Thought of introducing an important work by Sri Vidyaaranya Swamiji (also known as Maadhavaacharya), A great scholar...

Thought of introducing an important work by Sri Vidyaaranya Swamiji (also known as Maadhavaacharya), A great scholar (Guru of Vijayanagara Empire) who was the 12th Jagadguru of the Sringeri Sharada Peetham from 1380 to 1386 A.D., had written a detailed work on various Bharatiya dharshana at that time, aptly named "Sarva-darshana-sangraha" - a kind of encyclopedia with a detailed subjective "Philosophical comparative analysis" of all the Dhaarmika systems (all follow the Dharma ultimately) and their philosophies during his time and/or earlier.

People instead of creating their own theories about Indian shastras, darshanas and own ideas about Indian philosophical interpretations  - should read this foundation book and have a clear understanding - which we clearly lack. As we have lot of writers among us - this is an important appeal for gaining correct understanding and also not wrongly quoting the originals or any particular philosophy.

Note: If you're reading this book - please have a Nyaya Glossary, Bauddha Glossary, Jaina Glossary, Saankhya Glossary, Yoga Glossary and Vedanta Glossary - because in each darshana - a particular word has differnt meanings or grades of meanings. Sometimes the difference is very subtle.

The following darshana have been dealt in detail in this book by Shankaracharya Sri Vidyaaranya.

1. Chaarvaaka - Chaaru vaak (sweet speakers) - Materialistic Atheists - Reject both Vedas as pramana and also God - yet still had a intellectual /rational tradition
2. Bauddha - (Reject both Veda and God) - Later, common people considered and have made Buddha into God ! - One of the serious intellectual /rational traditions of India - contains the 4 different buddhist philosophies
3. Arhata or Jaina - (Reject both Veda and God) - Later Jains have elevated the theerthankaras (Mahavira, Paarshwanatha and others) to the level of God !
4. Purna-Prajna - Dvaita -  (Madhvacharya, Vaadirajaacharya, Ragavendraacharya, etc.)
5.  Paashupata - Acharya Nakulisha- Kaapaalikaas (those who observed the practice of animal sacrifices in Temples)
6. Shaiva - Tamil Nadu Shaiva siddhanta
7. Pratyabhijña - Kashmiri Shaiva - Sri, Abhinavaguptaacharya's - Align with Advaita and Shiva as the Eshwara
8. Raseśvara - Tamil Nadu Siddhar (Taantrika, Rasaayana) - where through the Chemical compositions achieve perfect health, longevity and thus achieve moksha
9. Vaiseshika - Maharishi KaNaada (Anu - paramAnu vaada) - accept Veda as a pramana
10. Nyaya - Maharishi Akshapaada Gautama (Eashvara /padaartha vaada) - accept Eshwara and Veda as a pramana as Vedas have come from Eshwara.
11. Jaimineeya - Maharish Jaimini - Mimaamsakas - Vaideeka, Shrauta - accepts Vedas as the primary - some don't accept Eshwara and some do accept Eshwara, yet still the Vedas are the primary one.
12. Paanineeya - Maharishi Panini - Shabda-brahma vaada - Accepts Vedas as the primary and also "SaguNa Brahman"
13. Saankhya - Maharishi Kapila - [Nireeshvara (no Eshwara), Veda as pramaana - Prakriti-Purusha vaada]- accepts Vedas but not Eshwara and have established the duality of Prakriti and Purusha (principle) - here Purusha is not Eshwara - don't accept Eshwara.
14. Paatanjala or Yoga - [seshvara (with Eshwara), Veda as pramana - kaivalya vaada] - accepts Veda and also Eshwara
15. Vedaanta - Upanishad - accepts nothing but Brahman [nirguna brahman, Saguna, Sarvaguna (pantheistic) all are one.]
16. Advaita

What are the things (possibly partial in some cases) missing in this treatise are the i). Vaamaachara of Tantra, 2). Agama (Tantra), 3). Shaaktam and 4). Vishistaadvaita.

In total this is an important book for our scholars themselves to know the Chaarvaka system - Indian style of Atheism vastly differs from that of all other kind.