Surya Siddhanta Indian Mythology

The Surya Siddhanta is an ancient Indian treatise on astronomy and mathematics. According to scholars, it was likely composed between the 4th and 5th centuries CE, though some date it as early as the 6th century BCE.

The text consists of 14 chapters and around 500 verses in lyrical poetic form. It covers topics like:

Mean motions of the planets
True positions of planets
Eclipse calculations
Planetary conjunctions
Heliacal risings and settings
Cosmology and geography
Instruments like the armillary sphere
Different time reckoning methods

The text treats the Earth as spherical and stationary, with the Sun and planets orbiting around it. It calculates the Earth’s diameter as 8000 miles, the Moon’s diameter as 2400 miles, and the Moon-Earth distance as 258,000 miles.

The Surya Siddhanta provides tables of sines and trigonometric functions. It calculates the Earth’s axial tilt (obliquity) as about 24 degrees. It also provides reasonably accurate sidereal periods for the planets.

The Surya Siddhanta influenced the development of the Hindu solar calendar. It calculates the solar year as 365 days 6 hours 12 minutes and 36.56 seconds.

Scholars believe the Surya Siddhanta was influenced by both Greek and Babylonian astronomy. However, it developed its own trigonometric methods and calculations.

The text is significant in the history of science as it was translated into Arabic and influenced Islamic astronomy and mathematics. The Surya Siddhanta has more commentaries than any other Indian astronomical text, indicating its historical importance.

Table of Contents

What are some of the key mathematical concepts discussed in the text?

What mathematical concepts are discussed in the Surya Siddhanta?

The Surya Siddhanta, an ancient Indian treatise on astronomy and mathematics likely composed between the 4th and 5th centuries CE, discusses several important mathematical concepts. Some of the key mathematical ideas covered in the text are:

Trigonometry and sine tables: The text provides detailed tables of sines and trigonometric functions. It divides the quadrant of a circle into 24 parts and provides the sine values for each part. This represents one of the earliest known uses of sine tables.

Table of Sines 
No. Sine 1st order     2nd order
differences  differences
0 0 - -  
1 225 225 1
2 449 224 2
3 671 222 3
...
23 3431 22
24 3438 7

Calculation of obliquity: The text calculates the Earth’s axial tilt (obliquity) as about 24 degrees using trigonometric methods based on the sine tables.
Use of very large numbers: The Surya Siddhanta uses very large numbers, related to a “divya-yuga”, in its mathematical formulae for calculating planetary orbits and periods. When converted to decimal form, these calculations yield reasonably accurate sidereal periods for the planets.
Calculation of solar year: The text estimates the length of the tropical year (time for Earth to orbit the Sun once) as 365 days 6 hours 12 minutes and 36.56 seconds, which is close to the modern value. This indicates the authors’ sophisticated understanding of astronomy.

What planetary configurations does the text provide methods for calculating?

What time measurement systems does the Surya Siddhanta discuss?

# Time Measurement Systems in the Surya Siddhanta

The Surya Siddhanta, an ancient Hindu astronomical text, discusses several time measurement systems ranging from very small units to cosmic timespans.

The text divides time into two categories:

Murta time: Beginning with the respiration (prana) and including larger units like the vinadi, nadi, sidereal day, month, and year.
Amurta time: Beginning with the smallest unit of truti and including larger units like lava, nimesha, kastha, ghatika, etc.

Here are some of the time units discussed in the Surya Siddhanta:

Unit      Value

truti     29.6 microseconds
tatpara   296 microseconds
nimesha   889 milliseconds
kastha     6.4 seconds   
laghu     96 seconds  
ghatika   24 minutes
muhurta    48 minutes
ahoratra   24 hours (sidereal day)
masa       30 ahoratras (lunar month)
varsha     360 ahoratras (year)

The text also discusses cosmic timespans like:

Yuga cycle: Krita, Treta, Dwapara and Kali yugas
Manvantara: Period ruled by a Manu, lasting 306.72 million years
Kalpa: Day of Brahma, lasting 4.32 billion years
Maha-kalpa: Life of Brahma, lasting 311.04 trillion years

How did the Surya Siddhanta influence later astronomy and mathematics?

How the Surya Siddhanta influenced later astronomy and mathematics

The Surya Siddhanta, an ancient Hindu astronomical treatise likely composed between the 4th and 5th centuries CE, had a significant influence on later astronomy and mathematics in India and the broader world. Some of the ways it shaped later developments are:

Trigonometry: The text is one of the earliest known to discuss trigonometric functions like sines and cosines. It provides detailed sine tables that were used to calculate the positions of celestial bodies. This knowledge laid the foundation for later trigonometric work.
Mathematics: The Surya Siddhanta introduced concepts like sexagesimal fractions, standard notation, and the decimal system. These mathematical innovations would influence later Indian and Islamic mathematics.
Astronomy: The text provides reasonably accurate calculations of planetary periods and the length of the tropical year. Its methods for determining the positions and movements of astronomical bodies shaped later Indian astronomy.
Calendars: The solar calculations in the Surya Siddhanta formed the basis of the Hindu solar calendar. The astronomical principles were also adopted in Buddhist and regional calendars.
Islamic astronomy: The Surya Siddhanta was one of two Sanskrit texts translated into Arabic in the 8th century. This transmission exposed Islamic scholars to Indian astronomical knowledge and stimulated further work.
Transmission to Europe: Through Arabic translations, some of the mathematical and astronomical concepts in the Surya Siddhanta eventually made their way to Europe. This influenced the revival of these disciplines in the West during the Middle Ages.

What is the duration of a maha-kalpa according to the Surya Siddhanta?

Time measurement systems in the Surya Siddhanta

The Surya Siddhanta, an ancient Hindu astronomical text, describes various units of time ranging from microseconds to the lifespan of Brahma. It discusses both sidereal and tropical time measurement systems.