KS वरदाचार्य आङ्ग्लिके

वरदराजसूनुर् मणिः

I would like to share the principles behind Sri Varadacharya’s approach to philosophy. For years he was a research scholar at the Oriental Research Institute in Mysore, doing fundamental work in Nyaya and Vedanta. He has published the canonical work on Jayanta Bhatta’s Nyaya Manjari, for example.

Born in 1922, he trained with the legendary adhipati of the Parakala Matha in Mysore, Sri Sri Abhinava Ranganatha Parakala Swami, who insisted on an impartial, contextually sensitive study of the great Indian philosophical systems. Sri Varadacharya also received complementary guidance from some advanced yogis. His work and thinking reflects the intellectual rigor of Parakala Swami and the outcome of deep spiritual practice.

Sri Varadacharya’s key points of approach can be summarized as follows:

  • Indian philosophy has become a show of punditry and pedantry because of a hyper-intellectualized approach. This is a trend of over 1000 years has deeply affected what was fundamentally a spiritual tradition.
  • A slightly more recent problem is the appeal to authority, or “tradition” (sampradaya). This has unfortunately become used as a cover for ignorance, has led to a departure from thinking via first principles. Philosophy is a search for Truth and the vast majority of pandits dwell at a purely textual level and follow traditional opinions. This has greatly hampered understanding the great philosophers’ true teachings.
  • The great philosophers should be read with careful understanding of their historical and political contexts.
  • The basis for true philosophy is broad and deep thinking, with a foundation of sincere spiritual practice.

Video playlist here.