Twentieth Century Panditas of Kolkata
With the arrival of the colonial education in India, a nationalist urge swept across the Indian subcontinent. And Kolkata was not an exception. There was a conscious attempt on the part of the traditional scholars, to make the philosophical insights available in ancient India available to the modern intelligent readers who for several reasons lost touch with the original Sanskrit intellectual world. Many Sanskrit commentaries were translated with detail explanatory notes in Bengali. These works written in vernacular constitute a rich tradition of recent Indian philosophical repertoire. In this digital library attempts have been made to make these works accessible to the interested researchers.
Advaitamata-samīkṣā অদ্বৈতমত-সমীক্ষা
In this book, Srimohan Tarkavedāntatārtha, the author, offers an explanation of some of the central tenets of Advaita Vedānta. The first chapter discusses how some of the philosophical views of the opponents of Advaita Vedānta have been reformulated in accordance with the tenor of Advaita Vedānta. The second chapter undertakes a discussion of the comparative estimate of the views of the two schools of Advaita Vedānta viz. Vivaraṇa and Bhāmatī schools. The last chapter presents an analysis of the theory of Śabdaparokṣavāda, a view defended by the Vivaraṇa school of Advaita Vedānta.
Advaitasiddhiḥ (Volume-1) অদ্বৈতসিদ্ধি: (১ম খন্ড)
In this book, Yogendranāth Tarkasāṃkhyavedantatīrtha, the author, offers a detailed analysis of the four definitions of ignorance that one finds in the text Advaitasiddhi by Madhusudana Saraswati. The book starts with an analysis of some theories that could be viewed as impediments to the justification of Advaita-Vedānta view, viz. Kramonnativāda, poureṣeyatvavāda of the Vedas, is the fallibility of the founding fathers of philosophical schools. The book ends with an exposition of the text called Nyayamitra written by Vyāsatīrtha, a work whose fundamental ideas have been refuted by the author of Advaitasiddhi.
Advaitasiddhiḥ (Volume-2) অদ্বৈতসিদ্ধি: (২য় খন্ড)
In this book, Yogendranāth Tarkasāṃkhyavedantatīrtha, the author, offers a detailed analysis of the first definition of ignorance that one finds in the text Advaitasiddhi by Madhusūdana Sarasvati. The book starts with presenting a history of Advaita-Vedānta followed by the biography of Madhusudana Saraswati. There is also an introductory analysis of some of the key Nyāya ideas, for the author of Advaitasiddhi himself takes recourse to some Nyāya techniques in defending the Advaita thesis.
Advaitavedānte Avidyānumān অদ্বৈত বেদান্তে অবিদ্যানুমান
This book written by Yogendranatah Bagchi is an exposition and defence of the Advaita Vedānta concept of avidyā as one finds in Advaitasiddhi of Madhusudana Saraswati. Following the Vivaraṇa school of Vedānta, Madhusudana Saraswati undertakes a detailed analysis of the inference that purportedly proves the concept of avidyā. Several possible objections to the validity of this inference have been presented and all of these have been refuted by the author of this book. There is also a detailed deliberation on the object and locus of avidyā.
Akhanḍa Mahāyoga অখন্ড মহাযোগ
This book, written by Gopinath Kaviraj, is a detail exposition of Surya-vijñāna, originally expounded by Visuddhananda Paramahṅsa. There are eight chapters in the book. The discussion starts with a description of creation, followed by an analysis of the concept of the pure body, the emergence of the pure being, the arrival of a pure being in the world in the form of a mother, and the transformation of the world into pure knowledge. The last chapter summarises the main points discussed in the book.
Ātmatattvaviveka (Volume-1) আত্মতত্ত্ববিবেক (১ম খন্ড)
This book is a Bengali translation and explanation of Ātmatattvaviveka (written by Udayanāchārya) done by Dinanath Tripathi. Ātmatattvaviveka is a philosophical work refuting the Buddhist thesis. In the present volume, there is a detailed discussion of the Buddhist thesis of momentariness. The translator offers an exhaustive analysis of Udayana’s attempt to refute the doctrine of momentariness.
Ātmatattvaviveka (Volume-3) আত্মতত্ত্ববিবেক (৩য় খন্ড)
This book is a Bengali translation and explanation of Ātmatattvaviveka (written by Udayanāchārya) done by Dinanath Tripathi. Ātmatattvaviveka is a philosophical work refuting the Buddhist thesis. In the present volume, there is a detailed discussion of the Buddhist thesis that no external object exists independent of knowledge of them. The translator explains Udayanāchārya’s refutation of this Buddhist thesis.
Bauddhācāryasammata Svārthānumāner Saṁkṣipta Ālocanā বৌদ্ধাচার্যসম্মত স্বার্থানুমানের সংক্ষিপ্ত আলোচনা
This book, written by Heramba Chattopadhyay, is a detail presentation of the Buddhist theory of svārthānumāna. In the introduction, the author presents a historical survey of the key contributions of Buddhist philosophers in the field of logic. In the main body of the text, the reader finds an analysis of the Buddhist theory of inference along with a presentation of the different criticisms levelled against the Buddhist theory by rival philosophical systems of classical Indian Philosophy.
Bhāratīya Darśan Śāstrer Samanvaya ভারতীয় দর্শন শাস্ত্রের সমন্বয়
In this book, the author, Yogendranatah Tarka-Sāṃkhya-Vedāntatīrtha, explores how the different schools of classical Indian Philosophy converge on the idea of liberation as the ultimate goal of human life. Even though there are divergent views on the nature of liberation, all the schools of classical Indian philosophy have liberation as the tātparya of their respective fundamental texts. The author also mentions the different ways of ascertaining the tātparya of a text. Using this hermeneutic principle the author concludes that each of the systems of Indian philosophy culminates in the idea of liberation as its tātparya.
Bhāratiya Darśana Koṣa (Volume-1) ভারতীয় দর্শন কোষ (১ম খন্ড)
The present book is a dictionary of the key philosophical terms used in Prācina-Nyāya, Navya-Nyāya and Vaiśeṣika philosophical systems, compiled by Srimohan Bhattacharya and Dinesh Chandra Bhattacharya. The terms are arranged in alphabetical order. Against each term, there is a short explanation of the meaning of these terms.
Jaiminīya-Nyāyamālāvistaraḥ
Jaiminīya-Nyāyamālāvistaraḥ is a Bengali Translation with explanatory notes on the original Sanskrit text Jaiminīya-Nyāyamālāvistaraḥ written by Madhavacharya. The Bengali translation and explanation are done by Sukhamay Bhattacharya. The present volume contains translations of the first two chapters of the original text.
Jainadarśaner Digdarśana জৈনদর্শনের দিগ্দর্শন
Satindra Chandra Nyāyāchārya presents an outline of Jaina philosophy in this book. The author argues that Syādvāda and Nayavāda are the two main fundamental theses of Jainism. The book contains a detailed presentation of the Jaina theory of pramāṇa. The author explains why the Jainas accept pratyabhijñā as an indirect pramāṇa. There is also a discussion on the Jaina view that upamāṇa pramāṇa could be included in pratyabhijñā. The author ends his discourse with a discussion on Nayavāda.
Kāṭhakopaniṣada কাঠকোপনিষদ
This book is a detail exposition of Saṅkarācārya’s commentary on Kāthopaniṣada by Brahmacari Medhacaitanya. This book alludes to the story of Naciketas asking Yama about the destiny of man after death. Yama responds to the query by elaborating on the nature of self that survives the physical death of a man.
Mānmeyodayaḥ (Volume-1) মানমেয়োদয়: (২য় খন্ড)
This book written by Dīnanāth Tripathi is a detail exposition of Mīmāṃsā text Mānameodaya, originally authored by Nārāyaṇa Bhaṭṭa. This book is divided into two sections, viz. Pramāṇa and Prameya. After proposing the definition of pramāṇa, the author presents a detailed analysis of all the six pramāṇas accepted by the Bhaṭṭa school of Mīmāṃsā philosophy. During this discourse, the views of Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika, Vedānta, Buddhism and Prābhākara have been refuted. In the Prameya section, there is a discussion on the five prameyas accepted in the Bhaṭṭa school, viz. dravya, jāti, guṇa, kriya and abhāva.
Niruktam নিরুক্তম
Brahmacari Medhacaitanya, in this book, offers a detailed analysis of several Vedic words understanding which is absolutely essential for knowledge of the Vedic sentences. The Vedic terms have been classified under several categories and different grammatical forms of these words have been explained. This is why Nirukta is regarded as a Vedāṅga.
Nyāyadarśan Mate Ātmā ন্যায় দর্শন মতে আত্মা
In this book, written by Tarapada Bhattacharya, one finds an elaborate analysis of the Nyāya theory of self. Following a discussion of the proofs for the existence of self, one finds deliberations on the nature of self as distinct from body. Nyāya arguments for the view that self is eternal and has attributes have been presented. The plurality and ubiquitous nature of self have been proved. The question about the emancipation of self has been discussed. The book ends with a discussion on the nature of god as paramātmān.
Nyāyamañjuri (Volume-1) (ন্যায়মঞ্জুরী ( ১ম খন্ড))
Nyāyamañjari (Vol 1) is a detailed Bengali translation and explanation of the original Sanskrit text Nyāyamañjari written by Jayanta Bhaṭṭa. The translation and Explanation are done by Pañcānana Tarkavāgīśa. The present volume starts with a discussion on the necessity of the study of Nyāya and ends with a presentation of the Nyāya theory of abhāva.
Nyāyamañjuri (Volume-2) ন্যায়মঞ্জুরী (২য় খন্ড)
This book written by Pañchānana Tarkavāgīṣa, is an exposition of the chapter on perception as one finds in Nyāyamañjuri There is a detailed analysis of the definition of perception as proposed in Nyāyamañjuri. A critical examination of each of the terms present in the definition of perception has been undertaken, In this context, the Buddhist view regarding denying the veridicality of judgemental perception has been presented and refuted.
Praśastapādbhāṣya (Volume-1) প্রশস্তপাদভাষ্য (১ম খন্ড)
This is a Bengali translation and explanation of Prasastapada’s commentary authored by Shyamapada Nyāyatarkatīrtha and Damodar Asrama. This book has eighteen chapters viz. 1. Invocation, 2. Introducing padārthas, 3. Tattvajñāna being the cause of mukti, 4. Dharma being the cause of moksa, 5. Introducing dravya, 6. Definition of dravya, 7. Introducing guṇa, 8. Classification of guṇa, 9. Introducing karma, 10. Introducing sāmānya, 11, Classification of sāmānya, 12. Examination of sāmānya, 13. Introducing viśeṣa, 14. Examination of viśeṣa, 15. Introducing samavāya, 16. Examination of samavāya, 17. Part and whole, 18. Atom. This book introduces the reader to the metaphysics of Vaiśeṣika philosophy.
Sāṃkhyadarśan সাংখ্যদর্শন
This book, written by Bhupendranath Bhattacharya, is a detailed presentation of the main features of Sāṃkhya philosophy. There are seven chapters in the book that contain discussions on Saṃkhya theory of pramāṇa, Sāṃkhya theory of god, Sāṃkhya theory of causation, Sāṃkhya theory of guṇa, Sāṃkhya theory of prakṛti, Sāṃkhya theory of puruṣa, Sāṃkhya theory of mahat-tattva, Sāṃkhya theory of subtle body, Sāṃkhya theory of bhautika sarga, Sāṃkhya theory of pralaya, Sāṃkhya theory of liberation respectively.
Śrībhāṣya (Brahmasutra) Volume- 2, Part- II শ্রীভাষ্য (ব্রহ্মসূত্র)
Brahmasutra- Śrībhāṣya (Vol. 2 till the first chapter of the Vedanta sutra) is a Bengali translation and explanation of Ramanujacharya’s commentary on the Vedānta Sutras. The translation and explanation are done by Jatindra Ramanujacharya. The present volume deals with the sutras from the 5th sutra of the first section of the first chapter till the end of the first chapter.
Śrībhāṣya (Brahmasutra) Volume-3, Part-II
Brahmasutra- Śrībhāṣya (Vol. 2, till the end of the second chapter of Vedanta sutra) is a Bengali translation and explanation of Ramanujacharya’s commentary on the Vedānta Sutras. The translation and explanation are done by Jatindra Ramanujacharya. The present volume deals with the second and third chapters of Vedānta Sutra.
With the arrival of the colonial education in India, a nationalist urge swept across the Indian subcontinent. And Kolkata was not an exception. There was a conscious attempt on the part of the traditional scholars, to make the philosophical insights available in ancient India available to the modern intelligent readers who for several reasons lost touch with the original Sanskrit intellectual world. Many Sanskrit commentaries were translated with detail explanatory notes in Bengali. These works written in vernacular constitute a rich tradition of recent Indian philosophical repertoire. In this digital library attempts have been made to make these works accessible to the interested researchers.