Bhattotpala is an erudite astrologer and astronomer of the early medieval period. Bhattotpala, also known as Utpala, was a native of Kashmir as averred by the Arabic polymath Al-Beruni and Varunabhatta in his gloss on Brahmagupta’s Khandakhadyaka, and supported by his employment of some of the terms current only in Kashmir.
Bhattotpala composed
- Prashna Jnana, also called Arya-saptati (consisting of 70 stanzas in the Arya meter, perhaps a part of a larger work named Jnanamala)
- Yuddhajayarnavatantra
- From his commentary on Brihajjataka, we learn of his work on architecture (Vastuvidya).
Al-Beruni attributes to him a few other works, viz.,
- Rahunirakarana (probably an error for Rahunirakarana)
- Karana-pata, i.e., killing the Karanas
- Prashna Gudhamani (perhaps a mistake for Prashna-Chudamani)
- Srudhava
The reputation of Utpala mainly stands on his scholarly
commentaries, especially on Varahamihira’s writings, viz., Brihaja-jataka,
Brihata Samhita, Laghu Jataka, Yoga Yatra and Vivaha Patala. His commentaries
on Satpandasika of Prithuyasas, Varahamihira’s son, and on Brhmagupta’s
Khanda-khadyaka are also available.
His gloss on Brihanmamasa, attributed to a certain Manu, is
mentioned by Al-Beruni, and his commentary on Badarayana-Prashna is extant in
manuscripts.
Commentaries of Utpala show his great erudition, and he cites
from a number of texts many of which are no longer extant and are known only
from his citations, which have turned out to be a valuable source for early
Hindu literary history.
But there is some uncertainty about the period of Bhattotpala.
Based on evidence of the concluding stanzas of his scholia on Varahamihira’s
Brihaja-jataka and Brihatsamhita mentioning the Saka year 888, commonly taken
to be the same as the Saka era commencing in 78 CE, it is generally believed
that he lived in about the middle of the 10th century CE. However,
as he is cited by the Arabic author Abu Ma’shar, who passed away in 88t CE, it
is proper to take the Saka of Utapala of refer to the Vikrama era with its
epoch commencing in 58-57 BCE. This finds support from some statements of
Utapala himself regarding the circumstances of the commencement of the Saka era
as well as by the employment of the term Saka or Saka for the years of the
Vikrama era in certain early medieval Hindu inscriptions. Utpala, thus, lived
in the first half of the 9th century CE and he could, therefore, be
quoted by Abu Ma’shar.