Defending God in Sixteenth-Century India: The Śaiva Oeuvre of Appaya Dīkṣita

Description

This book is the first in-depth study of the Śaiva oeuvre of the celebrated polymath Appaya Dīkṣita (1520-1593). Jonathan Duquette documents the rise to prominence and scholarly reception of Śivādvaita Vedānta, a Sanskrit-language school of philosophical theology which Appaya single-handedly established, thus securing his reputation as a legendary advocate of Śaiva religion in early modern India. Based to a large extent on hitherto unstudied primary sources in Sanskrit, Duquette offers new insights on Appaya's early polemical works and main source of Śivādvaita exegesis, Śrīkaṇṭha's Brahmamīmāmsābhāṣya; identifies Appaya's key intellectual influences and opponents in his reconstruction of Śrīkaṇṭha's theology; and highlights some of the key arguments and strategies he used to make his ambitious project a success. Centred on his magnum opus of Śivādvaita Vedānta, the Śivārkamanidīpikā, this book demonstrates that Appaya's Śaiva oeuvre was mainly directed against Viśiṣtādvaita Vedānta, the dominant Vaiṣṇava school of philosophical theology in his time and place. A far-reaching study of the challenges of Indian theism, this book opens up new possibilities for our understanding of religious debates and polemics in early modern India as seen through the lenses of one of its most important intellectuals. Cover Defending God in Sixteenth-Century India: The Śaiva Oeuvre of Appaya Dīk:sita Copyright Acknowledgements Contents List of Abbreviations Introduction: The Rise of Śivādvaita Vedānta 1: Śrīka n tha and the Brahmamīmā msābhāsya 1.1 Śrīka n tha’s Date, Lineage, and Influences 1.2 References to Śrīka n tha in Sanskrit Sources Prior to Appaya 1.3 Śrīka n tha’s Theology and the Vīraśaiva Tradition 1.3.1 Śrīka n tha and Nīlaka n tha 2: Early Saiva Works 2.1 Sivatattvaviveka 2.2 Śivakar: n āmr:ta 2.3 Brahmatarkastava 2.4 Bharatasarasam: grahastotra 2.5 Srika: n :tha in Appaya’s Early Saiva Works 3: Reading Srika : n :tha’s Commentary 3.1 Introducing Srika : n :tha’s Vedanta 3.2 Srika : n :tha’s Teachings and Pure Non-dualism 3.2.1 Srika: n :tha’s Theory of Transformation 3.2.2 An Argument in the Sivadvaitanir : naya 3.2.3 Coordination and Coherence: Daharavidya in Srika : n :tha’s Commentary 3.2.4 The Argument Continued: Appaya on BS 1.3.16 in the Sivarkama : nidipika 3.2.5 Inclusivism and Hermeneutics: Advaita in Sivadvaita 3.2.6 Non-duality and Siva’s Grace 3.3 Appaya on Saiva Scriptures 4: Engaging with Srivai: s n: avas 4.1 On Ramanuja’s Reading of the Brahmasutras 4.2 Subordination, Tolerance, and Orthodoxy 4.2.1 Ratnatrayaparīk: sā: Appaya’s Triadic Theology 4.2.2 Anandalahari: A Treatise on Cicchakti 4.3 Appaya on Sudarsanasuri’s Defence of Aikasastrya 4.4 Refutation of Pañcaratra 4.5 Sudarsanasuri: Appaya’s Nemesis? 5: Reception of Appaya’s Saiva Works 5.1 The Vai: s n: ava Response 5.1.1 Dvaita Vedanta: Vijayindra (c.1514–1595) 5.1.2 Suddhadvaita Vedanta: Puru:sottama (c.1657/1668–1725) 5.1.3 The Srivai: s : nava Response 5.2 Two Advaitins in Banaras 5.3 The Saiva Response 5.3.1 The Saktivisi: s : t advaita Vedanta of Virasaivas Conclusion: In Defence of Śiva APPENDIX 1: List of Śaiva Works by Appaya Dīk:sita APPENDIX 2: Opening Verses from the Brahmamīmā m: sābhās:ya and the Śivārkama : nidīpikā A2.1 Śrīka: nt:ha’s Brahmamīmām: sābhās:ya A2.2 Appaya’s Śivārkama : nidīpikā APPENDIX 3: Verses from the Ratnatrayaparīk: sā APPENDIX 4: Śrīka : n:tha and Nīlaka : n:tha: Further Details A4.1 Two Quotations of Nīlaka : n:tha’s Commentary in Vīraśaiva Sources A4.2 Comparison of the two commentaries based on the kārikās of the Kriyāsāra A4.3 Concluding Remarks Bibliography Manuscript Sources Reports and Catalogues Sanskrit Sources Secondary Literature Index Locorum Index of Sanskrit Works General Index