REVIEWS
Mainly Academic: by
Dr. K. R. Srinivasa Aiyengar.
Published by Asia Publishing House,
It
is not often the case that you take a book to read and feel inclination to stop
reading in the middle. The effortlessness in the flow of language is one of the
reasons which lures the reader to turn page after page
without any weariness. Also there is the other reason, that
the contents prove of such unflagging interest not only to the Academician but
to the non-scholar that everything makes useful reading.
Within
three hundred odd pages are collected here, forty addresses delivered by Dr. K.
R. Srinivasa Aiyengar,
during his Vice-Chancellorship of the
There
are indeed passages deserving of special notice to the scholar seeking material
for food for thought. A feeling is left on the reader, who has had the pleasure
of reading some of the late Rt. Hon. Srinivasa Sastri’s speeches in print, to compare them with Dr. Aiyengar’s and entertain a satisfaction that there is a
similarity in the spoken words’ adequacy combined with a moral elevation
permeating them equally.
–K.
CHANDRASEKHARAN
Non-violence and
Aggression: (A study of Gandhi’s moral equivalent of war) by
H. J. N. Horburgh. Published by
There
is a spate of books on Gandhism and Satyagraha but
they serve the purpose of sermons alone. Here is an invaluable book that is
devoted to a study of Satyagraha, its bases, practices and essence. Satyagraha
is herein subjected to an anatomical analysis and its efficacy as a moral
weapon to conquer an aggressor is thoroughly examined and established. As a
study it is thorough and critical. Every chapter in this is an essay perfect
both in form and content. It is a great treat to the intellectuals. It is an
exhaustive commentary on a few important sayings of Gandhiji
on Satyagraha, and an informative and educative text-book to students of
political thought. Emanating from the facile pen of a senior lecturer in the
department of moral philosophy in the
War,
the author establishes, is irrational, morally erosive and is a violation of
the principle of respect for persons and hence it is incumbent upon us to
search for an alternative to it, an alternative that is a method of resistance
distinct from war, that does not suffer from the moral deficiences
of war, that can be used in all circumstances in which a resort to war has
usually to be, and that offers at least some prospect of being effective when
used in those circumstances. That Gandhi’s Satyagraha proved efficacious in
solving some problems is proved evidences of his Satyagrahas
related to Champaran, Kheda,
Vykam temple road and Salt Act.
That
Satya, Ahimsa and Tapasya
are the bases of Satyagraha that means dominate ends in Gandhi’s
thought, and that Satyagraha is a method that adds to creativeness of conflict,
creativeness that is moral in character, is proved by the author with the aid
of proper quotations from Gandhi’s speeches and writings, and illustrations
from Gandhi’s life and some historical events.
The
chapter on practice of Satyagraha is a practical guide to Satyagrahis
and deserves to be studied with rapt attention. The nature of the guard-dog
method of defence and nation-in-arms method is
described and Gandhi’s method of defence is shown to
be different from and superior to either of these two. The author points out
that a defence system is to be judged in a threefold
way (i) by its effects upon that which is to be
depended (ii) by the extent to which it reduces the likelihood of
aggression and (iii) by the probability that it would prove to be an effective
system of defence if aggression should nevertheless
occur, and he uses this threefold division as the basis of his account of
non-violent system of defence. He also makes it clear
that the heart of any defence problem is the
preservation of a way of life, and a defence system
reached peak effectiveness when it exactly matches the way of life of the
community which it is intended to protect, and hence all defence
systems are limited in their capabilities and this is true of non-violent defence system also. Our main emphasis, the author
proclaims, should fall on active peace-making rather than upon deterrance and that non-violent defence
may offer us the best prospect of attaining an effective combination of
peace-making and deterrance–always provided that
aggression can be successfully resisted by non-violent means.
Non-violent
defence to be successful presupposes and requires the
fulfilment of three conditions by the community
opting for such a defence: (1) The community must
have made very substantial progress towards the relation of social justice; (2)
It must also have achieved an extremely high level of discipline (3) and the
social discipline to which it has attained must not depend in any large measure
upon the use of traditional methods of law enforcement. Nature and importance
of these prerequisites is thoroughly dealt with in these pages.
The
learned lecturer is candid enough to flatly admit that there is no complete
answer to a question posed by himself in the following
words: “Upon what is a community to rest its security while it is moving
towards their fulfilment? Is it to continue to defend
itself by arms until it is ready for non-violent defence?
Or is it to rely upon non-violent methods of defence
even though it cannot yet hope to use them effectively?” Preparations for
non-violent defence, causes of aggression considered
in relation to the present, and effects of non-violent policies on present
causes of aggression are also described in detail. The author concludes that
the present dangers of aggression seem to stem from a combination of causes,
the most important of which are ideological rivalry, fear and hostility, a
large number of specific disputes and military expediency. The author also
asserts that non-violent policies can exert a wholesome influence on the
invaders and create a goodwill towards the invaded
community.
“Barring
the invaders’ path, scorched earth policy and non-co-operation” are the three
methods of combating, invasion discussed by Gandhi, and the
learned lecturer, based on Gandhi’s own words, arrives at the conclusion that
Gandhi would have chosen undoubtedly the methods of non-co-operation to resist
an aggressor. It is worth noting in this context that Gandhi was opposed to Dhurna, a practice that is now resorted to
frequently in our country in educational institutions and industries. “If we
fight our opponent, we at least enable him to return the blow. But when we
challenge him to walk over us knowing that he will not, we place him in a most
awkward and humiliating position”–Gandhi. Some difficulties that a community
wedded to non-violent defence system has to face are
also described in detail at the end of the sixth chapter.
At
the end of the last chapter entitled “Prospects and Opportunities,” the author
leaves an optimistic note in the following words and concludes his thesis with Gandhiji’s words, pregnant with meaning: “Thus the
prospects of non-violence in the sphere of international conflict may be
brighter than is commonly supposed–in spite of our continued belief in armed
force.” It is certainly to be hoped that they are. For, as Gandhi once said,
man “either progresses towards ahimsa or rushes to his doom.” How we
wish that this volume is prescribed as a text-book to students in our
universities.
–B.
KUTUMBA RAO
World
Perspectives in Philosophy, Religion and Culture.
Published by
Dhirendra Mohan Datta is one of the very few philosophers who believe that
they have to live what they preach. He had not made a career out of philosophy
and that is why he commands the love and loyalty of all right-thinking men in
the academic circles that know his worth. The present volume is a rich
collection of the essays presented to him by a number of distinguished scholars
on the occasion of his 70th birthday. Writers from the United States, Europe,
authorities on Chinese thought, Indian scholars of repute–all have contributed
weighty papers to this excellent commemoration volume. Dr. Nagaraja
Rao has a challenging paper on the trends in contemporary philosophy in India.
He traces the developments after the impact of western thought on the Indian
mind and records the original systems that have been built up by seers like Sri
Aurobindo, based upon their own spiritual realization
and taking account of both the ancient tradition and the modern developments
in science. He rebuts the charge of ‘other-worldliness’ against Indian
philosophy and establishes its right to be heard even in the heyday of the
present materialistic civilisation. Another interesting paper is by Dale Riepe
on the influence of Indian thought upon that of the United States. It is a most informative document
revealing many unpublicised reactions of notable
leaders of the American civilisation to Indian
religion and spirituality. Emerson, Jefferson, James, Thoreau and a number of
others come in for detailed mention. A highly fascinating book worth serious
study.
–M.
P. PANDIT
The Message of The
Upanishads by Swami Ranganathananda.
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay-7. Pp. 587, Price Rs.
15-00
The
most appealing quality of this work is that it is not heavy though it deals,
verse by verse, with texts like the Isha, Kena and Katha, nor
is it light and perfunctory as popular lectures of this kind are apt to be. Swamiji keeps to the golden mean and puts across profound
ideas with good deal of fascinating dressing. He draws upon other texts of the
spiritual tradition of India, the Veda, the Epics, Bhagavata,
etc., and also on modern thought in science and religion to illustrate and
confirm his explanations of the chosen texts of the Upanishad.
After
giving a comprehensive survey of the background of the teaching of the
Upanishads and an analysis of their influence on subsequent developments
in Indian philosophical and religious thought, the author takes up the Isha Upanishad as it is the one text that
boldly tackles the problem of God and the Universe. The very first verse
proclaims that the universe is a habitation of God. The world is not a
falsehood to be rejected, but a truth to be cherished and lived in its right
value as a manifestation of the spirit. The writer observes: “If everything is
the Atman or Brahman, the universe of name and form cannot be an illusion.” The
Brihadaranyaka is emphatic in its
statement: “The cosmic energy is, verily, truth; and This (the Atman) is the truth
of that,” satyasya satyam (II-1-20).
Both
in the Katha Upanishad and the Gita, the universe is described as an eternal
Aswattha tree whose root is above in the Infinite.
Swami Ranganathananda compares this conception with
the Ash-tree of Scandinavian mythology about which Carlyle observes: “All life
is figured by them as a tree. Igdrasil, the Ash-tree
of Existence, has its
roots deep down in the kingdoms of Hela or Death; its
trunk reaches up heaven-high, spreads its boughs over the whole universe: it is
the tree of Existence. At the foot of it, in the Death-kingdom, sit three Nornas, Fates–Past, Present, Future, watering its roots
from the sacred Well.” Swamiji notes: “In spite of
many similarities, there is one striking difference between the Indian and the
Scandinavian imageries: the Scandinavian tree of existence has its roots,
conceived in the plural, below in the world of Hela
or Death, whereas the Indian tree has its root, conceived in the singular, the
tap-root above in the world of the immortal and infinite Brahman, urdhvamulam adhassakham
aswattham. The world of Time is rooted in the
world of Eternity, Brahman. And what the Scandinavian sages described as the
roots below in the world of Death are but the secondary roots according to
Indian sages.”
Indeed,
this world and the beings living therein partake of both these features
–immortality and death. The writer quotes from the Mahabharata:
“Immortality as well as mortality are both established in the body; by
delusion, one reaches death; by truth, one attains immortality.” (XII. 169-28)
By
the pursuit of Truth in life one walks the path that leads to immortality and
by following the false call of falsehood, one goes under. How to avoid the
danger of falsehood? By alertness, by vigilance and sincerity to truth. Swamiji cites two striking verse on the need for this
wakefulness. “Wakefulness is the way to immortality; heedlessness is the way to
death. Those who are wakeful do not, the heedless are already dead. “ (Dhammapada, Chap. II)
Also,
“Heedlessness alone is death, I say; through constant wakefulness, I proclaim,
is immortality (gained) Sanatsujatiyam, (Pramaadam vai mrityuraham
braveemi; sadaapramaadaat amritvam braveemi) (Mahabharata, V. 42-4)
Among
other interesting explanations is the doctrine of sphota
explaining the origin of the world. The author quotes from
Swami Vivekananda: “All this expressed sensible
universe is the form, behind which stands the eternal
inexpressible sphota, the manifester as Logos or Word (obviously, ‘world’ (p. 376) is
a misprint). This eternal sphota, the
essential eternal material of all ideas or names, is the power through which
the Lord creates the universe. Nay, the Lord first becomes conditioned as the sphota, and then evolves Himself out as the
yet more concrete sensible universe. This sphota
has one word as its only possible symbol, and this is the Om. If properly pronounced, this Om
will represent the whole phenomena of sound-production, and no other word can
do this: all this, therefore, is the fittest symbol of the sphota,
which is the real meaning of the Om. And as the
symbol can never be separated from the thing signified, the Om
and the sphota are one. And as the sphota, being the finer side of the
manifested universe, is nearer to God, and is indeed the first manifestation of
divine wisdom, this Om is truly symbolic of God.”
Though
the title of this book is the “Message of the Upanishads” it is truly the
Message of the Eternal that it proclaims. The extensive learning and
sincerity of the author are stamped on every page.
–M.
P. PANDIT
Imagery of Kalidasa by L. S. Bhandare. Popular Prakashan,
Bombay-34. Pp. 122. Price Rs. 20
For
those who have missed much beauty and rasa in
their study of the works of Kalidasa as text-books
for university examinations, Mr. Bhandare’s book
comes as a boon. Beginning with a section on the famous topic Upama Kalidasasya, similes,
the author selects notable passages from all over the writings of the poet,
gives their renderings and adds brief notes bringing out their excellences from
the poetic and the aesthetic points of view. Thus there are, under appropriate
titles, descriptions of kings, warriors, seasons, scenes of Nature, ocean,
mountains and, of course, the clouds. Hermitages and cities, that is, Ujjaini, Ayodhya, Alaka, claim separate sections for themselves. The section
on Siva is specially appealing.
Writing
on the very first verse of Kumarasambhavam describing
the Himalayas as the ‘measuring rod of the earth’, the author observes: “Here
the image of the measuring rod of the earth stands quite vivid before our
mind’s eye. The towering Himalayas stand pervading or spanning the immense
distance between the Eastem and Western oceans.
“Here
is one of the finest of Kalidasa’s utprekshas. The vast length of the range of
the mountains justifies the utpreksha–an apt
simile in its origin but recognized as utpreksha
by the rhetoricians. In this verse Kalidasa’s
imagination has taken the loftiest flight...
“Sublimity
which is the distinguishing quality of Milton’s
poetry is not Kalidasa’s forte. Kalidasa
in short words or phrases (purvaaparav vaarinithi vigaahya) pregnant
with deep meaning rises to sublimty in
delineating the awfully grand or majestic scenes or persons, unlike Milton, who
rises to sublimity in his magnificent descriptions by elaborating in details,
which run into several or many lines. But Kalidasa
with a few strokes paints the whole scene and lo! it is sublime.
“The
verse is written in a limpid, grand style, in keeping with the magnificence of the
object under description.
“What
a world of meaning is concentrated in these short simple words, Sthitah prithivyaa iva maanadandah! The towering
Himalaya mountain (range) dominates not only the vast
country of Bharata, but also the entire earth which
is incomparably Vaster.”
–M.
P. PANDIT
Prabodha
Sudha (Nectar of
Enlightenment) by Swami Poornananda Tirtha. Jnanasrama Wadakancheri, Kerala. Price Rs.10.
The
volume under review is the compilation of the lectures on Vedanta delivered by
the Swamiji in C. H. Hall, Bombay, in January, 1966.
The book falls into two distinct sections. The first part is a fine selection
from the Vedantic classic Yogavaasishtha
dealing about, the seven steps and levels in the evolution and human
consciousness in the quest for self-realisation. The Saptabhumika is described in all details.
The
Yogavaasishtha is a first rate classic
of Advaita Vedanta in thirty-two thousand verses, a
dialogue between Sri Ramachandra and his guru Vasishtha, dealing about all philosophic topics and the
spiritual disciplines to attain bliss. There are in all six sections in the
book describing (1) vairagya =
dispassion (2) Mumukshutva = longing
for Moksha (3) utpatti
= creation and origination of things (4) sthiti
= sustenance (5) upasaanti = peace
(6) Nirvana = ultimate divine merger. The first part of the book is
taken out from the sixth chapter. It is useful for the spiritual aspirant to
check up his sadhana and make headway
in his ascent on the path. The seven levels of spiritual realisation
are set forth with the text and elaborate and helpful notes and translation.
The exposition is simple, pleasing and profound as the text is. The Swamiji’s art and language employed for the exposition with
apt illustrations is attractive and evokes faith in theme and urges one to practise them. The second part of the book is a clear
exposition of Bhagavan Ramana
Maharishi’s Tamil Ulladu
Narpadu (the truth in forty verses). It is
translated Sanskrit by Ganapathimuni. Our Swamiji explains the forty verses and brings out clearly
the thoughts of the Maharishi. The mind of man is
a flow or sequence of thoughts. It flows one after another. The source of the
thought is the ego, i.e., ‘I’ notion. On the ego, chitta,
buddhi and manas
work and we have experience. We are asked to make a sincere search for the
meaning of the term ‘I’. Enquiry leads us, backed up by experience to the
dissolving of the ego in Brahman consciousness. The volume is an
excellent, rational introduction to Sankara’s Advaita Vedanta in English. There is a helpful glossary of
the philosophical terms used.
–P. NAGARAJA RAO
Hear and Beyond by
Vaasamoorti. Telugu Velugu Prachuranalu, Amalapuram, Andhra
Pradesh. Pp. 263. Price Rs. 8.
This
is an English version of the popular Telugu novel Ihaparaalu
portraying the emotional and ideological conflicts of two generations. The
author has succeeded in giving a graphic description of the modern challenge to
the Hindu philosophy of life. The characters are all drawn from real life–Sitapathi the contractor turned philosopher, swearing by
the gospel of the Gita, his son Sundar,
a stage artist who is fascinated by the Omar Khayam
view of life; Susheela, the young widow thirsting for
the joys of life; Giridhar, the young private
secretary ‘Sailing over the dizzy heights of philosophy by day and swimming in
the warm flood of passion by night’ and last but not the least, Krishna, the
communist rebel dreaming of proletarian dictatorship. The story runs in the
form of dialogues and this enables the author to discuss subjects as varied
from one another as predestination and freewill on the one hand and free-love,
abstract morals, the social code, etc., on the other. Discussing novels, a
character in the story says–“His diction is powerful, his pen pictures
effective and his descriptions lively.” The same can be said of the book under
review, though at times, one feels English is too much Indianised
in the conversations of the characters. Who said English is a foreign language?
–T.
C. A. RAMANUJAM
Spirit of India by
M. Srinivasan, “Amrit,”
Mysore-2, Price not mentioned.
Here
is an interesting attempt to sing the episodes from Indian history in forms of
easy verses. But where does History begin? Well, the author counts the tides of
time right from the birth of the universe. And then, after he has recorded the
drift of the sentiments, he shows the formation of the Sub-continent, India.
The
central member of the canoe’s pouch
Shaped
has been to a peninsular couch
With
craggy borders and snow-white pillows,
At
the anvil o’ time with hammer o’ billows
Thus
the poet is led by the muse, through the epic ages when gods trod the sacred
Indian soil, through the legendary rule of mighty emperors, through the
turbulent time of foreign conquests, to the resurgent India of 19th and 20th
centuries.
Though
the poet is enamoured by personalities too recent, it
is not unoften that an inspired glimpse of India’s
true destiny has come out through his pen, such as in these lines:
Perfect
is she like rhythm and rhyme
With
a role defined for infinite time.
–“DEVAPRIYA”
Prophets and Priests (Vol.
II) by S. P. Thiaga Rajan.
Published by Bharata Mata Book Depot, Ellai Amman Kovil Street. Thanjavur, S. India. Price Rs. 5.
This
slim volume is largely a collection of profiles of Indian editors, most of whom
the author, a veteran journalist himself, had known at first hand. Some of them
he had the opportunity of watching at close quarters, in the changes and
chances of his long professional career. A large majority of them belong to a past
generation. Only two of the sketches relate to the editors who are now alive.
Not all of them seem to qualify for greatness, as we are used to understand it.
Three
of these profiles, which are detailed enough to be called portraits, relate to
the distinguished editors, each great in his own way, who had been responsible
for a making of The Hindu what it is today. Substantial was the share of
Kasturi Ranga Iyengar, who had helped the paper to get over its teething
troubles, soon after he took it over in the early years of this century.
Switching from Law to Journalism, in the middle period of his life, when few
others would have risked a similar change, he not only made a good job of it,
but had the supreme satisfaction of seeing his paper a power to reckon with in
the nation’s affairs. He was in himself a rare combination of high intellectual
integrity and a sound business instinct. He had a quite unshakable courage that
was proof against the sabre-rattling of the most over
overbearing of the imperial bureaucrats. A great personality, by all accounts,
for whom the author’s unqualified respect is reserved. His son and his nephew
are also studied in some depth. If Kasturi Srinivasan represented stability and urbanity in his long
tenure of editorship, S. Rangaswami, the most
stimulating of leader-writers and war commentators, lit the brief years of his
glorious stewardship with the sparkle of his own wit. He claims the readers’ as
well as the authors’ admiration. There have not been many in the profession who
could hold a candle to him.
Horniman the dauntless
crusader, Brelvi the sedate counsellor,
irrepressible Sadanand and unpredictable R. S. Sarma, are among the other journalists in this portrait
gallery. The fearless campaigner R. K. Karanjia of
the Blitz is given his due and M. Chalapati Rau of the National
Herald, literature’s gift to journalism, is justly hailed as an editor who
can always call his soul his own. The sketch of Roosevelt in the appendices, as
well as the few pieces on the Tamil poets, good in themselves, seem rather out
of place in this company. Though written for the press from time to time, the
studies reveal an uncommon depth of understanding and sharpness of analysis.
The author does not pull his punches; nor does he hit below the belt. The
volume would have been the better for a more careful proof-reading.
–D.
ANJANEYULU
Education and Language
Policy by V. V. John. Published by Nachiketa
Publications, 280, Sleater Road, Bombay-7
This
book, written by an eminent educationist and inimitable columnist, contains
words of wisdom and counsels of caution. Divided into seven chapters plus an
appendix, it presents a sane analysis of the nightmarish language problem from
an academic and pedagogic point of view.
The
author’s distress over our educational performance is transparent when he
writes: “We are turning our education into a costly device–costly
in human resources even more than the material” (P.23). Education in our
country has ceased to be the ”pursuit of excellence” or “even employable
skills” and degraded itself into pursuit of self-interest and personal
advantage. The genuine love and joy of learning have departed.
“The
large ocean of illiteracy around us” and the “recession in our language
proficiencies” are the chief language problems facing the nation. All talk of
“language load” on the pupil is sheer nonsense to him for he reminds that “no
one who thinks of language as a load is in any psychological condition to learn
it.” Real learning, he feels, consists of “a joy of learning” and “acquisition
of mastery,” hence, the right approach to language is the approach embodying
these two criteria. It is true as he says that the real purpose of language
study in the curriculum is to discipline thought and expression, to provide power
of discernment and discrimination, and to impart to the student an intellectual
joy and confidence which aid and inspire him in his pursuit of other curricular
studies like Science, History, etc. Hence heavy responsibility rests on
language teachers. The author further believes that these objectives should be
achieved through a judicious and ambitious programme of language study even in
the mother-tongue. Our educational system has failed to capitalize on this
potential and the heritage of our languages. What is now required to remedy the
situation is “academic and linguistic daring” objectified in ambitious language
study programmes in our educational institutions.
Regarding
the “link language”, he scents ambiguity in its meaning, and in regard to the
decision as to what should be the link language for purposes of communication
among scholars, he accuses the intellectual community of abdicating their
primary and legitimate obligations and “letting their skills and expertise be
hired by those in power, in the service of causes and programmes
that intelligent men should despise.” Thus he bemoans the alienation and the
apathy of the intellectual community and calls for “integrity in public life.”
The
author justifies continuance of compulsory courses in the mother-tongue at the
university stage only when such courses prescribe “comprehension of mature
writing, the cultivation of critical thinking and the practice of effective
communication.” A further suggestion is that the mother-tongue may be made the means
of teaching subjects under “general education” so that the mother tongue will
give the pupil more than linguistic proficiency. This suggestion looks sound
though it is doubtful whether we have quality works written in the
mother-tongue on subjects subsumed under “general education” in colleges.
In
the third chapter occurs a thoughtful observation that the adoption of English
as normal medium has resulted in alienation of people from their native culture
and created a situatiou wherein people
were content with “a second-hand culture and a second-rate quality of thinking”
as most of us educated through English medium come to know of our culture and
heritage only through works written in English and mostly by foreigners.
The
author argues that the question of medium of instruction is not much relevant
at the university level for a university student ideally is not a receiver of
instruction, nor the universities are extensions of schools for still
instructing pupils. The university represents a stage of educational attainment
where the student achieves intellectual emancipation from instructors and
develops a capacity for self-instruction and independent thought, exploration
and discovery. But the author’s, as every one’s, grief is that this ideal university
student is currently non-existent.
Mr. John’s book is charming for his thoughtful observations on a vital problem as also for its elegant style and fragrant humour. His writing is forceful and his humour illumines even as it delights arid tickles. The following passage is a good example: “Our economic nationalism has given us such products as motor cars that begin to rattle the day they come off the assembly line. We do not want to match this with an educational nationalism that will give us graduates whose rattle may be even less agreeable.” (P. 41) Mr. John, who has held responsible offices, writes with a force of conviction borne out of experience and mature thinking, and with a patriotic zeal that is tempered by reason and scholarship. This book deserves and justifies the time and money spent on it by the reader.
–C.
R. PRASAD RAO
Varivasya-Rahasya
and its commentary Prakasha
by Sri Bhaskaracharya Makhin.
Edited with English translation by Pandit S. Subrahmanya Sastri. Published by Adyar Library Research Publications, Madras. Price: Rs.
The
book under notice is a first-rate work in Srividya
Upasana with his own commentary by the celebrated
sakta teacher Bhaskaracharya.
The present work is the third edition of the text, the first two appeared in
1934 and 1941. The present volume carries a clear English translation drawing
useful material from the commentary. The thirty-four pages English introduction
gives us the details about the way the text is edited, about the life and
miracles pertaining to Bhaskaracharya.
Bhaikaracharya believed that Supreme
Reality was the Devi Tripura
Sundari whose mantra is Srividya
Panchadasakshari. He devoted all his intellectual
powers and long life in the devotion to and in spreading Srividya
Upasana. His commentary on Lalita
Sahasranama is best on the subject. The present
work is edited with all academic rectitude and the expert talent of research
scholarship characteristic of a Adyar Library
Research Centre publications. There is very useful
tabular statement of the aksharas. This
is a highly valued publication on the subject.
–P.
NAGARAJA RAO
Ulte
Kadam by Ravindra
Thapar. Sahitya Bhavan, Allahabad-3. Pp. 141. Price: Rs.
3-50.
This
is a story of a simple woman Sapna who is forced to
take to Western ways of club-life by her sophisticated husband. She is
unwilling at first but in due course plunges headlong in fast life and wrecks
her home. Though it is not very agreeable to read of the doings of a falling
woman, the writing serves to draw attention to the harm caused by the seemy side of Western civilization to our young men and
women.
–M. P. P.