The Nyāyakusumāñjali’s Injection of Revelation into Philosophy: The Role of the First Two Stabakas

Scholars universally regard Udayana’s Nyāyakusumāñjali (NK), or Flower Offering of Logic, as one of the great works of classical Indian philosophy, and more specifically, of rational or natural theology. But an important aspect of this masterpiece has not been appreciated by contemporary scholars: Udayana’s many references in the NK to Hinduism’s traditional sacrifices and sacred scriptures are integral to the philosophical case he develops for the existence of a Supreme Being. Or so we contend. We explain our interpretation of the NK through detailed examination of what we take to be the main argument of its first two chapters, an argument that only an extraordinary, omniscient being could have authored the Vedas, the Hindu scriptures. Then we show the importance of this argument for understanding the NK as a whole, including its final chapter, the chapter that has been the focus of most scholars. Though appeal to the Vedas is integral to Udayana’s full argument for the existence of a Supreme Being, his argument is not circular, we maintain; nor was he defending fideism. We believe that Udayana’s approach has relevance for persons of any faith who wish to affirm the centrality of the holy scriptures of their faith to their religious beliefs while recognizing the power of philosophical argument for the existence of a Supreme Being.