Mahavidya Vidambanam

Author(s): Bhatta Vadindra, Bhuvansundarsuri, Mangesh Ramkrishna Telang
Publisher: Central Library

Page 21

vii
reproduces some arguments of an older author in refutation of Mahavidya1 and also some argument of another author in support of Mahavidya. Bhuvanasundara in his commentary on the former portion of this text has a note that the author (Vádîndra) reproduces an objection put forward by another Vidambanakára (i. e. another critic who had written a Vidambana or refutation of Mahavidyá) and on the latter portion he adds a note that the author reproduces a syllogism explained by an Ekadeśi i. e. an author who partially supports Mahavidya. Moreover Vádindra in the second chapter of the Mahavidyá-vidambana3 quotes a verse from an older author in refutation of the Kevalánvayi-hetu.
The author of Mahavidya-vivaraṇa at the end of the work, states that although the ten verses of Mahavidya had been annotated by the ancients, he has explained them for the edification of the dull-witted.*
It must be noted here that Mr. S. Kuppusvámi Śástri of Madras has recently acquired two different Commentaries on Mahávidyá, one of them by Purushottamavana, and another by Párna- prajna.
Venkatanátha Vedantáchárya (A. D. 1267-1269) in his Nyáyapariśuddhi says that the ‘“crooked syllogisms" set forth in Mahavidyá, Mána-Manohara, Pramánamanjari &c. are fallacious.
Śrînivásáchárya in his commentary Nyáyasára on Nyáyapariśuddhi in explaining the above passage says "Mahavidyá, Mánamanohara, and PramanaManjarî are the names of books. There are many such books. The 'crooked syllogisms' which are set forth in all those books and which are common to the antagonistic party are included under the fallacy termed "Unproven probans."'
1 यत्पुनरत्र कैश्विदुक्तं स्वस्वेतरवृत्तित्वानाक्रान्तत्वं नाम x x x x द्रष्टव्या इति ।
महावि० वि० पृ. ६-७
2 येतु अयं शब्दः स्वस्वेतरवृत्तित्वव्यतिरिक्तानित्यनिष्ठधर्माधिकरणमिति प्रतिजानते तेषां सिद्धसाधनं स्पष्टम् । महावि० वि० १. १० महावि० वि० १.७६
3 मानं हन्त न केवलान्वयवतो धर्मस्य सत्त्वेऽपि च
Bhuvanasundara gives the complete verse in his commentary on p. 77 remarking that it is from the work of an ancient Acharya.
4 महाविद्यादशश्लोकी विवृतापि चिरन्तनैः ।
मन्दधीवृद्धिसिध्यर्थं विवृतेयं यथागमम् ॥
महावि. वि. १. १८८
5 श्रीमहाविद्या- मानमनोहर-प्रमाणमञ्जर्यादिपठितवानुमानस्यापि तथात्वम् ( अप्रयोजकत्वम् ) । न्यायपरिशुद्धिः पृ. २७८ ( चौखम्बा )
6 श्रीमहाविद्यामान मनोहरप्रमाणमञ्जरीति ग्रन्थनामधेयानि । एवंजातीयका अन्येऽपि ग्रन्थाः सन्ति । तत्र तत्र पठितानि परपक्षसाधारणानि वक्रानुमानान्यप्रयोजकतया व्याप्यत्वासिद्धान्तर्भूतान्येवेत्यर्थः । न्यायपरिशुद्धिटीका पृ. २७८ ( चौखम्बा )
Aho! Shrutgyanam