Madhva / Mbh

[Robert Zydenbos]

On Jan 30, 2013, at 1:39 AM, CHRISTOPHER GIBBONS wrote:

> Dear List,
> 
> Is anyone aware of any work done on Madhva's Mbh commentary the Mahābhāratatātparyanirṇaya? 
> 
> Anything published on the work may prove useful to me. An initial internet search suggests at least the publication of a 2007 edition, possibly with an English introduction. Apologies if I've overlooked an obvious publication before sending this email!

Please be aware of the mūlapāṭha-pracalitapāṭha controversy in the writings of Madhva: it seems that already rather early after Madhva, two redactions of his writings became current, one being picked up by Jayatīrtha, who lived two generations after Madhva (this is the so-called pracalitapāṭha, which in places is corrupted), and another through Madhva's direct disciples (the mūlapāṭha, which is correct). These two traditions are linked with caste distinctions within the Mādhva community: the mūlapāṭha with the original Taulava Mādhvas (Madhva himself was a Taulava) and the pracalitapāṭha with the Deśastha Mādhvas (Jayatīrtha was a Deśastha).

For demographic reasons (the Deśasthas are a majority), and due to Jayatīrtha's popularity as a commentator (his language is quite plain and clear), the pracalitapāṭha has been reprinted numerous times, with uneven print quality. The best edition of Madhva's collected writings, by Bannañje Govindācārya, is based on the mūlapāṭha (mainly on a manuscript by Hṛṣikeśatīrtha, a direct disciple of Madhva), which was printed some time in the 1970s, if I recall correctly. Govindācārya is at present working on a new edition of the Mahābhāratatātparyanirṇaya together with a new commentary (by himself) in Sanskrit.

If you read Kannada (actually a must for those who work on Madhva, given the mass of secondary literature in that language), and if you give me a bit of time (I don't have immediate access to my personal library at the moment), I should be able to find a modern translation or two.

Robert Zydenbos

-----
Prof. Dr. Robert J. Zydenbos
Institute of Indology and Tibetology
Department of Asian Studies
University of Munich
Germany
Tel. (+49-89-) 2180-5782
Fax (+49-89-) 2180-5827
Web http://zydenbos.userweb.mwn.de/