Indian Antiquary Vol 24

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 40

36
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[FEBRUARY, 1895.
Khandanakhandakhádya, the great polemical and essentially sceptical treatise by Sriharsha, which is just finished in the Pandit, or even shorter works such as the Naishkarmyasiddhi of Sureśvara, who is supposed to be a pupil of Sankara, and who plays an important part in the traditions of the followers of the master, the Dasanâmins. The latter treatise, which as is indicated by its title, “the triumph of renouncement of action," that is, ritual acts, defends the position that knowledge alone can lead to final salvation, has been edited by Col. Jacob, with the comment of Joanottama and critical notes in which the quotations are carefully verified.15 The editor has discovered a singular inadvertence on the part of a follower of Sankars, who waged such constant war with the Mimamsa school, viz., the attribution of the Vedántasutras to Jaimini. The fact that the two Mimdúsús, the purvá and the utteri, are often considered as forming one whole, is far from justifying or even explaining this slipAn edition of the same treatise with the same commentary is also on the point of being completed in the Benares Sanskrit Series.16 The Advait abrahmasiddhi of the Kåśmiri, Sadananda Yati, wbo belongs to the same school of the Vedanta, is in course of publication in the Bibliotheca Indica, but has not got beyond three parts.17 Bat the translation of a more popular exposition of the Vedanta, by another, or it may be the same, Sadananda, the Vedantasiira, which was published by Col. Jacob for the first time in 1881, has reached its third edition. 18 His unintermitted researches have enabled the translator to identify all but two or three of the quotations scattered through the treatise. Even when these manuals are independent works, like the Vedantasára, they have the general characteristics of the commentaries, bristling like them with technical terms and are distinguished only by a uniform conciseness, while in the commentaries curtaess alternates with extreme prolixity. The Paichapadikúvidaraña is a commentary at the third remove," the explanation of the Panchapádíki," of a section of the Bhámati of Váchaspatimiéra, which is itself a glors on the commentary of Sankara on the Vedántasutras. The date of the author, Prakasatman, or Prakasanabhava, is uncertain, but be is prior to Madhavacharya (fourteenth century). His treatise, which enjoys a great reputation among the Vedantins, has just been brought out in a new collection appearing in Benares under the direction of Mr. Arthur Venis, the Vizianagram Sanskpit Series, and is the second publication in point of time, although it is numbered five in the series. The first number (No. 1.) is another Vedantic treatise of much more modern date, the Siddhantalesesanugraha oi Appayadikshita, a prolific writer and ardent Saiya, wbicb, bowever, did not prevent him from writing, besides other Vedantic treatises, this defence of the adraita doctrine, so little favoured by his co-religionists.20 He was born in the neighborhood of Conjevaram, where his descendants are still living, and composed during the last thirty years of the sixteenth and the first thirty years of the seventeenth century, 104 works on nearly all branches of knowledge, poeties, rhetoric, the doctrines of 'Saivism, Mimarsi and Vedanta, as to several of which the late Dr. Burnell wrongly challenged his anthorship as incompatible with his Saiva belief. Handbooks of his, such as the Kuvalayánanda, the Vrittipárttika, the Siddhantalesa, are still celebrated; but they seem to have been more quoted than read. Thus, the end of his short treatise on rhetoric, the Vritti
# With the commentary of Sankara Mitra, by the late Mohan Lal Acharys, Pardit, VL-XIIL (1884 1891).
The Naishbarmyasiddhi of Surcharicharya with the Chandrit of Jhinottame. Edited with Notes and Index, Bombay, 1891.
1. Pandit Rama Sastri Minsvall, Naishkarmyasiddhi, . Treatin on Pedanta by Surebardcharya, with the Commentary called Chandrika by Jianottama Misra, edited and anotated, Parte L-IL. Benares. 1890, 1891. In Col Jacob's edition there is to be found list of the other known works of Suresvars. His glow on the Taitliriya Upanishad have been published in the Inandharma Sanskrit Series of Poons.
11 Pandit Viman Bastri Upadhy sya, Adeaitabrahmasiddhi, by Kamraka Sadananda Yati, edited with Critical Notes, Parts L-IIL Calcutta, 1888-1889.
16 Colonel Jacob, 4 Manual of Hindu Panthen, the Vedantasia, translated soith copiowe Annotations, London, 1891, forming part of Trübner's Oriontal Series.
19 Bima istrin Bhagavatacharys, The Pafchapddikdpiparea of Prakasaiman with Retrade from the Tativa dipana and Bharapraktik, Benares, 1892, forming Number V. of the Visianagram Sanskrit Series.
Mahimahopadhyay Gangadhan Blatrin Mkasvain, The Siddhantalets of Appayad kahita with Retrecta from the Sri Krishnalash kara of Achyutakrishnanandatfrtha, Benares, 1800, No. L. of the Visina gram Sanskrit Berios.