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History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s81: 96. Rudradhara

History of Dharmaśāstra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v1.c6.s81

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96. Rudradhara

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This is a well-known Maithila writer on Dharmaśāstra, who composed several works. His Śuddhi-viveka has been published several times (at Benares in 1866, in 1878 and by the Veṅkaṭeśvara Press in Bombay, *saṁvat* 1978). That work is divided into three *paricchedas* and deals with purification from impurity on birth and death, the persons liable to undergo purifications, the meaning of the word *putra*, purification of the body and of various substances when polluted, purification of cooked food and water and women in their menses. He tells us that after⁹⁶² having examined seven works (*nibandhas*) on śuddhi and being encouraged by his father and brother he composed the Śuddhiviveka. He further says that he made the effort for the benefit of those who were not disposed to go through such works as the Ratnākara, Pārijāta, Mitākṣarā and the Hāralatā.⁹⁶³ Besides these he mentions the Ācārādarśa, Śuddhipradīpa, Śuddhi-bimba, Śrīdattopādhyāya, Smṛtisāra and Harihara.

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⁹⁶² शुद्धौ सप्त निबन्धान् दृष्ट्वानुमतः पितुस्तथा भ्रातुः ।

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⁹⁶³ सन्त्येव रत्नाकरपारिजातमिताक्षराहारलतादयोन्ये । तथापि तन्नालसमानसानां भवेत्प्रमोदाय मम प्रयासः ॥

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The Śrāddhaviveka of Rudradhara is the most famous of his works. It was printed at Benares in *saṁvat* 1920. The work is divided into four *paricchedas*. He first defines śrāddha, and then treats of several topics, viz. the varieties of śrāddha, the procedure at śrāddhas, the *mantras* that are recited, the proper time and place for śrāddhas, the Brāhmaṇas worthy to be invited at śrāddha and the proper food etc. Among the numerous works and authors referred to in the work the undermentioned ones deserve notice.⁹⁶⁴ He refers to his own Śuddhiviveka as already written.

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⁹⁶⁴ कल्पतरु, गोभिलगृह्यभाष्य, छन्दोगपरिशिष्टटीका, पारिजात, पितृभक्ति (of श्रीदत्तोपाध्याय styled प्राचीन), भुजबलभीम, भोजराज, महार्णव, रत्नाकर, श्राद्धकल्प, श्राद्धपल्लव, श्राद्धविवेक (गौडीय i. e. of शूलपाणि), सुगतिसोपान (styled भवशर्मप्रतिहस्तकप्रबन्ध), स्मृतिसार, हलायुधनिबन्ध.

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In several places he tells us that he follows a different tradition on certain matters from that of the Pitṛbhakti or of the Sugatisopāna. He points out that the *prasātika* is a kind of grain known in Madhyadeśa as Śāṭhila.⁹⁶⁵

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⁹⁶⁵ प्रसातिका मध्यदेशे साठीला इति प्रसिद्धं धान्यम् । folio 21 b of the Benares ed. of संवत् 1920.

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For his Vratapaddhati, *vide* Mitra's Notices, vol. VI, p. 15, No. 1995. He says that he was urged by his brother's advice to write the work and that he follows the Samayapradīpa.⁹⁶⁶

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⁹⁶⁶ एष श्रीभ्रातृचरणोन्नतिः समयप्रदीपानुसारी पन्थाः । at the end of the व्रतपद्धति.

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Another work of his is the Varṣakṛtya which deals with festivals and fasts.

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He was the son of Mahāmahopādhyāya Lakṣmīdhara and youngest brother of Haladhara. His works are quoted by Vācaspati in his Dvaitanirṇaya, by Govindānanda in the Śrāddhakriyākaumudī, by Raghunandana in several of his *tattvas*, by Kamalākara and Nīlakaṇṭha.

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As Rudradhara mentions the Ratnākara, the Smṛtisāra, Śrīdattopādhyāya and the Śrāddhaviveka of Śūlapāṇi, he is certainly later than 1425 A. D. A ms. of his Vratapaddhati is dated in Lakṣmaṇa saṁvat 344 i. e. 1463 A. D.⁹⁶⁷ Besides he is quoted by Vācaspati and Govindānanda. Therefore he must have flourished between 1425 and 1460 A. D.

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⁹⁶⁷ Vide M. M. Haraprasad Sastri's cat. of palm-leaf and paper Nepal mss. XIII and p. 73.

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The Rudradhara who was a pupil of Caṇḍeśvara and author of the Kṛtyacandrikā, the Vivādacandrikā and the Śrāddhacandrikā appears to be a different author.

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