Theory of Government in Ancient India (Post-Vedic) c9.s1.68

c9.s1.68

Next to Manu, Yâjñavalkya has received the greatest attention. Vijñâneśwara, the author of the Mitâkṣara, or as it is sometimes, called Ṛiju Mitâkṣarâ Ṭikâ or Ṛiju Sammitâkṣarâ or Pramitâkṣarâ, is believed to have lived at Kalyâṇapur, now in the Nizam's dominions. Its sway has been felt over the greater part of the country. Colebrooke translated its chapter on Inheritance which at once assumed a tremendous importance. Aparârka, though less influential, is most probably earlier than Vijñâneśwara. His silence about the latter was ascribed by modern scholars to etiquette which prevents a royal author from mentioning the names of servants of other kings. But after the discovery of Vijñâneśwara's reference to Mâdhava it seems clear that Aparârka's silence is the natural accident of his priority in time. Among the commentaries on the Mitâkṣarâ itself may be mentioned the Subodhinî or Viśweśwarî by Viśweśwara Bhaṭṭa. Among the commentaries on the Sûtras, perhaps the most important are Uaradatta's gloss on the Âpastambîya Dharma Sûtra called Ujjvalâ and his gloss on Gautama called Gautamîya Mitâkṣarâ, both composed in the sixteenth century. Toḍar Mal, surnamed Toḍarânanda, the great minister of Akbar, was the author of the Saukṣyas, one of the numerous Digests on law which were composed during the middle ages.