Reviews

Memories and Musings: By K. P. S. Menon. Allied Publishers P. Ltd., Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi-2, Price: Rs. 35.

K. P. S. Menon, so well-known to readers almost everywhere, has in this very attractive volume collected some of his writings which had appeared serially in dailies and journals. The remarkable thing about his writings is that they reveal an intimacy with many of the happenings in both India and outside which bear quite a detached outlook in stating his views. Though his official position as Ambassador and Indian Representative in some of the international gatherings of important Powers of the West gave him the opportunity, his penchant always in describing them has been more as a witness without personal commitments and yet with a veneer of criticism running throughout. Never capable of boring his readers in his way of dealing with political, social or domestic events, his manner is delightful often by the gentle unprovocative remarks on social habits as well as behaviour of the V. I. Ps. he had met.

In this volume of nearly 345 pages, we find the matter is divided into sections with headings which by themselves are sufficient to whet the increasing appetite of the consumer who had already tasted of his wholesome fare in earlier books of his such as Many Worlds, Yesterday and Today, etc. Hardly allowing us to pause in our eagerness to gain more of both knowledge of international affairs as well as our own country’s progressive period of activities, he necessarily makes the reading something of an autobiography with little to irk us of his achievements, especially when they contain instruction for our profit and understanding of human nature.

The Musings which are at the end seem not confined only to these pages under the title, but express themselves in many places, adding much juice of a literary kind to a narrative which could otherwise have been more a diary of his. While they were read in dailies like the Indian Express, Swarajya and other journals, they showed how much of an ability to retain the interest of the reader his articles were. In book-form they retain to us the same enjoyment of his perspicacious observations and none-too-worn-out quotations from other literary sources. Maybe in some places editing could have been done to avoid repetitions of references to events which had found a place in separate articles at the time of their first appearance in journals.
–K. CHANDRASEKHARAN

Some Tame Gazelle: By Barbara Pym (Jonathan Cafe, London), B. I. Publications, 359, D. N. Road, Bombay-23 Price: Rs. 63-30

This English novel reminds us easily of the earlier writers such as Jane Austen and Mrs. Gaskell though, of course, with the difference that Jane Austen could not be copied or imitated in her subtle ironies or discernment of snobberies of elegant “societies.” Still, for the harmless pleasure of noticing weaknesses born of attempts at conforming to sophisticated society and its ceaseless demands on peoples’ nerves, we have here plenty of opportunity for enjoyment of a world revolving on its own axis of inconceivable comical situations.

Two spinster sisters are the main characters whose meeting with Bishops, Archdeacons and Curates form the chief occupation for them. Yet for the formalities they indulge in and the frequent “Teas” and “Suppers” they arrange for entertaining the new arrivals in their small place, provide us no end of enjoyable occasions for harmless laughter. In between, we come across so many details of dishes and food preparations that unless we are also familiar with the names, our understanding of the points for humour may escape us. Next are the sartorial make-ups and fashionable set-ups, most of which may by themselves create a lot of good material for raillery, if only we have a knowledge of Western fashions and their suitable outfits for specific occasions.

We can indeed select passages revealing the capacity ofthe delicate writer’s confidence in evoking our smiles at some of the indiscretions, inadjustabilities and unavoidable idiosyncracies of people moving in “society.”

On the whole, we feel no strain in savouring of the concerns of little minds, though of a foreign clime.
–K. CHANDRASEKHARAN

Essays in Criticism and Comparative Poetics: By Prof. K. Viswanatham, Andhra University Press, Waltair. Price: Rs. 60.

The book under review is a fine collection of scholarly and critical essays on a wide range of topics, including comparative poetics. There are three sections in the book. Section A: “On Literature, Section B: “On Comparative Poetics”, and Section C: “On Literary Topics.” The first two are in the category of literary criticism proper; the last one is a mixed bag covering such miscellaneous themes as translation, language controversy, academic research, “Shakespeare in Telugu”, etc.

The chief merit of this book is that it exemplifies the occasional gains and rewards a comparative critical approach can yield: that it is not only profitable but even desirable for English teachers to look at the Western theories or literary texts in relation to our cultural and critical contexts. Professor Viswanatham’s forte, as a scholar-critic, is his remarkable ability to get to the core of English and Sanskrit texts and to see their essentials in a comparative perspective. He can quote from the relevant Sanskrit works with a familiarity and understanding rarely possessed by other English teachers in India and can weave different quotations into a coherent pattern of argument.

The author’s objectivity and critical acumen are seen at their best in his two essays, “Sri Aurobindo on Shakespeare” and “Sri Aurobindo and Comparative Criticism.” Refusing to be overawed by Sri Aurobindo’s immense stature as a thinker and writer, he points out how the great Indian could also be quite uncritical at times in showing an undue preference for Shelleyan lines: “Life like a dome of many-coloured glass/Stains the White radiance of Eternity” over Shakespeare’s “... it is a tale/Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury ...” Another gem is, “Nature in Kalidasa and Shakespeare”. He observes: “Both the poets have a wide sympathy, a wonderful eye for Nature: ... in both is nature immortalised in metaphor and simile … But the eloquent expression of ‘unity of life’ We find in Kalidasa, rooted as he is in Indian tradition, is not to be expected in Shakespeare” (p. 361).

Some essays are not only full of rare critical insights but rare bits of information too. This reviewer profited from Professor Viswanatham’s sensitive appraisal of Thornton Wilder’s work and was delighted to learn that the American novelist’s imagination was so much captivated by Gandhian idealism that one entire novel was based on the Gandhian kind of saintliness (Heaven is My Destination). As the author rightly remarks about this novel: “It is recommended to all Indians. It is given to an American to write a fine novel about Gandhism; it is regrettable that no Indian has succeeded in writing a great poem or a successful novel aboutGandhiji’ (p. 255).

Admittedly, the most perceptive essays, from the standpoint of literary theory, are such fine pieces on comparative poetics as “Pratibha and Imagination”, “Tragedy and Sanskrit Drama”, etc., in Section B of this volume. The author’s unique gift of “inwardness” is seen to its best advantage here. Clinching the discussion on the paradox of tragic pleasure, he observes:

What gives us pain in life should give us pain in poetry and drama too. Pain is pain and does not vanish but is supplanted by a sense of thrill or pleasure, just as in love sport though the lady is subjected to undue violence by the lover she derives pleasure only. Statements of like import are found in Prataparudriyamand Abhinavagupta… (p. 411)

Outside Sanskrit poetics, the equivalent of this pleasurable pain is stated in Cleopatra’s words: “The stroke of death is as a lover’s pinch /That hurts and is desired.” Professor Viswanatham extends the implications of this analogy to tragic pleasure: tragedy hurts but is desired. “Pity and fear are purged or eliminated by a feeling of admiration for these tragic heroes” (p. 412).

The same inwardness helps the author to define Dhvanias a complex and cumulative process of creativity: “Dhvaniis also named variously: dhvanana(echoing), gamana(implication), protynyana(acquainting), dyotana(illuminating), vyanjana(revealing.) Dhvani is a great Act of Renunciation on the part of words and meanings ... in the interests of a more compelling beauty” (p. 468). Later, what Dhvanistands for is clarified by linking it with Eliot’s auditory imagination: “Dhvani like Eliot’s Auditory Imagination exploits the phonetic and the romantic, the diachronic and the synchronic wealth of words” (p. 478). In the same essay, the Indian concept of “Rasa” is lucidly explicated with an apt citation from Eliot’s verse: “Rasa is: Music heard so deeply /That it is not heard at all but you are the music /While it lasts” (p. 460).

The only complaint this reviewer has against this stupendous scholarly volume is about its “inclusiveness.” It is being suggested in good faith that Professor Viswanatham should consider the possibility of bringing out his excellent pieces on comparative poetics and comparative criticism in a separate handy edition so that it may reach a wider and discriminating kind of reading public both abroad and in this country. The book is, doubtless, a valuable addition to the already impressive tradition of Indian scholarship and criticism and recommends itself as a model of comparative approach to the young aspiring Indian scholar-critics.
–DR. A. JANAKIRAM

Contemporary Indian Philosophy: By Basant Kumar Lal. Motilal Banarsidas, Bungalow Road, Jawahar Nagar, Delhi-7. Second (Revised) Edition. Price: Rs. 35.

On a perusal of the book, one would readily agree that it has largely succeeded in dispelling the impression, wherever it may be current, that “contemporary India does not have a philosophy of its own.” While showing how its essentials are rooted in the tradition of the Upanishads, though its formulations from time to time are infinitely variegated - perennial in their original richness and perpetually fresh in form and expression – Professor Basant Kumar Lal has in this work provided authentic glimpses of the academic excellence as well as the practical relevance of contemporary Indian thought. There is, indeed, sufficient material here to illustrate that the modern trends of academic philosophy in India keep abreast of their, counterparts in Western systematic thought and to disprove the half-baked criticism that Indian philosophy has long been stagnant and merely repetitive of its traditional past. There is also enough to give the lie direct to the charge that its excessive absorption in other-worldly speculations has led to the neglect of vital problems confronting man, here and now. The book exposes these canards at several points and contexts in the course of its presentation and particularly in the chapter’s on S. Radhakrishnan, Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda.

Contemporary Indian thought is characterised by a sublime humanism, which is not exhausted by any self-sufficient humanitarian emphasis or an over-emphasis on the achivements of science and technology, but would comprehend within its scope the deep-seated and enduring aspirations of man seeking to exceed himself in his spiritual dimensions. It offers a corrective to modern psychology in holding that the relevance of human desires does not lie in their fulfilment as desires but in their inherent incapacity to fulfil themselves, thus leading every apparent satisfaction to a deeper discontent and shaping it into a perennial aspiration at the core. It stretches reason to its utmost limits, as if to show that “thought expires in experience.” These features are evident throughout in the contemporary Indian philosophers, a representative section of whose thought is here given compendiously in seven lucid chapters. They serve to show that neither existentialism nor humanism, not even the abstract delights of a total absorption in conceptual analysis, is really foreign to modern Indian thought. That there is no genuine dichotomy between the temporal and the eternal, that one is intended to blossom forth into the other, is a characteristic consensus of the theme of the philosophers listed here from Vivekananda to Iqbal. The exposition of the philosophy of Sri Aurobindo would, in this behalf, particularly satisfy both the scholar and the layman alike.

It was really very thoughtful of the author to have included two apparently opposite approaches, those of Rabindranath Tagore and Krishnachandra Bhattacharya, the former with its blend of poetry and humanism and the realisation of the Infinite-in-the-finite as Beauty, and the latter with its philosophy of Theoretic Consciousness and its analysis of the notion of subjectivity. When we look at “this picture and on that,” we would see how significant mysticism is to modern Indian thought, no less than to the ancient.
–PROF. K. SESHADRI

The Icon: By Kurt Weitzmann. (Chatto & Windus, London.) B. I. Publications, Promotion Department, 359, Dr. D. N. Road, Bombay-400023. Price: Rs. 96-40.

The sound and meaning of the word and the appearance and feeling of the form, have been, from time immemorial casting their influences over the human mind. Every form is not an icon, but every icon is a form. Icon means an image and yet a sacred image alone is considered to be an icon. The art of making of icons is called iconography; those who worship the icons are known as iconodules while those who destroy the icons are iconoclasts.

The present volume is a scholarly exposition of icons from the sixth to the fourteenth centuries. The author Kurt Weitzmann is Professor Emeritus of Art and Archaeology at Princeton University who is a profound art historian as well as a discerning art critic. This volume, in addition to the enlightening text, contains 48 plates in colour, apart from a number of figures in black and white. The author states:

“However, as the icon ascended to a central position in the Eastern Church it encountered wild opposition. The traditional forces considered the worship of icons to be idolatry, which they thought they had overcome in their fight against paganism. Moreover, a widespread aversion to the representation of the human form was rooted in the Jewish heritage of early Christianity as expressed in the Fourth Commandment, ‘Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image...’ (Exodus 20:4). In the fourth century the zealous Bishop Epiphanios of Salamis had in anger torn down a holy image painted on a curtain. Yet the desire to depict divine and saintly figures in human form spread throughout the Church of the Gentiles after Hellenic culture, in all its manifestations, had been adapted to Christian thought and life.”

The icon, overcoming the strong antagonism, had been able to save its existence. Icons were made in several media–wood, stone, marble, ivory, etc, either in gold or in white. The icon paintings are in two dimensions in presentation and holy themes in representation. These paintings were done in line and flat colouring devoid of three-dimensional modelling and perspective. Gold was freely used either in the ground or in depicting the figures. Russia was in those times very reputed for icon painting. The icons mainly depict the winged-angels and the Christian saints. Later on the icons were used to be done in mosaics too. Brilliant colour and a sort of mystic grace of transcendence over the faces of the figures are characteristic ofthe icon paintings. Even paintings qua paintings bereft of any illustrative content, these icons have great pictorial values. Again to quote the author:

“In the course of the eleventh century, the classicising mode of the Macedonian Renaissance (Plate 11) gradually gave way to a style which exhibited a preference for a smaller figure scale and a more dematerialised rendering of the human body. Concurrently, painting assured a dominant role, as it was more fitting for the expression of an ascetic ideal. Monasticism in general and the mysticism of monks such as Symeon the New Theologion were the main forces behind these stylistic changes. The delicate painting with its often minute dematerialised figures –of which the calendar icons (Plate 17), the representations of the Heavenly Ladder of John Climacus (Plate 25), and the Miracle of Saint Michael in Chone (Plate 22), are characteristic – very closely resembles miniature paintings. In these as well as many similar instances a good case can be made for the argument that, indeed, icon and miniatures were produced in the same workshop by the same hand.”

The present volume contains text written by a living scholar of our times while the colour reproductions are of the paintings executed by the painters of yore who are no more. The Icon is a book of unusual wisdom and unbound beauty.
–SANJIVA DEV

The Book of Divination: By Christine Smith (Rider & Company). B. I. Publications, Promotions Department, 359, Dr. D. N. Road, Bombay-23. Price: Rs. 68-85.

This work is a valuable introduction to the methods and arts of divination. Eliphas Levi is quoted as saying “Imagination in effect is like the soul’s eye; therein forms are outlined and preserved, thereby we behold the reflections of the invisible world; it is the glass of visions and the apparatus of magic life.” The authoress advises in the first chapter entitled “On meditation and divination” as follows – “Allow man’s mind to journey without restraint beyond the conventional limits he has come to accept. It is then perfectly feasible to credit the ability to change ill luck, to cure disease and to have the power to communicate with animal and plant life all by the potency of the mind” Meditation is a means to develop the mental potencies and imaginative power and in the first chapter a very simple process of meditation together with cautions and warnings is indicated. The other nine chapters deal with oneiromancy and crystalomancy, cleromancy, astrology, Chinese astrology, numerology, taseography, radiesthesia, cartomancy, and chcirognomy and cheiromancy. All these methods of divination are even now practised in all parts of the world in some form or the other, and are found to be of some use.

It may be of some interest to note here that radiosthesia is resorted by medical men in Western countries to diagnose a disease and decide upon the remedies also. Eric F. W. Powell a Homotopath in his work “The Group Remedy Prescriber” refers to the “de la warr diagnostic instrument for diagnosis and remedy selection” and observes that he found the instrument testifying to his selection of remedies. In all the above chapters the authoress suggests hints for practising the systcms and “suggests interpretations for the many symbols and auguries that the practitioner will find presented for consideration.” Thus this work is of some use to a layman also. In the last chapter she lists and writes short notes upon many systems of fortune-telling that have fallen into disuse now.

This work serves both as an introduction to the arts of divination and also as a preliminary guide and stepping-stone to the practice thereof.
–B. KUTUMBA RAO

Vedic Metaphysics: By Jagadguru Swami Shri Bharati Krishna Tirthji Maharaj. Motilal Banarasidas, jawaharnagar, Delhi-7, Price: Rs. 60.

This is an extensive report of the talks and interviews given by the late H. H. Shankaracharya Bharati Krishna Tirtha of Puri in America during his tour in 1958. Swamiji was well-known for his versatility, particularly his proficiency in Vedic Metaphysics, and his tour excited wide interest in that country. Most of the speeches dwell upon the unity of religions, necessity of world peace and understanding between spirituality and science.

In his discussion with the historian, Dr. Arnold Toynbee, he speaks strongly for peace, but not peace at any cost. He calls for peace with honour and impliedly admits the necessity of the Kurukshetra spirit when Evil is at large. He soothes the American sentiment by refuting the usual charge that Americans are a worldly and unspiritual people. He recalls their history and draws attention to the fact that they have had their own high ethical and spiritual standards. He appreciates the contribution of the West in science and technology which are also evolutes of the growing human consciousness.

Explaining the importance of Vedic Metaphysics, he states: “Four hundred, five hundred steps of working necessary at the present time according to the present are saved, and answers for big mathematical problems can be had in a line or two of working alone (by following the Sutras of the Veda).”

His explanation of the term mithya(P. 242) as neither true nor false but unreal is something to be pondered over. His clarifications of the concepts of reincarnation, Karma, Yoga, Varna, reveal the depth of his understanding and historical knowledge.
–M. P. PANDIT

Yoga Unveiled: By U. A. Asrani (Part 1). Price: Rs. 25.
Yoga as Philosophy and Religion: By Surendranath Das Gupta. Price: Rs. 35.
A Study of Yoga: By Jajneshwar Ghosh. Price: Rs.45.

Published by Motilal Banarasidas, Jawaharnagar, Delhi-7.

Dr. Asrani approaches Yoga as a lifelong quest of Truth, truth of life and of God. A physicist by profession, he has sought Philosophy in Science and Science in Yoga. After thirty-five years of this intense pursuit he had his first climactic encounter with a high yogic objective in a jail where he had been confined on political grounds. It appears a highly disturbing news of his domestic front reached him one day and he got very vexed. However, the next morning, he woke up with a totally new state of being, absolute unconcern, complete detachment and peace. This state continued for over two days and radically changed his life. The state has been coming over him from time to time, but not established itself. Certain yogic techniques, Mantrajapa, induce that state but our author is not in favour of such “inducements.” He has been researching ever since on the implications and possible application of this “Sthitaprajna” state for mental therapy. He is now in his eighties and the present volume is a collection of his studies in this direction. His forte is Jnanayoga and he believes in its possibilities for reducing the tensions and curing a number of psychosomatic illnesses.

Dr. S. N. Das Gupta, the noted Professor of Philosophy, is more interested in the “philosophical, psychological, cosmological, ethical and religious doctrines” underlying yogic practices. He studies, with this point of view, the Rajayoga of Patanjali as explained by Vachaspati and Vijnanabhikshu (mainly), compares it with other systems of thought and establishes its affinity to the Samkhya. The treatise is more metaphysical than practical in its appeal and should be of use to students of philosophy.

Dr. Jajneshwar Ghosh’s Study of Yoga first appeared in 1933 and the present is a revised edition of the same. The writer received valuable instructions from Samkhya-Yogacharya Sri Hariharananda Aranya and his close knowledge of the several commentaries on the Sutras of Patanjali ensures a fresh interpretation of the several concepts involved in the system. The scope and spirit of Yoga, Self-consciousness and Intelligence, the Mind, Nature, Discipline of Yoga are the headings of the four chapters of this learned exposition. It is terse and calls for concentrated study. The author’s disagreements on important points with philosophers like William James from the West, and Radhakrishnan from the East are well reasoned and merit attention.

Each of these books on Yoga has something special to offer all together they cover a very wide ground.
–M. P. PANDIT

Studies in History of Buddhism: Edited by A. K. Narain. B. R. Publishing Corporation, 461, Vivekanand Nagar, Delhi-52. Price: Rs. 180.

Here is a good collection of research papers presented at the International Conference on the History of Buddhism at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, U. S A., August 19-21, 1976. Almost all the papers are of high research value and are really useful to students as well as scholars. More than fifty per cent of the papers provide definite data, impersonal outlook and positive views about medieval Buddhism. Some of the very interesting captions are–The Structure of the Sangha in Burma–A Comparative view by Heinz Decheri; Early Buddhism and the Brahmanas by B. G. Gokhale; Views of Woman’s role in Buddhistic Tibet by Beatrice D. Miller; Portraits of the Feminine: Buddhist and Confucian historical perceptives by Diana Paul; The Impact of the Bhakti Movement on the development of Mahayana Buddhism by K. N. Upadhyaya.

The very purpose of organising the conference and collecting these papers was “to discuss problems relating to the history of Buddhism, in a transnational and cross-cultural perspective, incorporating the inputs from the various sub-disciplines of Buddhist study.” The conference brought international scholars devoted to the study of Buddhiam from diverse disciplinary grounds as philosophy, religion, history, politics, sociology, anthropology, art, history, archaeology, language and literature for the first time together round the table. Almost fifty per cent of the papers deal with India, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand and Nepal, the remaining are concerned with Tibet, Mangolia, China and Japan.

In the words of the Editor whose paper stands first in the collection (Introductory paper with the title: “Toward a New History of Buddhism”), it is mentioned: “Buddhism has so far persisted for about 2,500 years, and during this period it has undergone profound and radical changes. Its history can conveniently be divided into four periods. The first period is that of the old Buddhism which largely coincided with the Hinayana. The second is marked by the rise of the Mahayana, the third by that of Tantra... This brings us to about 1000 A. D. After that Buddhism no longer renewed itself, but just persisted, and the thousand years can be taken together as the fourth period.” It is further sub-divided into seven sub-periods for the convenience of the reader.

Some of the views expressed by the Editor need reconsideration. For example: “It is not unlikely that some of the innovative ideas in the Upanishads owe their origin to the Sramanik sources. But, of course, credit must also go to the enlightened liberal elements among the Indianised Aryans for such a fruitful interaction.” The Indo-Aryan theory itself is in want of evidence. Besides, it should be understood that Buddhism, as a religion was not known by Buddha or his followers of the immediate centuries. Such views that are purely personal can always be honoured by many if not accepted by all. We whole-heartedly enjoy, appreciate and feel the richness of information in this collection. It is highly commendable that the major share of the output is impersonal, informative and illuminating. We commend the book to the seekers of truth and research scholars.

–Dr. E. KRISHNAMACHARYA

The Collected Poems of P. Lal.Price: Rs. 20.

The Man of Dharma and the Rasa of Silence, A Long Poem: By P. Lal. Price: Rs. 10.

Calcutta, A Long Poem: By P. Lal. Price: Rs. 10.

The Bhagavad Gita, Transcreated by P. Lal. New Edition. Price: Rs. 10.

All the above volumes are published by Writers Workshop, Lake Gardens, Calcutta-45.

A quarter century ago, P. Lal burst upon us as a whirring brain and sensibility enraged simultaneously in editing, translating, (“transcreating”), lecturing on and writing poetry. His Writers Workshop venture was to make a definite impact on poetry circles in Indo-Anglia. His early attack (in collaboration with Raghavendra Rao) on earlier masters like Manmohan, Sri Aurobindo and Sarojini Naidu at least drew some attention to the new school of denigration and its own poetic exploits. While they didn’t succeed in any way diminishing the stature of the earlier Masters, the Workshop poets proliferated in Indo-Anglia and some one hundred or more “poets” have appeared under the Workshop imprint alone. It can hardly be doubted that P. Lal has given a push to and even sustained in some measure the current renaissance in Indo-English poetry.

The publisher and publicist in Lal should not, however, obscure the poet himself. It is true that in recent years he has been devoting more and more of his time to the stupendous task of “transcreating” the entire Mahabharata into English, and already over 100 fascicules have come out. The Collected Poems is itself a reminder of his unupholstered poetry that spoke to us over a period of years with a rare directness and force. A few familiar images (spiders, roses, bees, sparrows) return again and again reviving old memories:

“Love like a flower
Has roots that reach
Beyond fragrance, beyond power
Of loving speech.”

Rationed volumes of verse were appearing throughout the ’Sixties and ’Seventies at regular intervals. World-wide travel has also had no effect on his poetry, tinging it with an agreeable internationalism. Feelings are gently smothered by details of strange places and stranger findings. A Boeing 707 flight, a sculptured figurine, a romance that speaks of a snake’s marriage to a human maid: Lal is precise and pleasing always. The Collected Poems also includes selections from The Man of Dharma.

This new poem is obviously the result of Lal’s near-total involvement in the Mahabharata. His introduction itself is something of an experience;

“I take Yudhishthira as an authority-conscious, troubled man, given to rationalism and self-justification, indulging frequently in arrogant humility and corrosive self-pity. He is in intriguing ways a symbol of modern man, a kind of latter-day job...”

Lal makes Yudhishthira experience the “otherness” of the eight Rasas (Sringara, Hasya, Krodha, Soka, Vira, Bhaya, Bhibhatsa and Adbhuta) till he arrives at silence (Santa). The poem winds through the doubts of Yudhishthira, the sorrow of Karna and the manifestations of Shakti at home and on the battlefield to arrive at silence, a Rasa which is actually beyond experience. Not the senses, nor the intellect, can feel this Rasa. Lal finds the necessity forphysical death to reach this, which is rather surprising. And Lal isn’t right in equating silence with Santa.

With Calcuttawe return to the hardness of the physical environment Once again a preface which whets ourappetite. Calcutta holds the poet in fascination and in thrall. Its past greatness and present pockets of prosperity wring an agonising cry from him:

“When will your children not feed
On scraps in the festal dustbin? Beloved city,
When will the innocent famine in your children’s hearts
Not show in their eyes?”

He touches upon live characters from various classes who populate the city. The well-to-do executive, the dubious poet, the spiritualist, the rickshaw-puller, the Purohit, the prostitute on the city supreme!

The present reprint of P. Lal’s conversationally elegant translation of the Bhagavad Gita contains a new introduction which deals with the basic problem: How to reconcile Krishna’s advice with the humanist position that all killing is wrong? Lal feels that Krishna succeeds only by employing a confidence trick, a “glorious revelation of psychedelic intensity.” However, Lal’s elaborate tale to explain nishkama karma is sure to interest the layman and the scholar alike:
–Dr.PREMA NANDAKUMAR 

Lesser Known Forms of Performing Arts in India: Edited by Durgadas Mukhopadhyaya. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd, Delhi, Price: Rs. 35.

A process of creative introspection is the necessary preparation for artistic activity. Traditional art induces such an introspection. Indian art is an enthralling and fascinating repository of such tradition. It is now generally accepted, that our art of the future has to be built on tradition, and this requires an emotional conviction about its worth. The book under review presents a bird’s-eye-view of the value of this tradition by compiling short studies of our lesser known forms of performing arts. In this volume, 23 authors have dealt with 23 different art-forms found in different States of India. They cover Koodiyattam, Thottam, Yathrakali, Thullal and Mohino Attam of Kerala; Jatra and the Mask dance of Bengal; the Song of Haryana; the Gotipua, the Mahari, the Karma and Sahi Yarra of Orissa; the Tamasha and Powada of Maharashtra; the Ankiya Nat of Assam; Nautanki of the Hindi-speaking belt; Devanarayan Ki Par of Rajasthan; Paintings of Mahila; the Veedhi Bhagavatham of Andhra; Yakshagana Baylata of Karnataka; the Dhrupad of the North; the Chau Nacha of Orissa, Bengal and Bihar; and the Shadow Theatre of North India.

The guiding principle of the contributors has been to trace the origin and history of a particular art-form, its growth, its main aspects, its transformations, and also the socio-economic factors behind its decay. The editor has done a commendable job in bringing together such a variety of subjects under one book. This approach will help the inter-change of ideas on art among connoisseurs in different parts of India.

The book rightly begins with Koodiyattam, the surviving form of Sanskrit drama, which is extant only in Kerala at present. However, D. Appukuttan Nair has dealt with the subject in a very perfunctory manner. Koodiyattam has religio-mystic overtones, and is a symbolic interpretation of the Vedic Yajna through the Aharya, Angika and Vachika aspects of art. Till recent times this art was performed only on the Natyagrihas of temples. This central theme of Koodiyattam has been lost sight of by the author. The article leans heavily only on the satirical aspect of the art, which has its origin in the folk-medium. The author has also failed to mention the influence of Koodiyattam on Kathakali, the dance-drama of Kerala.

Dr. V. Raghavan presents a small, but succinct treatise on the Veethi Bhagavatham of Andhra. He makes an effective plea for its revival. The articles on Yathra-kali by Kavalam Narayana Panikkar, and on Thullal by Dr V. S. Sharma adequately bring out the main features of those art-forms. K. S. Upadhyaya’s article on Yakshagana Baylata does ample justice to that art of Karnataka, revived by the efforts of Dr. Sivaram Karanth. The Jatra and Mask dances of Bengal have been ably dealt with by Sarabari Mukherjee and Asutosh Bhattacharya. Ratnadhar Jha contributes a lively piece on the paintings of Mithila, remarkably modern in spite of their folk-style and ancient craft.

The printing and get up are excellent. The book has only seven illustrations. One would wish there was at least one illustration on each art-form. The book on the whole is, indeed, a laudable effort.
–P. T. NARENDRA MENON

Twentieth Century American Criticism: Edited by Rajnath. Arnold Heinemann (India), New Delhi.

Interest in the wide range of American studies is generated and sustained bythe workshops and seminars liberally funded by the American agencies like the U. S. I. S. The present volume, too, is a product of one such seminar held at Mussoorie, in 1974, on “Twentieth Century American Literary Theory and Criticism: Interdisciplinary Approaches.” The papers presented at the seminar have been edited and brought together by Dr Rajnath who has contributed a learned paper on “Eliot and the Renaissance.” The volume has a touch of sadness about it, since it commemorates Dr. Raj K. Kohili, who passed away in 1975, after associating himself actively with the seminar.

After the rapid marches in the fields of linguistics, psychology, sociology and anthropology, to which both writers and critics are increasingly exposed, literature, especially criticism, can no longer be an exercise in isolation. Inevitably, criticism draws from and contributes to advances in the related areas of human endeavour. The comprehensive survey of American criticism between 1910 and 1949 by Prof. Kohili provides a drop for the specific interdisciplinary approaches analysed by the other participants. Prof. Jonathan Culler traces the significant movements in American criticism from 1940 to 1974. Richard Ellmann, in two well-documented papers, explores the interaction between biography and criticism. Prof. P. S. Sastry examines the Neo-Aristotelian theory in relation to the mimetic mode in lyric poetry. The role of linguistic analysis in literary criticism is assessed by Jonathan Culler, Chaudhury Harischandra and Prof. Kelkar, while Prof. S. Nagarajan looks at some themes in the later work of I. A. Richards. Sections 5, 6 and 7 deal with the sociological, theological, psychological and anthropological contexts of literary criticism. Special mention may be made of the evaluation of myth-criticism by Prof. B. Das and an examination of the tie-up between religion and literature in The Family Reunion by Prof. M. K. Naik. The last section is devoted to a study of Lionel Trilling’s “Cultural Criticism” and the recent evaluations of Shakespeare in America.

The volume is a comprehensive introduction to recent trends in American literary criticism which testify to both breadth and depth in scholarship. However, the papers in this volume share the venial deficiency of similar collections in repetitiveness and overlapping. The papers serve as introductions and little effort is made toward originality in evaluation of the trends recounted. The collection certainly urges the reader on to further fruitful exploration in the exciting area of interdisciplinary studies.
–Dr S. S. PRABHAKAR RAO

England in the 17th Century: By Maurice Ashley. (Hutchinsnn of London) Distributors: B. 1. Publications, Dr. D. N. Road, Bombay - 23. Price: Rs. 45.

Maurice Ashley, an established authority on the history of England, writes about one of the chapters of English history. The narrative begins with the reign of James I of England and terminates with the death of Queen Anne.

The book opens with a prologue in which the author sets the stage for the coronation of King James. In the next chapter, the economic and social life of the 17th century England is depicted. In the 17th century, London was an important port and provided much employment. At the same time it presented the picture of poverty and disease. Beginning was made to economic prosperity by the rise of coal industry, iron mining and foreign trade. The people were divided into four classes: peers, gentry, yeomen and tenants. Economic differences existed.

In chapter V, the author reviews the reign of James I. James I was a clever and learned man. However, he is weaker in character than that of Queen Elizabeth. The author traces the development of antagonism between the king and the Parliament. The middle of King James’ reign was distinguished by struggles between personalities. When compared to the age of Elizabeth I, the reign was by no means an inglorious one. The reign of his successor Charles I was characterised by tyranny and confrontation between the king and the Parliament. The country drifted into war with France and Spain.

In the chapters VII and VIII the author traces the history of Civil War and the rule of Oliver Cromwell. From 1629 to 1640, England was governed without a Parliament; for another eleven years, it was governed without monarchy. The state of confusion and anarchy of the reign of Cromwell led to the restoration of Charles II. Charles II in the course of his rule became a constitutional monarch. In contrast to the tyrannical Charles I, the new king was a man of charm, wit and intelligence. The reign witnessed a change in the character of English drama and literature. After tracing the history of the reigns of James II, Queen Mary and William III, the author gives a graphic picture of the English society and life under Queen Anhe. The concluding part contains bibliography and Index.

The book under review should be read by all those interested in the history of Britain. It is a classic.
–DR. K. SUNDARAM

The Seven Freedoms: By Bharat Bhushan Gupta. Ashish Publishing House, New Delhi-27. Price: Rs. 40.

The concept of freedom has a long history behind it and in modern times its growth is traced usually from the time when John Locke published his Treatises in 1690. Locke is hailed as the champion of “positive freedom” as expressed in the form of rights. Locke’s influence on the Bill of Rights and the Declaration of Independence issued by the thirteen American States in 1776 and other famous documents that followed, is well-known.

During India’s struggle for freedom, the need for incorporation of fundamental rights in the proposed All India Federation was emphasised. In a way the Nehru Committee Report set the ball rolling and much later the Sapru Committee explained how necessary were such rights to safeguard the interests of the minorities and to prescribe “a standard of conduct for the legislature, Government and the courts.” When the Constitution of India was adopted incorporating two chapters–one on the Fundamental Rights and the other on the Directive Principles of State Policy–it was evident that they synthesised a compromise between the viewpoints of two important sections, the rightists demanding a guarantee of rights and the socialists clamouring for a direction toward social justice and economic equality.

Discussion and debate have ensued since then in the press, on the platform and in the legislature on the relative importance of these two chapters which are rightly described as “the conscience” of our Constitution. Since 1965 when the late Nath Pai introduced his famous bill in Parliament, a kind of rivalry has surfaced between the protagonists of Fundamental Rights and the champions of Directive Principles. Prof. Bharat Bhushan Gupta’s small book is an excellent contribution to the understanding of the significance of “The Seven Freedoms.” In this small work packed with many references, the author has presented, in a lucid style, why the fathers of our Constitution bestowed so much of attention on this chapter and how attempts have been made several times in the recent past to stifle these sacred rights. The author rightly argues that freedom does not mean license, but only responsible conduct and behaviour in private or in public. The last three chapters seem more relevant than the other nine, particularly because of the emergency experience. The seven appendices enhance the value of this work.
–Dr. A. PRASANNA KUMAR

The Bliss of Life: By Dr M. V. Rama Sarma. S. Chand & CO., Ltd., Ram Nagar, New Delhi-5. Price: Rs. 15.

This book, though termed a novel by its author, hardly answers the features of a regular novel. It is a life-sketch clothed in the form of a story of one of our greatest music composers. Varadayya, who became later known as Kshetrajna, belonged to the 17th century. His advent into the world of music was as sudden as it was surprisingly unique in many respects. Here, the story starts with him as a boy who had a girl-friend, Mohana, whom he began getting attached to. In course of time their relationship developed into one of master and disciple, he as the tune-maker and she as the dancer to the tune. The simple friends gathered, experience of life and began showing a deeper understanding of each other. The usual domestic obstacles to free love were there, though ultimately they were overcome by constancy on their mutual parts. The vision of Godhead in the shape of Muvva Gopala soon transformed him into a devotee of a higher order, whose main mission in life turned to be spreading the Bhakti for the Lord of Muvva. Each of his famous Padams would bear the appellation of Muvva Gopala in it and his dedicated service was more in composing song after song on his favourite Deity. His pilgrimages to temples and visits to the royal courts in the South added to his widening circle of admirers. He became a supreme worshipper in his own characteristic style of compositions.

There is not much of a plot; nor even written after the fashion of the novel-like biography, which has gained currency in the Western literary world. It is plainly told without the artifices of a complicated texture of incidents. In short it is a tiny tribute to a great composer whose successor in that style of musical composition is yet to be born.
–K. CHANDRASEKHARAN

Sensibility Under Stress – Aspects of Indo-English Fiction: By Raji Narsimhan. Ashajanak Publications, c/o Central News Agency (P.) Ltd. 1, Hanuman Road, New Delhi-1. Price: Rs. 18.

Raji Narasimhan’s critical study of Indo-English fiction, as it can be seen from her imaginative and scholarly work “Sensibility Under Stress–Aspects of Indo-English Fiction,” is marked by candour and sympathy, clear analysis and constructive criticism. Though the book begins on a note of pessimism by the statement that “creative writing in English is not natural for an Indian,” it actually serves the positive purpose of enlightening confused Indo-English writers on problems of creative writing in English. This positive effect is achieved by an imaginative analysis of some of the works of R. K. Narayan, Raja Rao, Mulk Raj Anand and Desani. She suggests that a genuine affection for English language should be preferred to affectation of English way of thinking, feeling and living. She points out the negative results of the confrontation with the West. Her appreciation of R. K. Narayan is a clear clue to our understanding of her critical stance. She recommends R. K. Narayan’s unaffected affection for English, his artless artistry, his spontaneous response to the living tradition, his total unconcern for rationalization of sentiments, his realistic and non-didactic approach to life for a careful study of the critical reader.

However, Raji Narasimhan can better put across her ideas if only she avoids some highly esoteric expressions and jargon. The same ideas can be expressed in simple and creative English. The book reveals the writer’s mastery over critical jargon of the modern times. But if only we remember that the primary purpose of criticism is to explain what is complex and difficult, we realize that bombarding the reader with bold compound expressions and abstractions defeat the very purpose of criticism.

Imaginative, scholarly, original, candid and bold, “Stress under sensibility” is certainly an impressive book of criticism.
–Dr. C. N. SASTRI

Dust And Soul: By K. V. Sundaresa Iyer. Kalakshetra Publications, Tiruvanmiyur, Madras-41. Price: Rs. 10.

Sri K. V. Sundaresa Iyer drank deeply at the fount of Indian religion and philosophy. He had an unusual flair for comparative studies. The Dust and Soul of Fitzgerald’s Omar Khayyam is an analytical study of Omar’s philosophy of life in relation to the Hindu view of life and Puranic mythology of later times. In the first part of the introduction to the book, Sri Iyer says that the Omar Khayyam is really a Jnanakosa (treasure-house of wisdom) and dilates on its relevance to the modern times. “Omar’s destiny philosophy” he says, “supplements the teachings of the principal religions.” In the second part, he refers to the popularity of Fitzgerald’s translation in England and abroad. He acknowledges that the translation is not faithful to the original and that the philosophy of Omar too, in consequence, may not be purely his. He wittily remarks: “The Fitz-Omar combination is like a blend of two whiskies giving off a gentle and elusive aroma.” It is a pity that the author had no access to the more faithful and reliable translation of Omar from original Persian into Sanskrit and Telugu by A. Narayana Das, published with the appreciation of Dr S. Radhakrishnan. Had he consulted it, he would have known the damage done to Omar by Fitzerald’s unfaithful translation.

The introduction is followed by annotated text of Fitzgerald’s version as given in Palgrave’s Golden Treasury. The author had taken pains to compare it with the Indian edition by Khanna Brothers published from Calcutta. He is at his best in annotating the texts. He gives lexical meanings, clarifies allusions, cites parallels from the Hindu scriptures and from Tamil religious literature.

It all makes a refreshing and rewarding reading. As the author reads the whole from philosophical point of view, the imaginative part does not receive as much attention as it deserves. For example, his brief comment on verse XIX is as follows: “This is an expression of imagination. The actual idea is ‘Where bleeding Caesar was buried.’ To quote Kalidasa in the context of thought in LVI is rather amusing.

A chapter on the life and adventures of Omar Khayyam to provide a drop to his philosophy would have added value to the book. From the point of view of exact scholarship, it would have been well if the learned author told his readers that the Rubayat is not exactly the title of the book, but the name of a metre in Persian and that it would be read as ‘Rubaayee.’
–Dr. G. SRIRAMAMUR

The Indian Temples–Its Meaning: By Prof. S. K. Ramachandra Rao B. H. Prakashana, Gandhi Nagar, Bangalore-9. Price: Rs. 20.

This is a critical study of the significance of the Indian temple. While tracing the origin and development of the Indian temple, the author, declares that the temple may be regarded as a direct descendant of Stupa which in its turn had been evolved from the primitive funerary mound–a startling opinion indeed–but substantiated by archaeological evidences. The second chapter describing the evolution of the temple is very scholarly and critical. The word “Rathakaara”, the author asserts, means builders of temples but not builders of chariots. In the third chapter temple structure and symbolism of some parts thereof are explained with the authority of Agamas and help of diagrams and photos of temples, etc. Symbolism is the subject matter of the fourth chapter and it deserves careful study and understanding. “The sanctum is a model of the normal tree with roots below and branches above, and the spiral tower of the sanctum symbolises the inverted tree with roots above and the spreading branches below.” This chapter forms the kernal of this study. Temple as a Mandala” is the subject matter of the last chapter and it sheds new light on Indian temples and their symbolism, a matter hitherto little knows to many of us.

The author substantiates his views after a deep study of Agamas, inscriptions, and Archaeological findings. Almost all points are illustrated either with photos or with diagrams. But an inquisitive and curious reader may like to have the relevant quotations from the Agama texts given here chapter and verse in their original form to infuse confidence in him as regards the reliability of the views of the author. In spite of it the work contains a mine of useful information regarding Indian temples and no student of Indian culture can ignore serious study of this.
–B. KUTUMBA RAO

Marx Theory of History: By William H. Straw. (Hutchinson of London) Distributors: B. I. Publications, 359, Dr. D. N. Road, Bombay-23. Price Rs. 57.

Besides Bible and Bhagavadgita, Marx’s writings are the most commented upon. The author, an Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Tennessee at Nashville, U.S.A., originally submitted an earlier version of this book to London School of Economics which may as well be called Laskian School of Economics. The paucity of publications on the Marx’s theory of history prompted the author to “excavate” the real Marx by “softening more finely.” Starting with the anatomy of production passing through technological determinism of Marx touching on the evolution from Capitalism to Socialism traversing a “big march to Capitalism,” the book concludes with a recapitulation of the previous thought. The intention of the author seems to deliver Marx from his critics and commentators by offering a more “fundamentalist” interpretation of Marx.

The author interprets that what Marx had in mind was “actually ownership relations” when he refers to production relations in dealing with property. Similarly at various places, the author endeavours to bring out the real meaning of Marx untramelled by the party fetish and he succeeded admirably. The thought and style are strikingly Laskian, reminding the “Grammar of Politics.” Nothing is an explanation but an explication and nothing is an example but a paradigm.

The book is beautifully printed and it is a pleasure to read it.
–P. SITARAMA RAO

Sankara’s Concept of God: By P. Krishnamohan. Nelanuthula Publishers, Nellore. Price: Rs. 15.

Philosophy is centuries-long intellectual endeavour of our ancient Rishis and modern thinkers to discover the ultimate truth and Sankara’s concept is based on Vedic and Upanishadic thought with a fair blend of theistic and atheistic elements. The Brahman of Sankara is Amatra (immeasurable) and Anirvacaniya (ineffable) and in his infinite compassion and love gets finitized into Isvara, the universe, so, as to be within accessible reach of humanity who are incapable of measuring up to Subjective Idealism. This transformation is, Vaiseshikas say, Asatkarya and Sankhyas Parinama, while Sankara argues that it is Satkarya or Vivarta (apparent). Because of this conditioning (the Tatastha lakshana) of the incomprehensible essence inclosed in Maya, non-existence looks like existence and a duality is projected in place of Advaita non-dualism) of Sankara and Buddhistic bhutatathata (that-ness or such-ness). In comparison Spinoza’s God cannot be even a near approach to Sankara’s by its identification with Nature–a limitation that is to be considered whatever the other characteristics of his Divinity may correspond with Sankara’s God. The Primal Principle immanent in creation can only be felt or experienced and is not subject to objective proof by either geometrical or mathematical methods. Whether it is Nominalism or Modalism or Epiphenomenonalism or Existentialism or for that matter any dry-as-dust philosophy, either Occidental or Oriental can adequately explain the mysterious origins of the universe and its goings-on. The Brahman of Sankara in his Nirguna or Saguna aspects is approachable only through faith and intuition which with its penetrating optics can sound the depths of the mystery and uncover the Reality hidden under a golden vessel (Isa). The book is a scholarly effort and is useful to any researcher in the field.
–K. SUBBA RAO

KANNADA

Mahatma – Vols. I and II: Kannada translation of D. G. Tendulkar’s book in English by several persons. Edited by Dr. H. Tipperudraswamy. Published by Gandhi Bhavan, Manasagangotri, Mysore University, Mysore. Price: Vol. I, Rs. 35 and Vol II, Rs. 39.

The two volumes under review contain translations into Kannada of the first two parts of the eight-volume biography of Mahatma Gandhi written by Shri D. G. Tendulkar in English. The original work is authentic and comprehensive, being a product of deep understanding and patient labour over many years. The Mysore University deserves commendation for undertaking the translation of a standard biography of Gandhiji under the editorship of Dr. H. Tipperudraswamy, a well-known Kannada scholar, and for publishing it for the benefit of the Kannada reading public.

The translation is on the whole adequate and satisfying. But one can discern here and there a literalness, which could have been avoided by changing either the idiom or structure of the sentence. It would have been better if every volume had been entrusted to one translator instead of distributing it to three persons, variations in whose style are inevitable despite the supervision of the general editor. For example, in the first volume in the portion allotted to the first translator, the word ‘Soumyavadi’ (wrongly printed as Samyavadi) is used to render the word ‘moderate’, whereas in the next portion, allotted to the second translator, the word used is ‘Mandawadi.’ It is hoped that such variations will be minimised while revising the volumes for the next print.
–R. S. MUGALI

SANSKRIT AND TELUGU

1. Sri Vishnu Sahasranaama Stotra Bhaashyamu –withTelugu translation by Vaaranaasi Subrahmanya Sastry. Price: Rs. 8.

2. Sri Sankara Grandha Ratnaavali – Stotramulu –with Telugu translation by Tadepalli Raghava Narayana Sastry. Price: Rs. 8. Both published by Saadhana Grandhamandali, Tenali.

Sri B. Suryaprakaasa Sastry a Pandit endowed with indefatigable missionary zeal is doing signal service to Andhras by publishing Sanskrit books. that aid all aspirants after spiritual evolution, in Telugu script with authentic Telugu translations. He is also engaged in publishing all the works of Samkara with Telugu translations in a series entitled “Samkara Grandha Ratnaavali.” The first bark under review is the seventh volume in that series. Yudhishthira puts five questions to Bhisbma– “Whois the one Supreme God in the world? Who is the ultimate resort? By praying and worshipping whom can men attain good? Which is the best of the Dharmas? By chanting which can a man free himself from this bondage of births and deaths? Bhishma replied that Vishnu is the only God the ultimate resort by worshipping, praying and chanting whose names a man becomes freed from his shackles of births and deaths. His worship, etc., is the best of the Dharmas. He recited the thousand names of Vishnu. These names are commented upon by Sri Samkara. Whether this Samkara is identical with the author of the Bhashyas or not may be a moot question, but the commentary gives an exposition of the significance of all the names on Advaitic lines, and a recital of these names with a knowledge of their meanings cannot but be beneficial to the devotees. Telugu translation is done by an erudite scholar Sri Subrahmanya Sastry. It goes without saying that every devotee must own and read this work.

The second work is the eighth volume in the series. It contains 31 Stotras written by Sri Samkara. The translator is renowned for his saintly qualities, miraculous Mantric powers and scholarship in Telugu and Sanskrit in addition to his being a poet of no mean rank. All the Stotras in this volume are mainly in praise of Siva and Devi. One is in praise of Ganesha and another eulogises Subrahmanyeswara. Of these the fifth Stotra describes Siva from feet to head. “Sri Suvarnamaalaastuti” a famous one, contains 50 verses each beginning with a letter ofthe Sanskrit alphabet in order. The eleventh one is useful for worshipping Mrityunjaya mentally with all the Upachaaras. “Anandalahari”, the sixteenth, is a well-known prayer. “Sri Tripurasundari Vedapaadastava “, the 17th one, has a unique feature. The fourth line in each verse is taken from Vedas. Some verses in Sri Devi Bhujanga Stotra have some esoteric significance and also enlighten upon the mode of meditation, Verses 9, 11, 12 and 16 need some more elucidation. These Stotras give picturesque descriptions of the deities meditated upon and many of the verses are beautified with alliterations. All these prayers are very good aids for concentration and meditation and lead a Saadhaka to higher realms of bliss.

TELUGU

Tyagaraja Keertanalu – Visesha Vivaranamu. Volume II: Edited by Kalluri Veerabhadra Sastry. Published by Swadharma Swaaraajya Sanghamu, 95, Broadway, Madras-1. Copies can be had from S. Parthasarathi, North Street, 13, Sriramnagar, Madras-18, Price: Rs. 22.

Tyagaraja is acclaimed to be the greatest of the saint-composers of South India. His name is a household word and his compositions occupy the pride of place in Carnatic music. Each of his compositions is a masterpiece not only in music and poetic imagination but also in philosophic content. Unless a person is well-versed in Telugu language and the Puranas and Vedanta, he will not be able to fully appreciate the profundity of Tyagaraja’s Keertanas. Therefore, while the music of Tyagaraja’s compositions has universal appeal, their elevating and uplifting influence is lost on most people who do not understand their literary and philosophical significance.

The editor of the book under notice, Sri Kalluri Veerabhadra Sastri, who is a profound scholar in Sanskrit and Telugu, is eminently qualified to undertake the task of explaining the intricacies of Tyagaraja’s compositions. This is the second volume of the series and contains 252 Keertanas with meanings for difficultwords and explanatory notes. Besides these, he has explained their Puranic allusions and Vedantic meanings in simple and precise language.

We hope Sri Veerabhadra Sastry would complete the task of bringing out similar commentaries on the remaining compositions of Tyagaraja.

Chatussootri: By Swami Vimalananda Bharati II of Courtallam Tamil Nadu. Copies can be had from the author at 5/6, Kothapet, Hyderabad-35, and also at Mounaswami Mutt, Dattatreya Ashramam, Siddheshwari Peetham, Courtallam, via Tenkasi, Tirunelveli Dt., Tamil Nadu. Price: Rs. 10.

This book is a true and literal translation of the Sankara Bhashyam of the first four of Brahma Sutras. A very useful and critical summary of the book is given in English which would give the English reader a correct view of the subject. Notes of 100 pages was given in the end clarifying the matter wherever necessary.

A novel method is followed in the book, giving literal and true translation of the Sanskrit version on the opposite page, to avoid strain for the reader. An elementary knowledge of Sanskrit will do to follow the book, in spite of the complexity of the subject. It is usually the ambition of every honest modern reader to read the original in Sanskrit and to note the bear textual reading. Elaborate volumes with comments are available on the subject but the vastness and cumbersomeness therein make the reader seek the help of an expert for study. This book, without sacrificing the substance or the detail of the Bhashya, makes the volume handy and really useful for the modern reader. The subject is divided into five sections: I) The Adhyaasa Bhashya, 2) The Jignaasa Adhikarana, 3) The Janmadi Adhikarana, 4) The Shastra Yonitwaadhikarana and 5) The Samanwayaadhikarana. The world-famous theory, original as it is, explaining the “fundamental error” of the man, is the theme of the Adhyaasa Bhashya. Adhyaasa or superimposition is explained in fine and convincing logic with apt reasons. The second section prescribes a mandate for spiritualists, and all retired gentry to wake up and take up to spiritual investigation not by worship or rituals or Yogic feats, etc. The third section deals with the definition and description of Brahman, who is the creator, protector and destroyer of cosmos. The fourth section deals with the means to attain Brahman. By a recourse to the study of Vedanta, Brahman is attainable. The fifth section deals with the harmonious interpretation of Vedanta for attainment of the pith and substance of the whole field of Vedantic texts.

The entire book expounds the basic doctrines of Advaitic Vedanta and the book is essential for daily study by Yatis and spiritual pursuers.

It is hoped that books of this type will help the average reader to acquire spiritual wisdom through self-study.
–“SADHAKA”

Maga Dikku: Paidipati Subbarama Sastry. Bharati Niketan, Subbarama Sastry Street, Vijayavada-4. Price: Rs. 10.

According to Hindu tradition man and woman together, like Siva and Sakti, constitute a whole, and are complementary to each other. For a woman, desirous of leading a noble and virtuous life, a righteously wedded man is a must. A Purohit (priest) well-versed in his lore is in no way inferior either to a post-graduate or an engineer. A village life has its own charm and happiness. Our contempt towards our traditions and customs is born out of our ignorance and prejudices. These are the main truths that the author of this novel, a poet, dramatist and novelist of established fame, desires to bring home to the readers of this novel.

Seshayya a Brahmin of average means refused to give his educated daughter Sarojini to his sister’s son Suryam, a Purohit by profession. Surekha though married was not sent to her husband’s house, because he refused to leave his village and settle down in Guntur for studying English. These two submissive daughters got themselves employed as teachers in a high school, and became subject of tittle-tattle of their colleagues in their recess time in the school. They both realised that their sufferings were due to follies of their fathers, but could not assert themselves. Their fathers died. By Sarojini’s efforts Surekha was reunited with her noble husband for whom she was all these years pining. Surekha convinced Sarojini, a post-graduate teacher, that the sagacious and most humane Suryam was far preferable to an engineer. Sarojini whole-heartedly offered and surrendered herself to an unexpecting Suryam. Thus both the women had their woman-hood fructified and purified by their union with their loving husbands.

The author deserves our congratulations for his daring presentation of an almost revolutionary idea regarding matrimonial alliances in these modern days. The sanctity and significance of Hindu conjugal life and some other minor traditions, beliefs and customs are all well-expounded. Portrayal of characters and their feelings are both natural and charming. In Surekha we see a typical Hindu girl with a cultural ground who could not, in spite of her deep love for her husband, assert herself against her father. Suryam is a humanist. The author opens the eyes of our modern men to some infallible truths treasured in our culture. The sufferings of a woman without a husband both in her father’s house and society are well-depicted. Spiced with popular sayings and written in a fine language, the novel with a novel theme and suspense, provides a very good reading. The denouement, however is to some extent disappointing, in spite of some lame excuses offered therein. Did Sarojini follow Surekha or vice versa? (p. 66) or perhaps it has a significance? We eagerly await the release of a companion novel “Aada Dikku” also wherein the indispensability of a woman for a man and the prime position given for her in Hindu religion also are properly brought to limelight.

–B. K. SASTRI