Great Indians of Ancient India - Part 2

In July 2012, I had assembled information on similar topic as part 1, Here is continuation of few more great Indians of ancient India as part 2.

Varahamihira: Born in 505AD in kapiitthaka (may be now called as Ujjain), India, Died in 587AD. He is also popularly called Varaha, or Mihira. He was Indian philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician, author of the Pancha-siddhantika (“Five Treatises”). He also made valuable contributions to trigonometry. Significant contribution to trigonometry was his sine tables where he improved those of Aryabhata I giving more accurate values.

Charaka: Born in 300BC, He is referred to as the Father of Medicine. He is one of the main contributors to the ancient art and science of Ayurveda. Charaka was the first physician to present the concept of digestion, metabolism and immunity.

Panini was a Sanskrit grammarian who gave a comprehensive and scientific theory of phonetics, phonology, and morphology. Sanskrit was the classical literary language of the Indian Hindus and Panini is considered the founder of the language and literature. It is interesting to note that the word "Sanskrit" means "complete" or "perfect" and it was thought of as the divine language, or language of the gods. He was estimated to born around the 4th, 5th or 6th B.C. Historians differ in these dates as well. It is also said that he was born in Shalatula, near Indus River. This place is now in the present day Pakistan.

Bilhana Kavi (poet) was an 11th-century Kashmiri poet. He is known for his love poem, the Caurapâñcâśikâ. According to legend, the Brahman Bilhana fell in love with the daughter of King Madanabhirama, Princess Yaminipurnatilaka, and had a secretive love affair. They were discovered, and Bilhana was thrown into prison. While awaiting judgement, he wrote the Caurapâñcâśikâ, a fifty-stanza love poem, not knowing whether he would be sent into exile or die on the gallows. Bilhana has been fortunate enough to receive recognition in his life time, a phenomenon very rare with Sanskrit writers.

Valmiki (during Lord Rama's time) is celebrated as the poet harbinger in Sanskrit literature. He is the author of the epic Ramayana, based on the attribution in the text of the epic itself. He is revered as the Adi Kavi, which means First Poet, for he discovered the first śloka i.e. first verse, which set the base and defined the form to Sanskrit poetry.

Ved Vyas was an Ancient Indian. (Sanatana Bharatiya). He was one of the important historians, astronomers and philosophers of the Dwapara Yuga. He is the author of the epic Mahabharata. The 'Mahabharata' remains a marvel in the literature of the world. Ved Vyas was the first and greatest Acharya of Sanatan Dharma. He is responsible for classifying the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas and recited the great Mahabharata

Thank You!

Satender Kumar Mall

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