Dharmakirti’s Rupavatara: A Critical Study

Rapuavatara is the first work composed in the prakriya style of treatment of the sutras of Astadhyayi and is written by Dharmakirti, 10th century A.D. The present study of Rupavatara, is divided into three parts, Part I “General”, consisting of three chapters, aims at introducing the author and his work. Chapter I is concerned with Dharmakirti with particular reference to his authorship, identity and date. Chapter II gives a description of the work with main reference to its origin, title, contents, sources and commentaries. The characteristic features of the work as well as its defects and drawbacks are elaborated in Chapter III. Part II is termed ‘Analytical Study’ and contains chapters IV to VII. The text is analysed in all its details in this part. Chapters IV and V are meant for examining the treatment of the science of grammar by Dharmakirti with particular reference to the interpretation, illustration of sutras and the like. Chapter VI examines the reading of the sutras and discusses the vartikas while Chapter VII is concerned with the verses of Rupavatara, a meritorious feature of the work. Part III “Observations” comprehends Chapters VIII and IX. A Comparative study of Rupavatara with Kasika and later recasts like Siddhantakaumudi is attempted in Chapter VIII and Chapter IX sums up the results of this critical study and concludes with an attempt to evaluate the work.