( 2 ) fant son Mahīpati. The author of the present work is the great grand-son of this Mahīpati.
The family of Nanda Pandit had been a votary of Srī Rāma. But since he obtained three images of Mahā Vișņu at Prayāga ( 'Triveņī ) the family has been a worshipper of Śri Kŗșņa. The Janmāșțamī ceremony of Śri Kŗșņa, which was commenced by Nanda Pandit, is still continued in the family.
The author flourished at a time when Benares was the home of Sanskrit Learning. During his life time (1550–1630A.D.)Benares was the seat of literary activities of some of the greatest figures in the his tory of Sanskrit Literature. Nārāyaņa Bhatta & his son Sańkara Bhațța I, Vidyānivāsa Bhațțāchārya the father of Viśvanātha Nyāyasiddhāntapańchānana, Nŗsiṃhāśrama,the author of Bhedadhikkāra, Advaitadīpikā and Vedāntattvaviveka, MadhusūdanandaSarasvatī,Nīlkaņțha Daivajña, the author of Nīlakaņțhī Tājika, Muhūrtachintāmaņi & the court astronomer of the Emperor Akbar, were some of the most illustrious contemporaries of Nanda Pandit.
Nanda Pandit lived in the end of the 16th and in the beginning of the 17th century,the date of his commentary on Vișņu Smŗti being 1622 A.D. A manuscript of the Dharmādhikārī Vaṃśacharita, written by one Veņīrāma Pandit, is available. It is a descriptive account of the family beginning with Pandit Lakșmīdhara of Bidar, the 5th ancestor of Nanda Pandit Dharmādhikārī. From this it appears that the family has been famous from the days of Lakșmīdhara for proficiency in Dharmaśā-
