Tattvabindu of Vachaspati Mishra (study)
by Kishor Deka | 2024 | 49,069 words
This page relates ‘Date of Vacaspati Mishra’ of the English study of the Tattvabindu by Vachaspati Mishra (study)—a significant text in the Mimamsa philosophy which addresses the concept of verbal knowledge (shabdabodha) and identifies the efficient cause behind it, examining five traditional perspectives. These are Sphota-Vada, Varna-Vada, Varnamala-Vada, and Anvitabhidhana-Vada and Abhihitanvaya-Vada, with the Tattvabindu primarily endorsing the Abhihitanvayavada view.
Go directly to: Footnotes.
Part 3.1 - Date of Vācaspati Miśra
Vācaspati Miśra’s date is fixed by scholars from the references found in his works. In his work Nyāyasūcīnibandha, which is regarded as an appendix to his Tātparyaṭīkā, he has given the date of completion of that work 898 Vikrama era which is equivalent to 841 A.D.[1] Here, the question arises about the era of this date. There is a great deal of debate whether this is Śāka era or Vikrama era. If it is Śāka era, then the date will be 976 A.D. and on the other hand, if it is Vikrama era, then the date will be 841 A.D. Therefore, a proper study of external and internal sources is needed for correctly determining the date of Vācaspati Miśra.
In addition to the date provided by him in Nyāyasūcīnibandha, the following data are also provided by him in his works:
(i) In his Advaita Vedāntic work Bhāmatī, he has mentioned the name of king Nṛga.[2]
(ii) Vācaspati Miśra has referred to Nyāyamañjarī in his work.[3]
(iii) He has refuted Bhāskarācārya in his Bhāmatī, who belongs to 800 or 900 A.D.[4]
(iv) In his Tātparyaṭīkā, Vācaspati has quoted Dharmottara twice, whose time is said to be 900 A.D.[5]
On the other hand, Udayanācārya (about 984 A.D) commented upon Vācaspati Miśra’s Nyāyavārttikatātparyaṭīkā under the name nyāyavārttikatātparyaṭīkāpariśuddhi. So, it is clear that the upper limit of Vācaspati’s date cannot be later than 984 A.D. From the reference to king Nṛga given by Vācaspati Miśra, let us see what is the true identity of his king. S.N. Dasgupta has given his own views that there is no epigraphical reference of a king named Nṛga.
In his words,
“This king, so far as the present writer is aware, has yet been historically traced.”[6]
But, in this regard, Gaṅgānāth Jhā disagrees with Dasgupta. According to his view, Nṛga was a real king of Mithilā, a predecessor of king Nānyadeva who was known to have ruled his kingdom about 1019 Vikrama era, i.e. 962 A.D.[7] This evidence of king Nṛga may be regarded as conclusive since even Amalānanda in his Vedānta Kalpataru mentions Nṛga as the petron of Vācaspati Miśra.[8] Again, the opinion of the point that Vācaspati referred to Nyāyamañjarī is somewhat confusing. Jayanta Bhaṭṭa, the famous writer of Nyāyamañjarī belongs to the 10th century A.D. As such, Vācaspati Miśra’s date cannot fall before 10th century A.D. But actually the Nyāyamañjarī referred to by Vācaspati Miśra is not the Nyāyamañjarī written by Jayanta Bhaṭṭa. On the contrary, the Nyāyamañjarī was written by Trilocana who was his guru.
From the above discussion it can be concluded that Vācaspati Miśra lived in the year 898 Vikrama era, which is equivalent to 841 A.D. as mentioned in his works.
In the words of V.N. Sheshagiri Rao,
“All these go to show that Vācaspati lived in all approximate certainty not earlier or later than the period 841-900 A.D.”[9]
Footnotes and references:
[1]:
nyāyasūcīnibandho’yamakāriti viduṣāṃ mude /
śrīvācaspatimiśreṇa vasvaṅkavasuvatsare // History of Indian Philosophy , Vol. I, p.107
[2]:
[3]:
Nyāyakaṇikā , p. 257
[4]:
Encyclopedia of Indian Philosophies. , Vol. 2, p. 454
[6]:
History of Indian Philosophy , Vol. 2, p. 107
[8]:
Bhāmatī on Br. SSBH , Vol. 2, p. 1021
[9]:
Vācaspati’s Contribution to Advaita , p. 7