Tantrasaṅgraha of Nīlakaṇṭha Somayājī. Transl. from the Sanskrit (Q992749)

The \textit{Tantrasaṅgraha}, one of the most important Indian astronomical works, was written in the year 1500 by Nīlakaṇṭha Somayājī, who belonged to the well-known Kerala tradition of mathematicians and astronomers. This comprehensive treatment of astronomical computations is written in verse and provides only algorithms without any further explanations. It presents a major revision of the traditional Indian planetary models which, similarly to Tycho Brahe in the late 16th century, places the planets in orbits around the sun, which in turn rotates around the earth. This led to a drastic simplification of the algorithms for planetary latitudes and the equation of centre of Venus and Mercury. Another interesting aspect of the \textit{Tantrasaṅgraha} is the use of series and various types of iterations for the calculation of trigonometrical and spherical-astronomical functions. The book here abstracted provides any interested historian of mathematics or astronomy with full access to the text of the \textit{Tantrasaṅgraha}. Section by section it presents the Sanskrit text of the work in Devanagari script and transliteration, an English translation, and extensive comments. The Sanskrit text is based on the critical editions by S.K. Pillai (1958) and K.V. Sarma (1977). The commentary provides full explanations in modern mathematical notation of all algorithms found in the text. It makes frequent use of three other primary sources, namely the commentaries \textit{Laghu-vivṛti} (in prose) and \textit{Yukti-dīpikā} (in verse) by Śaṅkara Vāriyar (c.\ 1500--1560) and the recently published \textit{Gaṇita-yukti-bhāṣā} (written in Malayalam, the local language of Kerala) by Nīlakaṇṭha's younger contemporary Jyeṣṭhadeva [see, Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Berlin: Springer; New Delhi: Hindustan Book Agency (2008; Zbl 1160.01022)]. Throughout the commentary helpful quotations of relevant sections from the first two of these three sources are provided in Devanagari script with English translation. The six appendixes provide further discussions of a number of technical topics, in particular the representation of numbers, spherical trigonometry, coordinate systems, the solution of spherical problems in the \textit{Gaṇita-yukti-bhāṣā}, the maximum declination of the moon, and the traditional Indian planetary models contrasted with Nīlakaṇṭha's adjustments. In finding his way through the abundant Sanskrit terminology the reader receives help from a glossary of transliterated technical terms arranged alphabetically. The extensive index includes the most important Sanskrit technical terms besides persons, titles, and technical terms in English. An index of half-verses is provided in Devanagari script. The book's primary goal is to make the text of the \textit{Tantrasaṅgraha} available, also for an audience that does not read Sanskrit. It does this in such an exhaustive way that it provides both a comprehensive introduction to Indian astronomy and an excellent basis for further studies of Nīlakaṇṭha's work and its place in the general history of Indian astronomy.