A History of Indian Medical Literature v3.c43.s6.4

v3.c43.s6.4

Sankara Menon's conclusion that Narasiṃha, together with his teacher, led a secluded life in a vihāra in the Taluk of Shertalla, most probably at Tiruvilai,⁴⁴⁸ cannot be proved. Narasiṃha's adherence to the Buddhist faith was inferred by him from the absence of a maṅgalācaraṇa at the beginning of his commentary and from a single reference to the word vihāra (ad 1.1), which are rather weak grounds. Sankara Menon assigns Narasiṃha to the period A.D. 630–730,⁴⁴⁹ when Buddhism was still flourishing in Kerala.⁴⁵⁰ Until Narasiṃha's commentary has been subjected to thorough study, it can, however, only be asserted safely that he lived after Subandhu.⁴⁵¹