Hostname: page-component-7bb8b95d7b-dtkg6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-12T20:23:33.911Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Mādhava’s Rule for Finding Angle Between the Ecliptic and the Horizon and Āryabhata’s Knowledge of it

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2016

R.C. Gupta*
Affiliation:
Birla Institute of Technology, P.O. Mesra, Ranchi 835215, India

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

In Fig.1, let U be the rising point of the ecliptic (udayalagna), T be the nonagesimal (tribhona-lagna) and M be the meridianecliptic point (madhya-lagna). Since T is at a distance of one quadrant from U along the ecliptic, the complement of the zenith distance of, that is the arc TK, will be the required angle between the ecliptic UTM and the horizon NUEKS. The equivalent problem in Indian astronomy is therefore to find what is called ‘dṛkkṣepa-jyā’ or the sine of the zenith distance of the nonagesimal.

Type
Mediaeval Astronomy
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1987

References

Gupta, R.C. (1974). Some Important Indian Mathematical Methods as conceived in Sanskrit Language. Indological Studies, Vol.3 (Pusalker Commemoration Vol.), Nos.1-2, pp.5355, New Delhi: University of Delhi.Google Scholar
Pillai, S.K. (1957). Edition of The Āryabhatīya with the Bhāsya of Nīlakaṛṭha (= NAB), Part III (Golapāda), p.75. Ṫrivandrum, India: University of Kerala. (This commentary is denoted by the abbreviation NAB in the paper. The quoted rule occurs under Golapāda, stanza 33.Google Scholar
Sarma, K.V. (1977). Edition of The Tantra-saṅgraha of Nīlakaṇṭha. pp.292293. Hoshiarpur, India: V.V.B.I.S.I.S. Google Scholar
Sengupta, P.C. (1934). Translation of the Khandakhādyaka of Brahmagupta, p.187. Calcutta, India: University of Calcutta.Google Scholar
Shukla, K.S. & Sarma, K.V. (1976). Critical edition & translation of Āryabhatīya, New Delhi: Indian National Science Academy.Google Scholar