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Pandit Durgadhar Jha, President Award for Sanskrit Learning (1976)

Pandit Durgadhar Jha was a renowned Sanskrit scholar of Nyay, Sankhya and Mimamsa and he devoted his whole life to learning, teaching and writing on these subjects at various places of learning. He was awarded the prestigious national award for Sanskrit learning by the president of India in 1976.

Life

Pandit Jha was born in the Village of district Darbhanga in Bihar in 1905. His father Pandit Janardan Jha was a famous scholar of Vyakaran . Pandit Durgadhar Jha received his initial education under the tutelage of a famous local Pandit Neelambar Jha. Subsequently, he moved to Kash (Varansi) for higher learning. He had the privilege of learning Nyay under the guidance of famous pandits of the days such as Pt. Fanibhushan Tarkvadish and Pt. Vamacharan Bhattacharya. In Kashi Pt.Jha distinguished himself in all the examinations that he appeared in and in various shastrartha (debates) that were held at that time. It may be mentioned that Sanskrit scholarship in those days in Kashi had a practice of organising shastrartha regularly where budding scholars were encouraged to participate and prove their scholarly excellence.

Personal

Pt.Jha belonged to the shortriya mathil brahmin family. His wife Shambhavi Jha was the youngest child of Mahamahopadhyay Sir Ganganath Jha. They had flourishing family of six daughters and two sons. He lost his parents when he was just a child and was looked after by a benevolent elders in the village. Pt.Jha had two brothers.

Professional Journey

Pt.Jha started his teaching career from a local sanskrit pathshala (school) at a local nearby village in Lohna, and soon moved to Maharani Adhirani Rameshwar Singh Sanskrit vidyala. Later, 1957 he joined the research institute of Varansi Sanskrit Vishwavidyalay (now known as Sampoorna Nand Sanskrit Vishwavidhyala). After his retirement he stayed in his native village Ujan and kept his pursuit of writing and interpreting ancient sanskrit text till almost the last day of his life. Some of his important work was published posthumously.

Selected Publications

1.	PRASASTAPADABHASYA,(PADARTHADHARMASANGRAHA) with commentary NYAYAKANDALI OF SRIDHARABHATTA, Along with Hindi Translation by Pt. Durgadhar Jha, Varanasi 1963. Second edition 1997.

2.	DVAITAPARISISTA by Keshava Mishra Edited by Durgadhar Jha, Varanasi,1972.

3.	NYAYAKUSUMANJALI of Udayanacarya edited with Hindi Translation by Pt. Durgadhara Jha, Varanasi,1973.

4.	“Paksta”, Journal of Ganganath Jha Kendriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Allahabad, Vol. xxxi, pages 1-4, 1975

5.	MIMAMSA-SLOKAVARTIKAM, by Kumarila Bhatta with Hindi commentary by Pt. Durgadhar Jha, First edition 1979, Revised edition 2001, Kameswar Singh Darbhanga Sanskrit University, Darbhanga.

6.	Samkhaya Shastra, (in Maithili), Maithili Academy, Patna, 1981

7.	Purva Mimansa Pravishika, (in Maithily), Mailthily Academy, Patna, 1982.

8.	Udaynacharya (in Maithili), Maithili Academy, Patna, 1984. (The three books in Maithili listed at S.No 6, 7 & 8,have now been translated into Hindi, and are being published by Lal Bahadur Kendriya Sanskrit Vishwavidyalaya, New Delhi.)

9.	NYAYA LILAVATI of VALLABHACHARYA, ‘Shambhavi’ Hindi Commentary by Durgadhar Jha & ‘Candrakanti’ Hindi Commentary by Chandra Kant Dave, Department of Philosophy, University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Volume 1(1996), Volume 2(2004), Volume 3(2005).

10.	Yagyavalka Smiriti – Mitakshira (Vyavharadhyay), Bhartiya Vidya Prakashan, Varanasi, 2001.