Pakshadhara Mishra

Pakshadhara Mishra
Born	Mithila
Occupation	Philosopher Professor
Philosophical work
Region	Mithila region
School	Nyaya School of Indian Philosophy
Notable students	Vasudeva Sarvabhauma, Raghunatha Siromani
Main interests	Nyaya Shastra

Pakshadhara Mishra (also known by the alias Jayadeva) was a 15th-century Indian philosopher from the Mithila region[1] and the founder of the Nyaya Shastra sampradaya in the tradition of Gaṅgeśa.[2][3][4] He was a practitioner of the Nyaya Shashtra during the 15th century CE. He was a member at the court of King Bhairava Singh of the Oiniwar Dynasty in Mithila.[5] Notable pupils of his pupils include Vasudeva Sarvabhauma and Raghunatha Siromani.[6][7]

Among his most notable works is the Aloka which superseded all previous commentaries on the Tattvachintamani. The Aloka itself has been confidently dated to some time between 1465-75 A.D.[1]

Etymology

It is said that he once obtained victory in a debate that lasted a fortnight (Paksha), and after that he was referred to as Pakshadhara Mishra.[8][9]

Early life

Pakshadhara Mishra was born in a Maithil Brahmin family in the Mithila region of the Indian subcontinent. His father name was Vaṭeśvara Mahamahopadhyaya.[10][11] He belonged to the Sarisav Pahi village of the Madhubani district in Bihar, India.[12][13]

Academy of Pakshadhara Mishra

The academy of Pakshadhara Mishra was a famous centre of learning Nyaya Shastra. It was located at Bhaur village in the Madhubani district of Bihar, India.[14] It is nearby to his native village Sarisav Pahi. The eminent Naiyayikas Vasudeva Sarvabhauma and Raghunatha Shiromani studied Nyaya Shastra at the academy of Pakshadhara Mishra.[15]

Literary works

Pakshadhara Mishra wrote a text known as the Tattvanirṇaya. He also wrote the texts Dravya Padartha and Lilavati Viveka.[16][17] Similarly, he also authored a version of the text Vishnu Purana at Jamsam which was located on the west side of the disappeared city Amravati in Mithila. It is still preserved at the library of the Patna Research Society.[18]

References

1. Bhattacharya, Dineshchandra (1958). History of Navya-Nyaya in Mithila. Munshiram Manoharlal. pp. 115–127.
2. Johnson, WJ (2009). "Jayadeva Pakṣadhara". A Dictionary of Hinduism. 2009. Oxford University Press.
3. Mookerji, Radhakumud (1989). Ancient Indian Education: Brahmanical and Buddhist. Motilal Banarsidass Publ. ISBN 978-81-208-0423-4.
4. Vidyabhusana, Satis Chandra (1988). A History of Indian Logic: Ancient, Mediaeval and Modern Schools. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers. ISBN 978-81-208-0565-1.
5. Choudhary, Indra Kumar (1988). Some Aspects of Social Life of Medieval Mithila, 1350-1750 A.D.: With a Special Reference to Contemporary Literatures. Kashi Prasad Jayaswal Research Institute. p. 101.
6. "Pakshadhara Mishra | Indian philosopher | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2022-11-21.
7. Kochhar, Rajesh (2021-09-02). Sanskrit and the British Empire. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-43553-5.
8. Bakshi, S. R.; S.G (2005). Early Aryans to Swaraj. Sarup & Sons. ISBN 978-81-7625-537-0.
9. Kochhar, Rajesh (2021-09-02). Sanskrit and the British Empire. Taylor & Francis. ISBN 978-1-000-43553-5.
10. www.wisdomlib.org (2020-08-15). "Pakshadhara mishra, Pakṣadhara miśra: 1 definition". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
11. www.wisdomlib.org (2024-10-30). "Volume 5 (1879) [page 173]: Notices of Sanskrit Manuscripts". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
12. Śarmmā, Rāmaprakāśa (1979). Mithila ka itihasa (in Hindi). Kamesvarasimhadarabhangasamskrtavisvavidyalaya. p. 521.
13. Jhā, Lakṣmīnātha (1999). Mithilā kī sāṃskr̥tika lokacitrakalā (in Hindi). Mitranātha Jhā. p. 29.
14. Choudhary, Rabindra Nath (1987). Political History of Khandavala Dynasity [sic] in Mithila, 1556-1793. Capital Publishing House. p. 45.
15. The Dawn and Dawn Society's Magazine. 1907.
16. www.wisdomlib.org (2020-09-03). "Tattvanirnaya, Tattvanirṇaya, Tattva-nirnaya: 1 definition". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2024-12-14.
17. शर्म्मा, रामप्रकाश (1979). मिथिला का इतिहास (in Hindi). Kāmeśvarasiṃhadarabhaṅgāsaṃskr̥taviśvavidyālaya. p. 477.
18. Miśra, Ajaya (1995). Mahāmahopādhyāya Ḍô. Sara Gaṅgānātha Jhā kī sārasvata-sādhanā kā adhyayana (in Hindi). Nāga Prakāśaka. p. 10. ISBN 978-81-7081-315-6.