Ganitasarasangraha

work by Mahavira

Also known as: “Ganita-sara-sangraha”

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July 16, 2026

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The Ganitasarasangraha is a mathematical treatise written by the Indian mathematician Mahavira around 850 CE. The work, which translates to "Compendium of the Essence of Mathematics," contains over 1,130 rules and examples divided into nine chapters.1

Mahavira, a Jain, emphasized the importance of mathematics in various aspects of life. His work covers fundamental operations, fractions, linear and quadratic equations, proportionality, mixture problems, and geometric calculations. He also discussed rules for zero and negative quantities, stating that negative numbers do not have real square roots. Mahavira improved upon earlier methods and included topics like permutations and combinations, which were traditional Jain subjects.1

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Mahavira
…bce]) and that he wrote Ganitasarasangraha (“Compendium of the Essence of Mathematics”) during the reign of Amoghavarsha (c. 814–878) of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. The work comprises more than 1,130 versified rules and examples divided in nine chapters: the first chapter for “terminology” and the rest for “mathematical procedures” such as…
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…bce]) and that he wrote Ganitasarasangraha (“Compendium of the Essence of Mathematics”) during the reign of Amoghavarsha (c. 814–878) of the Rashtrakuta dynasty. The work comprises more than 1,130 versified rules and examples divided in nine chapters: the first chapter for “terminology” and the rest for “mathematical procedures” such as…
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Indian mathematics
Mahavira and Bhaskara II
For instance, the 9th-century Ganita-sara-sangraha (“Compendium of the Essence of Mathematics”) by Mahavira reflects the Jain cast of his erudition in details such as the inclusion of some of the infinitesimal units of Jain cosmology in his list of weights and measures. Mahavira entirely omitted addition and subtraction from…
Read More
For instance, the 9th-century Ganita-sara-sangraha (“Compendium of the Essence of Mathematics”) by Mahavira reflects the Jain cast of his erudition in details such as the inclusion of some of the infinitesimal units of Jain cosmology in his list of weights and measures. Mahavira entirely omitted addition and subtraction from…
Read More