Literature

DVG was deeply rooted in the philosophical tradition of India. Dharma as a concept was of absorbing interest to him. It engaged his energy throughout his life. In a sense, he was wedded to dharma. It is so constant a feature of his writings that we may consider it his idée fixe, albeit in a positive sense. His exposition of dharma alongside kindred concepts such as rta, satya, sattva, rajas, and tamas is a worthy contribution to Indian philosophical thought.

Story 15

22. Trivikramasena heaved the corpse onto his shoulder for the fifteenth time and began to walk. The vetāla began to narrate yet another story:-

Story 12

19. Trivikramasena took the corpse on his shoulder for the twelfth time and started to walk. The vetāla  began to narrate another story:-

DVG never lost an opportunity to express his views on public affairs. To this end, he contributed to the leading periodicals of the country for many decades. In a popular article titled Thoughts on Republic Day, he mused on several important issues that plagued post-Independence India. He made a distinction between an ‘excited hour’ and an ‘average day’ and urged the leaders to promote moral integrity:

Story 9

19. Vikramasena carried the vetāla for the ninth time on his back. The vetāla started narrating yet another story –

DVG was a person of the people. His spectrum of contacts extended between the extremes of traditional scholars and true-blue Marxists. Long-standing interaction with a wide variety of people had provided him a window into the recesses of social life that usually remain unnoticed. His prodigious learning in political philosophy and statecraft contributed to his insight into world affairs. All this put together enabled him to see communism for what it is even when it was at an incipient stage in India.

Story 7

King Trivikramasena, for the seventh time, heaved the corpse onto his shoulder and set out. The vetāla started narrating another tale:

DVG’s exposition of the philosophical footing of citizenship allures us by its timeless fragrance. Hearing him speak on this subject is like lending our ears to Bhagavan Chanakya, Svami Vidyaranya, or Svami Vivekananda:

Story 5

12. For the fifth time, king Trivikramasena took the corpse upon his shoulder and started to walk. The vetāla began to narrate another story:-

Long ago, Ujjainī was ruled by a king called Puṇyasena. He had a minister named Harisvāmī who had a son Devasvāmī and a daughter Somaprabhā. When Somaprabhā came of age, she told her parents and elder brother that she would only marry someone who was either valorous or wise or a man of science.

Mallinātha has made some insightful observations in commenting on this verse. According to him, there were pictures in the mansion of various episodes from the time that Rāma and Sītā spent in the forest. Among them were paintings that depicted Sītā’s abduction, Rāma’s lament, his search for Sītā, and so on. When Rāma and Sītā looked at these and mulled over the episodes once again, they were neither sad nor disturbed; instead, they were happy.