xlv Lingayasūrin was a scholar of profound learning. His thorough acquaintance with the pañcamahākāvya-s is seen from the quotations in the Avyaya section of the Nānārthavarga in Kanda III. That his net is a wide one is proved from such lines as INTRODUCTION अथातो दर्शपूर्णमासौ व्याख्यास्यामः । from the Srautasutra of Apastamba (I. 1). He also mentions the grammarian Bhojarāja (p. 37). His eclectic mind includes a considerable acquaintance with Buddhist philosophy. He mentions the various temptations that stand in the way of the spiritual aspirant: बौद्धास्तु स्कन्धमारः क्लेशमारो मृत्युमारो देवपुत्रमारश्चेति चतुरो मारानाहु: (p. 12), the six special characteristics possessed by the enlightened one, divyam cakṣuh divyam śrotram and the ten sources of his strength, dāntikṣāntiśila... (p. 12). The citation from Kaman- daka reveals his close acquaintance with political science (p. 530). Telugu equivalents are given by Sūrin in the Vanauṣadhi- varga, but unlike Malli. who gives Telugu words for all and sundry, he does not approve of introducing other languages in explaining Skt. words. In fact, Sūrin's commentary is very popular in regions where Tamil is the main language spoken. It is only from verse 20 onwards in this section, and that too only when absolutely necessary that he gives Telugu meanings. इह वृक्षलतौषधीनां नामान्यान्ध्रभाषयैव वक्ष्यामः । (p. 229) The Telugu words found in the various MSS. are not uniform; pratti, patti and putti are given as Telugu equivalents of kärpāsa (cotton). It may be inferred that the names vary slightly according to the particular localities of the Telugu country. MS. J₂ gives hatti, which is evidently a Kannada word.
