365bet

Essay name: Sankalpa Suryodaya of Venkatanatha (Critical Study)

Author: R. Laxmi
Affiliation: Karnatak University / Department of Sanskrit

This is an English study of the Sankalpa Suryodaya—an allegorical Sanskrit drama by Venkatanatha, a distinguished philosopher-poet and dramatist of the Vishishtadvaita Vedanta tradition. This work of Venkata-natha (or, Vedanta Deshika). stands out for integrating allegory to convey moral and philosophical truths. The thesis examines its place in Sanskrit literature.

Chapter 5 - Philosophical doctrines

Page:

3 (of 28)


External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)


Download the PDF file of the original publication


Warning! Page nr. 3 has not been proofread.

265
So far as, generally accepted order of the systems of Indian Philosophy,
Cārvāka school comes first. Then other schools like Jaina, Bauddha, Nyāya-
Vaiseṣika, Sāṅkhya, Yoga and Advaita, come in after. But in this order appears to
be dishevelled in the drama. As a matter of fact, Venkaṭanāthas method of following
the order of rival schools is not insignificant. He chooses Säṅkhya school first for
refutation in the drama. He says, the discourse of Såṅkhyas is taken first because
that school is close to the Upanisadic Thought; श्रुतिशिरः प्रत्यासन्नतया प्रथमसमुत्थितानाम्
संप्रत� स्वमतोऽपन्यासम� �
[śrutiśira� pratyāsannatayā prathamasamutthitānām
saṃprati svamato'panyāsam |
]
1. Sāṅkhya and Yoga School of Thought:
Sāṅkhya system of thought has been propounded by Sages such as Kapila,
Asuri and Pancaśikha. They maintain the view that Prakṛti or matter is different
from Puruṣa or the Individual Self. But they do not accept the existance of the
Supreme Being because of their sinfulmindedness.4 The dramatist refutes
suggestively that upholding two tattvas Prakṛti and Puruṣa and rejecting
Paramapuruṣa is not Coherent to the Upanisadic Thought. If Sāṅkhyas reject
Paramapuruṣatattva then they become equal to either Vaiseṣika who accept
Paramāṇus causality of the world and reject Prakṛti or to Cārvākas who uphold the
view that there is no Individual soul other than the body. In this way, the dramatist
wards off the theory of Prakṛti and Puruṣa as upheld by Nirisvarasāṅkhyas.
Even in case of Seśvarasåṅkhyas their views becomes defective because
they accept the existence of Supreme Being, But as possessing glories and powers
only within certain limits. Thus Seśvarasāṅkhyas are in close confirmity with Yoga
system. However, this veiw of limiting the glories and powers of the Lord is
baseless. Yoga system holds the view that the glory of the Lord resembles the
nature of the reflection in a mirror.5 Hence according to them Lords glory is as true
4.
कपिलासुरिपञ्चशिखादिमुनिप्रतिपादि� सांख्यमतप्रवणा� �
प्रकृत� पुरुषं � विभज्य पर� पुरुषं � पठन्त्यघरुद्धधिय� ||
[kapilāsuripañcaśikhādimunipratipādita sāṃkhyamatapravaṇāḥ |
prakṛti puruṣa� ca vibhajya para� puruṣa� na paṭhantyagharuddhadhiya� ||
]
S.S. II - 64, p-282
5.
� एत� योगाख्ये कतिचिदपतन्त्रे पठितिन� प्रजल्पन्त्यैश्वर्यं प्रतिफलनकल्प� भगवत� �
स्वत� सिद्धान् बोधप्रशकनबलादीन् गुणगणान् गृणन्तस्त्रय्यन्ता� प्रतिभणितिरेषामवितथा ||
[ya ete yogākhye katicidapatantre paṭhitina� prajalpantyaiśvarya� pratiphalanakalpa� bhagavata� |
svata� siddhān bodhapraśakanabalādīn guṇagaṇān gṛṇantastrayyantā� pratibhaṇitireṣāmavitathā ||
]
S.S. II 68, p-286

Let's grow together!

I humbly request your help to keep doing what I do best: provide the world with unbiased sources, definitions and images. Your donation direclty influences the quality and quantity of knowledge, wisdom and spiritual insight the world is exposed to.

Let's make the world a better place together!

Like what you read? Help to become even better: