सिद्धान्तदर्पण (महामहोपाध्याय सामन्त चन्द्रशेखर सिंह - नग्न-नेत्र खगोल वेध एवं गणित महाकोश)

Introduction xix
subjects, I was surprised to find in him a man of
genius and extraordinary merit. Since then I have
looked into his work, Siddhanta-darpana, written
on palm leaves in Oriya character, the result of his
life-long labour in the field of astronomical research.
Two years ago¹ he was honoured by Government
with the title of Mahamahopadhyaya, a title hitherto
enjoyed only by Brahman versed in Sanskrit lore.
Chandrasekhara however, is not a Brahman but a
Kshattriya by caste.
He was born in the Saka-year 1757 (1835 A.D.)²
in the small village of Khandapara, some 50 or 60
miles West of Katak, amidst the hills and jungles
for which Western Orissa is famous. It is the chief
town of the Raja of Khandapara - one of the
tributary chiefs of Orissa. Chandrasekhara belongs
to the Raj family, the present Raja, Natabara
Mardaraj, Bhramaravara Ray being a son of
Chandrasekhara's eldest cousin. The full name of
the author is Chandrasekhara Simha Samanta
Harichandana Mahapatra. Harichandana and
Mahapatara are mere titles bestowed by the Raja of
Puri, whose influence upon the destinies of the
Rajas of Orissa is still as unbounded as was that of
the Pope of Rome on the vassals of medieval
Europe. He is styled Samanta as befits a member
of the Raj family. In Orissa, however he is best

1. The sanad conferring the Mahamahopadhyaya to Samanta
   Chandrasekhar bears the date 3rd June, 1893. Hence this
   portion was written by late Prof. Jogesh Ch. Ray in the
   year 1895 and the article was complete and printed finally
   in the year 1899.
2. Prof. Jogesh Ch. Roy has simply added 78 to the Saka
   era 1757 to get the A.D. But actually the date of birth
   when calculated comes to be 11th January, 1836 A.D.