Prekshaa articles feed

Sri Chappalli Vishweshwara Sastri Explains the Qualifications for a Mantra

As lecturer of Sanskrit Literature at the Central College, Sri Chappalli Visweshwara Sastri earned the gratitude and respect of numerous students. His recitation of poetry didn’t have the sweetness of music because he didn’t have a melodious voice. But the style of his expository commentary was illuminative. He would split each word, explain its origin using examples and then drive home the intent and the feeling of the poet thereby. There’s no greater help to the student than this.

Mahābhārata – Episode 57 – Victorious Uttara, Enraged Virāṭa

With great delight Arjuna looked at the Kaurava heroes retreating; he bowed his head down and offered his greetings to Grandfather Bhīṣma and Ācārya Droṇa and rode with them for some distance, engaging in casual conversation. Then he paid his respects to Aśvatthāma, Kṛpa, and others by hurling an arrow at them [at their feet]; then he shot an arrow at Duryodhana’s bejewelled crown and tore it apart.

ಭಾರತೀಯಕಾವ್ಯಮೀಮಾಂಸೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪಾದೆಕಲ್ಲು ನರಸಿಂಹಭಟ್ಟರು ಕಾಣಿಸಿದ ಒಳನೋಟಗಳು--ಇತಿ-ಮಿತಿಗಳು

ನರಸಿಂಹಭಟ್ಟರ ಚಿಂತನಕ್ರಮದ ಇತಿ-ಮಿತಿಗಳು

Europeans’ Service to Kannada

In the history of the revival of Kannada literature, a few Europeans are among those who ought to be remembered with reverence. Antique jewels of (Kannada) literature were initially brought to light by these venerable Europeans. A few distinguished names among them are Reeve, Garrett, Kittel, Rice, Ziegler. Some of them came as here as Christian missionaries. A few others came as employees of the Government’s Education Department.

The Tiger Mouth of Sri Chappalli Vishweshwara Sastri

Tiger’s Mouth

Let’s now return to the marriage hall. It was a festival of five or six days. Whether he went to the marriage hall or to the temple, Sri Chappalli Visweshwara Sastri mixed with great ease and was patient with everybody. He was soft-spoken. A majority of the numerous Vidwans who met him were Madhva Brahmanas. It appears that several episodes related to our Sastras were brought up for discussion. But I couldn’t spot the Tiger’s Mouth even once. I was astonished: where was the famed Tiger’s Mouth? Where was the lion?

Mahābhārata – Episode 56 –Arjuna Single-handedly Destroys the Kauravas

After this Arjuna told Uttara to take his chariot to where Droṇa was standing; offering his salutations to Droṇa, he said in a serene voice, “Ācārya, we took up the forest exile only after contemplating about our response; you must not get angry with us; I have decided not to fight with you and therefore I request you to make that happen.” Immediately, Droṇa sent out twenty arrows in Arjuna’s direction. Arjuna intercepted all of them midway and tore them apart. In this manner, the teacher and student were locked in single combat.

ಭಾರತೀಯಕಾವ್ಯಮೀಮಾಂಸೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಪಾದೆಕಲ್ಲು ನರಸಿಂಹಭಟ್ಟರು ಕಾಣಿಸಿದ ಒಳನೋಟಗಳು--ವಿವಿಧವ್ಯಾಖ್ಯೆಗಳು

ಭಟ್ಟರು ಪ್ರತಿಭೆಯನ್ನು ವಿವೇಚಿಸುತ್ತ ಇದು ವಿಶ್ಲೇಷಣೆಗೆ ಎಟುಕದೆ ನಿಲ್ಲುವುದೇ ಭಾರತೀಯಸೌಂದರ್ಯಮೀಮಾಂಸೆಯ ಒಂದು ಸ್ವಾರಸ್ಯಕರಾಂಶವೆಂದು ಗುರುತಿಸಿರುವುದು ಮೆಚ್ಚುವಂತಿದೆ (ಪು. ೧೪೨). ಹೀಗೆಯೇ ನಮ್ಮ ವಿವಿಧಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಕಾರರು ಸೌಂದರ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ಸೌಂದರ್ಯಮೀಮಾಂಸೆಗಳನ್ನು ಉಪೇಕ್ಷಿಸಿದರೂ ಸೌಂದರ್ಯಮೀಮಾಂಸಕರು ಮಾತ್ರ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಗಳನ್ನು ಉಪೇಕ್ಷಿಸಲಿಲ್ಲವೆಂದು ಹೇಳಿರುವುದು ಬೆಲೆಯುಳ್ಳ ಮಾತು (ಪು. ೧೪೩). ಅಂತೆಯೇ ಅಭಿಧಾ-ಲಕ್ಷಣಾ-ವ್ಯಂಜನಾವೃತ್ತಿಗಳನ್ನು ಸ್ಥೂಲ-ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮ-ಸುಂದರಗಳೆಂದು ಗುರುತಿಸಿರುವುದು ಬೋಧಪ್ರದ.

The Universal Canvas of the Mahabharata:

Complexity of Characters

This selfsame impulse is visible in the characters of Duryodhana and such others in a tangential fashion. Nobody regards Duryodhana and Dusshyasana as fools. There is no dearth of “analysts” or critics who regard Duryodhana as a tragic hero based on the premise that his behavior and actions are natural to his basic character. The dense intensity of blind attachment that pervades a person who is driven by desire and anger is depicted in the Mahabharata in an eye-arresting manner.

Shankaranarayana Rao

K Shankaranarayana Rao, an epitome of positive values, is one of my favourite people. I first met him when he was an advocate in Shivamogga. He was not only an excellent lawyer, but was also well known in social circles. In those days, Shivamogga was one of the administrative centres of the Mysore Presidency. All diplomats went there because it was one of the major headquarters after Mysore and Bangalore. People of Shivamogga had a Nagara-sabhā and carried out their political discussions under that banner.