CHARVAKA

Rationalism. Secularism. Freedom

Cārvāka Commentaries

  • What the Cārvākas Originally Meant:
    More on the Commentators on the Cārvākasutra

    RAMKRISHNA BHATTACHARYA

    This paper reviews the methodology of reconstructing the lost Cārvāka/Lokāyata text tradition from surviving fragments. By evaluating commentators like Purandara, Aviddhakarṇa, and Udbhaṭa, it contrasts faithful explications of empirical inference with radical, inconsistent innovations. It argues that historicist intent must precede studying later accretions to accurately understand ancient Indian materialism.

  • Lokāyata Materialism:
    Classification of Source Materials

    RAMKRISHNA BHATTACHARYA

    This paper analyzes five commentators of the lost Cārvākasūtra—Aviddhakarṇa, Udbhaṭabhaṭṭa, Kambalāśvatara, Purandara, and Bhāvivikta. It contrasts traditional, literal explications with Udbhaṭa’s revisionist interpretations, which introduced Nyāya-Vaiśeṣika categories and near-idealist stances. Despite these divergent developments, all commentators consistently upheld the foundational Cārvāka principle of the primacy of empirical perception.