Bharati Krishna Tirtha's Vedic Mathematics - Origin of The System

Origin of The System

There has been much controversy among Indian scholars about Tirthaji’s claims that the mathematics is Vedic and that it encompasses all aspects of mathematics (Kansara, 2000).

First, Tirthaji’s description of the mathematics as Vedic is most commonly criticised on the basis that, thus far, none of the sūtras can be found in any extant Vedic literature (Williams, 2000). When challenged by Prof K.S. Shukla to point out the sutras in question in the Parishishta of the Atharvaveda, Shukla reported that the swamiji said that the sixteen sutras were not in the standard editions of the Parishishta, and that they occurred in his own Parishishta and not any other. Considering the lack of references to the sūtras, coupled with the fact that the language style does not seem Vedic, some propose that the sūtras were simply composed by Tirthaji himself

Critics have questioned whether this subject deserves the name Vedic or indeed mathematics. They point to the lack of evidence of any sutras from the Vedic period consistent with the system, the inconsistency between the topics addressed by the system (such as decimal fractions) and the known mathematics of early India, the substantial extrapolations from a few words of a sūtra to complex arithmetic strategies, and the restriction of applications to convenient, special cases. They further say that such arithmetic as is sped up by application of the sūtras can be performed on a computer or calculator anyway, making their knowledge rather irrelevant in the modern world. They are also worried that it deflects attention from genuine achievements of ancient and modern Indian mathematics and mathematicians, and that its promotion by Hindu nationalists may damage mathematics education in India.

In response to criticisms that the sūtras cannot be located within the texts, several people have explained how textual references should not be the basis for evaluating the Vedicity of the mathematics (Agrawala, 1992). Some propose that Vedic mathematics is different from other scientific work because it is not pragmatically worked out, but is based on a direct revelation, or an “intuitional visualisation” of fundamental mathematical truths (Agrawala, 1992; Pratyagatmananda, 1965). Tirthaji has been described as having the same “reverential approach” towards the Vedas as the ancient rishis that formed them. Thus, it seems as though some believe that Tirthaji may not have found the sūtras within the Vedas, but that he received them spiritually as the rishis did, which should validate them as Vedic. The controversy about the Vedicity of the mathematics is further confused by the double meaning of veda. Since veda can be translated to mean ‘knowledge’, it is also possible that Vedic mathematics simply refers to the fact that the sūtras are supposed to present all knowledge of mathematics. Tirthaji’s definition of veda does not clearly clarify whether he uses it to represent ‘all knowledge’ or the Vedic texts; rather, it seems that he uses it to refer to both. His more recent book titled 'Vedic Mathematics' can be purchased locally.