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Note:
This is the story of Leelawati and Bhaskaracharya the great
Mathematician of ancient India. You can wonder why this mathematician
named his famous book of Mathematics after a simple Lady of Mithila.
Please read it.
Today,
it was just a simple dawn as usual. The birds were chirping, the Saints
had gone for morning bath. The sun is about to bang at the horizon but
its appearance can be felt. The petals of the flowers are gaining energy
to bloom soon. The light is about to convert from blackish red to full
fledged bright sunlight. It was a great morning.
This
lady was performing her daily duty, but today she would not try to
escape from the Saint. Today she would face the truth of the fact; she
has been doing for last 20 years. Why not, She? A wild goose
chase has just converted into a Red letter’s day today in the life of
the Saint. She has just completed her daily duty of cleaning his
work place, placing his carpet and necessary tools besides his seat. She
has given fodder to his cow. Arranged sticks of dried mango trees
branch. She has been desperately waiting for the Saint who has gone for his
morning bath in nearby river. She was feeling unusual, for... She has to
leave the scene before the Saint arrives, the routine work she has been
performing for last 20 years. But she is proud today for what she has
done. It is really a Red Letter’s Day in the life of both; for this Lady
and for the Saint.
Almost
all the great mathematicians from all over India were invited to take
part in the feast, which is organized by the above said Saint named “Bhaskaracharya”.
The feast was on the occasion of the completion of his research work in
mathematics and astronomy. Mr. Bhaskaracharya will be honored by above
mathematicians for his unique work. The heart of
the lady was banging and breaking the silence of the loneliness.
Suddenly, the Saint Bhaskaracharya arrived. He had ignored the lady in
front of him.
The lady
bent down and touched the feet of the Saint in honor. What Saint had
felt couldn’t stop him to ask the lady, “Who are you?” In response the
lady couldn’t tell anything as the tears broke out of the corner of her
eyes. She could have demanded her compensation for the sacrifice she has
been making for last 20 years. If not the compensation it could be the right of
a common woman. But she was completely silent, only the things that can
be guessed by the matter, were her tears. The Saint again asked, “Who
are you?” This time she couldn't stop herself, replied, “It is me, Leelavati”.
In response he again gave her a new question to be replied, “ Who Leelavati?” Now it was too much for her, she couldn’t stop herself, as
the Saint was not able to recognize her. “Remember the promise once you had
committed to my father”, She murmured. The Saint looked into the eyes of
the Lady called herself as “Leelavati”. The tears were still flowing out
of the corner of her blank eyes. The saint foundnd himself disappeared in the
event happened some 20 years back.
He had
just graduated from the school where the father of the said lady was his
teacher of mathematics. This Saint “Bhaskaracharya” was his brilliant
student. He had seen every quality in Bhaskar for the quality research
in Mathematics and Astronomy. The father of the lady and teacher of
Bhaskaracharya was on his deathbed and felt that his daughter could be an
orphan after his death. So he called his one of the best student and
demanded “Gurudakshina” as his ultimate wish. He was knowing
that Bhaskar had taken vow not to marry in his life for the sake of his
study in mathematics, still the man on deathbed had given him an order to
marry with his daughter Leelavati. Bhaskar was in “Dharmshankat”
(holy dilemma)
but still obeyed his guru at the deathbed.
Bhaskar
thought that he had been trapped by the wish of his teacher and his
further career will not be the same as he thought to be. He would indulge
himself in bread and butter and for the livelihood of his wife and
children. But to the women with whom he had married, had a super gene in
her blood. She had decided not to be the obstacle in the research work
of his man in the field of Mathematics and Astronomy. She had decided to
give every daily life-comfort and fulfill the needs of her husband. And
in this process she used to stay away from his working place but looked
after him worked as a maid for him, so that his research work might not
be affected.
The time had started
passing and the saint was so much busy in his work that he had forgotten
that sometimes he had also married to a woman. It had taken almost 20 years
to complete his work. He has compiled his work and today he is going to
get recognition for what he had done for last 20 years. The book dealing
largely on Arithmetic’s, Spherical Trigonometry, Astronomy and of course
Algebra was ready to challenge the world of science and mathematics. He
had worked day and night and he had to burn his mid-night oil to complete his work. But into the eyes he was looking
had a special contribution. The Saint had observed a selfless sacrifice
of the true womanhood, which is meant for her husband only. He had foundnd
that the work he had done was not possible without the efforts of his
woman.
Again the
Saint asked the Lady, “What is your name?” “It is Leelavati”, she
whispered. The Saint told the Lady, “I have committed a sin. And now
only compensation I can award you that the book I had written in 20
years is going to be named as “Leelavati”. Whenever the people
will go through this book of Mathematics, will think why a book of
mathematics is named as Leelavati, and so your name will be
remembered”. And in this way this great mathematician of India gave
honor to a Lady hailed from heartland of holy state named as Mithila.
Writer’s Comment:
“Stri aa purush ek
rathak du pahiya. Dunu pahiyak, ekke mahatwa. Dunu pahiya alag alag nahi
muda yadi ekke disha ma’ chlaya ta’ Jindagi me adami Kichho ka’ sakait
achhi, mithilak naari tyagak prateek theek aa Leelavati ekar bahut
sundar udaharan achhi.”
Even Maithil woman faced
lots of atrocities by his man. But always shown its quality. There are
several examples in the history and even in the daily life. But they
have shown a tremendous character incorporated in her. Whether it is
“Sita” of Ramayan is concerned who had been sent in the Forest even
though she was pregnant, whether “Ahilya” the wife of St. Gautam is concerned
who
had been cheated by Lord Indra, whether it is Kunti of Mahabharat is
concern. But all of them were loyal to their man and society. And the
world is bending down on their sacrifice. After all they are Maithil
Lady only meant for the sacrifice.
Second Thought:
In the research field where a lot of mental stability and peace of mind
is required Mr. Bhaskaracharya got it free from a maithil Lady. Are the
efforts made by Leelawati less in anyway than the efforts made by Bhaskaracharya-II himself for almost 20 years in writing his great
book? No… her efforts are great in some sense.
Final Thought:
There is always
a woman behind the success of a man.
Contributed by.....
Padmanabh Mishra
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