Keshava of Nandigrama


Keshava was an astrologer and astronomer from Nandigrama in present-day western India.

Biography

Keshava flourished around 1496–1507. He lived at Nandigrama in western India. He was a son of Kamala-kara of Kaushika gotra, and a pupil of Vaijanatha. His wife's name was Lakshmi.
He had three sons, who were famous jyotishis:
  • Ananta : wrote Kalanirnayavabodha and a commentary on Varaha-mihira's Laghu-jataka
  • Ganesha : wrote a number of works during 1522–1554; his great-grandson - also called Ganesha - wrote Shiromani-prakasha
  • Rama : his son Nrsimha wrote Graha-kaumudi, Kheta-muktavali, Graha-dasha-phala, Graha-dipika, Varsha-phala-dipika, Harsa-kaumudi, and ''Hillaja-dipika

Works and commentaries

Muhurtadipika by his son Ganesha lists several works written by Keshava. Sometimes, Ganesha's works are also attributed to Keshava. Works written by Keshava include:Graha-kautuka
  • a commentary on Graha-kautukaGraha-siddhiTithi-siddhiGraha-chalanaGanita-dipikaJataka-paddhati, also known as Keshava-paddhati; Brhat-keshavi is an enlarged version of this text
  • * Apparently a condensed version of Shripati's JKP: it is an extremely concise text containing only 42 verses, and was very popular as a handbook on mathematical calculations essential for jataka.
  • A commentary on Jataka-paddhatiTajika-paddhati, also known as Varsha-phala-paddhati or Tajika-keshavi
  • * A work on Tajika, it contains 26 versesSiddhanta-vasanaKayasthachara-paddhatiKundastaka-lakshana
The following works of Keshava survive in form of manuscripts, several of which are incomplete:Graha-kautuka, and possibly the commentary on it; over 10 manuscripts surviveJataka-paddhati and Brhat-keshavi, and the commentary on it Tajika-paddhati Muhurtatattva, containing two parts - Muhurta-khanda and Samhita-khanda Sudhiranjani, a karana and apparently an appendix to ''Varsha-paddhati''

Commentaries

Besides Keshava himself, several later authors have written commentaries on his works:Jataka-paddhti
  • * Keshava himself
  • * Vishva-natha at Kashi
  • * Praudha-manorama by Diva-kara at Kashi
  • * Vasana-bhashya by Dharmeshvara in Malava
  • * Jataka-kaustubha by Narayana at Kashi
  • * Guru-dasa at Jalandhara
  • * several modern editorsTajika-paddhati
  • * Mallari
  • * Vishva-natha Muhurta-tattva
  • * Muhurta-dipika by Keshava's son Ganesha
  • * Vishva-natha
Ganesha's Graha-laghava or Siddhanta-rahasya was apparently based on his father's Graha-kautuka.