Rugartha Dipika

Here's a summary of the provided Jain text, "Rgartha Deepika," based on the extensive excerpts from its preface, table of contents, and introductory chapters:

Title: Rgartha Deepika (ऋगर्थदीपिका) Author: Madhava, son of Srivenkata (माधव, श्रीवेङ्कटार्यतनय) Subject: Commentary on the entire Rgveda Samhita (entirely hitherto unpublished commentary on the Rgvedasamhita) Publisher: Motilal Banarsidass, Lahore Year of Publication: 1939 Edited By: Lakshman Sarup, M.A. (Punjab); D. Phil. (Oxon.)

Core Contribution:

This work represents the discovery and critical edition of a previously unpublished and complete commentary on the entire Rgveda by Madhava, son of Srivenkata. This commentary, titled "Rgartha Deepika," is of significant importance for Vedic exegesis because:

• Antiquity: Madhava is identified as being earlier than the well-known commentator Sayanacarya. Sayana himself quotes from Madhava's commentary, confirming his existence and the utilization of his work.
• Link in Tradition: It bridges a crucial gap in the lineage of Vedic interpretation, demonstrating that Sayana was not the first commentator after Yaska (c. 700 BCE). Madhava, in turn, acknowledges and quotes predecessors like Skandasvamin, revealing a continuous and unbroken tradition of Vedic interpretation that stretches back to Yaska. This challenges the previously held view that Sayana's commentary was an isolated, individual interpretation.
• Completeness: It is the only complete pre-Sayana commentary on the Rgveda discovered to date.

Content and Methodology:

• Commentary on the Rgveda: The book contains the text of Madhava's commentary on the Rgveda, covering the entire Samhita, from the first Astaka to the eighth.
• Editorial Basis: The edition is based on original palm-leaf Malayalam manuscripts, supplemented by extracts from other commentaries.
• Editorial Challenges and Improvements: The preface highlights the challenges faced in the editorial process, including:
  • Misprints and Errors: The published edition acknowledges and lists numerous misprints and grammatical errors found in earlier partial publications of Venkata Madhava's work (by P. Sambasiva Sastri).
  • Textual Reconstruction: Lakshman Sarup has meticulously collated manuscripts, providing critical notes and variant readings in appendices to reconstruct the commentary as transmitted by each manuscript.
  • Proposed Emendations: The editor also proposes further emendations to improve the text of Madhava's commentary.
• Character of Madhava's Commentary:
  • Brief and Paraphrasing: Madhava's commentary is described as very brief in character, generally eschewing grammatical or etymological explanations.
  • Word-by-Word Explanation: He focuses on paraphrasing the words of the original text, explaining almost every word of a Vedic stanza. If a word is not explained, it is repeated in the commentary.
  • Use of Sātyāyana Brāhmaṇa: The commentary preserves a large number of passages from the Sātyāyana Brāhmaṇa, which is otherwise lost, making it an important source for knowledge of that text.
  • Methodological Observation: Madhava's method of explaining words sequentially without revising them in light of subsequent words can sometimes lead to minor disharmonies in number, gender, or case.
• Inclusion of Padapatha: The decision to include the Padapatha was made to align with Indian literary tradition, which favors presenting commentaries alongside the original text. The editor devised a system of using 'dandas' to clearly separate the explanation of each word, making the Padapatha largely dispensable for the reader, though its evidence was used in footnotes where necessary.
• Structure of the Rgveda: The work also includes a detailed discussion on the various divisions of the Rgveda text (Mandala, Sūkta, Mantra; Astaka, Adhyaya, Varga) and their historical usage.

Dedication:

The work is dedicated to Mahātmā Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, described as a "Saint and Statesman and a Rși of modern times," as a humble mark of respect and admiration.

Overall Significance:

The "Rgartha Deepika" edited by Lakshman Sarup is a monumental scholarly achievement that significantly advances the understanding of Vedic traditions. It provides access to a vital, previously unavailable source for interpreting the Rgveda, illuminating the evolution of Vedic exegesis and the depth of Indian intellectual history.