Ke?ava

(fl. Nandod, Gujarat, India, 1496)

astronomy.

Ke?ava; the son of Kamal?kara of the Kau?ikagotra and a pupil of Vaidyan?tha, was the first of a line of astronomers at Nandigr?ma (Nandod) that includes his sons Ananta, R?ma, and Gane?a (b. 1507). and his grandson Nr?sim?ha (b 1548) Gane?a lists his father’s works in his Muh?rtadipik?, a Commentary on Ke?ava’s Muh?rtatattva:

1. Grahakautuka

2. Tithisiddhi

3. J?takapaddhati

4. J?takapaddhativivr?ti

5. T?jikapaddhati

6. Siddh?ntopapattip?thanicaya

7. Muh?rtatattva

8. K?yasth?didharmapaddhati.

Like Gane?a, then, Ke?ava wrote on Hindu law as well as on astronomy and astrology.

The Grahakautuka is a a treatise on astronomy, apparently following the Br?hmapaksa (see essay in Supplement), written in 1496. It is accompanied by astronomical tables. Although several manuscripts of this work survive, it has not been studied or published. There is a commentary on it by Vi?van?tha (fl. 1612-1634), the son of Div?kara of Golagr?ma, a pupil of Ke?sva’s son Gane?a.

The Tithisiddhi presumably contained tables for computing tithis, naks?atras, and yogas. No manuscripts are known.

The J?takapaddhati or Ke?savipaddhati is short treatise on horoscopy which has been immensely popular in India. It is usually accompanied by a commentary which includes extensive astronomical tables. The commentaries are the following (for editions see the list of editions of the J?takapaddhati):

1. Vivr?ti of Ke?ava himself.

2. Ud?haran?a of Vi?van?tha (fl. 1612-1634), the son of Div?kara of Golagr?ma.

3. Praud?hamanoram? of Div?kara (1626), the great-grandson of Div?kara of Golagr?ma. published.

4. V?san?bh?s?ya of Dharme?vara (fl.ca. 1600-1650).

5. Ud?haran?a of N?r?ya?a (1678).

6. Subodhini of Um??an?kara Mi?ra (1857). Published.

7. Ud?hara?a of Ap?cha ?arman (Jh? (1858).Published.

8. Sarvamanoram? of Sit?r?ma Jh? (1924). Published.

9. Ud?hara?nadar?ini of Gopik?nta ?arman. Published.

10. Ud?hara?a of Gurud?sa.

11. Ud?hara?adipik? of R?madh?na ?armen. Published.

The J?takapaddhati has frequently been published:

1. Edited with a Mar??h? translation by A.D.S. Vadikara and V. L. J. Kannad?akara (Bombay, 1872).

2. Edited with a Hindi commentary by B. Prabhu?e (Benares, 1877).

3. Edited with the Praud?hamanoram? of Div?kara by V?man?c?rya (Benares, 1882).

4. Edited with the Subodhin? of Um??an?kara Mi?ra (n.p., 1890).

5. Edited with a Hind? commentary by Jagad??aPras?da Trip??hin (Bombay, 1889; 2nd ed., Bombay, 1924).

6. Edited with a Gujar?ti commentary by D. K. May??ankara (Bombay, 1909).

7. Edited with the Ud?hara?adar?ini of Gop? of Gop?k?nta ?arman (Ayodhy?, 1924).

8. Edited with the Ud?hara?a of Ap?cha Jh?, the Ud?hara?ad?pik? of R?madh?na ?arman, and his own Sarvamanoram? by Sit?r?ma Jh? (Benares, 1925; 2nd ed., Benares, 1948).

The J?takapaddhativiv?ti has been mentioned above. Several manuscripts exist, but it has not yet been published.

The T?jikapaddhati or Vars?aphalapaddhati is a work on annual preductions based on the Islamic doctrine of the revolution of years of the world. It has been commented on by two of the sons of Div?kara of Golagr?ma, Mall?ri (fl. ca. 1600) and Vi?van?tha (fl. 1612-1634). There are two editions: one with Vi?van?tha’s Ud?hara?a (Benares, 1869) and the other with a Telegu translation (Madras, 1916).

The Siddh?ntopapattip?t?hanicaya seems to be “a collection of readings on the origin (of statements in) the (astronomical) Sidd?ntas”; nothing more is known of it.

The Muh?rtatattva is a well-known work on catarchic astrology. There are commentaries by Ke?ava’s son Ga?e?a (the Muh?rtadipik?), and perhaps by K?p?r?ma. The Muh?rtatattva has been edited twice: at Benares in 1856 and with a Mar?t?hi translation by V.V. ??str? Jo?? (3rd ed., Poona, 1927).

The K?yasth?didharmapaddhati is a work on the religious duties of K?yasthas (members of the scribal caste) and others. No manuscripts are known.

In addition to these works a Gotrapravartaman-gal?s?t?aka has been published by D. A. S?vanta in Man?gali?graha [Belgaum, 1924], as by Ke?ava the astrologer, but the attribution of this text to Ke?ava of Nandigr?ma is doubtful. The subject of the work is the system of exogamous lineages prevalent in India.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

There are articles on Ke?ava by Sudh?kara Dvivedin in Ganakataran?gin? (Benars, 1933), repr. from The Pandit, n.s 14 (1892), 53-55 ?. B. Diksita in Bh?ratiya Joyt?i?h?stra (Poona, 1896; repr. Poona, 1931), PP. 258-259 and D. Pingree, Census of the Exact Sciences in Sanskrit, Series A, 2, Memoirs of the American Philosophical Society, 86 (Philadelphia, 1971), 65-74

David Pingree