गणितसार-हेमराज कृत एक कृत एक अप्रकाशित गणितीय पाण्डुलिपि
Summary
The article "गणितसार-हेमराज कृत एक अप्रकाशित गणितीय पाण्डुलिपि" (2008) by Anupam Jain and Notki Tiwari introduces an unpublished Jain mathematical manuscript titled *Ganitasara*, distinct from Mahaviracharya's 9th-century *Ganitasara Sangraha*. This work, composed in Hindi by the 17th-century Jain lay scholar Hemaraja, was first referenced by Dr. Kasturchand Kasliwal in 1962. Kasliwal identified four individuals named Hemaraja from the 17th century: Muni Hemaraja (c. 1608), Pande Hemaraja (c. 1652), Saha Hemaraja (c. 1652), and Hemaraja Godika (c. 1673). Based on internal evidence and the colophon of a copy from Bundi (dated 1727 CE, Samvat 1784), Kasliwal attributed *Ganitasara* to Hemaraja Godika, a Digambara Jain from Sanganer, Rajasthan, who also authored *Pravachanasara* (1667 CE) and *Upadesha Doha Shataka* (1668 CE). Two manuscript copies were studied: one from Bundi (88 verses, with a colophon) and another from Ganjbasoda (7 folios, without a colophon). The text aims to clarify the classification and interrelations of three types of numbers in Jain cosmology: countable (*sankhyata*), uncountable (*asankhyata*), and infinite (*ananta*).
Summary reviewed by a volunteer editor.
Conclusion
This 17th-century manuscript, *Ganitasara* by Hemaraja, is significant not for introducing new mathematics, but for demonstrating how Jain philosophical concepts were systematically quantified. Its core contribution lies in providing a structured, Hindi-language method for calculating and distinguishing between the countable, the uncountable, and the infinite—a tripartite classification central to Jain cosmology. By using concrete analogies like filling cosmic pits with mustard seeds, the text translates abstract metaphysical ideas into a comprehensible numerical framework. The implication is that this work served a crucial pedagogical role, making esoteric Jain mathematical lore accessible to a wider audience of lay scholars. Its survival in multiple copies suggests a sustained demand for this practical guide to understanding the infinite, bridging the gap between arcane scripture and everyday comprehension.