Vararuchi

Statue of Nārānat Bhrāntan (The madman of Nārāṇatt), one of the twelve children of Vararuci of Kerala legends. Vararuci (also transliterated as Vararuchi) () is a name associated with several literary and scientific texts in Sanskrit and also with various legends in several parts of India. This Vararuci is often identified with Kātyāyana. Kātyāyana is the author of ''Vārtikās'' which is an elaboration of certain sūtrās (rules or aphorisms) in Pāṇini's much revered treatise on Sanskrit grammar titled Aṣṭādhyāyī. Kātyāyana is believed to have flourished in the 3rd century BCE. However, this identification of Vararuci with Kātyāyana has not been fully accepted by scholars. Vararuci is believed to be the author of ''Prākrita Prakāśa'', the oldest treatise on the grammar of ''Prākrit'' language. Vararuci's name appears in a verse listing the 'nine gems' (navaratnas) in the court of one Vikramaditya. Vararuci appears as a prominent character in ''Kathasaritsagara'' ("ocean of the streams of stories"), a famous 11th century collection of Indian legends, fairy tales and folk tales as retold by Somadeva.

The ''Aithihyamala'' of Kottarathil Shankunni states that Vararuchi was the son of Govinda Swami i.e. Govinda Bhagavatpada. It also states that King Vikramaditya, Bhatti (the minister of King Vikramaditya) and Bharthari were his brothers. Vararuci is the father figure in a legend in Kerala popularly referred to as the legend of the ''twelve clans born of a pariah woman (Parayi petta panthirukulam)''. Vararuci of Kerala legend was also an astute astronomer believed to be the author of Chandravākyas (moon sentences), a set of numbers specifying the longitudes of the Moon at different intervals of time. These numbers are coded in the katapayādi system of numeration and it is believed that Vararuci himself was the inventor of this system of numeration. The eldest son of Vararuci of Kerala legend is known as Mezhathol Agnihothri and he is supposed to have lived between 343 and 378 CE.

The name Vararuchi is associated with more than a dozen works in Sanskrit, and the name Katyayana is associated with about sixteen works. There are around ten works connected with astronomy and mathematics associated with the name of Vararuci. Provided by Wikipedia
Showing 1 - 9 results of 9 for search 'Vararuci', query time: 0.78s Refine Results
  1. 1
    by Vararuci
    Published 1980
    Prayāgaḥ : Devabhāṣāprakāśanam, 1980.
    16 p. ; 21 cm.
  2. 2
    by Vararuci
    Published 1982
    Vārāṇasī : Sampūrṇānandasaṃskṛtaviśvavidyālaya, 1982.
    21, 4, 20 p. ; 26cm.
  3. 3
    by Vararuci (Dramatist)
    Published 1979
    New Delhi : Printox, 1979.
    xvi, 69 p., [8] leaves of plates : ill. ; 25 cm.
  4. 4
    by Vararuci (Dramatist)
    Published 1967
    [Madras, V. Sambamurthy] 1967.
    83 p. 23 cm.
  5. 5
    by Vararuci (Prakrit grammarian)
    Published 1927
    Benares City : Vidya Vilas Press, 1927.
    2 v. ; 22 cm.
  6. 6
    by Nāgārjuna, 2nd cent
    Published 1979
    Pondichéry : Institut français d'indologie, 1979.
    xxxviii, 206 p. ; 26 cm.
    Other Authors: ...Vararuci...
  7. 7
    Published 1975
    Calcutta : Manisha Granthalaya, 1975.
    389 p. in various pagings ; 22 cm.
    Other Authors: ...Vararuci (Dramatist)...
  8. 8
    [Baroda, M.S. University of Baroda; can be had from the University Publication Sales Unit, 1969]
    ix, 43 p. 26 cm.
    Other Authors: ...Vararuci...
  9. 9
    Published 1969
    Baroda : M.S. University of Baroda, 1969.
    1 online resource (ix, 43 p.)
    Other Authors: ...Vararuci (Dramatist)...
    Center for Research Libraries
    Online Resource

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