Suryadeva (1191 – at least 1248 CE) was a

Sanskrit Sanskrit (; stem form ; nominal singular , ,) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan languages, Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in northwest South Asia after its predecessor languages had Trans-cultural ...

-language writer on astrology and astronomy ('' jyotisha'')) from the

Chola The Chola Empire, which is often referred to as the Imperial Cholas, was a medieval thalassocratic empire based in southern India that was ruled by the Chola dynasty, and comprised overseas dominions, protectorates and spheres of influence ...

kingdom of southern India. He wrote commentaries on several notable works including the ''

Aryabhatiya ''Aryabhatiya'' (IAST: ') or ''Aryabhatiyam'' ('), a Indian astronomy, Sanskrit astronomical treatise, is the ''Masterpiece, magnum opus'' and only known surviving work of the 5th century Indian mathematics, Indian mathematician Aryabhata. Philos ...

'' and the '' Laghu-manasa''.

Biography

Suryadeva was a

Brahmana The Brahmanas (; Sanskrit: , International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''Brāhmaṇam'') are Vedas, Vedic śruti works attached to the Samhitas (hymns and mantras) of the Rigveda, Rig, Samaveda, Sama, Yajurveda, Yajur, and Athar ...

of the Nidhruva ''

gotra In Hindu culture, the term gotra (Sanskrit: गोत्र) is considered to be equivalent to lineage. It broadly refers to people who are descendants in an unbroken male line from a common male ancestor or patriline. Generally, the gotr ...

'', associated with the '' Bodhayana Sutra'', claiming descent (

pravaras In Hindu culture, a ''Pravara'' (Sanskrit for "most excellent") refers to a system of identity, particularly a family line. The Pravar system is based on the descendants of a rishi (sage) after whom a "gotra" (clan) is named, and these descendant ...

) from the sages

Kashyapa Kashyapa (, ) is a revered Vedic sage of Hinduism., Quote: "Kasyapa (Rudra),(Vedic Seer)..." He is one of the Saptarishis, the seven ancient sages of the ''Rigveda''. Kashyapa is the most ancient and venerated rishi, along with the other Sa ...

Avatsara Avatsara () is a rishi (sage) featured in the Rigveda. His name first appears in Sukta 44 of the Fifth Mandala. Work Avatsara is the primary author of Sukta 44 of the Fifth Mandala of the Rigveda, whose hymn addressed to the class of Rigvedic d ...

, and Naidhruva. His works use different suffixes for his name, including Sūri, Yajvā, Yajvān, Somasut, and Dīkṣita. Sūri refers to his scholarship; the other suffixes suggest that he had performed the Soma-yajna ritual sacrifice. According to his commentary on ''Laghumanasa'', Suryadeva was born in 1191 CE (Monday, 3rd day of the dark half of the Magha month of the Shaka year 1113). He lived in the

kingdom, and resided in a town that different manuscripts variously call Gangapuram, Gangapuri, and Shri-ranga-gangapuri; this town can be identified as

Gangaikonda Cholapuram Gaṅgaikoṇḍa Chōḻapuram is a village located near to Jayankondam, Ariyalur district, Tamil Nadu, India. It became the capital of the Chola dynasty in c. 1025 by Chola emperor Rajendra Chola I, Rajendra I, and served as the capital for a ...

. Suryadeva does not name his parents, but suggests that he was a student or a protégé of his maternal uncle – also named Suryadeva. Suryadeva appears to have read a large number of previous works, as he refers to earlier scholars such as Lagadhacharya, Vrddha Garga, Parashara, Aryabhata I, Haradatta (Haridatta), Latadeva, Varahamihira, Bhaskara I (whom he calls "Bhaskaracharya"), Brahmagupta, Lalla, Prthusvamin (Prthudaka Svami), Prashastidhara (Whom he calls "Prasastadhara"), Bhattotpala, and Shripati. Besides the works of these authors, Suryadeva also cites and quotes various Vedic, religious, and philosophical works. Later writer Yallaya (c. 1480), in his commentary on the ''Surya Siddhanta'', praises Suryadeva as an "all-knowing astronomer". In his commentary on the ''Laghumanasa'', he states the planetary positions for a particular day in 1248 CE (Shaka year 1170), which suggests that he wrote the commentary at the age of 57, in 1248.

Works

Suryadeva wrote at least five commentaries, in the following order: * An exposition of on Govinda-svami's ''bhashya'' on Bhaskara's ''Maha-bhaskariya'' (629 CE) * Commentary on Aryabhata's ''

'' ** This commentary is known by various titles including ''Aryabhata-prakasha'', ''Bhata-prakasha'', ''Prakasha'', ''Aryabhata-prakashika'', ''Bhata-prakashika'', and ''Prakashika''. ** Yallaya added further notes to this text, and

Parameshvara Vatasseri Parameshvara Nambudiri ( 1380–1460) was a major Indian mathematician and astronomer of the Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics founded by Madhava of Sangamagrama. He was also an astrologer. Parameshvara was a proponent of ...

(c. 1431) used it as a source for writing a new commentary on ''Aryabhatiya''. * Commentary on Varahamihira's ''Maha-yatra''. * Commentary on Manjula's '' Laghu-manasa'' (1248 CE) ** This commentary is known by the names ''Manasa-vyakhyana'' and ''Manasa-vyakhya-vasana'' ** It includes an introduction to Hindu astronomy, an explanation of Manjula's text, and the rationale of the various rules * Commentary on Shripati's ''Jataka-paddhati'' In his commentary on the ''Laghumanasa'', Suryadeva quotes from his own work ''Asmadīya-grantha''.

References

Bibliography

* * {{ref end 12th-century Indian astronomers 13th-century Indian astronomers Chola people Sanskrit writers