Art experience is essentially personal. It never demands external attestation. It differs from person to person, taking shape based on their attitude and saṃskāra. Poetic criticism, therefore, can never find consensus. There is a popular saying, “loko bhinnaruciḥ,” “tastes differ.” I’m afraid it is only half a statement. Here is the other half: to a certain extent there does exist a natural consensus among us. This is perhaps due to the common background and experience of humans.
Author:prekshaa
I am of the firm opinion that a devoted study of literature is ātmasaṃskāraka—it refines us from within. The poet reveals in a suggestive manner the extent of our desires, strengths, and frailties. His world is one full of natural splendour: its current cleanses our character, its sunlight helps blossom the flower of our heart and bring out its fragrance, a mere touch of its wind transforms our bones into iron posts. To bring about such a magical transformation might not always be the poet’s objective. This is the underlying wonder in the poetic process.
Career as a Teacher
John Cook, who was impressed with Venkatanaranappa’s dedication to studies and his ethical outlook, appointed him as a lecturer soon after he procured his BA degree. The following is an incident that took place when he worked as a lecturer.
DVG’s essay titled Rama Rajya is the fitting finale and the crowning glory of his monumental, semi-academic work, Rajyashastra[1] (Statecraft/Politics) meant for a general audience. This essay touches the upper echelons of pure political philosophy akin to the precision of the tip of a finely-sharpened pencil.
Accordingly, Sañjaya went to Upaplavya to meet the Pāṇḍavas. He was welcomed with great respect and was treated with dignity. He inquired about their well-being and exchanged pleasantries. He conveyed Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s message of peace to the assembly, which consisted of the Pāṇḍavas, the Srañjayas, Kṛṣṇa, Sātyakī, Virāṭa, and several others. He requested them not to pave way for a destructive war.
Poetry concerns itself with the activities of our inner world. It paints in a motion picture the blossoming of our heart. It sheds light on those aspects of human life—regardless of their significance—that generally escape our attention. The poet’s eye is a veritable camera lens that captures in minute detail the attributes of everything it focuses on. The mirror of his heart reflects those forms and features of objects toward which we turn a blind eye; the cavern of his mind reverberates the sighs and whispers that are a decibel too short to appeal to our ears.
ஒவ்வொரு சமூகமும் அவர்கள் வாழும் அந்தந்த தேசகாலங்களுக்கு தகுங்தாற்போல வாழ்வின் முக்கியமான கட்டங்களை தேர்வு செய்து கொள்கின்றன. ஒருவரது வாழ்க்கைப் பயணம் என்பது அவர் பிறப்புக்குமுன் தொடங்கி, வாழ்நாள் முழுதும் தொடர்ந்து, மரணித்த பின்பு வரையுங்கூட தொடர்கிறது என்பதே அனைவருக்கும் பொதுவான விதி.
For an institution to survive for long and to find fulfilment in executing its objectives, it needs a dedicated set of active workers. At least one person will need to keep working on it day and night. He will remain its supporting pillar throughout its existence and the rest will bolster him through their work. The (Kannada Sahitya) Parishat was fortunate to get a dedicated worker of this nature starting from 1915 for about twenty years. It was Bellave Venkatanaranappa, who worked untiringly through out his life.
The next great landmark of the tradition of the spirit of Kshatra is available in South India. He is the lodestar of Hindu Dharma, Chhatrapati Shivaji.
Shivaji hailed from the Bhosle lineage, considered as Shudras. His roots lie in the Mewad-based Sisodia clan. In other words, we can identify him with Rana Pratap’s lineage.
In another part of the country, Śalya, the king of Madra, was on his way along with army and his sons, who were both mahārathas. He was acting as per the wishes of the Pāṇḍavas and Duryodhana happened to notice this. With a view to entice the entourage, he erected delightful pleasure houses on their path. He arranged to host them with myriad luxuries. Śalya was enchanted looking at the marvellous arrangements. He said, “Who built these magnificent rest-houses?