Mahavidya Vidambanam

SR No.: 020464
Original Sutra Author: N/A
Author: Vadindra Bhatt, Anandpurna, Bhuvansundarsuri, Mangesh R Telang
Publisher: Central Library
Publication Year: 1920
Total Pages: 247
Language: Sanskrit
Classification: Book_Devnagari
File Size: 16 MB

Page 10

Paudita only once, and Mabâvidyâ' and Vâdîndra: several times in bis commentary Nayanaprasadinî on Chitsukhâchârya's Tattvapradîpiká.
Thus from the foregoing references we find that the Mahavidyâ syllogisms were first known in the 12th century and since then they have been referred to by some authors till the 15th century of the Christian era. But it is rather curious that none of the Maithila and Bengal Naiyâyiks of the Modern school such as Gangesopadhyâya, Raghunâtha Siromani, Mathurânâtha, Jagadísa, Gadâdhara and others mention Mahavidya, Kulâtka Pandita Vádîndra and his Mahâvidyâ-vidambana in the discussion of the Kevalânvayihetu in their works.
Date of Mahavidya-From all the above evidence we can definitely say that the method of Mahâvidyâ syllogisms had its origin before the 12th century. From the statements made by Vâdîudra and Bhuwanasundara in their works, it is certain that one Kulâtka Pandita was the author of the ten Malâvidyâ Kârikâs (verses) or T HTHETFONTHET.
Who is Kulárka Pandita -As regards the life and date of Kulárka Paudita very little can be gathered. The only manuscript of Daśaśloki-Mahâvidyâ Sutra that was furnished to me does not give any information about the author of the work either in the beginuing or end. It contains 110 Mangala verses. Nor do the ten verses possess any internal evidence to determine the nanie of its author. The authorship of these verses is ascribed to Kularka Paudita on the authority of the statements made by Vâdîndra, Bhuvanasundara and Pratyagrûpa-bhagavân in their works.
My learned friend T. M. Tripathi Esq. B. A. of Bombay in his Introduce tion to the Tarkasaugraha of Anandajuâna p. xix says "Kulậrka Paudita does not seem to be a proper name but originally an epithetical name-PauditaKulârka (i. e. the sun in the assemblage of learned men) mistaken for a proper name by separating the first word Paudita and transposing it.” This may perhaps be so but it gives us no clue to find out the real name of Kulárka Pandita.
Whether Kulárka Pandita is identical with Śivaditya MiśraVâdîndra at the beginning of the third chapter of bis Mahâvidyâ-vidambana says as follows:-"Since Śivâditya and other logicians knowing that the positive-negative probans is nullified by Upadhi (accident) have proclaimed the Mahâvidyâ syllogisms, I, Vâdîndra, the religions councillor of King Srisinha have made these efforts to refute theni."3
1 See Tattya-pradipika pages 13, 21, 181, 184, 206, 243, 284 and 289. N. S.Edition 2 See Ditto pages, 171, 181, 183, 184, 206, 208, 221, 285, 286 and 243. 3 उपाधिव्याधिनिर्धूतमन्वयव्यतिरेकिणम् । मत्वोद्भिन्नमहाविद्याः शिवादित्यादितार्किकाः ॥ २ ॥ तेषामेव विशेषेण निराकरणसंभ्रमः । श्रीसिंहधर्माध्यक्षेण वादीन्द्रेण विधीयते ॥ ३ ॥ महाविद्याविडम्बन पृ. २.९