Mathematical Ideas in Indian Knowledge Systems: From Sulba Sutras to Modern Geometry

Abstract

Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) represent a vast and deep body of mathematical knowledge systems developed over thousands of years. The ancient Indian scholars made major contributions in geometry, arithmetic, algebra, astronomy, trigonometry, combinatorics and mathematical reasoning. The Sulba Sutras were one of the earliest mathematical texts in India, which articulate the geometric principles underlying altar construction for Vedic rituals. These texts exhibit a high level of understanding of geometry, measurement, approximation, and mathematical procedures, well before the modern mathematical systems in Europe. Later, Indian mathematicians like Aryabhata, Brahmagupta, Bhaskara and Madhava added to the knowledge of mathematics in fields such as algebra, trigonometry, some ideas of calculus, and astronomical computation. The purpose of this research paper is to explore the development of mathematical concepts in the context of Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS) from the Sulba Sutras to today's geometry. The study is descriptive and analytical and has been conducted entirely using secondary data obtained from books, journal articles, government publications, historical texts and research studies. The paper is an analysis of the philosophical context of Indian mathematics, the role of geometry in ritual and architecture, the transmission of mathematical knowledge and the role of Indian mathematical tradition in present-day education. The results indicate that the Indian mathematical traditions have made significant contributions to the global mathematical development and that they remain relevant for interdisciplinary learning, understanding history and mathematics education. The paper introduces Indian Knowledge Systems and Sulba Sutras and their relevance to geometry and ancient Indian mathematics, with reference to scholars such as Aryabhata, Brahmagupta, and Bhaskara.