History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s47.6

v1.c6.s47.6

Viśvarūpa's work is thoroughly saturated with the lore of the Pūrvamīmāṁsā. He quotes Jaimini by name (on Yāj. I. 225 where Jaimini VI. 8. 15 is quoted). Curiously enough he applies the term *nyāya* to Mīmāṁsā. He takes ‘nyāya-mīmāṁsā’ in Yāj. I. 3 as one *vidyā*, while he notes that others explain *nyāya* as the system of logic propounded by Akṣapāda. He quotes the sūtras of Jaimini as those of Yājñikas who know *nyāya* (e. g. on Yāj. I. 53 he quotes Jaimini I. 3. 16 and on Yāj I. 87 he quotes Jaimini VI. 8. 17). He applies the epithet *naiyāyika* to a mīmāṁsaka like Śabara and speaks of the mīmāṁsakas as *nyāyavidaḥ*.⁵³² He mentions the Śābarabhāṣya by name (on Yāj. III. 243) and in several places quotes the very words of Śabara (e. g. on Yāj. III. 181).⁵³³ He quotes the ślokavārtika of Kumārila (I. 12 the verse ‘sarvasyaiva hi &c.) in his introductory remarks. In his comment on Yāj. I. 7 he cites over fifty verses in the nature of *kārikās* dealing with the relation of śruti and smṛti and kindred topics. These verses are his own composition, as in one of them he assures us that a certain point will be dealt with by him in detail in the section on śrāddha.⁵³⁴ In interspersing his commentary with *kārikās* of his own and in their style and pithiness he greatly resembles Kumārila. Throughout his work he relies upon mīmāṁsā maxims and methods of discussion. For example, on Yāj. I. 4-5 he discusses the rule of Jaimini II. 4. 8 ff (about 'sarvaśākhāpratyayam ekaṁ karma') in its application to smṛtis ; on Yāj. I. 225 he relies upon the position that words like *yava* and *varāha* are to be taken as employed in the Vedas in the same sense in which *śiṣṭas* use them (vide Jaimini I. 3. 9) ; on Yāj. II. 144 he speaks of wealth (dravya) being puruṣārtha, where he alludes to the well-known distinction between *kratvartha* and *puruṣārtha*, the subject of Jaimini's 4th chap. His commentary on Yāj. III 212, 237, 262 are fine examples of his superb skill in the interpretation and reconciliation of apparently conflicting texts.