Abstract

A new edition of the Patanjalayogasastravivaran&dotbelow;a , a commentary on the Yogabhas&dotbelow;ya, which itself is a commentary on the Yogasutra has long been awaited. This is the first part of the text, critically edited, using five manuscripts, including those not used in the initial publication. The introduction describes each manuscript and discusses relationship among them. All the available manuscripts are found to have derived from a single manuscript that is the exemplar of one of them. The introduction also discusses the authorship problem---whether the YVi was written by famous San˙kara. Despite efforts of scholars, there is no conclusive evidence that leads to either conclusion---authentic or spurious---although circumstantial evidence that supports San˙kara's authorship is accumulating. Some of the criteria proposed by Hacker and Mayeda are applicable to the YVi. The result is positive. A thesis that the YVi was written by an author of the same name who had close tie with the Payyur family from Kerala is then examined. No direct connection between the name "San˙kara," mentioned as teacher of Paramesvara from the family and the YVi can be established. I find, however, that works of Man&dotbelow;d&dotbelow;ana on which two Paramesvaras from the Payyur family wrote commentaries might have been written knowing the author of the YVi. This is a result of observing the criticism of Kumarila's verses in the YVi and the Sphot&dotbelow;asiddhi of Man&dotbelow;d&dotbelow;ana and sections on Isvara in the YVi and the Vidhiviveka of Man&dotbelow;d&dotbelow;ana. Furthermore, the Brahmautrabhas&dotbelow;ya of San˙kara appears to presuppose the YVi. Man&dotbelow;d&dotbelow;ana is traditionally considered a contemporary of San˙kara. These, combined, appear to suggest San˙kara's authorship of the YVi. The text in this edition maintains linguistic features in the most original manuscripts. It is accompanied with critical apparatus and notes on related texts