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xiv
śrīmatpādādikeśavyākhyā bhaktimandākinī nāma sampūrṇā.
None of the above is conclusive, but it suggests to us that the title should
be Vişnupādikeśastotra.
Bhaktimandakinī
1.2 The popularity of the Vişnupādādikeśastotra
Several stotras ascribed to Sankara are well known and used for daily prayers,
such as the Saundaryalahari, the Kanakadhārāstotra, etc.; but this stotra
seems to be less well known. As well as the commentary of Pūrṇasarasvatī,
the existence of a commentary on the Viṣṇupādādikeśastotra called the
Sukhabodhini, which is probably by a Keralite, and of a detailed commentary
in Malayalam² suggests that this stotra might have been familiar only in the
region covered by the modern state of Kerala. There is also another com-
mentary, called the Candrika, for this stotra, for which there are manuscripts
available in the Adyar Library.³
1.3 Is Sankara the author of the stotra?
Both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava stotras have been traditionally ascribed to Śankara,
but it is rather difficult to accept that this particular stotra was composed by
Sankara for the following reason. The 49th verse lists the ten incarnations
of Vișnu, including the Buddha, and such a list is unlikely to have been
familiar to Śankara. Suryakanta, in his work 'Kṣemendra Studies' remarks
that the Daśavatāracarita of Kṣemendra appears to be the earliest known
source in which the Buddha has been included among the ten incarnations
of Vişnu. He observes on the Daśāvatāracarita of Kṣemendra:
It is a poetical abstract of the stories of Viṣṇu's incarnation.
The work cannot be considered as an independent composition.
The subject matter of the first nine incarnations is taken from
the Puranas. The work, however, has great importance
as it contains the earliest known reference to the Buddha being
considered as an incarnation of Visņu. The narration of the
Buddha's life is an abridgment of the story as told in Buddhist
works. The style shows maturity of conception, and is easy and
***
2Ullur: 1990:288.
3 Adyar Descriptive Catalogue, Vol. XII. Ms. No. 2577.
śrīmatpādādikeśavyākhyā bhaktimandākinī nāma sampūrṇā.
None of the above is conclusive, but it suggests to us that the title should
be Vişnupādikeśastotra.
Bhaktimandakinī
1.2 The popularity of the Vişnupādādikeśastotra
Several stotras ascribed to Sankara are well known and used for daily prayers,
such as the Saundaryalahari, the Kanakadhārāstotra, etc.; but this stotra
seems to be less well known. As well as the commentary of Pūrṇasarasvatī,
the existence of a commentary on the Viṣṇupādādikeśastotra called the
Sukhabodhini, which is probably by a Keralite, and of a detailed commentary
in Malayalam² suggests that this stotra might have been familiar only in the
region covered by the modern state of Kerala. There is also another com-
mentary, called the Candrika, for this stotra, for which there are manuscripts
available in the Adyar Library.³
1.3 Is Sankara the author of the stotra?
Both Śaiva and Vaiṣṇava stotras have been traditionally ascribed to Śankara,
but it is rather difficult to accept that this particular stotra was composed by
Sankara for the following reason. The 49th verse lists the ten incarnations
of Vișnu, including the Buddha, and such a list is unlikely to have been
familiar to Śankara. Suryakanta, in his work 'Kṣemendra Studies' remarks
that the Daśavatāracarita of Kṣemendra appears to be the earliest known
source in which the Buddha has been included among the ten incarnations
of Vişnu. He observes on the Daśāvatāracarita of Kṣemendra:
It is a poetical abstract of the stories of Viṣṇu's incarnation.
The work cannot be considered as an independent composition.
The subject matter of the first nine incarnations is taken from
the Puranas. The work, however, has great importance
as it contains the earliest known reference to the Buddha being
considered as an incarnation of Visņu. The narration of the
Buddha's life is an abridgment of the story as told in Buddhist
works. The style shows maturity of conception, and is easy and
***
2Ullur: 1990:288.
3 Adyar Descriptive Catalogue, Vol. XII. Ms. No. 2577.