BOOK REVIEWS

 

STUDIES IN INDIAN LITERATURE AND PHILOSOPHY: By J.A.B. van Buitenen. Motilal Banarsidass, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi·7. Price Rs. 150/-

 

            Disciple of the famous Orientalist, J. Gonda, the author was a dedicated scholar in many languages, but his special passion was Sanskrit. He worked in India and abroad for twenty-five years and produced several masterpieces of research, translation and criticism in the field of Indian philosophy and literature. He brought to the fore valuable treatises in Visishtadwaita: translation of Ramanuja’s Vedarthasangraha. Agamapramanyam of Yamuna. He made detailed studies in the works of Bhaskara and wrote on the latter’s commentary on the Gita and the Brahmasutras. He loved the Mahabha­rata and translated a half of the epic in five volumes in English (at the rate of thirty double verses daily!).

 

            The present publication is a collection of 27 of his papers that appeared in 14 journals in the course of 25 years. They cover interpretations of key phrases in the Upanishads, e.g., mahan atma, concepts in the Veda, themes of importance in the Samkhya, observations on the Indian treatment of dramatic art.

 

            His study of the Maitrayaniya Upanishad in which he separates the original prose core from later additions and expansions and explains its heterogeneous character is highly regarded.

 

            This is a work of importance to students of Indology at higher level and scholars in our universities should take note of it. The writings are notable for their spirit of enquiry, earnest scholarship – in fact models of research in our ancient texts.

–M. P. PANDIT

 

THE SECRET OF SELF-TRANSFORMATION: By Rohit Mehta. Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi-7. Price Rs. 60.

 

            The learned author, a recognised exponent of Theosophy and the approach of J. Krishnamurti, analyses the dismal situation in the world today brought about by the one-sided development of technology and absence of values in the modern culture. He argues rightly that the key to the solution of the problem lies with the individual. He should forge a synthesis in his own life between Yoga and Tantra. Yoga is the masculine element and Tantra is the feminine. “In Tantra it is Shakti aspect of life that is worshipped signifying its emphasis on the feminine expression of life. Yoga is concerned with the conquest of new realms of being whereas Tantra is concerned with the aspect of consolidation, for it is the mother or the feminine aspect that looks after consolidation of the movement of life.”

 

            The author explains how – while Yoga embodies the perception of the higher mind, Tantra is the process by which the perception is helped to be actualised. “Tantra and its methods are known as the operation of Kriyashakti in the ancient Indian lore even as Yoga denoted the operation of Icchashakti, the formative power of thought and the directive power of consciousness.” (P. 105)

 

            It is interesting to follow Dr. Mehta in his analysis of the contents of the Patanjala Sutras in terms of Yoga and Tantra. According to him the first four steps of the Ashtanga Yoga refer to Tantra and the last three to Yoga. Pratyahara is the meeting place of both. One may not agree, but the discussion is stimulating.

 

            To conclude: “In the co-existence of Tantra and Yoga we see this miracle of movement in the midst of stillness. The move­ment is stillness and the stillness is movement, the wave is the particle and the particle is the wave. The secret of self-transforma­tion is indicated by the Dancing Shiva in whose dance, movement and still exist together”.

 

–M. P. PANDIT

 

FOLK TALES OF PONDICHERY: By P. Raja. Sterling Publi­shers (P) Ltd, Green Park Extension, New Delhi-16. Price Rs. 60.

 

            This collection of tales, nearly thirty in all, is a very good contribution to the study of Indian civilization. This ancient land of ours has been famous for an ocean of stories, the Katha-Sarit-Sagar and many of them, it is said, went through Arabia to the western world. Again the Panchatantra another good source of stories has often included the animal kingdom along with humans as subjects for teaching us to live in peace with others and educate ourselves to be wise and practical in life.

 

            In that same way we find here the tales bearing us much of cleverness, wit and wisdom. The one distinction these tales possess from the others is the fact that they are not didactic in giving lessons. They end like modern ones avoiding any apparent objective to disclose. Still as pieces of stories they draw much attention by the interesting points of narration and detail involving real suspense and story interest. Each one engages the reader for its naive simplicity though at the same time they sometimes provide profound observations of life. ‘The Restless Waves’ is a story for instance which ends with a deep poetic thought. On the whole the collection proves how much of a refined civilization should have preceded to have given rise to such imagination and artless art. The author does not forget to remind us of an ordinary person, unlettered and un­taught was the source for him to gather them, and the other in his turn to have also gleaned them from his mother who was totally unfamiliar with any education. One wishes to congratulate the author for the splendid service he has done in reminding us of the rich heritage we have inherited from the past.

 

–K. CHANDRASEKHARAN

 

CHAMPAKLAL: LION OF LIGHT AND LOVE: By Madu­sudan Reddy. Aurodarsan Trust, Hyderabad, Price Rs. 35.

 

            Champklal C. Purani, though little known to the outside world, is familiar to devotees of Sri Aurobindo as one of his oldest and most eminent disciples. This small book has been written by Pro­fessor Madhusudan Reddy as both a personal, loving, and worshipful tribute and as a sort of spiritual biography.

 

            I find this book extremely interesting for several reasons. First of all, here is a glimpse into the life of a great devotee, convincingly portrayed as a realized soul, a treat for those who delight in reading such accounts. The book has been written with a great deal of faith and love and hence it provides an “authentic” flavour of spiritual life. Also, for the fist time, an attempt, is made to celebrate, if not apotheosize, the life of a devotee of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Earlier, Professor Reddy had written a similar book on another great devotee, Nolini Kanta Gupta. But this book is more suffused with devotion than the other. However, the point is that an attempt is being made to extend the genealogy of Sri Aurobindo and the Mother to some of their chosen disciples, somewhat similar to the symbolism used to describe Swami Vivekanada and Swami Brahmananda as the spiritual heirs to Sri Ramakrishna. In fact, Prof. Reddy repeatedly calls Champaklal a Vivekananda to Sri Aurobindo. Also, I see the book as a fascinating attempt to reclaim and reinterpret Sri Aurobindo’s thought in traditional Indian terms. This is done by looking into the past Avataras of the Master and the Devotee and by using traditional Hindu symbolism in understanding the present phenomenon. For instance, Champaklal is often compared to Hanuman. Is the Sri Aurobindo movement being appropriated and assimilated by traditional Hinduism, soon to be rendered largely indistinguishable from its other modern offshoots such as the Ramakrishna movement or the Ramana Maharshi phenomenon? This is one of the questions that such a book raises.

 

            I only wish the book had more of the “ordinary” biography of Champkalal in it, including a bibliography of the primary and secondary sources on his life. Perhaps, a biographical chapter can be added in a later edition. In conclusion, I whole-heartedly recommend this book as deeply felt, inspired, and compelling account of a spiritual life lived in the contemporary world. It is certainly com­pulsory reading to devotees of Sri Aurobindo and to the students of modern Indian mysticism.

–Dr. MAKARAND R. PARANJAPE

 

THE PLAYS OF ASIF CURRIMBHOY – A Study: By P. Bayapa Reddy. Writers Workshop, Lake Gardens, Calcutta-45. Price: Rs. 100.

 

            One does not hear much of Asif Currimbhoy these days. The ’Eighties have been dry for his creative exuberance. But the ’Sixties and the ’Seventies were good years and Dr. Bayapa Reddy divides Asif’s literary career into two periods: the first, ranging from 1959 to 1968 and the second, from 1969 to 1975. The Tourist Mecca (1959) and The Doldrummers (1960) catapulted him to fame. The Doldrummers portraying the life of the have-nots in the shacks that fringe the elitist Juhu beach was banned by the Government of Maharashtra for a brief while. Asif’s technical brilliance makes the play unforgettable and that is why even the slum “types” ­whores, dropouts, smugglers – quicken to life as remarkable cha­racters. From now on there was no let-up in Asif’s creative vigour till The Alien ... Native Land (1975).

 

            Dr. Bayapa Reddy has taken a total view of Asif’s creative output. Cutting across chronology he divides them as the Bengal Trilogy, the Romantic Plays, the Political Plays, the Social Plays and the Plays of religion and art. This is very helpful in drawing closer to the playwright whose discursive divagations in various themes can make the mass of his works appear as one glaring chaos. The Bengal Trilogy deals with the Naxalite revolt and the refugees from Bangladesh with ferocious realism. Among the romantic plays, This Alien ... Native Land is of particular interest as it deals with an Indian Jewish family. The Jews are eternal immigrants unlike the Parsis who have been able to merge with the psyche of the Indian nation. Goa belongs to the overtly political writings of Asif and retains audience’ interest despite the emotional peregri­nations of the dramatist. This is because the characters are larger than life and represent certain historical and social forces like nationalism and colonialism.

 

            The sensitive side of Asif’s mental make-up can be seen in the subtle satire employed in social plays like The Miracle Seed and The Dissident MLA. Of enduring worth are Asif’s plays on religion and art which are witness to his deep involvement with the Indian tradition. The Dumb Dancer makes use of the kathakali dance to project the tenuous line that divides the world of sanity and the world of make-believe. It is truly Asif’s long journey into night along with the chief characters, Bhima, Prema and Dilip.

 

            Drama is the weakest link in Indian writing in English. It is good that Dr. Bayapa Reddy has chosen to study with care a significant Indo-Anglian dramatist and produced a volume of depen­dable scholarship.

 

–DR. PREMA NANDAKUMAR

 

RE-IFICATIONS (A collection of verse): By M.V.S. Sarma. Srinivasa Publications, Assam Gardens, Visakhapatnam - 530020.

 

            This is a collection of sixteen poems in honour of the enligh­tened director of Visakhapatnam Steel Project Sri K.V. Sangame­swaran. The first poem “Re-iftcations” is remarkable for its fresh imagery. The rest of the poems do not make an easy reading, mainly because of the not-easily-traceable allusions to the Indian and Western myths. The poem entitled “Benares” and another poem called “A scene from Welfare” reveal the poet’s social awareness and sense of contemporary reality.

DR. G. SRIRAMA MURTY

 

POETIC EFFORTS: By Sheik Salar, Lecturer, Government Chittoor dist. A.P.

 

            “Poetic efforts” is the modest title the .Author has chosen for the bunch of poems composed by him. There are thirty pieces in this volume composed on a variety of topics such as, Cycle Rickshaw Puller, Beedi workers, Baby, Mother, Language and Modern Poetry. The feelings expressed are genuine, though not deep and intense. Though the poet is a Muslim by faith, his thought is entirely free form religious bias. The writes with equal ease on Taj Mahal and Tirupati. It is also interesting to observe that at a time most of our poets are playing sedulous ape to Ezra Pound and T.S. Eliot, he opts for simple and sensuous poetry. This is a poetry of statement. Parallelism and wit characterise his style. The naked poverty of Indian women, and Beedi workers in parti­cular, wring his heart, though his pity and angst are smothered by his wit. Of a Beedi worker, he says “their life is a spittoon in the social cosmos”. Of the Indian wife, he observes: “The naked­ness of poverty/is her birth right/in life after life”. In Modern English Poetry he avers that communication suffers while intellect blocks passion.

 

            Durrel’s private country Eliot’s/public world, Gorgans, haunting to turn us/into intellectual albatrosses/Readers and poets meet as/often/As do asymptote and hyperbole”.

 

            Poetry, certainly, is not mathematics. Though the author seems to have a good grip over conventional metrics, somehow, fails to achieve formal perfection in these first poetic efforts.

DR. G. SRIRAMA MURTY

 

GANDHI AND OTHER POEMS: by Krishnan Kullar. Sankaleem Prakasham, Rajguru Marg, New Delhi - 55. Price: Rs. 20.

 

            Krishan Kullar’s third volume of poetry, Gandhi and other poems is another name for delight. A collection of poems of absor­bing interest, it sweeps us off our feet. Verbal beauty, technical virtuosity and a high order of imagination make it a thing of beauty, and unbounded joy of particular import in his umistakable touch of Indianness. The poet’s intimate knowledge of Sanskrit and English literatures stands him in good stead and lends a unique hue to his poetry. We rarely come across such delightful poetry outside the great and acknowledged masters of literature in East and west. The poem “Plus Minus” is a beautiful transcreation of the Upanishadic muse. The “Godless” Bulgaria does not repel him. On the other hand, he finds it a land to love and live in “Do you believe in God?” he asks and continues, “Do you know Him? / Will you find where He is? / Tell him/we are fine in Bulgaria we are busy. Enraptured, he chants like a devotee of Lord Krishna who avers that everything about the Lord of Mathura is all Mathu (Sweet):” Beautiful women and men/Beautiful children and babies/Beauty incarnate in Bulgaria. Of his felicitous play on words, we give but one example:

 

            Forbear an age to bear a life

            Forsake my name for sake of thine,

            Suffer a lot to make thy lot,

            Thine is thine and all that is mine.

 

            This is a house of multi-storyed beauty. It is a book to be read again and again. It deserves not only high praise, but also a prize.

DR. G. SRIRAMA MURTY

 

TAMIL NOOLGALIL, TAMIL MOZHI. TAMIL INAM. TAMIL NADU: By Dr. P. Krishnan, Ilantamilar Padippakam, 28, 2nd Medley Street. T’Nagar. Madras - 17. Price: 40.

 

            Guided by the mass of available knowledge on the subject, Dr. Krishnan presents a logical thesis on Tamil Language, Race and Nation as Seen in Tamil Literature and argues that it was the Tamil language that built the idea of a Tamil nation. During the Sangham age power was in the hands of the rulers and hence the language identified itself with the loves and wars of chieftains and kings. Later on, religion held widespread sway over the populace. The language placed itself at the service of Saivism, Vaishnavism, Bud­dhism and Jainism. And then came a time when the aesthetic urges of the people made literature their favourite pastime. This was when the Tamil language blossomed into various literary masterpieces. Be it regal paraphernalia or religious faith or literary sensibility, it was the Tamil language that gave the particular phase its power and glory.

 

            As for the oft-repeated ethnic differentiation between Aryans and Dravidians, this seems to have been present even during the time of Silappadhikaram. It is possible that Tirunavukkarasar, the Saiva hymnologist, equated Brahmins with Aryans. Probably the seeds of the Dravidian movement of this century should be traced to the classical age itself. And when Sanskrit appeared to overrun Tamil culture (there was after all, no Tamil literature to equal Bhasa, Bhavabhuti and King Mahendravarman in popularity) the Tamil genius opened the flood gates of devotional poetry (the hymm of the Alwars and the Nayannars) and incidentally propagated the Tamil nation idea. Again and again these poets speak with pride that they are writing in the Tamil language. The commentators who followed them described these hymns as the Tamil scripture.

 

            The social and political importance given to the language ultimately led to the Tamil Nation idea though geographically the land was divided between various kingdoms and races like the Cheras, the Cholas, the Pandyas, the Pallavas and the Kalabhras. It was the Tamil language and Tamil culture that mattered not some administrative set-up. To reinforce his argument, Dr. Krishnan brings in the Acharya Hruddyam, (13th century), a Vaishnava classic written by Azhakiya Manavala Perumal Nayanar. The Achwya Hrudayam refers to Tamil as ancient, as the language of the South, as the tongue of the Dravidians, as “Agasthiyam”. The complete faith and love exhibited by one group of Vaishnavas for the Tamil scripture, the Divya Prabhandham of the Alwars seems to have been at the root of the schism that has divided the community into Tenkalai and Vadakalai down the centuries.

 

            Packed with matter like explicatory notes, statistics and a good bibliography, Dr. Krishnan’s book is a meaningful addition to the library of Tamil literary criticism.

 

–PREMA NANDAKUMAR

 

DIVYAPRABANDHATRAYI: With the Commentary Trayisara in Telugu Price: Rs. 5.

MIRAMADHURI: By Dr. T. Pandu Ranga Rao. Price: Rs. 6.

DIVYA PRABANDHAMADHURI: By Sri Charana Renu. Price: RS. 4.

TAMISLOKI with Telugu Translation: By C. Yenkata Ramanuja Sarma. Price: Rs. 8.

 

PUBLISHERS: GODA Grandhamala, Musunuru, Krishna District. Andhra Pradesh.

 

            We have in the four works under review four delicious dishes filled with nectar of devotion for the delectable enjoyment of devotees in general, and Vaishnavites in particular. The first work is a collection of three devotional lyrics – “Tirumala”, “Amala Nadipiran” and “Kanninun Siruttambu” in Tamil language snug by three Alwars, Sri Tondapadippadu, Tiruppana. and Madhura kavi. The first two are in praise of Sri Ranganatha and the third one in praise of Nammaluary the author of the four famous Divya Prabandhas” “Tiruvayimoli”, etc. Original Tamil text in Telugu script is followed by word for word meaning in Telugu and an elucidative Telugu commentary thereon containing here and there parallel quotations from other works in Telugu and Sanskrit. Brief life sketches of the three Alwars also are given.

 

            The second book is worth its weight in gold. It contains thirty selected songs of Mira the well-known devotee in Rajasthani language mixed with Vraja and Gujarati languages. These songs are here classified according to the nature of their contents under five heads “Anandam” (beauty), “Anuragam” (love and attachment), “Avedana” (Agony), “Atmiyata” (Kindredness) and “Anandam” (Bliss). Original songs in Telugu script are followed by beautiful and soul-stirring elucidation in a charming language, that is sure to take any reader with a heart into raptures. How we wish Sri Panduranga Rao will share his bliss with others by bringing out other Mira’s songs also with his commentary.

 

            The third booklet is a compilation of seven essays, on the sweetness of Divya Prabandhas in Tamil, Alvars and the Divya Prabandha of four thousand verses, Descent of Dravida Veda, Sweetness of Sri Sathakopa maharshi’s poetry, “Yakula bhushana Nayaki” (Nammalvar). “Shasragiti” and its message and “Kandinun Sirittambu” a lyric written by Madhurakavi Alvar. This book is a nice introduction to the appreciation of the beauties of the Divya Prabandhas in Tamil language.

 

            The fourth work Sri “Ramayana Tamisloki needs no intro­duction to the readers of Valmiki Ramayana with its commentaries. This is a commentary originally written in Tamil by a great scholar devotee Periavaachambillian, the commentator of the Divya Pra­bandhas in Tamil, on selected verses in Valmiki’s Ramayana. The commentary brings to light many subtleties and suggestions, beauties and niceties embedded in the wording of the slokas. The com­mentary on one verse “Aham Vedmi mahatmanam” in the Balakanda runs into twenty pages. It may be pointed out here that some editions of Ramayana claim to contain this Tanisloki commen­tary also but they do not. For instance the commentary here on “aham Vedmi” and some other verses is not found therein under the head Tanisloki, though some of the points herein mentioned may be found in other Commentaries. It is in View of this fact also that we value this publication as priceless. Long ago one C.V. Ramanuja Sharma translated this commentary on 25 verses, it is said, into Telugu and published it. It is out of print. All credit goes now to the Gada Grandhamala for printing this again. But this work contains the commentary on 13 slokas only. The readers naturally eagerly await the publication of the remaining work also. We learn from other sources that the verse “Tapassvaadhyaaya niratam” also is commented upon by this same commentator. It is not included here. Similarly there may be many omissions. Hence we appeal to the publishers to unravel the original commentary in Tamil in manuscript form, get it translated into Telugu, publish it, enrich the Telugu literature and earn the gratitude of all Andhras.

 

–B.K. SASTRY

 

SATISMRITI, BHAVA VEECHIKALU: By D.V. RAMANAIAH, VENKATARAMAPURAM, NELLORE-1. Price: Rs. 10/- and 10/-

 

            Satismriti is a compendium of three poetic pieces, an elegy in memory of the poet’s wife (with its English version), a translation of Kalidasa’s Meghasandesam, (Mabbukabbam) and few lesser writings. The elegy is poignant and philosophical. The translation of Meghasandesa is true to original and meticulously recreates the lyrical nuances of the original in fine Telugu verses. kalharamala, a bunch of lesser writings, reflect the various moods of the poet. Bhavaveechikalu contains fifty-nine small poetic pieces on a variety of subjects mostly in verse libre holding mirror to the society around us. Altogether an enjoyable poetic fare.

–DR. DHARA RAMANADHA SASTRY

 

SHORT STORIES: By Meera Ba!asubrahmanyan ‘Writers’, Work­shop, Lake Gardens, Calcutta - 45. Price: Rs. 20.

 

            The short story in India has now grown in its dimensions. Ever so many types of writing are daily seeing the ‘light of’ day in regional languages and English in magazines and in separate collections. Sometimes a new trend is also visible in themes not pos­sessing much of a thought for reflection yet satisfying by the mere breezy stuff of dialogue reaching no very impressive art of story telling. Often the objective of realism seizes upon the writer like a vice and he no longer hesitates to stray into pedestrian material for a theme. There are others who retain the idea of a purpose for the story either by way of reforming social and economic life around or plunge into the working of the human mind when faced with domestic or public problems. On the whole the short story becomes one, only when the “something” of imagination proves its reign successfully.

 

            Here are thirteen short stories written with an aim conducive to enrichment of the art. Natural domestic setting gains its value when the subject of treatment presents figures of homely kind moving before us as normally as we would be familiar with. Still, the psychology contained strikes us not so ordinary or uneventful to pass on without noticing its significance to us. Starting with Birds have Wings, –a very normal incident of a home when a married daughter leaves for another place to live with her husband, how the mother’s heart goes on revolving the many changes likely to happen and the incidental pain of a doting heart are portrayed in subdued colours so as not to make the effects of a tragedy nor as unprecedented to happen in a particular context. Again, the last story An Article on Indian Women lifts us as we close a beautiful book, to a plane where we experience the dichotomy, between precept and practice occurring in every mind prone to be righteous of making the world more safe for others.

 

            It is a good collection worth its publication, to readers with a desire to find smooth English and sincere writing.

–K. CHANDRASEKHARAN

 

BIOSYMPHONY: By Dr. S. Sanjeeva Dev Published by Kanti Kunja, Tenali. A.P. Price Rs. 40.

 

            The book is a lotus of seven petals, impregnated with literary fragrance, colour, symphony of diction and the outspreading of aesthetic radiance. Biosymphony is an ensemble of abstract and metaphysical thoughts that propelled the author into balanced articulation. His characteristic style is marked by the contours of dictional balance and cadences in presenting philosophic thoughts and metaphysical concepts. All the while the reader is drawn to read, think and re-read the sentences and passages. The flow of thoughts lead the reader up-hill and down the dale. The author is a painter of colourful landscapes, seascapes and hillscapes. The colour symphony is dazzling, in his writing.

 

            In this book, Vedic and Upanishadic spiritual thoughts are reflected in the mirrors of the modern occidental scientific, tech­nological and metaphysical ideas. One is led through those media to the heights of oriental ultimate concepts. This is a book for the elite, interested in philosophy and metaphysics.

–YEN. YES. KAY

 

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