Indian Antiquary Vol 62

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Charles E A W Oldham, S Krishnaswami Aiyangar, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarka
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 202

190
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
[ OCTOBER, 1933
Samkalpa Pratyaya, Pratyahara, Mahayoga, Prakața-fruti and Atma-samhita. The passages rited by Madhva from the Harivamsa, Mahopanişad and Byhat-samhitd are not found in the books mentioned bearing those names, and are evidently fabrications of Madhva. So are, likewise, the citations from Prakata-śruti and other mythical books 2 ; and to judge from these, it is also very probable that his citations from the Padma, Garuda and other Purâņas are likewise fabrications.
It is of interest to note' in this connection that, according to Madhva, the Mândukyopanişad is in praise of the four-formed Narayana, and the four forme praised of Narayana. namely, visva, taijasa, prdjna and turiya denote, respectively, Ganesa, Indra, Rudra and Narayana himself.
III. From the colophon at the end of Sankara's commentary on prakaranas II (iti.... Sarkara-bhagavataḥ kytau Gauda padiyagamasústra-bhåsye) and IV (iti....Sankara. bhagavataḥ kylau Gauda padiyagamasastra-vivarane), we learn that the work comprising the Måndûkya and the 215 kårikås bore the name of Agamasastra and was written by Gauda pada 25
The title Agamasastra means the sastra founded on the agama,' i.e., Veda, and refers, without doubt, to the upanişads, on which, as a matter of fact, the book 26 is based. There is hence no doubt that Gauda pada chose this title for his work in order to show that it was based on the Veda and that it had for its object the establishment of Advaita as the only true doctrine and the refutation of the teachings propounded, on the one hand, by Avaidikas like Buddhists, and on the other hand, by Naiyâyikas, Vaiseșikas, Sankhyas and others, who, though acknowledging the authority of the Veda, yet taught doctrines opposed to it.
The word agama in the title agama-prakarana, on the other hand, seems to be used in a two-fold sense ; and the agama-prakaraña seems to be so called because (1) the teachings contained in it are based on agama, i.e., the upanişads, and also (2) because the prakarana consists mostly of agamas, i.e., mere propositions or statements that are not accompanied with reasons.
IV. It is this title Agama-sastra, it seems to me, that has led to Gauda pada's work being regarded as śruti. This happened as early as the middle of the eighth century .D.; for, as pointed out by Walleser (Der Aeltere Vedanta, pp. 21 ff. ; see also Winternitz, op. cit. III,
24 The only other alternative is to believe that copies of these works existed in a library to which Madhva had access, that these cupies were unique, and that no other writer except Madhya (whether anterior, posterior or contemporary to him) had accese to that library. This is impossible, and hence one cannot but conclude that Madhva fabricated evidence on a large scale.
For the rest, it is also moet improbable that works could have existed bearing such names as Samkalpa, Pratyaya, Pratyahara, Mahatmya, Prakata-fruti, Prakadikd and other similar namee.
It is also most improbable that the Padma contains the passage, dhydyan Nandyanam devam pranavena samáhitah mandako-rupi Varunas tudva Harim avyayam which Madhva cites from it. The story of the Mandukya having been seen' by Varuns when he had assumed the form of a frog, is, as said above, an invention of Madhye ; and the Padma purâna, As originally written, cannot therefore know anything about
it.
26 This is shown by the words Gaudapddlya-bhasya dgamasdetra-vivarane found in the colophon of the third prakarana also. The colophon at the end of the first prakarana reads (in the above-cited edition) iti....Sankara-bhagavata kertdu dgamaldstra-vivarane Gaudapádlya-kdrikd-sahita-Mandalyopanigad-bhds. ye.....; but there is no doubt that the last of the above-cited words (Gaudapddlya-) has been added later by some one, in the same way as the headings atha Mandukyopanişat and Gaudapddlya-kedrikdndə sa-kolam avataranam have been added by the editor on pp. 11 and 25.
26 That is, the first prakarana in it (the other three prakaranas are mostly argumentative); this is based on Bph. Up. 2. 1 and 4. 3; Praina IV (see in this connection Sankara's commentaries on these passages), and similar pastages in the Chandogya and Kaupîtaki upanigads. Compare also the numerous references to the upanipads in GK. II-IV and the expressions wedánta niscayah and vedanteau vicaksanaih in GK. II. 12, 31.