Reviews

The Occult Training of the Hindus: By Ernest Wood. (Ganesh & Co., Madras 17. 2nd Edition 1952. Price Rs. 4.)

Under a somewhat ambitious title Prof. Ernest Wood has summarised the teaching of the Bhagavad-Gita, and Sankara’s Advaita Vedanta, so far as their practical side is concerned. His classification of the subject into three Raja-yogas and four Hatha-yogas is somewhat arbitrary. There is only one Raja-yoga, propounded by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras. Mr. Wood gives a clear summary, in his second chapter, of this system. His attempt in the third and fourth chapters to summarise the teachings of the Gita and Sankara’s Advaita to include them in Raja-yoga is not justified. There are various practical disciplines mentioned in the Gita but no one has equated them with Raja-yoga or treated them as forms of it. Similarly the Advaita has its well-worked out system of preparation for Brahma jnana, the famous four qualifications–Viveka, Vairagya, Shatsampathi and Mumukshatva. Mr. Wood gives a readable account of this scheme.

Mr. Wood is implying in his book a seven-fold classification based on the Theosophical teaching of the Seven Rays of individual development, and hence has relegated the Bhakti-marga to the sixth place. His attempt to group Bhakti as one of Hatha-yogas is somewhat artificial. Mantra-yoga again is a class by itself. This part of the book is somewhat sketchy and does not do justice to the subject.

Mr. Wood is one of those few Englishmen who, with a life-long devotion to Sanskrit, has gained a lucidity of exposition and familiarity with the idiom and atmosphere of Indian Philosophy. This book will be of interest to English readers as an elegant introduction to the teaching of some of the best-known classics–namely the Gita and the Advaita-darsana.

The real occult training of the Hindu sages is never imparted in books. Always the pupil has to sit at the feet of the teacher and, by the three processes enumerated by the author of this book, pranipata–reverent obedience, pariprasna–repeated investigation, and Seva–devoted service, acquire the moral fitness to reach realisation.

One passing reference on p. 29 deserves a comment. Mr. Wood says: “Stunts such as breathing up one nostril and down the other, or holding the breath for a long time, are not mentioned by Patanjali and should in general be avoided as dangerous.” Every Hindu teacher invariably warns the eager learner against practising these special exercises without the guidance of a competent guru. But it is strange that the author should speak of them as ‘stunts’. If what he has written in the chapter on Hatha-yoga is correct, these are scientific practices and are capable of definite results under proper guidance.

The author has also incidentally introduced the reader to his other works; famous among them is his book on ‘concentration’. A careful and painstaking writer, with a highly practical bent of mind, Mr. Wood has done admirable service to the cause of the higher life. Nothing but the greatest benefit can accrue by a perusal of this work.

D. GURUMURTI

Hymns to the Goddess: By Arthur and Ellen Avalon (Ganesh & Co. Madras. Pages 222. Price Rs. 6.)

“More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of.”

Sadhana leading to the attainment of Brahmabhava is a ladder of many rungs, and stotra or prayer is one of these. Samskrit literature is full of mellifluousstotras, that are believed and found to be most efficacious, not onlyin removing obstacles but also in conferring physical and spiritual prosperity on an ardent devotee.

Here in this volume Sir John Woodroffe presents us with a collection of hymns to Devi (Goddess), and one hymn to Kalabhairava. All these hymns are translated from the Samskrit, and are selected from the Tantras, Puranas, Mahabharata and Sri Sankara’s works. Theauthor, in addition to his scholarly introduction which explains in a very lucid manner the philosophy of Saktism, has writtena useful commentary based on traditional interpretations.

We commend this book to ‘students of religion’ all over the world for whom in particular the author has intended this. The printing of the original hymns in Samskrit will greatly enhance the usefulness of this book.

Introduction to Tantrasastra: By Sir John Woodroffe (Ganesh & Co. Madras. Pages 152. Price Rs. 5)

This is a good primer explaining the A. B. C. of Tantrasastra, which is nothing but a practical guide to all those that desire to attain Union with the Supreme Godhead. In his own inimitable way Sir John Woodroffe explains in brief every item of Tantrasastra, so that even a layman can make his way through, and have a clear grasp of the subject. The chapters on ‘Worship,’ ‘Yoga’, ‘The Human body’, ‘Siva and Sakti’ deserve careful study and understanding. This is a solid and substantial book worth possessing by every student of religion.

B. KUTUMBA RAO

TELUGU

Gauthama Vyasamulu: Sri Pingali Lakshmikantam, M.A. (M.S.R. Murty & Co., Visakhapatnam)

This is a volume of literary criticism in Telugu, comprising essays, critical introductions, and lectures, by a scholar and poet during his distinguished literary career.

The author himself remarks in his Introduction to a volume of essays of the late Sri C. Ramalinga Reddy, (also included in this publication), that literary criticism as a distinct branch of literature is of very recent origin in the Telugu language. To Sri Ramalinga Reddy, the author claims, and rightly, the credit for initiating in his Kavitvatatva Vicharam, a new point of view, a modern outlook and aesthetic approach among Telugu critics, diverting their attention from linguistics, grammar, philology, and ancient theory, to the beauty and aesthetic appreciation of literary compositions. It will be obvious to readers of this volume that in this respect, as in others, such as catholic taste for ancient classics as well as modern lyrics, knowledge of ancient canons of literary judgment as well as modern trends of literary appreciation, scholarship and taste, logical argument and graceful expression, the author follows the example of his patron and model successfully and verycreditably.

The volume contains, among other things, a brief historical account, in broad outline, of Telugu literature, a survey of then history of Drama in Andhra (an adaptation of his presidential address to the Andhra Nataka Kala Parishat), critical introductions for Dwipada Bharatam, Ranganadha Ramayanam and a critical essay on Pingali Surana’s Prabhavati Pradyumnamu. All these reveal the influence of the author’s knowledge of English literature and literary critisism and a desire to initiate the study of literary tendencies in relation to the social and political conditions of the people, and the life, culture and aspiration of the poet.

Himself a poet of established reputation and a University teacher and research scholar, the author is eminently qualified for this type of work. He has succeeded in setting a very high standard of discriminating and constructive criticism, for which there is great need in Telugu literature, but of which very little is forthcoming nowadays.

This volume of criticism can be safely recommended as a model, worthy of imitation, to all students of Telugu literature and all aspirants for the role of a critic, revealing as it does a combination of contrary qualities so necessary and yet so rarely co-existent,–genuine literary taste and adequate, graceful and powerful expression; respect for indigenous culture and responsiveness to desirable trends in foreign literature and criticism; scholarship, originality, depth and humor, Courage and restraint; and above all a constructive attitude and endeavour to do justice, to help appreciation, and to develop taste.

Especially valuable and attractive to the layman is the author’s exposition of the Desi poetry–the indigenous literary forms such as Dwipada–and their hold on the popular taste and imagination throughout the history of Telugu literature, which they were able to maintain in the face of the rivalry of the more scholarly and fashionable literary forms of the sophisticated classes.
M.S.K.