I found an interesting anecdote regarding mahAmahOpAdhyAya Brahmashri Virupaksha Shastri. He was well respected by people from different schools of thought due to his deep knowledge in Advaita and other schools of thought.
I have attached the kannada preface written to the book "Tattva MuktA KalApa", originally written by Sri Vedanta Desika and explained by Sri MahAmahOpAdhyAyA Sri K.S Varadachar. Introduction written by HH Abhinava Ranganatha Parakala Swami.
This is a jovial conversation between MM Brahmasri VirUpAksha Shastri (V) and MM Bramhasri Anantha Krishna Shastriar (A), which occurred in Mysore long time back.
Both A and V, were discussing later Advaitic works and various divisions post Shankaracharya. Then Ananthakrishna Sastri stated that " I have read every darshana grantha post shankaracharya !"
VirupAksha to Anantharkrishna: (V to A)
Have you read brahma datta's views on Advaita?
A: Do you mean Bhartrprapancha?
V: No, I mean Brahmadatta.
A: There is no such Grantha by an author Brahmadatta !
V. There is no Grantha, but there is a reference!
A : Where, Show me!
V: You said you have seen all darshana granthas! have you studied "ekam bramhaiva nityam" verse - 16 of Jiva sara of Vedanta Desika's Tattva MuktA kalApa?
A: I dont see any name Brahmadatta mentioned here in this verse.
V: NO. Sri Vedanta Desika has commented on his own work Tattva MuktA kalApa and he has referred to Brahma datta's views in his commentary on this verse.
A: I have heard of this book TMK. But I have not gone through this work.
V: If you have not read Tattva MuktA kalApa, how can you be known as a dArshanika? Probably there is no book on darshana, which has so many references as that book !
A was surprised !
(Note: this is not to indicate that Bramhashri Anantha Krishna Sastriar was an inferior pundit. He was a great scholar.) This is to highlight the depth in which Brahmasri Virupaksha Shastri used to go into reading views of philosopical opponents' works !
Best Regards,
Krishna Kashyap