Sankaranarayana
| Śaṅkaranārāyaṇa | |
|---|---|
| Born | c.840 CE |
| Died | c.940 CE |
| Residence | Kodungallur in Kerala, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Astronomer-mathematician |
| Known for | Setting up the Mahodayapuram observatory, the first astronomical observatory in India |
| Notable work | Laghu-bhāskarīya-vivaraṇa |
Śaṅkaranārāyaṇa (c. 840 – c. 900) was an Indian astronomer and mathematician in the court of King Sthanu Ravi Varman (844- 885 CE) of the Later Cheras in Kerala. He is believed to have established the first astronomical observatory in India at Kodungallur in Kerala. His most famous work was the Laghubhāskarīyavivaraṇa which was a commentary on the Laghubhāskarīya of Bhaskara I which in turn is based on the work of Aryabhata I. The Laghubhāskarīyavivaraṇa was written 869 CE for the author writes in the text that it is written in the Shaka year 791 which translates to a date CE by adding 78.
Śaṅkaranārāyaṇa was a student of the astronomer and mathematician Govindasvami (c. 800 – c. 860).
Information on observatories in India is meager. Many astronomers patronized by kings carried out astronomical observations. The places of these observations could be called as observatories. The first extant reference to a place of observation with some instruments in India is in the treatise Laghubhāskarīyavivaraṇa authored by Śaṅkaranārāyaṇa. In this work, Śaṅkaranārāyaṇa speaks of a place with instruments in the capital city Mahodayapuram of King Sthanu Ravi Varma of the Kulasekhara dynasty in Kerala. Mahodayapuram has been identified with the present day Kodungallur. The observatory was fitted with an armillary sphere which is a model of the celestial sphere. At the directions of Śaṅkaranārāyaṇa, in every 'Kadigai' duration of 34 minutes, bells were sounded at different important centres of the town to announce correct time.
The following is a translation of the verses in Laghubhāskarīyavivaraṇa containing references to the existence of an observatory in Mahodayapura:
Laghubhāskarīyavivaraṇa 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 kuttakara ("pulveriser").
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