One of the Kannada literary giants of the twentieth century, K V Puttappa (Kuvempu) once classified[1] literature as Sakaala (timely) and Trikala (timeless) literature. Given the innate nature of the medium, journalistic (news reports, opinion pieces, editorials, magazine essays) literature belongs to the former category. Yet, in the hands of
Marxist-Communist historians claim that because Pushyamitra Shunga was a brāhmaṇa, all events that occurred during his period were merely the revolt of brāhmaṇas. These incidents symbolize the enmity that brāhmaṇas had against Ashoka and his heritage. Contrary to their claims, varṇa doesn’t occupy a significant place in this. The Shungas weren’t in power for a long
This is the second part of the two-part article published on the occasion of the 2018 Tyāgarāja Ārādhana Utsavam, which falls on today's date. — Editors Bhakti From his compositions, it is clear that Tyāgarāja suffered a lot. He remained poor throughout his life. More than that, he was tormented by people who
Swami Chinmayananda Pujya Swami Chinmayananda (1916-1993) grew up in the time of India’s freedom struggle. A young intellectual with an education in English Literature and Law, a freedom fighter and a journalist, he keenly felt the plight of the ordinary Indian under the British heel. A man on a quest, he
This is a translation of the author’s original Kannada essay titled “ಭಾಷಾಬೋಧಕಗಳ ನೆಲೆ-ಬೆಲೆಗಳು” published in his work, Bhashabhrungada Benneri. Translated by Sandeep Balakrishna. I had averred earlier that one of the tragedies of today is the fact of not prescribing evocative literature at the level of primary school instruction. It’s not necessary to
A paper titled “The Perspective of Practical Vedānta in the Works of M. Hiriyanna” was presented by Arjun Bharadwaj at the international conference “New Frontiers in Sanskrit and Indic Knowledge” (NFSI) on 12th June 2017 organized by the Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth. The current article contains excerpts from the paper. Hiryanna seems to
A paper titled “The Perspective of Practical Vedānta in the Works of M. Hiriyanna” was presented by Arjun Bharadwaj at the international conference “New Frontiers in Sanskrit and Indic Knowledge” (NFSI) on 12th June 2017 organized by the Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth. The current article contains excerpts from the paper. The previous article
As instructed by K Ramachandra Rao, I went to meet K A Krishnaswamy Iyer. During those days, he lived in his own house on 5th Cross, Basavanagudi (behind the house named ‘Chidvilaasa’). I went to his house at around three in the afternoon. Soon after I knocked the door, he
Translator’s Note: This forms part of the iconic D.V. Gundappa’s series of pen portraits in the volume titled Vaidikadharma Sampradaayastharu (Traditional Vedic Scholars) forming part of his acclaimed Jnapaka Chitrashaale (The Art Gallery of Memories). Translated by Sandeep Balakrishna. Around 1922, Hanagal Virupaksha Shastri was a Vidwan in the Shankara Matha
कणभयिताहे तर्के फणभयिताहे सुशब्दगणनोर्दके | मन्दरवृत्तं वर्ते श्रुत्यंतसुधाम्बुधौ महागर्ते || Kirīṭapati Veṅkaṭācārya was a prominent scholar who lived in the province of Surapura in Karnataka during the eighteenth-nineteenth centuries. He was the author of several works, a master of puns and alliterations and a prolific writer. It used to be said that
