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Vol. XXXVI, 2013
Significance of Geometry in the Rgveda
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the geometrical solutions of the same. What is comforting in the process is that all of these would be found totally irrefutable, as claimed earlier. A much repeated geometrical theme of the Rgveda is a narrow isosceles triangle with its apex, a particular distance away from the centre of a circle and the outer side defined by another greater circle. The area of the trian-gle in such instances would amount to 108,000, based on which the later Sulbasūtra conceived the uttaravedi forms to measure the same value. The following calculation would show that the 108,000 is the angular value of a rāśi in seconds.
(360 x 60 x 60)/(12) = 108,000
Now let us look at the geometry proposed by the Purusasūkta (RV10.90) in detail. The Purusasūkta is not only a famous hymn of the Rgveda, it would be found to be extremely complex. While scripting a commentary on the Furusasūkta, an impression still lingered that a specific geometry was also proposed by the hymn. . However, a solution eluded for a long time. It was the presence of the
term "iya" (a chord as well) that kept on nagging my mind and forced me to make a few attempts to solve this mystery. Finally, a solution indeed came along which satisfied and strengthened the interpretation of the first 4 verses. The specific geometry of the Purusasūkta is as shown below. ... First a circle of radius = 1000 is made and later another one of radius
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