[Pramāṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/) › [Studies](https://indike.org/pramana/ins) › [Science, technology and education](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science) › [Jyotihshastra: Astral and Mathematical Literature](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.pingree-1981) › c4.s5.29 # Jyotihshastra: Astral and Mathematical Literature c4.s5.29 Jyotiḥśāstra: Astral and Mathematical Literature c4.s5.29 - **Language:** English ### [c4.s5.29](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.pingree-1981.c4.s5.29) A student of Parameśvara’s son and student, Dāmodara, was Gārgyakerala Nīlakaṇṭha Somayājin, one of the commentators on Āryabhaṭa’s A. Nīlakaṇṭha was born on about 14 June 1444 at Kuṇḍapura near Tirur in Kerala; in the Āryabhaṭīyabhāṣya (on Kālakriyā 12–15) he refers to his observation of solar eclipses in 1467 and 1501. Nīlakaṇṭha made several efforts to establish new parameters for the mean motions of the planets (most of his parameters for the other elements of the planetary models are taken from the Āryapakṣa or the Saurapakṣa). The first set of new parameters is found in the Tantrasaṅgraha²⁵⁸ composed in 1501, and in abbreviated form in the Golasāra;²⁵⁹ the commentaries on the Tantrasaṅgraha—the Yuktidīpikā and the Laghuvṛtti, both written by Nīlakaṇṭha’s student, Śaṅkara, in about 1550—are important for the transmission of Mādhava’s work on power series. The second set is presented in the Siddhāntadarpaṇa,²⁶⁰ on which Nīlakaṇṭha composed his own commentary. Nīlakaṇṭha also wrote a small work, the Candracchāyāgaṇita,²⁶¹ on computing the Moon’s shadow; it is also accompanied by a commentary from the author’s own hand. But his most fascinating work, and one that is apparently unique in the history of Indian astronomy, is the Jyotirmīmāṃsā²⁶² that he wrote in 1504. In this treatise Nīlakaṇṭha vigorously defends the necessity constantly to correct astronomical parameters on the basis of observation, especially with regard to eclipses, but also with regard to the planets other than the Sun and the Moon; this defense is clearly aimed at the efforts in this direction made not only by Nīlakaṇṭha himself, but also by his paramaguru, Parameśvara. - [Previous: c4.s5.28](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.pingree-1981.c4.s5.28) - [Next: c4.s5.30](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.pingree-1981.c4.s5.30) - [Up: c4.s5](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.pingree-1981.c4.s5) ## Linked texts (5) - [Tantrasaṅgraha](https://indike.org/pramana/in.astro.kerala.tantra.tantrasangraha) — Nīlakaṇṭha Somayājī 1500, Sanskrit - [Siddhāntadarpaṇa](https://indike.org/pramana/in.astro.kerala.tantra.siddhantadarpana) — Nīlakaṇṭha Somayājī, Sanskrit - [Jyotirmīmāṃsā](https://indike.org/pramana/in.astro.kerala.tantra.jyotirmimamsa) — Nīlakaṇṭha Somayājī 1500, Sanskrit - [Golasāra](https://indike.org/pramana/in.astro.kerala.golayukti.golasara) — Nīlakaṇṭha Somayājī, Sanskrit - [Candracchāyāgaṇita](https://indike.org/pramana/in.astro.kerala.candracchayaganita) — Nīlakaṇṭha Somayājī, Sanskrit --- Source: [https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.pingree-1981.c4.s5.29](https://indike.org/pramana/ins.science.pingree-1981.c4.s5.29) · Pramāṇa