This chronogram works out to A.D. 1621. An idea of his date of birth is provided by the date of Narayana Bhattatiri (born A.D. 1560). Allowing a difference of at least ten years between the teacher and
the pupil, Acyuta might be taken to have lived between A.D. 1550 and 1621.
Manuscripts material
The present edition of Sphutanirnaya and its commentary is based on eight manuscripts of the text and six manuscripts of the commentary. All the manuscripts are in palm leaf and are inscribed in the Malayalam script prevalent in Kerala. In the case of two, viz., A and E, however, their modern transcripts were used for collation purposes. The Appendices are culled from matter found inscribed on the flyleaves, end folios and miscellaneous scraps, in certain astronomical codices.
Manuscripts of the Text
1. Ms. A : A manuscript in the collection of the late Shri M. S. Srinivasa Sastri, Palghat. This ms., which contains also the commentary, leaves out several of the verses. Except for some obvious scribal errors, the matter in the ms. is perfect. The codex contains, besides the Sphutanirnaya and its commentary, the Uparagakriyakrama of Acyuta with a Malayalam commentary. It also carries the following post-colophonic statement which gives the date of the completion of the ms. as Kollam era 1042 (A.D. 1867) : Sri-Suryadi-sarvagrahebhyo namah. Kollam 1042-amantu Makara-masam 18 Budhan-azhcayun Anizhavum Dasamiyun kutiya divasam nannu muzhifiiiu ezhutiyvatu. Grantham arkkum kotukkarutu. Sri-Ganesaya namah.
2. Ms. B : Ms. No. C. 809-C of the Kerala University Oriental Research Institute and Manuscripts Library, Trivandrum, described in the Des. Cata. of Skt. Miss. in the Curator’s Office Library, vol. IV, pp. 1503-4 and copied in the Library's Transcript No. 584. The ms. was procured from Shri Krishna Variyar, Vatakke Teruvu, Thiruvarppu (South Kerala). It is legible and generally correct and has passed through the hands of a reviser. It is old and crumbling, and not dated. The codex contains the following works : A. Tantrasangraha of Nilakantha Somayaji with the commentary of Sankara ;
1. S. Venkitasubramonia Iyer, Prakriyasarvasya of Narayathabhata A critical study, (Trivandrum, 1972), p. 20.
