December 2017

The two children who were born to Satyavatī passed away at a young age. Satyavatī was saddened, thinking about her responsibility towards the lineage of her parents and husband. She called Bhīṣma and said, “O Bhīṣma! As you see, King Śantanu’s lineage has ended with you. You’re well-versed in the Vedas and the Vedāṅgas; you also have a good understanding of dharma. So I repose faith in you and will tell you something; you should carry out my...
ಆ ಕಾಲದ ಕವಿಗಳ ರೀತಿ-ನೀತಿಗಳು, ವಿವಿಧಕಲೆ-ಕ್ರೀಡೆಗಳ ವಿವರಗಳು, ವೈದಿಕ-ಲೌಕಿಕವೈಭವ-ವಿಶೇಷಗಳು ಮತ್ತಿತರ ಅನೇಕಸ್ವಾರಸ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ನೋರಿಯವರು ತಮ್ಮ ಈ ಕಾದಂಬರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹದವರಿತು ಬೆಸೆದಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಶ್ರೀನಾಥನ ಹೆಂಡತಿಯ ತಮ್ಮನೊಬ್ಬನಿದ್ದ. ದುಗ್ಗನನೆಂಬುದು ಆತನ ಹೆಸರು. ಇವನೂ ತೆಲುಗುಕವಿ. “ನಾಚಿಕೇತೂಪಾಖ್ಯಾನ”ವೆಂಬ ಕಾವ್ಯವನ್ನು ಇವನು ಬರೆದಿದ್ದಾನೆ. ಪೋತನನು ಈ ದುಗ್ಗನನ ಸ್ನೇಹಿತ ಹಾಗೂ ಶ್ರೀನಾಥನ ಹೆಂಡತಿಗೆ ಪ್ರೀತಿಯ ಸೋದರಸದೃಶನೆಂದು ನೋರಿಯವರು ಕಲ್ಪಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಇವರೆಲ್ಲ ಶ್ರೀನಾಥನಿಗಿಂತ ಇಪ್ಪತ್ತಿಪ್ಪತ್ತೈದು ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಗೆ ಚಿಕ್ಕವರು. ಕವಿಯಾಗಬೇಕೆಂಬ...
Consistency and irony When Odysseus heads towards the city of Ithaca at first in the disguise of a beggar, stray dogs which are unfamiliar with him start barking and attacking him. He is rescued by the swineherd Eumaeus (O. B14). However, on the following day, as he heads towards his palace in disguise, his pet dog Argus identifies its master through smell and sound, even from a distance “….And a dog that lay there raised his head and pricked up...
ಅಸಮದಲಿ ಸಮತೆಯನು ವಿಷಮದಲಿ ಮೈತ್ರಿಯನು । ಅಸಮಂಜಸದಿ ಸಮನ್ವಯ ಸೂತ್ರ ನಯವ ॥ ವೆಸನಮಯ ಸಂಸಾರದಲಿ ವಿನೋದವ ಕಾಣ್ಬ । ರಸಿಕತೆಯೆ ಯೋಗವಲೊ - ಮಂಕುತಿಮ್ಮ ॥ To find equality in disparity, harmony in oddities, A gentle strand of reconciling strife, To find joy in the melancholy of worldly existence – This attitude of refined taste verily is Yoga – Mankutimma Given the vast expanse of his work, the sweep of his accomplishments, and the elevating quality of his entire life...
Among the enduring myths in which the Dravidianists repose unshakeable faith, the story of the Evil Kalabhras stands foremost. So, who were the Kalabhras? The answer from the pristine-pure Dravidian scholarship says that they were a race who robbed everything that belonged to the Tamils including their very Tamil-ness (Tamil identity), and plunged the Tamil Country into a Dark Age. But when Dr. B G L Swamy asked the “pure Tamils” and the “...
In 1957, the Central Government constituted a commission under the leadership of renowned linguist Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterji. Great scholars like Dr. V Raghavan, Panditaraja V S Ramachandra Shastri, and Prof. S K De were its members. The findings of mega report – comprising more than three hundred pages prepared by the committee after travelling to the nooks and corners of the country for a year, consulting hundreds of institutions and...
Kavi_Sarva_Bowmudu_medium_1.jpg KAVI SARVABHAUMUDU “ಕವಿಸಾರ್ವಭೌಮುಡು” ಒಂದು ಚಿಕ್ಕ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ. ಇದರ ಕಾಲ ಹದಿನೈದನೆಯ ಶತಮಾನ. ಇಲ್ಲಿಯ ಕಥೆಯ ಘಟನಾವಧಿ ಸುಮಾರು ಆರು ತಿಂಗಳು (ಪುಷ್ಯಮಾಸದಿಂದ ಜ್ಯೇಷ್ಠಮಾಸದವರೆಗೆ). ನೋರಿಯವರ ಎಲ್ಲ ಕಾದಂಬರಿಗಳಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಇತಿವೃತ್ತದ ಘಟನಾವಧಿ ಸೀಮಿತವಾಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ; ಆದರ ಈ ಕ್ಷಿಪ್ರಾವಧಿಯಲ್ಲಿಯೇ ಅನೇಕಘಟನೆಗಳು ನಡೆದುಹೋಗಿ ಕಥಾನಕವು ರೋಚಕವಾದ — ಆದರೆ ವಿಶ್ವಾಸಾರ್ಹವಾದ — ಹತ್ತಾರು ತಿರುವುಗಳನ್ನು ಪಡೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತದೆ. ಇದು ಅವರ ಕಥನತಂತ್ರ ಮತ್ತು...
Excessive greed and curiosity kill! Patroclus, who is moved to pity by the words of Nestor and the sight of the causalities on the side of the Achaeans, makes up his mind to enter the battlefield. Although Achilles is hesitant at first, he allows Patroclus to lead the Myrmidons in his armor. He however warns him that he should only fight to defend the Achaean camp and retire as soon as the camp is cleared of the enemies. Patroclus agrees at...
Among Ashoka’s numerous children, Tivra, Mahendra, Kunala, and Jaluka were prominent. The Vāyu and other Purāṇas contain several details about this. Among them, Kunala ruled the kingdom after Ashoka. After his eight-year rule, the next generation took charge. Brihadratha was one among them. Some opine that he was the grandson of Ashoka. However, historical studies reveal otherwise. Samprati Chandragupta was a grandson of Ashoka and his son was...
When Akrura comes to Gokula and invites Krishna to participate in the dhanuryāga, he takes leave of his foster-parents Yashoda and Nandagopa, and goes off with Akrura taking his brother Balarama with him. Even as the brothers enter the city of Mathura, they meet the royal washerman. Krishna and Balarama were honourable guests in Mathura but when they requested the washerman for a pair of clothes, he refused and abused them. Krishna immediately...