The Mutisided genius of Swamy Desikan as an AchAryan: Part II

[Guest guest]

Dear Swamy Desika BhakthAs:

 

In this posting & the next few , adiyEn will attempt

tosummarize the essence of NyAya SiddhAnjanam .

 

adiyEn thanks SrImAn Krishna Kalale (Kousik)for preseting me

a book based on the Ph.D Thesis of Dr.Melkote Embar RangAchar

on Swamy Desikan's NyAya SiddhAnjanam. The various information

points are drawn from there for ready reference. Additional

works of Great VaishNavite scholars will be referred to

understand the complex subject matter of an esoteric nature.

 

Please permit me to introduce the concepts covered

by NYAya SiddhAnjanam with the comments from two scholars,

who wrote the PrasthAvana ( Introductory comments)

for this monograph of Dr.M.E.RangAcchAr Swamy .

 

Foreword by Swamy HarshAnandhA :

*********************************

 

** " The exposition of AasthikA (VaidhikA) Systems of

Philosophy like VedAntha requires two things:

 

1) proving that its basic tenets are based on the primary

authority of , Viz., the VedAs (including the Upanishads

and the Bhagavad GitA )

 

2) Logically defending it from the attack of rival schools.

 

Treatises of this type are called PrakaraNa granthAs.

 

The NyAya parisuddhi and NyAya SiddhAnjana of VedAntha Desika

are two works of this type. They are complimentary to each

other. If the former deals with the PramANAs (valid means of

knowledge) , the latter deals with the pramEyAs : what is to

be known (about) the ultimate truths like God, Soul and Nature

(Isvara, Jeevan and Prakruthi).

 

The NyAya darsana (NyAya Philosophy) of Sage Gautama is

an excellent work on Indian Logic. Its knowledge is of

fundamental importance to all systems of Indian philosophy.

VedAntha DesikA's view is that the work -- NyAya SoothrAs--

gives not only the details of the PramANAs but also of

the PramEyAs , which are very near to the ones given in

VisishtAdvaitha philosophy . Boldly differing from

the traditional commentators of the NyAya SoothrAs ,

VedAntha Desikan has given his own intrepretation ,

bringing that (NyAya)system much nearer to VisishtAdhvaitha

VedAntha. " ---From the preface of Swami Harshanandha of

RamakrishNA Mutt, Bangalore for Dr. RangAcchAr's monograph

on NyAya SiddhAnjanam ( His Ph.D Thesis).

 

MahAmahOpAdhyAya N.S. RaamAnuja TaatAchaarya Swamy ,

Former Vice Chancellor of RaashtrIya Samskrutha

VidhyApeetA, Thiruppathi has given a brilliant and

succinct introduction for this book in Sanskrit. Here

are some excerpts to serve as background before we

get into details on the subject matter of NyAya SiddhAnjana:

 

" VatsyAyana , the great commentator of NyAya Darsana

founded by Sage Gautama , in the beginning (of his work)

said that the entire substances of the universe can be included

under the four categories (i.e)., PramANam ( the valid source of

knowledge) , PramEyam ( objects of knowledge), PramAta (the agent)

and Pramiti (valid knowledge). In the absence of any one of

them (the four) , knowledge becomes impossible . PramAta (agent)

is one who acts being instigated (stimulated) by desire or

abandoning the(that) desire. An Object that is known is PramEyam.

The knowledge of an object is Pramiti. The means of knowing is

PramANam. He (VatsyAyana) told that these things are very useful in

the day-to-day transactions. The great sages and AchAryAs , who

wrote SoothrAs, BhAshyAs and VaartikAs wrote them on the basis

of these four concepts.

 

Among these four, PramAna and PramEyA are very important

concepts. NyAya and VaisEshikA (systems) took birth

to give us the correct knowledge about them . Without PramANa ,

there can not be PramEyA and vice-versa . Therefore , if one

is intrepreted , the other too needs intrepretation.

 

In this regard, the philosophy of NYAya founded by

Gautama deals mainly with PramANAs , whereas VaisEshikA

school founded by KaNAda deals with PramEyas. Apart from

these two schools of philosophy , other schools like

Saankya , Yoga, MeemAmsa and VedAntA also were born.

They are orthodox systems (Vaidhika Darsanams). All these

systems discuss PramANAs and PramEyAs. The systems of

ChaarvAka , Buddha and Jaina are heterodox systems

(Veda Baahya darsanams) . All of these systems discuss

PramANAs and PramEyAs.

 

Number of the means of knowledge and their definition and

their purpose , like that , the number of PramEyAs , their

definition and the purpose of their knowledge are delineated

in their respective philosophies. But in every respect ,

we can not expect agreement. On the other hand , we see

differences of opinion. To establish their respective

philosophies , it becomes their (Darsana SthApakar's) duty

to refute (KaNDanam) other systems.

 

In this juncture, it becomes necessary to decide with

discretion , the position of VisishtAdvaitha regarding

PramANAs and PramEyAs.Having this in mind , SrI NigamAntha

MahA Desikan composed two great works, (i.e)., NyAya parisuddhi

and NyAya SiddhAnjana , which are pearls among great works.

 

In NyAya Parisuddhi , PramANAs are discussedin detail and

PramEyAs are introduced in concised form. Desika wrote

NyAya SiddhAnjana separately to explain PramEyAs in

detail. This was stated by AchArya Desika himself in

the beginning of NyAya SiddhAnjana .(He went on to explain

the reasons behind the choice of the name of NyAya SiddhAnajna):

PaDalA is a type of eye-disease. Under its influence ,

one can not perceive things properly (vision is impaired).

If an ointment (anjanam) is applied , a person infected

with PaDAla can also see things clearly. In the same way ,

if a person of erroneous knowledge applies a collyrium

prepared(presented) in this work , he will see the truths

of VedAs in their proper perspective . This is stated in

the invocatory stanza (MangaLa slOkam) itself:

 

SrImadh-vEnkaDanAyaka: Sruthi-siras-tAthparyaptha-dhee:

laBdhArTO VaradArya-paadharasikAD-RaamAnujAryatha:

BaalAnAm athivElamOha paDalAbashtambhaseedhadhrusaam

samyaktha Tatthava nirIkshaNAya tanuthE sattharka SiddhAnjanam

***********************

 

In this way , NyAya SiddhAnjanam is radiant with attractive

yukthis . A person who masters this work (prakaraNa grantham)

with maning and without omitting a single letter becomes capable of

understanding PramEyAs without doubt or erroneous knowledge.

This is the experience of erudite scholars (over centuries) " .

 

The Six Chapters of NyAya SiddhAnjana

**************************************

Rare and extraordinary insights are given

in this grantham , which is divided in to the following

six chapters :

 

1.Jada dhravya ParicchEdham

 

2.Jeeva paricchEdham

 

3.Isvara paricchEdham

 

4.Nithya VibhUthi ParicchEdahm

 

5.Buddhi ParicchEdham

 

6.Adhravya ParicchEdham

 

SrI RaamAnuja TatAchArya Swamy points out

the four unique aspects of NyAya SiddhAnjanam

of Swamy Desikan :

 

A. ProuDa gambhIra Parimitha vachA:

(Immensely majestic word filled SrI Sookthi)

 

B. Yukthi-pramAna GarbhA:

( Housing brilliant Yukthis and PramANams)

 

C. mathAnthara vivEchana poorvakam PramEya nishkarsha:

( refuting the pramEyams of other --avaidhika and

Veda Virudhda -- Mathams

 

D. Sakala sankA nirAsa Poorvakam

( Removal of all doubts about pramEyAs).

 

Such is the power of this SrI Sookthi of Swamy

Desikan ! adiyEn will attempt to summarize

the high lights of each of these six chapters

in subsequent postings with great reverence .

 

SrImantha: AchArya Saarvabhouma Charanou SaraNam prapadhyE,

Daasan, Oppiliappan Koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan