2026 Oxford Dharma Conference | Situating the Ṛgveda Saṃhitā in the Jurisprudential History of Dharma

[Megh Kalyanasundaram]

Namaste,

On October 26, 2026, Brunda* and I presented our paper, Situating the Ṛgveda Saṃhitā in the Jurisprudential History of Dharma: From Semantic Inquiry to Normative Structure, at the Oxford Dharma Conference 2026, as part of the session on Dharma, Texts and Intellectual Traditions.

We are sharing links to the presentation video and the accompanying PDF for those interested.

Presentation Video: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpM3STLCIpE

Presentation PDF: 

https://www.academia.edu/180537638/Situating_the_%E1%B9%9Agveda_Sa%E1%B9%83hit%C4%81_in_the_Jurisprudential_History_of_Dharma_From_Semantic_Inquiry_to_Normative_Structure

Sincerely,
Megh

* About Smt. Brunda Karanam: 

* Lawyer, arbitrator, SMC-accredited mediator, and legal scholar bridging dispute resolution and classical jurisprudence.
* NLSIU Bengaluru gold medallist; BCL, Oxford; LL.M., Dean’s Scholar, Penn Carey Law.
* Legal experience in India and Singapore, spanning corporate transactions, international arbitration, and investor-treaty disputes.
* Senior Subject Matter Expert in Law & Jurisprudence, VIKALPA, Vyoma Linguistic Labs Foundation. 
* Programme Lead, Dharma & ESG, Oxford Dharma Centre.
* Sanskrit educator teaching classical texts globally; researcher and lecturer in ancient Indian jurisprudence.

[Mahamaho. Subrahmanyam Korada]

नमो विद्वद्भ्यः

I congratulate both Brunda Karanam and Megh Kalyanasundaram for  successful presentation of their Paper at 2026 Oxford Dharma Conference.

I vetted the Paper sometime ago and found both the authors worked hard in the preparation of the same.

No doubt  both have done a yeoman's service for the cause of Indian Culture , especially the Sanatana Dharma .

'परमतम् अप्रतिषिद्धम् अनुमतं भवति’ ( if not refuted, the opponent's thesis is considered accepted ) - is the न्याय (norm) .

We follow in the footsteps of great आचार्यs in this regard - In ब्रह्मसूत्रशांकरभाष्यम् we find refutations of the theses of सांख्य - वैशेषिक - बौद्ध etc. .

In the present context it is the same case - some scholars in the West go on interpreting / translating the terse hymns of ऋग्वेद  without consulting any authentic commentary , either in Sanskrit or English . 

The term धर्म is culture specific and hence untranslatable - it should be adapted . Some explanation may be offered in footnotes / endnotes / parentheses.One can have a clear understanding by going through the beautiful Article.

Such high standard articles  are the need of the hour as today we come across a number of 'scholars' who are पण्डितंमन्याः (those who think they are schlars).

Hope there will be more such Articles from the Authors.

धन्यो’स्मि

Dr.Korada Subrahmanyam

Prof of Sanskrit (Retd)

Adj Professor , Dept of Heritage Science and Technology

Chairman , Bharateeya Vidvat Parishat

Ph:09866110741

https://sites.google.com/view/koradeeyam/home

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[Mandyam D Srinivas]

Dear Megh,

Many thanks for sharing your paper which includes a very significant collection of Rgvedic Suktas which refer to Dharma. Your analysis of              Rv.S 7.89.5 is very  illuminating. This is a Richa which is recited by all Rgvedins and Yajurvedins daily in Sandhyopasana.

Congratulations and best wishes to you and your co-author

M D Srinivas

--

[Brunda Karanam]

श्रीमहामहोपाध्यायवर्येभ्यः, श्रीश्रीनिवासमहोदयेभ्यश्च हृत्पूर्वकप्रणामाः।

भवतामाशीर्वचनामृतैः वयं धन्याः, कृतार्थाः, सन्तुष्टान्तरङ्गाश्च संवृत्ताः। एतदर्थम् अनन्ताः धन्यवादाः, सहस्रशः सादरप्रणामाः।  

भगवत्पादैः श्रीशङ्कराचार्यैः विवेकचूडामणौ उक्तम् —

दुर्लभं त्रयमेवैतद्देवानुग्रहहेतुकम्।

मनुष्यत्वं मुमुक्षुत्वं महापुरुषसंश्रयः॥

पूज्य-महामहोपाध्यायवर्येभ्यः अस्माकं शोधपत्रस्य कृते प्राप्ताः आशीर्वादाः, प्रोत्साहनं च भगवत्पादानाम् एतमेव श्लोकं स्मारयन्ति। भवताममूल्याशीर्वादेभ्यः, सततानुग्रहाय च 

वयं कृतज्ञाः स्मः।

एकमेवाक्षरं यस्तु गुरुः शिष्यं प्रबोधयेत्।

पृथिव्यां नास्ति तद्द्रव्यं यद्दत्त्वा चानृणी भवेत्॥

We remain deeply indebted and grateful to Mahāmahopādhyāya-gāru for his steadfast support and guidance in bringing this paper to fruition. We 

express our sincere gratitude to our Gurus, IKS and Saṃskṛta scholars, and well-wishers for their blessings and guidance throughout our work. 

We would be deeply honoured and grateful to receive any further suggestions or feedback.

सविनयम्,

बृन्दा

[Brunda Karanam]

श्रीमहामहोपाध्यायवर्येभ्यः, श्रीश्रीनिवासमहोदयेभ्यश्च हृत्पूर्वकप्रणामाः।

भवतामाशीर्वचनामृतैः वयं धन्याः, कृतार्थाः, सन्तुष्टान्तरङ्गाश्च संवृत्ताः। एतदर्थम् अनन्ताः धन्यवादाः, सहस्रशः सादरप्रणामाः।  

भगवत्पादैः श्रीशङ्कराचार्यैः विवेकचूडामणौ उक्तम् —

दुर्लभं त्रयमेवैतद्देवानुग्रहहेतुकम्।

मनुष्यत्वं मुमुक्षुत्वं महापुरुषसंश्रयः॥

पूज्य-महामहोपाध्यायवर्येभ्यः अस्माकं शोधपत्रस्य कृते प्राप्ताः आशीर्वादाः, प्रोत्साहनं च भगवत्पादानाम् एतमेव श्लोकं स्मारयन्ति। भवताममूल्याशीर्वादेभ्यः, सततानुग्रहाय च 

वयं कृतज्ञाः स्मः।

एकमेवाक्षरं यस्तु गुरुः शिष्यं प्रबोधयेत्।

पृथिव्यां नास्ति तद्द्रव्यं यद्दत्त्वा चानृणी भवेत्॥

We remain deeply indebted and grateful to Mahāmahopādhyāya-gāru for his steadfast support and guidance in bringing this paper to fruition. We 

express our sincere gratitude to our Gurus, IKS and Saṃskṛta scholars, and well-wishers for their blessings and guidance throughout our work. 

We would be deeply honoured and grateful to receive any further suggestions or feedback.

सविनयम्,

बृन्दा

Brunda Karanam, B.A., LL.B. (Hons.), BCL (Oxon), LL.M. (Upenn)

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[K S Kannan]

Dear Dr. Megh/Smt. Brunda,

Congratulations.

I was eager to know how well the paper was received.

Were there discussions, or was it easily accepted?

Regards

KSKannan

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--

Dr. K.S.Kannan  D.Litt.

Hon. Prof., Chanakya University, Bangalore.,

Emeritus Prof. and Director, Vishnugupta VishwaVidyapeetham, Gokarna.,

Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj Chair Professor (Retd.), IIT-Madras.

Member, Expert Committee for Review of Criticism of Indian Knowledge Traditions, Central Sanskrit University (under MoE, GoI), Ganganath Jha Campus, Prayagraj.
Fmr. Adjunct Faculty, Dept of Heritage Science and Technology, IIT Hyderabad.

Fmr. Nominated Member, IIAS, Shimla.

Former Professor, CAHC, Jain University, Bangalore.

Former Director, Karnataka Samskrit University, Bangalore.

Former Head, Dept. of Sanskrit, The National Colleges, Bangalore.

https://sites.google.com/view/kskannan

[Megh Kalyanasundaram]

Time allowed for a brief remark by the Chair, which seemed appreciative, and one question, which we actually anticipated, and responded to, Prof. Kannan. 

Overall, we were able to communicate exactly what we wanted to, aided in part, by the timed prerecorded video we opted to have prepared. 

Thank you for enquiring about it :) and for your guidance before the conference. 🙏

Sincerely,

Megh 

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