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10th-Century 'Mahat-Vada' Copper Plates in Vidarbha Detail Early Samkhya Philosophy of Cosmic Intellect

📅 April 3, 2026 📰 Times of India - Heritage
10th-Century 'Mahat-Vada' Copper Plates in Vidarbha Detail Early Samkhya Philosophy of Cosmic Intellect

A farmer in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra has discovered a set of five copper plates dating back to the 10th century. The plates contain a rare Sanskrit treatise on Mahat-Vada, the Samkhya philosophy of Cosmic Intelligence. The text details the transition from unmanifest nature (Prakriti) to manifest intelligence (Mahat), describing it as a movement from potentiality to ethical awareness.

The inscription is unique for its focus on the 'Ecology of the Intellect,' suggesting that human wisdom is intrinsically linked to the health of the natural world. This discovery adds a significant chapter to the history of the Samkhya school in Central India, showing its continued influence and evolution well into the medieval era.

Original source: Times of India - Heritage