In the ruins of an ancient temple complex near Hampi, archaeologists have recovered a fragmented 9th-century birch-bark scroll labeled Tejas-Vimarsha. This text delves into the Philosophy of Radiant Energy, positing that all matter is essentially a condensed form of celestial light or "tejas." It represents a unique synthesis of Vaisheshika atomism and Tantric metaphysics, describing the process by which internal energy is projected into the external world.
The scroll provides detailed descriptions of the "luminous body" and the ethical implications of managing one's internal light to achieve social and spiritual harmony. Epigraphists working on the site suggest that the Tejas-Vimarsha may have been a primary text for a lost sect of solar-focused philosophers who inhabited the region long before the rise of the Vijayanagara Empire.