Indian Sanskrit Scholars

 Sanskrit scholars of ancient India

1. Valmiki

The original epic 'Ramayana' was written by Valmiki. Valmiki's old name was Ratnakaran. He was a wild man who changed his mind and became an ascetic. Due to his long-term penance, a Valmikam was formed around him. Thus, he got the name Valmiki. Ramayana means the journey of Rama. Ramayana is the most influential work in the history of India. It is said in the first part of Ramayana that Narada instructed Valmiki to write the Ramayana. Narada narrated the story of Rama to Valmiki. It spread in all the languages ​​of India. Today, we do not have any clear information about Valmiki's parents or place of birth. It is believed that he lived on the banks of the Ganges, Tamasa and Sarayu rivers in northern India in his early days and later, during his ascetic life, he lived near the banks of the Tamasa.

2. Vyasa

Vyasa, also known as Krishnadvaipayana or Veda Vyasa, is an ancient Indian sage who is revered as the author and revelator of the Mahabharata. He was named Veda Vyasa because it was believed that Vyasa compiled the Hindu Vedas. He is a prominent figure in Puranas and is the son of Parashara Maharishi, born to Satyavati. He married Ambika and Ambalika, the wives of Vichitravirya, who was born to King Shantanu, born to Satyavati. The sons born to Vyasa are Dhritarashtra and Pandu. Their sons are the Kauravas and Pandavas. The war between these brothers is the basis of the epic Mahabharata. The 'Bhagavad Gita' written by Vyasa as part of the Mahabharata is one of the most valuable and beautiful philosophical works. The Brahma Sutra and the eighteen Puranas are considered to be his works. Vyasa is also considered one of the first grammarians.

3. Chanakya

Chanakya (also known as Kautilya and Vishnugupta), a statesman, thinker, and author of the ancient treatise on economics, Arthashastra. He was born into an ordinary Brahmin family in Takshashila. The Arthashastra is a collection of everything written in India on artha (philosophy of wealth and material success) up to the time of its author. He was educated in Takshashila. He was knowledgeable about medicine and astronomy. He also had knowledge of some elements of Greek and Persian knowledge brought to India by the Zoroastrians. He was the advisor and assistant to the first Mauryan emperor Chandragupta. Chanakya was responsible for the overthrow of the powerful Nanda dynasty of Pataliputra. Although a strategist, he had sound political acumen and insight into human nature.

4. Kalidasa

Kalidasa is believed to have been one of the nine jewels in the court of Chandragupta Vikramaditya. There is no evidence regarding his real name, birthplace, or life span. He is believed to have lived in Ujjain. To keep Kalidasa's memory alive, the 'Kalidas Samaroh' is now held there every year. Kalidasa's major works are the poems Ritu Samharam, Meghadootham, Kumarasambhavam, and Raghu Vansham, and the plays Vikramorvasiyam, Malavikagnimitram, and Abhijnanasakuntalam. Abhijnanasakuntalam made Kalidasa world famous. This work has been translated into many languages. The German critic Goethe described Shakuntala as a great poem that unites earth and heaven. 'Meghasandesham' is a short poem that simply describes love and love-breakup. 'Kumarasambhavam' is a long poem with 17 verses. 'Raghuvansh' describes the life and reign of all the kings of the Suryavansh dynasty. 'Vikramorvasheeyam' dramatizes the love affair between Puruvaras and Urvashi.

5. Ashvaghosha

Ashvaghosha is one of the most prominent ancient Sanskrit poets after Valmiki. Ashvaghosha, a member of the Sabha of the Kushana king Kanishka I, was a Buddhist. He is believed to have lived before Kalidasa, between 80 and 150 AD, and is considered the first playwright in Sanskrit. Ashvaghosha is believed to have been born in Ayodhya. Ashvaghosha converted to Buddhism due to the influence of a Buddhist monk named Parshwan. While Ashvaghosha was in Varanasi, Kanishka attacked the city. In exchange for the gold that Kanishka had demanded, the king of that city gave him the bowl that the Buddha is believed to have used to beg for alms, and the great scholar Ashvaghosha! Ashvaghosha, who became Kanishka's chief poet, is believed to have written a poem called 'Sundarananda'. Ashvaghosha's most famous poem is the Buddhacharita. Other Sanskrit works include the Sariputra Prakaranam and the Vajrasuchi.

6. Aryabhata

Aryabhatta was a world-famous astronomer. He lived in the 5th century. He is the author of the work 'Aryabhattayam'. Aryabhattayam is a work that opened a new branch of astronomy and mathematics. It is believed that the work was composed in Kusumpuram. 'Nalanda', one of the educational centers of ancient India, was located in that city. Historians believe that Aryabhatta was the main teacher at Nalanda. Aryabhatta was born in 476 AD in a place called Ashmakam. It is believed that this place is near Kodungalur in Kerala. He was interested in mathematics and came to Kusumpuram. Following the research he conducted there, he became a unique genius in the field of mathematics. He also discovered the approximate value of pi.

7. Vagbhatan

Many researchers believe that Vagbhata lived in the 7th century AD. A person named Vagbhatacharya, who lived in the 13th century, wrote the work 'Rasaratna Samuchaya' on Rasa Tantra. Some also argue that he himself wrote the Ashtanga Hridaya and the Ashtanga Sangraha. Vagbhatacharya, a Buddhist monk, traveled all over India. It is believed that he also visited Kerala. There is a legend that after reaching Kerala, he stayed at the Buddhist monastery in Thiruvizha, Alappuzha for some time and it was during this time that he composed the Ashtanga Hridaya. Charaka, Sushruta, and Vagbhata are known as the Trimurti of Ayurveda. Some believe that Vagbhata Kosham, Vagbhatalankaram, Shringara Thilakam, and Laghu Jataka are also attributed to him.

8. Panini

There is no exact information about Panini's life. Most researchers agree that he lived between 700 and 600 BC. Others argue that he lived around the 7th century AD. Salathuram is known as Panini's birthplace. In childhood, Panini was very bad at studying. Therefore, other children would always tease him. Unable to bear the ridicule, Panini once did penance to Shiva. It is said that Shiva, who appeared, knocked on his kadunthudi 14 times. The sound that Panini heard was the 14 sutras of the alphabet. These came to be known as the 'Meheswara' sutras. Thus, Panini became educated. This is a famous legend about Panini. The Paniniya is a grammar book in Sanskrit written by Panini. It is also known as 'Ashtadhyayi' as it has a total of eight chapters. Panini is also known by the names Ahikan, Dakshiputra, Shalanki, and Paninan.

9. Banabhattan

Banan alias Banabhattan was the court poet of Harshavardhana, the king of present-day Kannauj, formerly known as Kanyakubjam. It is believed that he lived in the 7th century. Banan's famous works are 'Harshacharitam', written about Harshavardhana, and 'Kadambari', which is considered one of the first novels in the world. From these, we get information about his life. Banan, who acquired immense knowledge in Sanskrit at a young age, went out to explore the country after his education. After traveling to many countries and gaining experience, he finally returned to his own country and became famous as a poet during this period. Harshavardhana, who came to know about Banan, made him a prominent figure in his audience. Other important works believed to be Banan's are Chandikashatakam and Parvatiparinayam.

10. Charaka

Charaka was an Ayurvedic teacher who lived in ancient India. It is believed that he lived in the 1st century AD. It is also said that he lived before that. Charaka, who was a palace physician during the time of Kanishka, is mentioned in the Buddhist text 'Tripitaka'. He is the author of the Charaka Samhita. It emphasizes physical therapy. After Charaka, in the 9th century AD, a Kashmiri physician named Dridabalan revised the Samhita again under the name 'Agnivesha Tantra'. The Charaka Samhita begins with the story of how medicine and science came into being.

11. Nagarjuna

Nagarjuna, a philosopher who lived in ancient India, was an 'alchemist'. The book he wrote is 'Rasaratnakara'! It talks about the purification of metals like silver, gold, etc. He was also a medical expert and had also conducted experiments to turn other metals into gold.

12. Bharadwaj

There is an ancient Indian text that scientifically explains the workings of machines. It is called Yantrasarvaswam. This Sanskrit text is believed to have been written by sage Bharadwaja in the 4th century BC. Yantrasarvaswam means all information about machines. This text also has a chapter called 'Vaimanika Prakaranam' that explains the construction and workings of Vimanas.

13. Patanjali

Patanjali was a sage who lived in India in the 2nd century. It was Patanjali who first introduced yoga to the world as a scientific health practice that provides well-being. It was Patanjali who devised a way to use yoga for the well-being of the body by calming the troubled mind.

14. Kanadan

Kanada Muni was a scientist who lived in ancient India. Kanada Muni was the first to propose the idea that everything in this universe is made of extremely small particles. That too in the 6th century BC! Kanada wrote the 'Anu Sutra' that if matter continues to be divided, it will eventually reach a point where it cannot be divided, and that is the Paramanu. According to ancient Indian beliefs, the universe is made of the five elements: earth, air, water, fire, and sky.

15. Kapilan

Known as the father of Indian rationalism, Kapila Maharishi is the author of the Samkhya philosophy. There is no exact information about his life. Hindus consider Kapila to be an incarnation of Vishnu.

16. Dhanvantari

According to Hindu belief, Sage Dhanvantari was an incarnation of Lord Vishnu and the physician of the gods. He is also considered the source of Ayurveda. He appeared with nectar at the end of the churning of the ocean and gave Ayurveda to humanity.

17. Varahamihira

Varahamihira was a scholar who attained extraordinary mastery in mathematics, astronomy and wrote authoritative texts. He is believed to have lived in the 6th century AD. It is also said that Kalidasa and Varahamihira lived at the same time. Varahamihira was born in the village of Avanti near Ujjain. His father's name was Adityadasa. Varahamihira says in his book that he learned his knowledge from him. Varahamihira was more interested in astrology than mathematics. Having acquired expertise in astrology, Varahamihira collected its essence and presented it in a simple way for the common people. The books he wrote are Panchasiddhantika, Brihalsamhita, Mahayatra, Vivahapadalam, Laghujataka, Brihajjataka, etc.

18. Sushruta

Sushruta was an ancient surgeon. Little is known about his life. He is believed to have lived after Charaka. He is known to have been the son of sage Vishwamitra. He was a disciple of Dhanvantari. Sushruta wrote the world's first surgical treatise, 'Sushruta Samhita'. It discusses diseases that require surgery, the necessary medicines, and the procedures for care.

19. Bhasan

Bhasan is a playwright as famous as Kalidasa in Sanskrit literature. He is believed to have lived before Kalidasa, between the third and fourth centuries AD. Kalidasa mentions Bhasan in the introduction to his play 'Malavikagnimitram'. His plays were lost for centuries. Their manuscripts were discovered in the early twentieth century. Some of them were found in Kerala, so some believe that Bhasan was a Keralite. Although Bhasan's plays are very famous, we know very little about the poet Bhasan. Bhasan's major plays are Swapnavasavadattam, Urubhangam, Pancharatram, Charudattam, Duthaghatotkacham, Avimarakam, Balacharitam, Karnabharam, Abhishekanatakam, Pratimanatakam, Duthavakyam, etc.

20. Shudraka

Like other ancient Sanskrit poets, there is no clear information about the poet Shudraka. The play 'Mruchkadika' made him famous. There is an argument that Shudraka was from South India. The basis of this argument is that North Indian Kavyamimamsakas (those who study poetry scientifically) rarely talk about Mruchkadika and the references in Mruchkadika to South Indian castes. The Mruchkadika states that the author of Mruchkadika was a king named Shudraka and that he lived to be one hundred and ten years old.

21. Bharatamuni

When we hear Natya Shastra, we think of it as a book about dance. However, Natya Shastra is not only a book about dance but also about drama, music, rasa, decoration, and acting. It was written by Bharata Muni. Bharata Muni proudly says about Natya Shastra that there is no knowledge, sculpture, knowledge, art, yoga, or action that is not mentioned in Natya Shastra. Bharata Muni has written Natya Shastra in the manner that he would have it as requested by the sages. Both verse and prose forms have been used for its writing.

22. Vishnu Sharman

Vishnu Sharman is the author of the famous book Panchatantra. Although it is said that he wrote it in the Panchatantra written by Vishnu Sharman, his lifetime and place are not mentioned anywhere. Some people are of the opinion that even the name Vishnu Sharman may be fictional. Each of the stories is very interesting, giving human characteristics to birds and animals. There is some important lesson in each story. Panchatantra is a work that was translated into other languages ​​a long time ago.

23. Amarasingha

The most popular dictionary in the Sanskrit language is the Amarakosha. This book was written by Amarasinha. The author of the book was known as Amaran. Thus, the dictionary written by Amaran later came to be known as Amarakosha. There is an argument that Amarasinha, one of the great Navaratnas in the court of Emperor Vikramaditya (Chandragupta II), the hero of the stories Vikramaditya and Vetalam, is the same Amaran who wrote the Amarakosha. However, there is an opinion that many of the Navaratnas lived at different times. Another argument is that Amarasinha lived between 700 and 900 AD. It is also said that this is the same Amarasinha mentioned in the legends related to Shankaracharya. Shankaracharya lived from AD 788-820. If so, Amarasinha must have lived during this period. There is also information available that proves that Amarasinha was a Buddhist.

24. Baudhayana

Baudhayana lived between 600 and 500 BC. Not much information is available about his life. Baudhayana wrote the Baudhayana Shulavasutra. The Shulavasutra explains the dimensions of the yajnavedi for puja rituals and the methods for constructing them.

25. Sri Shankaracharya

Indian philosopher and theologian Shankara was born in Kalady, near Aluva. He was born into a Brahmin family and became a monk after his father's death. Shankara is said to have travelled all over India, engaging in debates with philosophers of different faiths. He is the author of over three hundred Sanskrit texts, most of which are commentaries on the Vedic literature. He is the best-known exponent of the Advaita school of Vedanta philosophy and is also known as 'Adi Shankara'. He laid the foundation for orthodox Hinduism in India, which had been challenged by Jainism and Buddhism for centuries. Shankara, who took up monasticism as a child, was taught by Govindacharya. He visited Kashi and wrote commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita. He is believed to have composed many hymns, prakaramanas like the Adikasahasri, and commentaries on many works.

26. Brahmagupta

Brahmagupta was a great Indian astronomer who was described as the 'jewel among mathematicians'. This epithet was given by Bhaskaracharya. Brahmagupta established himself in the field of mathematics by studying the works of Aryabhata. Later, he made many discoveries of his own. Complete information about Brahmagupta's biography is not available. He is believed to have been born in 598 AD at a place called Dillamala in the Sindh province. His father's name was Jishnu Gupta. Brahmagupta's education was in Ujjain. After that, he worked as an astronomer in the court of Vyagramukha.

27. Bhaskara I

Bhaskara I born in Saurashtra or Ashmaka, was a mathematician. He is also said to have been from Kerala. There are no precise records about his place of birth or other aspects of his life. He is believed to have lived in the 6th century. Bhaskara I was a follower of Aryabhata. He prepared a book based on the Aryabhata. It is called the Aryabhata Bhashya. The history of Indian mathematics up to that time is filled with the Aryabhata Bhashya of Bhaskara I. Apart from the Aryabhata Bhashya, two other important works have been found by Bhaskara I. These are the Mahabhaskariya and the Laghubhaskariya. Bhaskara I understood that the Earth was round before the Westerners. Bhaskara I developed Aryabhata's principles in the study of celestial bodies.

28. Bhaskaracharya

Bhaskaracharya (Bhaskara II) was born in 1114 in a village called Vijjadavidam on the banks of the Godavari River. This place is in the state of Karnataka. Bhaskara's father was a scholar, Maheshwaran. Maheshwaran taught his son mathematics at a young age. At the age of thirty-six, Bhaskaracharya wrote the work 'Siddhantashiromani'. Bhaskaracharya was an expert in making the difficult laws of mathematics and astronomy clear and simple. He knew that any number divided by zero gives infinity. He talks about symbols, the use of letters to represent unknown numbers, etc. Bhaskaracharya recorded that the atmosphere extends sixty-six kilometers thick near the surface of the earth. He believed that above the atmosphere there are clouds. He also knew about the movement of the planets.

29. Mahavira

Mahavira is the most famous of the Jain mathematicians. He lived in Karnataka in the 9th century AD. At that time, Karnataka was ruled by a king named Amoghavarshnripatunga. He wrote a book called 'Ganitasarasamgraha'. The book was very popular in South India. Mahavira's contributions to mathematics are numerous. Mahavira assigned special names such as Ekam, Dasham, Shatam, Sahasram, Dashasahasram, Dashakodi, Shatakodi, Arbudam, Nyarbudam, Kharvam, Mahakharvam, Padmam, Mahapadmam, Kshoni, Mahakshoni, Shankham, Mahashankham, Kshiti, Mahakshiti, Kshobham, Mahakshobham. Mahavira was the first Indian mathematician to use LCM in operations with fractions. He also performed mathematical operations using negative numbers. Mahavira is also credited with being the first Indian mathematician to study the ellipse.

30. Sangamagrama Madhavan

Once upon a time, there was a village near Irinjalakuda. It was known as Sangamagrama. Madhavan was a great mathematician who was born and raised there. Everyone called him Sangamagramam Madhavan by adding the name of the village along with his name. Not much information is available about the life of Sangamagramam Madhavan. Sangamagramam Madhavan was born in Kerala between 1350 and 1600. That period is also described as the golden age of Kerala mathematics. Venvarohanam, Agaranam, Lagnaprakaranam, Mahajnanayagaprakaranam, Aganitha Panchangam, Golavadam etc. are some of Madhavan's major works.

31. Parameswaran

Vadassery Illam is located on the northern bank of the Bharathapuzha River, near its confluence with the ocean. It is there that the talented Parameswaran Namboothiri was born and raised. He is known as the most talented mathematician Kerala has seen after Aryabhatta. It is believed that Parameswaran Namboothiri lived in Kerala between 1360 and 1455. Parameswaran Namboothiri was a disciple of the famous mathematician Madhavan. Drigganitham, Goladeepika, Chandrachhaya Ganitham, Vyakakaranam, Bhadadeepika, Karmadeepika and Parameswari are some of his important works. He had many talented disciples.

32. Neelakanta Somayaji

Neelakanta Somayaji is another mathematical genius who made great contributions to the growth of mathematics in Kerala. Neelakanta Somayaji was born in 1465 in Thrikkandiyur near Tirur. His book Aryabhadeeyabhashya states that he was a disciple of Damodaran, the son of Parameswaran. Thunchath Ezhuthachan, the father of the Malayalam language, was a disciple of Neelakanta Somayaji. He also had a younger brother who was a mathematician. His father's name was Jathadevan. Somayaji traveled to all parts of Kerala to collect knowledge books and meet scholars. He organized most of the available manuscripts of knowledge books. Tantrasangraha and Sundarajprasnotharam are his works. He also wrote an explanation of Aryabhadeeya titled Ganithamapaadam. He died in 1545.

33. Narayana Pandit

Narayana Pandit was the main contributor to the growth of Indian mathematics after Bhaskaracharya. It is believed that Narayana Pandit lived in the 14th century. It has been understood that his father's name was Nrisimhadavijnan. However, no one knows exactly where in India Narayana Pandit lived. He is the author of the famous works Ganithakaumudi and Bija Ganithavatamsam. Narayana Pandit wrote Ganithakaumudi in 1356.

34. Sreedharan

Sreedharan is a famous mathematician of India. Sreedharan has made discoveries that amazed even the great mathematician Bhaskara II. He is believed to have lived in 1020 AD. Patiganita and Trishatika are considered to be Sreedharan's major works. Manuscripts of these books have been found in the collections of scholars. Later, these books were printed and published. Sreedhari Lilavati is another notable work of his. Centuries later, mathematicians have found that the things said in his works about equations, fractions, and techniques involving zero are correct.