Pythagoras mentioned in Vedas?-A simpler explanalation

[Lars Martin Fosse]

> Actually I do not have enough knowledge on this.  I rely mostly on
> translations of the Sulbasutras and related articles and essays
> which deal primarily with the mathematics.  I also want to know
> more about the actual rituals and the procedures involved (other
> than the geometric constructions).  I was referred to one book
> called "Agni" edited by Frits Staal, which I somehow have
> difficulties finding.  Does anyone have other references to these
> things?

If you are working on the Shulbasutras, you should definitely read the papers by
A. Seidenberg. Seidenberg has a contribution on Vedic geometry in Staal's book.
The book should be at the University library of Oslo. It would formerly be at the
Indo-Iranian Institute, but the whole institute library is being moved these days
to the new university library. "Agni" may not be available for some time. Below
are the references to the Seidenberg papers and to Staal's book:

Seidenberg, A. 1962. The Ritual Origin of Geometry. Archive for History of Exact
Sciences 1:488-527.
Seidenberg, A. 1978. The Origin of Mathematics. Archive for History of Exact
Sciences 18:301-342.

In the same journal, Seidenberg has also published: "The Ritual Origin of
Counting" 2 (1962) and "The Ritual Origin of the Circle and Square", 25 (1972)

Staal, Frits. 1983. Agni, the Vedic ritual of the fire altar. Berkeley : Asian
Humanities Press.

Hope this helps.

Lars Martin Fosse