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Bharatiya Jyotihshastra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v2.c12.s2.t53: Dhuṇḍhirāja

Bhāratīya Jyotiḥśāstra (History of Indian Astronomy), translated by R. V. Vaidya v2.c12.s2.t53

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Dhuṇḍhirāja

v2.c12.s2.t53.1

From the family history given by him in his work, Jātakābharaṇa, and by his son Gaṇeśa in his work ‘Tājikabhūṣaṇa’, it becomes evident that he was the resident of Pārthapur (Pātharī), situated to the north of Godāvari, near Devagirī (Daulatābād). He has stated Nṛsiṃha to be his father’s name. The author has, on the basis of the genealogical table sent by Kāśīnātha Śāstrī, recorded him as the son of one Nṛsiṃha whose name appears in the genealogical tree, printed on page 140 in his account of Jñānarāja. From this, Dhuṇḍhirāja would be the uncle of Jñānarāja, the author of the Sundara Siddhānta. But Dhuṇḍhirāja has offered salutations to the preceptor Jñānarāja at the beginning of his work Jātakābharaṇa. This leads one to suspect that Jñānarāja, his preceptor, might have been different from the author of Siddhānta sundara, or else, Dhuṇḍhirāja might have been the son of some other Nṛsiṃha of the same family. Dhuṇḍhirāja has written a commentary ‘Sudhārasakaraṇacaṣaka’, on Sudhārasa, a karaṇa work, by Ananta; similarly, according to Aufrecht Catalogue, the works, Grahalāghava-Udāharaṇa, Graha-phalopapatti, Pañcāngaphala, and Kuṇḍakalpalatā, were compiled by him. If this Dhuṇḍhirāja be the same person as Dhuṇḍhirāja, the author of the Jātakābharaṇa, his date must have been later than Śaka 1447. Viśvanātha (Śaka 1551) has referred* to the Tājikabhūṣaṇa by Gaṇeśa, son of the author of the Jātakābharaṇa. It follows from this that the date of compilation of the Jātakābharaṇa must have been earlier than Śaka 1500**.

v2.c12.s2.t53.2

Dhuṇḍhirāja’s work Jātakābharaṇa, is very famous and it is now printed. It appears from the Jātakābharaṇa that Dhuṇḍhirāja’s uncle compiled a work on astrology. The name of this uncle and that of his work are not known. Gaṇeśa’s work, Tājikabhūṣaṇa, is also well known. It is recorded in Aufrecht’s Catalogue that Gaṇeśa had another work, Gaṇita Mañjarī to his credit.

v2.c12.s2.t53.3

[^ *]: Viśvanātha-remarks in his commentary on the Tājika Nīlakaṇṭhī that the statement of the author of Tājikabhūṣaṇa viz. “Janmakālanalinī…………” is wrong; and this view is correct.

v2.c12.s2.t53.4

[^ **]: Further information was received from Kāśīnātha Śāstrī after 272 pages of the book were printed. Its summary is given below!—

v2.c12.s2.t53.5

“Dhuṇḍhirāja carried on his studies under the care of Jñānarāja himself. The Śaka years of birth and death of the descendants, beginning from Sūrya are as follows:— Sūrya 1429-1510; Nāganātha 1480-1537; Gopāla 1545-90; Jñānarāja, bitrh year 1595; Rāma’s death 1731; Vijñāneśvara 1712-1769; Puruṣottama 1749-1799; Kāśīnātha, birth year, 1768. Nāganātha the son of Sūrya had received the title ‘Raṇasūra’ from the Delhi Court. He compiled the work, entitled ‘Narapatijayācārya,’ Kāśīnātha Śāstrī received the title Sūricūḍāmaṇi in Śaka 1813 “Instances are found in which the uncle is younger than the nephew; and hence it is not impossible that Dhuṇḍhirāja studied under the care of Jñānarāja and in that case the date of compilation of Jātakābharaṇa would come to somewhere between Śaka 1430 and 1460 and that of Tājikabhūṣaṇa Śaka 1480. Nāganātha whose name written below that of Sūrya in the genealogical table was Sūrya’s son; Gopālaand Jñānarāja are different persons, and there might have been one person each between Nāganātha and Gopāla and Gopāla and Jñānarāja (Otherwise, their date may be wrong). The author’ is not quite sure that the above-mentioned Śaka years are quite reliable. But in the absence of the correct dates he has notedthem here for what they are worth. Nāganātha may have received the title of ‘Raṇasūra’ in the reign of Akbar or Jehangir. There is an ancient work, entitled Narapatijayācārya, written in Śaka 1097 and hence, I have presumed that Nāganātha wrote a commentary on Narapatijayācārya, but it is not known if Nāganātha had actually written an independent work of the same title.

Cites (4)