Certain Sanskrit Scholars of Medieval Bengal
Summary
The article investigates three medieval Bengali scholars named Ramabhadra, who bore epithets such as Nyayalamkara, Sarvabhauma and Siddhantavagesa, and attempts to attribute a variety of Sanskrit works to the correct author. The author notes that the name Ramabhadra became popular immediately after Bengal’s golden age of scholarship when luminaries like Raghunandana and Raghunatha Siromani revitalised branches such as smriti and nyaya. Because numerous manuscripts simply cite “Ramabhadra” without qualifiers, the study examines catalogues and notices to determine authorship, approximate dates and content. For Mahamahopadhyaya Ramabhadra Nyayalamkara Bhattacarya (c.1550–1610), works identified include the Smrti-tattva-samgraha, Dayabhaga-vivrti, Vidvan-modini and Sudhi-tattva-karika. The Smrti-tattva-samgraha appears in multiple manuscripts under slightly different titles; a comparison of texts from the Dacca University and the India Office shows that they are versions of the same digest covering purification, oblations to ancestors, penances, and rules for marriage and intercalary months. The article also reviews works attributed to Ramabhadra Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya (late 16th century), such as the Padartha-khandana-tika, Nyaya-ratnasya and Sata-cakra-dipika, and lists Sabda-sakti-prakasika-tika under Ramabhadra Siddhantavagesa Bhattacarya (c.1650). By collating descriptive details such as colophons, introductory verses and topics from manuscript catalogues, the author concludes that many treatises once attributed to one Ramabhadra actually belong to another or are misassigned altogether. The article summarises its findings in a tabular form, clarifying the chronological sequence of the three scholars and the corpus associated with each. This meticulous bibliographical study highlights both the richness of Bengal’s scholastic tradition and the challenges of correctly attributing works in the absence of complete manuscripts.
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Conclusion
The examination of the Ramabhadras demonstrates how common names in intellectual history can confound modern scholars. By sifting through catalogues and cross‑checking titles, the article assigns works such as Smrti-tattva-samgraha and Nyaya-ratnasya to specific individuals and corrects misattributions. This clarification not only illuminates the contributions of each Ramabhadra but also underscores the importance of critical philology in preserving and understanding India’s Sanskrit heritage. The study encourages further research into lesser-known medieval scholars whose works remain scattered across collections.