, who also
wrote a compendium on the Prabhakara interpretation of Mima@msa
called _Prakara@napancika_. Tradition says that Prabhakara
(often referred to as Nibandhakara), whose views are
often alluded to as "gurumata," was a pupil of Kumarila. Kumarila
Bha@t@ta, who is traditionally believed to be the senior contemporary
of S'a@nkara (788 A.D.), wrote his celebrated independent

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exposition of S'abara's bha@sya in three parts known as _S'lokavarttika_
(dealing only with the philosophical portion of S'abara's
work as contained in the first chapter of the first book known as
Tarkapada), _Tantravarttika_ (dealing with the remaining three
chapters of the first book, the second and the third book) and
_@Tup@tika_ (containing brief notes on the remaining nine books)
[Footnote ref 1]. Kumarila is referred to by his later followers
as Bha@t@ta, Bha@t@tapada, and Varttikakara. The next great Mima@msa
scholar and follower of Kumarila was Ma@n@dana Mis'ra, the author of
_Vidhiviveka, Mima@msanukrama@ni_ and the commentator of _Tantravarttika,_
who became later on converted by S'a@nkara to Vedantism. Parthasarathi
Mis'ra (about ninth century A.D.) wrote his _S'astradipika,
Tantraratna,_ and _Nyayaratnamala_ following the footprints
of Kumarila. Amongst the numerous other followers of Kumarila,
the names of Sucarita Mis'ra the author of _Kas'ika_ and Somes'vara
the author of _Nyayasudha_ deserve special notice. Ramak@r@s@na
Bha@t@ta wrote an excellent commentary on the _Tarkapada_ of
_S'astradipika_ called the _Yuktisnehapura@ni-siddhanta-candrika_ and
Somanatha wrote his _Mayukhamalika_ on the remaining chapters
of _S'astradipika_. Other important current Mima@msa works which
deserve notice are such as _Nyayamalavistara_ of Madhava, _Subodhini,
Mima@msabalaprakas'a_ of S'a@nkara Bha@t@ta, _Nyayaka@nika_ of
Vacaspati Mis'ra, _Mima@msaparibha@sa_ by K@r@s@nayajvan,
_Mima@msanyayaprakas'a_ by Anantadeva, Gaga Bha@t@ta's
_Bha@t@tacintama@ni,_ etc. Most of the books mentioned here have been
consulted in the writing of this chapter. The importance of the
Mima@msa literature for a Hindu is indeed great. For not only are all
Vedic duties to be performed according to its maxims, but even the
sm@rti literatures which regulate the daily duties, ceremonials and rituals
of Hindus even at the present day are all guided and explained
by them. The legal side of the sm@rtis consisting of inheritance,
proprietory rights, adoption, etc. which