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Tarka Shastra (तर्कशास्त्र,IAST:tarkaśāstra) is aSanskrit term for the philosophy ofdialectics,logic andreasoning, and art ofdebate that analyzes the nature and source ofknowledge and itsvalidity.[1]Shastra in Sanskrit means that which gives teaching, instruction or command.Tarka means debate or anargument. According to one reckoning, there are six shastras.Vyākaraṇa is one of them. Four of the shastras are particularly important:Vyākaraṇa,Mīmāṃsā, Tarka, andVedanta.
Tarka shastra has concepts calledpurva paksha andapara paksha. When one raises a point (purva paksha) the other party criticizes it (apara paksha). Then the debate starts. Each one tries to support his point of view by getting various references. The meaning of the wordtarka also is specific, in that it does not imply a pure logical analysis but a complex activity of discourse guided by strict definitions and goals.
Tarka-Sangraha is a foundational text followed as guidelines for logic and discourse ever since it was composed in the second half of 17th century CE.Tarka may be translated as "hypothetical argument". Tarka is the process of questioning and cross-questioning that leads to a particular conclusion. It is a form of supposition that can be used as an aid to the attainment of valid knowledge.
There are several scholars renowned as well-versed in Tarka shastra:Adi Shankara (sixth century CE),Udyotakara (Nyāyavārttika, 6th–7th century),Vācaspati Miśra (Tatparyatika, 9th century),Ramanujacharya (9th century),Udayanacharya (Tātparyaparishuddhi, 10th century),Jayanta Bhatta (Nyāyamanjari, 9th century),Madhvacharya (13th century), Visvanatha (Nyāyasūtravṛtti, 17th century), Rādhāmohana Gosvāmī (Nyāyasūtravivarana, 18th century), andKumaran Asan (1873–1924). Paruthiyur Krishna Sastri (1842–1911) andSengalipuram Anantarama Dikshitar (1903–1969) specialized in Vyākaraṇa, Mīmāṃsā and Tarka shastra.