Jagannātha, whose father's name was Gaṇeśa,[1][2] and grandfather's Viṭṭhala[2] was from aVedic family[1] originally fromMaharashtra.[2]
At the suggestion of Jai Singh, he learnedArabic andPersian, in order to studyIslamic astronomy.[1][2] Having become proficient in these languages, he translated texts in these languages intoSanskrit.[1][2] These translations include:
Rekhā-gaṇita, a translation ofEuclid'sElements made fromNasir al-Din al-Tusi's Arabic recension of the same. For this work, he had to coin more than a hundred Sanskrit mathematical terms[1]
Siddhānta-samrāṭ, which describes astronomical instruments, their design and construction, and observations. It also describes the use of these observations in correcting parameters and preparing almanacs. It mentions how Jai Singh, who earlier used astronomical instruments (such as theastrolabe) made of metal, later switched to huge outdoor observatories (such as theJantar Mantar), as they were more precise; also they were made of stone and mortar rather than brick, to diminish the effects of wear-and-tear and climate.[1]
Yantra-prakāra, which describes astronomical instruments, measurements, computations, etc. in more detail, and also observations made by him.[1]
Jagannātha held that when theory and observation differed, observation was the truepramāṇa and overruled theory.[2] While he used and described a number of astronomical instruments, telescopes were not one of them.[2]
