itiV candracchAyAganitam al-ayat-adaravil adiyil Attimattam lokottaran punar-itinn-iha 'Kelanallur' j Sbhasar allarivatujlavar adarippan porum prasiddhi perikoljavar untanekam // The date of composition of this work, Prasnasara, is given as Kali 4644 (A D. 1542-43) by the following verse in the work itself : ezhunuttorupattetfSvatu Kollam ataya nal / varunna visuvad bhdvatattvam (4464) kalyabdam ayatu // Rightly does Nilakantha remark in his A.Bhnsya : W*TZ sr^r iwwacfwfc vtmvmTW* (TSS 101, p. 156). Moreover, we know of at least two more works composed by him subsequent to his writing the ABh.Bhasya, viz., the commentary on the Siddhmtadarpana and the work on eclipses, both of which quote the ABh.BhSsya. Versatility of Nilakantha For a mere Jyautisika and one who had specialised only on its astronomical aspect, Nilakantha seems to be very well read. Every other page of his writings substantiate his knowledge of the several branches of Indian philosophy and culture. Sundararaja, the Tamil astronomer, calls him sad-darsanhparahgata, 'one who had mastered the six systems of philosophy'.* Nilakantha himself informs us that he studied Vedanta under Ravi : cf, Ravita atta-Vedantasastrena. He can refer to a Mlmamsa authority to establish a mathematical point 2 and with equal felicity apply a grammatical dictum to the same purpose 3 Pingala's Chandas-smra" and the lexicons are quoted as the occasion 1. Cf. his commentary on the Vakyakarana, 5.19 (edn., p, 119). , 2, < Cf' AB h.Bhasya,TSS IM, pp. 54, 158, where P3rthasarathi Mi^ sVyaptimrnaya and Advaitavivarana, and AJita (com. on Sloka- Z Tn I ItS , commentar y V 'Jaya come in for quotation. On Gola- pada, 50, the B r hattiku of Kumarila Bhat{a is cited. 3. Cf. quotations from the Vakyapadiya, ABh.Bha$ya, TSS 110, 4. See ABh.Bhasya, TSS 101, p. 4.
