Categories, Creation and Cognition in Vaiśeṣika Philosophy

ShashiPrabha Kumar, PhD, is currently dean, Sri Sankaracarya Sanskrit Mahavidyalaya, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi. Till recently (2017), she worked as the senior most faculty member at the Special Centre for Sanskrit Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India. Earlier she was the first Vice-Chancellor at Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. Through her career spanning forty five years, Professor Kumar has taught Sanskrit studies in general and subjects of Indian philosophy in particular. Her field of specialisation is the Vaiśeṣika system of Indian philosophy, and areas of interest are Vedas, Upanisads and Bhagavadgita. She has 30 books and more than 150 research papers to her credit. Some of her recent publications are Sutra, Smrti and Sastra (New Delhi: 2016), Drops of Vedic Nectar (Delhi: 2016), Sanskrit Studies III (Delhi: 2014), Classical Vaiśeṣika in Indian Philosophy (Oxford: 2013), Sanskrit Across Cultures (Delhi: 2007), Sanskrit and Other Indian Languages (Delhi: 2007), Veda as Word (Delhi: 2006). She is the recipient of several awards, including the President’s Certificate of Honour in Sanskrit (2014).  

Chapter 1. Veda and Vaiśesika.- Chapter 2. Yoga and Vaiśesika.- Chapter 3. Concept of Categories in Vaiśesika.- Chapter 4. Vaiśesika Theory of Creation.- Chapter 5. Atomic Theory of Vaiśesika.- Chapter 6.Vaiśesika Insights into Science.- Chapter 7. Consciousness and Cognition in Vaiśesika.- Chapter 8. Sabda in Vaiśesika.- Chapter 9. Hermeneutical Principles in Vaiśeṣika.- Chapter 10. Niḥśreyasa in Vyomavatī.- Chapter 11. Are the Vaiśeṣikas Pāśupatas.- Chapter 12. Ethics in Vaiśesika.- Chapter 13. Recent Sanskrit Commentaries on Vaiśesikasutras.- Chapter 14. Vaiśesika Studies Across the World.