Aryabhatta – The Indian Mathematician
You must have heard about Aryabhatta- the leading Indian mathematician. Aryabhatta –also known by the name Aryabhatta I lived during the time 476-550 CE (presumably). The century of his life is still not clear. He was a famous Indian mathematician and an astronomer who became famous in the world for his immense contributions to the subjects of Mathematics & Astronomy so back in the history of mankind. He is world-famous for having introduced the basic number “Zero” to the world. This is the reason he is known as the “Father of Mathematics”.
Early Life of Aryabhatta
Aryabhatta was born in a small village known as Taregana, currently located in Bihar, India. Though there are historians who do not agree to this fact. Some of the famous works by Aryabhatta include the “Aryabhatia” & the “Arya-Siddhanta”. Aryabhatia is believed to have been composed by Aryabhatta some 3600 years as the world entered into the “Kali Yuga” (modern generation). Aryabhatta is supposed to be 23 years in age while composing this masterpiece.
As far as the education of this leading genius is concerned, it is believed that he received his advanced studies from Kusumapura (the modern “Patna” in Bihar, India). He even lived in Kusumapura for some time. There are several speculations that Aryabhatta was the possible head of the famous Nalanda University in Bihar. It is also assumed that he had set up an advanced scientific observatory at the Sun Temple in Taregan, Bihar.
Works of Aryabhatta
Aryabhatta is renowned in the world for his major contributions in the field of science, mathematics, and astronomy. He is the author of several significant treatises on astronomy & mathematics. Some of these rare treatises have been lost. One of his most major works is considered to be the “Aryabhatiya”. This is a leading compendium of astronomy & mathematics. This was earlier referred to as the mathematical literature in India. It has even survived to the contemporary education system. Some of the major mathematical areas of the famous Aryabhatiya covered important topics like Algebra, Arithmetic, Spherical Trigonometry, and Plane Trigonometry. The literature also contained additional topics like quadratic equations, a table of sines, continued fractions, and sums-of-power series.
His other contribution –the Arya-Siddhanta covered the aspects of astronomical computations. However, this manuscript got lost over the passage of time. This book is known for the contemporary ways of Arybhatta’s writings. The book contained several complex astronomical theories and mentioned several astronomical instruments like the shadow instrument, the gnomon, circular & semi-circular instruments, water clocks, and so more.
There was a 3rd text written by Aryabhatta. This text had survived the Arabic translation.
Aryabhatta’s Legacy
The works of Aryabhatta are considered to be of great influence to the ancient tradition of the Indian astronomy and several other neighboring cultures through meaningful translations. His works of zero, sines, cosines, versines, pi, and so more concepts had given a new birth to the modern foundations of mathematics.
Indeed, Aryabhatta was a true genius of his times!
