Volume : V, Issue : VI, June - 2015

Tairthika Philosophy in the Mahabharata

Samim Ahmed

Abstract :

 The Maha?bha?rata is the second epic of India. From A?ca?ryaA?nandavardhana to Rabindranath Tagore there is consensus that though the main story of the Maha?bha?rata is the tale of war, yet warfare is not its ultimate end or goal. The philosophical war between Na?stika and A?stika is important here. The former is Purvapaks?a or opponent and the latter is Siddha?nti? or deponent. There are many opponents in the epic. Some are Ca?rva?ka, Jaina, Bauddha and Vai?es?ika. The Siddha?nti? has mentioned their views and refuted. This battle actually is a theoretical battle which was also held in the Kuruks?etra. One of such atheist school is Tairthika. We shall see their view. In the A?vamedhaparvaParva, we come across one school which is Tairthika. Tairthika holds that all is beyond doubt. According to Ni?lakant?ha, this school believes that nothing can be doubted. A?ca?ryaSukhamayaBhat?t?a?ca?rya comments that the Tairthikas admit that all things are free from doubt and everything has different existence. Max Muller takes Tairthikas as ‘great teachers’ who say that nothing can be doubted. In the dictionaries and according to other texts, the term ‘Tairthika’ has many meanings. From all these descriptions we can conclude that this school is atheist and one of the pu?rvapaks?as of the Maha?bha?rata. Some think that Kapila and Kan?a?da are Tairthika or heretic. Surendranath Dasgupta holds this position. This is atheist because they are heretic according to the epic.

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Article: Download PDF   DOI : 10.36106/ijar  

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Samim Ahmed Tairthika Philosophy in the Maha?bha?rata Indian Journal of Applied Research, Vol.5, Issue : 6 June 2015

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