April 2019

Bellave
A Conspiracy There was a conspiracy against Venkatanaranappa when he was serving as the Physics lecturer at the Central College. Venakatanarappa’s promotion was due, but an ambitious colleague desirous of promotion proved to be an obstacle. Every day, the colleague made it a habit—a hobby, rather!—to stand by the window of the classroom in which Venkatanaranappa taught, listening to the class; he waited for an opportunity to catch a...
Gandhi with Charka
Any discussion about Rama Rajya in the context of the previous century of India’s history will be incomplete without objectively examining the role of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. In the present context, this examination becomes more crucial for significant reasons. Both Gandhi and DVG were contemporaries; the former was senior to DVG by eighteen years. Both contributed to the freedom struggle. While Gandhi was a freedom fighter in the commonly...
ViduraNeeti
Vidura first elucidated upon the qualities of a scholar and the differences between the wise and the foolish. A wise man always does what is good for himself and to the society. He gives up condemnable activities. He is devoted to his work and lives a disciplined life. He sacrifices not basic human values and the puruṣārthas at the cost of anger, joy, shame, arrogance, ego, or obstinacy. None can understand the depth of his personality and his...
Art experience is essentially personal. It never demands external attestation. It differs from person to person, taking shape based on their attitude and saṃskāra. Poetic criticism, therefore, can never find consensus. There is a popular saying, “loko bhinnaruciḥ,” “tastes differ.” I’m afraid it is only half a statement. Here is the other half: to a certain extent there does exist a natural consensus among us. This is perhaps due to the common...
I am of the firm opinion that a devoted study of literature is ātmasaṃskāraka—it refines us from within. The poet reveals in a suggestive manner the extent of our desires, strengths, and frailties. His world is one full of natural splendour: its current cleanses our character, its sunlight helps blossom the flower of our heart and bring out its fragrance, a mere touch of its wind transforms our bones into iron posts. To bring about such a...
Career as a Teacher   John Cook, who was impressed with Venkatanaranappa’s dedication to studies and his ethical outlook, appointed him as a lecturer soon after he procured his BA degree. The following is an incident that took place when he worked as a lecturer. B V Rama Iyengar was a student of Venkatanaranappa and he later happened to be the Chief Forest Officer. One day, during one of his lectures, Venkatanaranapa spotted Rama Iyengar...
Sri Rama Rajya
DVG’s essay titled Rama Rajya  is the fitting finale and the crowning glory of his monumental, semi-academic work, Rajyashastra[1] (Statecraft/Politics) meant for a general audience. This essay touches the upper echelons of pure political philosophy akin to the precision of the tip of a finely-sharpened pencil. While defining completeness (or fulfilment) as one of the vital characteristics of Rama Rajya , DVG simultaneously clarifies that this...
Accordingly, Sañjaya went to Upaplavya to meet the Pāṇḍavas. He was welcomed with great respect and was treated with dignity. He inquired about their well-being and exchanged pleasantries. He conveyed Dhṛtarāṣṭra’s message of peace to the assembly, which consisted of the Pāṇḍavas, the Srañjayas, Kṛṣṇa, Sātyakī, Virāṭa, and several others. He requested them not to pave way for a destructive war.   Yudhiṣṭhira explained that he had no heart to...
            Poetry concerns itself with the activities of our inner world. It paints in a motion picture the blossoming of our heart. It sheds light on those aspects of human life—regardless of their significance—that generally escape our attention. The poet’s eye is a veritable camera lens that captures in minute detail the attributes of everything it focuses on. The mirror of his heart reflects those forms and features of objects toward which...
ஒவ்வொரு சமூகமும் அவர்கள் வாழும் அந்தந்த தேசகாலங்களுக்கு தகுங்தாற்போல வாழ்வின் முக்கியமான கட்டங்களை தேர்வு செய்து கொள்கின்றன. ஒருவரது வாழ்க்கைப் பயணம் என்பது அவர் பிறப்புக்குமுன் தொடங்கி, வாழ்நாள் முழுதும் தொடர்ந்து, மரணித்த பின்பு வரையுங்கூட தொடர்கிறது என்பதே அனைவருக்கும் பொதுவான விதி. தமக்கென சந்ததி வேண்டும் என ஒரு தம்பதி கருதுவதால், கருவாக ஒரு குழந்தை உதயமாகிறது. கருத்தரித்தபின் ஊசிநுனியைவிட பதினைந்து மடங்கு அளவு குறைவிலான, ஒரு அங்குலத்தின்...