A History of the Kerala School of Hindu Astronomy (in Perspective) c4.6

c4.6

The survey, conducted as above, has resulted, as might be seen from the inventory of Kerala authors and works (pp. 85-184), in the identification of several hitherto unknown astronomers and the discovery of a large number of interesting texts, especially on *chaya*, *grahaṇa* and *sphuṭakriya*; these can be distinguished in the said inventory by the absence of any reference to modern writings recorded below the respective entries. Among the identifications are included also the different versions and recensions of works like the *Kriyākramakarī*, *Goladīpikā* and *Nyāyaratna*. Several works bearing the same title, and authors having a common name have been identified. (See for example, *Uparāgakriyākrama* I-III, *Grahaṇagaṇita* I-X, *Grahaṇaṣṭaka* I-IV, *Pañcabodha* I-XI, *Muhūrtapadavī* I-VII; Dāmodara I-III, Nārāyaṇa I-VIII, Puruṣottama I-III, Śaṅkara I-IX etc.). A number of additions, correlations, and corrections to existing views could also be made which would be apparent on a reference to entries such as Acyuta II (see also p. 184), Āzhvāñceri Tamprākkaḷ, Ghaṭigopa, Citrabhānu-Śiṣya (see also p. 184), Jyeṣṭhadeva, Nārāyaṇa I, Nilakaṇṭha I, Parameśvara I, Putumana Somayāji, Mādhava I, Śaṅkara Variyar of Tṛkkuṭaveli, Śaṅkara Nampūtiri of Mahiṣamaṅgalam, *Muhūrtapadavī*, *Horā* etc. Of special significance in the matter of ingenuity is the *Veṇvāroha* of Mādhava and the genre of texts based on its method. Among the numerous new works discovered, two deserve special mention, viz., the *Grahaparīkṣākrama* of Nilakaṇṭha Somayāji and the *Sūryasiddhānta-vyākhya* of Acyuta Piṣāraṭi. As a matter of fact, it is quite possible that further examination of the manuscript repositories in Kerala is likely to result in more discoveries and identifications.