Question: What were the specific alterations made for the first time to the Anandāśrama edition of the (Madhaviya) Sankara digvijaya (MSV) regarding the title of the work and author’s name?

Answer: In an intriguing turn of events, the widely circulated Anandāśrama edition of the Sankara digvijaya had undergone some significant alterations.

Despite the colophons at the conclusion of each of the sixteen chapters clearly attributing the text to Madhava, the editor of the Anandāśrama publication took the liberty to change not only the title of the work to Samkṣepa- Sankara-jaya but also the author’s name to Madhava-Vidyaranya.

This deliberate modification marks the first instance of introducing the revered sage Vidyaranya’s name into the narrative, presumably with the intention of enhancing the popularity and reach of this work.

As a result of this deliberate and intentional alteration, the modified version of the text gained significant popularity among both Indian and Western scholars.

This deliberate attempt to introduce the name of the revered sage Vidyaranya into the narrative seemed to have successfully enhanced the work’s appeal and recognition in academic circles. The modified edition, now titled “Samkṣepa – Sankara – jaya” and attributed to Madhava-Vidyaranya, captured the attention and interest of scholars, contributing to its widespread recognition and study.