Tarkatarangini

Author(s): Gunratna, Vasant G Parikh
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

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on that line. Gn. blindly follows Gv.62
(6) Gn.'s contribution to the Nyaya-vaiseṣika system
The survey of the important problems discussed in Tt., will show even at a first glance Gn.'s deep study and acumen in the Nyaya-vaiseṣika system. He is quite at home in both the trends-old and new of the Nyaya school. He refers not only to Gotama, Vātsyāyana and Udayana, but also to Gangesa Vardhamana, Raghunatha Siromani and other neo-logicians. It will be seen however, that he is lured by the charm of navya-nyāya more, and that can be justified because of the time in which he lived and also because he has studied this system from a Guru who probably belonged to Mithila. His writing is therefore, pregnant with the navya-nyaya terminology. But at the same time, it should be noted that, it, in no way becomes too much hairsplitting and unintelligible. Gn. does not suffer from the morbid concern for the precision of language a concern which, on account of its morbidity led to the paradoxical consequence that "Navya-Nyaya texts constitute the least comprehensible sector of our philosophical literature."63
Gn. is always clear, precise and unambiguous. E.G. while explaining the मुख्यफल of मङ्गल he says :- मुख्यं फलं यथा यागे स्वर्ग: । तज्जनको भवति यागः । तज्जनिका भवति होमादिसामग्रीः । सा त्वङ्गम् । तथाऽत्र नास्ति ४ ।
Simplicity, however, is not maintained in Tt., at the cost of the sincerity to explore the hidden significance of the problem under discussion. Gn., therefore, at times applies technical phraseology also. The whole of the chapter on Inference is full of such terminology and phrases. 65
At the same time, it should be accepted to Gn.'s credit that whereever complicated technical expressions are used, Gn. takes special pains to analyse their intricacies. He chaffs the husk of the jargon and brings out the kernel of comprehension.
Gn. first selects the topic for discussion, explains it in general in the beginning; then deals with the probable objections quoting the views of other scholars where necessary. He never forgets his disciple even amidst extremely complicated discussions. Hence he goes on explaining one and the same point repeatedly till he feels satisfied that his disciple will be able to digest it. So the words—अयं प्रघट्टः अयमर्थः, अयं भावार्थ:, अयं पुनरर्थः, पदकृत्य आदितः पदकृत्यं are