Interpreting Vakyapadiya 2486 Historically

Author(s): Ashok Aklujkar
Publisher: Ashok Aklujkar

Page 1

INTERPRETING VAKYAPADIYA 2.486 HISTORICALLY (PART 2)
Ashok AKLUJKAR (Vancouver)
1.1 In the first part of this article, to be published in the Dr K. Kunjunni Raja Felicitation Volume, I have pointed out, among other things, that the explanation of parvatad agamco labdhva bhaaya-bejamusaribhih // sa nito bahu-Sakhatua candrearyadibhih punah // given in Punyarāja's or Helāraja's TIkā is contextually unjustifiable. In the present part I wish to analyse the Tikā explanation further to establish its mythic character and to account for its acquisition of that character. This is how the TIkā comments on the verse: atha kaläntarena candroaryadibhir aganch labdhva tena copāya
bhūtena sakalāni bhas yavasthitani yani nyaya-bijāni täny arruertya vyakarandgamah punar api aphłta täh nfta ity abhidhatim aha (at this point 2.486 is cited) parvatát tri-kūtaika-dalavarti-tilingaika-debåd iti. tatra hy upala-tale råvandviracito mula-băuta-vyakaranaganas tiệthati kenacia oa brahma-nakaasäntya (aa?] candracarya-vasurita-grou-prabhrtinät datta iti.' taih khalu yathavad vyákaranasya eva-rupan tata upalabhya, Batatan ca bigyanán vyakhyaya Cvyakarandgamo?) bahu-sakhita nito vistarah pripita ity anubrüyate.
2.1. The Tkā shares the detail parvatāt with the verse. Its identification of parvata, no doubt based on the traditional information it had, is very plausible (see Part 3 of this article to be published in the near future). However, the association It displays with a bountain or hill seems to be different from the one which the author of the verse displays. The latter's phrase, daksinätyesu granthamatre vyavasthitaḥ, indicates that he looked upon parvata simply as a source or location of documents in which the vyakaranagarna was preserved; he does not seem to vi least in verses 481-490, parvata as something in contact with the Vyakaranagama in a mysterious way - as having the presence of vyäkarunagana in a form inaccessible to ordinary men. However, this is precisely the way the ȚIkā author looks upon parvata; in his view, parvata is a place of revelation. Now, this type of association with mountains or hills is not rare. There are several instances in religious 11terature of knowledge gained miraculously at elevated places, and I would be surprised 11 scholars of religion have not already