A History of the Kerala School of Hindu Astronomy (in Perspective) c10.s8.24

c10.s8.24

Śaṅkara wrote a large number of works both on astronomy and on astrology, mostly in simple Malayalam poetry and easy prose. These works include Gaṇitasāra, Candra-gaṇitakrama and Ayanacalanagaṇita in astronomy, Jātakakrama in horoscopy and Praśnamālā with Bhāṣa in astrological query. A work which he composed in two versions is the Kāladīpaka, called in general parlance Ceriya Kaladīpakam (Short Kāladīpaka) and Valiya Kaladīpakam (‘Long Kāladīpaka’). He has a Jātakasāra in Sanskrit and another with the same title in Malayalam. He has commented on Pañcabodha (II) and Pañcabodha (IV).¹ His commentaries on Laghubhāskarīya, Muhūrtapadavī, Pañcabodha IV and his own Kaladīpaka II, all called Balaśaṅkaram, have greatly helped the popularisation of these works among the people. On Pañcabodha IV, besides the Balaśaṅkaram, he wrote another shorter (?metrical) elucidation entitled Pañcabo-