Profiles

Reiteration

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”

Deep Bonding with Society

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.

Passion for Rāmāyaṇa

 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.

Albion Rajkumar Banerjee was a Bengali by origin. His father, Devavrata Sasipada Banerji, used to be the chief of a branch of the Brahmo Samaj. A. R. Banerjee’s wife was the daughter of the eminent personage Sir Krishna Govinda Gupta. Sir Gupta was a member of the Secretary of State’s Council of India in London; an extremely capable and respected individual.

A R Banerjee was born in England. That’s why the word ‘Albion,’ indicative of the place (Great Britain), was included in his name.

“On one occasion Vidvān Anantakṛṣṇa Śāstri (a towering scholar of the league of Navīnam Veṅkaṭeśa Śāstri) began to pose a series of questions to him. Lakṣmīnarasiṃha Śāstri answered them all with great conviction, confidence, and mastery. Anantakṛṣṇa Śāstri was visibly impressed—he patted his back and gave his blessings. This brought unbound happiness to the Jagadguru. Scholars present there exclaimed with joy.”

‘Prāktana-vimarśana-vicakṣaṇa’[1] ‘Mahāmahopādhyāya’[2] ‘Rao Bahadur’[3] R Narasimhacharya was a close relative of S G Narasimhacharya. I remember to have first seen him during the period 1914–15. I was familiar with his name, however, about fourteen to fifteen years earlier. At that time, I had read both the volumes of R Narasimhacharya’s Nīti-mañjarī.

There was no dearth of humorous instances during the Sunday study circle. Besides, it was not in DVG’s nature to waste a single opportunity that afforded a humorous element in it.

On one occasion, DVG said in a circumstantial fashion: “If a person is given a name, it has to be appropriate. Look at me for example. It was entirely fitting that I was named Gundappa [in Kananda, Gunda/Gundu literally means ‘round.’].” He pointed to the slim Sri G.N. Joshi, a friend who was present at the gathering and said, “Will it be appropriate if he was named Gundappa?”