December 2020
Sustainability Competence[1]
It is well-known that the word ‘dharma,’ which has gained currency over the millennia has various shades of meaning that are different from each other but not mutually contradictory. However, in the Bhārata-Sāvitrī, Vyāsa has used the word ‘dharma’ in its holistic sense. This sort of usage of the word ‘dharma’ is widespread. Of those, perhaps the most famous and most comprehensive is the etymological explanation of...
The Case
The government filed a case against Sitarama Shastri and Ashvatthanarayana Rao, accusing the article published in Navajīvana to be treasonous.
Shastri had severely criticized the government’s callous attitude towards its own people in the January 1929 issue of Vīrakesari. The issue published on 15th January had an article titled Will Tyranny Win? The contents were as follows –
“...the government due to its own mistakes has broken down...
निर्विघ्नविश्वनिर्माणसिद्धये यदनुग्रहम्।
मन्ये स वव्रे धातापि तस्मै विघ्नजिते नमः॥
[Salutation to that deity, the killer of obstacles, (Gaṇeśa), from whom even the creator (Brahmā) seeks blessings so that the creation can happen without hindrances.]
आश्लिष्यमाणः प्रियया शन्करोऽपि यदाज्ञया।
उत्कम्पते स भुवनं जयत्यसमसायकः॥
[Even while embraced by his beloved, because of whom Śaṅkara trembles that wielder of five arrows (Manmatha) will...
Journalist
Right from his childhood days, Sitarama Shastri was interested in writing. Observing this, Krishna Shastri sent him to M Venkatakrishnayya in Mysore. Sitarama Shastri started by writing articles to his newspaper and then contributed articles to other newspapers too. During those days he also got acquainted with ‘Tāyināḍu’ P R Ramayya, ‘Sādhvi’ Agaram Rangayya, and others who were trained under M Venkatakrishnayya. In a way it can be...
Let us first look at the theme of the work and the qualification to study it. Each of these decides the other. The story of puṇyakoṭi befits a six year old. A study of the Raghu-vaṁśa, however, is for a student aged sixteen or more.
Thus each one decides the other. The one who is capable of dealing with the viṣaya—subject of the work—is the adhikārī. The instruction has to be tailored to the education and capacity of the seeker. Both of these...
Mahmud returned again in 1020–21 CE, to punish Chandella legend Vidyadhara. On the way, Shahi Trilochanapala opposed him on the banks of the Yamuna. He was defeated again and was on his way to join Vidyadhara when he is known to have been killed. Thus, the great Shahi Trilochanapala died in 1021 CE.[1] Although Mahmud advanced to meet Vidyadhara, neither Mahmud nor Vidyadhara seem to have taken the initiative to fight and instead returned to...
V Si.'s Skill at Teaching and Affection for Students
Irrespective of the weather conditions and his own state of health, V Si. never missed a class. He always said – ‘When young children are coming to school, how can I sit at home and relax?’ This kind of sincerity and commitment is a rare quality and is worth emulating.
Let me narrate a couple of incidents that reflect the kind of affection V Si. had towards his students –
V Si. had a very...
Equal to the Gāyatrī-mantra
Vyāsa gives the Bhārata-Sāvitrī clarion call in the concluding portion of the Mahābhārata. Just as the essence of all the Vedas assumes the name ‘Sāvitrī,’ finding its place in the Gāyatrī-mantra, Vyāsa has put in one place the distilled message of the Mahābhārata under the name ‘Bhārata-Sāvitrī.’ It is highly unlikely that Vyāsa’s conception is merely a narration of Itihāsa that becomes absolutely clear to one as...
The Story of Bālavinaṣṭaka
Long ago there lived a brāhmaṇa named Rudraśarmā; he had two wives; of the two, one of them gave birth to a child and subsequently died. The other wife failed to properly take care of the child; its hands and legs were shrivelled, its stomach was bloated. Husband asked, “Why do you treat an orphan with such contempt?”, she retorted saying, “I’ve been taking good care of him; but what more can be done? He is like this...
At the Sarada Vilas School, Mysore
Students today might find it difficult to believe the state of Sarada Vilas School when V Si. joined as a teacher, in his first job. Sarada Vilas School was located above the Lansdowne Building back then. People called it ‘taḍikè-śālè’ (School of ‘planks’) in derision. This was not a euphemism alone; there were planks – quite literally. There were broken bamboo planks (and mats) between classrooms, where walls...