PREFACE.
TADAVABHYUDAYA is a Mahakavya in 24 cantos Yo by Sri Vedante. Desika, the reputed Sri Vaish- pavacharya who lived in Southern India during the 13th and 14th centuries. Its commentator is the re- nowned Appayya Dikshita, the most learned Sanskrit Scholar of the day and a Saiva and Adwaita Acharya. Both Vedanta Desika and Appayya Dikshita are held in very high esteem for their vast learning and erudite scholar- ship, so much so, that their names have become house- hold words throughout Southern India. This Poem has thus the unique distinction of being composed by a great popular Visishtadwaita Acharya and being commented upon by an equally distinguished leader of a rival School of Philosophy whose life work was to refute the tenets of the School to which the author of the poem belonged. Certainly it speaks volumes for the magnanimity and broad-mindedness of the commentator to put aside all religious controversial animosity and do honor to a great leader of an opposite School by writing an extremely appreciative commentary upon one of his excellent poems. Appayya Dikshita forgets all differences and appreciates Vedanta Desika at his true worth as is evi. denced by the remark made by him in the course of his
