PREFACE Prof. Vidhusekbara Bhattacharya published his edition of Gauya- padakārikás ( or Agamasastra ) some years ago. A close perusal of that edition clearly showed that Prof. Bhattacharya bad allowed himself to be carried a little too far by his leanings towards Buddhism, and hence some of his interpretations appeared clearly to be biassed and forced. While teaching Gaudapādakārskā to the M. A. students, I liad occasion to criticise Prof. Bhattacharya's interpretations, and I felt that it would be better to present my views in a book-form, before a larger circle of readers so that a balanced view of Gauçapāda's philosophy could be taken. The present edition has been brought forth with such a back-ground. Fortunately as regards the text of the Karikás, there is no difference of opinion. Prof. Bhattacharya has collated a large number of Mss, but his text does not materially differ from that published in the Anandāśrama series more than fifty years ago. I also looked into two Mss. specially lent by the Prājñapāthaśālä, Wai. (1) Ms. No. 172 - (माण्डूक्यकारिका) 44 This is not a very old Ms. It contains four Prakaranas, and the colophon at the end of the fourth Prakarana is इति गौडपादभगवतः कृतौ आगमग्रन्थे उपदेशग्रन्थे वेदान्तमूले चतुर्थं प्रकरणम् । No. 167 (माण्डूक्योपनिषत्कारिकाभाष्य ) 9 This also is not a very old Ms. It contains the first Prakarana only, and the commentary of Anandagiri. The colophon reads इति श्रीमत्परमहंसपरिब्राजकाचार्यस्य शङ्करभगवतः कृतौ आगमशास्त्रविवरणे माण्डूक्योपनिषद्भाष्ये प्रञ्चमं प्रकरणं संपूर्णम् । In the Bhandarkar Oriental Institute Collection, there is a Ms. called 590TFU which contains only the 3rd and the 2nd Prakarana of the Gaudapädakārikās. None of these Mss. show any marhed variations of readings. It may therefore be taken for granted that the text of the Karikás is more or less fixed.
