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D. Venkataramaiah

In and around the period 1907–08, Advocate Sri. D. Venkataramaiah was among the foremost public personalities in Bangalore. A road in Malleswaram has been named after him, granting eternity to his memory. Before he built a house on that road, I’ve heard that he used to live in a residential building called ‘Ratnākara’ in one of the by-lanes of Balepet.

சிவ-ராம-கிருஷ்ணன்: ராமனின் குடும்பப் பண்புகள்

தசரதன் ராமனைக் காட்டிற்குச் செல்லும்படி அறிவித்ததை ராமன் கௌசல்யா தேவியினிடத்தில் தெரிவித்தபின் அவளை ராமன் தேற்றுகிறான். அப்போது கௌசல்யா தேவியை தகப்பனைவிட தாயே நூறு மடங்கு உயர்ந்தவளென்றும், அதனால் தன் இச்சைப்படி ராமன் அவளையும் காட்டிற்குக் கூட்டிச் செல்ல வேண்டும் என்றும் கூறுகிறாள். ஆனால், இவ்விதம் நிகழ்ந்துவிட்டாலோ குடும்பத்தில் பிளவு ஏற்பட்டுவிடும். இதனை உணர்ந்த ராமன் தார்மீகமான, சாதுரியமான வழியில் அவனது தாயைக் கையாளுகிறான். அவன் அவளிடம், “முதலில் தாங்கள் என் தந்தைக்கு மனைவி, அதன் பிறகே எனக்குத் தாய். அதனால் தாங்கள் மகனுடன் இருப்பதைவிட தங்களது கணவனுடன் வசிப்பதே சாலச் சிறந்தது.

Chandamama’s Luminescence

Typically if you ask a middle-aged person—or even someone in their thirties—who is a connoisseur and from a middle-class family, to describe a few sweet memories from his childhood, among the many things he would mention, without fail, you will hear the name of the periodical Chandamama, isn’t it? My tender and unforgettable sweet memories were formed by reading Chandamama. It is true that like me, billions of Indians have experienced joy from reading it. Personally speaking, Chandamama was among the cultural media that shaped my artistic taste.

The Pan-Asian Dharmic Influence of the Gupta Empire

Ancient Indians travelled widely abroad. They carried out trade with several countries. It was not just the traders and businessmen who travelled widely but people from all the four varṇas. Even today we find the roots of brāhmaṇa families in Indonesia, Thailand, Bali, and other places. The ancient tradition has remained until this day. It is a different matter to what extent these traditions have loosened and transformed into something else. In sum, it is a fact that their ancestors migrated to those regions from India. In these exchanges, the role of the Guptas is pre-eminent.

Mahābhārata – Episode 11 – Draupadī’s Svayaṃvara

As the celebration of the svayaṃvara started, the crowd at the venue kept growing; actors and dancers entertained them and were rewarded with precious gems. Fifteen days passed this way and on the sixteenth day, Draupadī took her sacred bath, wore a grand sari and decked herself with magnificent ornaments. She held a golden vīra-kalaśa and entered the stage. As she entered, the musical instruments grew silent and Dṛṣṭadyumna entered the stage. With a voice that was as deep as thunder, he announced, “Dear kings! Pay attention!

रसाभासो निरस्यते—३

रसाभासरूपेण नूनं किलैतान्प्रवच्मो वयं नान्यथा विद्यमानान्। यदा वाऽऽग्रहास्तादृशा लोकबाह्या भवेयुस्तदा ते जने नीरसास्स्युः॥३३॥

अतो ह्यवादीद्ध्वनिकृत्पुरैव रसास्तदाभासमुखास्समस्ताः। रसादिरुपेण कृतौ प्रतिष्ठा व्यङ्ग्याध्वनि स्वादपरा भवन्ति[1]॥३४॥

रावणव्यपदेशेन यल्लोचनकृदीरितम्। तत्कवेस्तु विवक्षाया अधीनमिति मन्मतम् [2]॥३५॥

रसाभासो निरस्यते—२

अनया हि दृष्ट्या तदेवमभ्युपगम्यते यन्महाकाव्य-महाकथा(Epic Novel)-नाटक-प्रकरणादयो नितरां भूमभावभरिता गुरुसाहित्यप्रकाराः प्रविलसन्तीति। किन्तु खण्डकाव्य-गीतकाव्य(रागकाव्य)-मुक्तक-प्रहसन-नाटिका-भाणादिरञ्जनमात्रावसिता लघुसाहित्यप्रकारा इत्यप्यनुमीयते। परमिदमवधेयं यत्काव्यस्य लघुत्वं वा गुरुत्वं गात्रमात्रेण न निश्चीयते किञ्च गात्रस्यापि कापि गुणवत्ता दरीदृश्यते। यदाहुराङ्ग्लेयवाचि— “Quantity is also a quality” इति। तथापि समृद्धविभावानुभावादिसमग्रीनिर्माणक्षमा वक्रोक्तिमाध्यमद्वारा ध्वन्यमाना परमौचित्यवल्गिता साहिती या कापि रसिकानां रसानन्दमहोत्सवे पर्यवस्यतीति निश्चप्रचम्। केवलं गुरुसाहित्यप्रकार

रसाभासो निरस्यते—१

मुरलिकामरुता मरुतामपि श्रुतिचयं शिशिरीकुरुते च यः। जगति कामरुतार्तजनावन- व्यसनितालसनोऽस्तु मुदे स नः॥१॥

आत्मानुभूतिमुकुरे परिदृश्यमानं भावप्रपञ्चसकलं निरपेक्ष्यदीप्त्या । सार्वत्रिकानुभवमात्रकषप्रमृष्टं मन्ये सुवर्णमयभूषणमित्यजस्रम्॥२॥

The Tradition of Kshaatra in India: Reinvigoration of Sanatana Dharma During the Gupta Period

If some amount of inertia has crept into the framework of Sanatana Dharma in our age, the responsibility for reinvigorating it falls squarely on our shoulders. If we wish to reject something, we need to first think about providing a better alternative. If we wish to decry Valentine’s Day, we need to provide an alternative by reviving either the Madanotsava or the Vasantotsava [typically celebrated during the Holi festival] from the annals of our hoary, bounteous and beautiful tradition.