Parahita
Parahita is a system of astronomy prevalent in
Bhāratappuzha River. The Sanskrit
etymology literally means "for the benefit of the common man", and the intention was to simplify astronomical computations so that everyone could do it.
Parahita is a significant step in the simplification of the siddhantic tradition. Of the two texts of the system, Grahacāranibandhana and Mahāmārganibandhana, only the former is known. The system simplified the computational cycle of the Aryabhatiya by introducing a sub-aeon of 576 years and introduced a zero correction called Vāgbhāva based on which the system worked accurately around the time of Haridatta.[2]
Also Haridatta simplified the representation of numerals from the cumbersome notation of
Kerala mathematics
. In the katapayadi system, numerals may be represented by various letters so that the large numerical tables required for astronomical computations could be represented as verses and memorized.
The work Grahacāranibandhana-sangraha (932 AD) gives further details of the parahita technique. The methods were retained but some of the constants downgraded by
Achyuta Pisharati
in his rAsigolasphuTanIti (1600).
See also
References
- ^ K. Chandra Hari (2002). "Date of Haridatta, promulgator of the Parahita system of astronomy in Kerala". Indian Journal of History of Science. 37 (3): 223–236.
- ^ K. V. Sarma (2008). Helaine Selin (ed.). Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures. Springer. p. 1059-60