Achyuta Pisharati

Astronomer grammarian mathematician astrologer

1550 (age 71)

Tirur, Kerala, India

Acyuta was a scholar in grammar (his famous pupil Narayana Bhattatiri (1560 - c.1646) refers to him in his Prakriyasarvasva), poetics, and medicine, as well as in astronomy and astrology. In the field of astrology, there existed in his school a long line of scholars writing in Malayalam. Acyuta wrote the following works dealing largely with astronomy: 1. Pravesaka. This is an introduction to Sanskrit grammar in about six hundred anustubh stanzas. It was edited, with a commentary, by P. S. Anantanarayana Sastri, as Vol. II in Cochin Sanskrit Series. 2. Karanottama. This is a work on astronomy in five chapters and about one hundred verses; it deals with the computation of the mean and true longitudes of the planets, with eclipses, and with the vyatipatas of the sun and moon. Acyuta himself wrote a commentary on it. It was published as Vol. 213 of Trivandrum Sanskrit Series. 3. Uparagakriyakrama. This is a treatise in four chapters on lunar and solar eclipses which was completed in 1593. There is a commentary on it in Malayalam. 4. Sphutanimaya. This is a work on astronomy in six chapters, written before the Rasigolasphutamti. 5. Chdydstaka. This is a short astronomical text in eight verses. 6. Uparagavimsati. This is a manual in twenty verses on the computation of eclipses. It was published with a Malayalam commentary in Vol. II of the Ravivarma Sanskrit Series. 7. Rasigolasphutamti. This work in fifty verses is concerned with the reduction of the moon’s true longitude in its own orbit to the ecliptic. Since in this work Acyuta quotes not only the Sphutanimaya but also the Uparagakriyakrama, it is clear that the Rasigolasphutamti was written after 1593. It was edited and translated into English by K. V. Sarma as Adyar Library Series, Paper 29 (Madras, 1955); reprinted from Brahmavidya, 18 (1954), 306-335. 8. Venvarohavyakhya. This Malayalam commentary on the Venvaroha of Madhava of Sangamagrama (ca. 1340-1425) was written at the request of Netranarayana, a spiritual head of the Nambutiri Brahmanas. The Venvaroha deals with the calculation of the tit his and naksatras. The text and its commentary have been edited by K. V. Sarma in Vol. Ill of the Ravivarma Sanskrit Series. 9. Hordsdroccaya. This is an adaptation in seven chapters of the J dtakapaddhati of Srlpati. The relationship to it of a Malayalam commentary on the Jdtakapaddhati entitled Hordlantram Paribhasa remains uncertain. 10. Rasigolasphutamti. This work in fifty verses is concerned with the reduction of the moon’s true longitude in its own orbit to the ecliptic. Since in this work Acyuta quotes not only the Sphutanimaya but also the Uparagakriyakrama, it is clear that the Rasigolasphutamti was written after 1593. It was edited and translated into English by K. V. Sarma as Adyar Library Series, Paper 29 (Madras, 1955); reprinted from Brahmavidya, 18 (1954), 306-335. 11. Venvarohavyakhya. This Malayalam commentary on the Venvaroha of Madhava of Sangamagrama (ca.1340-1425) was written at the request of Netranarayana, a spiritual head of the Nambutiri Brahmanas. The Venvaroha deals with the calculation of the tit his and naksatras. The text and its commentary have been edited by K. V. Sarma in Vol. Ill of the Ravivarma Sanskrit Series. 12. Hordsdroccaya. This is an adaptation in seven chapters of the Jdtakapaddhati of Srlpati. The relationship to it of a Malayalam commentary on the Jdtakapaddhati entitled Hordlantram Paribhasa remains uncertain.

Achyuta Pisharati

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also known as Achyutha Pisharodi

Astronomer grammarian mathematician astrologer

Background

Achyutha Pisharati was born around 1550 in Tirur, Kerala, India. Acyuta was a member of the Pisarati community, which is a section of the Ampalavasi community and is traditionally employed in looking after the external affairs of temples.

Education

Achyutha Pisharodi studied astronomy under Jyesthadeva (ca. 1500-1600), a Nambuliri Brahmana of the Parannottu family in the village called Alattur, who wrote the Yuktibhasa based on the Tanlrasangraha of Nilakantha Somasutvan. Jyesthadeva and Nilakantha were pupils of Damodara, the son and student of Paramesvara, who founded the Drgganita school of astronomy.

Career

Acyuta was a scholar in grammar (his famous pupil Narayana Bhattatiri (1560 - c.1646) refers to him in his Prakriyasarvasva), poetics, and medicine, as well as in astronomy and astrology. In the field of astrology, there existed in his school a long line of scholars writing in Malayalam.

Acyuta wrote the following works dealing largely with astronomy:

1. Pravesaka. This is an introduction to Sanskrit grammar in about six hundred anustubh stanzas. It was edited, with a commentary, by P. S. Anantanarayana Sastri, as Vol. II in Cochin Sanskrit Series.

2. Karanottama. This is a work on astronomy in five chapters and about one hundred verses; it deals with the computation of the mean and true longitudes of the planets, with eclipses, and with the vyatipatas of the sun and moon. Acyuta himself wrote a commentary on it. It was published as Vol. 213 of Trivandrum Sanskrit Series.

3. Uparagakriyakrama. This is a treatise in four chapters on lunar and solar eclipses which was completed in 1593. There is a commentary on it in Malayalam.

4. Sphutanimaya. This is a work on astronomy in six chapters, written before the Rasigolasphutamti.

5. Chdydstaka. This is a short astronomical text in eight verses.

6. Uparagavimsati. This is a manual in twenty verses on the computation of eclipses. It was published with a Malayalam commentary in Vol. II of the Ravivarma Sanskrit Series.

7. Rasigolasphutamti. This work in fifty verses is concerned with the reduction of the moon’s true longitude in its own orbit to the ecliptic. Since in this work Acyuta quotes not only the Sphutanimaya but also the Uparagakriyakrama, it is clear that the Rasigolasphutamti was written after 1593. It was edited and translated into English by K. V. Sarma as Adyar Library Series, Paper 29 (Madras, 1955); reprinted from Brahmavidya, 18 (1954), 306-335.

8. Venvarohavyakhya. This Malayalam commentary on the Venvaroha of Madhava of Sangamagrama (ca. 1340-1425) was written at the request of Netranarayana, a spiritual head of the Nambutiri Brahmanas. The Venvaroha deals with the calculation of the tit his and naksatras. The text and its commentary have been edited by K. V. Sarma in Vol. Ill of the Ravivarma Sanskrit Series.

9. Hordsdroccaya. This is an adaptation in seven chapters of the J dtakapaddhati of Srlpati. The relationship to it of a Malayalam commentary on the Jdtakapaddhati entitled Hordlantram Paribhasa remains uncertain.

10. Rasigolasphutamti. This work in fifty verses is concerned with the reduction of the moon’s true longitude in its own orbit to the ecliptic. Since in this work Acyuta quotes not only the Sphutanimaya but also the Uparagakriyakrama, it is clear that the Rasigolasphutamti was written after 1593. It was edited and translated into English by K. V. Sarma as Adyar Library Series, Paper 29 (Madras, 1955); reprinted from Brahmavidya, 18 (1954), 306-335.

11. Venvarohavyakhya. This Malayalam commentary on the Venvaroha of Madhava of Sangamagrama (ca.1340-1425) was written at the request of Netranarayana, a spiritual head of the Nambutiri Brahmanas. The Venvaroha deals with the calculation of the tit his and naksatras. The text and its commentary have been edited by K. V. Sarma in Vol. Ill of the Ravivarma Sanskrit Series.

12. Hordsdroccaya. This is an adaptation in seven chapters of the Jdtakapaddhati of Srlpati. The relationship to it of a Malayalam commentary on the Jdtakapaddhati entitled Hordlantram Paribhasa remains uncertain.

Achievements

One of the Achyuta Pisharati`s major achievements was in discovery of the techniques of "the reduction of the ecliptic". He was also a prolific author whose marvelous written works, such as Sphuta-nirnaya, Raasi-gola-sphuta-neeti (raasi meaning zodiac, gola meaning sphere and neeti roughly meaning rule), Karanottama (1593) and a four-chapter treatise Uparagakriyakrama on lunar and solar eclipses are highly appreciated by scholars as of today.

Personality

Pisharati is known to have scolded and provoked an errant Narayana to take up the Brahmin's duties of prayer and religious practices. He accepted Narayana as his student. Later when Pisharoti was struck with paralysis (or rheumatism by another account), Narayana, unable to bear the pain of his dear guru, by way of Gurudakshina took the disease upon himself. As a result Pisharoti is said to have been cured, but no medicine could cure Narayana. As a last resort, Narayana went to Guruvayur and requested Thunchaththu Ramanujan Ezhuthachan, a great devotee of Guruvayoorappan, to suggest a remedy for his disease. Ramajunan Ezhuthachan advised him to compose a poetical work on the Avatars (incarnations) of Lord Vishnu beginning with that of Matsya (Fish). Narayana composed beautiful slokas in praise of Lord Guruvayurappan and recited them before the deity. He was soon cured of his disease.

Connections

mentor:: Jyesthadeva

References

Dictionary of scientific biography
Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures Offer more than six hundred entries on developments in Asia, Africa, the Islamic world, Native America, and the Pacific
Classical Works of Sanskrit Literature of Kerala (Introduction, Text with English Trans.) (Classical Sanskrit literature of Kerala) (English and Sanskrit Edition) Portion of Hindu mythological text; Sanskrit text with English verse translation.
Astronomy and mathematics in Kerala (The Adyar Library pamphlet series) Critical edition of âSaiva canonical text.

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