Bhattavrtti

Summary

The article ‘Bhattavrtti’ examines the Bhattavrtti, a commentary associated with the Mimamsa school of Indian philosophy. It situates the text within the larger context of Purva-Mimamsa, a tradition concerned with ritual exegesis and dharma. The Bhattavrtti is attributed to Kumarila Bhatta or his followers and offers explanations of Jaimini’s Mimamsa-sutras. The article outlines how the commentary defends the authority of the Vedas, arguing that verbal testimony is an independent means of knowledge and that Vedic sentences convey prescriptions rather than historical information. It explains Kumarila’s doctrine of apurva – the unseen result generated by ritual performance – and how it motivates moral action. The author contrasts the Bhattavrtti with the Prabhakara school, noting differences on whether injunctions are directly known or mediated through understanding the sentence meaning. The Bhattavrtti insists that Vedic statements are self-evident and need no extra-linguistic justification. The article highlights examples where the commentator interprets complex ritual passages and reconciles apparent contradictions. It also discusses the influence of the Bhattavrtti on later Mimamsa thinkers and its role in shaping debates with Buddhist epistemologists. The author emphasises the text’s logical rigour and its contribution to Indian hermeneutics, including its analysis of semantics, syntax and the nature of duty.