A team of epigraphists exploring the rugged Sahyadri Range in Maharashtra has uncovered a series of rock-cut inscriptions dating back to the late 7th century. The inscriptions, titled 'Tarka-Sthiti-Vada', detail a lost philosophical school focused on the 'permanence of logical truths' amidst the flux of material reality. The text, etched in early Nagari script, argues that while physical phenomena are transient, the underlying structures of reason (Tarka) are immutable and divine in origin.
The find is particularly notable for its emphasis on the role of the individual in upholding cosmic order through the maintenance of personal intellectual integrity. Unlike many contemporary texts that focused on ritual, the Sahyadri inscriptions prioritize the Sthiti or stability of the mind through the rejection of logical fallacies. Researchers believe this reflects a localized philosophical movement that influenced early medieval statecraft and legal ethics in the region.