A
TRIBUTE TO RAMANUJAN
(An
interesting verse about Ramanujan and its meaning written by P.
Gopalakrishnanambi. This verse was recited by him at Ramanujan Centenary Year XXII
Annual Conference of AMTI (Association of Mathematics Teachers of India),held at Government College, Kumbhakonam Tamil Nadu on 3-6 Dec 1987, and published thereby in their souvenir.)
रक्षकः श्रेष्ठदीपो नो
भाग्यसूर्यश्च कस्सदा
विश्रुतो जानकीजानिः श्रीमान् रामस्सहानुजः
अन्वयः
कः सदा नः रक्षकः ?
(कः नः) श्रेष्ठदीपः ?
(कः नः) भाग्यसूर्यः ?
(सः) जानकीजानिः सहानुजः श्रीमान् रामः (इति) विश्रुतः ii
The first half
of the Sloka consists of three questions and the second half constitutes the
answer to them. Who has been our protector always ? Who, to us is the glorious
lamp? (to give light knowledge) And who, to us is the sun bringing fortune ?
He is Janaki’s husband, Sriman
Rama, accompanied by (the word) Anuja
i.e. Ramanuja. Here Sriman means one who has Sree or one who is the abode
(Nivasa) of Sree. Thus the name Srinivasa Ramanuja who is the husband of Janaki
derived . These epithets also refer to Lord Sri Rama. In this context the
meaning of the second half is as follows. He is Janaki’s (Sita’s) husband, Sri
Rama accompanied by his younger brother (Lakshmana)
The sloka also has a mathematical
relevance . As the first and second lines are questions and the third and
fourth lines together give the answer the lines can be put in the form of an
equation.
रक्षकः श्रेष्ठदीपो
नो विश्रुतो जानकीजानिः
+ +
भाग्यसूर्यश्च कस्सदा श्रीमान् रामस्सहानुजः
In Katapayadi
system of denoting numbers these lines can be seen to give the following
equation.
1822162 + 8108624
+
87161714 80875252
------------------ -------------------
88983876 88983876
Moreover the
first line रक्षकः श्रेष्ठदीपो नो (1822162) gives the number of Kali days passed on the date of birth of
Srinivasa Ramanujan, the great mathematician who was born on 22-12-1987.
P. Gopalakrishnanambi
Calicut
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