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We often judge the reformists of early 19th century for being too "defensive"
But the reality is - they had a lot of good reasons to be defensive
The understanding that we have of Indian intellectual history hardly existed back then
We often judge the reformists of early 19th century for being too "defensive"
But the reality is - they had a lot of good reasons to be defensive
The understanding that we have of Indian intellectual history hardly existed back then
For e.g. Today Arthashastra is regarded widely as one of the great classics of Indian thought
But in 1800, Arthashastra was barely known. It was known through secondary sources. But the text itself was lost
Until it was discovered in early 1900s in Mysore
But in 1800, Arthashastra was barely known. It was known through secondary sources. But the text itself was lost
Until it was discovered in early 1900s in Mysore
Another e.g. We wax eloquent on Kerala school of mathematics today
BUt the reality is - the tradition was sustained by a few Namboothiri families in Kerala. There was no dissemination. Very few even in neighboring provinces were aware of Achyuta Pisharati or Jyeshtadeva
BUt the reality is - the tradition was sustained by a few Namboothiri families in Kerala. There was no dissemination. Very few even in neighboring provinces were aware of Achyuta Pisharati or Jyeshtadeva
Much of our understanding of these texts comes from the in-depth study in 19th / 20th cen
To give another e.g. from literature
Bhasa is widely regarded as a giant of early Sanskrit drama. But his texts too were lost until their discovery in early 20th cen in the deep south
To give another e.g. from literature
Bhasa is widely regarded as a giant of early Sanskrit drama. But his texts too were lost until their discovery in early 20th cen in the deep south
Today just about every other educated Hindu interested in Vedanta has Brahma sutra commentaries of Sankara or Ramanuja in his bookshelf
But was that the case in early 19th cen? I doubt v much
How well known and widely studied was a text like Ramanuja's Sri-Bhashya in 1800?
But was that the case in early 19th cen? I doubt v much
How well known and widely studied was a text like Ramanuja's Sri-Bhashya in 1800?
Sure...within the sampradaya, I am sure Ramanuja, Desika and others were studied very deeply
But the degree to which they were in the intellectual consciousness of the country at large was definitely lower than it is today
But the degree to which they were in the intellectual consciousness of the country at large was definitely lower than it is today
