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[ xxxvii ]
It appears that Ācārya has composed these verses on the basis of ideas found in Sivapurāņa'. I have not been able to trace this particular verse in Sivapurāņa. However, its 41th chapter, Koțirudrasamhitā, verse 17-19 and in chapter 12th, Umāsamhita the theme of the verse is available. It may be possible that at the time of Haribhadra this particular verse was available in some recensions of the text ( Śivadharmottara ).
Again in the verse sixth of the same Astaka, Agnikārikā, Acārya depicts that refraining from vicious conduct is better than endeavour to purify or eliminate it, after indulging in it ( vicious conduct ), through the act of benevolence etc. To substantiate this point, he has cited the following verse in the name of Mahātmanā (coktam mahātmanā), occurring in Mahābhārata'' –
dharmārtham yasya vittehā tasyānīhā garīyasi. prakṣālanāddhi parikasya dūrādasparśanaṁ varam. 6/4
That is for him, pursuing wealth for purposes of virtue, to refrain or abstain from such pursuits is better, because surely not to touch mire ( at all ) than to wash it off ( after having besmeared with it ) is better.
In the thirteenth Dharmavādāstakam the Haribhadra upholds that virtuous ones ought to deliberate on the essence of religion. He, at the same time advises them not to ponder over the definition of valid knowledge, because there is no use in (deliberating on ) it. To support this proposition, lie quotes a verse ( kārikā), in the name of Mahāmati ( Siddhasena Divākara) tathā cāha mahāmatiņ'. The verses - the one propounding his ( Haribhadra ) view and other, the quote, are as follows -
dharmārthibhiḥ pramāņāderlaksanaṁ na tu yuktimat. prayojanādybhāvena tathā cāha mahāmatiḥ. 13/411
That is righteous one ought not to deliberate on the definition of valid knowledge etc. because of lack of motive in discussing it. Also because great scholar Ācārya Şiddhasena has
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