Vidvanmukhabhūṣaṇam - A unique work on the Mahābhāṣya

Sowmya Krishnapur

PhD Scholar, University of Madras

[email protected]

16th World Sanskrit Conference

Bangkok, 28 June – 02 July 2015

mailto:[email protected]

The text

Manuscripts

Author

Notable points

Critique of the work

Contents

28-06-2015 Sowmya Krishnapur 2

Mahābhāṣya-vidvanmukhabhūṣaṇam

Viduṣāṃ mukhānāṃ/mukheṣu bhūṣaṇam =

alaṅkārabhūtam

Ślokas summing up the siddhānta of the vyākaraṇa

mahābhāṣya

An attempt to illustrate the siddhānta with an example

from everyday life

Vidvanmukhabhūṣaṇam


śiṣṭā eva na kintu

grāhyaṁ kṣudhitārthimātramiha dātrā । annasyādaijmātramivādaicchabdena

vṛddhisaṁjñāyām ॥(śloka 1 – vṛddhirādaic)

Śiṣṭāḥ = śāstreṇa vihitāḥ, sadācārasampannāḥ śrotriyāḥ

Sample 1


Munirnakāramuccārya

sarvanāmapade yathā|

Ṇatvaṃ vārayati prāptaṃ

tathā lubdho vanīpakam ||

(śloka 47 – sarvādīni sarvanāmāni)

Nakāraḥ - ‘na’ iti varṇaḥ, nirākaraṇam

Sample 2


1+96 verses

Adhyāya 1 – pāda 1

No indications of the author attempting this for the

rest of the mahābhāṣya

Probably his focus was on the navāhnika, which is

the most-often studied portion of the Mahābhāṣya

Extent of the text


Āhnika Number of verses

Maṅgalam 1

3 (1.1.1 – 1.1.3) 12

4 (1.1.4 – 1.1.10) 15

5 (1.1.11 – 1.1.26) 18

6 (1.1.27 – 1.1.44) 17

7 (1.1.45 – 1.1.55) 15

8 (1.1.56 – 1.1.59) 5

9 (1.1.60 – 1.1.75) 14

Total 97

Extent


Each verse followed by auto-commentary in simple

prose

The commentary gives a concise summary of the

pūrvapakṣa-siddhānta as per the bhāṣya, and

proceeds to explain the meaning of the verse

Extremely useful for students to get a quick

understanding of the debate

Structure of the text


Source Material ffs Script Condition

A1 Adyar Library and

Research Center

(29.A.15)

Palm-leaf 89 Telugu Complete,

Slightly

damaged

M1 GOML, Chennai

(R1651)

Paper 76 Telugu Complete,

Good

M2 GOML, Chennai

(R1665)

Paper 43 Telugu Complete,

Good

Manuscripts


Prayāga veṅkaṭādri bhaṭṭa

No information regarding the author available in the

colophons/text

Based on internal evidence, it is proposed that he could

have been from the Andhra-region, and lived in the 17th

century

Vedānta-vidvanmukhabhūṣaṇam

Author


Does not offer independent interpretations/

conclusions – stays true to the stated objective of

summarising the siddhānta of the mahābhāṣya

Confines himself almost exclusively to the

statements of vārttika – bhāṣya

Reveres the bhāṣyakāra – bhagavān

Does criticise his arguments as “prauḍhivāda”

Grammatical analysis - 1


Minimal quotations from other works

The only other vaiyākaraṇa referred to often is

kaiyaṭa (twice by name, and eight times by his

commentary)

Refers to vṛttaratnākara, āpastamba sūtra, nyāsa,

vivaraṇa (all just once), and annambhaṭṭa (twice)

Significant – No mention of Bhaṭṭojī ḍīkṣita or

Nāgeśa bhaṭṭa



Only one case in the whole text, where the author

discusses different interpretations, and offers his

thoughts on what is right (antaraṃ

bahiryogopasaṃvyānayoḥ - 1.1.36)

Displays special skill in summing up the arguments

of the bhāṣya – key words, clear sentences, easy

flow

Manuscript evidence for two versions of the text,

refined by the author



A peek into the life of a scholar in the 17th century

Livelihood based on the generosity of donors

Paucity of donors, necessity to prove one’s worth,

harassment at the hands of fools posing as scholars,

petty palace politics…

Social analysis - 1


Recurring themes in examples

Donors supporting scholars, earning money and

power – 14 verses

Palace affairs and intrigues – 12 verses

Servants, their selection, their nature – 12 verses

Family – 9 verses

Scholars/Fools – 7 verses

Scholarly debates – 4 verses

Social analysis - 2


Except the maṅgala-śloka, no mention of

God/religion/devotion

Mention of vaidika vidyā only as a means to ensure

dāna

No mention of a specific donor/king – no political

pressure to praise?

Teaching students the way to survive?

Familiarity with Islam – clothes that the women wear

Social analysis - 3


A refreshing way of presenting śāstric concepts

Extremely useful for students who are studying

Mahābhāṣya – summary and tool to remember

Also useful for scholars presenting arguments in

vākyārtha – probably envisioned by the author

Critique - Usefulness


Objective of the work does not allow for any

significant/original contribution to the field

Does not cover all the aspects discussed in the

bhāṣya – omissions more in latter parts of the text

Critique - Grammatical


Admirable use of śleṣa

Not a natural poet – some of the associations appear

far-fetched

Repetitive themes/monotonous

Critique - Poetic


Vidvanmukhabhūṣaṇa – A novel attempt in the field

of vyākaraṇa

Both ślokas and commentary useful to all students

and scholars of the mahābhāṣya

A rare vyākaraṇa text which offers insight into social

life of the time

Summary


Vidvanmukhabhūṣaṇam - A unique work on the Mahābhāṣya

Documents

Transcript of Vidvanmukhabhūṣaṇam - A unique work on the Mahābhāṣya