Page:Indian mathematics, Kaye (1915).djvu/11



1. orientalists who exploited Indian history and literature about a century ago were not always perfect in their methods of investigation and consequently promulgated many errors. Gradually, however, sounder methods have obtained and we are now able to see the facts in more correct perspective. In particular the early chronology has been largely revised and the revision in some instances has important bearings on the history of mathematics and allied subjects. According to orthodox Hindu tradition the Sūrya Siddhānta, the most important Indian astronomical work, was composed over two million years ago! Bailly, towards the end of the eighteenth century, considered that Indian astronomy had been founded on accurate observations made thousands of years before the Christian era. , basing his arguments on figures given by considered that some 3,000 years B.C. the Indian astronomers had recorded actual observations of the planets correct to one second;  eloquently supported 's views; Sir  argued that correct observations must have been made at least as early as 1181 B.C.; and so on; but with the researches of  and others more correct views were introduced and it was proved that the records used by Bailly were quite modern and that the actual period of the composition of the original Sūrya Siddhānta was not earliarearlier [sic] than A.D. 400.

It may, indeed, be generally stated that the tendency of the early orientalists was towards antedating and this tendency is exhibited in discussions connected with two notable works, the Śulvasūtras and the Bakhshālī arithmetic, the dates of which are not even yet definitely fixed. 1