Work

Lexical Debates: Unravelling the term ‘Nārāyaṇa’ in Early Modern Polemical Works of Vedānta

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The present paper examines early modern Vedāntic polemics over the referent of the term ‘Nārāyaṇa’, foregrounding debates between Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva theologians regarding the identity of the supreme deity. The present study focuses on Paravastu Vedāntācārya‘s Vedāntakaustubhā, a significant yet understudied Viśiṣṭādvaita rejoinder to Appayya Dīkṣita's Śaiva reinterpretations. The study explores how etymology, scriptural citation, and semantic strategies were employed to assert sectarian claims over divine nomenclature. A thorough examination of lexical derivations and intertextual references from Upaniṣadic and Purāṇic sources is presented in this article, shedding light on the evolution of the name Nārāyaṇa as a contested signifier. The analysis unveils that Vaiṣṇava authors exclusively assert the name for Viṣṇu, while Śaiva thinkers reinterpret it to signify Śiva or all the Trimūrtis. The article highlights the intersection of philology and theology in shaping sectarian boundaries, thus offering new insights into the intellectual history of Vedānta and the strategic role of language in religious identity formation.

Source: The Journal of Hindu Studies

DOI: 10.1093/jhs/hiaf005

Author: Vinoth Murali

Institutions: University of Cambridge, French Institute of Pondicherry

Language: English

Topic: Indian and Buddhist Studies

Subfield: Religious studies

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,373

Funder: Leverhulme Trust