KIRANAVALI-THE JOURNAL OF SANSKRIT RESEARCH FOUNDATION









Sunday 4 November 2012

KIRAṆĀVALĪ VOL IV, BOOK I-II

KIRANAVALI VOL IV BOOK I-II


Editor's Note


The 21st century is an era of Science and Technology. The various disciplines of science exert its influence on us. In our day-to-day life astrology, architecture, mathematics and medical science have their say to a great extent. The basic texts of these are in Sanskrit.  We can found that the great epics written in Sanskrit also have influenced modern literature. 
The great English poet, T. S. Eliot, in his work ‘Waste Land’ depicts the agony faced by modern world. He suggest mankind to go back to Indian culture which he shows in Sanskrit words – “datta, damyata and damayadhvam” towards the end of his great poem.
Indian culture strongly prescribes and justifies a need of shifting from western culture which has been causing havoc over these years.  The root of Indian culture is Vedas written in Sanskrit.  Sanskrit, one of the ancient languages of the world, preserves the dignity and richness of Indian culture.   Thus it points to the need of Sanskrit renaissance.


Dr. M.Manimohanan

श्रीनारायणदर्शनं  दर्शनमाला च।

डा.वि.शिशुपालप्पणिक्कर् 

केरलीयनवोत्थानप्रस्थानस्य महान प्रतिष्ठाप श्रीनारायणगुरुदेव आधुनि केरलदेशस्य स्रष्टा ति गीयते। मानवानाम एत्वस्य समत्वभावनाया च प्रवक्ता प्रयोक्ता चासीत् ऋषिरसौ। परमारुणिोऽयं गुरु भौतित्मीयवादयो समन्वयं कृत्वा स्वीयजीवितम आत्मतपांसि च स्वसहजातानां हिताय बलिदानमरोत्। मानविताया अयं महागुरु मानवानामेत्वं समुदघोषयत्। र्मयोगिना अनेन महामनीषिणा अधिस्थतानां जनानां समुद्धरणार्थं बहु प्रयत्नं कृतम्।

श्रीनारायणकृतिषु भक्ति ः।

डा.एस्.शोभना 

आधुनियुगेऽस्मिन् महात्मा श्रीनारायणगुरु वेद- वेदान्तशास्त्रप्रतिबोधितं तत्त्वदर्शनं पुरस्कृत्य केरलदेशे विमानविताया महासिद्धान्तं आविश्चार। स महान दार्शनि भक्त, र्मयोगी, ज्ञानी, वि, नवोत्थाननायश्च आसीत्। भौतिध्यात्मिवादसमन्वयपूर्वकं भवति महात्मनो प्रायोगिद्वैतदर्शनम्। तत आधुनियुगस्य सृष्ट्रे उत्तेजमभूत्। 
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अलङ्कारशास्त्रे रसस्य स्थानम् । 

डा. सि.एस्. शशिकुमार् 

संस्कृतसाहित्यप्रपञ्चे सौन्दर्यशास्त्रमेव अलङ्कारशास्त्रशब्देन व्यवह्रियते। इदमेव शास्त्रम् आङ्गलभाषायाम् Aesthetics इति नाम्ना प्रचलितम्। अस्मिन शास्त्रे गुण-रीति-रस-अलङ्कार-ध्वन्यादीनां निरूपणीयत्वे सत्यपि अस्य अलङ्कारनाम्नैव व्यपदेशस्य बीजं तत्त्वतः प्रच्छन्नमपि अलङ्क्रियते अनेनेति करणव्युत्पत्तिनिष्पन्नो यमकोपमादि बोधको नाऽयमलङ्कारशब्दः किन्तु अलङ्कृतिरलङर ति भावव्युत्पन्नो दोषापगमगुणालङ्कारसंवलनकृत सौन्दर्यपरः, तत्प्रतिपादकत्वादेव अलङ्कारनाम्ना व्यपदेश इति। 

अष्टपदार्थीनिपणम् ।

डा.पी.राधाकृष्णन् 

अष्टानां पदार्थानां समाहार अष्टपदार्थी ‘संख्यापूर्वो द्विगु’(पा. सू. 2।1।52.) इति द्विगुसमासः तथापि आरान्टोत्तरपदो द्विगु स्ति्रयामिष्ट ति नियमेन द्विगो (पा. सू. 4।1।21.) इति सूत्रेण ङीप् प्रत्ययान्ते पमिस्त अष्टपदार्थीति। अष्टपदार्थ्या निपणम् अष्टपदार्थीनिपणम्।
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शब्दकौस्तुभे अव्ययीभावसमासः। 

डा.टि.एस्.रति 

व्याकररणशास्त्रे प्रमाणभूतो ग्रन्थो भवति पाणिने अष्टाध्यायी। अष्टाध्याय्या अनेके वृत्तिग्रन्था सिन्त। तत्र महाभाष्यं काशिवृत्तिश्च वैयाकरणैः पाठनाय च स्वीक्रियेते। विषयप्रतिपादनगौरवे तुल्यपदवीम् आवहति भट्टोजिदीक्षितकृत शब्दकौस्तभम्। अष्टाध्यायीक्रमानुसारं पाणिनीयसूत्राणां विस्तृता व्याख्या भवति शब्दकौस्तभम्। शब्दकौस्तभस्य व्युत्पत्तिविषये भट्टोजिदीक्षितेन उक्तम्- महाभाष्याब्धिमथनेन येषां रत्नानां सङ्ग्रहमाषरीत्, स नूनं शब्दरुपः कौस्तुभोमणिरिति तत्पर्यालोचनेन पर्यवसीयते।

कविवर: पन्तलं केरलवर्मा।

एस्. नीलण्ठन् 

पुरा कवीनां गणनाप्रसङ्गे कनिष्ठिकाधष्ठित कालिदासः । 
अद्यापि तत्तुल्यकवेरभावाद् अनामिका सार्थवती बभूव॥ 
इत्यस्ति आभाणकमेकं संस्कृतभाषायां यत् प्रस्तौति महावेः महत्त्वम्। तद यद्यपि सत्यं, नेदमपि निषेध्यं यत केरलावनिषु अपि बहवः संस्कृतकवयः सञ्जाता, काव्यतल्लजानि विरच्य लोकान् अनुगृहीतवन्तः। तेष्वन्यतमः पन्तलराजवंशीयः केरलवर्मत्तम्पुरानिति विश्रुतनामा कविवरो यस्य जन्मना इयं केरलावनि संस्कृतावनितां प्राप्ता।

मुकुलभट्टेन कृतं व्यञ्जनाखण्डनम्। 

जिल्षा.ए 

संस्कृतसाहित्यमीमांसायां काश्मीरदेशीयानाम् आलांरिकानां योगदानम् अत्यन्तं महत्तरं भवति। आनन्दवर्धनादारभ्य महिमभट्टपर्यन्तं शतकद्वयं साहित्यशास्त्रसिद्धान्तै सम्पन्नमासीत्। आनन्दवर्धनस्य ध्वनिवाद भट्टनायकस्य साधारणीकरणसिद्धान्तः महिमभट्टस्य अनुमितिवाद कुन्तकस्य वक्रोक्तिसिद्धान्त इत्यादय अस्मिन्नेवाले समाविर्भूता। अभिधावृत्तमातृकाया कर्ता मुलभट्टस्त व्यञ्जनाव्यापारस्य लक्षणया गतार्थत्वं संस्थाप्य अत्र श्रद्धेयां नूतनां सरणिं काव्यविमर्शने उद्घाटयति। ‘भाक्तमाहुस्तमन्ये’ इति आनन्दवर्धनेन सूचितस्य भाक्तवादस्य अनुवर्तनमेव मुकुलभट्टस्य अभिधावृत्तमातृकायां दृश्यते।
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Śankara’s Views on Vedic Ritualism 

Dr V Vasanthakumari

Śaṇkarācārya, who established and propagated the doctrines of Advaita Vedanta all over India during 8th or 9th C.A.D, is famous as a great Philosopher, Saint and Poet. He is undoubtedly the most popular among India’s saintly philosophers both within the country and abroad.  Even though his ideas are generally accepted and praised, certain assertions made by him in his bhāṣyās have resulted in controversies and criticism. Scholars like Vidyāvācaspati Panoly tried to discard them as interpolations. It is better to comprehend the fact than discarding them as interpolations. Śaṇkarācārya has been criticized as the propounder of ‘Varṇavyavastha’ and Vedic ritualism. it is probably because of the misinterpretations of his statements. This paper discusses the existing controversy of Śaṇkarācārya's view on Vedic ritualism and also explains his own interpretations on Vedic ritualism.

Dramatic representation of philosophy

Dr. V.Vasudevan

Sanskrit has had a continuous history of literary output from early days covering many important fields such as language and literature, religion and philosophy, and fine arts and technical sciences. A substantial contribution has been made by the scholars of every branch of Sanskrit literature. Out of these, philosophical literature has been very rich through times. The founders of the three schools of Vedanta, Sankara, Ramanuja and Madhva, established their centres of propagation throughout the country and their systems were developed by a number of their distinguished successors. Some of them had a beautiful idea of presenting their philosophical ideas through the most enjoyable form of literature, i.e. drama.An attempt is being made here to present an account of the dramatic representation of philosophy in Sanskrit.

The Influence of Kalidasa in Kumaran Asan’s Works - Especially Chintāviṣṭayāya Sīta

Dr.V.Asalatha

The great poet Kalidasa is a cultural icon who has become part and parcel of the Malayali sensibility judging from the number of interpretations on Kalidasa and also by his evident  influence on Malayali poets. Typical embodiments of the Indian spirit, Kalidasa’s works provide the raw materials for art and aesthetics. Though a scholarly writer, Kalidasa’s writing is marked by sheer simplicity and readability. The poet’s admirable mix of art and artistry, his simple but exquisite diction, his attention to detail and clarity of thought and expression stand out as the features of his poetry. His ability to conjure up worlds through the use of a single word or phrase marks him out as a poet of remarkable ability.

Logic and Epistemology in Nyāyadīpikā

Dr. S. Sivakumar

Dharmabhūṣṇa, a (AD.1358 . 1418) one of the later philosophers of the Jaina Digambara sect is the author of Nyāyadīpikā  This is a primary text book of logic intended to render the beginner easy understanding of the basic idea of the Indian Logic. However, it contains advanced discussion, which is worthwhile revising and examining in the present research of the Jaina Logic.

Yogic Remedies to Current Problems of Life 

Dr.S.Sureshkumar

Modern civilization aims at complete transformation of the natural human environment into an artificial environment. Modern science has given us a multitude of objects of enjoyment, but it has failed to give us the much-needed self-control. It lays stress on creating new needs in human beings and in creating conditions for the maximum possible satisfaction of those needs. Due to that, human civilization is fast leading towards its doom. On the other hand the economic policies of yoga lays stress on minimising human needs, and thereby creating conditions for conserving the resources of the earth and preserving harmony in the society. Drastic reduction of human needs seems to be the only alternative for preserving harmony in the world keeping in view the rapidly growing human population and the fast crunching resources of the world.


Voice of the Silenced: A Re-reading of Bama’s Sangati and P. Sivakami’s The Grip of Change

Athira Sasidharan

In Dalit literature, dalit writers bring forth the lives of marginalised people in different contexts and they make literature a tool for re-claiming their brutalised selves and affirming their identities. In the present context dalit women writings are reaching a more visible level of popular recognition. Most dalit feminist writings arose from their first hand experience of oppression that they suffered in their lives. Dalit literature deals not with entertaining, romantic and trivial pleasures of life but it portrays the harsher realities faced by a class of people in this world. Most of the writings are revolutionary, transformational and liberatory and it exhorts the need for equality, freedom and justice for creating a consciousness of self –respect.


Vidyāmādhavīya 

Dr.Prajitha.P.V

Kumārasambhava is one of the greatest poem ever written in Sanskrit literature. The  reputation of Kumārasambhava is very high and it is appreciated and exalted as one of the five  Mahākāvyas in Sanskrit literature. Since the work got much popularity due to its poetic merit, a number of commentaries were written on the work throughout India in Sanskrit as well as vernaculars. There are about forty-four commentaries on Kumārasambhava available now. Among these, ‘Vidyāmādhavīya’ the commentary written by Vidyāmādhava is very famous.
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REVIEW

Brahmasūtravṛtti : An Opening to Traditional Wisdom

Dr.G.Narayanan

ब्रह्मसूत्रवृत्तिः-अक्षरानुगुणा सङ्गतितदर्थविचारानुमानादिसहिता 
शठकोप रामानुजताताचार्य, संपादौ नावल्पाक्कं डा.वि.वासुदेवः, नावल्पाक्कं डा.एन्.जगन्नाथः;  chennai-2009

The long tradition of Indian philosophy has produced large number of philosophical literature, both original ones and in the form of commentaries. The commentaries, mostly, excelled the originals. It was regular to write commentary on original texts that form the foundation. Vārtika is a text that analyses the correctness of the original and supplements added information, if any.  Bhāṣya explains the meaning of the original in independently and t¢kas tries to bring out the hidden ideas from the bhāṣyas. As everyone knows the vyākaraṇa texts are the best example to this. Kātyāyana, the vārtikakāra, explained the sūtras of pāṇini and added more information and explanations. Patañjali the bhāṣyakāra wrote an elaborate commentary ‘the mahābhāṣya’ on sūtras and Vārtika. In Vedanta philosophy all has accepted the sūtras of bādarāyaṇa as the foundation. Then the bhāṣyas forms the real foundation of different vedantas. Thre are vārtikas, vṛttis and subcommentaries on these bhāṣyas. In advaitavedanta Sureśvara is vārtikakāra. The bhāmati and Vivaraṇa schools are related to subcommentaries on Śānkarabhāṣya. That is, all the works, irrespective of commentary or subcommentary or any other, have a place and importance in the hierarchy of philosophical literature.
Here the book under consideration is ‘brahmasūtravṛtti’ by N.S.Rāmānujatātācārya. The author,   former Vice Chancellor of Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeta, Tirupati, is a well known scholar in the field of Sanskrit. his  contributions to Sanskrit philosophy through his books and Research articles reflects his mastery over  all the sastras. He was conferred the prestigious French Government’s ‘chevalier’ recently. 
Brahmasūtravṛtti follows the Srībhāṣya of Rāmānuja to explain the brahmasūtras. In the Visiṣṭādvaita, Sudarśanasūri in śrutaparakāśikā had explained the commentary of Rāmānuja. Rāmānuja himself  wrote two short vṛttis- vedāntasāra and vedāntadīpa to explain the meaning of vedāntasūtras. Still what is the use of a new vṛtti? one may doubt. Author has explained the need in his prast¡vana that though R¡m¡nuja had showed the meaning of sutras in three texts and Sudarśana further explained them in śrutaprakāśikā reader may get it difficult to understand the real sense of sūtras which are written in the form of anumānas. Further the method of ‘adhikaraṇa sampradāya’ makes it difficult to realise the viṣaya, samśaya, and saṅgati according to which the sūtras were explained in the higher texts like Bhāṣya and Bhāṣyatīka. Therefore this particular text, which is also named as ‘akṣarānuguṇa’, is to reduce the difficulty in understanding the meaning of sūtras.  
This book is written in simple Sanskrit without any jargon. The method of navyanyaya is not employed. So the difficulty level is low. brahmasūtra is a text that employs the old scheme of logic. The vṛtti explains each sūtra word by word giving its grammatical as well as philosophical significance. It gives the meaning of each sutra following ‘bhāṣya’ and ‘śrutaprakāśikā’. Then it continues to explain the meaning of sūtra that is applicable to it. Still this text is not a replacement to bhāṣya and śrutaprakāśikā. But it is a complement. It helps the reader to understand the arguments of Bhāṣya and tīka with more clarity. 
This book aims those who are engaging in public debates with other systems namely Advaita and dvaita. It could provide them insights into the real idea of the masters. The Bhāṣya and literature affiliated to it were passed on orally. A merit of this was the clarity in understanding, which loses when the transmission and distribution takes other forms. The method of interpretation - exegesis- varies from system to system. For a proper understanding of the system one should master the ‘rules and tools of hermeneutics’ that followed by the ‘system’. brahmasūtra follows adhikara¸a method. There for the interpreters and commentators follows the tools for interpreting each adhikara¸a, which are viÀaya, viṣaya, pūrvapakṣa, uttarapakṣa, and saṅgati. These were same, to an extent, for all vedanta systems. There are differences about the number of the aṅgā-s of adhikaraṇa and on the aṅgā-s itself. Systems differ in the interpretation because of the difference in the approach to scripture and metaphysics and arrive at different conclusions. The Brahmasutavrtti of tatacharya explains the 156 adhikara¸a and 545 sutras discussing all the five angas of adhikaraṇa  The text quotes – “viṣayaḥ samśayaścaiva vicaronirṇayastathā; prayojanaṁ ca pañcāṅgam prāñcodhikaraṇaṁ viduḥ”. According to some other there are ten aṅgā-s. Here the author of brahmasūtravṛtti explains the ten aṅgā-s of adhikaraṇa for clarity.
New books dealing with philosophy, especially viśiśṭādvaita, advaitavedānta and dvaita, were coming out in Sanskrit language. But almost all of them  are devoted for discussing the mutually unacceptable and controversial issues. Among them the book of Rāmānujatātācārya is a difference. Above all this book is useful to all who love vedanta and like to seek the real meaning of Vedanta. This book shows how the sūtras are configured and teaches how to read and realise them. This approach helps the enthusiasts of other system also to understand forming of pūrvapakṣa. The editors Dr.V.Vasudevan and Dr.N.Jaganathan had done an excellent work in publishing it. Books like this could lessen the difficulty in learning and understanding of Indian philosophy by bringing out the traditional knowledge for public.   



Obituary

Prof. Dr. M.H.Sastrikal

Eminent Sanskrit Scholar Prof. M.Hariharaputra Sarma, well-known as M.H. Sastrikal, passed away on 11/04/2012 at Bangaluru, quiet unnoticed by media. Born on 18th January, 1911 he left this word at the age of 101. Sri Mahadeva Iyer and Bhagavati ammal were his parents. After primary education he passed Sastri examination with distinction and had first rank in Mahopadhyaya examination. He was a traditional Sanskrit scholar. He started his career as lecturer in Govt. Sanskrit College, Thiruvananthapuram, and he taught Sanskrit grammar until his retirement from government service in 1966. He was a living authority on Sanskrit Grammar. 
 After the retirement he devoted his life to the spread of Sanskrit knowledge. He taught at Varkala Sivagiri Brahmavidyalaya and sree Sankara vidyapeetham, Edakkidam. His contributions to Sanskrit and Malayalam literature are outstanding. In Sanskrit he wrote learned commentaries on Vākyapadīyaṁ of bhartṛhari in the name of Hariharaputrīyaṁ. He wrote commentaries named Guruprasāda on Darśanamāla and many other works of sree Narayanaguru. The Commentary on darśanamāla shows his thorough knowledge of advaitavedanta philosophy. The commentary on Ātmopadeśaśatam is also an outstanding philosophical composition. Sivagiri Math, where Sastrikal spent the years after his retirement and taught for years, has collected all his commentaries on the works of Sri Narayanaguru and published as a single volume in 2007. Tiṅantarūpāvali  is a work on Sanskrit grammar. His articles were collected and published in two volumes- Vijayapradīpam and Vijñānamañjuṣa.
Rasikakautukam, the magnum opus of sri Sastrikal,  a scholarly commentary on the Nalacaritam āṭṭakkatha of Uṇṇāyi varrier, excels all the works of its kind.   This extraordinary work shows the knowledge of the author in Sanskrit and Malayalam languages.     
He received many awards and honors. He received presidential award for contribution to Sanskrit language. He also received the Kerala Sahitya Academy award for comprehensive contribution to language in 1996. The Olappamanna award and Amrtakirti puraskar were also conferred on him. Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady conferred honorary DLitt. to him considering his lifelong contributions to Sanskrit.
The death of Sastrigal has brought about a huge gap in Sanskrit academia which we could not fill easily. 



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