Brahmana-Sarvasva: A Pre-Sayaņa Vedic Commentary by Halayudha (An Old and Rare Book)

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Since the publication of Gunavişnu's Chandogyamantra-bbärya in the Sanskrit Sahitya Parishad Series in 1930, the Parishad had been thinking of publishing a critical edition of Haliyudha's Brabmana-sarvasva whuch, like Gunavişnu's Bbarya, is a pre-Siyana commentary on select Vedic Mantras, The work however could be undertaken after a long lapse of time. The Government of West Bengal graciously came forward to help the undertaking, and the task was very kindly entrusted to me by the Parishad. In spite of the fact that I had the good fortune of utilising for my edition a large amount of manuscript materials as described in the Introduction, there remains a number of readings in the Bribmane-sarvasva manifestly opposed to the evidence of some more reliable Vedic texts. The Brabmana-sarvasva had apparently become at one time so popular that all sorts of persons were eager to copy it out, introducing in their haste and ignorance various types of errors in the manuscripts. I have not had recourse to any unauthoritative emendations in these cases, as I believe with Dr. M. Winternitz that an editor "has to edit, and not to correct his text, and even a grammatically impossible reading has to be retained, if it is warranted by the best authority" (Introduction to Apastamba-mantrapatha, XV). The extremely corrupt nature of most of the manuscripts retarded my progress at every step, and I had to overcome the difficulties by falling back upon new materials borrow. ed from time to time from different corners of India. My special thanks are due in this connection to the authorities of the Asiatic Society, but for whose help I could not have borrowed manuscripts from the libraries situated at distant parts of the country. I take this opportunity to express my gratitude to my esteemed friend and colleague Dr. R. C. Hazra who has very kindly traced for my use all the verses quoted in the Brahmana-sarvasva as from the Agnipurana to a manuscript of the Vahnipurana belonging to the Asiatic Society.

None of the Vedic commentators preceding Sayaņacarya is known to have ever attempted at exegetic productions, equalling those of Sayana, either in variety or in magnitude. Their works, embodying sometimes an earlier tradition of interpretation. are however of great value to students of the Vedic language. Sayana's predecessors may be divided broadly into two groups: one commenting upon the particular Veda-samhitas, and the other explaining select Mantras occurring in the different Vedic texts. Skandasvämin, Mädliava, Venkaça Madhava, Uvața and Bhatta Bhaskara belong to the first group, and Haradatta, Guna- viņu and Halāyudha to the second.

Haliyudha was a brilliant luminary in the galaxy of talents that adorned the court of king Laksmaņasena of Bengal in the 12th century A. C. He wrote a large number of works including the Brabmana-sarvasva, in which he had explained all the Vedic Mantras prescribed for recitation in the various Grhya rites. The personal facts recorded in the opening verses of his Brabmana-sarvasva have already been dealt with by several writers.

As there is no critical edition of this important work, its contents have never been fully discussed. It may now be possible to make an attempt to assess the value and extent of Halāyudha's contributions in the domain of Vedic exegesis and to gather the little known facts of his life including details of some of his unknown works.