One of the highlights of this volume is the longform titled The Code of Manu. DVG firmly believed that (i) tradition and modernity are mutually complementary (ii) such a mutuality is a sine qua non for civilized progress and (iii) the frequently projected dichotomy between the two is gratuitous and regressive. To this end, he spent a considerable part of his literary labours to elucidate the message of classical texts from a contemporary perspective.
As with Visvesvaraya, DVG enjoyed close contact with another Dewan of Mysore, Sir Mirza Ismail. DVG’s writings on him, too, present a wealth of insight rarely available elsewhere. Here is his assessment of Mirza’s tenure:
An important segment in the present volume is a set of articles that narrates and analyses the political-reform movement led by Jayaprakash Narayan. In these essays DVG has pinpointed the job cut out for the political reformer:
Like all conscientious citizens endowed with intellectual integrity, DVG was a caustic critic of the Indira Gandhi Government. He repeatedly pointed out the unsoundness of her schemes and slogans, the most glaring example being Garibi Hatao:
Book reviews were a constant feature in all the journals DVG edited and published. He either reviewed himself or, if he happened to spot a well-written piece, he sought the permission of the author and published it. How to put a work in perspective and appraise its value within the packed confines of journalistic writing, and, more importantly, how to infuse literary charm into the prose? DVG answers these questions with his own reviews.
Gokhale Institute of Public Affairs, an organization DVG built and nurtured, has made quiet but sustained efforts to educate people in all matters of collective living. Apart from conducting civic surveys, preparing reports for the perusal of Government and organizing lectures, it has played an active part in times of crisis. For instance, during the Indo-China war, it exhorted all its members and the people at large to contribute to the national defence fund. It issued the following Statement of Appeal on 29 October 1962:
ಇತಿಹಾಸದ ಮುಂಜಾವಿಗೂ ಹಿಂದಿನಿಂದಲೇ ಸಮಸ್ತ ಹಿಂದು ಜನಾಂಗದ ಅಂತರಂಗದಲ್ಲಿ ಮರ್ಯಾದಾಪುರುಷೋತ್ತಮನೆಂದೂ ಭಗವಂತನ ಶ್ರೇಷ್ಠ ಅವತಾರವೆಂದೂ ಉದಾತ್ತ ಜೀವನಮೌಲ್ಯಗಳೆಲ್ಲದರ ಪ್ರತೀಕವೆಂದೂ ಅಧಿಷ್ಠಿತನಾಗಿರುವ ಶ್ರೀರಾಮನ ಜನ್ಮಸ್ಥಾನವನ್ನು ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಅಂಟಿದ್ದ ಕಲಂಕದಿಂದ ರಾಷ್ಟ್ರವ್ಯಾಪಿ ಆಂದೋಲನದ ಮೂಲಕ ಮುಕ್ತಗೊಳಿಸಿ ಇದೀಗ ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಮಂದಿರನಿರ್ಮಾಣವೂ ನಡೆದಿರುವುದು ಒಂದು ಇತಿಹಾಸಾರ್ಹ ಘಟನೆ.
ಕೆಲವು ಶತಾಬ್ದಗಳಿಂದ ವಿವಿಧ ಕಾರಣಗಳಿಂದಾಗಿ ಅತಿಮಾರ್ದವವನ್ನು ರೂಢಿಸಿಕೊಂಡಿದ್ದ ಹಿಂದು ಸಮಾಜ ಕಾಲಧರ್ಮ ಅಪೇಕ್ಷಿಸಿದಂತೆ ಈಗ ಕ್ಷಾತ್ತ್ರರವನ್ನು ಮರಳಿ ಪಡೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಿರುವುದರ ಸಂಕೇತವೂ ಇದಾಗಿದೆ.
Bhāratavarṣa, the geographical expression of the Hindu civilisation, has been undergoing an unprecedented transformation since the last decade. In several realms, the transformation appears to be rapid and it has occurred before our own eyes.