Logo

Vacaspati Misra is an extraordinary model of intellectual objectivity. He is at his best as an erudite commentator of each of the majoo Indian Schools of thought he deals with. Udyotakara’s Nyayavartika on Vatsyayana would have perhaps become obscene but for Misra’s Tatparyatika. Similarly Samkhyatattvakaumudi represents the very soul of the various concepts of Samkhya philosophy. We cannot fully appreciate vyasa’s contribution to Patanjala yogasutras without Misra’s Tattvavaisaradi. As regards his Bhamati on brahmasutra-Sankarabhasya this is not merely a commentary but is an indipeusable thesaurus of all that is embodied in the Sankar school of Nirvisesadvaita. It has rather taken the invaluable shape of a separate prashthana Bhamati-prasthana as distinct from the Vivarana prashthana. It goes without saying, that this type of sarvatantrasvatantra model of scholarship a source of inspiration for all of us. Vacaspati Misra is, in fact a model of intellectual intergration. We may also look at him as an exponent of "yo mam pasyati sarvatra sarvam ca mayi pasyati…….." It is quite in the fitness of things that a young scholar like Dr. Ranganath should have thought of bringing out a comprehensive and critical study of Vacaspati Misra’s Contribution to Indian Philosophy. A well-organised and duly documented presentation like this will, certainly gave the way for further research on the distinct contributions made by this doyen of Indian Philosophy from Mithila.