अणुभाष्य (महाप्रभु वल्लभाचार्य - शुद्धाद्वैत वेदान्त ब्रह्मसूत्र महाभाष्य प्रकाश टीका सहित)

Ācārya Śrī Vallabha, the founder of the
Śuddhādvaita school of Vedānta tradition is said
to be of a divine origin imbued with spiritual
insight. His philosophy is called pure-non-dualism
undefiled by Māyā. He was born in Vikram Saṁvat
1535 (1479 A.D.), to Śrī Lakṣmaṇa Bhaṭṭa, a
Telugu Brahmin and Illammāgāru, a family which
had learning towards Vedic rituals and the worship
of Gopālakṛṣṇa. He travelled extensively to the
religious places such as Vijyanagar, Kāśī and Aḍail
(near Prayāga). At these places, he developed his
literary and religious activities. His firm faith in
lord Kṛṣṇa's commandment led him to devote to
the task of a faithful interpretation of the sacred
texts like the Upaniṣad, Gītā and Brahmasūtra.
He found that the essential reality is Śuddha (pure)
unalloyed with māyā, and non-dualism (Advaya).
He advocated the Puṣṭi (divine grace), as the most
powerful and unfailing method for attaining
Supreme Bliss. His Siddhānta is known as
Śuddhādvaita-Brahmavāda-Nirguṇa-Puṣṭibhakti
Mārga.
Ācārya Vallabha has written a commentary on
the Brahmasūtra, known as Aṇubhāṣya which is
available only in the summary form upto III.2.33,
the remaining part was supplemented by his second
son Śrī Viṭṭhalanātha.
Ācārya differs from the earlier Ācāryas viz.
Śaṁkara, Rāmānuja, Madhva, and Nimbārka with
regard to the interpretation of the nature of Reality.
According to Vallabha, Reality is Brahman which
is Sat (existence), Cit (conscious), Ānanda (bliss)
Continued on back flap
ISBN 81-88643-10-6 (Vol.3)
ISBN 81-88643-07-6 (Set) Rs. 3700
(Set of 4 Vols.)

continued from front flap
which is denominated as Rasa (sentiment). He is
Pūrṇa Puruṣottama. Among his divine chara-
cteristics Jñāna and Kriyā are important. He is
Kartā (doer) and Bhoktā (enjoyer). For Līlā, He
creates the universe out of Himself. Vallabha
propagates the path of Puṣṭi Bhakti (Divine grace)
in order to enjoy the union with the Supreme.
The Puṣṭi can be realised as in the case of gopī's
of Vṛndāvan who, in fact, opened the gateway to
realize everything with lord Kṛṣṇa. He is for
Svarūpānanda, instead of Brahmānanda. Lord is
full of Rasa in which love is most important. This
brings enjoyment of the Bliss of the Union with
Divine.
The present commentaries on Aṇubhāṣya
known as Prakāśa written by Śrī Puruṣottama
Caraṇa, a descendent of Śrī Vallabhācārya and
another on the same known as Raśmi by Śrī Yogi
Gopeśvara, of the same lineage, provide excellent
and appropriate interpretation of the tradition.
In fact, Aṇubhāṣya of Vallabhācārya with these
two commentaries given by Śrī Puruṣottam-
acaraṇa and Gopeśvarajī is the most authentic
text for providing illuminating interpretation of
the Brahmasūtra.
This edition was originally printed by
Nirnaysagar Press, Bombay, an institution known
for publishing and printing the authentic editions.
This work was published some eighty years ago,
now printed again with a new Introduction by one
of the greatest scholars of modern times in the
tradition.

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MAHĀPRABHU ŚRĪ VALLABHĀCHĀRYA'S
AṆUBHĀṢYA
ON
THE BRAHMASŪTRA
WITH THE COMMENTARY
BHĀṢYAPRAKĀŚA
OF
GOSVĀMI ŚRĪ PURUṢOTTAMAJI
AND
THE SUPER- COMMENTARY
RAŚMI ON THE BHĀṢYAPRAKĀŚA
OF
GOSVĀMI ŚRĪ GOPEŚVARJI
EDITED WITH INTRODUCTION AND APPENDICES ETC. BY
MULCHANDRA TULSIDAS TELIWALA
WITH A NEW INTRODUCTION BY
GOSWAMI SRI SHYAM MANOHARJI MAHARAJ
ṢAṢṬHAPĪṬHĀDHĪŚVARA,
MANDIRA ŚRĪ MUKUNDARĀYAJI ŚRĪ GOPĀLALĀLAJI, KĀŚĪ.
VOLUME THREE
ADHYĀYA 3
AKSHAYA PRAKASHAN
DELHI

First published: Bombay, 1925-26
Reprint: Delhi 2005
ISBN 81-88643-07-6 (set)
ISBN 81-88643-10-6 (vol.3)
Published by:
Harish Chandra for Akshaya Prakashan,
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श्रीकृष्णाय नमः
श्रीमद्ब्रह्मसूत्राणुभाष्यम्
शुद्धाद्वैतब्रह्मवादनिर्गुणभक्तिमार्गप्रवर्तकाचार्यचक्रचूडामणि-
श्रीमद्वल्लभाचार्यचरणप्रणीतम्
दशदिगन्तविजयिश्रीमद्गोस्वामिश्रीपुरुषोत्तमचरणप्रणीत-
भाष्यप्रकाशेन
सम्पूर्णवेत्तृश्रीमद्गोस्वामिश्रीगोपेश्वरजिचरणप्रणीत-
भाष्यप्रकाशरश्मिना
च परिबृंहितम्
मूलचन्द्रतुलसीदासतेलीवाला
इत्यनेन संशोधितम्
काशीस्थ-श्रीमुकुन्दरायजी-श्रीगोपाललालजीमन्दिराधिष्ठित-
षष्ठपीठाधीश्वर-गोस्वामिश्रीश्याममनोहरपाद-
विरचितया नवीनभूमिकया समुल्लसितम्
तृतीयो भागः
तृतीयोऽध्यायः
देहलीस्थ-
अक्षयप्रकाशननेन
प्रकाशितम्

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श्रीकृष्णाय नमः ।
श्रीमद्ब्रह्मसूत्राणुभाष्यम् ।
शुद्धाद्वैतब्रह्मवादनिर्गुणभक्तिमार्गप्रवर्तकाचार्यचक्रचूडामणि-
श्रीमद्वल्लभाचार्यचरणप्रणीतम् ।
विशददिगन्तविजयिश्रीमद्गोस्वामिश्रीपुरुषोत्तमचरणप्रणीत-
भाष्यप्रकाशसंपूर्णवेत्तुश्रीमद्गोस्वामिश्रीगोपेश्वरजी-
चरणप्रणीतभाष्यप्रकाशरश्मिपरिवृंहितम् ।
तृतीयाध्यायस्य प्रथमः पादः ।
'भगवद्धर्मपरायण सद्व्रत श्रेष्ठि गोवर्धनदास सुन्दरदास' इत्यस्य
पुष्टिमार्गीयसंस्कृतसाहित्यसमुद्धारार्थं निर्दिष्टद्रव्यसंग्रहतो
'भृगुपुरस्थ मूलचन्द्र तुलसीदास तेलीवाला, बी. ए.,
एल्एल्. बी., वकील, हाइ कोर्ट' इत्यनेन संशोध्य
'निर्णयसागर' मुद्रणालये मुद्रयित्वा
प्रकटीकृतम् ।
श्रीवल्लभाब्दाः ४४७. संवत् १९८२.
मूल्यमेकमुद्रिका ।

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PREFACE.
In the presence of S'rīmad Goswāmi S'rī Gokulanāthaji Mahārāja of
Baḍā Mandir, Bombay, an arrangement was arrived at between S'eth Lālji
Nāraṇji and ourselves in May 1925 by which the Trustees of the late
S'eth Gordhandās Sundardās agreed to defray the whole cost of the publication of
Aṇu Bhāshya-Bhāshya Prakāsha-Ras'mi. This volume is published in pursuance
of the same. For this happy result we express our obligations to S'rīmad
Goswāmī S'rī Gokulanāthaji Mahārāja and the said Trustees.
In bringing out this edition we have got hearty co-operation from
Goswamis and their learned s'āstris. H. H. Tilakayita S'rīmad Goswami S'rī
Govardhanalalji and his son S'rī Damodaralalji have been kind enough to lend
us two very good Mss. of the Aṇu Bhashya. Through the kindness of S'rīmad
Goswami S'rī Vraja Ratnaji a fragment of the original Ras'mi became available
to us for the first time in 1917. S'rīmad Goswami S'rī Vallabhalalji S'rī
Muralidharaji, S'rī Gokulanathaji, S'rī Ranchhodlalji, and S'rī Magnalalji have lent
us Mss. of the Aṇu Bhashya from their collections. Last but not the least we
must acknowledge our deep obligations to the late Pandit Gattulālji's Library.
Mr. Jamnadas Kanji B. A., has helped in preparing the press-copy of the
Introduction. Messrs Dhirajlal Sankalia, Govardhandas Pragji, Hiralal Mulji,
and Purushottam Kanji B. A., have also helped while reading the proofs.
Thanks are due to them also.
Bombay, \ }
5-2-1926. / M. T. Telivala.

An accurate, line-by-line transcription of the page:

(1) प्रकृतिपर एवाधि. p. 2. L. 1. र. It would be better to read this as प्रकृतिपरमात्माधि.
This would yield very good sense. The only difficulty in this way of
reading is that we have to add मा after पर which is not found in the original.
The omission of मा seems to be due to the slip of pen.
(2) शोधयति. p. 2. L. 1. र. The original reads शोधति. This also is correct. धातूनां
भ्वादित्वादनेककार्यत्वान्निखलत्वात् शोधतिप्रयोगोपि साधुः ।
(3) वा अन्तरे. p. 14. L. 1. भा. One old Mss. reads अवान्तरे.
(4) अपेक्ष्यते. p. 14. L. 3. भा. अपेक्षते seems to be the reading. अपेक्षन्ते seems to be
a change suggested by भूतानि.
(5) गौणत्वम्. p. 15. L. 8. प्र. Can it be न गौणत्वम् ?. One न seems to be missing here.
(

INTRODUCTION.
S'rī Vallabhacharya And His Aṇu-Bhāshya.
S'rīmad Vallabhacharya, the author of the 'Aṇu Bhashya', was born on
the 11th day of the dark half of Chaitra, 1535 Samvat, (1479. A. D.), in the
forest of Champa near Raipur. His father was Lakshmaṇa Bhatta, and
Yallammagaru was his mother. He was a Telagu Brahmin studying the
Taitirīya S'ākhā of the Black Yajur-Veda. Vallabha's birth is shrouded in the
mysteries of the devotional beliefs of his followers, but one thing is certain that
his followers believed that he was commissioned by God to inaugurate a great
religious revival in India. From the writings of Vallabha which are available
now, we can say that this belief was shared by himself also. It is not an
uncommon phenomenon in India. Ramanuja, Madhva, Nimbarka, Chaitanya,
and several other great teachers did believe in their special messages to the
world. Vallabha's ancestors were Deekshitas, and were devoted to Krishna in
the form of Gopāla. The Swarūpa of Madana-Mohanji in the Seventh Pītha
is the one which came to him from his Sixth ancestor Yajna Narayana Bhatta.
It is possible that Vallabha's father Lakshmaṇa Bhatta and his ancestors were
the Upāsakas of Gopāla according to the cult of Vishṇuswami. The early
years of Vallabha were passed by him with his father at Benares, where he is
said to have mastered all the Vedas, Six Dars'anas, and all schools of Āstika
and Nāstika thinkers. He studied the S'aiva and Vaishṇava Āgamas. When
Vallabha was comparatively young, his father died. Vallabha wanted to study
the Vaishṇava systems of Madhva, Ramanuja, Nimbarka and others, and
seeing that they were not prevalent there, in order to have direct knowledge,
he is said to have proceeded to the South. Vallabha's desire to go to the south
of India was very natural. During that time there was the powerful Hindu
kingdom of Vijaya-Nagar or Vidya-Nagar, over which ruled the mighty
monarch Krishṇadeva-Raya, himself a great Vaishṇava. During his time, it
seems a convention was held of the representatives of all the existing Sampra-
dāyas. The session seems to have been going on when Vallabha visited Vijaya-
Nagar. The main dispute seems to have been between Vyāsa Tīrtha, the
Mādhva, and some representative of Mayavadins. It seems also clear that
the Dwaita philosophy of the Mādhvas could not hold its own against the
attacks of S'ānkaras. At this juncture Vallabha seems to have baffled all by
his great learning and powerful arguments. We see no reason to doubt this
fact. The author of a recently discovered work Vyāsa-Yoga-Charitam, from
Vyāsa Raya Matha, does chronicle the fact that Vallabhacharya was honoured
by the king Krishṇadeva Raya, under the presidentship of the then famous
Mādhva Swami Vyasa Tīrtha. Vallabha's position was peculiar. He accepted
Adwaita pure and simple without the interference of the Māyāvāda of S'ankara;
hence all the attacks advanced by Mādhvas and others against Advaita lost
their force as against him. His acceptance of 'शुद्धाद्वैत' disarmed the opposi-
tion of both Vaishṇavas and S'ānkaras. The position taken up by Vallabha

( 4 )
was not altogether singular. We believe that Narayana Bhatta, the author of
the famous drama Veṇisanhara, was the follower of a system of philosophy
which combined in itself the Pure Adwaita of the Upanishads and the Bhakti-
Mārga. Whatever that may be, it is certain that Vallabha made a very great
impression on king Krishṇadeva, Vyasa-Tīrtha and others who were present
there. In consequence of this session, the king performed a ‘Kanakābhisheka’
with Hundred Maunds of Gold. It is said that Vallabha did not accept
this gold and resumed his travels. This abstinence on the part of Vallabha
added to the admiration of all those present there. Vyāsa-Tīrtha, the
Mādhva, actually requested him to be the head-priest of his Maṭha after
him. Vyāsa-Tīrtha with king Krishṇadeva again approached Vallabha and
presented him with a good many valuables. From these presents Vallabha is
said to have prepared a gold Mekhala set with diamonds, rubies etc., and
presented the same to S'rī Vitthala in the Vitthala Swami Temple at Vijaya-
Nagara. Ultimately, it appears, Vallabha could not conscientiously accept the
offer of Vyāsa-Tīrtha, but from this time Vallabha came to be regarded as a
great Acharya.
During his visit to Vraja, Vallabha set up the Shrine of S'rī Nathaji on
the holy hill Govardhana in a temple built for that purpose by one Purṇa
Malla Kshatriya. There Vallabhacharya used to pass his Chātur-Māsa i. e.
Āshādha S'ukla eleventh to Kārtika S'ukla eleventh every year. Here he
developed the asthetic side of Vaishṇavism by refining and perfecting the
mode of worship Sevā-Mārga. During his stay in Vraja, on the midnight
of 11th day of the bright half of S'rāvaṇa, he says he had holy communion
with Lord Krishṇa, who commanded him to initiate Jīvas in His Service. This
initiation consists of two parts: one is the formula to be repeated by the aspirant
before the deity by holding Tulsi-leaves in hand and afterwards placing the
same at the feet of the deity through Acharya, and the other part is the effect
of the same, on the devotee, by which he becomes the Adhikari in the Sevā-
Marga of Lord S'rī Krishna. He married one Mahalakshmi. He had two sons
by her viz. S'rī Gopinatha and S'rī Vitthalanatha under whom the Sampradaya
flourished considerably.
While he was staying in the north of India, Vallabhāchārya came into
contact with Kes'ava Kas'mirin, the famous Nimbarka scholar, and Chaitanya,
the Bengal Saint. They were both Krishṇopasakas, and it seems from Sampra-
dayika Gathas that their relations were very cordial. Kes'ava presented his
pupil Madhava Bhatta Kas'mirin to Vallabha in Dakshiṇa of भागवतकथाश्रवण.
He became his devout disciple, and during his whole life acted as the amanuensis
of S'rī Vallabha. It seems that during Madhava Bhatta's stay with him at
Adel, Vallabha composed his numerous works. During that interval Vallabha
wrote Purva Mīmānsā-Bhashya, Brahma-Sūtra Bhashya, Tattvadīpa-Nibandha
with his own commentary, Sūkshma tīkā and Subodhini on S'rīmad Bhāgavata,
and the sixteen Prakaraṇa Granthas giving in brief the essence of his views.
It is really unfortunate that only a fragment of his Pūrva Mīmānsā Bhashya
is available now. Aṇu Bhashya, as we have it now, is not wholly written by him.
1524

( 5 )
The last Adhyāya and a half of the Bhashya is finished by his son Vitthale-
s'wara. Sūkshma tīkā is almost lost. Even Pushti-Pravaha-Maryada-Bheda
one of the minor Prakaraņas, is not available as a whole. The Bhagavata-
Subodhini is available only on the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 10th and a portion of 11th
Skandhas. It is probable that Vallabha wrote on all the Skandhas.
During his stay at Adel, after the completion of his Bhashya on पूर्वोत्तर-
मीमांसाs, he seems to have met with great opposition from the Mayavadi Pandits
of Benares. In order to silence them for ever, Vallabha wrote out a pamphlet
in mixed verse and prose, and affixed the same to the doors of Kās'ī Vis'vanātha,
with a challenge to Benares Pandits to refute the same, if they could. One
Upendra was the leader of the opposition. It seems this discussion ended into
threats of personal violence, as a consequence of which, Vallabha left Benares.
This work seems to have created a great stir in the world of scholars then
living. One Ayyanna Dikshita actually mentions it by name in his Vyasa-
Tatparya-Nirnaya. Ayyanna's seems to be a veiled attempt to belittle the
achievement of Vallabhacharya by propounding a principle though novel, far
from convincing, for finding out the true view of Vyasa. It would be
rather hazardous to say that the true view of Vyasa can be deter-
mined from the statements of the opponents. Assuming however that
it is so, the opponents mention both Parinama and Vivarta as the view of
Vyasa. Hence from the statements of opponent Sankhyas and Naiyayikas,
it is impossible to come to the conclusion that Vyasa teaches Vivarta alone in
his Brahma Sūtras.
The last portion of his life was passed at Adel. Here he finished his
works which were begun by him during his travels, and served Lord Krishna
with the love and devotion of Gopees, and founded his system on it. At the
age of 52 he burnt his Parņas'āla, joined the Sannyasa Ās'rama, and came to
Benares. For a month he observed fast, and for the last eight days he observed
मौनव्रत, and on the 2nd day of the bright half of Āshadha Samvat 1587, he
left this world mid-day.
S'rī Vallabhacharya gave permanent form to his views, which were pro-
pounded by him in the convention of king Krishnadeva of Vijayanagar, in his
commentaries on the Pūrva and Uttara Mīmānsas. From internal evidence
available from his writings which are extant, we have reason to believe that
he completed his Bhashya both on Pūrva and Uttara Mīmānsas. His mention
of ‘चकारात् मीमांसाद्वयभाष्यम्’ in his Prakās'a on the opening verses of his Tattvadīpa
Nibandha would rather suggest an accomplished fact. In numerous places in
the Subodhini (his commentary on Bhagavata) he refers to both the Bhashyas
as siddha-vastu-facts accomplished. ‘भावनापक्षश्च पूर्वमीमांसाभाष्य एव निराकृतः’ भा. सु. २. १. ५.
Similarly in ‘Veda Stuti Subodhini’ he refers to his Bhashya on the Brahma-
Sūtras ‘भाष्ये विस्तरेणोक्तत्वात्’. We do not find this alleged विस्तर in the Aņu Bhashya
as written by Vallabhacharya. In the Subodhini on 3. 4. 7. Vallabhacharya
writes ‘एतान्येव गुणोपसंहारे षोडशाधिकरण्या प्रतिपादितानि’. गुणोपसंहार is the 3rd Pada of the 3rd
1525

( 6 )

Adhyaya of the Brahama-Sutras. The mention by Vallabhacharya of 16 Adhika-
raṇas as referring to 16 adjectives leads us to the inference that he must have
written his commentary on the गुणोपसंहारपाद before he came to write his सुबोधिनी on
the 3rd स्कंध. In the Aṇu Bhashya we do not find any reference to these 16
विशेषणs. Nor was the Prakas'akara aware of this, when he first wrote his
commentary on this Pada-Bhashya. In the revision which he seems to have
made after he finished his तृतीयसुबोधिनीप्रकाश, he added this in his Prakās'a at the
end of each of sixteen Adhikaraṇas, as we find in the original. On a perusal of
the Aṇu Bhashya itself, we find that it is an abridgment of a bigger work on
Brahma-Sutras of Vallabhacharya. In the ईक्षत्यधिकरण there is no reference to
the refutation of सांख्यs, though in the beginning of the fourth Pada of the 1st
Adhyaya mention is made that सांख्य's theory is refuted in the ईक्षत्यधिकरण. In
one place it is mentioned that आविर्भावतिरोभाववाद will be explained in details in
the तदनन्यत्वाधिकरण, but there beyond the bare mention of the words आविर्भाव and
तिरोभाव, we do not find anything else. This is possible only in a work of the
nature of an analysis. Besides in सुबोधिनी we meet with references to Sūtras of 3rd
and 4th Adhyayas, and in some places we find the interpretation as given in
Subodhini different from the one found in अणुभाष्य. Of course there is no विरोध
or violence to the general views of Vallabhacharya, but difference there is. As an
instance we cite ‘जगद्व्यापारवर्जम्’ ४. ४. १७. ब्र. सू. The interpretation of this Sūtra
as given in Subodhini is to the effect that the ऐश्वर्य of the मुक्त Soul is unlimited in
all respects, except the power of creation etc. of the Universe. In Aṇu Bhāshya
on the same Sūtra, the question is discussed, whether there is any जगद्व्यापार or
सांसारिकता in लीलासृष्टि, and the same is denied. These facts lead us to the inference
that Vallabhacharya must have written an exhaustive commentary on the
Brahma Sūtras, and the Aṇu Bhashya which is available at present, is an analysis
or a smaller edition of that big work. The name ‘अणुभाष्य’ also supports our
inference. Almost all the works of Vallabhacharya have double editions, e. g., the
सूक्ष्मटीका and सुबोधिनी on S'ri Bhagavata, the निबन्ध and its प्रकाश. Hence it appears
that Vallabhacharya first completed his commentaries on पूर्व and उत्तर मीमांसाs. The
mention of this fact in his प्रकाश on निबन्ध can be explained on this hypothesis alone.
After the completion of these पूर्व and उत्तर मीमांसाभाष्यs they became prevalent
among the Pandits of Benares following the Bhātta school of Mimansa and मायावाद
of S'ankara. On account of this opposition Vallabhacharya had to come down
from Adel to Benares, and proclaim again his views on पूर्व and उत्तर मीमांसाs through
his पत्रावलंबन as mentioned above.
Vallabhacharya, during his stay of fifteen to twenty years at Adel, wrote
out all his works during the interval of अनवसर from Sevā. When he passed away,
his first son श्रीगोपीनाथ was about twenty, while the second son S'ri Vitthalanatha was
about fifteen. S'ri Gopinatha was in a position to get the benefit of his father's
teachings, but through unfortunate circumstances, the संप्रदाय could not get the bene-
fit of the knowledge of the Acharya's teachings, through him. S'ri Gopinatha
and S'ri Vitthalanatha were on extremely cordial terms, as found from the letters
passed between them. About Samvat 1620 or so S'ri Gopinatha left this world
at Juggannath Puri, and soon after, his only son S'ri Purushottama followed him.
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This unfortunate event embittered the feelings of the widow of S'rī Gopīnātha,
and as a result the original works of श्रीमद्वल्लभाचार्य were taken away by her. Under
these circumstances, श्रीविट्ठलनाथ tried his atmost to collect the writings of his father,
but it appears that he succeeded only in securing the fragment of Anu Bhashya,
but could not get the copy of the bigger or complete Bhashya. He had to satisfy
himself with the portion of अणुभाष्य which could be secured by him.
In Samvat 1622 S'rī Vitthalanath left Adel for good, and migrated to
S'rī Gokula, and adopted it as his permanent residence. During his stay at
श्रीगोकुल from 1622-1642 Samvat, he came in contact with Emperor Akbar, Birbal,
Todarmal, Rai Purshottama and others. Emperor Akbar made a gift of Gokula
and Jatipura villages to Vitthaleswar. Akbar in another of his Sanad gave him
permission to graze his cows on all lands including the royal ones also. It
appears from this time Vitthalanath, who was up to this time known as Vipra or
Dīkshita, came to be styled Goswami, a name by which all his agnate descendants
are known to this day. How much he loved S'rī Gokula and Govardhana can be
learnt from the description of the same in the Aṇu-Bhashya on 4. 2. 15. B. S.,
where it is placed above the Vyapi Vaikuntha, on the authority of a Rik. Here
he got perfect peace, and it was here that he completed the remaining portion
of the अणुभाष्य. Though we have not got Vallabhacharya's Bhashya on the last
Adhyaya and a half, the portion of the Bhashya as written by S'rī Vitthalanath
has admirably succeeded in bringing out the interpretation of his father on these
Sūtras. Thus the संप्रदाय has to depend on this Aṇu Bhashya as the final authority
on Brahma-Sūtras. The आचार्यत्व of the संप्रदाय, for this reason, has been attributed
by some to the father and son combined. Whatever that may be, the Aṇu-
Bhashya has been since then the chief authority of पुष्टिमार्गीय Vaishṇavas.
Vitthaleshwara passed away in Samvat 1642. After him Purushottamaji
is the first commentator on the Aṇu Bhashya.
S'rī Purushottamaji the author of Bhashya-Prakās'a was born on the
11th day of the bright half of Bhadrapada 1724 Samvat at Gokula. He is
Seventh in descent from S'rī Vallabhacharya. In his childhood he seems to
have come under the influence of two Scholars S'rī Krishna-Chandraji Maharaja
and Chacha S'rī Gopes'aji. The former was his grand uncle and also his
Guru (ब्रह्मसंबन्धदाता). Chacha Gopes'aji stood in a similar relation to him. Before
Purushottamaji, his guru S'rī Krishnachandraji had begun to critically study the
Aṇu Bhashya. His labours resulted in a rough draft of the Bhava-Prakasikā
and a fragment of the commentary of Guṇopasanhāra Pada of Aṇu Bhashya.
The latter has been completely incorporated by S'rī Purushottamaji in his
Bhashya-Prakās'a on that portion. The rough draft of Bhava-Prakas'ika
seems to have been utilised in the work current under that name in the Sam-
pradaya. The copy of the same in the hand of S'rī Purushottamaji seems to
be a revised version of the original. It summarises what is contained in the
Aṇu Bhashya and Bhashya-Prakāsa combined. Chacha Gopes'aji's influence
on Purushottamaji seems to be apparent on a comparison of the Ṭīkas of both
on the Subodhini of the Bhagavata first स्कन्ध. Almost the whole of Chacha
Gopes'aji's Tippani seems to be incorporated in his Prathama-Skandha-Prakās'a.
1527

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Purushottamaji seems to have migrated from Gokula to Surat in
Gujarat with his uncle S'rī Vraja-Rajaji soon after 1737 Saṁvat. After this
date S'rī Vraja-Rajaji settled at Surat, where he raised the Haveli for S'rī Bala-
Krishnaji. Vraja-Rajaji was childless. He was a great scholar of the Prameya
School of the Sampradaya. From him S'rī Purushottamji got in inheritance
the Swarupa of S'rī Bala-Krishnaji with the Mandira. Purushottamaji ac-
knowledges this obligation in the opening verses of his Bhashya-Prakāsa.
Though Purushottamaji seems to entertain the greatest respect for S'rī Vraja-
Rajaji, the Prameya mode of thought of his uncle, does not seem to have appealed
to him. Purushottamaji's writings can be equally appreciated by both scholars
Sampradayikas and others.
Purushottamaji's literary activities continued at Surat and Dumas for
forty years and over. It seems that he did not live long after 1781 Samvat
second Ashadha Sudi 10th Thursday, on which day by a writing he bequeathed
all his property including the Swarūpas of S'rī Balakrishnaji and S'rī Vrajes'aji
with temples and everything to his namesake cousin.
Between the period of S'rī Vitthaleswara and S'rī Purushottamaji, Aṇu-
Bhashya does not seem to have received requisite attention. Some of the des-
cendants of S'rī Vitthaleshwara might have read the Aṇu-Bhashya here and
there, but the absence of any commentary during almost a century, would rather
suggest that sufficient attention was not bestowed on the study of the Aṇu-
Bhashya. S'rī Hari Rayaji the illustrious descendent of Vitthaleswara did copy out
Aṇu-Bhashya in his own hand, but being extremely emotional, he has not chosen
to write anything like a commentary, on the Aṇu-Bhashya. When Purushottamaji
approached Aṇu-Bhashya for his studies, in the absence of any tradition, he felt
himself baffled, as can be seen from the concluding verse of the Bhashya-Prakas'a
'संप्रदाये निवृत्ते'. It was a question to him as to how he should find out a mode by
which he can thoroughly master Aṇu-Bhashya. Fortunately for him, there was
his Guru S'rī Krishṇa Chandraji, another descendant of Vallabhacharya. It is
possible that the seed of comparative study was sown in Purushottamaji by
S'rī Krishṇa-Chandraji.
Through his inspiration S'rī Purushottamaji, it would seem, thought of
undertaking the herculean task of studing all the Brahma-Sūtra-Bhāshyas that
were available in his times. Being a Goswami himself, there was no dearth of
riches, and in a city like Surat where he lived, materials were ample. With the
help of these riches, it seems, he secured not only authentic texts of all the
Bhashyas, but he seems to have collected round him a band of scholars of those vari-
ous schools, so that he could be in a position to understand those Bhashyas in their
true perspective. With this equipment S'rī Purushottamaji approached the Aṇu-
Bhashya, and his masterly review of the systems of शंकर, रामानुज, भास्कर, मध्व, निम्बु,
and शैव is unparalleled in the history of Vedanta literature. Great scholars like
सुदर्शन, जयतीर्थ, वाचस्पतिमिश्र, had written commentaries on the Bhashyas of their
respective Acharyas, but nowhere do we find the critical and comparative method
such as adopted by S'rī Purushottamaji in the exposition of the Aṇu-Bhashya.
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From the time of S'rī Purushottamaji Sampradayika scholars began to
devote their attention to the study of the Aṇu-Bhāshya. Different scholars began
to study the Aṇu-Bhāshya, and expound the same in their commentaries from
diverse standpoints. S'rī Mathuranāthaji and S'rī Muralīdharaji both descendants
of S'rī Vallabhacharya belonged to the house of S'rī Gopīnātha Dīkshita. Both
of them were great Mīmāṁsakas. They have written commentaries on the Aṇu-
Bhāshya independantly of S'rī Purushottamaji. In their commentaries they
display their great hold over the Mīmāṁsā school of philosophy. The com-
mentary written by S'rī Mathuranāthji is called प्रकाश, while that written by
S'rī Muralīdharaji is named सिद्धान्तप्रदीप. S'rī Mathuranāthaji's commentary has
not been in print at all upto this day, while S'rī Muralīdharji's commentary on the
first three Sūtras has been published by S'astri Ramanātha in

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the seat for nearly fifty years, and when she found herself unable to carry on the
Sevā, in Samvat 1841, she adopted S'rī Gokulotsavaji. This incident was a very
beneficial one in the cause of the literary activity of the Sampradaya. Through
S'rī Gokulotsavaji his son Yogi Gopes'waraji got the rich treasures of authentic
collection of manuscripts of S'rī Purushottamaji. Thus it would not be wrong to
say that S'rī Gopes'varaji acquired the literary inheritance of S'rī Purushottamaji.
Miraculous powers are attributed to him by Sampradayika Gathas, but we are
not concerned with the same at present. On account of his extreme devotion
to the नाम and स्वरूप of God, and his aversion to anything worldly, he was fitly
called by his contemporaries as योगी. He was an all-round scholar. We have
seen his draft of the commentery on the पूर्वमीमांसासूत्रs. His नवार्थी, a commentary
on the तैत्तिरीयोपनिषद्, awaits publication. He felt himself conscious of his knowledge
of the world beyond. This explains why he styles himself संपूर्णवेत्तृ from the
3rd or 4th Pada of First Adhyāya of रश्मि. At the end of रश्मि he writes about
himself thus-'प्रज्ञावान् कृतकृत्यश्च हरीश्वरज्ञः एव च, प्रमाणज्ञः कृतज्ञश्च', and we think that a perusal
of the रश्मि and the नवार्थी, would lead us to completly agree with what he himself
has expressed. He seems to have passed away not long after the completion
of रश्मि i. e. Samvat. 1897.
The author of रश्मि thoroughly explains not only the भाष्यप्रकाश of S'rī
Purushottamaji, but even supplies the want, which was felt by the readers
of प्रकाश. प्रकाशकार took for granted, that readers of Aṇu Bhashya, understood
the literal sense of the Aṇu Bhashya, and hence we rarely find him explaining
the literal text of the Aṇu Bhashya. For this reason, the author of रश्मि, in all
places where he finds, that S'rī Purushottamji has not explained Aṇu Bhashya,
tries to give the literal meaning of all the passages of the Aṇu Bhashya.
श्रीगोपेश्वरजी was a great master, and after him one of his pupils S'rī Giridharjī
of Benares, also a descendant of S'rī Vallabhacharya, wrote a commentary on the
Aṇu Bhashya. This commentary is purely based on the प्रकाश of S'rī Puru-
shottamaji, and explains the Aṇubhashya literally. S'rī Giridharaji was a
grammarian, and so we find him in this commentary displaying his mastery over
grammar. Another merit of this commentary lies in the fact, that in the beginning
of each अधिकरण, it gives the complete विषयवाक्य. So that it clears the reading of the
Upanishats, according to S'rī Vallabhacharya. He has divided Aṇu Bhashya
into paragraphs, but the chief merit of his commentary lies in its discussion
of the various readings of the Aṇu Bhashya throughout. This commentary is
complete, but it has remained upto this day in Manuscripts. S'āstri Haris'ankara
Aunkarji has recently undertaken to bring out the edition of Aṇu Bhashya
with this commentary under the patronage of S'rī Muralidharaji Maharaja of
Benares, the grandson of S'rī Giridharaji.
Itchharam Bhattaji a S'rimali Brahmin of Gujarat was also a contem-
porary of योगी श्रीगोपेश्वरजी. He was a devotee of S'rī Ranchhodaray of Dakore,
and he lived on the banks of Gomati, in a cell, where he wrote his commentary
called प्रदीप on the Aṇu Bhashya. This is a complete commentary. There is no
attempt as such, for a display of scholasticism. He explains the literal text

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of the Aṇu Bhashya in such a way, as would enable even a biginner to
follow it with little difficulty. The whole Manuscript of this work, in
the author's own hand, was seen by us in the collection of the Bade S'rī Mathu-
res'ajis temple at Kotah. It is really unfortunate that Prof. Magnalal Sāstri
who has been publishing the Aṇu Bhashya with this commentary, does not
try to get the use of this original Manuscript. Two other commentaries one by
S'rī Giris'adharaji, and another of one Ramanarayana are also said to exist.
In addition to these, two वृत्तिs explain the न्यायसूत्रs of Badarayana on the basis
of Aṇu Bhashya. One is the भावप्रकाशिकावृत्ति of S'rī Krishṇachandraji, mentioned
above. This वृत्ति is bigger than अणुभाष्य. It seems to be the summary of अणुभाष्य
and भाष्यप्रकाश combined. The last three अध्यायs of this वृत्ति are with us, written
in the hand of S'rī Purushottamaji, and from the mode in which this Manuscript
is written, and from the remark on the last page 'इयं वृत्तिः गोस्वामिपुरुषोत्तमैः स्वसुतन्नाम्ना कृता
इति श्रुतम्', we are tempted to attribute the authorship of this work to S'rī
Purushottamaji himself. At least the final form to this वृत्ति, was undoubtedly
given by S'rī Purushottamaji. Two अध्यायs of this वृत्ति have been published by us,
and the remaining two are in the press. Another वृत्ति is written by one Bhatta
Vrajanatha, a descendant from the female side of S'rī Vallabhacharya, at the
intance of king Jayasinha of Jaipur. It is a small one explaining the सूत्रs in
the light of Aṇu Bhashya, but in some places the author seems to be influenced
by the चैतन्य school, and to that extent its authencity is lessened. It is named
मरीचिका. In addition to these, there is one nameless Vṛitti also.
Besides these, there are two small works, what are known as अधिकरणमालाs.
After S'rī Purushottamaji completed his भाष्यप्रकाश, he found from experience,
that it was a difficult thing for ordinary people to follow. Hence in order to
benefit them, he wrote out this न्यायमाला, wherein he has suscintly explained all
the अधिकरणs and सूत्रs of Badarayana.
The other work was written by one निर्भररामभट्ट a Nagar Brahmin and
a pupil of बल्लभभट्ट. He was the मुख्यप्रचारक in the temple of S'rī Dwarakanathaji at
Kankroli, during the time of S'rī Vrijabhushaṇaji, in Samvat 1835. He has
summarised the purport of all the अधिकरणs according to Aṇu Bhashya in a
simple manner. Both the treatises are already published.
In addition to this there is one Aṇu Bhashya Tattva in S'rī Mathureshaj i's
library at Kotah. This work has somehow remained unknown in the Sampra-
daya. One वल्लभदेव has written वेदान्तकौमुदी to explain sutras of Badarayana
according to Aṇu Bhashya. One S'rī Vrajanathaji son of S'rī Raghunathaji
and pupil of वल्लभजी belonging to चन्द्रमाजी's house has written the meaning of
अधिकरणs in Karikas. Some Karikas on Aṇu Bhāshya were composed by S'rī
Devakinandanaji, the grandson of विट्ठलनाथदीक्षित.
Thus the descendants of the seven sons of S'rī Vitthalanatha Dikshita have
devoted their attention to the Aṇu Bhashya. S'rī Mathuranatha and S'rī
Muralidharaji were the descendants of S'rī Giridharaji, the first son of S'rī
Vitthales'a. In the second son Govindaraya's line, we have S'rī Harirayaji and
S'rī Gopes'waraji, the author of Ras'mi. In the 3rd son S'rī Balakrishṇaji's line
1531