Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c11.s15: The Śāstrārtha Continues
Vāda in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c11.s15
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The Śāstrārtha Continues
c11.s15.1
In Kāśī, scholarly debates between the *paṇḍits* continued to be carried with vigour during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Nāgeśa Bhaṭṭa (ce 1650–1730) and his disciple Vaidyanātha Pāyguṇḍe (ce 1690–1780) engaged in a number of serious debates.
c11.s15.2
This is the richest period in the history of traditional Sanskrit scholarship and it is also a period of most pathetic degeneration of the *paṇḍit*. During the nineteenth and the early twentieth century the most celebrated savants of traditional Sanskrit scholarship — the Mahāmahopāddhyāyas — Bal Shastri, Shiv Kumar Shastri, Gangadhar Shastri, Damodar Shastri, Ramakrishna Shastri (Tatya Shastri), etc. registered their presence in regular *śāstrārthas* that were held at Kāśī. Mahāmahopādhyāya Pt. Ramavatar Sharma entered into debate on Western philosophy with Dr Venice, a wellknown European Sanskritist. A team from Australia is reported to have some recording of this occasion.¹⁰⁵ Ramavatar Sharma is said to have defeated two of his *gurus* in *śāstrārtha* during this time. Sharma quit the service at the Hindu College as he dissented against the orders of a dress code for the teachers. He was appointed at Patna University where Rajendra Prasad, who would become the first President of India, was his student.
c11.s15.3
During the regime of Ballantyne’s administration of Banaras Sanskrit College, the *paṇḍits* debated on Aristotle’s concepts of existence.¹⁰⁶
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One of the biggest events in the history of *śāstrārtha* during nineteenthtwentieth century was related to two stalwarts — Damodar Shastri and Bachcha Jha. Baldeva Upadhyaya (1994: 137) says that thousands of people had gathered to witness this *śāstrārtha*. In another event of similar magnitude, Paṇḍit Gangadhar Shastri is said to have defeated Paṇḍit Gattulal Shastri who was an adherent of the Vallabha sect.¹⁰⁷ This *śāstrārtha* was held at the Gopal Mandir.
c11.s15.5
Those who are reported to have been the well-known practitioners of *Śāstrārtha* amongst the *paṇḍits* of Kāśī were patronized by Kāśī Nareśa. A *paṇḍit-sabhā* was founded at Kāśī during this time. It functioned under the state of Kāśī and the King of Kāśī had ordered for its regular meetings every month. The meetings comprised discussions and *vāda* in Sanskrit. A *samasyā* or problem was taken up in every sitting of the *paṇḍit-sabhā*. Some temples also organized similar *Sabhas*.¹⁰⁸
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The *śāstrārtha* between Pt. Shiv Kumar Shastri and Pt. Ramdhan Panchanan was held having Mahāmahopādhyāya Pt. Kailash Chandra as the jury. The former gave a point by point refutation of the Dvaita *mata* of his opponent and won the debate. Pt. Shiv Kumar Shastri also defeated Pt. Ras Mohan Sarvabhauma, a protégé of the ruler of Kashmir in the debate.¹⁰⁹