March 2019
As lecturer of Sanskrit Literature at the Central College, Sri Chappalli Visweshwara Sastri earned the gratitude and respect of numerous students. His recitation of poetry didn’t have the sweetness of music because he didn’t have a melodious voice. But the style of his expository commentary was illuminative. He would split each word, explain its origin using examples and then drive home the intent and the feeling of the poet thereby. There’s no...
With great delight Arjuna looked at the Kaurava heroes retreating; he bowed his head down and offered his greetings to Grandfather Bhīṣma and Ācārya Droṇa and rode with them for some distance, engaging in casual conversation. Then he paid his respects to Aśvatthāma, Kṛpa, and others by hurling an arrow at them [at their feet]; then he shot an arrow at Duryodhana’s bejewelled crown and tore it apart. Finally, he twanged the string of the Gāṇḍīva...
ನರಸಿಂಹಭಟ್ಟರ ಚಿಂತನಕ್ರಮದ ಇತಿ-ಮಿತಿಗಳು
ಸ್ವಭಾವತಃ ಮಿತಭಾಷಿಗಳೂ ಅಂತರ್ಮುಖರೂ ಆದ ನರಸಿಂಹಭಟ್ಟರು ನಯವಾದರೂ ನಿರ್ದಾಕ್ಷಿಣ್ಯವಾದ ಅಭಿವ್ಯಕ್ತಿಗೆ ತೆತ್ತುಕೊಂಡವರು. ಆದುದರಿಂದ ಅವರ ಮಿತಭಾಷಿತ್ವ ಮತ್ತು ನಿರ್ದಾಕ್ಷಿಣ್ಯಗಳು ಅದೆಷ್ಟೋ ಬಾರಿ ಪ್ರತಿಪಾದ್ಯವಿಚಾರಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಮಿಗಿಲಾಗಿ ಓದುಗರನ್ನು ಎದುರುಗೊಂಡಲ್ಲಿ ಅಚ್ಚರಿಯಲ್ಲ. ಹೀಗಾಗಿ ಈ ಎರಡು ತೊಡಕುಗಳು ಅವರ ಚಿಂತನಗಳನ್ನು ಗ್ರಹಿಸುವಲ್ಲಿ ಜಿಜ್ಞಾಸುಗಳನ್ನು ಸಾಕಷ್ಟು ಕಾಡುತ್ತವೆ. ಇದಕ್ಕೆ “ಭಾರತೀಯಸಂವೇದನೆ: ಸಂವಾದ” ಗ್ರಂಥದ ಅದೆಷ್ಟೋ ಪ್ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯೆಗಳೇ ಸಾಕ್ಷಿ. ಜೊತೆಗೆ ಅತ್ಯಂತಪ್ರೌಢವಾದ...
In the history of the revival of Kannada literature, a few Europeans are among those who ought to be remembered with reverence. Antique jewels of (Kannada) literature were initially brought to light by these venerable Europeans. A few distinguished names among them are Reeve, Garrett, Kittel, Rice, Ziegler. Some of them came as here as Christian missionaries. A few others came as employees of the Government’s Education Department.
We shouldn’t...
Balakrishna Rao
Shankaranarayana Rao’s name brings to mind a close associate of his, namely S.R Balakrishna Rao. Their friendship and affection for each other was so deep that many people considered them as the twins of Shivamogga.
Balakrishna Rao was a very good lawyer. He was of about the same age as Shankaranarayana Rao, I guess. The were like-minded and had similar perception of values in most matters. They were good critics of the...
Tiger’s Mouth
Let’s now return to the marriage hall. It was a festival of five or six days. Whether he went to the marriage hall or to the temple, Sri Chappalli Visweshwara Sastri mixed with great ease and was patient with everybody. He was soft-spoken. A majority of the numerous Vidwans who met him were Madhva Brahmanas. It appears that several episodes related to our Sastras were brought up for discussion. But I couldn’t spot the Tiger’s Mouth...
After this Arjuna told Uttara to take his chariot to where Droṇa was standing; offering his salutations to Droṇa, he said in a serene voice, “Ācārya, we took up the forest exile only after contemplating about our response; you must not get angry with us; I have decided not to fight with you and therefore I request you to make that happen.” Immediately, Droṇa sent out twenty arrows in Arjuna’s direction. Arjuna intercepted all of them midway and...
ಭಟ್ಟರು ಪ್ರತಿಭೆಯನ್ನು ವಿವೇಚಿಸುತ್ತ ಇದು ವಿಶ್ಲೇಷಣೆಗೆ ಎಟುಕದೆ ನಿಲ್ಲುವುದೇ ಭಾರತೀಯಸೌಂದರ್ಯಮೀಮಾಂಸೆಯ ಒಂದು ಸ್ವಾರಸ್ಯಕರಾಂಶವೆಂದು ಗುರುತಿಸಿರುವುದು ಮೆಚ್ಚುವಂತಿದೆ (ಪು. ೧೪೨). ಹೀಗೆಯೇ ನಮ್ಮ ವಿವಿಧಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಕಾರರು ಸೌಂದರ್ಯ ಮತ್ತು ಸೌಂದರ್ಯಮೀಮಾಂಸೆಗಳನ್ನು ಉಪೇಕ್ಷಿಸಿದರೂ ಸೌಂದರ್ಯಮೀಮಾಂಸಕರು ಮಾತ್ರ ಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಗಳನ್ನು ಉಪೇಕ್ಷಿಸಲಿಲ್ಲವೆಂದು ಹೇಳಿರುವುದು ಬೆಲೆಯುಳ್ಳ ಮಾತು (ಪು. ೧೪೩). ಅಂತೆಯೇ ಅಭಿಧಾ-ಲಕ್ಷಣಾ-ವ್ಯಂಜನಾವೃತ್ತಿಗಳನ್ನು ಸ್ಥೂಲ-ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮ-ಸುಂದರಗಳೆಂದು ಗುರುತಿಸಿರುವುದು ಬೋಧಪ್ರದ. ಎಲ್ಲಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಮಿಗಿಲಾಗಿ ಯಾವುದೇ ಕಲಾಕೃತಿಯು...
Complexity of Characters
This selfsame impulse is visible in the characters of Duryodhana and such others in a tangential fashion. Nobody regards Duryodhana and Dusshyasana as fools. There is no dearth of “analysts” or critics who regard Duryodhana as a tragic hero based on the premise that his behavior and actions are natural to his basic character. The dense intensity of blind attachment that pervades a person who is driven by desire and anger...
K Shankaranarayana Rao, an epitome of positive values, is one of my favourite people. I first met him when he was an advocate in Shivamogga. He was not only an excellent lawyer, but was also well known in social circles. In those days, Shivamogga was one of the administrative centres of the Mysore Presidency. All diplomats went there because it was one of the major headquarters after Mysore and Bangalore. People of Shivamogga had a Nagara-sabhā ...