History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s50.7

v1.c6.s50.7

Medhātithi quotes from or names numerous smṛti writers, such as Gautama, Baudhāyana, Āpastamba, Vasiṣṭha, Viṣṇu, Śaṅkha, Manu, Yāj., Nārada, Parāśara, Bṛhaspati, Kātyāyana and others. He refers to Bṛhaspati as a writer on ‘vārtā’ (Manu VII. 43 and IX. 326) and to Bṛhaspati and Uśanas as writers on politics and government (Manu VIII 285, VII. 2 and 155). On Manu VII. 43 he refers to Cāṇakya as a writer on ‘daṇḍanīti’. In numerous places he seems to have drawn upon Kauṭilya's work. For example, on Manu VII. 155 in interpreting ‘pañcavarga’ as ‘kāpaṭika, udāsthita, gṛhapatika, vaidehika and tāpasavyañjana’ he explains them almost in the words of Kauṭilya (I. 2). On VII. 148 he quotes the five *aṅgas* of *mantra* in the very words of Kauṭilya.⁵⁶⁹ Vide also his remarks on Manu VII. 54 (testing of miṇisters by *upadhas*). He names Asahāya (on 8. 156) and certain writers as Smṛtivivaraṇakārāḥ (on II. 25). Bühler is not quite accurate (p. cxx, n. 1) when he states that ‘Medhātithi gives only once the name of an early commentator’. On VIII. 3 he refers to the interpretations of Bhartṛyajña. He refers to the interpretations of Yajvan (on VIII. 151 and 156). Yajvan is only the last part of a name (as in Devarājayajvan). He quotes the interpretation of Manu by Upādhyāya (on II. 109, IV. 162, V. 43, IX. 141 and 147). Bühler holds that Medhātithi refers to his own teacher. It is more likely that Upādhyāya, like Yajvan, is the name or part of the name of a previous commentator of Manu. On VIII. 152 the explanations of Ṛju are twice cited. On IX. 253 Medhātithi cites the view of one Viṣṇusvāmin.⁵⁷⁰ From the tenor of the quotation it appears that Viṣṇusvāmin was a writer on Mīmāṁsā and not a commentator of Manu as Büher thought (p. cxx, n. 1). Some Mss. read the word preceding Viṣṇusvāmī as ‘kovara’, others as ‘kāvara’. It is probably ‘kāvera’ (residing on the Kāverī river).