Śaṅkara in the vernacular: Advaita Vedānta in the writings of King Jasvant Siṃh I

Abstract This paper intends to explore neglected sources for the study of the intellectual history of Vedānta philosophies: the Brajbhāṣā texts composed by King Jasvant Siṃh of Jodhpur (17th c.). I focus on his Ānandavilāsa, which is presented as a dialogue between the famous Advaita master Śaṅkara and the Individual Self. First, I explore the Sanskrit sources and authorities Jasvant refers to, illustrating how he draws upon and reformulates several Advaita texts by Śaṅkara as well as those by other authors. Second, I explore the vernacular dimensions of the text. Therefore, my analysis contributes to our understanding of the dynamics of vernacularisation in the field of philosophy in early modern North India.