Shankara Variyar (; .) was an

astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, g ...

mathematician A mathematician is someone who uses an extensive knowledge of mathematics in their work, typically to solve mathematical problems. Mathematicians are concerned with numbers, data, quantity, structure, space, models, and change. History On ...

of the

Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics The Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics or the Kerala school was a school of Indian mathematics, mathematics and Indian astronomy, astronomy founded by Madhava of Sangamagrama in Kingdom of Tanur, Tirur, Malappuram district, Malappuram, K ...

. His family were employed as temple-assistants in the temple at near modern

Ottapalam Ottapalam, (also spelled Ottappalam) is a town, taluk and municipality in the Palakkad district, Palakkad District, Kerala, India. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ottapalam taluk. Ottapalam is located about 36 km from district head ...

Mathematical lineage

He was taught mainly by

Nilakantha Somayaji Keļallur Nilakantha Somayaji (14 June 1444 – 1544), also referred to as Keļallur Comatiri, was a major mathematician and astronomer of the Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics. One of his most influential works was the comprehensi ...

(1444–1544), the author of the

Tantrasamgraha Tantrasamgraha, or Tantrasangraha, (literally, ''A Compilation of the System'') is an important astronomical treatise written by Nilakantha Somayaji, an astronomer/mathematician belonging to the Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics. The ...

and Jyesthadeva (1500–1575), the author of

Yuktibhāṣā ''Yuktibhāṣā'' ( ml, യുക്തിഭാഷ, lit=Rationale), also known as Gaṇita-yukti-bhāṣā and (''Compendium of Astronomical Rationale''), is a major treatise on Indian mathematics, mathematics and Hindu astronomy, astronomy, ...

. Other teachers of Shankara include Netranarayana, the patron of Nilakantha Somayaji and

Chitrabhanu Chitrabhanu (July 26, 1922 – April 19, 2019) was a prominent figure in American Jainism. He was one of the co-founders of JAINA. Personal life He was born as Rup-Rajendra Shah on July 26, 1922 in a small town Takhatgarh in Pali district of ...

, the author of an astronomical treaties dated to 1530 and a small work with solutions and proofs for algebraic equations.

Works

The known works of Shankara Variyar are the following: * ''Yukti-dipika'' - an extensive commentary in verse on ''Tantrasamgraha'' based on ''Yuktibhāṣā''. * ''Laghu-vivrti'' - a short commentary in prose on ''Tantrasamgraha''. * '' Kriya-kramakari'' - a lengthy prose commentary on Lilavati of Bhaskara II. * An astronomical commentary dated 1529 CE. * An astronomical handbook completed around 1554 CE.

References

K. V. Sarma K. V. Venkateswara Sarma (1919–2005) was an Indian historian of science, particularly the astronomy and mathematics of the Kerala school. He was responsible for bringing to light several of the achievements of the Kerala school. He was edito ...

(1997), "Sankara Variar",

Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures ''Encyclopaedia of the History of Science, Technology, and Medicine in Non-Western Cultures'' is an encyclopedia edited by Helaine Selin and published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 1997, with a second edition in 2008, and third edition in 2016. ...

edited by

Helaine Selin Helaine Selin (born 1946) is an American librarian, historian of science, author and the editor of several bestselling books. Career Selin attended Binghamton University, where she earned her bachelor's degree. She received her MLS from SUNY Alb ...

, Springer, {{DEFAULTSORT:Variyar, Shankara Indian Hindus Kerala school of astronomy and mathematics Year of death unknown Year of birth uncertain 16th-century Indian mathematicians People from Ottapalam Scientists from Kerala 16th-century Indian astronomers