Profiles

The Mysore People’s Convention that convened in Bangalore in December 1919 under the aegis of the Mysore Representative Assembly was largely the result of DVG’s enthusiasm. More than three hundred eminent people hailing from various parts of Karnataka attended the Convention. Some names include M. Venkatakrishnayya, C. Narasimhayya and B. Narasinga Rao, from Mysore, C. Srinivasa Rao and Vasudeva Rao from Chickmagalur, S.R. Balakrishna Rao, K. Shankaranarayana Rao, and C. Subba Rao from Shimoga, S. Venkateshayya and Nanjundayya from Hassan, C.B. Gopala Rao, T. Srinivasachar, and M.S.

Disseminating Dharma

Organizer of Society

One of the vows of DVG’s life was to infuse dynamism in society. He made one or the other attempt in this direction for about fifty or sixty years.

Śri Ḍoṅgre Vīreśvara Śāstri who hailed from Maharashtra was Lakṣmīnarasiṃha Śāstri’s classmate during one of the batches. In later years, he served in various institutions in a number of capacities: in Andhra Pradesh, as professor of Vedic exegesis; in the Sanskrit section of Deccan College in Pune, as a senior scholar; and in the Pāṭhaśālā established by Svadharma-svarājya-saṅgha in Hyderabad, as professor. Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha based in Tirupati honoured him with the title ‘Mahāmahopādhyāya.’ He passed away on 14.08.2001.

Around 1914-1915, when Visvesvaraya was the Diwan, Hariyanna, who was a trader in the wholesale market (Mandi), was appointed by the government to the Legislative Council.

In those days, I wasn't well acquainted with Mandi Hariyanna. I had heard that he was a big businessman and a very respectable person. I had also gone to him a few times seeking donations for some public cause. Then it was imprinted in me that he was a great man.

Beauty in his Words

Even if a minor grammatical mistake in the English language fell on Sastri’s ears, he would react as though he was gravely wounded on his body. He was very particular about the right pronunciation of English words too. Suppose an English word has two to three syllables, there is going to be a stress on one of those and this is called accent. Sastri was always particular about getting the accents right.

When the world-renowned scholar, India-aficionado, and multifaceted expert on various art forms, Ananda Coomaraswamy was asked to deliver a message regarding India’s independence, this is the note he wrote from America: “Be yourselves. Tread on the path showed by Mahatma Gandhi, Kumarappa, D.V. Gundappa and Ramana Maharshi.”

Public Organisations

The public meeting that took place towards the end of 1919 was organized by D.V.G. In the South Indian Princely States Conference held in 1929 in Travancore, D.V.G was the secretary to its president, Sir M. Visvesvaraya.

In the People’s Conference of South Indian States held in May 1925 in Pune, in the All India States People’s Representative Conference held in December 1927 in Mumbai, and on numerous such occasions, D.V.G’s opinions were sought and discussed.

In 1931, Lakṣmīnarasiṃha Śāstri joined the Pāṭhaśālā in this Maṭha for higher studies. He was then eighteen years of age. The background of this Pāṭhaśālā requires mention.

शुद्धाद्वैतपथस्य पालनकृते पूर्वं त्वया स्थापित-

स्थानेष्वन्यतमस्थशिष्यततिगस्तत्कार्यकृत्यक्षमः।

अज्ञानां धुरि कीर्तनीयचरितो नाद्यापि विद्यालय-

स्तस्मात्स्थानमिदं गुरूत्तम कृपावार्धे त्वमेवाश्रय॥

यद्वा दुर्मतभेदपाटववतीं मेधां नवोन्मेषिणीं