Publications of Bibhutibhusan Datta


Bibhutibhusan Datta wrote papers and books mainly on the history of mathematics but also on applied mathematics, Indian religion and philosophy. We do not think that the list we present below is a complete list of his publications but we have included all those we could trace. One aspect requires explanation. Datta retired in 1933, gave up research in the history of mathematics in 1938 and died in 1958 yet we list papers appearing in print up to 1993. When he retired he gave the manuscript of his three volume work History of Hindu Mathematics to his young colleague Avadhesh Narayan Singh. Singh published the first two of these volumes as a joint publication but the third volume was never published. Beginning in 1980 Kripa Shankar Shukla revised the material of the third volume and published it as a series of papers between 1980 and 1993.
  1. On a physical interpretation of certain formulae in the theory of elasticity, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 2 (2) (1910-11), 19-20.

  2. On the figures of equilibrium of a rotating mass of liquid for laws of attraction other than the law of inverse square (Part I), Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 3 (1911-12), 21-26.

  3. On the motion of two spheroids in an infinite liquid along their common axis of revolution, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 7 (1) (1915), 49-59.

  4. On the stability of two coaxial rectilinear vortices of compressible fluid, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 10 (1918-19), 219-228.

  5. On a Method for Determining the Non-Stationary State of Heat in an Ellipsoid, American Journal of Mathematics 41 (2) (1919), 133-142.

  6. On a transformation theorem relating to spheroidal harmonics (Part 1), Tohoku Mathematical Journal 15 (1919), 166-171.

  7. On a transformation theorem relating to spheroidal harmonics (Part 2), Tohoku Mathematical Journal 17 (1920), 210-212.

  8. Notes on vortices in a compressible fluid, Proceedings of the Benares Mathematical Society 2 (1920), 23-31.

  9. On the stability of two rectilinear vortices of compressible fluid moving in an incompressible liquid, Philosophical Magazine (Series 6) 40 (1920), 138-148.

  10. On the periods of vibrations of a straight vortex-pair, Proceedings of the Benares Mathematical Society 3 (1921), 13-24.

  11. On the motion of two spheroids in an infinite liquid along their common axis of revolution, American Journal of Mathematics 43 (2) (1921), 134-142.

  12. Al-Birini and the origin of Arabic numerals, Proceedings of the Benares Mathematical Society 7/8 (1925-26), 9-23.

  13. A note on Hindu-Arabic numerals, American Mathematical Monthly 33 (4) (1926), 220-221.

  14. Two Aryabhatas of Al-Birini, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 17 (1926), 59-74.

  15. Hindu (non-Jaina) values of π, Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (Calcutta) (n.s.) 22 (1926), 25-42.

  16. Early literary evidence of the use of zero in India (Part 1), American Mathematical Monthly 33 (9) (1926), 449-454.

  17. On mula, the Hindu term for 'root', American Mathematical Monthly 34 (8) (1927), 420-423.

  18. On the origin and development of the idea of 'percent', American Mathematical Monthly 34 (10) (1927), 530-531.

  19. Aryabhata, the author of Ganita, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 18 (1927), 5-18.

  20. Early history of the arithmetic of zero and infinity in India, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 18 (1927), 165-176.

  21. The present mode of expressing numbers, Indian Historical Quarterly 3 (1927), 530-540.

  22. The Hindu method of testing arithmetical operations, Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (Calcutta) (n.s.) 23 (1927), 261-267.

  23. Hindu contributions to mathematics (Part 1), Bulletin of the Allahabad University Mathematical Association 1 (1927), 49-73.

  24. The science of calculation by the board, American Mathematical Monthly 35 (10) (1928), 520-529.

  25. The Hindu solution of the general Pellian equation, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 19 (1928), 87-94.

  26. On Mahavira's solution of rational triangles and quadrilaterals, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 20 (1928/29), 267-294.

  27. The word numeral system (Bengali), Bengali Year 1335 (1928/29), 8-30.

  28. The Bakhshali mathematics, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 21 (1929), 1-60.

  29. The Jaina School of mathematics, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 21 (1929), 115-145.

  30. Hindu contributions to mathematics (Part 2), Bulletin of the Allahabad University Mathematical Association 2 (1929), 1-36.

  31. The scope and development of Hindu Ganita, Indian Historical Quarterly 5 (1929), 479-512.

  32. Review: The Bakhshali Manuscript - A Study in Mediaeval mathematics, by G R Kaye (Calcutta, 1927), Bulletin of the American Mathematical Society 35 (4) (1929), 579-580.

  33. Alphabetic numeral system (Bengali), Bengali Year 1336 (1929/30), 22-50.

  34. Origin and history of the Hindu names for geometry, Quellen und Studien zur Geschichte der Mathematik B I (1929/31), 113-119.

  35. Geometry in Jaina cosmography, Quellen und Studien zur Geschichte der Mathematik B I (1929/31), 245-254.

  36. On the supposed indebtedness of Brahmagupta to Chiu-chang Suan-shu, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 22 (1930), 39-51.

  37. The two Bhaskaras, Indian Historical Quarterly 6 (1930), 727-736.

  38. On the Hindu names for rectilinear geometrical figures, Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal (Calcutta) (n.s.) 26 (1930), 283-290.

  39. Nominal numerals (Bengali), Bengali Year 1337 (1930/31), 7-27.

  40. Nominal numerals in Jaina literature (Bengali), Bengali Year 1337 (1930/31), 28-39.

  41. Ankanam vamato gatih (Bengali), Bengali Year 1337 (1930/31), 70-80.

  42. On the origin of the Hindu terms for 'root', American Mathematical Monthly 38 (7) (1931), 371-376.

  43. The origin of Hindu indeterminate analysis, Archeion 13 (1931), 401-407.

  44. Narayana's method for finding approximate value of a surd, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 23 (1931), 187-194.

  45. Early literary evidence of the use of zero in India (Part 2), American Mathematical Monthly 38 (10) (1931), 566-572.

  46. Early history of the principle of place value, Scientia 50 (1931), 1-12.

  47. The Science of the Sulba. A study in early Hindu geometry (University of Calcutta, Calcutta, 1932).

  48. Elder Aryabhata's rule for the solution of indeterminate equations of the first degree, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 24 (1932), 19-36.

  49. Testimony of early Arab writers on the origin of our numerals, Bulletin of the Calcutta Mathematical Society 24 (1932), 193-218.

  50. On the relation of Mahavira to Sridhara, Isis 17 (1932), 25-33.

  51. Introduction of Arabic and Persian mathematics into Sanskrit literature, Proceedings of the Benares Mathematical Society 14 (1932), 7-21.

  52. The algebra of Narayana, Isis 19 (1933), 472-485.

  53. Acarya Aryabhata and his disciples and followers (Bengali), Bengali Year 1340 (1933/34), 129-158.

  54. Mathematics of Nemicandra, Jaina Antiquary 1 (1935), 25-44.

  55. Aryabhata and the theory of the motion of the earth (Bengali), Bengali Year 1342 (1935/36), 167-183.

  56. (with Avadhesh Narayan Singh) History of Hindu Mathematics. A Source Book (Part 1: Numerical notation and arithmetic) (Motilal Banarsi Das., Lahore, 1935).

  57. A lost Jaina treatise on arithmetic, Jaina Antiquary 2 (1936), 38-41.

  58. Vedic Mathematics, in Cultural Heritage of India Vol. III (Calcutta, 1937), 378-401.

  59. (with Avadhesh Narayan Singh) History of Hindu Mathematics. A Source Book (Part 2: Algebra) (Motilal Banarsi Das., Lahore, 1938).

  60. Application of indeterminate analysis to astronomical problems, Archeion 21 (1938/39), 28-34.

  61. Chronology of the history of science in India during XVIth century, Archeion 23 (1941), 78-83.

  62. Some instruments of ancient India and their working, Journal of the Ganganatha Jha Research Institute 4 (1946/47), 249-270.

  63. (with Avadhesh Narayan Singh) History of Hindu Mathematics. A Source Book (Part 1: Numerical notation and arithmetic; and Part 2: Algebra) (Asia Publishing House, Bombay-Calcutta-New Delhi-Madras-London-New York, 1962).

  64. Ancient History of Bhagavata Religion (Bengali) (4 vols.) (Calcutta, 1963-66).

  65. Ancient Story of Advaita Philosophy (Bengali) Vol. 1 (Calcutta, 1972).

  66. (with Avadhesh Narayan Singh) Hindu geometry, Indian Journal of the History of Science 15 (2) (1980), 121-188.

  67. (with Avadhesh Narayan Singh) Hindu geometry, Indian Journal of the History of Science 15 (2) (1980), 121-188.

  68. (with Avadhesh Narayan Singh) Use of calculus in Hindu mathematics, Indian Journal of the History of Science 19 (2) (1984), 95-104.

  69. (with Avadhesh Narayan Singh) Magic squares in India, Indian Journal of the History of Science 27 (1) (1992), 51-120.

  70. (with Avadhesh Narayan Singh) Use of permutations and combinations in India, Indian Journal of the History of Science 27 (3) (1992), 231-249.

  71. (with Avadhesh Narayan Singh) Use of series in India, Indian Journal of the History of Science 28 (2) (1993), 103-129.

  72. (with Avadhesh Narayan Singh) Surds in Hindu mathematics, Indian Journal of the History of Science 28 (3) (1993), 253-264.

  73. (with Avadhesh Narayan Singh) Approximate values of surds in Hindu mathematics, Indian Journal of the History of Science 28 (3) (1993), 265-275.

Last Updated April 2015