The Mīmāṃsā Nyāya Prakāśa, or Āpadevī: A Treatise on the Mīmāṃsā System by Āpadeva

The Mīmāṃsā Nyāya Prakāśa, also known as the Āpadevī, is a concise and systematic manual of Pūrva-Mīmāṃsā composed by Āpadeva. Franklin Edgerton’s edition presents an English translation together with an introduction, the transliterated Sanskrit text, and a glossarial index. The work is widely regarded as one of the clearest introductory expositions of the Mīmāṃsā system, especially in relation to Vedic ritual interpretation and the logical principles governing scriptural exegesis. The text treats Mīmāṃsā primarily as a discipline of interpretive and legal reasoning. Its central objective is to determine the meaning, authority, and mutual relation of Vedic passages so that the duties prescribed by the Veda may be properly understood and performed. The discussion begins with dharma and the theory of bhāvanā, distinguishing verbal impulsion from the action brought about through ritual performance. It then analyzes various forms of injunction, including utpatti-vidhi, viniyoga-vidhi, prayoga-vidhi, adhikāra-vidhi, niyama-vidhi, and parisaṃkhyā-vidhi. A substantial portion of the book explains the principles by which ritual auxiliaries are connected with principal acts. These include śruti, liṅga, vākya, prakaraṇa, sthāna, and samākhyā. The work also examines the ordering of ritual acts, the classification of subsidiaries, the role of mantras, names, prohibitions, paryudāsa, and arthavāda. Particular attention is given to technical interpretive devices such as matvartha-lakṣaṇā, tatprakhya-nyāya, and vaiśvadeva-nyāya. Edgerton’s introduction situates the text within the history of Mīmāṃsā and emphasizes its broader importance for Hindu law, Vedic commentary, and linguistic theory. By combining translation, critical explanation, Sanskrit text, and indexes, the volume provides a foundational resource for the study of Mīmāṃsā hermeneutics and ritual jurisprudence.