The purpose of Darśana-Śāstra

Darśana-Śāstra is a serious act to do a philosophy. Acts something like kāka-danta-parikṣā or jala-tāḍana are useless exercise without any purpose, and therefore there has to be some purpose-prayojana. In the absence of intention even a stupid person won’t commence any activity. 

प्रयोजनम् अनुद्दिश्य न मन्दोऽपि प्रवर्तते।

यावत् प्रयोजनं नोक्तं तावत् तत् केन गृह्यते ।

And all these systems were having vāda within and with each other. There are so many philosophical systems, and thats the beauty of different worldview and debate on the same text. So, the philosophical system which is called the Darśana-Śāstra is divided into two — Darśana and Śāstra. Darśana gives goal of life, it makes us realize and discover of what we are. Goal is of total transformation. Śāstra is the means of achievement of goals, it provides method, path and model to the world views.

तत्  शास्त्रं पुरुषश्रेयस् अभिधत्ते।

सर्वो हि शास्त्रार्थः पुरुषार्थपर्यवसायी।

All system of thoughts ultimately must terminate in showing puruśārtha which is the ultimate goal of life. So, philosophy is to be done for a purpose.

School of Prabhākara—Development

School of Prabhākara—Development

Prabhākara is Kumārila’s student and yet he is called Guru. Tatvacintāmaṇī elaborates, Kumārila while teaching Prabhākara and other students, came across the sentence which was not properly translated by Kumārila himself. In his view the sentence has retained an ambiguity. The sentence was

तत्रापिनोक्तमत्रापितुनोक्तम्  [तत्र तु नोक्तम् अत्रापि नोक्तम्]

अतो द्विरुक्तम्

Kumārila was unable to make any sense out of it, since he translated as, “Here also is not said, there also is not said, but it is said twice.” For this same verse Prabhākara dissolved the sandhi in another way,

तत्र अपिना उक्तम्

अत्रापि तुन उक्तम्

He helped his guru to decipher. तत्र तुना उक्तम् (this is stated by the word “तु” previously), अत्र अपिना उक्तम् (this is stated by the word “अपि” here”). Therefore, it has been stated twice. 

Thus the story elucidates the authority of student Prabhākara upon Kumārila. Another story is ; debate of social custom to be followed. Both were having opposite views.

Kumārila is now no more propagated, Prabhākara takes up from there.