DVG’s Sri Ramaparikshanam has attempted to examine and analyse the various strands of difficult questions related to Dharma by creating imaginary conversations that Sri Rama has between Ahalya, Sita, Lakshmana and other important characters. Although Sri Rama is a Puranic person, he is placed in the human world and his various accomplishments and sorrows are brought out in this work.
For years on end, DVG kept refusing the requests from the public and government for honouring and felicitating him. Without waiting for even a moment, DVG rejected the pension that the government voluntarily offered him.
Lakṣmīnarasiṃha Śāstri was immensely fond of his students. Addressing those who were with him for a long time, he used to say: “Having students such as you all, I can happily teach Gauḍādi-gauḍānta Vedānta.”
Though Srinivasa Sastri often claimed it as an excuse, he did not lack knowledge about the Rāmāyaṇa at all. He went through the original Rāmāyaṇa in Sanskrit again and again and perhaps he did so all through the day. As he went through the original version of the Epic composed by Vālmīki, he grew curious to see how the other poets had described the same episodes. He would immediately call out for his wife.
“Lakshmi! Read out what Kamban has written in the context of this incident. Let me hear it out”
The source of inspiration for all of DVG’s life-work was the deep bonding he had forged with society. This bond was not something that was imposed on him externally; it was part of his bloodstream.
Śrī Navīnam Veṅkaṭeśa Śāstri had supplied several sets of logical refinement to Brahma-sūtras, which were not seen in extant commentaries thereon. Because of this, the moniker ‘Navīnam’ came to be associated with him. Vidvān Śeṣācala Śarmā insisted Lakṣmīnarasiṃha Śāstri to collate his Guru’s logical refinements in the form of notes and prepare them for publication. But he never gave his mind to this job.
I have mentioned earlier that VS Srinivasa Sastri’s love and devotion for the Rāmāyaṇa was something he inherited from his forefathers. During one of his long stays in Bangalore, his close friend M. Venkataranga Rao, a native of the Andhra region, happened to visit him. One evening, Srinivasa Sastri, his friend Venkataranga Rao and I set out towards the Nandi Hills in a car. I am going to narrate an incident that took place in this short trip –
The foundational pillar of DVG’s fearless attitude was his characteristic transparency and abstinence from seeking anything. At no point in his life did he use his extraordinary political and social influence for personal benefit.