Let's Talk Tattva: A Philosophy Discussion Forum

na yaḥ sam(p)ṛcche na punar havītave, na saṃvādāya ramate | 
tasmān no adya samṛter uruṣyatam… ||
Save us, Today, Mitra and Varuna
From those foes who do not ask questions
Do not offer sacrificial oblations, and
Do not rejoice at a conversation…
~ Ṛgveda 8.101.4

praśna sabse pahle saṃskāra par hī uṭhatā hai.
Indeed, the inheritance (saṃskāra) gets questioned first.
~ Mukund Lath

Prāśnika is a biannual open-access academic journal that publishes philosophical essays, translations, and reviews that think through the hermeneutic tapestry of the subcontinent, cutting across various linguistic boundaries. This journal engages with the subcontinental imagination gathered in and beyond the canonical intellectual traditions to articulate philosophical perspectives that deepen our affective entanglement with life in the present. 

Prāśnika seeks to advance philosophical research into perspectives that produce knowledge through a genuine recognition of our politico-cultural situatedness. This recognition is fostered by reflecting on the textual genealogies excavated by Indological-Historical scholarship that respond to the challenges of doing philosophy in contemporary times. We invite contributions that deliberate on inherited horizons of understanding and critique everyday transactions with our immediate hermeneutic topologies.

Prāśnika is published online by Let’s Talk Tattva.

Issue 1: Monsoon 2026 

Philosophy and Poesy: Tracing the Lives of Imagination in the Subcontinent 

Traditionally, the poet’s act of naming—sculpting vision and speech—has been seen as preceding and sustaining the act of explicit argumentation. As early as Vedic literature, we find the figure of the poet (kavi), often evoked as the “friend of god,” in the sense that the “poet becomes inspired by the Brahman [the ultimate reality] and the result is the kāvya [poetry] which is the Brahman” (Atharva 6.108.2). This primordial act of poesy has broadly taken two trajectories: the practice of storytelling (for instance, in the Mahābhārata), and the systematic study of the craft and meaning of aesthetic experience (the discipline of Aesthetics/Poetics). On the other hand, the enterprise of philosophy really took off by debating the meaning and nature of the reality announced, as it were, in a prelude to these musings of the poets, so that we see here an already complex relationship between the pursuits of poetry and philosophy. 

The inaugural Monsoon 2026 issue of Prāśnika seeks to understand the relationship between philosophy and poetry: whether such a relationship exists; whether it should exist; and whether their co-occurrence ought to be avoided and undermined at all costs. What is philosophy? What is poetry? What is the relationship between the two? Do we philosophise when we poetise? Do we poetise when we philosophise? We invite submissions creatively engaging with the questions of the shared space (or lack thereof) between philosophy and poesy, that are anchored in and beyond intellectual traditions and literary practices of the subcontinent. These reflections on the lives of imagination need to be oriented towards Prāśnika’s aim of producing knowledge that discloses something meaningful about our day-to-day engagements with the world, thereby deepening our affective entanglement with the world we inhabit. 

With this in mind, we invite contributions on the following themes, but not limited to them:

1. How does poetry influence philosophy? And vice versa?
2. How does the status of the poet and the philosopher change across the ancient to modern sources? Is there a difference between the two therein?
3. What is the role of thinking in poetics?  
4. Is poetics sensitive to its own (philosophical) assumptions? 
5. How sensitive is philosophical literature to the hermeneutic horizon shaped by the poetic traditions?
6. How do poets across various literary traditions envision or conceptualise the relationship between philosophy and poetry?
7. How do oral traditions conceive the role of a poet or philosopher?

Submission Categories

1. Book Reviews: Books relevant to the theme of the issue ~2000 words
2. Philosophy Essays: Original pieces of writing engaging with the theme  of the issue; ~4000 words (including footnotes and bibliography) 
3. Translated Articles/Fiction/Poetry: Pieces of writing on the theme of the issue outside the Anglophone literature

Expectations from Authors:

1. Interweaving the Theme
   Submissions should meaningfully engage with the issue’s theme—not merely gesture at it. We seek pieces that explore the theme with philosophical depth, conceptual clarity, and a reflective seriousness. Whether the engagement is direct or tangential, it should be thoughtful and well-integrated.
2. Argumentative Rigour
   We encourage submissions that present a clear thesis and offer a reasoned defence of it. Even in experimental or hybrid formats, the work should demonstrate critical thinking, intellectual coherence, and argumentative structure.
3. Policy on Language and Style
   While philosophical writing often requires precision, we ask authors to strike a balance between technical accuracy and readability. Use technical terms where necessary, but define them clearly and concisely. Avoid jargon where possible, and strive for clarity without oversimplification. The goal is to communicate complex ideas effectively to an informed, interdisciplinary audience.

Submission Guidelines

1. Submission Language 
   If you wish to write in a language other than English, please specify it during submission. We will try our best to arrange translators for the same. 
2. Diacritic Marks
   For Sanskrit transliteration, please use the IAST (International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration) system. For regional languages, we are currently reviewing best practices and welcome consistent and respectful usage of diacritics.
3. Plagiarism Policy
   Plagiarism is strictly prohibited. Authors bear full responsibility for the originality and integrity of their submissions.
4. Inclusive Language
   We encourage the use of inclusive language. Note that the singular “they” is accepted and recommended, in line with the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS 18).
5. Formatting Requirement
   We prefer submissions that follow the Chicago Manual of Style (CMOS, 18th ed.). Please adhere to the following formatting specifications:
   File type: .docx
   Font: Times New Roman/EB Garamond
   Font size: 12 pt
   Spacing: Double
   Ensure your manuscript follows the general conventions of academic writing.
6. Author Bio
   A short bio (200–300 words) with a list of your publications, if any. You are also welcome to share a representative image or another form of preferred representation.
7. Simultaneous Submissions
   You may submit your work elsewhere simultaneously. However, if your piece is accepted for publication elsewhere, please inform us immediately.
8. Monetisation
   Currently, we do not charge submission fees or offer compensation to contributors. The magazine will remain freely available online for reading and sharing.
9. Post-Publication Rights
   Authors retain full copyright of their published work. We kindly request that you acknowledge this magazine as the original place of publication in any future reprints or citations. 

Please use this Google Form for Submissions: Prāśnika Submissions

Outline of the Editing Process

Editorial Process: We will use a single-blind peer-review process for the philosophy articles.

Proposed Editorial Timeline (Post Abstract Acceptance):

1. Draft 1 Submission:
   Contributors submit the first full draft by the selected deadline.
2. Editorial Review – Round 1 (2 weeks):
   Editors review and provide feedback on Draft 1 within two weeks.
3. Contributor Revision – Draft 2 (2 weeks):
   Contributors revise and submit Draft 2 within the following two weeks.
4. Editorial Review – Final Comments (1 week):
   Editors provide final comments and any additional requests within one week.
5. Final Submission (1–2 weeks):
   Contributors submit the finalised version, including any necessary credits, aesthetic notes, image requests, and a short author bio.
6. Final Confirmation (1 week):
    Editors review and confirm the final version within one week.