Nirvikalpa indeterminate perception – UGC NET Question

Nirvikalpa pratyaksha is defined as an indeterminate awareness in which an object is grasped without being classified or verbally identified. At this level, the mind has not yet organised the content into a subject–predicate structure. Nyaya considers this stage as epistemically prior to determinate judgment. The description in the stem exactly matches this notion of nirvikalpa perception.

Option A:
Option A is correct because nirvikalpa literally means "without distinctions", indicating the absence of explicit conceptual differentiations such as universals or relations. It helps Nyaya explain how determinate knowledge can have a non-conceptual basis.

Option B:
Option B, savikalpa, is determinate perception that already involves recognition of universals and relations, which conflicts with the idea of perception without name or class.

Option C:
Option C, laukika, refers to ordinary empirical perception and cuts across the determinate–indeterminate distinction; it includes both nirvikalpa and savikalpa phases and hence is too broad.

Option D:
Option D, alaukika, designates extraordinary perception and does not specifically single out the indeterminate stage within perceptual cognition.