Śaṅkaranārāyaṇa

Who was Śaṅkaranārāyaṇa?

Śaṅkaranārāyaṇa was an Indian astronomer and mathematician in the court of King Sthanu Ravi Varman 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.