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This article is an excerpt from '''Veda Bhāṣya Bhūmikā Saṁgraha (वेदभाष्यभूमिकासंग्रहः) by Padmabhūṣaṇa Sri Ācāraya Baladeva Upādhyāya''' (Ex-director, Sampurnananda Sanskrit University, Varanasi). The book is a compilation of all available Sāyaṇāchārya’s introductions to his commentaries upon the Vedic Saṁhitas.Sāyaṇāchārya – his life and works

This article is an excerpt from '''Veda Bhāṣya Bhūmikā Saṁgraha (वेदभाष्यभूमिकासंग्रहः) by Padmabhūṣaṇa Sri Ācāraya Baladeva Upādhyāya''' (Ex-director, Sampurnananda Sanskrit University, Varanasi). The book is a compilation of all available Sāyaṇāchārya’s introductions to his commentaries upon the Vedic Saṁhitas.Sāyaṇāchārya – his life and works

This article forms the gives, an excellent summary of the life and works of Sāyaṇāchārya, both historical and critical. Additionally, this introduction provides, in the author’s own words, “some additional comments upon the premier position of Sāyaṇāchārya as one of the important authorities upon the traditional exegesis of Veda.

This article forms the gives, an excellent summary of the life and works of Sāyaṇāchārya, both historical and critical. Additionally, this introduction provides, in the author’s own words, some additional comments upon the premier position of Sāyaṇāchārya as one of the important authorities upon the traditional exegesis of Veda.

== Family  ==

== Family  ==

=== Bhoganātha ===

=== Bhoganātha ===

Bhoganātha, though not so well-known, is yet a worthy younger brother of Sāyaṇa and Mādhava. He was the “narma-sachiva of Saṁgama II, the son of Kampaṇa, as is evident from the Biṭraguṇṭa grant of that ruler. Unlike his elder brothers who were profound scholars of Veda, Vedanta, Mīmāmsa and Dharma śastra, Bhoganatha was a poet of a very high order. The Biṭraguṇṭa grant, with his numerous other poetical compositions mentioned in the Alaṁkāra-sudhānidhi of Sāyaṇa bears eloquent testimony to the great poetical talents of Bhoganātha. Sāyaṇa names and quotes from six of his works. Their names are

Bhoganātha, though not so well-known, is yet a worthy younger brother of Sāyaṇa and Mādhava. He was the narma-sachiva of Saṁgama II, the son of Kampaṇa, as is evident from the Biṭraguṇṭa grant of that ruler. Unlike his elder brothers who were profound scholars of Veda, Vedanta, Mīmāmsa and Dharma śastra, Bhoganatha was a poet of a very high order. The Biṭraguṇṭa grant, with his numerous other poetical compositions mentioned in the Alaṁkāra-sudhānidhi of Sāyaṇa bears eloquent testimony to the great poetical talents of Bhoganātha. Sāyaṇa names and quotes from six of his works. Their names are

(i) rāmollāsa (रामोल्लास), a kāvya based on the Rāmāyaṇa,  

(i) rāmollāsa (रामोल्लास), a kāvya based on the Rāmāyaṇa,  

The introductions to these Vedic commentaries we have collected here amply furnish a student of Veda with all the supremely important doctrines which he must possess before he directly begins the practical study of the Vedic texts. Besides, these will impart the necessary insight into properly appreciating and clearly understanding the genuine spirit in which Sāyaṇa has written his learned and monumental Bhāṣyas.  

The introductions to these Vedic commentaries we have collected here amply furnish a student of Veda with all the supremely important doctrines which he must possess before he directly begins the practical study of the Vedic texts. Besides, these will impart the necessary insight into properly appreciating and clearly understanding the genuine spirit in which Sāyaṇa has written his learned and monumental Bhāṣyas.  

We have firm belief that a precise study of these valuable Introductions will show us not only the traditional mode of the proper interpretation of the Vedas but also the right way in which these most ancient sacred texts should be handled. It is the sheer misunderstanding of the view—point of this eminent Vedic commentator which has unnecessarily called forth the undeserved obloquy heaped upon the sacred head of the great Sāyaṇa not only by the so-called foreign Vedic scholars who, placed as they are, are wholly ignorant of the important traditions and associations which have grown round this most ancient and sacred work in course for many centuries but also by the various Indian disciples of these European Gurus, who, though fortunate enough to be in a position to understand properly the different Vedic traditions, do blindly follow their lead and feed the unfortunate young students placed under their care upon the ill-digested and half-baked theories of these “Western Vaidikas’.  

We have firm belief that a precise study of these valuable Introductions will show us not only the traditional mode of the proper interpretation of the Vedas but also the right way in which these most ancient sacred texts should be handled. It is the sheer misunderstanding of the view—point of this eminent Vedic commentator which has unnecessarily called forth the undeserved obloquy heaped upon the sacred head of the great Sāyaṇa not only by the so-called foreign Vedic scholars who, placed as they are, are wholly ignorant of the important traditions and associations which have grown round this most ancient and sacred work in course for many centuries but also by the various Indian disciples of these European Gurus, who, though fortunate enough to be in a position to understand properly the different Vedic traditions, do blindly follow their lead and feed the unfortunate young students placed under their care upon the ill-digested and half-baked theories of these Western Vaidikas’.  

Indeed, the only safe guide which we possess in these times when even the masters of the ‘historical method’ differ from one another as regards the obvious meanings and plain interpretations of easy Vedic Mantras is the traditionally uniform and deeply suggestive Bhāṣya of Sāyaṇa. With his scholastic interpretations the great Sāyaṇāchārya has been, and indeed will be, the supremely reliable guide to effect our first entrance into the manifold mysteries of this impregnable fortress of Vedic language and Vedic religion. In fact, everyone who enters on the study of Veda owes in an abundant measure a deep debt of gratitude to this great authority on the Vedic exegesis. We cannot properly imagine what the condition of Vedic scholarship would have been to day without the vedārthaprakāśa (वेदार्थप्रकाश) of our eminent author in which the great Vedic exegesist has not left a single word unexplained, however obscure it may be. It is not that this eminent service done by Sāyaṇa has not been recognised even by the modern Western scholars who have devoted their time and labour towards a really critical and in a way intensive study of this most ancient Aryan literature.  

Indeed, the only safe guide which we possess in these times when even the masters of the ‘historical method’ differ from one another as regards the obvious meanings and plain interpretations of easy Vedic Mantras is the traditionally uniform and deeply suggestive Bhāṣya of Sāyaṇa. With his scholastic interpretations the great Sāyaṇāchārya has been, and indeed will be, the supremely reliable guide to effect our first entrance into the manifold mysteries of this impregnable fortress of Vedic language and Vedic religion. In fact, everyone who enters on the study of Veda owes in an abundant measure a deep debt of gratitude to this great authority on the Vedic exegesis. We cannot properly imagine what the condition of Vedic scholarship would have been to day without the vedārthaprakāśa (वेदार्थप्रकाश) of our eminent author in which the great Vedic exegesist has not left a single word unexplained, however obscure it may be. It is not that this eminent service done by Sāyaṇa has not been recognised even by the modern Western scholars who have devoted their time and labour towards a really critical and in a way intensive study of this most ancient Aryan literature.