________________
Vol XXII, 1998
VĀDI-VINODAḤ OF SANKARA MISRA, re-edited by Dr Vishvambhara-nathagını, Viveka-prakashanam, Prayag, (UP), 1995, pp xxxv+ 297, Rs 54/
REVIEW
257
Dr Dr Vishvambhara-natha-giri, a Senior Professor, Ganganath Jha Kendriya Vishvavidyapeeth, Prayag The Vadi-vinodah is an independent Sansknt work on Nyaya philosophy, particularly pertaining to the technique of logical discussion, or a debate intended to determine the truths with regard to the scnptural topics The work was first edited by M M Ganganath Jha in 1915, and had been out of print since last few decades Dr V N Gini has re-edited it with the help of three Mss
The author of this work is Sankara Mira (1450-1550 CE), who was a son of Bhavanatha, a learned Brahmin of Mithila in Bihar He has composed as many as fifteen Sansknt works, five of them on the Nyayadarsana, five on the Vaisesika, one on the Advaita Vedanta, three dramas and one anthology of his own poems
The Vädivinoda is a Sanskrit work on the science of debating (katha) a particular point of philosophy as propounded in scriptural works Katha can be of three types, viz, Väda, Jalpa and Vitanda Out of these three Väda is the debate between Guru and disciple both of whom are eager to know the truth and both are detached This work has been composed with a view to introduce the reader with the essentials of a formal debate of the genuine discussion type, to determine the truth regarding the topic of spiritual importance And the author has taken care to present the subject in as simple a manner as to be quite entertaining since he has avoided the use of technical terminology as far as possible It explains the topics of the sixteen elements accepted by the Indian logicians (natyāyıkas)
The work is divided into three chapters, each of which is called an Ulläsa The first chapter treats the nature of Katha, Hetväbhāsa, Chala, Jati and Nigrahasthäna The second chapter discusses the Padartha, Dravya, Guna and Karma The third chapter elaborates upon the similanty of Padartha, Dravya, Guna, the nature of Indriya (senses), different views regarding the Padartha, Dravya, Guna and Pratyasattı Then it presents the viewpoints of Cärväka, Buddhist, Päsanda or Soma, Jain, Bhätta or Kumänila, and Prabhakara Then follows the discussion about Vyäpti and Sabda The fourth chapter is devoted to the instruction about refuting the questions put forth by the adversary The fifth
