Keshava (IAST: Keśava, fl. 1496–1507) was an astrologer and astronomer (jyotishi or daivajña) from Nandigrama in present-day western India.

Biography

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Keshava flourished around 1496–1507.[1] He lived at Nandigrama in western India. He was a son of Kamala-kara of Kaushika gotra (clan), and a pupil of Vaijanatha (or Vaidyanatha).[1] His wife's name was Lakshmi.[2]

He had three sons, who were famous jyotishis:[1]

  • Ananta (fl. 1534): wrote Kalanirnayavabodha and a commentary (1534 CE) on Varaha-mihira's Laghu-jataka[3]
  • Ganesha (born 1507): wrote a number of works during 1522–1554; his great-grandson - also called Ganesha - wrote Shiromani-prakasha [4]
  • Rama (fl. 1525/1550): his son Nrsimha (born 1548) wrote Graha-kaumudi, Kheta-muktavali, Graha-dasha-phala, Graha-dipika, Varsha-phala-dipika, Harsa-kaumudi (a commentary on Ganesha's Graha-laghava), and Hillaja-dipika[5]

Works and commentaries

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Muhurtadipika by his son Ganesha lists several works written by Keshava. Sometimes, Ganesha's works are also attributed to Keshava. Works written by Keshava include:[1]

  • Graha-kautuka (1496 CE)
  • a commentary on Graha-kautuka
  • Graha-siddhi
  • Tithi-siddhi
  • Graha-chalana
  • Ganita-dipika
  • Jataka-paddhati, also known as Keshava-paddhati; Brhat-keshavi is an enlarged version of this text
    • Apparently a condensed version of Shripati's JKP: it is an extremely concise text containing only 42 verses, and was very popular as a handbook on mathematical calculations essential for jataka.[6]
  • A commentary on Jataka-paddhati
  • Tajika-paddhati, also known as Varsha-phala-paddhati or Tajika-keshavi
    • A work on Tajika (Arabic-Persian astrology), it contains 26 verses[7]
  • Siddhanta-vasana
  • Kayasthachara-paddhati
  • Kundastaka-lakshana

The following works of Keshava survive in form of manuscripts, several of which are incomplete:[1]

  • Graha-kautuka (over 10 manuscripts), and possibly the commentary on it; over 10 manuscripts survive
  • Jataka-paddhati and Brhat-keshavi (over 200 manuscripts), and the commentary on it (over 25 manuscripts)
  • Tajika-paddhati (around 50 manuscripts)
  • Muhurtatattva, containing two parts - Muhurta-khanda and Samhita-khanda (around 100 manuscripts)
  • Sudhiranjani (2 manuscripts), a karana (concise exposition of astronomy) and apparently an appendix to Varsha-paddhati

Commentaries

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Besides Keshava himself, several later authors have written commentaries (tika) on his works:[1][8]

  • Jataka-paddhti
    • Keshava himself
    • Vishva-natha (1618) at Kashi
    • Praudha-manorama by Diva-kara (1626) at Kashi
    • Vasana-bhashya by Dharmeshvara (c. 1600–1650) in Malava
    • Jataka-kaustubha by Narayana (1678) at Kashi
    • Guru-dasa (1824) at Jalandhara
    • several modern editors
  • Tajika-paddhati
    • Mallari (fl. 1612)
    • Vishva-natha (fl. 1612/1630)
  • Muhurta-tattva
    • Muhurta-dipika by Keshava's son Ganesha (born 1507)
    • Vishva-natha (fl. 1612/1630)

Ganesha's Graha-laghava or Siddhanta-rahasya was apparently based on his father's Graha-kautuka.[9]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f David Pingree, ed. (1971). Census of the Exact Sciences in Sanskrit Series A. Vol. 2. American Philosophical Society. pp. 65–66.
  2. ^ K. Ramakalyani (2019). "Gaṇeśa Daivajña's upapattis for some rules in the Līlāvatī". In K. Ramasubramanian; Takao Hayashi; Clemency Montelle (eds.). Bhāskara-prabhā: Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Sources and Studies in the History of Mathematics and Physical Sciences. Springer. p. 102. doi:10.1007/978-981-13-6034-3_5. ISBN 9789811360343.
  3. ^ David Pingree, ed. (1970). Census of the Exact Sciences in Sanskrit Series A. Vol. 1. American Philosophical Society. p. 40.
  4. ^ David Pingree 1981, p. 126.
  5. ^ David Pingree, ed. (1976). Census of the Exact Sciences in Sanskrit Series A. Vol. 3. American Philosophical Society. p. 202.
  6. ^ David Pingree 1981, p. 92.
  7. ^ David Pingree 1981, p. 98.
  8. ^ David Pingree 1981, p. 93.
  9. ^ David Pingree 1981, p. 36.

Bibliography

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