The text is written in lyrical Sanskrit verse comprises 865 slokas and 28 chapters.
It deals in a most comprehensive and authoritative manner with almost all astrological aspects of human life.
He was born Markandeya Bhattathiri in a family of Namboodari Brahmins in Panchgiri village of Tirunelveli in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
His work, Phaladeepika, though very popular in South India and from a very long time in the past available in Southern languages script-versions came to light when its original Sanskrit version was published from Kolkata around 1925.
[7] At the very close of this text, Mantreswara confirms that he indeed lived in Shalivati, in present Tirunelveli, as a Brahmin astrologer.