Cover, J: Understanding Bodhasara

Bodhasara, written in the 18th century, is a valuable example of Indian thought immediately before the colonial period. It is still compelling reading. Superficially it could be mistaken for just another presentation of Vedanta, but a guided reading reveals a refreshing new style. Bodhasara means ‘essence of knowledge‘ and Narahari, the author, having exposed a lack of understanding of traditional practices, poetically leads learned scholars to look afresh, throw off self-imposed bondage, and rest in the substance of their tradition. "The Sanskrit Knowledge Systems on the Eve of Colonialism" project studied Sanskrit works written between the 16th-18th centuries and proposed a ‘renaissance‘ of Indian thought during this period. They discovered a ‘newness‘ in these works, coming from a re-examination of the original Shastras. Bodhasara also turns back to the original Shastras and expresses them in a ‘new‘ way, thus presenting fresh evidence for the notion of a pre-colonial Indian ‘renaissance‘. Bodhasara is a Sanskrit treasure for academic scholars, for readers of fine literature, and for students of Advaita Vedanta and Yoga.