidence, the translator proceeded to collate, with the text and commentary, numerous quotations from both, which he found in Bhāskara's writings or in those of his expositors. The result confirmed the indication and established the identity of both text and scholia as Brahmagupta's treatise, and the gloss of Pṛthūdaka. The authenticity of the Brāhmasiddhānta is further confirmed by numer- ous quotations in the commentary of Bhaṭṭotpala on the Saṁhitā of Varāhamihira : as the quotations from the Brāhmasiddhānta, in that commentary, (which is the work of an author who flourished eight hundred and fifty years ago) are verified in the copy under consideration. A few instances of both will suffice, and cannot fail to produce conviction. It is confidently concluded, that the chapters on arith- metic and algebra, fortunately entire in a copy in many parts imperfect, of Brahmagupta's celebrated work as here described, are genuine and authentic. It remains to investigate the age of the author. Mr. Davis, who first opined to the public a correct view of the astronomical computations of the Hindus, is of opinion, that Brahmagupta lived in the seventh century of the Christian era. Dr. William Hunter, who resided for some time with a British Embassy at Ujjay- inī, and made diligent researches into the remains of Indian science at that ancient seat of Hindu astrono- mical knowledge, was there furnished, by the learned astronomers whom he consulted, with the ages of the principal ancient authorities. They assigned to Brah- magupta the date of 550 Saka; which answers to A.D.