Works like SIVARAHASYA, PATANJALIVIJAYA, etc., give summaries of the life of Sankaracarya. While describing the life of Sri Sankara, a certain topic or other is narrated briefy in some works. Yet in another work the same incident is treated elaborately. Some works omit the narration of some incidents in his life while certain others deal with the same incidents in a novel and exaggerated fashion. Thus though many works have been written on the same topic, they differ in their ways of narration. This changing of the same idea to suit the author's purpose and taste is not a novel idea, for, it has been done and accepted by great poets and critics dealing with the stories in the Ramayana and Mahabharata.
In this connection, it has to be pointed out that the overlooking of the SANKARAVIJAYA, a very ancient work, by Vyasacala, is to be regretted and it is indeed very surprising that a work of this kind did not come into print earlier. The fact that the work is very ancient is attested by Sri Madhavacarya in his introductory chapter of the SAMKSEPASANKARAVIJAYA.
- व्यासाचलप्रमुखपूर्वेिकपण्डितक्ष्मा-
- भृत्सम्भृतोच्चतरकाव्यतरोः सुगूढात् ।
- विद्वन्मधुव्रतसुखोरुरसानि सर्वा-
- ण्यादातुमर्थकुसुमान्यहमक्षमोऽस्मि ॥
- व्यासाचलप्रमुखपूर्वेिकपण्डितक्ष्मा-
Sri Govindanatha, in his work, SANKARACARYACARITA, gives a brief resume of the life of the great philosopher in its first chapter and herein he refers to Vyasacala with great respect.
- सर्वागमास्पदं वन्दे व्यासाचलमिमं कविम् ।
- बभूव शङ्कराचार्यकीर्तिकल्लोलिनी यतः ॥
The Keraliya SANKARAVIJAYA also gives the following verse which praises the poet Vyasacala in high terms :-
- अत्युन्नतस्य काव्यद्रोर्व्यासाचलमहीरुहः ।
- अर्थप्रसूनान्यादातुमसमर्थोऽहमद्भुतम् ॥
The above verses not only attest the fact that the work of Vyasacala is very ancient but also show that it was held in high esteem by his followers. The greatness of the work is expressly stated by Madhavacarya in the first Sarga itself.
- नेता यत्रोल्लसति भगवत्पादसंज्ञो मद्देशः
- शान्तिर्यत्र प्रकचति रसः शेषवानुज्ज्वलाद्यैः ।
- यत्राविद्याक्षतिरपि फलं तस्य काव्यस्य कर्ता
- धन्यो व्यासाचलकविवरस्तत्कृतिज्ञाश्च धन्याः ॥
- नेता यत्रोल्लसति भगवत्पादसंज्ञो मद्देशः
