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CXXX
LAWS OF MANU.
I, VI, and VIII we find a verse, apparently belonging to Narayana, which says, 'This commentary of the Manu-smriti, composed by the illustrious Nârâyana Sarvagña, thrusts far away the exposition given in contemptible compilations '.' Again, at the end of chapter IV we read, 'Direct your attention to the good words of Nârâyana Sarvagña, which propound the real meaning of Manu and repel the exposition given in contemptible compilations. As might be expected from these utterances, Nârâyana shows a great anxiety to find explanations differing from those of Medhâtithi and Govinda. Sometimes he attains this aim by returning to views which Medhâtithi mentions and rejects; but more frequently his explanations have been either taken from commentaries inaccessible to us, or represent opinions formed by him independently. All his peculiar interpretations deserve careful attention. In many cases they are decidedly preferable to those of the other commentators, and have therefore been not rarely followed in the translation. Nârâyana seems to have been not only deeply versed in the sacred law, but to have possessed also a knowledge of various other Sâstras. As we learn from his commentary on Manu V, 56, 80, 104, XI, 72, he also wrote two other works on Dharma, a Kâmadhenudîpikâ and a Suddhidîpikâ. His Kosha has been mentioned above. Commentaries of his on parts of the Mahâbhârata, e. g. on the Udyogaparvan, on the Svargârohanaparvan3, and on the Sanatsugâtiya, are still extant *.
— श्रीनारायणसर्वज्ञकृता वृत्तिः मनुस्मृतेः । कुनिबन्धकृतव्याख्यामियं दूरे निरस्यति ॥ Thus at the end of chapter I; in the other two passages the MS. has the faulty form निरस्यते.
ย
व्याहृतमनुतात्पर्यप्रतिहतकुनिबन्धदर्शितव्याख्याम् । नारायणस्य सूक्तिं सर्वeng Three other boastful verses occur at the end, 1. of chapter III, श्रीनारायणसर्वज्ञवृत्तिसंदर्शितानयाः । मनुस्मृतिगिराचार्य [१] मधिगच्छत सूरयः ॥ 2. of chapter V, श्रीनारायण सर्वज्ञनिर्मितां वीक्ष्य भारतीम् । धर्मस्य fasid an aganwgfafaną || 3. of chapter IX, श्रीनारायणसर्वज्ञोतं मन्वर्थनिबन्धनम् । वीक्ष्य धर्म त्वरा ब्रूत वे [वि]त्य सर्वं कृते [ता] कृतम् ॥
1
* Weber, Berlin Catalogue, Nos. 304, 399; Aufrecht. Catalogue, Bodl. Libr. p. 2. Telang, Sacred Books of the East, vol. viii, p. 148.
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