prayojana of treatises

[Dominic Goodall]

> Also see "Slokavaarttika Pratij~naasuutra 11--25.  Kumaarila seems to
> be convinced that a "saastra needs to express prayojana and sa.mbandha
> at the beginning.

When commenting on tantras, some exegetes of the "Saivasiddhaanta assert
that it is not correct for them to state these at the beginning.  "Siva
himself provides them in the `suutras' of the tantra when he sees fit. One
might argue that they should be stated by a commentator at the beginning
of his work because they provide the motivation to study; but this is not
necessary, because, unlike in other worldly "saastras, students of the
Siddhaanta must from the moment of approaching a guru act in all things in
accordance with the guru's command, and not from any other motive.

See, e.g., Raamaka.n.tha's v.rtti ad Kira.natantra 1:1:

yat tu prathamam evotsuutra.m kai"scic chaastrasvaruupa.m
tatsambandhaabhidheyaadi caatra var.nyate, tat suutrair eva
vak.syamaa.natvaad ayuktam eva.  athaadau prav.rttihetutvenaava"sya.m tad
vaktavyam iti cet.  "saastraantaraa.naam ivaatra tadabhidhaanena
prav.rttyayogaat.  atra hi guruupasadanaat prabh.rti guruvaakyaad eva
sarvatra pravartitavyam, naanyata.h.

The same point is discussed at somewhat greater length in Raamaka.n.tha's
commentary on the Mata"ngapaarame"svaratantra (vol.1, pp.2--3) and the
issue is reiterated in Aghora"sivaacaarya's M.rgendrav.rttidiipikaa (p.5).

Dominic Goodall.