Prekshaa Publications

List of Books Published by Prekshaa Pratishtana

Stories Behind Verses (2017)

Stories Behind Verses is a remarkable collection of over a hundred anecdotes, each of which captures a story behind the composition of a Sanskrit verse. Collected over several years from various sources with tireless effort by Śatāvadhāni Dr. R Ganesh, these stories took the shape of the Kannada book Kavitegondu Kathe. When this was published in 1996, it was a first of its kind. It gained wide popularity among the critics and the laity not only for its riveting episodes but also for its mellifluous writing.

This book is an English adaptation of Kavitegondu Kathe by Arjun Bharadwaj and Shashi Kiran B N, who have captured the original in both letter and spirit. Witty, romantic, melancholic, provocative, poignant, and profound by turns, Stories Behind Verses will tug your tendermost strings of feeling and stir your emotions.

 

The Best of Hiriyanna (2018)

The Best of Hiriyanna is a collection of forty-eight essays by Prof. M. Hiriyanna that sheds new light on Sanskrit Literature, Indian Aesthetics, and Indian Philosophy. This is a collection of the finest essays of the learned professor and includes a masterful introductory essay by Śatāvadhāni Dr. R Ganesh.

 

वागर्थविस्मयास्वादः (२०१८)

“वागर्थविस्मयास्वादः” प्रमुखतया साहित्यशास्त्रतत्त्वानि विमृशति । अत्र सौन्दर्यर्यशास्त्रीयमूलतत्त्वानि यथा रस-ध्वनि-वक्रता-औचित्यादीनि सुनिपुणं परामृष्टानि प्रतिनवे चिकित्सकप्रज्ञाप्रकाशे। तदन्तर एव संस्कृतवाङ्मयस्य सामर्थ्यसमाविष्कारोऽपि विहितः। क्वचिदिव च्छन्दोमीमांसा च प्रकल्पिता, यया प्रयोगमुपलक्ष्य गतिसौन्दर्यं निरूपितम्। किञ्च रससम्बद्धानामेव तत्त्वानामत्र प्रधानचिन्तनं चकास्ति। प्रायेण संस्कृतविमर्शनपथे तावदिदंप्रथमतया मानवस्य मूलभूतचोदनानि पुरुषार्थचतुष्टयसंवेदनानि च युगपत् समाकलय्य रस-भावयोः स्थाननिर्देशनं कृतम्। अत एव रसानां सङ्ख्यानिष्कर्षः, स्वरूपसिद्धिः, व्याप्तिविमर्शनञ्चेति विविधान्यधिकरणानि सुनिशितमत्र परामृष्टानि। कथं साहित्यस्य रूप-स्वरूपभूतयोर्वक्रतारसयोः सामरस्यं नितरां भातीति, ध्वन्यौचित्ययोः कथमत्र सन्धानकारिता प्रथत इति ग्रन्थेऽस्मिन्निस्संशयं ज्ञातुमर्हन्ति बुभुत्सवः। किं बहुना, भारतीयसाहित्यसमालोचनस्य विश्वजनीनतैव निराग्रहेणापि समर्थेन विधिना व्यधायि लेखकेन। अतः सर्वैरपि साहित्यविद्यारसिकैः समादरणीयोऽयं प्रयासः।

 

ಭಾರತೀಲೋಚನ (೨೦೧೮)

ಮಹಾಮಾಹೇಶ್ವರ ಅಭಿನವಗುಪ್ತ ಜಗತ್ತಿನ ವಿದ್ಯಾವಲಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಮರೆಯಲಾಗದ ಹೆಸರು. ಮುಖ್ಯವಾಗಿ ಶೈವದರ್ಶನ ಮತ್ತು ಸೌಂದರ್ಯಮೀಮಾಂಸೆಗಳ ಪರಮಾಚಾರ್ಯನಾಗಿ  ಸಾವಿರ ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಂದ ಇವನು ಜ್ಞಾನಪ್ರಪಂಚವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಭಾವಿಸುತ್ತಲೇ ಇದ್ದಾನೆ. ಭರತಮುನಿಯ ನಾಟ್ಯಶಾಸ್ತ್ರವನ್ನು ಅರ್ಥಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಇವನೊಬ್ಬನೇ ನಮಗಿರುವ ಆಲಂಬನ. ಇದೇ ರೀತಿ ರಸಧ್ವನಿಸಿದ್ಧಾಂತವನ್ನು ಕರಗತಮಾಡಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲೂ ಇವನ ಯೋಗದಾನ ಅಪಾರ. ಸಾವಿರ ವರ್ಷಗಳ ಮುನ್ನ ಕಾಶ್ಮೀರದಲ್ಲಿ ನೆಲಸಿದ್ದ ಅಭಿನವಗುಪ್ತನು ಅನೇಕಗುರುಗಳ ಬಳಿ ಅನೇಕವಿದ್ಯೆಗಳನ್ನು ಕಲಿತು, ಅನೇಕಶಿಷ್ಯರಿಗೆ ಬೋಧಿಸಿ, ಏಕಮೇವಾದ್ವಿತೀಯನಾಗಿ ನಿಂತ ರಸಸಿದ್ಧ. ಸೌಂದರ್ಯವನ್ನು ವೇದಾಂತದೃಷ್ಟಿಯಿಂದಲೂ ವೇದಾಂತವನ್ನು ಸೌಂದರ್ಯದೃಷ್ಟಿಯಿಂದಲೂ ಮನಗಾಣಿಸುವುದು ಇವನ ಮಹತ್ತ್ವಗಳಲ್ಲೊಂದು. ಗೀತ, ವಾದ್ಯ, ನೃತ್ಯ, ನಾಟ್ಯ, ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ ಮುಂತಾದ ಕಲೆಗಳಲ್ಲಿ ಹೇಗೋ ಹಾಗೆಯೇ ತಂತ್ರ-ಯೋಗಗಳಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ಇವನು ಪರಿಣತ. ಇಂಥ ವಿಸ್ಮಯಾವಹವಿದ್ವಾಂಸನ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯ-ಸೌಂದರ್ಯ-ಕಲಾ-ಮೀಮಾಂಸೆಯ ಸ್ವಾರಸ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ಕನ್ನಡಿಗರಿಗೆ ಹವಣಿಸಿಕೊಡುವುದೇ “ಭಾರತೀಲೋಚನ”ದ ಉದ್ದೇಶ. ಈ ಕೃತಿಯ ಮೂಲಕ ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಮೊದಲ ಬಾರಿಗೆ “ಅಭಿನವಭಾರತಿ”ಯ ಸಮಗ್ರಸಮೀಕ್ಷೆ ಬಂದಿರುವುದಲ್ಲದೆ “ಧ್ವನ್ಯಾಲೋಕಲೋಚನ”ದ ವೈಶಿಷ್ಟ್ಯಗಳೂ ಎರಕಗೊಂಡಿವೆ. ಹೀಗಾಗಿ ಇದು ಏಕಕಾಲದಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾಹಿತ್ಯಶೋಧಕರಿಗೂ ಕಲಾಚಿಂತಕರಿಗೂ ಆಪ್ತವಾಗಬಲ್ಲ ಗ್ರಂಥ.

 

The Mysore Hiriyanna Library (2018)

The Mysore Hiriyanna Library is a set of eight anthologies of Prof. Hiriyanna’s writings on topics related to Indian philosophy, Sanskrit literature, and aesthetics published in association with W.I.S.E. Words Inc. The books published in this series are:
i. Popular Essays in Indian Philosophy,
ii. The Quest After Perfection,
iii. Art Experience,
iv. Sanskrit Studies,
v. Indian Philosophical Studies,
vi. The Mission of Philosophy,
vii. Indian Philosophical Studies - 2, and
viii. Indian Conception of Values

 

भारावतारस्तवः (२०१९)

अस्मिन् स्तोत्रकाव्ये भगवन्तं शिवं कविरभिष्टौति। वसन्ततिलकयोपनिबद्धस्य काव्यस्यास्य कविकृतम् उल्लाघनाभिधं व्याख्यानं च वर्तते।



निपुणप्राघुणकम् (२०१९)

इयं रचना दशसु रूपकेष्वन्यतमस्य भाणस्य निदर्शनतामुपैति। एकाङ्करूपकेऽस्मिन् शेखरकनामा चित्रोद्यमलेखकः केनापि हेतुना वियोगम् अनुभवतोश्चित्रलेखामिलिन्दकयोः समागमं सिसाधयिषुः कथामाकाशभाषणरूपेण निर्वहति।



वैफल्यफलम् (२०१९)

इदं खण्डकाव्यमान्तं मालिनीछन्दसोपनिबद्धं विलसति। मेनकाविश्वामित्रयोः समागमः, तत्फलतया शकुन्तलाया जननम्, मातापितृभ्यां त्यक्तस्य शिशोः कण्वमहर्षिणा परिपालनं चेति काव्यस्यास्येतिवृत्तसङ्क्षेपः।



वनिताकवितोत्सवः (२०१९)

विद्याधिदेवतायाः शारदाया आध्यक्ष्ये संस्कृतकवयि त्रीभिरायोजितायाः काव्यगोष्ठ्या वर्णनात्मकम् एकाङ्कप्रेक्षणकमिदम्। नैकासां प्रसिद्धानामप्रसिद्धानां च कवयित्रीणां सूक्तयोऽत्रान्तर्गताः।



यौगन्धरम् (२०१९)

इदं किञ्चिद्यामलं काव्यं द्वयोः खण्डकाव्ययोः सङ्कलनरूपम्। रामानुरागानलं हि सीतापरित्यागाल्लक्ष्मणवियोगाच्च श्रीरामेणानुभूतं हृदयसङ्क्षोभं वर्णयति । वात्सल्यगोपालकं तु कदाचिद्भानूपरागसमये घटितं यशोदाश्रीकृष्णयोर्मेलनं वर्णयति । इदम्प्रथमतया संस्कृतसाहित्ये सम्पूर्णं काव्यं चम्पकमालोत्पलमालावृत्ताभ्यां निबद्धमिति किमपि वैशिष्ट्यम्।

 

Shiva-Rama-Krishna

Shiva-Rama-Krishna is an English adaptation of Śatāvadhāni Dr. R Ganesh's popular lecture series on the three great heroes of our tradition. This work focuses on the human values that we can learn from the lives of Shiva, Rama, and Krishna.

 

Evolution of Mahabharata

Evolution of Mahabharata and Other Writings on the Epic is the English translation of S R Ramaswamy's 1972 Kannada classic 'Mahabharatada Belavanige' along with seven of his essays on the great epic. It tells the riveting story of arguably the greatest academic achievement of the twentieth century: preparation of the Critical Edition of the Mahabharata by V S Sukthankar and his team of scholars at the Bhandarkar Institute.

 

Art Gallery of Memories (Volume 1)

Karnataka's celebrated polymath, D V Gundappa brings together in the first volume, episodes from the lives of great writers, poets, literary aficionados, exemplars of public life, literary scholars, noble-hearted common folk, advocates, teachers, doctors, and public servants. These memorable characters hailing from different corners of the erstwhile Mysore State are from a period that spans from the late nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. These memoirs, written in Kannada in the 1950s, go beyond personal memories and offer us a glimpse into the society of that era. Art Gallery of Memories ranks high among the great works of creative non-fiction in world literature and appears for the first time in English translation.

 

Art Gallery of Memories (Volume 2)

Karnataka's celebrated polymath, D V Gundappa brings together in the second volume, episodes from the lives of remarkable exponents of classical music and dance, traditional storytellers, thespians, and connoisseurs; as well as his insightful observations on art, artistes, and connoisseurship. These memorable characters hailing from different corners of the erstwhile Mysore State are from a period that spans from the late nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. These memoirs, written in Kannada in the 1960s, go beyond personal memories and offer us a glimpse into the society of that era. Art Gallery of Memories ranks high among the great works of creative non-fiction in world literature and appears for the first time in English translation.

 

Art Gallery of Memories (Volume 3)

Karnataka's celebrated polymath, D V Gundappa brings together in the third volume, some character sketches of great literary savants responsible for Kannada renaissance during the first half of the twentieth century. These remarkable personages hailing from different corners of the erstwhile Mysore State are from a period that spans from the late nineteenth century to the mid-twentieth century. These memoirs, written in Kannada in the 1960s, go beyond personal memories and offer us a glimpse into the society of that era. Art Gallery of Memories ranks high among the great works of creative non-fiction in world literature and appears for the first time in English translation.

 

Prekṣaṇīyam

Prekṣaṇīyam is an anthology of essays on Indian classical dance and theatre authored by multifaceted scholar and creative genius, Śatāvadhāni Dr. R Ganesh. As a master of śāstra, a performing artiste (of the ancient art of Avadhānam), and a cultured rasika, he brings a unique, holistic perspective to every discussion. These essays deal with the philosophy, history, aesthetics, and practice of dance and theatre art in India. Dr. Ganesh offers invaluable insights into every aspect of the art, supported by incisive reasoning, deep study, and vast experience. These writings are the product of decades of study and research, coupled with long-drawn interactions with the brightest minds of art. A scholarly exposition on the concept and value of Nṛtta, Nṛtya, and Nāṭya comes as a part of the work.

An exclusive collection of articles on Yakṣagāna, the grand theatrical art of Karnataka is a part of this book. The highlight of this segment being a novel kind of presentation called the ‘Ekavyakti-Yakṣagāna’ conceived by the author. This anthology also includes research articles and suggestions for future research. A few essays are in the form of responses to irresponsible statements made by people who have a shallow understanding of Indian aesthetics.
The English adaptation of these essays—along with additional notes and supplementary material—have been admirably handled by the young scholar, literature buff, and dance aficionado, Arjun Bharadwaj.
 
 

A Tapestry of Pen-portraits

 
The cultural history of a nation, unlike the customary mainstream history, has a larger time-frame and encompasses the timeless ethos of a society undergirding the course of events and vicissitudes. A major key to the understanding of a society’s unique character is an appreciation of the far-reaching contributions by outstanding personalities of certain periods – especially in the realms of scholarship, literature, and the arts. In this perspective, the present volume—adapted into English from the original Kannada—comprising biographical pen-portraits of some eminent personalities who strode the intellectual firmament of Karnataka in the mid-twentieth century is a humble offering addressed to new-generation readers.
 
 

Studies in Ancient Tamil Law and Society

 
This anthology is a revised edition of the author's 1978 classic. This series of essays, containing his original research in various fields, throws light on the socio-cultural landscape of Tamil Nadu spanning several centuries. These compelling episodes will appeal to scholars and laymen alike.
“When superstitious mediaevalists mislead the country about its judicial past, we have to search for truth in stone and honesty in metal, and not in man and his lips. Dr. R. Nagaswamy unearthing the law in practice has patriotic relevance.” — Justice V. R. Krishna Iyer
“...this book, profiting from the linguistic, historical, and epigraphical skill of its author, broadens our horizon...and adds to that much food for reflexion on the part of those who...yearn for a genuine Indian jurisprudence.” — Prof. J. Duncan M. Derrett

 

The Art and Science of Avadhānam in Sanskrit

 
The Art and Science of Avadhānam in Sanskrit is a definitive work on Sāhityāvadhānam, a form of Indian classical art based on multitasking, lateral thinking, and extempore versification. Dotted throughout with tasteful examples, it expounds in great detail on the theory and practice of this unique performing art. It is as much a handbook of performance as it is an anthology of well-turned verses, as much a sourcebook of literary history as a manual of practical criticism. Analytical and appreciative in tandem, this work appeals equally to the laity and learned.

The co-author of this treatise is a master of the ancient art of Avadhānam, having performed over 1,200 Aṣṭāvadhānams and five Śatāvadhānams across three languages – Kannada, Sanskrit, and Telugu. He is also credited with reviving the art in Kannada. This treatise—at once authentic, insightful, and comprehensive—is perhaps the first of its kind in English, replete with literary citations, epigraphical evidence, and experiential perspectives of performers.
 

ऋतुकल्याणम्

 
ऋतुभिः सह कवयः सदैव सम्बद्धाः। विशिष्य संस्कृतकवयः। यथा हि ऋतवः प्रतिसंवत्सरं प्रतिनवतामावहन्ति मानवेषु तथैव ऋतुवर्णनान्यपि काव्यरसिकेषु कामपि विच्छित्तिमातन्वते। ऋतुकल्याणं हि सत्यमिदमेव हृदि कृत्वा प्रवृत्तम्। नगरजीवनस्य यान्त्रिकतां मान्त्रिकतां च ध्वनदिदं चम्पूकाव्यं गद्यपद्यमिश्रितमिति सुव्यक्तमेव। ऐदम्पूर्वतया प्रायः पुरीपरिसरप्रसृतानाम् ऋतूनां विलासोऽत्र प्रपञ्चितः। बेङ्गलूरुनामके महानगरे प्रतिवसतोः कयोश्चन युवदम्पत्योः प्रणयसंवादरूपेयं कविता मधुराम्लचाटुतया नगरजीवनस्य सुखदुःखपाकपाटवं प्रतिपद्यचमत्कृतिपुरःसरं तन्तनीति। सर्वत्र चमत्कारिण्यपि “कृशानुदृष्टिः” परमार्थतो “विश्वावसुसृष्टि”रेव हृदयनिर्वाणकारिणी खलु। तथ्यमिदमेव दम्पत्योरनयोः संवादेन स्फारीभवति। सर्वथा काव्यमिदं वार्तमानिकजीवनाश्रितम्। देशमेकं स्थिरीकृत्य कालवैविध्यप्रदर्शनं कृतेरस्या उद्देश्यम्। अतो हि बेङ्गलूरुनगरस्य हृदयङ्गमं दर्शनं वागर्थमाध्यमेनात्र कर्तुमर्हन्ति कोविदाः। एवं नगरसंस्कृतिजुष्टम् ऋतुप्रकृतिपुष्टं च तदिदं कविकर्म साम्प्रतिकसंस्कृतसाहित्यस्य किमपि स्पृहणीयं पदमञ्चति॥
 
 
 

Shiva-Rama-Krishna (Tamil)

 
 
சிவன். ராமன். கிருஷ்ணன்.
இந்திய பாரம்பரியத்தின் முப்பெரும் கதாநாயகர்கள்.
உயர் இந்தியாவில் தலைமுறைகள் பல கடந்தும் கடவுளர்களாக போற்றப்பட்டு வழிகாட்டிகளாக விளங்குபவர்கள்.
மனித ஒற்றுமை நூற்றாண்டுகால பரிணாம வளர்ச்சியின் பரிமாணம்.
தனிநபர்களாகவும், குடும்ப உறுப்பினர்களாகவும், சமுதாய பிரஜைகளாகவும் நாம் அனைவரும் பரிமளிக்கிறோம்.
சிவன் தனிமனித அடையாளமாக அமைகிறான்.
ராமன் குடும்ப வாழ்க்கைக்கு வழிவகுக்கிறான்.
கிருஷ்ணன் சமுதாயப் பங்காற்றுவதை போதிக்கிறான்.
இக்கதாநாயகர்களை மையப்படுத்தி
நல்வாக்கு, நற்பண்பு, நல்வாழ்க்கை குறித்து ஷதாவதானி Dr. R. கணேஷ் முன்வைக்கும் ஒரு மாறுபட்ட கண்ணோட்டம்