Ramabhadras of Bengal
By Dinesh Chandra Bhattacharya
Summary
The article "Ramabhadras of Bengal" by N. Venkataramanayya examines the historical confusion surrounding the multiple figures named Ramabhadra in Bengal's Sanskrit literary history. The author argues that previous scholars, particularly S. C. Banerji, have conflated distinct individuals and misattributed various texts, thereby creating a "confusion worse confounded." The article aims to clarify these identities by analyzing manuscript evidence and the chronological relationships between these scholars. The author discusses several key figures. First is Ramabhadra Nyayilankara, the son of Srinatha. The author refutes Banerji's claim that this Ramabhadra was the author of the *Smrtisangraha* or the son of Raghunandana and pupil of Srinatha. Instead, the author establishes that the *Smrtisangraha* was written by someone who flourished in the 17th century at the earliest, making the identification with the 16th-century Nyayilankara impossible. The author also corrects the ascription of the *Nyayilankara* to a different figure, identifying the true author as the spiritual preceptor of Krsnacandra of Navadvipa, who was the son of Janakinatha Bhattacarya-Cidamani. Second is Ramabhadra Sarvabhauma, identified as the son of Bhattacarya-Cidamani and the author of the *Nyayasiddhantamarjari*. The author defends the identification made by R. G. Bhandarkar and points out the absurdity of Banerji's theory that he was a pupil of Srinatha. The author supports this by citing manuscript evidence and the fact that the *Gunarabasya* is not an unobtainable work. Finally, the author briefly mentions Ramabhadra Siddhantavigisa, a grandson of Jagadisa Tarkalankara, and Ramabhadra Nyayalankara (son of Raghunatha), who wrote a commentary on the *Mugdhabodha* after Durgadasa of 1639 A.D. The article relies on various sources, including the *Navadvipa-mahima*, the *Prapaksiniya-sabdasabdhi*, and numerous manuscripts from the Sarasvati Bhavana and the Calcutta Sanskrit College, to reconstruct the correct genealogies and chronological placements of these scholars.
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Conclusion
This article critically examines the historical identities of three distinct 17th-century scholars named Rimabhadra from Bengal, correcting previous scholarly confusion. It establishes that Rimabhadra Nyayalankara was a son of Srinatha and an inhabitant of Vahirgachi, not the 11th-century author of the *Smrtisangraha*, thereby invalidating Mr. Banerji’s erroneous chronological and genealogical claims. Furthermore, it clarifies that Rimabhadra Sarvabhauma was actually Janakinatha Bhattacarya, a prominent logician, and refutes the absurd theory that he was a student of Srinatha. Finally, the text identifies Rimabhadra Siddhantavigisa as a descendant of Jagadisa Tarkalankara. These findings are significant because they restore the accurate historical and intellectual lineages of these important Navadvipa scholars, providing a crucial correction to the regional history of Sanskrit dialectics.