History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s78.17

v1.c6.s78.17

There is a work called Mahārṇava ascribed to Māndhātā, a son of Madanapāla. In several mss. of this work deposited in the Deccan⁹¹⁶ College there are introductory verses giving the genealogy of Madanapāla that agree almost word for word with the introductory verses of the Madanapārijāta. Moreover two verses that speak of Viśveśvarabhaṭṭa occur here also as well as in the Madanapārijāta and Subodhinī. This work also is said to have been compiled by Māndhātā through the learned.⁹¹⁷ It is said to have been based on a study of the *śruti*, the *smṛtis* and the *purāṇas*. The work is divided into 40 *taraṅgas* (waves). The principal subject⁹¹⁸ of the work is to describe how the various diseases which human bodies are heir to are the result of evil deeds done in past lives (this subject being called Karmavipāka in dharmaśāstra works) and to prescribe various rites and penances for the eradication of the evil results of evil deeds. Among the various rites and penances that are set forth in great detail may be mentioned the Kūṣmāṇḍahoma, Rudraikādaśinī, Mahārudrābhiṣeka, Vināyakaśānti, the Navagrahayajña &c. The Mahārṇava mentions the Karmavipāka of Śātātapa, the Caturvarga-cintāmaṇi (folio 234 a of D. C. no. 259 of 1886-1892), the Mitākṣarā, the Karmavipāka-samuccaya &c. It is worthy of note that in the Smṛti-kaumudī the authorship of the Mahārṇava is claimed by the author himself and is not ascribed to Madanapāla's son.⁹¹⁹