Varāhamihira

वराहमिहिर Varāhamihir
Born	505 CE
Died	587 CE
Occupation	astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer
Nationality	Indian
Period	Gupta era
Notable work(s)	Pancha-Siddhantika, Brihat-Samhita

Varāhamihira  pronunciation (Devanagari: वराहमिहिर) (505–587 CE), also called Varaha or Mihir, was an Indian astronomer, mathematician, and astrologer who lived in Ujjain. He was Shrigaud Brahmin. He is considered to be one of the nine jewels (Navaratnas) of the court of legendary ruler Yashodharman Vikramaditya of Malwa.

Works

He was the first one to mention in his work Pañcasiddhāntikā that the ayanamsa, or the shifting of the equinox is 50.32 seconds.

Pancha-Siddhantika

Varahamihir's main work is the book Pañcasiddhāntikā (or Pancha-Siddhantika, "[Treatise] on the Five [Astronomical] Canons) dated ca. 575 CE gives us information about older Indian texts which are now lost. The work is a treatise on mathematical astronomy and it summarises five earlier astronomical treatises, namely the Surya Siddhanta, Romaka Siddhanta, Paulisa Siddhanta, Vasishtha Siddhanta and Paitamaha Siddhantas. It is a compendium of Vedanga Jyotisha as well as Hellenistic astronomy (including Greek, Egyptian and Roman elements). He was the first one to mention in his work Pancha Siddhantika that the ayanamsa, or the shifting of the equinox is 50.32 seconds.6655

The 11th century Iranian scholar Alberuni also described the details of "The Five Astronomical Canons":

"They [the Indians] have 5 Siddhāntas:

• Sūrya-Siddhānta, ie. the Siddhānta of the Sun, composed by Lāṭadeva,
• Vasishtha-siddhānta, so called from one of the stars of the Great Bear, composed by Vishnucandra,
• Pulisa-siddhānta, so called from Paulisa, the Greek, from the city of Saintra, which is supposed to be Alexandria, composed by Pulisa.
• Romaka-siddhānta, so called from the Rūm, ie. the subjects of the Roman Empire, composed by Śrīsheṇa.

Brihat-Samhita

Varahamihira is most important contribution is the encyclopedic Brihat-Samhita. It covers wide ranging subjects of human interest, including astrology, planetary movements, eclipses, rainfall, clouds, architecture, growth of crops, manufacture of perfume, matrimony, domestic relations, gems, pearls, and rituals. The volume expounds on gemstone evaluation criterion found in the Garuda Purana, and elaborates on the sacred Nine Pearls from the same text. It contains 106 chapters and is known as the "great compilation".

On Astrology

He was also an astrologer. He wrote on all the three main branches of Jyotisha astrology:

• Brihat Jataka - is considered as one the five main treatises on Hindu astrology on horoscopy.
• Laghu Jataka - also known as 'Swalpa Jataka'
• Samasa Samhita - also known as 'Lagu Samhita' or 'Swalpa Samhita'
• Brihat Yogayatra - also known as 'Mahayatra' or 'Yakshaswamedhiya yatra'
• Yoga Yatra - also known as 'Swalpa yatra'
• Tikkani Yatra
• Brihat Vivaha Patal
• Lagu Vivaha Patal - also known as 'Swalpa Vivaha Patal'
• Lagna Varahi
• Kutuhala Manjari
• Daivajna Vallabha (apocryphal)

His son Prithuyasas also contributed in the Hindu astrology; his book "Hora Saara" is a famous book on horoscopy. Khana (also named Lilavati elsewhere) the medieval Bengali poetess astrologer is believed to be the daughter-in-law of Varahamihir

Western influences

The Romaka Siddhanta ("Doctrine of the Romans") and the Paulisa Siddhanta ("Doctrine of Paul") were two works of Western origin which influenced Varahamihir's thought, though this view is controversial as there is much evidence to suggest that it was actually Vedic thought indigenous to India which first influenced Western astrologers and subsequently came back to India reformulated^{[citation needed]}.

A comment in the Brihat-Samhita by Varahamihir says: "The Greeks, though foreign, must be honored since they have shown tremendous interest in our science....." ("mleccha hi yavanah tesu samyak shastram kdamsthitam/ rsivat te 'p i pujyante kim punar daivavid dvijah" (Brihat-Samhita 2.15)).

Some important trigonometric results attributed to Varahamihir

$\sin^2 x + \cos^2 x = 1 \;\!$

$\sin x = \cos\left(\frac{\pi} {2} - x \right)$

$\frac {1 - \cos 2x}{2} = \sin^2x$

He not only presented his own observations, but embellished them in attractive poetic and metrical styles. The usage of a large variety of meters is especially evident in his Brihat Jataka and Brihat-Samhita.

1. ^ "the Pañca-siddhāntikā ("Five Treatises"), a compendium of Greek, Egyptian, Roman and Indian astronomy. Varāhamihir's knowledge of Western astronomy was thorough. In 5 sections, his monumental work progresses through native Indian astronomy and culminates in 2 treatises on Western astronomy, showing calculations based on Greek and Alexandrian reckoning and even giving complete Ptolemaic mathematical charts and tables. Encyclopædia Britannica (2007) s.v.Varahamihir ^ 2. E. C. Sachau, Alberuni's India (1910), vol. I, p. 153

See also

• Hora Sara

External links

• O'Connor, John J.; Robertson, Edmund F., "Varāhamihira", MacTutor History of Mathematics archive, University of St Andrews .
• Pancasiddhantika, Brhat Jataka, Brhat Samhita and Hora Shastra Various editions in English and Sanskrit. (PDF)
• The Brihat jataka (1905) Pdf edition internet archive