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Mathematics in Ancient and Medieval India c4.s4.t4: Nīlakaṇṭha Somasutvan (c. 1443 to 1543 A.D.)

Mathematics in Ancient and Medieval India c4.s4.t4

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Nīlakaṇṭha Somasutvan (c. 1443 to 1543 A.D.)

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Nīlakaṇṭha⁴ is mainly an astronomer but his *Āryabhaṭīyabhāṣya*⁵ and *Tantrasaṃgraha*⁶ contribute much to mathematics.

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⁴ Vide. S. Sambasive Sastri, *Introduction to Āryabhaṭīya with the bhāṣya of Nīlakaṇṭha* (TSS 101); Ulloor Parameśvara Aiyer, *Keralisāhitya Caritra*, 2, p. 117; K.V. Sarma ‘Gargya Kerala Nīlakaṇṭha Somayājin’, *Journal of the Oriental Research Institute Madras*, 26, p. 24-39, 1958.

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⁵ *Āryabhaṭīya with Bhāṣya of Nīlakaṇṭha Somasutvan*, Parts I & II (*Gaṇitapāda and Kālakriyā*), ed. by K. Sambhasiva Sastri, Trivandrum Sanskrit Series (TSS) nos. 101 & 110, 1931-32. Part III (*Golapāda*), ed. by Suranad Kunjan Pillai, Trivendrum Sanskrit Series No. 185, 1957.

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⁶ The *Tantrasaṃgraha with commentary Laghu-vivṛti* by Saṅkara Vārior. Published by Suranad Kunjan Pillai, Trivendrum Sanskrit Series No. 188, Trivendrum, 1958.

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He was a Nambutiri Brāhmin of Kellalure family of Tṛ-k-kaṇṭiyur near Tirur, South Malabar. He was a Bhaṭṭa and belonged to Gārgagotra and the Āśvalāyana school. His favourite deity was Lord Śiva. His father was Jātadeva and had a younger brother named Śaṃkara. He was one of the pupil of Parameśvara's son, Dāmodara.¹ From him, he learnt mainly mathematics and astronomy. Nīlakaṇṭha often refers to Parameśvara as his *paramaguru* and considers him as a great authority. Parameśvara, the great astronomer was still alive when Nīlakaṇṭha went to the house of his teacher Dāmodara; and the young Nīlakaṇṭha might have possibly received some instructions from him.²

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¹ *iti kuṇḍagrāmajena gārgyagotreṇa āśvalāyanena bhāṭṭena kerala-sadgrāmagṛhasthena śrīśchetāraṇya nāthaparameśvarakaruṇādhika-raṇabhūtavigrahena jātavedahputreṇa śaṃkarāgrajena jātavedomā-tulena dṛggaṇita nirmapakaparameśvara putraśrīdāmodarāttajyo-tiṣāmoyanena ravita āttavedāntaśāstreṇa subrahmaṇyasahṛdayena nīlakaṇṭhena somasutāviracitavividhagaṇitagranthena iṣṭa vāhupapa-ttinā………* ( Āryabhaṭīyabhīṣya of Nīlakaṇṭha, Gaṇitapāda Colophon, TSS. 101, p. 180 ).

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² *tad eva paramācāryo mamāha parameśvaraḥ |* ( *Āryabhaṭīyabhāṣya*, Golapāda v. 48 ); also compare with : *ata evoktam asmadācāryena goladīpikāyām* (*Goladīpikā*, Ch. 3, v. 35).

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The scholars³ are more or less unanimous in assig-ning Nīlakaṇṭha's time in the period 1443 A.D. to 1543 A.D. This is supported by the fact that he was a pupil of Dāmodara, son of Parameśvara.

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³ Vide. *Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society*, 20, ( n.s. ) p. 75, 1944.

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Another work *Tantrasaṃgraha*, possibly written by him, which is still in manuscript form, deals with mathematical series, problems of algebra and geometry.⁴ Nīlakaṇṭha is the author of many other astronomical works namely, *Golasāra*, *Candracchāyāgaṇita*, *Candracchāyāgaṇitaṭīkā* etc.¹

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⁴ Vide. Mss. of *Tantrasaṃgraha* in the Trippunittura Sanskrit College Library and Adyar Library. C/O. Whish's article, *Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland*, 3, 509-23, 1835; K. Balagangadharan's article, *Journal of the Bombay Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society*, New Series, 20, 77-82, 1944.

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¹ Vide our *Bibliography*, p. 155-57.

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