Astronomy in ancient and medieval India

Abstract

Glimpses of the ancient Hindu astronomy are found in the Vedas and the vedic literature. The Vedāṅgajyotiṣa (c. 500 BC), which exclusively deals with vedic astronomy, shows that the vedic seers were well versed in the motion of the Sun and the Moon and had developed a luni-solar calendar to regulate their activities. Further progress in the field of Hindu astronomy is recorded by the five well-known siddhāntas summarised by Varāhamihira in his Pañcasiddhāntikā. These siddhāntas were the result of the great Renaissance in Hindu Gaṇita which began some time before the beginning of the Christian era. Renaissance in Hindu astronomy which seems to have begun in the third or fourth century ad continued right up to the twelfth century ad. The Āryabhaṭīya of Āryabhaṭa I (b. 476 AD) is the earliest preserved work on astronomy written during this period. Of subsequent works, the notable ones are the Brāhmasphuṭasiddhānta of Brahmagupta (628 AD), the Śiṣyadhīvṛddhida of Lalla (c. 749 AD), the Vaṭeśvarasiddhānta of Vaṭeśvara (904 AD), the Siddhāntaśekhara of Śrīpati (c. 1039 AD) and the Siddhāntaśiromaṇi of Bhāskara II (1150 AD).