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“Classical Sanskrit mathematics and astronomy used bhūta-saṁkhyā ("object numerals"): numbers written as words — candra (moon) = 1, netra (eyes) = 2, agni (fires) = 3, sāgara (oceans) = 4 — arranged by place value. Datta & Singh (1938) document the system's rationale: scientific works were metrical, and word numerals with many synonyms per digit let any number be versified. One number could be written hundreds of ways; the convention remains in use for numbers in Sanskrit verse. ”