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28
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
(JANUARY, 1892
NOTES AND QUERIES. OFFERINGS TO GODLINGS IN BENGAL. to Pirs at Sialkot in the PañjAb in token of vows At Råniganj and Bardwin in Bengal I found fulfilled. It would be interesting to note how small rude images of horses and elephants, far the custom is spread in India among the more used as offorings to Satto Pir by Musalmans and civilized peoples. Among the savage Chêrôs of to Bhoirob (Bhairava) and Mansa Devi by Hindus. the Mirzapur District such images of horses are Images of horses are offered in a similar way common.
R. C. TEMPLE.
BOOK-NOTICE. THE VEDANTA-SIDIANTAMUKTAVALI OF PRAKASANANDA, edition, is given a clear explanation of some of the
with English translation and notes, by ARTHUR most difficult terms of Hindu Logic. VENTS. Benares, 1590. Pp. vi, ii, 186, vi. (Reprint
Under the superintendence of Professor Venis is from the Pandit.)
published the Vizianagram Sanskrit Series, According to the editor, Prakasananda, the the first number of which is edited by Mabima. author of this work is wedged in between Nri. hopadhyâya Gangadhara Sastri Manavalli and gives sin ha-Arama and Appaya-Dikshita," the former a fair indication of the scholar-like way in which of whom converted the latter "from Sáiva heresy
the others will be done. It contains the Sansksit to the true Strikara Vedanta," and the latter text of the Siddhintalida, a work on the Vodanta
had reachel 11 good old age in 1620 A. D." Philosophy written by Appaya-Dikshita. The More precise information regarding this author 18 editor discusses, in the preface, at considerable not availablo. Consequently his work has pro- length, the date of the author, and arrives at the hably to be assigned to the Inst quarter of the conclusion that he was born about 1550 A. D. 16th century. Prakasinanda's Siddhantamuk- He further adds that Appaya-Dikshita was, ac. távali belongs to a class of works wbich serve
cording to European scholars, the chief Pandit 18 appendages to the second Adlyaya of San
at the court of the Vijayanagara king Krisliņraraja karu's grunt Bheisly. The object of these works whose other name was Venkatapati and who was "consists in searching through all the so-called
the son of Narasimha alias Narasadova. It is Droofs of dunlity (dowite) current in the schools clear from the following verse which is found at (more particularly in that of the Nyiya), in the end of the Kuvalaydnanda, another work of order to close them as just so many cnscs of the same author', that he was a contemporary of "petitio principii twióraya).” The conclusion king Venkatapati :at which the author arrives at the end of his
अमुंकवलयानन्दमकरीदप्पदीक्षितः। inquiry is expressed in the following words of the Smriti :
नियोगावेङ्कटपतेनिरुपाधिकृपानिधैः ।। ब्रह्मात्मकत्वविज्ञानं शाब्दं देशिकपूर्वकम् ।
From inscriptions and other trustworthy sources
we learn that Krishnaraja, the son of Narasa बुद्धिपूर्वकृतं पापं कृत्स्नं दहति वहिवत ॥
or Nrisimha, was not called Venkatapati, and that "The knowledge of self and Brahman as iden. he reigned from about Salka 1430 to 1451 (= A.D. tical, gained through the Voda and attendance on 1508 to 1529). If the date that is established a Guru, consumes like fire every evil deed (though) in the preface of the book under review for the done iutentionally."
birth of Appaya-Dikshita is correct, the sovereign Professor Veniz has done invaluable service
of whose court he was the chief Pandit, must to the student of the Vedantil Philosophy hy
have been Venkata I. of Karrâta, whose grants adding an English paraphrase of the whole work,
range from Saka 1508 to 1535 (= A.D. 1586 to in which the perplexing terms of the Sastra are 1613). The editor, being a stranger to Dravi. rendered by corresponding ones chosen from
dian names of places, makes Tiruvalakudu of European philosophy. The technicalities of the Tiruvalangadu ("the sacred banyan forest ), Tarkasastra make it a somewhat repulsive sub- where some of the descendants of Appaya Dikshita ject to those who have followed the close reason- are still supposed to live. Further, he attempts ing of the European school. But editions, like to Sanskritize such names as Talījå vår, Kumbha. the present one, of Hindu philosophical works, ghûnam and M& yavaram from their Anglo-Indian published by scholars like Mr. Venis, who can forms. Strange irony of fact that these forma sylupathise with the spirit of Hindu metaphysics, shonld gain permanence even in Sanskrit works go a great deal towards removing such repul. | in preference to the vernacular names ! siveness. In the index, which is appended to this
V. V.
1 Epigraphia Indica, Vol. 1. p. 332.
ante, Vol. XIII. p. 155.
