Bharatiya Jyotihshastra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v2.c12.s2.t28: Caturveda Pṛthūdaka Svāmī

Bhāratīya Jyotiḥśāstra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v2.c12.s2.t28

Language: English

Caturveda Pṛthūdaka Svāmī

He has written a commentary on Brahmagupta’s Brahma Siddhānta. Bhāskarācārya has cited his name several times. Pṛthūdaka’s name also appears in the commentary on Khaṇḍakhādya by Varuṇa, which was written about Śaka 962. This indicates that he lived before Śaka 962. It seems that he was not known to Bhaṭotpala. But his commentary on Brahma Siddhānta cites Balabhadra’s name. From this he appears to have been Bhaṭotpala’s contemporary or he may have belonged to a slightly later date. In other words, date comes to about Śaka 900.

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Place

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He has remarked in the 35th couplet of the 7th chapter of Brahma Siddhānta as follows:—

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Atha sākṣabhāgāḥ kānyakubje......kānyakubje swanatabhāgā “meaning degrees of latitude in Kānyakubja......degrees of zenith distance in Kanya kubja”. He has similarly remarked in the 8th couplet “yatheha Kānyakubje’ meaning “as it is in Kānyakubja”. These remarks show that he either belonged to the kānyakubja area or may even have been a resident of Kanauj.

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His Works

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He has written a commentary on the first 10 chapters of the Brahma Siddhānta, a copy of which is in the Poona College Collection. He has, at many places in the commentary, remarked “this has already been stated by me in the chapter on the celestial sphere”. It seems that he first wrote his commentary on Golādhyāya, the 21st chapter of Brahma Siddhānta, and then on the first ten chapters of the work. One of the last sentences in his commentary on the ten chapters shows that his commentary on Golādhyāya contains about 1500 verses. The commentary on the ten chapters contains about 5300 verses. The commentary is, on the whole, a good one. When the original work itself is good, it is no wonder that the commentary on it is also faultless. However, Bhāskarācārya has criticised him at one or two places to the effect that “Caturveda has spoiled (or misconstrued) the sense of the original composition of Brahmagupta which was really beautiful”, and this charge is justified. This commentator seems to be a plain speaker. At one place he has criticised Brahmagupta with the remark “It is nothing but needless repetition” (see 28th and 29th couplet, from chap. 7). He has written at the end of the tenth chapter, “Pṛthusvāmi, the Caturveda, who is the son of Madhu, has compiled this”, and at the end of some chapters he has spoken of himself as “son of Madhusūdana’a”. From this, his father’s name appears to be Madhusūdana.

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The commentary by Varuṇa shows that Pṛthūdaka may have written a commentary on the Khaṇḍakhādya also and part of it was in verse form. He calls himself Pṛthusvāmi. One wonders whether this means that he had entered upon the fourth stage of life (that of Sannyāsī) when he wrote the commentary. His commentary on Brahma Siddhānta does not contain quotations from any ‘pauruṣa’ writers except those of Balabhadra. Those from “apauruṣeya” (divine) writers, also are very few. The only names which have occurred in his works are, “Bhagavān Manu, Vyāsa Muni and the author of Purāṇas”.

Cites (2)

Golādhyāya (Bhāskarācārya II) — Bhāskarācārya II, Sanskrit
Nyāyakhaṇḍakhādya — Yaśovijayagaṇi, Sanskrit