Vācaspati Miśra
Vācaspati Miśra, c. 10th century CE, was a gṛhastha scholar from the Mithilā region in modern Bihar state (bordering Nepal). He was knowledgeable in several disciplines connected to the Dharma and is traditionally hailed as a sarva-tantra-svatantra.
The uniqueness of Vācaspati Miśra was his ability to write on almost every darśana with the perspective of an insider.
This is perhaps unparalleled in the history of the Dharma.
Perhaps his most well-known work is the Bhāmatī, an exposition of Adi Shankaracharya's Brahmasūtra Bhāṣya.
Tradition holds that he was so engrossed in his scholarly endeavours that he paid no attention to his household responsibilities.
Throughout this period his wife, Bhāmatī, served him dutifully without making any demands on his time.
In recognition of her silent contribution, he named his magnum opus after her.
The Bhāmatī has been an influential text with many sub-commentaries having appeared over the centuries.
Together with its sub-commentaries, the Bhāmatī forms a distinct intellectual current within Advaita-Vedanta, known as the Bhāmatī school
His well known works are:
- Bhāmatī
- A commentary on Adi Shankaracharya's Brahmasūtra Bhāṣya (Advaita-Vedanta)
- Tattvakaumudi
- A commentary on the Sāṃkhya-kārikā-s of Īśvara Kṛṣṇa
- Tattvavaiśāradi
- A commentary of the Yogasūtra-s (of Patañjali) and the Yogasūtra Bhāṣya of Vyāsa.
- Nyāyasūcīnibandha
- A treatise on Nyāya.
- Nyāyavārttika-tātparya-tīkā
- An explanatory treatise on the Nyāyavārttika of Uddyotakara.
- Nyāyakaṇikā
- A commentary on Maṇḍana Miśra's Vidhiviveka (Mīmāṃsā)
- Tattvabindu
- A treatise on grammar and language.
