Introduction ixiii Tantrasahgraha, points out that the first and last verses of the work contain chronograms specifying the dates of commencement and completion of the work. Thus, after giving the natural meaning of the first verse of the work : 'I fectjft f?rf|a ^nra I Sankara says : 3?TrJTqfa %H S^foP 3TTf%fft ^nT SPWnl* SWUTWfor-qfJW- These two Kali dates, 16,80,548, and 16,80,553, work out to Kali Year 4601, Mina 26, and 4602 , Mesa 1, both dates occurring in April 1500. The SiddhantaJar pana and NTlakan^ha's own commentary thereon give the year and actual date of his birth. Cf. : Text : ^f?m?&W*Ti% FOTcTOnsft ^ | (Sid. Dar. 18) Com. : feswwcTfacTt g?r r>t% tT^^r wmli stowst: myfsssns<j£?3*T^; i *t sr ?fkrssHT qs^anft^-siflfacT. (4500) i ?t?st TTriTST: q^^T?^?^: (45) i cTcf: ?W5TcTt??T^: 'fawf^'fa (4545) I sai wfswJftsrrrafa ar^-q^gw '^ri^Tt^' (4536) q*te*r ^N^cR 1 <RT ST^T^R^ '^T^^T TO (16,60,181) ffcT I (Trivandrum Palace Ms. 975 ; p. 14 of my transcript). Here Nlia- kant.ha himself says that he was born on the Kali day 16,60,181, which works out to A.D. 1443 Dec. (Kali 4545 Vrscika). That NTlakantha lived to a ripe old age, even to become a centenarian, is attested by a contemporary reference made of him in a Malayalam work on astrology, viz., the Pras/iasara by Madhava, a Namputiri brahman of the Incakkazhva house in Kerala, who wrote his work in A.D. 1542-43. Here, Madhava says that he could count upon reputed authorities like 'Kelanaliur' to recommend his work. Cf. ;
