Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

Vedic Rites and Non-Traivarṇikas

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

The orthodox Vedic ritual tradition restricts the performance of many sacrifices to members of the three twice‑born classes—Brāhmaṇas, Kṣatriyas and Vaiśyas. This article investigates two notable…

A Linguistic Note on the Mundaka Upanisad

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

This linguistic note analyses grammatical and phonological peculiarities in the Mundaka Upanisad, arguing that its language reflects a late stage of Sanskrit influenced by Prakrit and Buddhist…

Miscellany: Guṇaratna’s Tarkarahasyadīpikā and Dharmakīrti’s Pramāṇavārttika

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

Gunaratna’s *Tarkarahasyadipika*, a commentary on Haribhadra’s *Saddharanasamuccaya*, references Dharmakirti’s *Pramanavarttika* (PV) as one of sixteen Buddhist works, naming Dharmakirti as a…

Gaudapada

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

This short note analyses a verse from Gaudapada’s Agamasastra (fourth chapter) that has been variously interpreted. The verse states that according to the Buddha who teaches the path, knowledge does…

The Horse of Sakyasimha

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

The Horse of Sakyasimha details the prince’s departure from his palace on a horse named Kanthaka or Kanthalka, as recorded in Buddhist texts. The Pali term *laiter* is noted, with the name’s meaning…

Reviews

By Nalinaksha Dutt, Mano Mohan Ghosh, U. N. Ghoshal, Dasharatha Sharma, Radha Govinda Basak, Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

The Padyavali of Ripa Gosvamin, critically edited by Dr. Sushil Kumar De (Dacca University Oriental Publications Series No. 3, 1934), presents a collection of verses dedicated to Krishna-lila,…

Vacarambhanam

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

“Vācārambhaṇam” (printed as “Vacirambhapam”) investigates a much‑debated term that appears in a famous passage of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad: “vācārambhaṇam vikāro nāmadheyaṃ mṛttiketyeva satyam,” which…

Reviews

By Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy, Satkari Mookherjree, Mano Mohan Ghosh, Benoy Kumar Sarkar, U. N. Ghoshal, Dhirendra Chandra Ganguly, Chintaharan Chakravarti, Batakrishna Ghosh, Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya, Jagadish Narayan Sarkar

The “Reviews” section offers critical evaluations of contemporary publications on Indian history, religion, philosophy, linguistics and archaeology. Books reviewed include works on the chronology of…

Phallus Worship in the Veda

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

Contrary to its title, this brief note does not discuss phallic worship. It addresses a textual issue in the Pali *Saṃyutta Nikāya*. The author cites Rhys Davids’ translation of a stanza praising…

Evolution of Vijñanavada

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

The article compares Vedānta and Buddhist Vijñānavāda. It argues that both systems attribute the cause of saṃsāra and suffering to ignorance and desire, and that both seek liberation by overcoming…

Sankara's Reference to a Buddhist Passage

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

This note discusses a Buddhist passage quoted by Śaṅkara in his commentary on the Brahma-sūtras I.2.22. The passage, preserved only in Śaṅkara’s work, begins “api ca vaibhāṣikāḥ kalpayanti” and…

Sankaracarya and Dharmakirti

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

This article argues that Śaṅkarācārya, the Advaitin philosopher, lived after the Buddhist logician Dharmakīrti. The author focuses on Śaṅkara’s commentary on the Brahma-sūtras II.2.28, where he uses…

Aryadeva

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

Aryadeva, a scholar from Simhaladeipa (Ceylon), is noted in Candrakirtti’s commentary as being born in the 25th/70th year of Simhala. He later traveled to Southern India, a detail debated by scholars…

Tapas

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

The term *tapas* in Brahmanas and Upanishads (e.g., Satapatha Brahmana 17.2.4; Brhadaranyaka Upanishad 1.2.6; Taittiriya Upanishad 1.6.1) is analyzed as having multiple interpretations. Literally,…

The Phalius Worship in the Veda

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

The Phalius Worship in the Veda debates the interpretation of the term *sisnadeva*, used twice in the Rigveda (4.21.5; 10.10.9). Some scholars argue it supports phallus worship, but the author…

The Besnagar Inscription of Heliodoros

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

This note builds on earlier work connecting a couplet in the Mahābhārata with the well‑known Besnagar (Heliodoros) pillar inscription at Vidisha. The author points out that the inscription, erected…

Buddhist Studies with Special Reference to Tibetan

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

Shankara's Reference to a Buddhist Passage

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

This short article draws attention to a passage in Śaṅkarācārya’s writings that appears to quote or paraphrase a Buddhist source. The author identifies the passage and locates a parallel in a…

Is it Caryacaryaviniscaya or Ascaryacaryacaya?

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

The text discusses two main topics: the dating of Sankaracarya and the correct title of a philosophical work. Regarding Sankaracarya, it argues that he cannot be dated earlier than the 8th century…

The Date of Shankaracharya

By Vidhushekhara Bhattacharya

This note summarises scholarly debates about the lifetime of Śaṅkarācārya, the influential Advaita philosopher. It reviews arguments ranging from the fifth to the ninth century based on literary,…