Bhartrmitra - Part I

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I. Life and age

 

In his introduction to Sabara's commentary on Jaimini's Purva Mimamsa

Sutras (henceforth 'PMS'), Kumarila Bhatta states that he has

endeavored to bring back the Mimamsa Sastra to the 'aastika patha'

[sastri 1978:5] or to the path of the Vedas, since it has been made a

'Lokaayata Sastra' by many older scholars-

 

" For the most part Mimansa has, in this world, been made atheistic

and this effort of mine is made to turn it to the theistic path."

Sutra 1.1.1, verse 10 [Jha 1983:2]

 

In his sub-commentary named 'Nyayaratnakara' on the above verse,

Parthasarathi Misra clarifies that the reference is to Bhartrmitra

[sastri 1978:5]. Further, he refers to the work as a very ancient

exposition (cirantana-vyaakhyaana) on Mimamsa, implying that

Bhartrmitra was long anterior to Kumarila. Umbeka, the oldest

commentator of the Slokavarttika, also confirms [Raja 1971:3] that

Kumarila is referring to the views of 'Bhartrmitra and others'

here.[1]

 

Parthasarathi Misra again attributes to Bhartrmitra, some views stated

by Kumarila in verses 130-131 of the 'sabdanityataa-adhikarana'

[sastri 1978:540] and verses 14-15 of the 'citraaksepa-parihaara'

section of the Slokavarttika (see more below).

 

At the beginning of the first chapter and the fourth chapter of his

'Brahmasiddhi', Mandana Misra criticizes certain views of older

teachers on the utility of the Upanishads. Anandapurna Muni, the

commentator of the Brahmasiddhi, states that the views criticized by

Mandana Misra belong to Bhartrmitra. This indicates that Bhartrmitra

had some definite views on Vedanta as well.

 

In the Atmasiddhi, Sri Yamunacharya (d. 1037 C.E.) says [Neevel

1977:167]-

"…Nevertheless, many persons have had their judgment corrupted by

giving their credence to various writings of uneven quality that have

correct and incorrect ideas interwoven through them like warp and

woof, books such as those composed by Acarya Tanka, Bhartrprapanca,

Bhartrmitra, Bhartrhari, Brahmadatta, Samkara, Srivatsanka, Bhaskara

etc. Since persons who have been confused in this way do not

understand things as they really are and have many erroneous

conceptions, the undertaking of this work or discussion with the aim

of establishing a (clear, comprehensive and definitiv