What is Vedic Maths?

Vedic Maths is world’s fastest mental maths system. With the help of 16 sutras, you can calculate problems at lightening speed and accuracy

India is a land with a golden heritage. India has given to the world jewels such as Yoga (which is now a multi-billion dollar industry), Ayurveda (a multi-billion dollar industry too) and even Chicken Tikka (a trillion dollar taste!).

Indians are feted world-wide for their par excellence cricket and maths skills; after all it was us who invented ‘Sachin’, “Zero” and the “Decimal-System”.

 

Maths Sutras are apparently the secret through which ancient Indians performed their feats over 5000 years ago. This system was apparently hidden away down the ages and was rediscovered by a scholar in the forests in South India, fifty years ago. So you can say that it’s a recent 20th century phenomenon. 

These Maths Sutras hold the power to speed up your calculations, give you confidence and make maths fun and interesting. The Maths Sutras will help you in studies just the same way the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali helps one to improve one’s health.

So what are these Sutras? Where do they actually come from? Let’s explore that a bit further.

Sutras basically mean an original thought, spoken or written in a laconic (concise) and memorable form. So Maths Sutras are basically short mathematical formulas dealing with Arithmetic and Algebra. And there are 16 of them which were rediscovered by Tirthaji, the scholar.

What is Vedic Maths

So in this age of technology how relevant are these Sutras?

With each passing year the scope of the Maths Sutras gets wider, as globally more and more students deal with maths. This has caused a full grown numeracy crisis. Here I present some surprising data.

Consider this…

75.2% of all children in Grade 5 in India can’t do Division (3 digits by 1-digit problems) – Source: ASER 2012 by Pratham.

73.7% of all children in Grade 3 in India can’t subtract (two digit problems with borrowing) – Source: ASER 2012 by Pratham.

Almost half of British Adults have the math skills of an 11-year old or worse. That’s 17 million adults in UK alone. Source: The Telegraph, UK

46.3% is the Maths pass rate in South Africa’s National Senior certificate examinations. Maths is a National disaster in the country.

Such is the havoc that maths has created across countries. Our children can’t do math.

This is where Vedic Maths fits in with its sheer simplicity and comfort and makes making a career possible in fields of Management, Engineering, Banking, Finance or Law by helping crack their respective examinations.

 

Understanding Vedic Maths

The Maths Sutras open up a world of possibilities for everyone. Problems which once seemed difficult and daunting seem like child’s play now. They seem magical and unbelievable in the beginning but they all have a logic and principle behind it.

Most of the sutras are very visual when you apply them. Take the ‘Vertically & Crosswise’ Sutra for example. The pattern can be extended to do large multiplications and even shortened to do smaller two digits by two digit multiplications. This visual pattern makes the sutras very easy to remember and practice.

I’ve had a fascinating journey in the field of Vedic Mathematics over the last 18 years. This journey has not only introduced me to some very interesting people but also made me travel across the length and breadth of the world – across seven seas. 

And wherever I went right from meeting kids in the slums in Dharavi in Mumbai or into the grand casinos of Cape Town in South Africa or the Wall Street in New York there was one thread I saw binding them all – Vedic Mathematics.

To a kid in Dharavi, Mumbai Vedic Maths is like a survival skill because the child is expected to earn a livelihood at a very early age. The Casino Dealers have to be quick with calculations for obvious reasons and the stock market people need it for split second decisions.

People hate maths for one big reason. Lack of proper communication. If Maths is communicated properly and the concepts taught with passion there would be no phobia of it and Maths would be fun and interesting! 

Our Courses are one step in that direction and all the ideas have been communicated clearly with enough examples to practice.

I sincerely hope that the power and influence of the Vedic Maths Sutras be upon you!

The Vedic Maths Sixteen Sutras

Below are the Vedic Maths Sixteen Sutras in details along with their Sanskrit names

S.No

Sutra

Meaning

1

Ekadhikena Purvena

By one more than the previous one

2

Nikhilam Navatashcaramam Dashatah

All from 9 and the last from 10

3

Urdhva-Tiryagbyham

Vertically and crosswise

4

Paravartya Yojayet

Transpose and adjust

5

Shunyam Saamyasamuccaye

When the sum is the same that sum is zero

6

Anurupye Shunyamanyat

If one is in ratio, the other is zero

7

Sankalana-vyavakalanabhyam

By addition and by subtraction

8

Puranapuranabyham

By the completion or non-completion

9

Chalana-Kalanabyham

Differences and Similarities

10

Yavadunam

Whatever the extent of its deficiency

11

Vyashtisamasthi

Part and Whole

12

Shesanyankena Charamena

The remainders by the last digit

13

Sopaantyadvayamantyam

The ultimate and twice the penultimate

14

Ekanyunena Purvena

By one less than the previous one

15

Gunitasamuchyah

The product of the sum is equal to the sum of the product

16

Gunakasamuchyah

The factors of the sum is equal to the sum of the factors

Benefits of Vedic Maths

There are just 16 Jaw dropping Sutras or word Formula which solve all known mathematical problems in the branches of Arithmetic, Algebra , Geometry, and Calculus. 

They are easy to understand, easy to apply and easy to remember.The system is wonderfully interrelated and unified. Working with these formula is healthy for the mind as they guide a way the mind naturally works and are therefore proved to be helpful in directing the student to the appropriate method of solution.

benefits of vedic maths

History & Evolution of Vedic Maths

India has a rich, diverse and intellectual past.

India is applauded and known the world over thanks to its contributions, advancements, and achievements in many fields since time immemorial. It is one of the greatest ancient civilizations and because of its glory and heritage, it is respected worldwide.

India gave solutions to the world’s problems. Through its ingenious solutions, it helped the world advance and progress especially in the fields of science and mathematics.

‘Zero’ is one of the greatest contributions from the times of Aryabhatta in the 5th century. India also invented the decimal number system which is used to this day among other mathematical concepts. India had a series of astronomers and mathematicians like Bhaskaracharya, Brhamagupta, Madhava etc who worked relentlessly and made path-breaking achievements possible.

It is in this context that a spiritual guru who was also a mathematician wrote a book in the early 20th Century in India. As the legend goes, he went into solitude in the forests of South India between 1911 and 1918, meditated and researched for nearly a decade and came up with an ingenious way to speed up mathematical calculations – mentally.

Much has changed, after over 55 years since the book was published. The academic student community, in general, loves the methods given by Tirthaji. It is important for mental mathematics and its importance among competitive exam aspirants cannot be denied.

The rise of the internet only led to making Vedic Maths popular and most needed to make Maths fun and interesting rather than dull and boring. A search on Google generates over 35, 90,000 results as we speak in 2020.

A talk was given on TED on YouTube titled ‘The Magic of Vedic Math’ by Gaurav Tekriwal in New York, an active advocate of the subject generated over 3 million views. This is perhaps the talk that introduced Vedic Maths to students worldwide in the 21st century.

A wide range of books are now available on Amazon and some of them can also be found on Kindle, Amazon’s e-book store. Hundreds of Mobile apps are now available on Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store to learn Vedic Mathematics. Some of them also use Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning so that you can better learn the system.

A knowledge that was criticized is now commanding the attention globally thanks to the falling numeracy levels in those countries.

There are thousands of students studying Vedic Maths online via websites like Udemy and SkillShare. On-demand Satellite DTH operators like Tata Sky beam Vedic Maths programs pan India through their channels. There is live online training that goes on round the clock to train more teachers in the field to have a better understanding of Vedic mathematics.

In India, Vedic Maths is being introduced in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Bihar, Silvassa and Punjab. A lot of academic as well as entrepreneurial interest is there in many countries including India, the United States, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, Philippines, UAE, Syria, Ghana, Tunisia, etc.

It is no doubt that we can safely say that Vedic Mathematics is India’s newest gift to the World.

Founder of Vedic Maths

Father of Vedic Mathematics

His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya Shri Bharati Krishna Tirthaji Maharaja

~ 1884 - 1960

About His Holiness

His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya Shri Bharati Krishna Tirthaji Maharaja is the founder father of Vedic Maths and was the ecclesiastical head of most of Hindu India and was the apostolic successor of the first Shankaracharya ( 9th Century; India’s greatest philosopher).

Early Life

Born on 14th March, 1884 at Tinnievelly, Tamil Nadu, India of pious parents, Shri Bharti Krishna Tirtha was known as Venkatraman before he became a saint.

In July 1899 he was awarded the title of ‘Saraswati’ for all round proficiency and gifted oratory in Sanskrit by the Sanskrit Association of Madras. He had a brilliant academic record with a Masters (MA) degree in six subjects; Sanskrit, English, History, Philosophy, Mathematics and Science from the Bombay Centre of the American College of Science, Rochester, New York.

After a brilliant university career he became a lecturer in Mathematics and Science in the Baroda College. Thereafter he became Principal of National College in Rajamundary, Andhra Pradesh, India.

In 1905 when the Freedom movement started in Bengal, Bharti Krishnaji participated in the freedom movement along with Shri Aurobindo Ghosh and Gopal Krishna Gokhale, an ardent nationalist. Bharti Krishnaji wrote to numerous newspapers propagating the freedom movement. He was also appointed ‘Warden of the Sons of India’ by Dr.Annie Besant in 1908.

There seemed a devout urge in Him to devote his life in the service of humanity, and he held that man could render such service only after attaining Self Realization. Therefore he proceeded in 1909 to Shringeri Matha to realize it at the feet of Shri Shankaracharya Shri Sachchidananda Shiva Abhinava Narasimha Saraswati.

Work with Vedic Maths

From 1911-1918 Bharati Krishnaji practiced deep meditation and studied metaphysics and Vedas which led him to practice an arduous life of a Sadhu (saint). He was leading a purely saintly life living on roots and fruits. His life was continuous “Sadhana” (meditation) and he devoted himself to the study of Vedanta and resorted to the forest for deep meditation and spiritual attainments.

In his solitude he discerned the “Ganita-Sutras” or easy Mathematical Formulas on which he compiled the monumental work “Vedic Mathematics” an original contribution in the field of Mathematics and Research. Bharati Krishnaji got the key to Ganita Sutra coded in the Atharva Veda and rediscovered Vedic Maths with the help of lexicographs . 

He found “Sixteen Sutras” or word formulas which cover all the branches of Mathematics – Arithmetic, Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Physics, plan and spherical geometry, conics, calculus- both differential and integral, applied mathematics of all various kinds, dynamics, hydrostatics and all.

Later Life

Thereafter in July 1919 Sri Venkatraman Saraswati was initiated into Sanyas by Shri Trivikram Tirthaji at Varanasi and since then he was called with the new name “Shri Bharati Krishna Tirtha“.

Shri Bharati Krishna Tirthaji Maharaja was a staunch follower of the Vedic Principles and he never went astray from its rules. He was appointed as the Head of Dwarkapeeth by Shri Trivikram Tirthaji in 1921. Since then, He started the life of Shankaracharya and delivered discourses wherever he went.

In 1925 he became the Head of the Govardhan Matha Monastery in Puri, Orissa and was the pontiff till 1960 the year of his “Maha Samadhi” (departure of a Self-realized saint from his mortal coil.) Because of His Holiness’s spiritual authority over millions of Hindus, the Government of India consults the Jagadguru on policies relating to spiritual rules and Hindu Religious Matters.

1958 USA Tour

His Holiness Sri Jagadguru Shankaracharya of Puri, Head of the thousand year old monastic Shankaracharya Order and the first of its leaders ever to visit the west, went for a three month tour of the United States and the United Kingdom on an invitation by the Self Realization Fellowship (SRF) founded by Paramhansa Yogananda. The tour was hosted by Sister Daya Mata the President of the SRF.

yogananda

He spoke at various lectures attended by thousands of students of various universities and organizations such as Stanford University, University of California, San Diego College, Vedanta Society Hollywood, Church Of Religious Science- Los Angeles, Los Angeles City College, and American Academy of Asian Studies etc

He addressed a select group of Caltech graduate students in mathematics at California Institute of Technology. He was introduced by Mr. Wesley L.Hershey executive secretary of Caltech YMCA and thereafter Bharati Krishnaji discoursed and gave black board demonstrations. This meeting was the first in the United States in which His Holiness presented his mathematical discoveries . The talk aroused such interest that His Holiness was invited to return to the institute for further demonstrations.

A turn of events brought His Holiness back to Caltech. In his second discourse he took up Algebra and Quadratics ; and a third discourse at Caltech Sri Sankaracharya demonstrated the application of his theories in the field of Calculus .

The Last Disciple's Words

“They kissed the carpet on which he walked” – Dr. Ram Mohan Tiwari

Teachers

It was an amazing experience and rare honour to meet and discuss Vedic Maths with Dr. Ram Mohan Tiwari who is the last living disciple of Shri Bharti Krishna Tirthaji, the founding father of Vedic Maths.

“They kissed the carpet on which he walked” says Dr.Tiwari about Tirthaji when he toured the United States in 1958.

“Praising and praying the divine Sandals (Charan Paduka) of Guruji Shri Bharti Krishna Tirthaji Mahraj has become a part and parcel of my life. By grace of God I had an opportunity to serve Swamiji and spend some time at his feet. Due to young age and an average mindset to achieve other objectives, and an average mindset, I could not gain much knowledge from His Holiness. Whatever time I had to spend with Swamiji, I utilized it in giving my service to Swamiji, rather than to gain knowledge as it was difficult in that young age.”

“In the Ramayana, Goswami Tulsidasji wrote that there is nothing more important than giving your entire life to serve your Guru, the experience of which would give heavenly pleasure. I am fortunate to experience it in my life. Tirthaji never used to talk about himself. Most of his time was spent in solving problems of others and praying for them. It was amazing to hear the personal experiences of Tiwariji. We were also fortunate to get copies of the biography of Tirthaji written by Tiwariji himself.

It was an amazing experience and rare honour to meet and discuss Vedic Maths with Dr.Ram Mohan Tiwari who is the last living disciple of Shri Bharti Krishna Tirthaji, the founding father of Vedic Maths.

“They kissed the carpet on which he walked” says Dr.Tiwari about Tirthaji when he toured the United States in 1958.

“Praising and praying the divine Sandals ( Charan Paduka) of Guruji Shri Bharti Krishna Tirthaji Mahraj has become a part and parcel of my life. By grace of God I had an opportunity to serve Swamiji and spend some time at his feet. Due to young age and an average mindset to achieve other objectives, and an average mindset , I could not gain much knowledge from His Holiness.Whatever time I had to spend with Swamiji, I utilized it in giving my service to Swamiji, rather than to gain knowledge as it was difficult in that young age.”

“In the Ramayana,Goswami Tulsidasji wrote that there is nothing more important than giving your entire life to serve your Guru, the experience of which would give heavenly pleasure. I am fortunate to experience it in my life. Tirthaji never used to talk about himself. Most of his time was spent in solving problems of others and praying for them. It was amazing to hear the personal experiences of Tiwariji. We were also fortunate to get copies of the biography of Tirthaji written by Tiwariji himself.

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