Reviews

World Conquest in Installments: by J.V. Stalin (World CommunismSeries No. I; published by Society for Defence of Freedom of India; 12, Chowringhee Square, Calcutta; Price As. 12)

Russian Imperialism: by R. Swarup (Published by Prachi Prakashan, 12, Chowringhee Square, Calcutta; price Rs. 2.)

Though the purpose of the books is self-evident from the names of the books as well as from those of the Publishers, the title of the first book is a bit misleading. Its title makes an unwary reader to think that it is a book by Stalin and is in defence of communism, whereas the fact is otherwise. Both the books preach against Communism.

World Conquest in Installments actually contains the text of two chapters from Stalin’s Foundations of Leninism, with some omissions here and there to suit the purpose of the Publishers. It also contains an Introduction by Sita Ram Goel which is longer and in a way more interesting than the text itself. The purpose of publishing this book seems to be something like this. The Publishers fear that the non-communist world is lulled into inactivity by the cock-and-bull stories of Russia’s peaceful objectives and overtures, whereas the true intentions of the Russians were already there in black and white since a long time. This “intellectually lazy, morally indifferent and spiritually undecided” non-communist world must be told this truth and the “pious political illiterates” must be educated. And hence this book. If you belong to that class of people and if you are in search of ‘truth’, you cannot think of a better book than this to initiate you into the mysterious working of the Communist mind.

Russian Imperialism: How to stop it is a ‘companion volume’ to the above, as the publishers of the former themselves call it. It certainly supplements the first one. If, after reading the first book, you realise the danger of Russia’s expansion and her ideological weapon, namely, World Communism, and are also conversant with the Bolshevic tactics, drive and resources, and ask the question, rather in dismay: “How to meet this danger?” well, here is the recipe of Mr. R. Swarup. The way is simply “by understanding this danger and by helping this understanding to spread among the masses. That is our most sure defence”. This missionary work is undertaken by the publishers, though others, “with better resources”, are also welcome.

Whether we like it or not, Communism has become a world force and is constantly on us mentally; and the world is slowly getting itself divided into two broad camps, the Communist and the non-communist, though a few people, especially in India, whom probably the publishers would like to include among ‘the pious political illiterates’, think that a via media is possible. And whether we like Communism or not, it is better that we read both sides of the picture. These two books are worth reading, especially because, though written exclusively to give only one side of the picture to prove that Communism is an evil, “an evil sufficiently theorised and idealised to deceive the most clever an idealist”, they also serve the opposite purpose and set you a thinking why even ‘the most clever and the idealist’ are deceived so easily. While preaching against Communism is one way of meeting ‘the danger’, a sure way seems to be what we are attempting in India through the Five Year Plan–of clearing the ground of mass discontent due to poverty, on which alone Communism thrives well.

K.V. RAO

The Bhagavad-Gita and the Changing World, by Dr. P. Nagaraja Rao, M.A., D.Litt. (Published by The Ramakrishna Seva Samiti, Ahmedabad, pp. 150. Price Rs. 5.)

The volume consists mainly of University Extension lectures delivered at Calcutta, Banaras and Madras at different dates, extended and adapted for publication in book-form, in which remarkable unity of purpose and outlook binds the different chapters.

It is professedly an attempt to state in broad outlines the central teaching of the Bhagavad-Gita on some of the vital and crucial issues affecting our lives and conduct. The purpose is identical with that of ‘The Art of life in The Bhagavad-Gita’ by Sri H.V. Divatia, published by the Book University of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and reviewed in this journal, but the presentation here is more popular and calculated to appeal to a wider sector of the public, if less scholarly and philosophical.

It is addressed to the large public who are not satisfied with the two types of thought in vogue at present, the secular ideologies which appeal to the conscience, and command the enthusiasm of present-day youth, rationalism and humanism, both anti-religious, the reaction to anti-humanistic religions of former times.

In the words of Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, the book deals with the present day challenge to religion and deals with it with wide learning and true understanding, and presents the complete and comprehensive ideal of true religion expounded by Lord Krishna in the Gita, as an effective answer.

It is not a technical, metaphysical treatise on the Gita but only an attempt to state the central teaching of the Gita in broad outlines; but, in the process, it give us incidentally a just and adequate estimate of various secular ideologies, competing among themselves for the place which rightly belongs to true religion. It shows how the ideal of true religion expounded in the Bhagavad- Gita satisfies the intellectual requirements of rationalism and the emotional basis of humanism, and provides at the same time a panacea for all problems facing the godless modern humanity and a safe guide for conduct of universal validity.

The book is a valuable addition to the growing literature on the Gita which bids fair to take its rightful place as the text of the universal religion of the future.

M. SIVAKAMAYYA

Sanskrit Comic Characters, by J. T. Parikh (Published by The Popular Book Stores, Tower Road, Surat, Pp. 72, Price Rs. 2.)

The nine-fold classification of permanent human feelings or Sthayibhavas of the ancient Indian aestheticians is in perfect accord with the analysis of Prof. Macdougall in his ‘Social Psychology’. Hasya, the offspring of Sringara, is according to them one of the nine aesthetic sentiments delineated in Kavyas and Rupakas. The definition of Hasya by these ancient Indian critics is also in close agreement with the views of Max Eastman in his scholarly treatise ‘Enjoyment of laughter’. He says: “To my mind the old philosophers of India approached this problem wisely. They approached it as a laughing infant must, impersonally; ‘The comic,’ they said, in which the permanent condition is mirth, may arise from the fun of distorted shapes, words, dresses, gestures etc.’ That is the simple truth, in the permanent condition called mirth and called by us the play attitude.”

The Vidushaka or comic character is an embodiment and source of laughter in almost all the Sanskrit dramas with Sringara as the main sentiment and he is defined as ‘Hasya praya.’

This brochure, “Sanskrit Comic Characters,” proposes to attempt an appreciation of Vidushaka characters in Sanskrit drama. It is, the author declares, modelled on ‘The English Comic Characters’ of Priestley. The entire gamut of Vidushaka characters is surveyed here. In the introductory part he rightly draws a distinction between the comic characters of English dramas and the Vidushakas of Sanskrit dramas. He then proceeds to establish the individuality of each of several Vidushaka characters, thus successfully refuting the charge, levelled by some against the Sanskrit dramatists in this respect, that their comic characters are all typical and conventional and exhibit no individuality. ‘Laughter of Bhasa,’ ‘Maitreya,’ ‘the clown in Kalidasa,’ ‘Humour of Harsha’ and ‘Revival in Rajasekhara,’ are all well-written chapters, presenting vivid pictures of the different vidushakas with their individual traits and providing the reader-with a feast of mirth that is of the Sanskrit dramas. The author richly deserves commendation for his laudable attempt and congratulations for the remarkable success he has achieved in this work.

B. KUTUMBA RAO

TELUGU

Srimad Guru Bhagavatam (11th and 12th Skandhams) by Kavisekhara Minnikanti Gurunadha Sarma, Guntur. (Orient Publishing House, Tenali. Pp; 33 Plus 336, Price Rs. 5)

Potanamatya, the immortal Telugu poet who enthroned himself in the hearts of all Andhras, young and old, by virtue of celestial and enrapturing poetry that spontaneously sprang from the depths of his devout heart, did not, for some reason or other translate the 11th and the 12th Skandhas of the Bhagavatam, but allowed them to be translated by Veligandla Naraya. Naraya’s translation, which as poetry pales before Potana’s, is neither exhaustive nor faithful to the original. So a complete, faithful and charming translation of the original is a long-felt desideratum.

The 11th Skandha was already translated by Sri Haribhattaraka, an ancient Telugu poet, and the translation is now being published in the “Andhra Sahitya Parishat Patrika” of Kakinanda. K. Pattabhi Ramayya Garu, a modern poet, has also translated the 11th Skandham. These two are literal translations. Another modern poet Mudumba Singaracharya also translated many of the Skandhas of Bhagavatam into Telugu.

The book under review is a free translation of the original and the author has succeeded in bringing out the spirit of the original in his translation. In some places the story in the original is expanded by the author according to the needs of the Rasa and auchitya, and nowhere does he appear to miss the beauty of the original.

The language throughout is chaste and the style is elegant, befitting a classic. While the free play of the translator’s power of imagination and fancy can be seen clearly in his additions to the original, the poet is quite at home and at his best while delineating the sentiment ofSringara as well as Santa. The free flow of the verses, and the Telugu national idioms and sayings bestrewn here and there, coupled with pleasing alliterations, add to the relish of the poem.–“Kidrsa” but not “Yadrsa” seems to be the apt word in page 29 line 17.

B. KUTUMBA RAO

Andhra Kavayitrulu, by Ubhaya Bhasha Praveena Srimathi Utukuri Lakshmikanthamma, Bapatla. (Pp. 380, Price Rs. 5.)

Awarded the first prize of the Telugu Bhasha Samiti by the Madras Government, this book is a remarkable and valuable addition to the all-too-meagre corpusof literary criticism in Telugu.

It is a comprehensive survey of the literary achievement of Andhra women from the remote beginnings of Andhra history and Telugu literature down to the present day. It includes all the available and interesting historical information regarding the life of each poet, a brief account of the literary work, and a critical estimate of the literary achievement in relation to the history and life of the people and the development of the literature. It reveals, at the same time, through the entire treatise, an attempt to distinguish and assess the distinctive contribution of womanhood to the magnificent wealth of Telugu literature and the gain to it thereby. The chief objective of the book seems to be to provide inspiration and incentive to Andhra womanhood of the present and future generations to cultural endeavour and progress, and to qualify for participation in the current literary renaissance. The incidental literary appreciation and criticism by way of comparative study is exceedingly interesting and illuminating even to the specialist student of literature and literary criticism, and entitles the book to a respectable place in the sphere of literary criticism.

The somewhat excessive, however pardonable, zeal of the authorfor the objective of securing adequate recognition for the achievement of her sex has resulted in the inclusion of several lists of mere names. Perhaps the aim could have been better realised by proper selection and discriminating emphasis on those poets only with a considerable body of achievement to their credit.

‘RASIKA’

SANSKRIT-ENGLISH

The Greatness of Siva: Mahimnastava of Pushpadanta, with Sanskrit commentary by Jagannadha Chakravarti. Translated with commentary by Arthur Avalon. (Ganesh & Co. Madras-17. Pp. 71, Price Rs. 3)

Pushpadanta’s Mahimnastava contains 36 inspiring Sanskrit verses in praise of Siva, and these even to this day dance on the lips of every Saivite. The versatile scholar and philosopher Sri Madhusudana Saraswati Swami wrote a scholarly commentary on these verses. According to him all these verses admit of two interpretations, one in praise of Siva and the other in praise of Vishnu and he succeeded marvellously in elaborating the two meanings.

The book under review contains two Sanskrit commentaries. Of these two the commentary by Jagannadha Chakravarti is masterly. Though he does not attempt to interpret the verses as in praise of Vishnu, he gives all the information that is necessary for a proper understanding of the verses. Only, one doubts whether the Vedic passage “Na Karmana na prajaya” etc., cited in this commentary on the 7th verse is relevant to the context.

There is nothing remarkable about the second commentary except that it now and then gives grammatical explanations of some words also.

The value of the book is to a considerable extent in the English translation and elucidative notes by Arthur Avalon.

B. KUTUMBA RAO