शिवज्ञानबोध (मेय्कण्डार - शैव सिद्धान्त का आधारभूत दार्शनिक सूत्र ग्रन्थ)

xiiii SIVAGNANA BOTHAM.
The first chapter treats of the proof of the three entities or
Padarthas, the second dealing with their further attributes or
relationship, the third dealing with Sadana or modes of attaining
the benefit of the knowledge of the three Padarthas, and the last
dealing with the True End sought after by all mankind. The
reader of Vyasa's Sariraka Sutra or Vedanta Sutra will observe
that the divisions adopted in the latter work are the same as in
Sivagnana Botham. Further each Sutra is divided into separate
theses or arguments and Meikanda Deva has added his comment-
ary called Varthika to each of these theses or arguments or
Adhikarana as it is called. This Varthika commentary is in very
terse prose and is the most difficult portion of the work. Meikanda
Deva has added Udarana or analogies in verses of Venba Metre
to each of the Adhikaranas. These Udarana are not similes
of rhetoric but are logical analogies used as a method of proof.
The reader's attention is particularly drawn to these analogies
and he is requested to test these analogies with any rule of
Western logic, and at the same time test the analogies ordinari-
ly set forth in works on Hindu Philosophy published in English.
Sivagnana Siddhi is divided into two books, Parapaksham and
Supaksham. In the Parapaksham, all the Hindu systems from
Charvaka Philosophy to Mayavadam are stated and criticised and
it is similar to Sayana's Sarva Darsana Sangraha, and yet a
cursory comparison will show the superior treatment of the
former. The subject which Sayana or as he is better known in
Southern India, Vidyaranyar has compressed in one chapter
in a few pages, under the heading of Saiva Darsan, is treated
by Arulnanthi Sivachariar in his Supaksham in 300 and odd
stanzas, and the printed works with commentaries comprise about
2,000 and odd pages. The ground plan of this work is the same as
that of Sivagnana Botham but it contains in addition a chapter
on 'Alavei' or Logic, an abstract of which has been also translat-
ed by Rev. H. R. Hoisington and published in the American
Oriental Journal, Vol, iv. Though this is based on Sanskrit works