vac (‘speech’, ‘word’)

In the Øgveda (Väksükta) personified as

a goddess, through whom everything is

created, and through whom the ØÆIS

receive their inspiration.

Väcaknavï

Upani•adic female philosopher, who

challenged YAJÑAVÄLKYA.

Väcaspati Miÿra (ninth century)

A versatile Advaitin writer, known as a

sarvatantrasvatantra (independent com-

mentator on all systems of philosophy).

He wrote commentaries on Ÿaökara’s

Brahmasütrabhä•ya(the Bhämatï), on

the Säƒkhyakärikäs (the Vaiÿäradï), on

the Yoga Sutras(the Yogabhäsya), and

on the Nyäya Sütras (the

Nyäyavärttika). He held that the indi-

vidual human beings were the seat of

ignorance.

väcika japa

The repetition of a MANTRA(1) with

words, i.e. audibly (in contrast with

mänasa japa, which entails mental repe-

tition only).

Vaõagalai

The northern school of ŸRÏVAIÆŒAVISM,

preferring the Sanskritic tradition over the

Tamilian. Its headquarters are in

KÄÑCÏPURAM. It is also known as the ‘mon-

key school’, from its insistence that a per-

son, in order to be saved by God, has to

co-operate actively, like the young of a

monkey, which must cling to its mother if

it wants to reach safety in a fire

(märkatanyäya). (See also VEDÄNTA-DEŸIKA.)

väda-väda (‘disputation’, ‘dialogue’)

One of the traditional methods of

engaging scholars from other schools of

thought.

vähana (‘vehicle’)

Usually an animal carrying a god, e.g.

Vi•æu has the bird GARU¥Aas his vahana,

V

Garuda, the vähana (vehicle) of Vi•æu.

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