Prekshaa articles feed

When Hanūmān Met Rāvaṇa: An Episode from Bhoja’s Caṃpū Rāmāyaṇam

In pre-modern India, ‘Sāhitī-samarāṅgaṇa-sārvabhauma’ was a title conferred upon people who contributed in equal measure to the fields of literature and warfare. Our country boasts of a long list of achievers known for their physical and intellectual might, the significant ones being Chandragupta Vikramaditya, Yashovarma, Bhojaraja, and Krishnadevaraya. Bhoja is one of India’s least celebrated kings. This reveals a poverty of gratitude, which is one of the unfortunate ills of present-day India.

संस्कृतस्य रुपस्वरुपमाहात्म्यम् - Part 2

संस्कृते विद्यमानानि विविधानि शास्त्राणि

सन्ति नैकानि शास्त्राण्यैहिकान्यामुष्मिकानि संस्कृते विद्यमानानि। एतेषां सर्वेषां परामर्शनं नाम बहुसमयग्रसिष्ण्विति मत्वा केवलं शृङ्गग्राहिकया भङ्ग्या कतिपयविद्यानामेव परिमितविधौ विवेचनं शक्यम्। एतेषु भाषा-व्याकरणयोः प्रायः पूर्वमेव किञ्चिदिव परामृष्टमिति मुख्यतयावशिष्टानि प्रस्तुतकालेऽपि यथावत्प्रयोजकानि कतिचिद्विलोकयामः।

ಭಾರತೀಯನೃತ್ಯಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಶೈಲಿಯ ಅನನ್ಯತೆಯನ್ನು ಕುರಿತ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆ

ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದು ಕಲೆಗೂ ತನ್ನದೇ ಆದ ಶೈಲಿಯಿರುತ್ತದೆ. ಅಷ್ಟೇಕೆ, ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಬ್ಬ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಗೂ ಜೀವಿಗೂ ಅಸ್ತಿತ್ವಕ್ಕೂ ತನ್ನದೇ ಆದ ಶೈಲಿಯಿರುವಾಗ ವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಜೀವನಸಮಷ್ಟಿಯೆನಿಸಿದ ಸಮಾಜವೊಂದರ ವಿಕಸಿತವೂ ಮನೋಹರವೂ ಆದ ಕಲಾಪ್ರಕಾರವೊಂದಕ್ಕೆ ಶೈಲಿಯ ಅನನ್ಯತೆಯಿಲ್ಲವೆಂದರೆ ಹೇಗೆ? ಹೀಗಾಗಿಯೇ ನರ್ತನಕಲೆಗೂ ಶೈಲಿಗಳ ಅನನ್ಯರೂಪಗಳುಂಟು; ಮತ್ತಿದಕ್ಕೆ ಭಾರತೀಯನೃತ್ಯಗಳು ಅಪವಾದವೇನಲ್ಲ.

संस्कृतस्य रुपस्वरुपमाहात्म्यम् - Part 1

"भारतस्य प्रतिष्ठे द्वे संस्कृतं संस्कृतिस्तथा"

"संस्कृतं नाम दैवी वागन्वाख्याता महर्षिभिः"

शास्त्र-काव्यप्रतिभाविलासानां व्यक्तीकरणाय परमं माध्यमं संस्कृतम्

About

प्रेक्षा or Prekshaa is a Sanskrit word that means ‘seeing clearly.’ Other meanings include ‘intellect,’ ‘reflection,’ and ‘contemplation.’ The word prekṣā can be explained etymologically as प्रकृष्टतया ईक्षणम् (prakṛṣṭatayā īkṣaṇam) – ‘profound vision’ or ‘well seen.’

The Inspiration

अर्थचतुष्टयशिक्षा
साक्षात्कृत-यज्ञ-दान-तपसा॑ दीक्षा ।
वाग्वृत्तित्रयरक्षा
प्रेक्षाऽसौ जयति भारतीपदलाक्षा॥ 

Myths, Legends and Rituals in Bhyrappa’s Novels – Part 6

Even today it is believed that if the ‘śrāddha’ rites for ancestors are performed once in Gaya, they need not be performed again every year thereafter. The ancestors would attain ‘Viṣṇu-pāda’ (Viṣṇu's feet) i.e., salvation through this. These rites may be performed here, not only for one’s parents, but for any of the person’s relatives or friends. Even childless people may perform their own śrāddhas here (page-186 ‘Saartha’). This myth regarding the holiness of Gaya is a continuing myth that has been growing through generations.