[INDOLOGY] Sources on prakāśa, loka, and their relation

[Lyne Bansat-Boudon]

Dear Himanshu,

Comparative grammar of Indo-European languages has established the existence of a Sanskrit verbal root,  ruc, with the meaning “to shine,” “to be luminous" (present roc-a-te), which, in the guṇa degree of luk (its phonetic variant, according to the attested equivalence of -r and -l), gives lok > lok-a.
Thus, the world “shines,” as a clearing shines (see the word “clairière” in French, an orderly and ‘clear’ space in the forest). loka is thus  the  bright, clear and shining open space gained from the dark chaos of the forest

Note that from this root luk/lok, also derives the noun loc-ana, “that which illuminates", hence the “eye.”

The same analogy is found in Latin, but with a different root: mundus is a noun adjective, meaning  "clean, neat", hence “brilliant,” hence “universe,” (see, in French, the verbs ‘monder’ and “émonder.”

Likewise, Greek has the term κοσμος, simply Latinized as “cosmos",  meaning "order, good order, orderly arrangement”, hence the idea of a universe opposed to the original chaos. A related meaning is "ornament" which appear in such words as "cosmetics").

Enough of this very simplified survey!

Now, as for prakāśa, it certainly derives from the Sanskrit root kāś "to shine, to resplend" from which derives Kāśī, "the "Bright" one,  ancient name of Benares. But, as you point it out, the term has crucial ontological implications in the non-dualist Kashmir Śaivism.  This is the prakāśa/vimarśa dichotomy, which, far from opposing them, articulates two complementary concepts, and, as such,  lies at the heart of Śaiva reasoning.

Numerous articles and books by specialists of the domain deal with this issue. If needed, I can send you a brief list of essays dealing with the topic.

Hope this will be of some use,

Best,

Lyne Bansat-Boudon

Lyne Bansat-Boudon

Directeur d'études pour les Religions de l'Inde

Ecole pratique des hautes études, section des sciences religieuses

Membre senior honoraire de l'Institut universitaire de France

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Objet : [INDOLOGY] Sources on prakāśa, loka, and their relation


Dear All,


I am looking for works on the ideas of prakāśa, loka, and how these concepts, if they do, relate to each other. Often, these two terms may (e.g., in nondual philosophies) appear in contradiction to each other. But I am particularly searching for any scholarship that produces something around a philological history or a history of these ideas (philosophical), or any analysis of literary usage before or after their usages in the post-sūtra age texts.
To contextualise what prakāśa and loka might share: If I am not misquoting, Kśemarāja employs the word loka by deriving it from √lok+ghañ. And so does Candrakīrti (perhaps in his discussion on lokaprasiddhi, as I learned from Prof. Mattia Salvini). I am not very much confident about the prevalence and implications of this derivation, but it certainly indicates a possible relation that √lok (- loka darśane) might share with √kāś in prakāśa.

As my doctoral research focuses on Abhinavagupta's concept of prasiddhi and its ontological relation with his concept of non-dual prakāśa, my interest lies in the ontological implications of the terms I mentioned above. I am aware of only one work that takes a somewhat similar direction: Jan Gonda's 1966 book, Loka - World and the Heaven in the Vedas. I would be grateful if you could provide any references discussing these concepts.

Thanks and regards,
Himanshu
Doctoral Candidate
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay
Mumbai
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