chhalAri narasiMhAchArya

-contributed by Sri Phillip Hill

chhalAri narasiMhAchArya was the son of chhalAri nArAyaNAchArya*, and a contemporary of satyanAtha tIrtha (1648 - 1674) of the uttarAdi mATha. He was a prolific writer and over fifteen works of his are known. chhalAri (reported to be a village near Malkhed) is said to have been the habitat of the family wherefrom it derives its surname. The members of the family were evidently all disciples of the uttarAdi mATH as is clear not only from the numerous references to the svAmis of that mATHa in the smR^ityarthasAgara of chhalAri nR^isiMha, but also from the fact that his grandson, saMkarshhaNa, was a disciple of satyAbhinava tIrtha.

nR^isiMha's works include commentaries on the tattvasaMkhyAna, the Isha and prashnopanishhads, the sadAchara smR^iti, pramANa paddhati, saMgraha - rAmAyaNa, shivastuti, pArijAtApaharaNa of nArAyaNa paNDitAchArya, the dvAdashastotra and yamaka bhArata of madhva. The G.V.L. Cat. also mentions a brahmasUtrArthAdhikaraNasaMgraha, bR^ihat - tAratamyastotra and thebhaTTOjidIxitakR^itikuTTanam among his works.

Among his major works should be reckoned his commentary on the bhAgavata - tAtparya and the R^igbhAshhyaTIkA; which latter, is, undoubtedly, his magnum opus. His smR^ityarthasAgara is an independent work on religious law and observances, four sections (taraNgas): kAla, Ashaucha, Ahnika and vastushuddhia (verse 6) dealing with fasts pollutions, daily rites and purificatory ceremonies. It is followed by mAdhvas.

nR^iMha's gloss on R^igbhAshhyaTIkA (granthas 6200) throws considerable light on many dark corners of the original bhAshhya and several stiff passages in jayatIrtha's commentary thereon, furnishing a good deal of useful information of a miscellaneous character, as well as critical and exegetic notes on the hymns of the R^igveda. He displays profound mastery over pANinian grammar and the uNAdisUtras and is well acquainted with the commentary of sAyaNa, the nirukta and other aids to vedic interpretations, which enable him to offer suitable justifications for the many deviations of madhva from the ' traditional interpretations ' * of sAyaNa and others. One may, therefore, admit his claim that his work has been the result of a patient study of many interpretational aids. He seems to hint at the existence of critics who were only too anxious to discredit the line of interpretation adopted by madhva and pick holes in it, somehow or other:

अविज्ञाय चेद्दूषयेत्कश्चिदेतद् भवेद्भूषं नाग्रस्तत्र मे स्यात्

avij~jAya cEddyUShayEtkAscidetad bhavEdbhUShaM nAgrastatra mE syAt

Yet another work of his is the shAbdikakNTHamaNi (Jewel for the Necks of Grammarians) referred to under 1,2 of his R^igbhAshhyaTIkA. There are also two other references to ths work, judging from all of which, it would appear to have been devoted to elucidation of topics like vedic accentuation, the seven svaras, their definitions etc. Manuscripts of this important work are known to exist in some private collections, in karNataka** . There can can be little doubt that it would be a very valuable addition to the existing works on vedic grammar, when brought to light. The author give the date of the composition of his gloss on the R^igbhAshhyaTIkA as shaka 1583 (plava)*** i.e. 1661 A.D.. This establishes his contemporaneity with laxmInAtha, satyanAtha and rAghavendra.

* For example, in support of his plea that a departure from yAska is no sin, he cites

अरुणो मा सकृत् वृकः (ऋगवेद १.१०५.१८)

aruNO mA sakRut vRukaH (RugvEdaH 1.105.18)

which in the padapATHa of shAkalya is split in " मा " and " सकृत् " (as two different words) while yAska reads मासकृत् as a compound.

** It is understood that a manuscript of this work together with a commentary exists in the Library of the uttarAdi mATHa at Bangalore.

*** शके त्रिवसुपञ्चेन्दुसम्मिते शकवत्सरे । मासि चत्रे पूर्णिमायामर्पिता हरिपादयोः ॥

*** shOka trivasupaMchEMdusammite shakavatsare | mAsi catrE pUrNimAyAmarpita haripAdayOH

(Concluding Verse 4)