digambarānucara

While looking for the dīpikā of śaṁkarānanda on the īśāvasyopaniṣad, I came across the artha-prakāśa of digambarānucara, published by the ānandāśrama  (#76). I have not come across this author before, and a quick internet search did not turn up any results.

I have only read a page or two thus far. It’s style is not as simple or pleasing as that of śaṁkara or śaṁkarānanda, though he certainly belongs to the advaita school. In defining jagat, he points out the statement from the chāndogya –

sarvaṁ khalvidaṁ brahma, tajjalān iti śānta upāsīta (chāndogya 3.14.1)

and understanding tajjalān is impossible without some help:

tajjaṁ ca tallaṁ ca tadanaṁ ca tajjalānam (ānandagiri)

Well, useful as it is, some more explanation is in order:

tasmāt brahmaṇo jātam tajjam
tasmin eva līyate iti tallam
tasmin eva sthiti-kāle aniti prāṇiti ceṣṭate iti (excerpts from the bhāśya)

And this entire discussion is very much along the lines of “īśā vāsyam idaṁ sarvam”