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Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c6.s5.t16: Śaṅkara’s Conquests

Vāda in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c6.s5.t16

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English

Śaṅkara’s Conquests

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In the biographies of Śaṅkarācārya, the debates occurring between him and the representatives of rival schools of philosophy are called *vāda*s. His journey for *vāda*, also known as his *digvijaya* in later literary tradition, is said to cover almost each and every part of the whole country. Descriptions of his debates with some of his contemporaries — Maṇḍana Miśra, Umveka, Padmapāda, etc. — are available.

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There are very interesting accounts as to how Śaṅkarācārya inquired and located the house of Maṇḍana Miśra. His meeting with Maṇḍana Miśra is described by Govindanātha in his *Śaṅkarācāryacaritam*; with Viśvarūpa by Rājacūḍāmaṇi Dīkṣita in his *Śaṅkarābhyudayam*; and his debate with Maṇḍana’s wife by Anantānanda Giri in his *Śaṅkaravijayam*; by Codvila in his *Śaṅkaravijayavilāsaḥ*; and by Tirumala Dīkṣita in his *Śaṅkarābhyudayaḥ*.¹³⁶

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Mādhava, the author of *Śaṅkaradigvijaya* also known as *Mādhavīyaśaṅkaradigvijaya*, mentions Śaṅkarācārya entering into debates with poets and philosophers like Bāṇa, Daṇḍin, Mayūra, Abhinavagupta, Śrīharṣa, the author of *Khaṇḍanakhaṇḍakhādya*, Bhaṭṭa Bhāskara and Udayanācārya — none of them was actually a contemporary to Śaṅkara.

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In *Śaṅkaradigvijaya*, Śaṅkara challenges Maṇḍana Miśra with the following words: “Let there be *vādakathā* (debate) between us. Let the pains taken by us in the scriptures fructify”.¹³⁷ Maṇḍana also replies: “No doubt, I will enter into *vāda* with you”.¹³⁸

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The methodology that was adopted during the course of a *vāda* is also indicated in *Śaṅkaradigvijaya*. The two wings in the *vāda* (*pakṣa* and *vipakṣa*) are to be represented by the *vādin* and the *prativādin*. Then each of the two should declare his *pratijñā* (thesis) and the *pramāṇa*s (means of knowledge) desired to be adopted by him, they should also decide the terms of reference — the binding condition, etc.¹³⁹ In case of the debate between Śaṅkarācārya and Maṇḍana Miśra, the former agreed that if he is routed in the debate he will give up his saffron cloth and will embrace *gṛhasthāśrama* (life of a householder); whereas Maṇḍana Miśra declared that in case of his defeat, he will give up *gṛhasthāśrama*. However the law that a *gṛhastha* cannot be ordained for the *saṁnyāsa* without the permission of his wife was not to be overruled.

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Śaṅkarācārya agreed to the nomination of the very wife of his opponent, Bhāratī Miśra, as the only jury (*sadasya*).¹⁴⁰ The *vāda* between the two combatants continued for several days. Bhāratī Miśra eventually conceded that her husband has been defeated, but not completely. As per law, she is the half of her husband, and without defeating her, Śaṅkarācārya cannot be declared as the winner.¹⁴¹ In some accounts Śaṅkara is reported to have expressed his reluctance to enter into the debate with a woman. However, when Bhāratī Miśra reminded him of the discussion between Gārgī and Yājñavalkya, he accepted her challenge.

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Mostly the *vādas* lasted for several days and continued from the morning till evening with a break in noon.¹⁴² *Madhyastha* and *sadasya* two words have been used for jury.

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In some of the biographies of Śaṅkarācārya, Kumārila asks Śaṅkara to go for a debate with Maṇḍana Miśra.¹⁴³ According to *Padmapādacaritam* of Durgāprasāda Yatin, the *vāda* between Śaṅkara and Umveka was held in a temple in the presence of Umveka's wife. Śaṅkara defeated Umveka thrice in the debate. The reason for holding the debate for a second and third time was the overruling by the wife of Umveka. When her husband was defeated for the third time, she placed a stick and a jug (*daṇḍa* and *kamaṇḍalu*) before her husband and said: “O *vipra*! now you are really defeated, do whatever you wish now!” — and went to her home.¹⁴⁴

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Śaṅkarācārya's dialectic method involved arguing through the textual authority. He also construed the texts to support his own thesis. For example *Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad* VI.17 describes a ritual to be performed for begetting a daughter who must be a *paṇḍitā*, obviously meaning a scholar. Śaṅkara in his *Bhāṣya* on this passage says that *paṇḍitā* here cannot mean “learned” because Vedic study is denied to women; hence the work can mean only a lady skilled in household management.

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Biographies of Śaṅkarācārya also describe some other debates he held with the philosophers who became his disciples after being routed in the debates. Amongst them, Padmapāda, the author of *Pañcapādikā* came from Tamil Nadu; whereas Sureśvara was associated with Kāñcī. Sarvajñātman another disciple of Śaṅkara had conquered Jainas in debates.¹⁴⁵

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