1

THE ACTUAL DATE OF RYABHAA

-Dr. M.L.RAJA, M.B., B.S., D.O.,*

INTRODUCTION
ryabhatta mentioned his date in the tenth loka of Klakriypdah (3
rd
Adhyyah) of
his ryabhattyam. But scholars differ whether it is abhih or astih in the first sentence of
this loka. Accordingly, the date of ryabhatta varies by 3240 years. Scholars like Tandulam
Sree. Narayana Sastri of Chennai and Sree Kotta Venkatachalam of Vijayawada (Kalasaka
Vijnamu - Prathama Bhgamu - Jyotis Siddhntula Kla Nirnayam Telugu,1949, pages 56 to
59)
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mentioned the following with abhih , as the actual tenth loka.
.| .| .| .|.... .:|-... ..|....-. ..... + .... .:|-... ..|....-. ..... + .... .:|-... ..|....-. ..... + .... .:|-... ..|....-. ..... +
.|.+ . .|.+ . .|.+ . .|.+ . |.-.|... |.-.|... |.-.|... |.-.|.... . . . -.-. -.-...:.|.. ++ -.-. -.-...:.|.. ++ -.-. -.-...:.|.. ++ -.-. -.-...:.|.. ++
ayabdnm abhiryad vyattstrayaca yugapd : + ++ +
Tryadhik vimatirabdstadeva mama janmano: :: :tt : ++ ++ ++ ++
Meaning: 1.asti: - Sixty, 2.Abdnm - Of the years (sixth [genitive] case), 3.astyabdnm - Of
sixty years, 4.abhi: - By Sixes (third [instrumental] case of six always plural in Sanskrit), 5.
Yad - When, 6. Vyatt: - Were elapsed excessively, 7. Traya: - Threes (3 first [nominative]
case, Masculine always plural in Sanskrit), 8.Yugapd: - 1/4
th
of the Mahyuga, 9.Tri -
Three, 10.Adhika - Excess, 11.Vimsati: - Twenty, 12.Abd: - Years, 13.Tad - At that time, 14.
Mama - My, 15. Janmana: - Since birth (fifth case of Janman Birth), 16.Att: - Were passed.
However, some scholars mentioned it is not abhih but astih (first [nominative] case
of sixty) and the loka is as shown below.
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*Director, AVINASH (Academy on Vibrant National Arts and Scientific Heritage), Erode,
Tamilnadu, 09443370129, mlrsreekrishna@yahoo.com

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..... . ..... . ..... . ..... .| | | |.. ..|....-. ..... + .. ..|....-. ..... + .. ..|....-. ..... + .. ..|....-. ..... +
.|.+ . .|.+ . .|.+ . .|.+ . |.-.|... |.-.|... |.-.|... |.-.|...- - - - -.-. -.-...:.|.. ++ -.-. -.-...:.|.. ++ -.-. -.-...:.|.. ++ -.-. -.-...:.|.. ++
ayabdnm airyad vyattstrayaca yugapd : + ++ +
Tryadhik vimatirabdstadeha mama janmano: :: :tt : ++ ++ ++ ++
But Kota Venkatachalam and Narayana Sastri mentioned, abhih was changed into astih, so
as to reduce the antiquity of ryabhattyam.
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With that change, date of ryabhatta, which is
actually 2764 B.C.E., was pushed towards modern period by 3240 years and accordingly his date
was wrongly fixed as 476 C.E. Hence, it has become an absolute necessity to arrive at the
correct and definite conclusion. This can be done by analyzing this sentence grammatically and
syntactically. In grammatical analysis, the word denoting action in this sentence, Vyatth has
to be understood properly.
Vyatt
Vyatta is the word denoting action in this sentence. It is a Past Passive Participle
word, denoting past tense and shows that the sentence is in passive voice. The word Vyatta is
Vi + Ati + E + Ta ( |4 + |6 + + 6 ). Vi + Ati = Vyati (Ya Sandhih), Vyati + E () =
Vyat (Drga Sandhih), Vyat + Ta = Vyatta (-46l6). The Plural word of Vyatta in the first
(nominative) case is Vyatth (-46l6l- ). Vi is Indeclinable Preposition Prdaya Avyaya
- Upasargah.
2
Ati is another Upasargah, with the meaning Over, Beyond, Overstep,
exceedingly, excessively.
3
In Sanskrit Language, more than one Upasargah can join a single
verb. E ( ) is the transitive verb ( BTPT ) with the meaning of pass, go, approach, escape,
reach, retire and appear.
4
The exact meaning will depend on the Upasargah joined with it
and the nature of the sentence. Ta is the affix at the end and is the most important one. Ta
is K[dantah (T(-6-) suffix of Nisthh ( |+!l-) type. There are two suffixes in Nisthh type.
3
They are Ta ( 6 ) and Tava ( 64 ). Pini denotes them as kta and ktava as both
will not undergo Gua and V[ddhi changes ( 16 1646 |+!l Pini 1-1-26).
5
Both denote
Past Tense (|+!l {6} Pini 3-2-102).
6
But, Ta denotes object (Karman TP+ ) on whom or
on which the action was done or in the intransitive sentences, the action (Bhva - l4), as per
Pinis Astdhyy 3-4-69 and 70 Stra and hence is Karma Nisthh Hence the sentence will
be in Passive Voice. Tava denotes the agent (Kart[ - T6 ) who or which did the action and
hence it is Kart[ Nisthh. Hence, the sentence will be in Active Voice. These are shown by
Pinis Astdhyy 3-4-69 and 70 Stra as follows.
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O- TP|H l4 TPT-4- (Lah karmai ca bhve ca akarmakebhyah)+ 3-4-69+
64l4 Tt4 16 GOl- (Tayoreva [Tayo: Eva] k[tya kta khalarthh + 3-4-70+
Thus the Ten Lakarh (Lat, Lit, Lut to L[t) denotes both the object (karma and agent (Kart[
as denoted by ca) in Transitive Sentences and in Intransitive Sentences (Akarmaka), the
action (Bhva) and the Agent (as denoted by ca) (3-4-69). But, in the sentences with k[tya
and kta ( 16 - 6 ) affixes and with words meaning khal, denote only (Eva) the object and action
(Tayo: - Of those two). Thus, they will not denote agent. Hence, these sentences will be in
Passive voice only and not in Active voice. Thus, Ta (Kta) is Past Passive Participle suffix.
Since, this sentence is in passive voice, the ta suffixed word denoting action, should agree in
number, gender and case with the object (Karma only and not with the agent (Kart[). Besides,
the object will be in first (Nominative) case and the agent who did the action, will be in third
(Instrumental) case.
There are four exceptions to this, where the sentence will be in both passive and active
voices. These were mentioned by Pinis Astdhyy 3-4-71 and 72 Stra.
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Accordingly, when
it denotes, 1.The beginning of an action (l|( TP|H 16- T6| Pini 3-4-71), 2. With the
4
words meaning motion ( t4 [ |6 + ] - the physical motion as mentioned in Astdhyy
of Pini by Srsa Chandra Vasu, Volume 1 page 281, as an explanation to Pini 2-3-12 and
t4 To come, To go, To start & c - Ibid., Volume 2 page 1517 as a translation of the Pini
8-1-51),
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3. In intransitive sentences ( TPT ) and 4. When joined with the following verbs,
lis (to embrace), (to lie down), Sth (to stand), s (to sit), Vas (to dwell), Jan (to produce),
Ruh (to mount) and J[i (to grow old) [2, 3 and 4 - the Pini 3-4-72], the Ta suffix denotes
either the agent or object (as denoted by ca () in both these 3-4-71 and 72 Stra). Thus, only in
these four exceptions, the sentence with Ta suffixed word denotes either the agent or the
object. In all the other, it will denote object or action only and thus, the sentence will only be in
passive voice. Besides, in all these four exceptions also, the sentence with Ta suffix can be in
passive voice, denoting object. In this 3-10 loka, the word Vyatth with Ta suffix, 1. Does
not denote the beginning of an action, 2. The meaning of Vyatth is were elapsed
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excessively
and hence it does not give the meaning of physical motion. Because of the joining of the two
Upasargah, Vi ( |4 ) and Ati ( |6 ) with the verb E - - (. ), the word Vyatth has the
meaning of were elapsed
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excessively, abandoned, left behind. Moreover, the meaning of
the sentence itself is elapsing of time and not physical motion at all. Besides, the word Gati
( |6 ) does not have the meaning of elapse or elapsed,
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3. This sentence has the object
Yugapdh ( .....) and hence it is a transitive sentence. Besides, the word elapsed is
transitive as it shows that something was elapsed by some other thing. The verb E - - (.)
is transitive ( BTPT )
4
and hence -46l6l- is also transitive and 4. The fore mentioned verbs,
lis etc., are not there in this sentence of 3-10 loka. Hence, these four exceptions cannot be
applied to this sentence. Hence, this sentence of 3-10 loka is in passive voice only and not in
active voice.
5
Pinis Astdhyy 3-2-187 and 3-2-188 Stra,
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mentioned that Ta suffix
denotes present tense, 1. In sentences with verbal roots i ( |, 3-2-187) and 2. With the
verbal roots meaning Inclination, Understanding and Respect (3-2-188). But this sentence of
3-10 loka, do not have these verbal roots and hence it denotes past tense only.
PAST PASSIVE VOICE
Thus, the word Vyatth (-46l6l-) with the Ta (past passive participle suffix) in
this sentence of 3-10 loka of ryabhattyam, denotes that the sentence is in passive voice and
is in past tense. Since it is in passive voice, the word denoting action should be in accordance, in
Number, Gender, and Case, only with the object, on which the action was done and not with the
agent and the agent should be in third (Instrumental) Case. Besides, the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4,
should be in accordance with the noun to which they are applied, in Number, Case and Gender.
(Numbers from 5 to 19, in number and case and numbers after 19, in case only, to the noun they
are applied). Thus, in this sentence of 3-10 loka, Traya: ( 4-) which is of First [Nominative]
case, Masculine and Plural, shows that the noun to which they are applied i.e. the object
Yugapdh .....) is in Plural, Masculine and Nominative Case. Hence, the word denoting
action (with K[idantah T(-6- - Nisthh |+!l- suffix Ta ) Vyatth should also be in
Plural, Masculine Gender and in First (Nominative) Case in accordance with the object
Yugapdh. Exactly, Vyatth is in Plural, Masculine Gender and in First (Nominative)
Case (like Rmah abdah. Besides, the agent (Kart[ - T6 ) should be in Third (Instrumental)
Case, as it is a passive voice sentence. Thus, the word abhih which is in third (Instrumental)
case is correct and the word astih which is in first (Nominative) case is not correct,
grammatically and syntactically.
Thus, in the first sentence of 3-10 loka, 1. The word Trayasca Yugapdh (all the
three quarters of Yuga) is the object and is in plural, masculine and first case, 2. The word
Vyatth is the word denoting action and is in plural, masculine and first case, in accordance with
the object and 3. astyabdnm abhih (by sixes of sixty years) is the agent doing action and is

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in third instrumental case, as it is passive voice. Here the following important things to be noted.
1. The meaning of the verbal noun, Vyatth is were elapsed
10
excessively, abandoned, left
behind (The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary, Vaman Shivram Apte, Motilal
Banarsidass Publishers, reprint 2000, page 537 & A Sanskrit English Dictionary,
Monier Williams, Oxford Clarendon Press, London, May 1872, page 937).
2. In the object Trayasca Yugapdh (all the three quarters of Yuga), the word Trayasca
denotes all the three quarters of Yuga. (Trayah 4- -- - = Three -- 4- -- - + = 47 visarga
sandhih). Here the word ca ( ) was added to Trayah, so as to denote all the three quarters
of yuga. Thus, ca () was added here with that purpose only and hence was written after
Trayaha only and not after Yugapdh.
3. In the agent, astyabdnm abhih (by sixes of sixty years), the word astyabdnm
denotes, indicates and qualifies which sixes did the action of elapsing excessively. Thus, it
is a Visesaam ( |4H9HP ) and abhih is the Visesyam ( |4H!4P ). Here the Visesaam
is in the sixth (Genitive) case and it need not agree with Visesyam, in case ( |4|16-). This is
asthvibhaktyantam Vyadhikaraa Visesaam
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( 9!l|41t4-6 -4|TH |4H9HP Pandit
L.Anantarama Sastri, Samskrita Vyakarana Pravesika, pages 75-76). This is like
Rpyakm aqbhih (-4TlHl .:|-. ).

Hence, there wont be any difficulty to
understand that abhih is the agent and is in third case as it is in passive voice and
astyabdnm is simply the qualifying Visesaam to highlight the Visesyam of abhih.
This can be clarified by citing an example.
In the sentence Styh Rmea raksitah Dharmah ( Bl6l4l- lPH |-.6- P-), raksitah is
the past passive participle denoting action, with Nisthh Ta affix and with the meaning was
protected. Which was protected then? It is Dharmah, which is the object and is in first case as it
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is in passive voice. Who protected Dharmah? It is Rmah, who is the agent and is in third case
(Rmea), as it is passive voice. Which Rmah protected Dharmah? It is Sts (Styh)
Rmah. Thus, St is in sixth (genitive) case. Styh is the qualifying word - Visesaam
( |4H9HP ) and Rmea is the qualified word - Visesyam ( |4H!4P ).
Besides, in Sanskrit, the numerals can come alone and denote meaning,
substantively. For example, Siddhnta Kaumud, on giving explanation to the Pini Stra
1-4-51, gives examples like, (46t6 H6 P!Hl|6 where H6 (100) is in second case and gives
full meaning.
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In 1-55 loka of Srya Siddhntah , the number 12 is used as, l(H l(H l(H l(H l4l6l
.. 46Pl+T- l|H|- B|(6l- H&l- 97l F4|4=4l(4-+ (The departed revolutions of Jupitor
( l4l6l ..) is multiplied by 12, l(H l(H l(H l(H 12 + multiplied by).
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In the 2-22 loka of
ryabhattyam, the number one is used as BT B 9(l+l 4Pl6 (B + 9T = BT, the number
of terms plus one, the same increased by the number of terms and the number of terms).
16

Thus, in the first sentence of this 3-10 loka, the word Vyatth (in plural, masculine
and first case) is the word denoting action and has the meaning of were elapsed
10
excessively.
What were elapsed excessively then? All the three quarters of Yuga (Trayasca Yugapdh) - the
object and is in plural, masculine and first case. By whom or by which, they were elapsed
excessively? It was by sixes of sixty years astyabdnm abhih - the agent which did the
action) and is in third (instrumental) case, as it is passive voice. Thus, the meaning is very simple
and straight, When, all the three quarters of Yuga were elapsed excessively, by sixes of sixty
years (360 years), twenty three years (23) were passed, indeed at that time, since my birth
(4(l When, 4 indeed, 6(l at that time).
Thus, the following 3-10 loka of the Klakriypdah (Third
Adhyyah) of ryabhattyam with the word abhih is absolutely correct, grammatically
and syntactically.

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..... .:|-... ..|....-. ..... + ..... .:|-... ..|....-. ..... + ..... .:|-... ..|....-. ..... + ..... .:|-... ..|....-. ..... +
.|.+ . .|.+ . .|.+ . .|.+ . |.-.|... |.-.|... |.-.|... |.-.|.... . . . -.-. -.-...:.|.. ++ -.-. -.-...:.|.. ++ -.-. -.-...:.|.. ++ -.-. -.-...:.|.. ++
Accordingly, ryabhatta was 23 years old at Three Hundred and Sixty years (360) of Kaliyuga
(3101 360 = 2741 B.C.E.). Thus, 2764 B.C.E. is the date of ryabhatta and not 476 C.E.
Thus, the grammatical analysis of the word Vyatth shows that astih which is in the
first (Nominative) case, as an agent (Kart[) in this 3-10 loka of passive voice is syntactically
wrong. If we analyse, considering both astih and Yugapdh as two separate objects, then also
it is wrong grammatically. Pinis Astdhyy, in the 1-4-51 stra T|6 (akathitam ca),
mentioned about the use of two objects in a sentence.
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Patanjali sis Vykaraa
Mahbhsya and Siddhnta Kaumud, the Sanskrit grammar texts explained this stra and the
7-1-69 stra of Pini [|4l9l |"HPOl- - vibhs ciamuloh]. (1.Siddhnta Kaumud,
Jnanendra Saraswati and Jayak[isha
18
- pages 129, 130, 445 & 446 and 2. The Siddhnta
Kaumud, Srsa Candra Vasu
19
- Numbers 539 & 2765 {pages 329 to 331 of Volume 1 & 672
and 673 of Volume 2 Part 1} and Patanjali sis Vykaraa Mahbhsya text and
commentary, Kaiyata Updyya & Ngesa Bhatta,
20
edited by Bhrgava stri, volume 2
pages 263 to 273 and volume 6 page 61). Accordingly, the 12 verbal roots Duh (to milk), Yc
(to beg), Pac (to cook), Da (to punish), Rudha (to obstruct or confine), Praccha (to ask), Ci (to
collect), Br (to tell), s (to instruct), Ji (to win, as a praise of wager), Manth (to churn), Mus
(to steal) and other 4 verbal roots N, H[, K[is, Vah (to carry or to convey) alone (total 16) have
two separate objects in the same sentence. The secondary object is known as Gaua Karmai
( lH TP|H ). Of the 16, in the 12 verbal roots starting from Duh, the primary object
(Karmai) will be in second (Accusative) case and the secondary object (Gaua Karmai)
will be in first case, in the passive voice. In the next 4 verbal roots starting from N, the
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primary is in first case and the secondary is in the second case, in passive voice. 1. Vyatth is
not of these 16 verbal roots. 2. astih and Yugapdh are both in nominative (first) case and
none in accusative (second) case. Hence, astih is wrong either as an agent (Kart[) or the object
in passive voice.
Here, because of the word Vyatth and the Nisthh Ta suffix, the sentence is in
passive voice only and is discussed elaborately. In spite of this, even if we consider it as active
voice, then also astih is wrong. This is because astih, the agent (Kart[), is in singular and the
word Vyatth, denoting action is in plural. This is not correct in active voice, where the agent
and the verbal noun should agree in number, gender and case. But, first of all, the sentence itself
is in passive voice and not at all in active voice.
Further, we can not take astih and Yugapdh in-combine as agent (Kart[) in active
voice, as the sentence is in passive voice as discussed elaborately so for. Thus, it absolutely ruled
out this possibility. Besides, ca () was added after Traya only and not after Yugapdh and or
astih. Hence it denotes all the three parts of Yuga and not the action of joining words. If it were
to denote combination, then it would have been written after Yugapdh and or astih. Further,
Yugapdh is the object and Trayah (3) just denotes how many parts of Yuga i.e. giving details
of Yugapdh. Hence Trayah is not the object, but it qualifies the object and ca ( ) is added
here to qualify Trayah further, stressing that all the three parts of Yuga were elapsed and thus
definitely not to combine Yugapdh and astih. Thus the word ca () was added only to
denote all the three quarters of yuga. Further, the words astih and Yugapdh are not
consecutive and adjacent, as the word denoting action Vyatth and yad are in-between. [Ca ( )
can be used in the sense of combination of joining words or assertions and the joined words are
normally consecutive and should be either nouns or verbs alone and not mixed]. Thus, the use of
astih is wrong in this sentence of 3-10 loka of the Klakriyphdah (Third Adhyyaha) of
ryabhattyam. Thus, 3577 Kaliyuga (3600 23 = 3577 & 35773101 = 476 C.E.) is not at all
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all the date of ryabhatta.
CONCLUSION
Thus, in this sentence of 3-10 loka of ryabhattyam, it is proved absolutely that
abhih is the correct word and not astih, grammatically and syntactically. Thus, 2764 B.C.E.
is the date of ryabhatta, as per grammatical and syntactical analysis of the tenth loka of
Klakriypdah (3
rd
Adhyyah) of ryabhattyam.
REFERENCES
1. Kotta Venkatachalam, Kalasaka Vijnamu - Prathama Bhgamu - Jyotis Siddhntula
Kla Nirnayam Telugu book, Vijayawada 1949, pp. 56 59
2. Vaman Shivram Apte, The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary Motilal Banarsidass,
2
nd
Edition, reprint 2000, page 505 & Monier Williams, A Sanskrit English
Dictionary, Oxford Clarendon Press, London May 1872, page 908
3. Ibid., page 9 & Ibid., page 12
4. Ibid., page 92 & Ibid., page 137 & K.L.V.Sastri and L.Anantharama Sastri, Dhturpa
Majari, An Easy Text on Sanskrit Verbs R.S.Vadhyar & Sons, Palghat, 2001, page 39
& Fr. John Kunnapally Prakriya Bhasyam Malayalam, Translated into English by
Prof. KV.R.Pai, page 361
5. The Astdhyyi of Pini 1-1-26, Srsa Chandra Vasu, Motilal Banarsidass, 1
st
Edition,
reprint 2003, Volume 1 pp. 21 & 22
6. Ibid., 3-2-102, Volume 1 pp. 450 & 451
7. Ibid., 3-4-69 and 70, Volume 1 pp. 584 to 586
8. Ibid., 3-4-71 and 72, Volume 1 pp. 586 & 587
9. Ibid., 2-3-12 Volume 1 page 281 & 8-1-51 Volume 2 page 1517
10. Vaman Shivram Apte, The Students Sanskrit English Dictionary, op.cite., page
537 & Monier Williams, A Sanskrit English Dictionary, op.cite., page 973
11. Ibid., page 180 & Ibid., page 283
12. The Astdhyyi of Pini 3-2-187 and 3-2-188, op.cite., pp. 481 & 482
13. Pandit L.Anantarama Sastri, Samskrita Vyakarana Pravesika, R.S.Vadhyar & Sons,
Palghate, 1999, pp. 75-76

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14. The Siddhnta Kaumudi Srsa Candra Vasu, Number 539, Volume 1 page 330, Motilal
Banarsidass, New Delhi, Second Edition Reprint, 2003
15. Srya Siddhntah Text with English Translation 1-55 loka, E.Burgees & S.Jain,
Oriental Book Centre Delhi, 2005, Page 54
16. ryabhattiya of ryabhatta 2-22 loka, Kripa Shankar Sukla & K.V.Sarma, Indian
National Science Academy New Delhi, 1976, Page 65
17. The Astdhyyi of Pini 1-4-51 op.cite., Volume 1 pages 187 & 188
18. Siddhnta Kaumudi Jnanendra Sarasvati and Jayak[isha pp. 129, 130, 445 & 446,
Tukrm Jvaj, Jvaj Ddjs Nirnayasgar Press, Bombay 1908
19. The Siddhnta Kaumudi Srsa Candra Vasu, op.cite., Numbers 539 & 2765, Volume 1
pages 329 to 331 & Volume 2 Part 1 pages 672 and 673
20. Patanjali si, Vykaraa Mahbhsya Text and Commentary, Kaiyata Updyya &
Ngesa Bhatta, edited by Bhrgava stri, volume 2 pages 263 to 273 and volume 6 page
61, Chaukhamba Sanskrit Pratishtan, New Delhi, Reprint Edition 1991
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