Dear Sirs,
I have received the first part of your
publication "Siri Bhuvalaya", with thanks, and I have
gone carefully
through the introduction by Sri Karlamangalam Srikantayya, who was also kind
enough to show me the photo of the first page of the original manuscript,
giving the square of numbers. I am informed that the whole manuscript consists
of many pages, which are in an, extremely frail condition, so that it is very
difficult to handle them. I had also several talks with Sri Srikantayya about
the complicated problems raised by this astonishing work.
 |
| "Siribhoovalaya" |
From the clues, laboriously worked out by
the editors, I myself have verified that the readings given by the editors, are
substantially correct as far as published and I can say that, however
astonishing the results are, there is no proof of deliberate forgery by any
modern author. A dispassionate scholar, with no preconceived opinions, should
be prepared to accept heuristic method of evaluating historical document until
and unless substantial evidence is produced
to the contrary.
 |
| Jaina Digambara (Shravanabelagola) |
"Bhuvalaya" claims to be the work
of Kumudendu, who says that he was the guru of Amoghavarsha of Manya kheta and
a disciple of Virasena and Jinasena of Dhavala. The recent discovery and publication
of the 'Dhavala Tikar’ constitutes a landmark in Indological studies,
essentially for Jainology. Kumudendu's Kannada Bhuvalaya is professedly based
on Virasena's work, but is more extensive and perhaps more important. I have
scrutinised carefully for any evidence of a later date than 9th century
A. D. but in the published portion nothing has been discovered to my knowledge,
nor have others been able to point out such evidence, excepting the seemingly
modern form of Kannada. Whatever the explanation for this might be it alone cannot
outweigh other Considerations.
The importance of this work may be briefly
analysed under the following heads:-
1. For the
history of Kannada language and literature, it is one of the earliest works,
however much it may upset our present notions of the development of Kannada
language, unless it can be proved to be modern.
2. For the
history of Sanskrit, Prakrit, Tamil and Telugu literatures of the 9th
century it is an eye-opener.
3. For the
study of Jainism in particular and all other schools of Indian Philosophy and religions,
it provides new material which may revolutionise our present concepts of the development
of Indian thought.
4. For the
political history of India and Karnataka, it provides fresh material as it
mentions Amoghavarsha and Ganga rulers of Mysore.
5. For the
history of Indian mathematics, it is an important document. The recent studies
in Virasensa's Dhavala Tika show that Indians even in the 9th century,
if not centuries earlier were conversant with the theory of place-values, laws
of indices, the theory of logarithms, special methods to deal with fractions,
theories of transformations, geometrical and mensuration formulae, infinite processes
and theories of infinity anticipating Cantor and other Western mathematicians,
correct value of pi (π), permutation and combination etc., Kumudendu's work seems
to be far more advanced than even Virasena's and therefore not easy of
comprehension.
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