तत्त्वचिन्तामणि : The Tattva-Chintamani of Gangesa Upadhyaya (Old and Rare Book)

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The Tattya-cintimani (" a thought-jewel of truth"), otherwise known as Praraina-cintamani (" a thought-jewel of valid knowledge "), of which a short summary in English is given in the following pages, was written by a Brahmans logician of Mithila named Gangesa Upadhyaya. It introduces a new era in the development of Logic in India and is justly reckoned as the first work on the Modem School of Hindu Logic. In modem India Sanskrit scholarship is not considered of any worth unless it is accompanied by a knowledge of the Tattva-cintamani or at least a portion of it. The study of this work develops to an enormous extent the discursive faculty in the reader and enables him to argue with hair-splitting distinctions and subtleties.

The book, since its first composition in the 12th century A.D., has been a subject of close study by the Pandits of Mithila, and about the middle of the 15th century its study was introduced into Bengal by Vasudeva Sarvabhauma, who had been educated in the academies of Mithila. Since 1503 A.D., when the university of Navadvipa was established, the Tattva-cintamani was much popularised in Bengal through the endeavours of the famous Raghunatha 8iromarli and others. Gradually the book was introduced into Madras, Mahanistra and Kaimira, and in a couple of centuries it became known all over India. The influence of this epoch-making book can be traced in the works on almost all the branches of Sanskrit learning that have appeared during the last 'tee hundred years. Unfortunately no attempt has yet been Able to present the contents of the work in English, Bengali or any other modern language, perhaps on account of the wildering abstruseness of its style and thought.

40. GANGESA—THE AUTHOR OF 11TE TATTVA-CINTIMANI. (1200 AD.). The Tattys.tIntrettado1 is the immortal work of Gangesa, also called Gangeavara. surnamed Upadhyaya, who was a Maithila Brahmans. He was born in a village named Karion on the banks of the river Kamala, twelve miles south-east of Darbbanga. It is said that Gangeia while young was altogether illiterate. He propitiated the goddess Kali, on the cremation ground adjacent to his uncle's house, and acquired from her, as a boon, deep ankhtion in the science of Logic. Gafigeta mentions the name of givaditya Mitm,1 the well-known author of Saptapadarthi, and makes frequent quotations from Ratnakota,° which is a work on the Vaitesika philosophy. Nothing is definitely known about the Ganda 3limatheaka or grikara mentioned by him. Gaitgala must have flourished after 1093-1150 A.D.. the period when Ananda Sari and Amaracandra Sari, whose opinions he has quoted, flourished. As he criticises the Khandana-khandakhadya, he must have been posterior also to gri Hama who lived in Kanauj in the Court of King Jayacandra in 1186 A.D.The earliest date that has been assigned to Gatigeta is before the first quarter of the 13th century A.D., when his son Vardhamana Gpadhytiya lived, in other words Gatigeta is assigned to the last quarter of the 12th century A.D.' Vide Tattve-cintamsei. peatYalbPs-lthe9816- P- 830- 2 The Rathamis, a work on Vaifmika philosophy, has been quoted not only by Gauge& in the TattviecintImani (ilabdtskhancla, akhylta.v5da, p. 830. and antimina4shancla p 885) but also by Coralsultana in the Nyitywkusum116jali and by Itaghtsobtha Siromani in the AnurnAna-didhiti Glosses on Remake& are said to have been written both by Harirista and Gaddhara. This Rataakoils is different from the Advaita-ratrutkolas work on the Vedanta philosophy by Akhanclinanda—as well as from the Prarneyasatna-kof.s, a work on Jain& philo-sophy by Candraprabha Sari (1102 A.D.). Kids Tattva-cintImani. &Md.-khan/IA ilabda-pramioyavada. p. Vide Tattva-cintimani, fandalritancla. p. 569. 6 Vide S. C. Vidyabhttena's 'Indite Logic: Medimval School'. pp. 47-18. Anandasind Amaracandra. nicknamed respectively VylIghtiviefaika and Sitahailifuks, have been referred to by Gangafts in the Tattvamintamani under aidihamyaghrokta-laketna of rytnoti. (Vile p. 396 above.) 6 Klutz* nakhanda-kh Idya is quoted in the Tattvastintiimani, anurnine.khan P 233. Bibliothecit Indic*Series. For Sri Harps and Jayacandra, see the Indian Antiquary, 19114.2 PriieinAlekhnee. 22-43: and B.B.R.A.S. of 1875. p. 279. Jayacandra was killed by Sahabuddin Ghori in 1194 A.D. 7 According to the Dhanukhi inscription Habra Thakkura, brother of Bhs-giratha Thakkura, the well-known author of a substommentary on the Tett cintsimani, lived in 1566 A D Considering that in the succession of the ge tions of pupils Bliagfretha Thakkura was seventh in desent from Ga tipildhyya, and allowing an average life of thirty years for each generation. may assume that Ganged lived ISO years before Bluteratha. that is, about veer 1376 A.D.

**Contents and Sample Pages**