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Mahābhārata – Episode 34 – Bhīma gets the Saugandhika Flowers; Yudhiṣṭhira-Ajagara Conversation

One day, the northeast winds brought along with a divine Saugandhika flower.[1] Deeming this to be an auspicious omen, Draupadī picked up the flower, went to Bhīma, and said, “Bhīmasena! Did you see how beautiful this flower is! I shall go and give this to Dharmarāja. Bring me many more of such flowers; let us take it to the Kāmyaka forest!” According to her wishes, Bhīma set out, armed with his weapons, following the fragrance in the wind, and identifying the direction of the origin of the flower.

वर्णनेतिवृत्तमीमांसा—चित्रकलादृष्टान्तः

धीपारम्यं वर्णनगतमुक्तिचमत्कृतं हि चित्रं कृतकम्।
हृद्भावशबलदुर्बलगतिस्तु वृत्ते विचित्रशैथिल्याय॥४॥

Two Music Connoisseurs of Bangalore

Dushtabuddhi Soorappa

Soorappa was a clerk at the Government Printing Press. This is the last thing that should be said about him. What should be mentioned first is that he may be counted as one among the noble people.

In Akkipete, we find the Sri Lakshminarayanaswamy temple. Beside this temple the Sri Lakshminarasimha Bhajana Mandira is situated. I have heard that a rich landlord residing in that area is the patron of the institute. Soorappa oversees the work of that Bhajana Mandira.

वर्णनेतिवृत्तमीमांसा

[लेखोऽयं शतावधानिन आर्यगणेशस्य कन्नडभाषानिबद्धशोधप्रबन्धस्य संस्कृतानुवादः (Ref: Ganesh, R. Hadanu-havaṇu. Mangalore: Prasaranga, Mangalore University, 2018. pp.150-176)]

वल्लकीपुस्तकाशक्यं शब्दार्थव्यञ्जनं परम्।
यत्र तत्र भवामीति स्मेरास्याऽवतु भारती॥

The Galaxy of Madhva Vidwans: Dung Association

Ill-will between the Mathas

I’ve already mentioned that there were two Madhva Mathas in Mulabagal. There arose a cause for ill-will between the two.

I’ve also mentioned that the Swami of the Majjigehalli Matha didn’t reside in Mulabagal but merely visited it once every few years. That Swami was magnanimous, he was a Rasika, a connoisseur. Not only did he have elephants and horses in his Matha, he displayed enormous affection towards them.

The Galaxy of Madhva Vidwans: The Madhva Sabha of Tirupati

We have recounted in an earlier episode[i] that the Madhva Brahmanas of Mulabagal depended on the land grants given to them in the ancient times for their livelihood. Their only cash earnings emanated from the sale of the pulses and grains that they cultivated. To supplement these earnings, a new arrangement was made. This was the scholastic honorarium given to Vidwans by the Sriman Madhvasiddhantonnahini Sabha (Assembly for the Development of the Madhva Philosophy). This Sabha used to congregate annually at Tiruchanur near Tirupati.

Mahābhārata – Episode 33 – Pāṇḍavas set out on a Pilgrimage

The Pāṇḍavas longed for the company of Arjuna and were getting bored without him[1]; they set out on a tīrthayātra (pilgrimage) with the intention of acquiring puṇya and also to get rid of the boredom.[2] They reached Naimiṣāraṇya, took a dip in the river Gomatī, and travelled around several famous and sacred spots. They finally reached the āśrama of Agastya. There Lomaṣā narrated the story and greatness of Agastya to them.

Cambodia – The Country And Its Roots – Arts

For a person who has lived in the Indian main land and has experienced sanatanic lifestyle to the fullest, a mere visit to the Cambodian monuments will convince beyond doubt, the connection this far off settlement must have had with India. It is also evident through the sculptures found in the country that the roots of both the form and the content lie in India. Thus, a few pointers and examples will suffice to reaffirm the thesis.

In the concluding words of his work “Kambuja Desha”, RC Majumdar points out the following

The World of Rasa – Aṣṭanāyikās

It is interesting to note that the Indian writers on the Kāma-śāstra classified the heroines as Padminī, Cittinī, Hastinī and Śaṅkinī, primarily based on their physical and sociological attributes. They were also categorised into svīyā, parakīyā and sādhāraṇā based on the same parameters. On the other hand, aestheticians who are well versed with the Nāṭya tradition of India classify the heroines based on their emotional states, which is subtler and more meaningful than the former. An actor, who is going to put on the role of a śṛṅgāra-nāyikā should keep these categories in mind.