Acyuta, the author -
Acyuta is a prominent figure in the literary annals of Kerala where he is well known under his full name Trikkantiyur Acyuta Pisarati. “Tr-k-kanti-y-ar' (often Sanskritised into 'Sri-Kunda-pura'), situated near Tirur in South Malabar, was his home-town, and "Pisarati' was his surname indicating his caste, being one of the external functionaries of the Kerala temple. He was a profound scholar, especially in astronomy and grammar. He wielded a facile pen and some of his verses, particularly the illustrative verses added to his work Pravesaka, form exquisite pieces of poetry. Besides, he was proficient also in Ayurveda, as known from a pointed reference thereto by his famous pupil, Melputtur Narayana Bhattatiri, in an obituary verse composed by him at the demise of Acyuta ;
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हे शब्दागम ! निर्दय विबुधतालुब्धैनिपीडिष्यसे |
Acyuta's Teacher and Patron
Acyuta's teacher in astronomy was Jyesthadeva (A.D. 1500-1610), author of the well-known Yuktibhasa, an analytical work on mathematics and astronomy, and the astronomical manual Drkkarana. He is specifically mentioned by Acyuta towards the end of one of his works, the Uparagakriyakrama :
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‘प्रोक्तः प्रवयसो ध्यानात्? ज्येष्ठदेवस्य सद्गुरोः । |
"Acyuta was a protégé of King Ravi Varma, a renowned patron of letters, who ruled over the principality of Vețțattu-nãdu (Sanskritised into 'Prakasa-visaya). Acyuta refers to him, in double
l. On Acyuta, see S. Venkitasubramonia Iyer, Acyuta Pisarati: His date and works, Journal of Oriental Research, 22 (1952-53) 40-46; Ulloor, Kerala Sahitya Charitram, Vol. II, (Trivandrum, 1954), pp. 319-26 ; Vatakkumkūr, Kerali ya Samskrita Sahitya Charitram, Vol. 11 (Trichur, 1947), pp. 748.57.
2. On Jyeshadeva, see K.V. Sarna, Jyesțhadeva and his identification as "the author of Yuktibhāga, Adyar Library Bulletin, 22 (1958) 350 Hist, of Ker. Astron., ibid., pp. 59-60,
