This is a list of astronomers and mathematicians of the Kerala school. The region surrounding the south-west coast of the Indian subcontinent, now politically organised as the Kerala State in India, has a long tradition of studies and investigations in all areas related to the branch of śāstra known as jyotiṣa. This branch of śāstra, in its broadest sense, incorporates several subdisciplines like mathematics, astronomy, astrology, horary astrology, etc. In Indian traditional jyotiṣa scholarship, there are no clear cut boundary lines separating these subdisciplines. Hence the list presented below includes all who would be called a jyotiṣa-scholar in the Indian traditional sense. All these persons will be, most likely, well versed in the subdisciplines of mathematics and astronomy as well. The list is an adaptation of the list of mathematicians and astronomers compiled by K. V. Sarma.[1] Sarma has referred to all of them as astronomers. K. V. Sarma (1919–2005) was an Indian historian of science, particularly the astronomy and mathematics of the Kerala school. He was responsible for bringing to light several of the achievements of the Kerala school.[2] He was editor of the Vishveshvaranand Indological Research Series, and published the critical edition of several source works in Sanskrit, including the Aryabhatiya of Aryabhata. He was recognised as "the greatest authority on Kerala's astronomical tradition".[3] Additional information about the persons mentioned in the list are available in books on the history of Malayalam literature and on the history of Sanskrit literature in Kerala.[4][5]

List astronomers and mathematicians of the Kerala school

Serial
number		 Name           Period           Works Known for Remarks
1 Vararuci I 4th century CE Vararuci vākyas; introduction of
Kaṭapayādi system for expressing numbers;
father figure in the legend of
Parayi petta panthirukulam
2 Vararuci II Kerala-dvādasa-bhāva-vākyani,
Vārarucika,
Jātakarahasya		 Might be identical with Vararuci I.
3 Haridatta c.650-700 Grahacāraṇinibandhana,
Mahā-mārganibabndhana		 Promulgation of parahita system in 683.
4 Govindasvāmin c. 800 - 850 Mahābhāskarīya Bhāshya,
Govindakṛiti
Govindapaddhati		 Court astronomer of King Ravi Varma Kerala;
teacher of Śaṅkaranārāyaṇa
5 Śaṅkaranārāyaṇa 825 - 900 Laghubhāskarīya References to the presence of an astronomical observatory at Mahodayapuram (modern day Kodungallur). Student of Govindasvāmin
6 Udayadivākara 11th century A commentary called Sundari on
Laghubhāskarīya		 Commented on a work of Jayadeva
7 Acyuta I Devakerala (also known as Keralajyotisṣa)
8 Keralācarya 12th century Kerala-saṁhitā,
Keralīyapraśnamārga
9 Vyāghrapāda Aṅkaṇasāstra A devotee of Lord Siva enshrined at Vaikom Temple in Central Kerala.
10 Kṛṣṇa c. 1200 Cintājñāna
Serial
number		 Name           Period           Works Known for Remarks
11 Kṛṣṇa-śiṣya c. 1200 Commentary on Hora;
Prśnaphalaprāptkālanirṇaya		 A disciple of Kṛṣṇa
12 Suryadeva Yajvan 1191 - c. 1250
13 Vidyāmādhava Muhūrtadarśana A member of the Tulu Brahmin family of Nīlamana; six commentaries on Muhūrtadarśana have been identified.
14 Viṣṇu (of Nīlamana) A commentary on Muhūrtadarśana Son of Vidyāmādhava
15 Govinda Bhaṭṭatiri (of Talakkuḷam) 1237 - 1295 Dasādhyāyi, Muhūrtaratna, Muhūrtapadavi Progenitor of the Pazhūr Kaniyār family of astrologers Belongs to Alathiyur (Malappuram) village.
16 Tāmaranallūr 14th century Muhūrtavidhi (Tāmaranallūr Bhāāṣā) The work uses a mixture of Malayalam and Sanskrit languages.
17 Nityaprakāśa Yati 14th - 15th century Commentaries on Hora, both in Malayalam and Sanskrit
18 Kumāra Gaṇaka 14th - 15th century Raṇadīpikā
19 Rudra I c. 1325 - 1400 Teacher of Parameśvara
20 Mādhava of Saṅgamagrāma c. 1340 - 1425 Golavada, Madhyamanayanaprakara, Venvaroha, Chandravakyani Discoverer of the infinite series expansions for sin x and cos x Greatest mathematician-astronomer of the Kerala School
Serial
number		 Name Period Works Known for Remarks
21 Parameśvara of Vațaśśeri (Parameśvara I) c. 1360 - 1455 Drigganita (1430), Bhatadipika – Commentary on Āryabhaṭīya of Āryabhaṭa I, Karmadipika – Commentary on Mahabhaskariya of Bhaskara I, Paramesvari – Commentary on Laghubhaskariya of Bhaskara I, Sidhantadipika – Commentary on Mahabhaskariyabhashya of Govindasvāmi, Vivarana – Commentary on Surya Siddhanta and Lilāvati, Goladipika – Spherical geometry and astronomy (composed in 1443 CE), Grahanamandana – Computation of eclipses (Its epoch is 15 July 1411 CE.), Grahanavyakhyadipika – On the rationale of the theory of eclipses, Vakyakarana – Methods for the derivation of several astronomical tables Promulgator of the Drigganita system. A proponent of observational astronomy in medieval India who had made a series of eclipse observations to verify the accuracy of the computational methods then in use
22 Dāmodara of Vațaśreņi (Dāmodara I) c. 1410 - 1510 Teacher of Nilakantha Somayaji Son of Parameśvara of Vațaśśeri
23 Ravi Nampūtiri c. 1425 - 1500 Ācāradīpika' (a commentary on Muhūrtadīpika)
24 Nīlakaņțha Sōmayāji 1444 - 1545 Tantrasamgraha, Golasara (Description of basic astronomical elements and procedures), Sidhhantadarpana, Candrachayaganita, Aryabhatiya-bhashya (Elaborate commentary on Aryabhatiya), Sidhhantadarpana-vyakhya, Chandrachhayaganita-vyakhya, Sundaraja-prasnottara, Grahanadi-grantha, Grahapariksakrama Tantrasamgraha (A comprehensive treatise on astronomy)
25 Śankara of Keļallūr c. 1475 - 1575 Nīlakaņțha Sōmayāji's younger brother. The person entrusted with task of popularizing Aryabhatiya-bhashya of Nīlakaņțha Sōmayāji.
26 Citrabhānu c. 1475 - 1550 Karaṇāmṛta (a manual on astronomical computations) Pupil of Nīlakaņțha Sōmayāji
27 Citrabhānu Śiṣya c. 1500 - 1575 Bhācintāvali (a work on astrology)
28 Nārāyaṇa I c. 1500 - 1575 Laghuvivṛti on Pañcabodha IV, Uparāgakriyākrama (eclipse computations), two commentaries on Līlavati, one short and the other five times longer than the short, both called Kriyākramakarī and Karmadīpikā
29 Śankara Vāriyar c. 1500 - 1560 Laghuvivṛti (commentary on Tantrasamgraha) Disciple of Nīlakaņțha Sōmayāji and protege of Āzhvāñceri Taṃprakkaḷ
30 Jyeṣṭhadeva c. 1500 - 1610 Yuktibhāṣā (in Malayalam), Gaṣitayuktibhaṣa (in Sanskrit), Dṛkkaraṇa (in Malayalam) Yuktibhāṣā The name is probably the Sanskritised form of his personal name in the local Malayalam language. Pupil of Teacher of Dāmodara of Vațaśreņi and teacher of Acyuta Piṣāraṭi.
Serial
number		 Name           Period           Works Known for Remarks
31 Jyeṣṭhadeva-Śiṣya c. 1550 - 1625 A metrical commentary on Tantrasamgraha Disciple of Jyeṣṭhadeva
32 Māttūr Naṃpūtiri-s: Puruṣottama I and Subrahmaṇya I c. 1475 - 1550 Muhūrtapadvī (a condensed work in about 40 verses dealing with the prescriptions of auspicious times for functions) The book is highly popular as attested by the availability of several commentaries on it. Lived in Pāññāḷ village in Thrissur district
33 Nārāyaṇa of Kaṇvavastu: Nārāyaṇa II 15th century Muhūrtadīpika (A comprehensive treatise in about 400 verses on the auspicious times for functions)
34 Rudra Vāariyar: Rudra II c. 1475 - 1550 Commentary on Varāhamihira's Hora, called Nauka or Vivarana, and Aṣṭamaṅgalapraśna Belongs to Deśamaṅgalaṃ Vāriyaṃ
35 Śaṅkara of Mahiṣamaṅgalam : Śaṅkara III 1494 - 1570 Gaṅitasāra, Candragaṅitakramaand Ayanacalanādi-gaṅita (all books on astronomy); Jatakakrama, Jātakasāra and Praśnamāla (books on astrology). All these are composed in simple Malayalam poetry or prose. His works on Sanskrit include Jātakasāra, commentaries on Pañcabodha and Laghubhāskarīya. Popularization of astronomical works among the masses in Kerala. Hails from Peruvanam village near Thrissur. Spent most of his life with his teacher Parameśvaran Poṭṭi of Vāzha-māveli house in Chengannur.
36 Madhava of Iñcakkāzhvā : Mādhava II c. 1500 - 1575 Praśnasāra (incorporates several local practices) Hails from Ramamangalam near Muvvattupuzha
37 Acyuta Piṣāraṭi : Acyuta II c. 1550 - 1621 Spuṭanirṇaya, Raśigoḷaspuṭānīti, Karaṇottama (astronomical computation), Uparagakriyākrama (eclipse computations), Chāyāṣṭaka (shadow computations); commentaries on Veṅvāroha and Sūryasidhanta Enunciation, for the first time in Indian astronomy, of the correction called "Reduction to the ecliptic". This was introduced in Western astronomy by Tycho Brahe at about the same time. Teacher of the poet and grammarian Melpattūr Narāyaṇa Bhaṭṭa
38 Nīlakaṇṭha II 16th - 17th centuries Kanakkusāraṃ couched in maṇipravāḷaṃ style which is a mixture of Malayalam and Sanskrit languages. The work deals also with practices relating to grain transactions, house building, weighing og gold and silver, land tenure, masonry, ground measurement, etc.
39 Nārāyaṇa III date completely unknown Laghudarśini (a short work on astrology)
40 Dāmodara of Maṅgalaśreṇi (Dāmodara II) c. 1575 - 1675 Praśnarīti, Līlāvati-vyākhyā Hails from Kaṇṇāṭipparampu in Chirakkal taluk in North Malabar
Serial
number		 Name           Period           Works Known for Remarks
41 Iṭakramañceri Nampūtiri c. 1625 - 1700 Bhadradīpa-gaṇita (composed in maṇipravāḷaṃ style) Pupil of Dāmodara of Maṅgalaśreṇi
42 Maṅgalaśreṇivipra-Śiṣya 17th century Jyotiṣasaṃgraha (in Malayalam)
43 Pāṇkkāṭṭu (or, Iṭakkāṭṭu) Namputiri c. 1625 - 1725 Praśnamārga Praśnamārga is the most popular and authoritative work on praśna in Kerala.
44 Iṭakkāṭṭu (or Eṭakkāṭṭu) Kukkuṇiyāḷ c. 1675 0 1750 Praśnarīti Pupil of Pāṇkkāṭṭu Namputiri
45 Rāma-śiṣya 17th century An explanatory rendering in Malayalam verses of the Laghuhorā of Varāahamihira
46 Puruṣottama II c. 1650 - 1725 Uparāgapariccheda (computation of solar and lunar eclipses)
47 Putumana Somayāji c. 1660 - 1740 Karaṇapaddhati (comprehensive text on astronomical computations), Nyāyaratna, Veṇvārohāṣtaka, Mānasagaṇitam, Jātakādeś Authorship of Karaṇapaddhati A member of the Putuvana family of Śivapuram (Thissur). Karaṇapaddhati has been commented in Sanskrit, Malayalam and Tamil. It manuscripts are available in Tamil and Telugu scripts also.
48 Vāsudevasvami : Vāsudeva I Kāaladīpa (treatise on natural astrology) The manuscrpt of the book was procured from Punnattūrkoṭṭa Mana, Koṭṭappaṭi, North Malabar
49 Śyāmaḷavaāraṇa Rāja Commentary on Kāaladīpa of Vāsudevasvami Member of Punnattūrkoṭṭa Mana
50 Dāmodara of Bharadvāja Gotra : Dāmodara III Muhūrtābharaṇa (treatise on auspicious times for functions) Hails from Tṛpparaṛṛoṭ village in Malabar
Serial
number		 Name           Period           Works Known for Remarks
51 Kṛṣṇa II Commentary on Āryabhaṭīya in Malayalam
52 Keralīya-dvija Malayalam commentary on Karaṇottama of Acyuta Piṣāraṭi
53 Govinda-śiṣya Commentary called Bālaprabodhini on Jatakapaddhati of Parameśvara of Vaṭaśśeṇi Hails from Vaikkam
54 Veṇād Brāhmaṇa Jātakodaya (work on astrology in 103 verses)
55 Azhvāñceri Taṃprākkaḷ c. 1725 - 1800 Eleven books in the form of adapted texts and commentaries covering the entire field of astronomy and astrology. Jyotiśśāstra-saṃgraha, Saṃgraha-sādhana-kṛiyā, Jātaka-sāara-saṃgraha, Jātakānīti-mārga, Phalasāra-samuccaya, etc. Efforts to propagate interest in studies on Jyotiṣa among members of the Nampūtiri community Personal name unknown
56 Vāsudeva of Vaḷḷimana : Vāsudeva II A metrical commentary on Muhūrtapadavi Hails from Kaṇṇamaṅgalaṃ
57 Tuppan Nampūtiri of Iṭavaṭṭkkāt c. 1725 - 1800 Muhūrtapadavi VI Hails from Pāakoḍe in Kunnathunad
58 Nārāyaṇa of Iṭavaṭṭkkāt : Nārāyaṇa IV c. 1728 - 1800 Muhūrtapadavi VII Younger brother of Tuppan Nampūtiri of Iṭavaṭṭkkāt
59 Parameśvara II Commentaries called Pārameśvarī on Varāahamihira's Horā
60 Parameśvara, pupil of Śankara : Parameśvara III Commentaries called Jātakacandrikā on Varāahamihira's Horā
Serial
number		 Name           Period           Works Known for Remarks
61 Bhaāradvāja-dvija c, 1750 - 1800 Gaṇitayuktayah (rationales of mathematical and astronomical procedures), Karaṇadarpaṇa (advanced manual on astronomical computations)
62 Nārāyaṇa of Peruvanaṃ (Nārāyaṇa V) Tantrasāra
63 Kṛṣṇadāsa (Koccukṛṣṇan Āāśan) 1756 - 1812 Pañcabodha VIII (Malayalam verse), Bhāṣājātakapaddhati (Malayalam commentary on Jātakapaddhati of Parameśvara of Vaṭaśśeṇi, Kaṇkkuśāstram (mathematical procedures in Malayalam verse) Born in the family of Neṭumpayil in Tiruvalla taluk.
64 Śankara of Muktisthala : Śankara IV 17th century Mantrasāra, Sāmudrasāra, Ārūḍha-praśna, Lāñchana-śāstra (omens, palmistrym, astrological omens, etc.), Āyurpraśna (dealing with life longevity, Aṣṭamaṅgala, etc.) Hails from Mukkola
65 Śaṅkara V Jātakasāra (III), Praśnasāra (I) (both in Malayalam verse)
66 Bhutanāthapura-Somayāji Praśnasāra (III)
67 Śrīkumāra, son of Nīlakaṇṭha Praśnāmṛta
68 Nārāyaṇan Iḷayatu of Maccāṭ : Nārāyaṇa VI 1765 - 1843 Jyotiṣa-Bhāṣāvalī, Jātakādeśaratna Patronised by Śaktan Tampurān
69 Parameśvara of Puradahanapura : Parameśvara IV c. 1775 - 1839 Commentary called Varadīpikā on Muhūrtapadavi II of Māttūr Puruṣottama Naṃpūtiri Member of Puradahanapura (Purayannur) family in Vaḷḷuvanāṭ
70 Śrīkaṇṭha Vāriyar of Veḷḷrakkaād Commentary in Malayalam on Jātakapaddhati of Parameśara of Vaṭaśreṇi The commentary is available in print.
Serial
number		 Name           Period           Works Known for Remarks
71 Ghaṭigopa c. 1800 - 1860 Two commentaries on Āryabhaṭīya, one in Malayalam and the other in Sanskrit A devotee of God Padmanabha, the presiding deity of Thiruvananthapuram
72 Goda Varma, Vidvān Iḷaya Tampurān 1800 - 1851 Commentaries in Sanskrit on Gaṇitādhyāya of Bhāskarīya-gaṇita and the Goladhyāya of Siddhāntaśiromaṇi Member of the royal family of Kodungallur
73 Śaṅkara Varma of Kaṭattanāṭ 1800 - 1838 Sadratnamālā The computation of the value of the mathematical constant correct to 17 decimal places
74 Subrahmaṇya Śāstri 1829 - 1888 Agaṇita (procedures for computing the positions of planets for a thousand years Hails from Nalleppalli in Chittur-Cochin
75 Subrahmaṇya of Kunnattu Mana : Subrahmaṇya II c. 1850 - 1900 Commentary called Bhāvaprakāśika on the Muhūrtadarśana of Vidyāmādhava Also known as Subrahmaṇyan Tirumunpu of Kunnattu Mana of Payyanur in North Malabar
76 Puruṣottaman Mūssatu : Puruṣottama III c. 1850 - 1900 Praśnāyana (a comprehensive work in 1018 verses)
77 Rāma Varma Koyittampurān 1853 - 1910 Jyotiṣapradīpa
78 Rāma Vāriyar of Kaikkuḷaṅra 1833 - 1897 Sāmudrikaśāstra, Gauḷiśāstra, commentaries on Horā and Praśnamārga
79 A. R. Rajaraja Varma Koyittampurān 1853 - 1918 Karaṇapariṣkaraṇa, Pañcāṅgaśuddhipaddhati, Jyotiṣaprakāśna
80 Vāsuṇṇi Mūsstu of Veḷḷānaśśeri 1855 - 1914 Commentary in Malayalam on Pañchabodha
81 Punnaśśeri Nampi Nīlakaṇṭha Śarma 1858 - 1935 Jyotiśāstrasubodhini, Pañcabodhakriyā-Bhāṣa Works published by Bharata Vilasam Press, Thrissur

See also

References

  1. ^ K. V. Sarma (1972). A History of the Kerala School of Hindu Astronomy. Vishveshvaranand Institute of Sanskrit and Indological Studies, Panjab University, Hoshiarpur. Retrieved 28 January 2023.
  2. ^ Divakaran, P. P. (8 December 2007), "The First Textbook of Calculus: Yuktibhāṣā", Journal of Indian Philosophy, 35 (5): 417–443, doi:10.1007/s10781-007-9029-1, S2CID 170254981
  3. ^ K. Chandra Hari (25 Oct 2007) Critical Evidence to Fix the Native Place of Āryabhat̟a-I, Current Science 93(8)
  4. ^ Ulloor S. Parameswara Iyer (1953–1957). Kerala Sahitya Charitram (in five volumes). Thiruvananthapuram: University of Kerala. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  5. ^ Vatakkumkur Raja Raja Varma. Keraleeya Samskrita sahitya Charitram (in six volumes). Kamalalaya Book Depot, Thiruvananthapuram (volume 1) and Magalodayam Press, Thrissur (volumes 2 - 6). (Volume 1 in 1938, volumes 2-6 during 1947 - 1965)
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