॥ Salutations to the Blessed Lord Ganesha ॥

Composed by Ganesha Daivajna

Grahalaghava: An Astronomical Manual

With the commentary and examples by the eminent astronomer Vishvanatha,

including new examples, proofs, and Sanskrit-Hindi explanations.

The Author’s Auspicious Invocation —

The speech of Keshava The author's father and teacher and the sacred Vedas are victorious; they generate the awakening of light referring both to the stars and to spiritual enlightenment. Having purified the mind through the performance of subtle calculations, though concise in words, they are filled with profound meaning and made manifest through the methods devised by his followers. ॥1॥

Vishvanatha —

Having churned the ocean of the scriptures, the teacher Ganesha, the master of astronomers,

composed this Grahalaghava; to please the virtuous, I provide this explanation.

Meditating on the son of Shambhu Ganesha, I, Vishvanatha, son of Divakara,

the capable Narayana for the protection of Gokula, the best of living astronomers, [write this]. ॥ 1 ॥

The works composed by the venerable teacher Ganesha Daivajna were recorded in two verses by his nephew, the astronomer Nrisimha, in his own commentary on the Grahalaghava.

They are as follows —

Having first composed the Grahalaghava, the small and large Tithi-Chintamani,

a commentary on the Siddhanta Shiromani, and an explanation of the Lilavati;

a commentary on the Vrindavana, an explanation of the Muhurta-Tattva,

a definitive judgment on the true scriptures, and a fine commentary on the Chhandarnava... ॥ 1 ॥

...the Sudhiranjana, the Tarjani-Yantra a finger-gnomon instrument, a decision on the Krishna-Ashtami festival and Holika;

having reached his goals through these simple methods and other unprecedented works, the teacher Ganesha attained the Great Peace of Brahma. ॥ 2 ॥

The eminent Ganesha Daivajna—born into the noble lineage of the sage Kaushika, residing in Nandigrama near the ocean shore, whose lotus feet are worshipped by the lords of the whole earth, who is proficient in the meaning of all scriptures, an expert in the proofs of the eighteen Siddhantas major astronomical treatises, a leader among grammarians, and clever in the essence of mathematical inquiry—desiring to compose this manual named Grahalaghava, first utters an auspicious invocation in the Vasantatilaka meter. This invocation, intended for the successful completion and propagation of the book, takes the form of a blessing and salutation directed toward the Goddess of Speech, the Vedas, and his teacher:

"Light..." etc. The speech or voice of Keshava, the author’s father, is victorious—it exists in a state of supreme excellence. The Shruti (the Veda) is also victorious. He describes its nature in the verse: "Generating the awakening of light." It generates the Prabodha (knowledge or awakening) of the Jyotis (the lights), meaning the planets, constellations, and stars. In another sense, it generates the knowledge of the Supreme Light known as Brahman. By doing what? "Having purified the mind," meaning having made the mind steady and clear. How? "Through the performance of subtle calculations." These are the astronomical operations and methods well-taught by Keshava; through their practice, specifically the astronomical manuals mentioned such as the Graha-Kautuka? having practiced well? the mind...