PREFACE, The Mahârthamanjari now published along with its commentary Parimala treats of a kind of the Saiva school of philosophy which is designated in this work by the words Pratyabhijna Sastra, Samvit-Tantra and Auttarâdvaita. The text which is composed of 71 Prakrit Gâthâs sets forth, in brief, the substance of the school, while the commentary explains it in extenso. It is stated in the work that the school took its rise in Kashmir and was brought to perfection by a succession of teachers that florished in Kashmir by their splendid contributions to the school. The founder of the school is said to be Bhagavat Somânanda Nâtha Pâda who wrote the Sivadrishti-Sâstra on the principles of the school. His disciple Utpalacharya propounded the principles in his Pratyabhijná-Sutra, its Vritti and other works, while the great Abhinavaguptâcharya of the 10th century A. D., a desciple of Lakshmanagupta, Utpalâchârya's desciple, treated the school elaborately in his Pratyabhijna-Sutra-Vimarsini Pratyabhijnâ-Vritti-Vimarsini and other works. The author of the Mahârthamanjari and Parimala is one venurable Goraksha, a desciple of Mahaprakása. He is also called Mahesvarânanda which is a name of spritual order bestowed on him by his Guru. The pre- eminent erudition of the author as evidenced in this work is quite worthy of a follower of the mastermind Abhinavagupt- acharya, and the author himself proudly says that it was his deep intimacy with the works of Abhinavaguptâchârya that made him an expert in the field of Sahitya and Prtyabhijnâ Tantra. The date of the author is not known with any certainty. That he was a native of the Chola country, as well as other matters that deal with the origin of the Tantra can be found in detail at the close of the commentary. The following are the works of the author as stated by him in the commentary: Mahârthamanjarî Parimala Padukodaya Samvidullâsa Komalavallistava se Parâstrota Súkta Mahârthodaya Kundalabharana Mukundakeli
