Author: Vidyaranya
Translator(s)/ Editors(s): Bithika Mukerji
Publisher: Indica Books
Year: 2009
Language: multilingual
Pages: 126
ISBN/UPC (if available): 8186569847
Description
The 'commentary' on the Taittiriyopanisad is entitled Taittiriyaka-vidya-prakasah, that is 'the exposition of the teaching of the Taittiriyopanisad'. It is to be seen that almost all Upanisads propound the unity of the Self with Brahman in two ways, firstly by negation and secondly by the mode of indicative descriptions. Both these methods are to be met within the Taittiriyopanisad. Indeed this Upanisad is the fountainhead for both methods which converge to the same point in the famous declaration: ‘Brahmavidyapnoti param’ (the knower of Brahman attains the supreme).
What Vidyaranya has accomplished in this independent work is best described as a 'meta-commentary', being not a mere gloss on the existing commentary, but an independent exercise in interpretation of the Upanisads themselves guided at every step by the turns in the commentary of Sankaracarya. In sum it may be viewed as the medieval counterpart of modern academic interpretations of the Upanisads Vis-à-vis the exegesis of Sankaracarya.
The prevalent view is that Vidyaranya and the Vedic commentator Sayana were brothers. It is further believed that ‘Vidyaranya’ is the ascetic name of Madhavacarya, the very powerful minister n the Kingdom of Vijayanagar which came into existence under his aegis in 1336 A.D. He renounced the world when yet at the height of his worldly powers and became an ascetic, who was the thirty-third occupant of the prestigious seat of Sankaracarya at Srngeri
Contents
Introduction
The Taittiriyaka-vidya –prakasah
Bibliography