RoseKort2620073: brief corrected references to improve readability also and cleaned formatting for clarity

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brief corrected references to improve readability also and cleaned formatting for clarity

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2021-07-28T11:31:22Z

Importing Wikidata short description: "Indian astronomer and mathematician" (Shortdesc helper)

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{{Short description|Indian astronomer and mathematician}}
{{about|an Indian astronomer|the Diwan|Sankaranarayana Iyen}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2019}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2019}}
{{infobox person
| name = Sankara Narayana
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| birth_date = c. 840 CE
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| nationality = Indian
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| notable works = ''Laghu Bhaskariya Vivarana''
| occupation = Astronomer-mathematician
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'''Sankara Narayana''' (c. 840 – c. 900 AD) was an Indian astronomer-mathematician in the court of [[Sthāṇu Ravi Kulaśekhara|Ravi Kulasekhara]] (c. 844 – c. 883 AD) of the [[Cēra/Perumāl̥ kingdom|Chera Perumal kingdom]] of [[Kerala]].<ref name=":6">Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 78-79 and 390-91.</ref><ref name="Joseph">{{cite book|author=George Gheverghese Joseph|title=[[A Passage to Infinity]]|publisher=SAGE Publications Pvt. Ltd.|location=New Delhi|date=2009|pages=13|isbn=978-81-321-0168-0}}</ref> He is best known as the author of ''Laghu Bhaskariya Vivarana'' or ''Vyakha'' (869/870 AD), a detailed commentary on treatise ''Laghu Bhaskariya'' by 7th century mathematician [[Bhaskara I]] (which in turn was based on the works of the 5th century polymath [[Aryabhata I|Aryabhata]]).<ref>{{cite book|title=Laghubhaskariyavivarana|date=1949|publisher=TSS|editor=S. Venkitasubramonia Iyar|volume=162|location=Trivandrun|editor2=S.Kochukunju Asari}}</ref><ref name="MacTutor">{{MacTutor|id=Sankara|title=Sankara Narayana}}</ref> Sankara Narayana is known to have established an astronomical observatory at the port of [[Koṭuṅṅallūr|Kodungallur]] in central Kerala.<ref name="Joseph" /><ref>{{cite book|author=Virendra Nath Sharma|title=Sawai Jai Singh and His Astronomy|date=1995|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass Publishers|location=Delhi|id={{Listed Invalid ISBN|81-208-1256-X}}}}</ref>

''Laghu Bhaskariya Vivarana'' (Chapter VII), produced in the court of king Ravi Kulasekhara at Kodungallur, explicitly states that it was composed in [[Saka Year]] 791 (=869/70 AD).<ref name="MacTutor" /><ref name=":6" /> It is also mentions that the year was the 25th regnal year of king Ravi Kulasekhara.<ref name=":63">Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 78-79.</ref> In the second verse of the ''vivarana'' Narayana remembers five major precessors in the field of mathematics (Aryabhata, Varahamihira, Bhaskara I, Govinda and Haridatta), including his possible master [[Govindasvami|Govinda]] (c. 800 – c. 860 AD).<ref name=":63" />

==Observatory==

* The ''vivarana'' mentions a royal observatory (under the charge of Sankara Narayana) at Mahodayapura (Kodungallur).<ref name="Joseph" />
* There are references to an instrument called "Rashi Chakra" marked by a "Yanthra Valaya" in the ''vivarana''. This instrument might be the same as the Gola Yanthra/Chakra Yanthra mentioned by famous polymath [[Aryabhata]]. The Chakra Yanthra was developed further and called Phalaka Yanthra by Bhaskara I.<ref>Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 390-391 and 408-409.</ref>
{{cquote|

''"Oh [king] Ravi Varma Deva, now deign to tell us quickly, reading off from the [[armillary sphere]] installed [at the observatory] in Mahodayapura, duly fitted with all the relevant circles and with the sign ([[Degree (angle)|degree]]-[[Minute of arc|minute]]) markings, the time of the rising point of the [[ecliptic]] (''lagna'') when the [[Sun]] is at 10° in the sign of [[Capricornus|Capricorn]], and also when the [[Sun]] is at the end of the sign [[Libra (constellation)|Libra]], which I have noted."''<ref>{{cite book|title=The history of cartography : Volume 2 Book 1 : Cartography in the traditional Islamic and South Asian societies|date=1992|publisher=[[University of Chicago Press]]|isbn=0-226-31635-1|editor=J.B. harley|pages=360|editor2=David Woodward}}</ref>
}}
* At the directions of Sankara Narayana, in every 'katikai' (= 34 minutes), bells were sounded at different important centres of Mahodayapura to announce correct time.

==Mathematical contributions==

* ''Laghu Bhaskariya Vivarana'' covers the standard mathematical methods of [[Aryabhata I]] such as the solution of the [[indeterminate equation]] by = ax ± c (a, b, c integers) in integers which is then applied to astronomical problems. The Indian method involves using the [[Euclidean algorithm]]. It is called [[Kuṭṭaka|kuttakara]] ("pulveriser").<ref name="MacTutor" />

* The most unusual feature of the Laghubhāskarīyavivaraṇa is the use of [[katapayadi system]] of [[numeration]] as well as the [[place-value]] [[Sanskrit]] numerals which Laghubhāskarīyavivaraṇa frequently uses.<ref name="MacTutor" />

== Identification of king Ravi Kulasekhara with Sthanu ==

* The opening verse of ''Laghu Bhaskariya Vyakha'' gives an indirect invocation to the lord called "Sthanu" (carefully composed to be applicable to god [[Shiva|Siva]] and the ruling king).<ref name=":64">Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 78-79.</ref>

 {{cquote
| quote = ''"Sa Sthanurjayati trirupasahito lingepi lokarcitah".''
| author = Sankara Narayana
| source = ''Laghu Bhaskariya Vyakha,'' Chapter I (c. 870 AD)
| width = 50%
| align = center
}}

*Sankara Narayana also mentions that the full name of his king as "Ravi Varma Kulasekhara".<ref name=":62">Narayanan, M. G. S. ''Perumāḷs of Kerala.'' Thrissur (Kerala): CosmoBooks, 2013. 78-79.</ref>
*''Laghu Bhaskariya Vivarana'' was composed in the 25th regnal year of king Kulasekhara.<ref name=":62" />

== Date of ''Laghu Bhaskariya Vivarana'' ==

* "Angartvambara nanda devamanubhir yate dinanam gane"
** Anga = 6, Rtu = 6, Ambara = 0, Nanda = 9, Veda = 4, and Manu = 14
** Order - 6609414
** Reverse Order - 1449066

* Kali Date - 3967 years and 86 days = 25 Mithuna, [[Malayalam calendar|Kollam Era]] 41 = 870 AD

* "Evam Sakabdah punariha candra randhramuni sankhyaya asambhiravagatah"
** Candra = 1, Randhra = 9, and Muni = 7
** Order - 197
** Reverse Order - 791 ([[Shaka era|Saka Year]]) = 870 AD
{{cquote
| quote = ''"Angartvambara nanda devamanubhir yate dinanam gane Graste tigma mayukhamalinitamobhute parahne divi Prsta praggrahanad dvitiyaghatika grasa pramanam raver Bharta sri Kulasekharena vilasad velavrtaya bhuva".''
| author = Sankara Narayana
| source = ''Laghu Bhaskariya Vyakha,'' Chapter IV (c. 870 AD)
| width = 50%
| align = center
}} {{cquote
| quote = ''"Evam Sakabdah punariha candra randhramuni sankhyaya asambhiravagatah".''
| author = Sankara Narayana
| source = ''Laghu Bhaskariya Vyakha,'' Chapter 1 (c. 870 AD)
| width = 50%
| align = center
}} {{cquote
| quote = ''"Capapravista guru sauri samatva kalam Yamyottaram gamanamantaratah pramanam Acaksvya sarvamavagamya bhatoktamargad Ityuktavan ravirasena nrpabhivandya". "Tada pancavimsati Varsanyatitani devasya".''
| author = Sankara Narayana
| source = ''Laghu Bhaskariya Vyakha,'' Chapter VII (c. 870 AD)
| width = 50%
| align = center
}}

* Meeting of Guru (=Jupiter) and Sauri (=Saturn) in Capa (Dhanu) = 25th regnal year of the king = 870 AD

==See also==
*[[Indian mathematics]]
*[[History of mathematics]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Indian astronomy}}
{{Indian mathematics}}
{{Scientific Research in Kerala |state=collapsed}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sankaranarayana}}
[[Category:Hindu astronomy]]
[[Category:People from Thrissur district]]
[[Category:Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics]]
[[Category:Year of birth uncertain]]
[[Category:9th-century Indian mathematicians]]
[[Category:10th-century Indian mathematicians]]
[[Category:Scientists from Kerala]]
[[Category:9th-century Indian astronomers]]
[[Category:10th-century Indian astronomers]]
[[Category:Scholars from Kerala]]
[[Category:Chera dynasty]]

Śaṅkaranārāyaṇa - Revision history

RoseKort2620073: brief corrected references to improve readability also and cleaned formatting for clarity

imported>Whiteguru: Importing Wikidata short description: "Indian astronomer and mathematician" (Shortdesc helper)