Introduction : V The Mandukyopanişad ole. Xxxi Upanişads we have a similar expression ushering about 10 verses in the मैत्रायणी, or as many as 75 verses in the मुक्तिकोपनिषद etc ). Even a superficial scrutiny of the passages in the old Upanışads where the श्लोकs are introduced, shows that the Ślokas are used by way of clinching the argument or corroborating briefly and emphatically the argument used before in longer prose passages. In fact, the expression तदप्येष श्लोको भवति has an authori- tative ring about it, as compared with the docile and timid expression अत्रैते श्लोका भवन्ति, with which Gaudapāda's Kārikās are introduced. (10) Prof. Vidhusektara has rightly pointed out how Gauda- pāda's Karikas can in no way be regarded as a commentary on the prose portion of the Mandukya. In fact, the matter is so obvious as not to require any elaborute attempt to support it. The Karikas refer to matters not mentioned in the Upanişad, fail to explain important terms therein, enumerate several riews about creation which matter is not even hinted at in the Upanisad and so on. Thus the first group of Kārikās fails to explain the important words सप्ताङ्ग and एकोनविंशतिमुख in the prose portion of the Mantra, The Karikas use the expression वैश्वानर in place of विश्व ; जागरितस्थान, स्वप्नस्थान and सुषुप्तिस्थान in the prose portion are not found in the Kärikäs and so on. Similarly the prose portion appears to explain some terms in the Kārikās. There are also differences of interpretation about the words तुर्य, मिति, आप्ति etc. But all this criticism is based upon the wrong supposition that the Kärikäs are a commentary on the Mantra prose portion or vice versa. The proper view is that the Kārikās have the Mantra portion as their basis and Gaudapăda emphasises only those points which are useful for his own purpose which is to establish the Ajativada. Prof. Vidhusekhara makes use of certain Kärikās in the first Prakarana to prove that the Karikas were earlier than the Mantra portion, but in our opinion they cannot possibly bear the interpretation he seeks to put on them, ( All these cases have been discussed in detail in the Notes). The Karikās take the Māngukyopanişad as their basis and are mainly concerned with pointing out the importance of the Upāsanā of the sacred syllable Om, and incidentally refer to the different views of those who believe creation to be real. Kärikā 1.7, स्वप्नमायारूपाति सृष्टिरन्येर्विकल्पिता refers to those who believe in a real creation ( the Višiştādvaitins and some Buddhists) and not to the Advaita
