पृष्ठम्:महाभास्करीयम्.djvu/4

PREFACE The object of the "Hindu Astronomical and Mathematical Texts Series" is to bring out authoritative and critical editions of important unpublished works dealing with ancient Indian astronomy and mathe- matics. The present edition of Bhaskara I's Maha-Bhaskarlya is No. 3 of this series. The idea of bringing out the above series is due to Dr. A. N. Singh, late Professor of Mathematics, Lucknow University, who organised a scheme of research in the history of Hindu mathematics and astronomy in the Department of Mathematics, Lucknow University, with the object of collecting, studying, and editing important works on Hindu mathematics and astronomy. Under his able guidance remarkable progress was made in this direction and a number of manuscripts were acquired, studied and edited. In 1954 he submitted to the Government of the Uttar Pradesh a detailed plan for the publication of the work carried out under the above scheme of research in a series to be called the "Hindu Astro- nomical and Mathematical Texts Series". The plan was approved by the Government and a sum of Rs. 1000/- was sanctioned in the name of Bhārata Ganita Parisad to undertake the publication of the series. In the year 1955 the Government of the Uttar Pradesh was generous enough to sanction the remaining sum of Rs. 9000/- to the Department of Mathematics and Astronomy, Lucknow University, for the said publi- cation. The scheme of research in the history of Indian mathematics and astronomy referred to above has been financed by the Government of the Uttar Pradesh through the kind help of Dr. Sampurnanand, its then Education Minister, for which we express our sincere thanks to them. We are specially grateful to Dr. Sampurnanand who, a great scholar of Jyotisa as he himself is, has been taking keen interest in the progress of this research and helping us with necessary funds and encouragement from time to time. R. Ballabh