Bhattoji Diksita On Sphota

Author(s): Johannes Bronkhorst
Publisher: Johannes Bronkhorst

Page 11

BHATTOJI DIKṢITA ON SPHOTA
author of the Prakriyakaumudi as präcīnaprakriyägranthakṛt (e.g. ed. Sadashiva Sharma p. 161. 1; ed. Madhusudana p. 25 1.5, p. 31 1.7).
As already stated, Bhattoji uses the term prac in his Praudha Manorama to refer to Rämacandra the author of the Prakriyakaumudī. This text contains numerous references to this 'former one' (prac) whose book (grantha) is sometimes called prakriyāgrantha. Connected with the former one' Bhattoji sometimes mentions his commentator (note the use of the plural), as well as the 'author of the Prasada'. This happens, for example, in a passage whose structure is as follows:48
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yat tu praccā... uktam, yac ca tadvyākhyātṛbhir ... uktam, yac c[a] ... prasādakṛtā ... kṛtam, tad etat sakalam bhāṣyakaiyaṭāparyälocanamulakam.
"What has been stated by the former one, and what has been stated by his commentator, as well as what has been done by the author of the Prasada, all this is based on a lack of careful consideration of the Bhāṣya and Kaiyaṭa."
This passage shows us the way in which Bhattoji criticizes his predecessors. It also allows us to identify them with precision. The words which Bhattoji attributes to 'the former one' (veti kecit sakhyah, sukhyah, sakhyuh, sukhyuh; with variant for the last four words: sakhyah, sukhyah) clearly corresponds to the following passage from the Prakriyäkaumudi (ed. Trivedi I p. 167, on P. 7.3.116; cp. ed. Miśra I p. 260): veti kecit / sakhyah, sakhyah, with variants for the last word: sakhyuh and sukhyuh. Bhattoji attributes to the author of the Prasada five metrical lines (two and a half slokas). These occur in the commentary called Prasada of Vitthala (I p. 167 1.12-16) in exactly the same form. The 'commentator', finally, is attributed with the following words: ubhayam apy etad bhāṣye sthitam. This phrase occurs in Sesa Krsna's Prakāśa, in exactly this form (1 p. 260 1.21).49 In other words, the 'commentator' is Sesa Krsna, Bhattoji's former
teacher.
We see from this passage that Bhattoji's criticism of his predecessors is direct, but not impolite. The following passage, in which Bhattoji criticizes the former one' (präc), i.e. Rämacandra, along with his grandson (tatpautra), i.e. Vitthala, provides another example of this:50
yat tu prácoktam 'uhäv itäv' iti, yac ca tatpautrena vyakhyatam 'ukära ugitkäryārtha' iti, tad asangatam iti bhāva.
"The idea is that what has been stated by the former one - viz., that u and i [in asun which is prescribed in P. 7.1.89 pumso 'sun] are markers and what has been explained by his grandson - viz., that u is there in order that the effect of having u, r or ! as marker [may apply] (by P. 7.1.6 ugitas ca) is impossible."