Preface

Dear Readers! It will be well known to all you distinguished gentlemen that the divine book which describes the educational system for the four classes original: varnas, the traditional social divisions of ancient India is the Veda. It has six limbs Vedangas: the six auxiliary disciplines used to understand and apply the Vedas, namely: Phonetics Shiksha, Ritual Kalpa, Grammar Vyakarana, Etymology Nirukta, Prosody Chhanda, and Astronomy/Mathematics Jyotisha. The study of these six limbs of the Veda is the religious duty of the three classes, from the Brahmins down to the Vaishyas.

Within that same Astronomy Jyotisha, which is a limb of our most revered Veda, there are two divisions: predictive astrology Phalita and mathematics Ganita. Of these, the mathematical division holds a place of supreme honor to this day, not only on this island referring to Jambudvipa/India but also in other lands. Although the number of people in India who understand this eternal mathematics is currently very small, millions of thanks are due to that God who, in His mercy, manifested the Great Scholar Mahamahopadhyaya Shri Sudhakarji—the best among the learned—within the supremely holy city of Kashi Varanasi. Like a moon in the sky of mathematical science, he has increased the flow of the ocean of mathematics through his skillful arts. He serves as the Professor of Mathematics at the Government Sanskrit College in Kashi. It is because of him that the science of mathematics is also promoted in the land of Mithila.

However, if one looks at other regions, it becomes exceedingly difficult to find those who fully understand our eternal mathematical sciences. Even if some clever mathematicians are found, they generally do not focus on teaching. For this reason, the desires of those wishing to learn traditional mathematics arise only to vanish within their hearts. To remove this terrible state of affairs, I have been commissioned by the honorable Seth Khemraj Shrikrishnadasji to compose a commentary on the Lilavati.

Dear friends! The Lilavati is a book known by name to all wise men, from children to the elderly, not only on this island but also in foreign lands. Nowadays, this book is the first step Sopana: literally a staircase or ladder; a foundational text into traditional mathematics. For this reason, to promote it everywhere and according to the letter sent by the aforementioned Sethji, I have created this commentary in the common language Hindi titled "Swarupaprakash" (The Light of the True Form), following the prose order of the text...