Mathur?n

views updated

MATHUR?N?THA ?ARMAN

(fl. Bengal, India, 1609)

astronomy

Mathur?n?tha, who enjoyed the titles Vidy?la?nk?ra (“Ornament of Wisdom”) and Cakravartin (“Emperor”), composed the Ravisiddh?ntamañjar?; in 1609. This is an astronomical text in four chapters accompanied by extensive tables (see Supplement) based on the parameters of the Saurapak?a with the admixture of some from the adjusted Saurapak?a; the epoch is 29 March 1609. His is one of the primary sets of tables belonging to this school in Bengal. Another set of tables, the Vi?vahita, is sometimes attributed to him, but its author is, rather, R?ghav?nanda ?arman. Mathur?n?tha also wrote a Pra?naratn??nkura and a Pañc??ngaratna, but little is known of either.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The Ravisiddh?ntamañjari was edited by Vi?vambhara Jyoti??r?ava as Bibliotheca Indica, no. 198 (Calcutta, 1911); the tables are analyzed by D. Pingree, Sanskrit Astronomical Tables in England (Madras, 1973), 128–134.

David Pingree

More From encyclopedia.com