I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE 5 : JULY 2021 Thalakkulattur Govindabhattatiri –The Legent in Astrology Dr.Sujaikumar.C.K Dept. of Sanskrit General, SSUS Abstract Kerala had made substantial contributions in the field of traditional Sanskrit learning related to Vedas, ved¡´gas, k¡vyas, n¡¶akas, and a number of other ¿¡stras like the dar¿anas, tantras, ¿ilpa, ¡yurveda and jyotiÀa. The vast literary outputs as well as the profound learning displayed in most of the works, particularly those in the form of commentaries, bespeak this intensity of the learning. Hindu astronomy (both observational and computational) intensively starts from about fourth century AD onwards. Among them, Da¿¡dhy¡y¢ is the famous and authoritative Sanskrit commentary on B¤hajj¡taka of Var¡hamihira from Kerala. Govindabha¶¶atiri, the author of Da¿¡dhy¡y¢ was a famous astrologer, astronomer, commentator and a Sanskrit scholar. Date of Govindabha¶¶atiri The date of Govindabha¶¶atiri is still in controversy. Scholars are of different views about it. Kottarattil Sankunni considers both Vilvama´galam Sv¡miy¡r (1220 - 1300 AD) and Govindabha¶¶atiri as contemporaries1. Some other scholars like Acharya Narendra Bhushan attributed that the time of Govindabha¶¶atiri may be in thirteenth century AD2. K. Ramakrishnan says that he was lived in seventeenth century AD3. The only convincing evidence documented by Ullur.S.Paramesvara Iyer is represented in ‘Kali’ chronogram as ‘®úIÉänÂùMÉÉäÊ´Éxnù¨ÉEÇò&’ which corresponds to Malayalam year 412 and his death time is also documented by him as kali Chronogram as ‘EòÉʱÉxnùÒ Ê|ɪÉiÉÖ¹]õ&’ which can be dated 470 of the ‘kollam era’4. Hence it may be said that the lifetime of Bhattatiri is supposed to be in between 1237 to1295 AD. 1 Aitihya´´a½ile adbhutajyotissuka½ of Kottarattil Sankunni, (article) ‘Talaku½att£r bha¶¶atiriyum p¡½£r pa·ipurayum, D.C Books, Kottayam, p.15 2 Acharya Narendrabhushan, Hindu Encyclopedia, p.423 3 Da¿¡dhy¡y¢, Talakkulattur Govindabhattatiri, in preface, p.vi 4 K.S.C, vol.I, p.196 304 I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE 5 : JULY 2021 Childhood and Education of Govindabha¶¶atiri As a Brahmin, Bha¶¶atiri gained all classical knowledge related to Sanskrit sources in the traditional method. At the time of childhood, he studied Vedas from ‘K¡½¡¶¶’ temple near Thirur in Malappuram district. The name of the teacher is seen as ‘Otikkon’ which was a general title term of the Vedic teacher5. After the Ved¡dhyayana during childhood Bha¶¶atiri learned k¡vyas, n¡¶akas, ala´k¡ras, ¿abda¿¡stra etc. A number of legends are available about him of which most of them are connected with the astrological predictions of Govindabha¶¶atiri. One of such story is related with his study time is as follows: Even in his childhood, Bha¶¶atiri had a great interest in astrology. Once at the time of education in the traditional method (Gurukula) Govinda (is also called N¡r¡ya¸anu¸¸i) and his friends were engaged in playing near teacher’s house. When the teacher had gone outside, Bhattatiri imitated as an astrologer and other friends behaved as inquirers ({ÉÞSUôEò&). During the pra¿na, the friends were raising various questions and Bha¶¶atiri had given prompt answers to each question. When the teacher returned, he heard all the questions by the students and Bha¶¶atiri’s answers also. Among the friends, one asked a question that what may be due to our teacher’s childlessness (+xÉ{ÉiªÉiÉÉ). Bha¶¶atiri thought for a while and answered that it is because of the curse of the children (¤ÉɱɶÉÉ{É&). As a solution Bha¶¶atiri prescribed remedy also, that to be offered rice and delicious food items to children. Hearing these conversations of the children, the teacher had provided them with all kinds of delicious food items like p¡yasa, la··u etc. Within a short time, the wife of the teacher became pregnant and delivered a child and the teacher blessed Govinda that ‘he would be a great astrologer’ in future. Bha¶¶atiri took his primary education from his native place. But it is assumed that his higher studies on jyotiÀa might have been from out of Kerala. Ullur says that Kuµjann£r ˽v¡r was the teacher of Bha¶¶atiri on astrology and Bha¶¶atiri became a worshipper of lord Vatakkunn¡tha of Thrissur for a long time to make betterment in 5 Anubhavadarpa¸am (mal), of P.S.Nambisan, part. I, Panchangam bookstall, Kunnamkulam, p.139 305 I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE 5 : JULY 2021 astrology6. According to Acharya Narendra Bhushan, the name of the teacher of astrology of Bha¶¶atiri is ‘Taµj¡v£r ˽v¡r’7. Personal details of Govindabha¶¶atiri We have no clear evidence about the personal details of Govindabha¶¶atiri. The only information available is through legends only. He was a Brahmin and some scholars like P.S. Nambisan say that his name was ‘N¡r¡ya¸anu¸¸i’ and his native place is at Talakku½att£r near Thirur in Malappuram istrict8. Presently the place Talakku½att£r is identified as ‘Talakka¶att£r’. Talakku½att£r family was situated at Niramarut£r near Tirur by ten kilometers. Some members of the family of Bha¶¶atiri are surviving even now at that place. In a written record of Acyuta Menon of U½½¡¶il who was the Muncif of Thirur, it is stated that “he is the last member of the family”9. This is the only written record related to Bha¶¶atiri. His parents, family members and his name of the family also are in controversy. Talakku½att£r illam and their properties were merged into ‘E¶amarattumana’ family later. The family of ‘E¶amarattumana’ still exists near Thirur in Malappuram district. Sridevi Antarjjanam (81 years old) of E¶amarattumana has provided some information about the genealogy of this family in this regard. Sridevi Antarjjanam opines that the ‘Na·uvattu’ must have been the name of Bha¶¶atiri’s illam10. Two temples are famous at Talakku½att£r near Bhattatiri’s Illam. One of them is a Bhagavat¢ temple situated in the compound of his decaying Illam and another one is a Siva temple situated around one kilometer of the same Illam. The temple is called now ‘Ma¸attala’ Siva temple. Above said Goddess Bhagavati must have been the worshipping deity of his family. The same temple still exists as a souvenir because there are no daily p£j¡ ceremonies. An arrow (¿£lam) and a p¢¶ham are seen inside this temple. Family details of Govindabha¶¶atiri 6 Op.Cit., K.S.C, vol.I, 1996, p.196 7 Op.Cit., Hindu Encyclopaedia, p. 423 8 Op.Cit., Anubhavadarpa¸am, (article) Ya¿a¿¿ar¢ran¡ya Talakku½att£r Bha¶¶atiri, (part ,) Panchangam Book stall, Kunnamkulam, 1993. 9 Ibid., p.139 10 Interview conducted on 6-7-2007 (E¶amaratt Mana at Manchery in Malappuram) 306 I N S I G H T: An International Multilingual Journal for Arts and Humanities Peer Reviewed and Refereed: ISSN: 2582-8002 University Research Publications, Ernakulam, Kerala VOL 1-ISSUE 5 : JULY 2021 There is no convincing evidence about the family members and parents of Bha¶¶atiri. Kottarathil Sankunni, the author of Aitihyam¡l¡, provides some details about Bha¶¶atiri’s family background. He has further referred to the cause of outcast of Bha¶¶atiri also. At the time of youth he had been married as a part of the g¤hasth¡¿rama and bring forth to a son. But the son accidentally passed away. Bha¶¶atiri discussed the details of the horoscope of his son from his preceptor Taµc¡v£r ˽v¡r. The preceptor realized its cause from that horoscope and Bha¶¶atiri’s carelessness on the astrological application also was indicated. He insisted first as to be a good worshipper of the God as expiation. After this incident, Bha¶¶atiri worshiped lord Va¶akkunn¡tha at Thrissur for a long time to make betterment in astrology. Cause of outcast of Govindabha¶¶atiri Various stories or legends are connected with P¡½£r family and the outcast of Bha¶¶atiri. One of them is that Bha¶¶atiri was aware of his future ‘outcast’ according to his horoscope. Hence, he conducted a journey from temple to temple to overcome this destiny and at last he arrived at the Siva temple of Piravam near P¡½£r in Ernakulam district. At the moment of the period of that yoga, he conducted a voyage in a boat single handed to overcome that yoga. On account of the rainy season, His boat was wrecked and he arrived in a ka½apura or outhouse of P¡½£r ka¸iy¡r family and he laid down there on a cot in the portico. But accidentally Bha¶¶atiri engaged in sexual intercourse with a woman of that ka¸iy¡r family at that night. Later on, that woman knew that it was not her husband. But Bha¶¶atiri realized the greatness of astrological theory and he consoled her that ‘she will gives birth a son soon who should be a great astrologer in future’. Bha¶¶atiri also predicted his time of death as at the age of twelve of his son.