- Kamalākarabhatta
Kamalākarabhatta was one of the foremost scions of the Bhatta family. He was a grandson of the famous Nārāyaṇa bhatta and a son of Rāmakssṇabhatta. He was one of three brothers, the eldest being Dinakara alias Divakara1439 and the youngest was Laksmanabhatta,1420 who studied under Kamala karabhatta. Kamalākarabhatta’s father Ramakrśna also was a very421 learned man and a profound mimarnsaka and his mother Umā immolated hereself as a sati. Kamalakara was a man of profound erudition and composed works on almost every śāstra. In some of his own works there are high eulogies of his learn ing and proficiency in Tarka, Nyāya, grammar, mimāmsā (in both the schools of Kumarila and Prabhakara), Vedanta, Poetics, dharnasāstra and Vedic sacrifices,1422 He composed more than twenty-two works. At the end of his Vivādatındava it is
1418 वर्षे विक्रमभास्करस्य गणिते नन्दाद्रिषड्भूमिभिः
पूर्णे कार्तिकमासि वृश्चिकगते भानौ वृषस्थे विधौ । काश्यां केशवनायकस्य नृपतेराज्ञामवाप्य स्मृते
विष्णोळकृतिमाचकार विमलां श्रीनन्दशर्मा सुधीः ॥ 7th verse at the end. 1419 बिन्दुमाधवपादाब्जरोलम्बीकृतविग्रहम् । ज्यायांसं भ्रातरं भट्टदिवाकरमुपास्महे ॥
6th Intro. verse of निर्णयसिन्धु. रोलम्ब is a desya word meaning भ्रमर according to क्षीरस्वामी 07 अमर. बिन्दुमाधव is a form of Visna,
worshipded at Benares. 1420 अधीत्य लक्ष्मणाख्येन कमलाकरसोदरात् । आचाररत्नं सुधिया यथामति वितन्यते ॥
7th Intro. verse of आचाररत्न. 1421 यो भातन्त्रगहनार्णवकर्णधारः शास्त्रान्तरेषु निखिलेष्वपि मर्मभेत्ता। योत्र श्रमः किल
कृतः कमलाकरेण प्रीतोऽमुनास्तु सुकृती बुधरामकृष्णः ॥ ‘निर्णयसिन्धु’ at the
end of 2nd परिच्छंद. 1422 तर्के दुस्तर्कमेधः फणिपतिभणिनिः पाणिनीये प्रपञ्चे । न्याये प्रायः प्रगल्भः प्रकटित
पटिमा भादृशास्त्रप्रघट्ट । प्राभः प्राभाकरीये पथि प्रथितदुरूहान्तवेदान्तसिन्धुः। श्रोते साहित्यकाव्य प्रचुरतरगतिधर्मशास्त्रपु यश्च ।। fron] काव्यप्रकाशव्याख्या D.C. ms. No. 433 of 1895-1902.
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said that he composed the Nirnayasindhu, a commentary on the Vārtika (of Kumarila), a work on the mimamsa (Sastratattva) and a series of 20 other works.1423 At the end of a ms. of the Śāntiratna in the Bhau Daji collection there is a list of 22 works of his out of which the Nirnayasindhu is said to have been the first.1424 More than half of these works are concerned with topics
1423 येनाकारि प्रोद्भटा वार्तिकस्य टीका चान्या विंशतिग्रन्थमाला । श्रीरामाघ्योरपिता
निर्णयेषु सिन्धुः शास्त्रे तत्त्वकौतूहलं च | Vide I. O. cat. p. 455 No. 1502 ; also vide D. C. ms. No. 122 of 1883-84 for a ms. of कमलाकर commentary on the first pā:la of the 2nd chap, called are of
the तन्त्रवार्तिक. 1424 आदौ निर्णयसिन्धुस्तु वातिके टिप्पणी पुनः । काव्यप्रकाशगा व्याख्या दाने च
कमलाकरः ॥ शान्तिरत्नं ततः पूर्वव्रतयो: कमलाकरः । ग्रन्थो वेदान्तरत्नं च सभा दर्शकुतूहलम् ॥ प्रायश्चित्ते रत्नमेकं व्यवहारे तथापरम् । बहृचाह्निकमन्यच्च गोत्र प्रवरदर्पण: ॥ रत्नं कर्मविपाकाख्य कार्तवीयस्य पद्धतिः। सोमप्रयोगः शूद्राणां धर्मो रुद्रस्य पद्धतिः॥ टिप्पणी च तथा शास्त्रदीपिकालोकसंज्ञिता। मीमांसायां तथा शास्त्रतत्त्वस्य कमलाकरः॥ सर्वतीर्थविधिश्चैव भक्तिरत्नं तथोत्तमम् । रामकृष्णसुते नेत्थं कमलाकरशर्मणा । व्यधिका विशतीनां च ग्रन्थानां रत्नमालिका । सेवां कर्तुमशक्तेन ह्यर्पिता रामपादयोः ॥ concluding verses of शान्तिरत्न. The verses enumerating the 22 works are found not in all mss. of the Santiratna, but occur in the ms. described in Prof. Velankar’s Cat. of Sanskrit and Prakrit Mss. in the Library of the B. B. R. A. S. (p. 234) published in 1925. Though in the Sāntiratna it is stated that the Nirṇayasindhu was Kamalākara’s first work, yet it appears probable that Kamalakara made additions to that work from time to time e.g. on p. 248 of the Nirnayasindhu he says ‘अन्येषु मूलादिऋक्षषु शान्यादि प्रयोगपारिजात मत्कृते शान्तिरत्ने च ज्ञेयम् ‘; the word ज्ञेयं is rather of doubtful import. It is possible that he had then only planned to write that work. On p. 257 of the same work on ahdapūrti’ he refers to his work Śūdrakamalakara “विशेषो मत्कृते शूद्रधर्मे ज्ञेयः" On p. 293 ( of Nirmaya. ) he mentione his Pravaradarpana. The Santiratna is a large work dealing with rites for averting the evil consequences of portentuous phenomena or for birth on certain tithir, nakșatras (like Mula, Jyestha, Aslesa) or evil influences of planets. The śāntiratva is also called Santiratnākara, as in the Ms, in the Bhau Daji Collection of Msg, of the Bombay Asiatic Society ( No. 305 of that collection, the extent being 357 folios); vide Prof. Velankar’s Cat. of the Mss. with the B. B. R. A.S. and No. 732, p. 235 and I. O. Cat. vol. III. ( by Eggeling)
(Continued on the next page)
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of Dharmasastra, viz. the Nirnayasindhu, the Dānakamalākara, Sāntiratna, Pūrtakamalakara, Vratakamalakara, Prāyaścittaratna, Vivadatāndava, Bahvṛcāhnika, Gotrapravaradarpana, Karmavi pākaratna, Sūdrakamalakara, Sarvatirthavidhi. The Sūdrakamala kara, the Vivadatāndava and the Nirnayasindhu are the most famous of his works on dharmaśāstra. Brief references may be made here to some of the works of Kamalakarabhatta other than the three mentioned above. It appears from the introductory verses of the Vratakamalakara that Kamalakara intended to compose a digest on dharma called Dharmatattva in ten paric chedas1425 and not only carried it out but added some more works on dharma. It will be noticed that nine out of these 10 sections are enumerated under the same names at the end of the Sāntiratna quoted above, the one not named being the section on ācāra. Burnell mentions a work called Acāradipa by Kamalakara on daily duties and on the same page notices another work on āhnika by Kamalakara.1426 It is difficult to say whether both are names of the same work. It is not unlikely that the acāra section of the digest Dharmatattva is the same as the Bahvṣcāhnika enu merated at the end of the Santiratna. There is a ms. of the Bahvṛcāhnika at Bikaner.1427 It deals with daily duties commenc ing with rising from one’s bed at the brahma muhūrta. In this work Kamalakarabhatia refers to his own Prayascittaratna, and
(Continued from the previous page) pp. 568-69 No. 1758. He expresses his difference even from his very famous yrandfather Nārāyanabbatta : e. g. on p. 214 he says “Atara
:, fasuanfaat 3793437&plantat ATT F ETHET OTT" Similarly ou p. 215 he differs from Nārāyaṇabhatta “gafrTÉTEG E T HET: Tre ‘सन्दिग्धेषु वाक्य शेषादिति न्यायात्रोदश्याद्येवेति । प्रयाग विनापि पाद्म ’ n Taila argiafo faz He differs from his father Rāmakrspabhatta also e. g. on p. 160. “TECTÀ: foug. पितृयज्ञकल्पेन श्राद्धं निषेधार्थमिदं न साकल्यादेरपि–इत्यस्मद्गुरवः । कृष्णपक्षश्राद
मन्यदिनेषु प्राप्तमाहिताग्नेदर्श नियम्यते इति तु वयम् ।" 1425 रामकृष्णतनूजेन कमलाकरशर्मणा । क्रियते धर्मतत्त्वानां कमलानामिहाकरः।
व्रतदाने कर्मपाकः शान्तिपूर्ते तथैव च । आचारो व्यवहारश्च प्रायश्चित्तमथापरम् ॥ Eyntfalt: 91 TINC | Intro, verses to 49440177, vide
Mitra’s Bikaner cat. p. 499, No. 1071. 1426 Vide Burnell’s Tanjore cat. p. 135 b. 1427 Vide Mitra’s Bikaner cat. p. 355 No. 767.
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to the Madanapārijāta, Madanaratna, Madhava and Solapāṇi. The Pūrtakamalakaral428 was an extensive work and dealt with the dedication of tanks, wel’s, trees and gardens to the public, the dedication of Aśvartha tree and five sacred trees, dedication and laying the foundation of public buildings, consecration of sacred images, of śālagrāma, of temples and flags, repairing of images, accidental breaking of temples, consecration of Vinayaka, pacification of planets, coronation of kings and emperors. In this work he mentions his own Dānakamalakara.
The śāntiratna or Sāntikamalakara is a huge work.1429
It deals with various rites for propitiating Vinayaka, the nine planets, and for averting the consequences of portentous occur rences and evil omens, birth on such constellations as mūla, the observances known as Ekādasini, Laghurudra, Mahārudra, Sata candi &c. He refers to his own Nirnayasindhu in this work.
The Nirnayasindhu (on pp. 293, 300-301 ) mentions Pravara darpana as his work on Gotras and Pravaras.
In the Bombay Asiatic Society’s Library there is a ms. of his Saṁskāra-prayogakamalakara which appears to be over and above the 22 works enumerated above.130 He starts with an enumera tion of the 48 sariskuras mentioned by Gautama, deals with the several samskāras of puṁsavana, jā takarma, marriage &c., and with utsarjana and upakarma, propitiatory rites on the first appearance of menses, the Astakā sraddha &c.
His Tattva-kamalakara appears to have been a work of consi derable interest dealing with the bearing of the doctrines and maxims of the Mimaṁsā system on ritual and dharmaśāstra.1431 A ms. of it is dated saivat 1695 Caitra sukla 4 Friday (i. e. 9th March 1638 A.D.), Tattvakamlakara and Mināmsā–kautūhala are two separate works, incomplete mss. of which are in possession of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. Vide . Indian Culture’ Vol. V.
1428 Vide Mitra’s Notices vol. V. p 139 No. 1981 for 777777;
in the Bombay Asiatic Society’s collection of this. 1429 Vide I. O. cat. p. 568 No. 1758 and BBRAS cat. p. 234 No.
729 for Torrt. 1430 Vide I. O. cat. p. 514 No. 1630 for ÅFT*17 . 1431 Vide Mitra’s Notices, vol. III. p. 335 No. 1331 for 779 57.
- Kamalakarabhatta
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pp. 211-214 ( paper by Prof. Chintaharan Chakravarti). The first is briefly mentioned in Mitra’s Notices, vol. III. p. 335 and it is stated in Indian Culture’ Vol. V. that it comments on some selected sātras of the Pūrvamiminsā system. The Mimāṁsā-kau tūhala gives a brief outline of the principal doctrines of the Pārvamimāṁsā system. Of the Mantrakamalakara a ms. (complete in 126 leaves) is in the possession of the A.S. of Bengal. The work was composed for the benefit of Ananta, son of Kamalakarabhatta.
For the Prāyaścittaratna, vide Būhler’s report, 3, p. 108.
I was able to secure a ms. of the Vivadatāndava from the Mandlik collection in the Fergusson College at Poona. That work closely resembles in method and matter the Vyavahāra mayūkha of Kamalākara’s cousin Nilakantha, the section on ordeals being almost the same in both. It treats of the follow ing subjects : the sabhā; members of the sabhā; judge, amātya; the scribe and the accountant; conflict of smrtis; the plaint, the reply, the modes of proof, viz. documents, witnesses, possession; modes of punishment; the principal and secondary sons; the enumeration of the eighteen titles of law; partition of heritage and detailed description of the other titles. Like the Vyavaha ramayukha, the Vivadatāṇdava quotes the Madanaratna as fre quently as ( or perhaps more frequently than) the Mitāksarā. The other writers and works quoted are noted below.1439 As it mentions several works of his own, viz. Nirnayasindhu, the Dānakamala kara, the Prāyaścittaratna and the Sūdradharma (i. e. Sūdra kamalakara ), the Vivadatāndava was one of his latest works. On several points he differs from his own cousin Nilakantha. For example, he prefers the mother to the father as an heir and does not give the sister a high place among the gotraja heirs as Nilakantha does. The Vivādatāṇdava has been frequently noti ced in judicial decisions.1433
The Vivadatāndava was published in “ Our Heritage” Vol. VII part 2 pp. 1-23 edited by Dr. Herambanath Chattopadhyaya.
1432 2278, F64613, Tara 15, Filanangal, fo Tara (of vits i. e. Tran),
भोज, मनुटीका, माधवीय, रत्नाकर, विश्वरूप, शिरोमणि, शिरोमणिभट्टाचार्य. 1433 Vide I. L. R, 33 Bom. 452 at p. 459, I. L. R. 9 Cal. 315 at p.
324, I. L. R. 39 Cal. 319 at p. 331 for references to featcatus H. D. 117
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The work is a small one. About half of its 23 pages contain foot notes covering half or more of each page. Pages 2–5 have only 1/3 page for the text. Its first verse is quoted below!434
The Sūdrakamalakara (also called Sūdra-dharmatattva or Sūdradharmatattvaprakāśa ) has been printed in Bombay several times ( with Marathi translation ). I used the Nirnayasagara edi tion of 1895. In this work he refers to his own Dānakamalakara, Purtakamalakara, Prayaścittaratna and Nirnayasindhu. Out of about two hundred authors and works quoted therein, prominent ones are noted below. 1435 This work is a standard treatise on the duties and religious observances of Sūdras.
Kamalakarabhatta was at least prepared to say, following his father Rāmakrnsabhatta, that in spite of the statement in some Puranas that in the Kaliyuga only two varṇas viz. the first (Brahmanas ) and the last (viz. Sidras ) exist, Ksatriyas and Vaisyas that have given up their proper religious and other activi ties do exist here and there.1436
He first starts with the discussion that the Sūdra is not authorised to study the Vedas, but that he can listen to the recita tion by Brāhmaṇas of smstis and purāṇas and religious rites are to be performed for Sūdras with Purāṇic mantras. Then the follo wing subjects are dealt with :- worship of Viṣṇu and other deities by Sūdras and the observances of vratas and fasts by them; Śūdra can make gifts of works of public utility (pārta ); Śūdra can adopt a son; the conflicting views as to the number of saṁskāras for a śdra, most authors holding that he is entitled to ten samskāras (without Vedic mantras ), viz. garbhadhāna, pumsavana, simanta, jātakarma, namakarana, siśuniskramana, annapraśana, cūdākarma, karṇavedha, and vivāha; the five great
1434 विवादो यत्र विदुषां प्रमोहो महतामपि । कमलाकरसंज्ञेन दायभागः स उच्यते ।
first verse of falz/USA. 1435 आचार्यचूडामणि, तिथितत्त्व, मदनरत्न, माधवीय, रूपनारायणीय, शुद्धिविवेक
(of 747), Tufo, sitz, Farga, RT3164. 1436 graifa-19: 12: T quifen & FIT: ITT T AT:
1919771: fufa: 1 377: F FG FTAR F1 57ft: 1 #| …Jan 497: EHHEI: 479 4914 Horea afatefua UTT: II - कमलाकर at end.111. Kamalakarabhatta
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daily yajñas were to be performed for the sūdra according to the Vajasaneyaśākhā ;1437 Śrāddhas for Sudra (to be performed with uncooked food); actions prescribed and forbidden in the case of Sūdras; the detajls of various rites and samskāras of śūdras; the daily duties of Śūdras; impurity on birth and death ; rites after death; duties of wives arid widows; persons of mixed castes who have to follow the rules laid down for Sidras; rules for those who are born of pratilona connections; about Kājasthas.
The Nirṇayasindhu or Nirnayakamalākara is the most famous of Kamalakara’s works. It is a monument of erudition, industry and lucidity. It has been judicially referred to as a work of authority.f438 I have used the Nirnayasagara edition of 1905 (with Marathi translaticn). In the whole range of nibandhakāras there is hardly any other writer, except perhaps Nilakantha and Mitramiśra, who lays under contribution as many works as Kamalākara does. In the Nirnayasindhu about one hundred smṛtis and over three hundred nibandhakāras are mentioned by name. In the introductory verses he expressly says that he pondered over the views of Hemādri, Madhava and other learned writers. The work is divided into three paricchedas. The following is a very concise statement of the contents of this voluminous work. The principal subject is to give decisive opinions as to the proper times for various religious acts; the various views about the year being solar, lunar, sidereal etc., months of four kinds, lunar, solar etc., samkrinti rites and gifts; intercalary month; kṣayamasa; about tithis, suddhā and viddhā (combined with another tithi on same day); vratas; the various vratas and festivals during the twelve months of the year; the samskāras from garbhādhana onwards ; sapinda relationship, consecration of images; auspicious times ( muhurtas ) for various actions such as sowing operations, buying horses and cattle &c.; śrāddha;
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This is interesting TT TETO TEATTET HET I … 075 सनेयिशाखया कार्याः । मुद्रा बाजसनेयिन इति गौडनिबन्धे दक्षोक्तेः । हरिहरभाष्ये Taala ITŪCITH ? 7 p. 51; vide laatTata (Jivananda vol. II. p. 631 ) and HATHEFT ( vol. I, p. 792 ) for an explanation of this. I. L. R. 3 Bom, at p. 197 ; Khushalchand v. Bai Vani I. L. R. 11 Bom. 247 at p. 251; I. L. R. 46 Bom, at p. 556; I. L. R. 49 Bom. 739 at p. 757 ; 1. L. R. 9 Cal 315 at p. 324,
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impurities on birth and death; rites after death, rites for sati; samnyāsa.
The time when Kamalakara flourished can be determined with great accuracy. We saw above that the Nirnayasindliu was one of his earliest works and that it is referred to in several works of his. According to a verse at the end of the Nirnayasindhu the work was composed in 1668 of the Vikrama era on the 14th day of the dark half of the month of Māgha when cyclic year was Raudra (i. e, on the 20th February 1612 A. D.). In a ms. noticed by M. M. Haraprasāda Sastri the same verse is read differently, so as to refer the composition to Vikrama samrat 1678 ; but it is clearly a copyist’s error or misreading, since the cyclic year Raudra cannot tally with Vikrama 1678.2469 We saw above that a ms, of the Tattvakamulakara is dated 1038 A. D. Kamalākara was a voluminous writer and therefore we shall be not far wrong if his literary activity be assigned to the period between 1610 A D and 1640 A. D. This date is corroborated in several ways. His grandfather Nārāva a bhatta was born in 1513 A. D. and he quotes in his Nirnayasındhu the Todarānanda compiled in the last quarter of the 16th century.
The Todarānanda is quoted by the Nirnayasindhu on p. 26, on p. 96 (on Nṭsimhajavanti) and on p. 104 (the Tithisaukhya of Todarānanda is quoted in Caturmāsyanirṇaya ).
Though he expressly states in the Introsuctory verse 7 of the Nirnayasindhu that he bestowed proper thought on the views of Hemādri and Madhava and quotes both of them hundreds of times, he differs, in some places, from both of them or one of the two. On the paraṇā (breaking the fast) on Śivaratri there are contradictory texts and both Hemādri and Madhava evolve the same order out of contradictions, but Kanalā kara does not accept that i lavastha ( vide pp. 224-25 of the Nirnaya-indhu ).
Another inter-ting remark of K:malikara hows that he probably introduced changé loigifier the Nirnavasindhu was composed in 1612.I.D. in re Nirtayasinjhu (ird pari. pūr
1 - 1 IV
1439 वसुऋतुऋतुभूमित गतेदे नरपतिवित्र मनाथ यालि गनें । तपसि सितिथी समा
frati tragica Felp lith verse at end; vide Notices of mss, by Haraprasadır śāstii vol. I, p. 321, No 1:33 where the reading is 16F14īna.
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f
vārdha p. 250 on the subject of adoption ) he holds that there is ownership in the father as regards his son and pompously declares that he, who says that there is no ownership in one’s son, is a fool.1+46 The Nir: ayasindhu was Kamalakara’s first work. The latter was the 2nd son of Rāmakrsna, who was the eldest son of Nārāyaṇabhatta, while Nilakantha was the youngest of four brothers, who were the sons of Śhaṅkarabhatta, the 2nd son of Nārāya; abljatta. So though both were first cousins, it is very likely that Nilakartlia, author of the twelve Mayūkhas, was junior to Kamalakara by some years at least and could not have been the author of a work before 1612 A. D., the date of the Nirnayasindhu, the first work of Kamalakara.
Hc desired his work to be encyclopaedic and therefore, he remarks that the rites cailed Satacandi, and Sahasracaṇdi are not described in the great works (on Dharmaśāstra ), but as those rites had become popular among people, he describes them in the Nirnayasindhu ( in his section on Navaratra pp. 185-86 ).1441 He quotes the Tristhālisetu of Nārāyaṇabhatta dozens of times (e. g. pp. 16, 89,99,151,208 209, 214, 274 &c.) and also the Prayo garatna of the same, though rot so frequently (as on pp. 53, 259, 266, 267). He quotes Raghunandana’s work frequently e. g. Tithitattva (vol. I. pp. 135–36 ) quotes four verses from Linga purāṇa ( Asvine paurii. niāsyām tu &.) which are quoted in the Nirnyasindhu (p. 191, 2nd pariccheda ). Similarly, about the amāvāsyā of Ásvina the Nirnayasindiu (p. 200) mentions a passage quoted in Tithitattvali+2 (Jivananda, vol. I p. 185).
141
1440 तम्माद्यथेष्टविनियोगार्हत्वं स्वत्वं भवत्येव । पुत्रे स्वत्वाभावं वदन् पुत्रक्रयविक्रयादि
गुनाशंपविक्रयादिश्रीतलिङ्गाद् दासक्रयविक्रयादिव्यवहारायोगाद् मूर्ख एव । निर्णय. p. 250; vide व्यवहारमयूख P. 92 ( my edition) ‘गवादाविव hafi faranga JRTISTASTE TCHIZITI’ On p. 187 about Navaratrapārana he employs the words इति मूोक्तिः परास्ता. It is difficult to say whom he here dubs as fool. On page 600 he regards a remark of Śūlapāṇi as due to foolishness. गौडास्तु मृतिथ्यवधिके एकदिनाधिके मातसंवत्सरपदं गौणं पूर्णेन्द इति ईषदसमाप्त
परत्वमिति शूलपाणिः । तेन द्वितीयादिमासादावाद्ये मासिकादि तन्मौर्यकृतम् । 1441 On paye 186_he states एतद् द्वयं यद्यपि महानिवन्धेषु नास्ति तथापि
प्रचरद्रूपत्वादुक्तमिति दिक् । 1442 अत्र विशेषस्तिथितत्त्व लैङ्गे । आश्विने पौर्णमास्यां तु चरेज्जागरणं निशि । कौमुदी सा समाख्याता कार्या लोकैर्विभूतये ।। कौमुद्यां पूजयेल्लक्ष्मी…अक्षः क्रीडां करोति यः ।।
(Continued on the next page )
934
History of Dharınaśāstra
On p. 82 he refers to the Konkaṇaslt43 that rely on certain passages (about 7 verses) as contained in the Varāhapurana about the Jayantis ( tithis) of the ten avataras of Viṣṇu (viz. from Matsya to Kalkin ) and remarks that they are obligatory on the devotees of the respective ten avatāras and optional for others. Here the word Kaunkanas refers probably to learned men from Kopkaṇa residing in Benares in Kamalākara’s times or to authors from Konkana (probably the latter).
The Nirnayasindhu frequently mentions an author called Narayana-vrtti krt. (e. g. pp. 37, 55, 58, 116, 153, 191, 291 &c.) on the Āśvalāyana Srauta and Gṛhya sūtras. He is to be distinguished from Nārāyaṇabhatta (the grandfather of Kamalakara).
He notes that the works of Gauda authors,144such as the Tithitattva, hold that, after an invitation to officiate at a śraddha is given and accepted, if there is death of a relative of the person inviting a brahmana or a relative of the invitee dies, both are not affected by aśauca, since the Viṣṇusmrti provides that there is no āśauca for the performer (of sraddba ) nor for the officiating priest after the invitation to officiate is given and accepted. The Nirnayasindhu remarks that the text applies to marriage and not to sraddhas, since the word ‘sraddha’ does not occur therein.
(Continued from the previous page ) निर्णयसिन्धु p. 191; तिथितन्त्र (Vol. I. pp. 135-36); उभयतः प्रदोषव्याप्तौ परदिन एवं युग्मन् । दण्डको रजनीयोगा दशस्य स्यात्परेऽहनि । तदा विहाय पूर्वेद्यः परेहि सुखरात्रिका इति ज्योतिर्वचनाच्च । तिथितत्त्व p. 185 quoted on p. 200
of नि. सि. 1443 कोकणास्तु वराहपुराणस्थत्वन वाक्यानि पठन्ति । आषाढे शुक्लपक्षे तु एकादश्यां
महातियों। जयन्ती मस्यनाम्नोति तस्यां कार्यमुपोपणम् !… तदत्र समूलत्वनिणये सति कल्पभेदेन व्यवस्था द्रष्टव्या । एताश्च तदुपासकानां नित्या अन्येषां तु काम्या:
निर्णयसिन्बु p.. 1444 तिथितत्त्वादिगोडग्रन्यास्तु निमन्त्रणोत्तरं श्राद्धे प्रारम्भः स्यादिति स्मृतिरिति
विष्णूतेः । निणयसिन्धु P. 470; cymare शुद्धितत्त्व ( vol. II p. 290); ‘आदित्यपुराणे । निवृत्ते कृच्छामादा ब्राह्मणादिषु भोजने । गृहीतनियमस्यापि न स्यादन्यस्य कस्यचित् । निमन्त्री विपु प्रारब्दे श्राद्ध कर्मणि । निमन्त्रणाद्धि विप्रस्य स्वाध्यायाद्विरतस्य च । देहे पितापु तिष्ठत्सु नाशाचं विद्यते क्वचित् । … कस्यचिद दातृभोक्योरित्यर्थः । एव प्रारब्यश्राद्धपि क्वचिदित्यनेन दातृभोक्त्रोरा शौवाभावः । तथा च विष्णुः। व्रतय विवाहेषु श्राद्धे होमेऽर्चने जपे । प्रारब्धे सूतकं न स्यादनारधे तु मूतकम् । इति ।
- Kamalakarabhatta
935
Kamalakara sometimes differs from his great ancestor Nārāyaṇabhatta. For example, on p. 325 he quotes from the Prayogaratna a verse · If the newly married bride makes her first entrance into her husband’s house on the first, third or fifth day or the 2nd or 4th day from the day of her marriage, it is auspici ous, but if she enters on the 6th day after her marriage she would incur sorrow in the form of separation or disease’. The Nirnaya sindhu avers that a passage in support of this has to be found (i. e. the assertoin made is baseless ).1445 On p. 337 (of N. S.) he further points out that in the Tristhalisetu his venerable grandfather stated that sūdras have no right to instal images of deities like Viṣṇu or Śhaṅkara and relied on a passage of the Skandapurāṇa quoted in the Brahan-Naradiya but he (Kamalā kara ) says. we hold that, on account of other passages from the Devipurāṇa quoted in the Kṛtyakalpataru, in the case of sūdras there is an option as to establishing images of Viṣṇu or Śhaṅkara.1446 Vide p. 553, where he differs from Nārāyaṇabhatta about suicide by a brābmana in certain circumustances and p. 554 where Madhava, Aparātka and Hemādri approve of it for certain persons suffering from incurable diseases.
In some matters the N. S. takes a position far in advance of what some orthodox brābmaṇas in modern times would like to recommend or follow; e. g. on p. 304 he provides that when a girl reaches the age of puberty, one should not wait to consider whether Jupiter’s position is favourable but she should be got married even when Jupiter is in the 8th place from the rasi at her birth ( after performing Bṛhaspati-śānti thrice ).
There are some interesting observations he makes. For example, if a man does not know his gotra and prarara he
6
1445 प्रयोगरत्ने तु-वधूप्रवेशः प्रथमे तृतीये शुभप्रदः पञ्चमकेऽथवाहि । द्वितीयके वाथ
चतुर्थ के वा षष्ठे वियोगामयदुःखदः स्यादित्युक्तं तत्र मूलं चिन्त्यम् । निर्णयसिन्धु
- 1446 प्रतिष्ठायां तु शूद्रादीनां नाधिकारः । स्त्रीणामनुपनीतानां शूद्राणां च जनेश्वर ।
स्थापने नाधिकारोस्ति विष्णोर्वा शङ्करस्य वा । .. इति बृहन्नारदीयस्कान्दोक्तेरिति त्रिस्थलीसेतो पितामहचरणाः । चतुर्वर्णैरिति पूर्वानवचनाद्विष्ण्वादिप्रतिष्ठायां
e fertig gfa TT. PH: 1 fa. fh. p. 337. The Devipurāṇa verse quoted in the Kr̥tyakalpataru is : a vitur fasgr: qfa छाप्यः सुखार्थिभिः । भैरवोपि चतुर्वर्णरन्त्यजानां तथा मतः । मातरः सर्वलोकैस्तु PIET: 541: AT:1 (p. 336 of fauiters):
936
1447
quotes Satyāsādha to the effect that he should take the gotra and pravara of his purohita or ācārya; if he does not know them be should adopt the gotra and pravara of some one else or he should adopt Jamadagni as his gotra.1447
People in the medieval times seem to have been frightened by the very names of some of the nakṣatras on which children were born. It is stated in the Brahmayamala quoted in the Nirnayasindhu that the effects of the birth of a child on one of the ten parts of the Jyesthā-nak satra are respectively as follows: (1) death of the child’s mother’s mother, (2) death of the child’s mother’s father, (3) death of the mother’s brother, (4) death of the child’s mother, (5) death of the child itself, (6) destruction of the gotra ( of the child ), (7) destruction of the families of the child’s mother and father, (8) death of the elder brother (of the child ), (9) death of the father-in-law of the child, (10) death of relations. Similarly, very dire results of the birth of a child on Mūla nakṣatra are stated; viz. a child born in the first two ghaṭikās of Mūla should be abandoned or the father of the child should not see its face for eight years; birth of a child born on the four quarters of the Māla nakṣatra portends respectively death of the father, death of the mother, loss of father’s wealth and the 4th quarter is auspicious.
The Nirnayasindhu is a very large work and is divided into three Paricchedas ( sections ). The firsr section (pp. 1-77) deals with Kāla divisions viz. Abda (year ), ayana (half year ), itu (seasons ), māsa ( months ), divasa ( days); the year is of five sorts acc. to Madhava viz. Sāvana, Saura, Candra, Nākṣatra and Bārhaspatya; the year for Dharmaśāstra purposes, acc. to Hemadri, is only of three kinds (the last two not being required in Dharmaśāstra); months are twelve; the candra years have respectively sixty names Prabhava, Vibhava &c.; Malamasa, Ksayamāsa; tithis are either suddha ( that is not mixed with or joined to another tithi on the same day) or viddhā (joined to another tithi on the same day); vratas; installations of images;
1447 F ETESTIÀ I HATATE: 1 3747571acru: greaTTTTT48car ata i
आचार्यगोत्रप्रवरानभिज्ञस्तु द्विजः स्वयं दत्त्वात्मानं तु कस्मैचित् तद्गोत्रप्ररो भवेत्॥ यद्वा स्वगोत्रप्रवरविधुरो जमदग्निजः । … दिवोदासीयेपि-स्वगोत्रप्रवराज्ञाने जमदमि 94eta i feruiafor pp. 301-2.
- Nilakanthabhatta
937
matters to be avoided on the tithis (from 1st to 15th ); eclipses and rites on them; bath in the sea. The 2nd pariccheda (pp. 79 230 ) deals with the first tithi of the year and nirṇayas ( decisions about it ) throughout the twelve months of the year from Caitra onwards and discusses the religious acts (krtya) to be performed on the tithis of the months from Caitra onwards; the third pariccheda is called prakirnaka (miscellaneous) and is divided into two parts; The first (pūrvardba on pp. 231-371 ) deals with the Saṁskāras from Garbhādhāna to Vivāha (marriage ), with Vedic mantras for three varṇas and without Vedic mantras for śūdras ; time for Agnihotra; proper times for performing certain religious acts such as dedication of tanks and wells to the public, planting groves, installing images of gods for worship, and their worship; muhurtas (proper or auspicious times) for certain acts such as agricultural operations, shaving the head, for beginning to take madjcines, for oil bath, for beginning to build a house, or for occupying it for the first time Kalivarjya ( actions forbidden in the Kaliyuga ); the latter part of the third section (Uttarārdha) occupies pp. 372-636 and deals with the following:
Sraddhas (pp. 372–510 ) in all twelve varieties of śrāddhas, of which Parvana, ekoddista, Vļddhistāddha and Sapiṇdana are the principal ones; āśauca (impurity on birth and death) pp. 510-622, Sabagamana (pp. 623–626); Vidhavādharmas ( duties of widows) and Sannyasa ( pp. 627-635 ).
On several topics in the Nirpayasindhu, Kamalakarabhatta, quotes verses composed by himself, such as on the best or middling brāhmaṇas to be invited in srāddhas and those that should not be invited at Sraddhas (on pp. 396, 399 ) and remarks the basis for such selection may be under stood from Hemādri (pages 396-97 of Nirnayasindhu) and for those to be avoided from Hemādri and Pșthvicandrodaya (p. 399 )’. On p. 459 he cites a verse composed by himself about the Vaiśvadeva homa on the day of Śrāddha. Gāgābhatta alias Viśveśvarabhatta, who officiated at the coronation of the great Shivaji in 1674 A. D., was Kamalakarabhatta’s nephew.