Vyomasiva, the Author of Vyomavati
By K. Chattopadhyaya
Summary
This note responds to a previous article that lamented the ‘absence’ of Vyomasiva’s commentary Vyomavati on the Praśastapāda‑bhāṣya. The author clarifies that the Vyomavati is not lost: manuscripts exist in the Government Oriental Manuscripts Library, Madras, and the Sarasvati Bhavan Library at Varanasi. Based on these, the Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series has published an edition of the Vyomavati, together with Jagadisa’s Svṛtti and Padmanabha’s Setu. However, the Vyomavati manuscript contains lacunae, particularly at the beginning, and only the concluding portion is relatively intact. The note quotes verses from the end of the work, which praise Śiva and summarise the commentator’s aims. Despite the publication, the author admits that the edition does not resolve the problem of identifying the Vyomasiva of this commentary with the Vyomasiva mentioned in the Ranod inscription.
Conclusion
By pointing out the availability of manuscripts and a recent edition, the note corrects the misconception that Vyomasiva’s commentary has vanished. Nevertheless, significant textual gaps remain, and the commentator’s historical identity is still uncertain. Further research into inscriptions and manuscripts is needed to clarify the matter.