Çlokavartika
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| Çlokavartika |
From introduction:
The word 'Mimansa' — more properly ' Purva Mimansa' — is applied to the system originally propounded by Jaimini. The other names given to this system are — ' Piirvakdnda,' ' Karma-MiniMisa,' ' Karmakanda,' Yajnavidya,' ' Adhvaramimansa,, ' Dharmamimansd,' and so forth — some people even speak of it as the ' Dvadagalakshni. '
Inasmuch as the avowed object of this system is a consideration of Dharma it is commonly spoken of as ' Dharmamimansa.' Of the Veda, there are three sections of Kandas: The Karmakandu, the Upasanakanda, and the ' Jnftnakanda ' And it is only that portion of the Veda which is contained in the first of these that is dealt with in the Purva Mimansa.
This consideration of Dharma is found to consist of twelve parts, and these parts have been put by Jaimini in the form of twelve Adhydyas, and hence the system has come to be known by the name of ' Dvadagalaskshani.' For a detailed explanation of the subject matter of each Adhydya, the reader is referred to the Appendix.
While chiefly dealing with these subjects, Jaimiui lias in many places dealt with other things in connection with these. It is clear that all that is treated by Jaimini is chiefly Vedic. In the work known as the 'Veda' — beginningless and authorless, — were found mentioned here and there, at random, many sacrifices, offerings,
. And hence it was very difficult to understand and grasp the methods and procedure of the various sacrifices, &c; consequently, at the time of the performance of a sacrifice, at each step, the performers would meet with serious doubts and difficulties. And all this difficulty has, once for all, been set aside by Jaimini, by means of the Sutras dealt with here. And it was only after the Mimansa philosophy had been duly propounded that the path of Karmakdnda became easy. ,
The definitions that he lays down for the differentiation of the Mantra and the Brahmana are embodied in the Sutras II — i — 32 and 33; wherein it is said that, that which, at the time of the performance of a sacrifice, points out certain details in connection with it is called ' Mantra; ' and the rest are called ' Brclhmana. ' But the earlier authors have distinctly declared that this definition of 'Mantra' is only a tentative one; as there are many Mantras that do not fulfil the conditions herein laid down, and are yet called ' Mantras.' The ' Mantras, ' in reality, take the place of Aphorisms dealing with sacrificial details, and the Brahmana* is commentaries on them; in fact, they are frequently spoken of as such by Caukaracarya.
Of these commentaries and commentaries on commentaries, we have an almost endless series. The oldest commentary on the Sutra* that is available now, is the Bhashya by Qavara Svami (published in the Bihlioiher-a Indica); though we find this Bhashya referring to other commentaries, chief among which is the Vrtti of the "revered Upavarsha." On the Bhashya, we have the commentary of Kumarila Bhatta, generally spoken of as " Bhatta." This work is divided into three parts, known under three different names:
(1) The Clokavartika, treating of the first, tlie Tarka, (Polemical) Pada of the First Adhyaya (published in tlie 'Caukhambha Sanskrit Series, ' Benares) :
(2) The Tantravartika, dealing with the last three Padas of Adhyaya I, and the whole of Adhyayasll and III (published in the 'Benares Sanskrit Series,' and being translated into English by the present translator);— and
(3) The Tnptika— dealing with Adhyayas IV— XII (published [in the ' Benares Sanskrit Series '). On the first of these, we know of two commentaries :
(1) The Kanika by Sucarita Micra, and
(2) the Nyilyaratnakara of Parthasarathi Micra ( published in the ' Caukhambha Sanskrit Series,' Benares); extracts from these two commentaries have been put in as notes in the present work; and
( 3 ) the Nyayasudha of Somecvara Bhatta. On the second, the only commentary we know of is the Nyayasudha, generally known as ' Ranaka,' by Somecvara Bhatta (in course of publication in the 'Caukhambha Sanskrit Series,' Benares). And on the third, we have only one proper commentary, the Vartikabharana by Venkata Dlkshita; the other, the Tantraratna cannot be spoken of as a ' commentary ' in the proper sense of the word; as it is a semi-independent commentary on the Sutras themselves, though here and there, taking up and explaining certain passages from the Bhashya and the Vartika.
This closes the list of works, indirectly dealing with the present work. The brat, Sutra of Pada i, Adhyaya I, deals with the usefulness of an investigation into Dharma. In the remaining part of the Pada, we have a treatment of the questions
What is Dharma? What is its definition? By what means of knowledge is Dharma cognisable? and so forth. From the beginning of the second Pada to the end of the Adhyaya, we have a consideration of the means of Dharma, and its Result, as also the authoritative character of the Veda, as the sole means of knowing Dharma.
Verse exegesis on the 1st adhyāya, 1st pāda of Śabarasvāmī's Mīmāṃsābhāṣya, classical commentary on Jaimini's Mīmāṃsāsūtra, basic work of the Mīmāṃsā school in Hindu philosophy
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