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Shri Mahavir Jain Aradhana Kendra
www.kobatirth.org
PREFACE.
xxi
Shadgurusishya's introduction to the Vedârthadîpikâ, which, as is well known, possesses considerable interest and value for the history of Sanskrit literature, consists of 66 verses. I was obliged to refrain from publishing it owing to the hopelessly corrupt state of several passages. This part of Shadgurusishya's work occurs in three MSS. only; but C, as has been shown, has no independent value, while C 1, though slightly better than W 1, has on the whole the same or similar corruptions. W 1, otherwise so good a MS., fails here completely. I had entertained hopes that P1 and P 2 would contain this introduction, but on the arrival of these MSS. from India, my hopes were disappointed. However, almost all that is of importance in it, nearly two-thirds of the whole, has already been printed; the first seven verses in Weber's Catalogue, verses 25-56 in Max Müller's History of Ancient Sanskrit Literature, pp. 236-239, and verses 56-60 in Meyer's Rigvidh., p. xx. Shadgurusishya's real name is not known, for he mentions only the names of his six teachers. These are enumerated in the first verse of the introduction1, and repeated with two variations in the conclusion 2.
The Vedârthadîpikâ was apparently intended to be a work of much wider scope than a mere commentary of the Sarvânukramanî, for it concludes with the statement that it is only the end of the first adhyaya3.
The commentary to the Anuvâkânukramanî, also composed by Shadgurusishya, but not forming part of the Vedârthadîpikâ, being short, has been printed in full. The text itself contains no further quotations than the two references to the Yagurveda and the Åsvalâyana Srauta Sutra, in verses 13 and 14, already mentioned; nor does the commentary cite anything more than a passage from the Rigveda itself, a sûtra of the Asvalâyana Grihya 5, another of the Srauta, a passage from a lexicographical work, a rule of Bhaguris, and, lastly, a passage from the Aranyaka❞.
4
Acharya Shri Kailassagarsuri Gyanmandir
Besides the appendices already mentioned, I have added, with a view to facilitate the use of the commentary, some explanatory notes, too long for insertion among the foot-notes, discussing difficulties or explaining the reasons for my emendations of corrupt passages.
The critical notes to the commentary do not contain all the various readings; I have kept for possible future reference upwards of thirty
1 See Weber's Catalogue, p. 12. ' वेदार्थदीपिकायां प्रथमोऽध्यायः समाम:, p.168.
7 Ver. 9.
6 Ver. 10.
Ver. 8.
2 Page 168, ver. 15.
For Private And Personal Use Only
• Verse 7.
8 Ver. 35.
• Ver. 46.
