the koti

[Agathe Keller]

Takao Hayashi in his edition, translation and study of the Bakhshali 
manuscript (Egbert Forsten, 1995), has made a study of different names 
for higher numbers in all sorts of texts, mathematical and 
non-mathematical (p.65-70). This includes names for 10 to the power 20 
in certain recensions of the Ramayana (mahauga in the Bombay/Gorakhpur 
edition), or 10 to the power 23 in Mahavira's Ganitasarasamgraha 
(mahAkSobha).

koti in this context always appears as a stable name for 10 to the
power 7 (also sometimes called arbuda) but obviously much greater
numbers could be considered.

I have scans of those five pages of comparative tables for the names of
numbers, that I can send to whom is interested, just write to me.

And, Allen, I certainly would be very interested on information on
Indian dictionaries on bhutaksankhyas!

Agathe
-- 

Agathe Keller

Université PARIS 7 - CNRS
Laboratoire SPHERE UMR 7219

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