Vada in Theory and Practice: Studies in Debates, Dialogues and Discussions in Indian Intellectual Discourses c6.s6.t1.12

c6.s6.t1.12

*Śatadūṣaṇī* (declamation of one hundred tenets) examines the various theories of Advaitavāda from the viewpoint of Rāmānuja’s philosophy. Out of one hundred sections called *vādas*, only sixty-six are presently available. *Vāditrayakhaṇḍana* is also a text refuting three *ācāryas* — Śaṅkara, Bhāskara and Yādava. Other works by Vedāntadeśika are — commentary on *Īśāvāsyopaniṣat*, *Tātparyacandrikā* (a commentary on *Gītābhāṣya* of Rāmānuja) and *Tattvamuktākalāpaḥ* (on Viśiṣṭādvaita philosophy in 500 verses). The last work has been cited by Mādhava in his *Sarvadarśanasaṁgraha*. *Adhikaraṇa* is a compendium of *Śrībhāṣya* on *Brahmasūtra* in 562 verses. This work was composed after *Śatadūṣaṇī*. *Saccharitrarakṣā* propounds the tenets of Viṣṇavism in three *adhikāras* citing profusely from Vedic Saṁhitās and Smṛtis. *Nikṣeparakṣā*, *Pāñcarātrarakṣā* and *Rahasyarakṣā* are his sectarian works. In *Nyāyapariśuddhi*, Veṅkaṭanātha establishes the authenticity of *Nyāyasūtras* of Gautama according to Vedas. Many of his works, viz. *Adhikaraṇadarpaṇa*, *Nigamaparimala* and *Vedārthasaṁgrahavyākhyāna*, etc. have been lost. He also authored *Seśvaramīmāṁsā*, *Mīmāṁsāpādukā*, *Tātparyacandrikā*, *Gītārthasaṁgraharakṣā*, *Nyāyaysiddhāñjana*, *Tattvaṭīkā*. *Cakārasamartham* is a *maṇḍana* text, written as a rejoinder to Vidyāraṇya’s criticism of the use of *ca* at a place in his *Śatadūṣaṇī*. *Nyāsaviṁśatiḥ* explains the concept of *nyāsa* or *prapatti*. *Damiḍopaniṣattātparyaratnāvalī* is a commentary in 130 verses on the Tamil Divyaprabandha of Śaṭhakopasūri. *Damiḍopaniṣattātsāraḥ* is a work of similar nature. His works in Maṇipravāḷa style are *Amṛtarañjanīrahasya*, *Amṛtavādinīrahasya*, *Paramatabhaṅga*, *Hastinīmāhātmya*, *Paramapadasopāna*, *Rahasyatrayasāra*, etc. Of these eighteen texts are known as *Laghurahasyas* explaining the core of his faith. Again eighteen texts are known as Drāviḍagāthās or Deśikaprabandhas. *Nigamaparimala* is not available. In *Paramatabhaṅga* he presents critiques of Lokāyata, Buddhism, Śaṅkara’s Advaita, Bhāskara and Yādava, Vyākaraṇa, Vaiśeṣika, Nyāya, Kaumārila, Prabhākara, Sāṁkhya, Yoga, Pāśupata, etc. Many other works in Sanskrit and Tamil are ascribed to him.¹⁷⁸ *Acyuasa-a-am* (*Avyutaśatakam*) is in Prākṛt, presenting a confluence of *bhakti* and *śṛṅgāra*. Apart from these, Veṅkaṭanātha composed twenty-four *strotrakāvyas*.