The Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore is an Institution running with the benign blessings of His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Tirtha Mahaswamiji under the auspices of Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, established in 1981.Kalpatharu Research Academy has strided across the horizon of Indological Research and Publications with giant steps, and today stands as an Institution known for its unique quality of Research work.

Kalpatharu Research Academy is dedicated to the cause of preservation of ancient heritage of India; it has encouraged Research in the fields of Agama, Veda, Tantra, Jyoutisha, Mantra-Sastra, Vastu, Yoga, Silpa, Ayurvedic etc.

The Among its prestigious publications (numbering more than seventy—five till now), are Six Volumes of Pratima-Kosha, Twelve Volumes of Agama-Kosha, Three Volumes of the Art and Architecture of Indian Temples, and several Koshas like Ganesha-Kosha, Lalita-Kosha and Navagraha-Kosha, Oshadhi-Kosha, Salagrama-Kosha, Gita-Kosha. Hanumat-Kosha etc.

The Academy has plans of undertaking intensive Research in the field of Veda and Vedanga and intends publishing "Bharatiya-Samskriti-Sarvasva-Kosha” an encyclopedic work in several volumes dealing with all aspects of Indian Tradition and Culture. It seeks to promote Education, Culture, Science, Art and learning in all its branches. The approach will be broad-based and multi-disciplinary.

An extensive, comprehensive and specialist reference library has been built up to assist the Research Workers in the Indological disciplines. A valuable collection of Palm—Leaf" manuscripts relating to Veda, Vedanta, Vedanga and allied subjects has already been made; the collection work is continuing.

Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham has been running a Guru-Kula type of Institution on traditional lines to impart Vedic Education at several places. Some of these Institutions are over l00 years old. It is the intention of Kalpatharu Research Academy to take an active part in continuing this age-old tradition and act as the Research & Publication wing for these Institutions.

Our ambition is to develop as a National Centre for higher learning in Veda, Vedanga and Shastras and facilitate the propagation of unique Sanskrit and Vedic Texts in the National and International arena.

This Publication is the 90th of its achievement in this field.

Vidyalankara, Sastra—Chudamani. Sangita-Kalaratna, Professor Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao, is a well-known scholar who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well—versed in Sanskrit, Pali, Ardhamagadhi and several modern Indian languages and acquainted with Tibetan and some European languages, he has written extensively on Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, Indian Culture, Art and Literature.

In his professional career, however, he was a Professor of Psychology. He has headed the Department of Clinical Psychology in the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, and the Department of Indian Culture in the Callison College Study Centre of the University of the Pacific (USA). At present, he is the Senior Associate of National Institute of Advanced Studies (Indian institute of Science), Bangalore, and Guest Faculty, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and member of the Governing Council of TTD (SVCL Research Centre). Tirupati.

He has been Member of Karnataka State Lalitha Kala Academi and Sangita Nritya Academi; he has served on the Agama Board (Govt. of Karnataka). He is President: ‘Silpa-Kala Pratishtana. The Govt. of Karnataka has honored him with the 1986 Rajyotsava Award. He has received awards from Lalita-Kala Academi and Sangita Kala Academy. He is the recipient of the Veda Sanman for the year 2000 by the Govt. of India (H.R.D. Ministry).

He has written more than sixty books in Kannada, a play in Sanskrit, and a Pali commentary on a Buddhist classic. One of his books on iconography in Kannada has won the State Sahitya Academi Award, as also another of his books on the Tirupati Temple.

Among his numerous English publications are three volumes of Encyclopedia of Indian Medicine (Popular Prakashan, Mumbai). Tibetan Tantrik Tradition and Tibetan Meditation (Arnold Heinemann. Delhi), Consciousness in Advaita, and a series of six books on Indian Temples (IBH Prakashana. Bangalore) and Origins of Indian Thought (Bangalore University); Kalpatharu Research Academy has published his Pratima-Kosha in six volumes. Agama-Kosha in twelve volumes, Art and Architecture of Indian Temples in three volumes.

He is at present engaged in the 30—volume project Rgveda-Darsana (eleven volumes of which have appeared).He is also a musicologist, a sculptor and painter, and has held some one-man shows.

The Kalpatharu Research Academy Bangalore, feels proud to publish valuable volumes on Rgveda—Darshana, this one being the fourteenth in the series. Rgveda, as is well known, it is the oldest of world’s books and is very foundation of India’s culture. The Rgveda—Darsana project of the Academy focuses attention on the unique significance of Rgveda, and plans to bring out the traditional interpretation of the mantras included in Rgveda in thirty volumes. The academy is grateful to Prof. SK. Ramachandra Rao for undertaking this important and arduous work for the Academy.

The Academy is deeply indebted to the Jagadguru of Sringeri, His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Tirtha Mahaswamiji, for showering his munificent blessings on the Academy as the Chief Patron; We are also indebted to Sri V.R. Gowrishankar the Chief Administrator of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham of Sringeri and the Chairman of Kalpatharu Research Academy, for his continued interest in the Academy’s activities.

Academy also thanks the authorities for their generous Financial Assistance from the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Department of Education, Govt. of India, New Delhi, and Dept. of Education, Govt. of Karnataka, Bangalore.

The Academy also thanks the officers of the Omkar Offset Printers for their excellent production of this book.

A profound contribution to the understanding of the Vedic lore comes from Sayana who prepared comprehensive commentaries on all the Vedas including Brahmanas. His approach is ritualistic (adhiyajna) and has been admired for its depth and historical insight. There is no Vedic commentary which is as exhaustive and authentic as Sayana’s. A close and critical examination of his Bhumika (Prolegomenon) to Rgbhashya has been attempted in this volume.

The author is grateful to Sri Daivajna K.N. Somayaji, the chief Editor and Director of Kalpatharu Research Academy for having provided this opportunity, and to His Holiness Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Tirtha Mahaswamigal the chief patron of the Academy, the Jagadguru of Sri Sharada Peetham, Sringeri and Sri V.R. Gowrishankar, the chief Administrator of Sri Sharada Peetham and Chairman of Kalpatharu Research Academy, and to my friends Shri P.S. Venkatesh Babu and Shri B. Nagendra of Omkkar Offset Printers for their unfailing courtesy and co-operation during the printing of this volume.