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Brahmagupta

Contributions of Brahmagupta: Computation of Eclipse, Brahmasphutasiddhanta, Hindu Astronomy etc.

  • Brahmagupta during 598-668 AD made contributions by reinforcing Aryabhata’s theory that a new day begins at midnight. Brahmagupta was an astronomer and Mathematician. 
  • He wrote an important treatise on mathematics and astronomy in Brahmasphutasiddhanta in 628 AD. 
  • Brahmagupta began to apply algebra to astronomical problems.
  • Brahmagupta gave solutions for the general linear equation, two equivalent solutions to the general quadratic equation, explained how to find cube and cube root of an integer, rules for facilitating the computation of squares and square roots, and gave rules dealing with five types of combinations of fractions.
  • At the same time he made further contributions by claiming that the planets have their own motion of revolution and the instantaneous motion of the planets while giving the correct equation for parallax and information regarding the computation of eclipse. 
  • All this introduced his contribution on Indian mathematics and Indian Astronomy which is much similar to that of the Arabs and astrologers of Central Asia. 
  • Brahmagupta’s work which is known as Brahmasphuta- Siddhanta is a voluminous work of 1008 verses, divided into 24 chapters. 
  • The main topics which are included in the earlier volumes of the book includes mean planetary motions, true planetary motions, problems of time, space and distance, lunar and solar eclipses, risings and settings of planets, the moon’s cusps and shadows, conjunctions of planets. 
  • His originality in mathematics is visible in chapter eleven of his book.
  • Brahmagupta was the first scholar who criticised the views, rules as well as the methods of some of the foreign astronomers and in India he was opposed to Astronomers like Aryabhata I, Sirisena, VishnuchandraLata and Pradyumna. 
  • He attacked Aryabhata for dividing the Yuga into four equal parts, for upholding the earth’s rotatory motion, for believing in the eclipse being caused by the shadows of the earth , sun and moon and not restricting itself with the traditional theory of Rahu and Ketu. 
  • Aryabhata was just 23 years old when in 499 A.D. he completed the famous Aryabhatiya, the only work of his to be preserved till our time. Aryabhata wrote  “When sixty times sixty years and three quarter yugas (of the current yuga) had elapsed, twenty-three years had then passed since my birth”.
  • According to the Indian tradition, there are four epochs, or yugas — the Golden Age, the Silver age, the Bronze Age, and the Iron Age — and the last of these, the kaliyuga, began in 3102 B.C.
  • It is from its beginning that sixty times sixty years had elapsed, i.e. Aryabhatiya was written in 499 A.D. by the twenty-three-years-old author, which permits fixing 476 A.D. as the year in which he was born.
  • As he opposes Aryabhata, it should be realised that the work has been written in his 30 years when he could hardly make any conceptions. While he more or less objects to the method of calculating the astronomical variations with Aryabhata’s process which he condemns as inaccurate and incorrect, he at the same time establishes his own method of calculating the motion of the planets and the movement of the world around the sun he proclaimed to be more accurate. 
  • He gave the methods for finding the instantaneous method to calculate the regular motion of the planets, correct equation of parallax in the longitude and latitude, correct equations of drkkarma and better expression of valana.
  • He rebutted the idea that the Moon is farther from the Earth than the Sun, which he explained by the Moon’s illumination by the Sun.
  • Thus prominently the work Brahmagupta contributes in providing more accurate calculations and daily calculations which shall make Hindu astronomy more accurate. 
  • Also his work introduced a new method of mathematical astronomy for the Arabs who were much influenced by the Indian Astronomy.