Reviews

The Flute Calls Still: By Dilip Kumar Roy. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay - 7. Price: Rs. 25.

This is a volume which contains the letters of both Dilip Kumar Roy, the saint-singer, and his disciple Smt. Indira, written in the ‘Sixties from time to time. They are full of the experiences of both the devotees of the Lord Krishna, the one as the Guru and the other as disciple. Dadajiis how the disciple calls her Guru and Didiis the appellation by which the disciple is addressed often.

People who have had the pleasure of listening to the ethereal music of Dilip Kumar Roy can certainly vouch for the exaltation of the spirit it could evoke. For long himself a singer and an unfatiguing traveller on the spiritual path, his guidance to Smt. Indira should have been fruitful as evidenced by the graphic description of the vision of God that she began receiving during stages of her spiritual evolution. In one of her letters she says: “I saw the Lord himself in the flame of the candle.” ... She narrated in some of her letters how she had no con­sciousness of anything around her when in Samadhi. The need for a Guru for the fulfilment of the spiritual pilgrimage she had in Dilip Kumar Roy.

Sceptics will be unable to be influenced by the way the spiritual experiences are described in these pages. Dilip Kumar Roy has answered such persons thus: “How can one possibly assay or adjudicate on such phenomena with your scientific yardsticks and galvanometers, statistics and equations? And how can those of us who saw it deny that she did, in effect, ‘sing in the light’ when she gave us tidings of the One who sustains his devotees and withal, runs the galaxies” (P. 191). Dilip Kumar Roy in the above quotation was referring to the vision of Balagopala that his disciple Smt. Indira got during his singing of a Bhajan.

Those who are not affected by the modern cant of occular demonstration for everything may not easily be taken in by what is contained in these letters of Smt. Indira; but they should not forget that there is something higher that transcends all our calculations and direct perceptions.
–K. CHANDRASEKHARAN

Yoga: The Art of the Integration: By Rohit Mehta. Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar, Madras-20. Price: Rs. 50.

The chief merit of this presentation is that it shows how Patanjali is eminently relevant to the present psychological situation of man in the modern world. Though his aphorisms were written more than two thousand years ago, they are still pertinent in as much as they touch the fundamental principles of consciousness which is an eternal theme. In the chapter on E. S. P., Sri Mehta points out how there is a good deal of confusion between the spiritual and the occult (“psychic”). “The spiritual and the psychic are completely different, though not necessarily contradictory. It has to be noted that while a spiritual man may come in possession of psychic powers, one who consciously develops psychic powers usually remains an utter stranger to spiritual experience...Spirituality and spiritualism are completely different. Spiritualism belongs to the category of psychism, its main subject of interest being the establishment of contacts with disembodied spirits and those who have crossed the portal of death. Spirituality is the right perception of men and things, that perception which arises in a state of non-­duality, where the frontiers of the mind no longer limit one’s vision and understanding.” (Pp. 311-12)

In these lectures on the Aphorisms of Patanjali the author deals with each Sutra in the light of modern developments in science, psychology and Yoga and underlines the truth that evolution of consciousness towards divinity is the aim of Nature. This involves a relentless co-ordination and integration of the activities of the different parts of the being, viz., the body, the life-force, the mind and the soul. To interpret the Sutras in a spirit of negation of nature is an old pastime; Sri Mehta, underlines the equation between the self and nature at a deeper level; Patanjali points the way to realise this truth of oneself.

A very readable and in places a thought-provoking exposition.
–M. P. PANDIT

Vijnana Bhairava or Divine Consciousness: Translated by Jai Deva Singh. Motilal Banarsi Das, New Delhi-7. Price: Rs. 35.

Though the influence of Kashmir Saivism, variously known as Pratyabhijnanaor Trikaor Tantraschool of philosophy, is both deep and lasting on Indian life and letters, the world knows precious little of it until very recently. As late as in 1972 Prof. L. N. Misra writes “Little work has been done on Kashmir Saivism and ourknowledge of the system has remained scanty and based on secondary sources.” (Foreword: Kashmir Saivism)Dr. Jai Deva Singh helps us out of the situation by bringing out important Tantric texts of this school, fully annotated and translated into English. The present volume is the third in the series, the first two being Siva Surra and Pratyabhijnaahridayam. It is a reputed resume of the ancient Tantric text, now lost, called Rudrayamaja Tantra, meaning the union of Siva and Sakti cast in the formof a dialogue between Bhairava and Bhairavi (Siva and Sakti). It is meant to be a practical guide fordevout practitioners of Yoga seeking union with Siva. So, naturally, no attempt has been made to expand the system on which these 112 dhaaranas(postures) are based. However, Dr. Jai Deva Singh, who has exquisite critical apparatus and the spiritual expertise of his Guru, Lakshmanjoo, to boot, has provided all the theoretical and scholarly insights and information necessary to follow the text in his masterly introduction to the text as well as in the abun­dant notes appended to each of the dhaaranas. Though these dhaaranasare claimed to be based on Tantric philosophy, it is possible to trace some of them to the ancient Vedic school of thought. The learned editor is aware of this and acknowledges such possible borrowings whenever occasion arises. The editor, with his vast experience anticipates the real difficulties of the ordinary scholars and provides necessary guidance to under­stand the text aright. Forexample, on page 6, he writes: “Bhairavakritau” does not mean, “Siva of terrible form.” “Bhairavakritau” means “Bhairava svarupaya.” It is a locative case in the sense of nimitta(purpose). So “Bhairavakritau” means “for the realisation of the svarupaor essential nature of Bhairava.” Dr. Jai Deva Singh deserves ourgratitude in abundance.

Temples and Legends of Kerala: By K. R. Vaidyanathan.       Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bombay - 400007. Price: Rs. 30.

K. R. Vaidyanathan’s new book under notice introduces some twenty-five famous temples out of more than 2,200 that matter in Kerala, together with their history and legends, architectural styles and unorthodox modes of worship, rites and festivals in an eminently readable narrative style inter­spersed here and there with quotations not only from standard works on history, art and architecture but also from poets, philosophers and musical prodigies, the author makes a generous use of anecdote, local tradition and biographical detail to enrich the style and entertain the reader. The photo plates at the end, so thoughtfully added, are a feast to the eye, while the railway map showing the route to the temples discussed is highly useful. The value of the book, however, does not lie in the information it imparts. It helps us realise the rich diversity and underlying cultural unity of India.

The general reader will be interested to know of the aspects of the deities that caught the imagination of the Keralite artist devotee. There are temples for Rama everywhere, but in Kerala we have temples for Lakshmana and Bharata (Kutali­manlkyam) too. Perhaps the only one in India. Bharata who was eagerly awaiting Rama’s return from exile is worshiped here. Krishna is worshiped in Parthasarathi temple at Aranmula but not as the giver of the Gita but as one who offers to slay Bhishma with his Chakra on the battlefield to save Arjuna, or as the Lord who killed Kamsa. The author is able to drive home the truth that in spite of the winds ofmateria­lism and Marxism, religion is very much alive in Kerala and that “the deities are, whether or not you are an astika, part of the very air you breath. They beckon to you like a loving mother or father and you soon realise you cannot do without them.”

–DR. G. SRIRAMA MURTHY

The Philosophy of Religion:  By S. P. Kanal. Distributors: Sterling Publishers P. Ltd., New Delhi - 110 016. Price: Rs 150.

The author regards all the existing religions as irrational and in effect anti-humanity. They do dot fit in with the scheme of modern science and inculcate renunciation of the world in favour of ecstasies in some paradise beyond. Their founders, their Avatars, are egocentric and their image has been magnified by so-called miracles concocted by their unthinking followers. But all is not lost, for the writer has a new “naturalistic” religion to offer. It is scientific, humanistic and it has been given to the world by his Guru Devatma (1850 – 1929).

This Devadharma is based on a belief system “scientifically” sound: “There is no place for God in the world of events in Nature. God is a superfluous hypothesis. The entities in Nature are embodied. They are matter-force units or body and mind units. There are no disembodied entities like soul or God in Nature. There is law of conservation of matter-force and so there is no creation. Soul is life-force and is the result of the impregnation of ovum by sperm. It is false to believe that soul is unborn, eternal, unchanging entity,” etc.

Founder Devatma gives great importance to inter-personal relationships in which other Teachers woefully lack. The author has no use for the realisations or teachings of other great men; he dismisses them with a rash phrase or two. Altogether this is no cup of tea for the readers of Triveni.
–M. P. PANDIT

Stories from Bhagavan.Sri Ramanashramam, Tiruvannamalai. Price: Rs. 4.

Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi has been known all over the world. Everyone knows of the wisdom of the Maharshi, but few people know the other aspects of his life. This little book, published on the occasion of the centenary of the Maharshi, brings out the story-teller in him. Oursaints and sages have the unique gift of driving home moral and spiritual message through simple or allegorical stories. Sri Ramana Maharshi too uses the same technique here. The stories come fromwell-­known Puranas and other works or from folklore. Whatever be their source, there is nothing literary about them. They are amazingly simple and purposeful. John Greenblatt collected fifty-six such stories and put them in lucid English. He tells us in his Preface that the Bhagavan would dramatise them wonderfully and when the passage was moving would melt into tears. The Bhagavan would tell each story again and again but the story was never felt to be stale. “Each time the story seemed new and fresh.” We hope everyone will be benefited by reading these stories of delight and wisdom.

–MURTHY

SAMSKRIT - ENGLISH

Brihat Samhita: By Varahamihira, with English translation by M. R. Bhat. Motilal Banarsi Das, Delhi - 110 007. Price: Rs.110.

Varahamihira is not only one of the brightest stars in the galaxy of the Indian astronomers and astrologers, but also a poet of high achievements. His Brihat Samhita is a mini-encyclopaedia. English translation of this text is out of print since a long time. The publishers should be thanked for bringing out this transla­tion. The book under review is the first part of the work. Courses of planets and the seven sages, comets, stellar relationship, clouds and rainfall, fluctuations of prices, signs of meteors, comets, architecture and exploration of water springs are some of the important topics dealt herein. A long and scholarly introduction by the translator himself is richly informative. Astrology and astronomy are traced to the Vedas. A statement that week days were introduced from west is disproved. Varahamihira’s date, place and his scientific genius are discussed. The section dealing with Varahamihira as a poet and scholar is superb.

The section dealing with commentaries is exhaustive. Coming to the text proper, every verse is followed by a nice translation, and copious notes from commentaries. Charts and diagrams are there wherever necessary. Chapters 27, 34, 39, 42, 54 deserve close attention for the study of modern meteorologists, astrologers and geologists. Chapter on architecture must be of interest to modern architects also. Importance and usefulness of the work need no more be stressed.
–“SANDILYA”

TELUGU

Andhra Sahitya Vimarsa – Angla Prabhavamu: By Dr. G. V. Subrahmanyam. Yuva Bharati, Andhra Saraswata Parishat Buildings, Tilak Road, Hyderabad - l. Price: Rs. 30.

As in the case of other modern Indian languages, Telugu also was influenced by English literature in the choice of forms of expression and the same has been vividly presented by Prof. K. Veerabbadra Rao in his Doctoral thesis entitled “Telugu Sahityamupai English Prabhavamu.” Following this, a work in Telugu dealing with the impact of English on Telugu literary criticism was a long-felt necessity and it is gratifying that Dr. G. V. Subrahmanyam of the Central University of Hyderabad who is well-known in Telugu literary circles as a fiest-rate; thinker, a noted essayist and as a critic of high standing has stepped into this void and undertaken this task and ably accomplished it. He has compiled this introduction to the study of English literary criticism in all its ages, divisions, classifications and several other individual trends, and in doing so, he has at the outset adequately dealt with the history of the Telugu literary criticism with its age-wise distinctions.

In this elaborate study, Dr. G. V. Subrahmanyam’s striking originality lies in assessing the places of Viswanatha Satyanarayana the Jnanpith Award Winner, in the domain of new literary criticism, the collective influence of the European stalwarts on him and the positive contribution made by Viswanatha himself to the genre. While pointing the role of Viswanatha in the emergence of a distinct type of literary criticism which has its base in the classical models and is enriched by the Western thought, Dr. Subrahmanyam is tolerant and dogmatic. In fact, he exhibits such a scientific temper in his apprehensive power of various later movements in Telugu itself, that one feels that the writer has not made any attempt to attract the reader to a certain attitude, but only tried his best to probe into the depths of dominating literary figures in order to enlighten us as regards the realm of critical writing, in Europe in general, and in England and Andhra Desa in particular. In the last chapter of the book, the author has made a survey of the Telugu works dealing with the lives of poets, histories of literature and other vast body of critical writing that was produced in Andhra in modern times which is certainly a variety of wealth resulting from the Western impact.

This valuable book is a must for all those students of litera­ture who seek to develop the widest range of appreciation of literature in its various forms and contents and who aspire for a sound knowledge of modern literary criticism in its various aspects which is gradually transcending the boundaries of nations and is acquiring universal acceptability.

–D. RAMALINGAM

Pastoral Connections: By D. R. Sarma. Price Rs. 30.
Man and Woman: By K. V. Chacko. Price Rs. 20.
The Old House and Other Stories: By Vasanta Ravindran. Price Rs. 25.
Come for a coffee, please: By Malati Rao. Price Rs. 25. All the books are published by the Writers Workshop, Calcutta-45.

Indo-Anglian short story has taken a U-turn in recent years. New attitudes have been struck, new areas of experience have been exposed. A greater awareness of values in the context of increased westernisation and urbanisation in free India and a freedom from sentiment seem to distinguish the new writing sponsored by Writers Workshop of Calcutta. The four volumes of short stories cited above bear witness to the new climate of fiction-writing today. D. R. Sharma in his Pastoral Connections and Vasanta Ravindran in her The Old House and Other Stories-are alike in that they are nearest to tradition in their themes and techniques. D. R. Sharma tries to re-create his native village, lying a little south of Pathankot very near the Indo-Pak border and trying to resist the winds of change, with imagination gusto and sure artist touch. “A Modern Interlude” is a power­ful comment on the craze for modernity. Sharma has rightly put his accusing figure on man and woman relationship, a domi­nant theme in modern writing. Modernization brings alienation in its wake, but Sharma says: “A wakeful remembrance of my village is a bastion against stylized alienation, a kelson of my total awareness.” Vasanta Ravindran makes her debut  with the bunch of ten stories collected under the title The Old House and Other Stories. Five of these ten stories focus on sex and marriage in modern times. Sex and marriage are firmly rooted in economic necessities, she seems to suggest, although other values, too, merit recognition.

In his book Man and Woman (a first collection, too) P.V. Chacko is concerned with urban life in the main, Casual sex, extra premarital and organistic sex have become the order of the day. Purity of personal conduct, family responsibility even basic humanistic ideas are thrown to winds with no qualms of conscience. False values of old based on caste and creed too contribute their mite to swap the relation between man and woman. If there are some who stand stoutly for selfless love and humanity in this wasteland of modern living, they are bound to die in a wilderness, unwept, unhonoured and unsung as the dreamer in “The Dreamers.” Maybe it is a way of indicating the death of idealism in modern world. The stream of conscious­ness technique is put to good use in the story. Malati Rao too deals with urban life in her second volume of stories Come for a cofee, please. She is sophisticated in her choice of material. She offers a peep into the average mind of an educated Indian who is “willing to wound but afraid to strike” in the story, “The brocade handbag.” A Britisher insults a group of Indian scholars at a farewell party. The Indian community wants an apology from the British Professor, but instead of demanding it directly, they destroy the property of the Indian scholar who happened to play host on the occasion, in order to coerce the Britisher to apologize. “The Metaphor of Stone” is a distant cousin of Charles Lamb’s “Dream Children.” The title story is again full of psychological interest. Sumana, an educated Indian woman goes to Paris in search of experience, but fails to drink life to the dregs as her Indianness surfaces in a significant moment of life. She hastens to board a bus, struggling free from the rock-like arms a young Saudi who invites her to take a cup of coffee with him. “In Job’s Comforter”, she depicts the agony of an unrecognised writer. Perhaps she has the critical stance of the Indo-Anglian writer at the of her mind while portraying the character of Venkatesh. His spirited retort to his unsympathetic critic, Mr. Sarma, a votary at the shrine of economics, seems to be a defence for Indo-Anglian writing com­parable to the classic defence of Kamala Das. “You are mistaken to the core. It is not necessary at all for a writer to lead a sensational life. Perception, observation – these make a writer. Half a dozen characters from this very street is all that I need.” The insights she offers of modern Indian life are significant.

Paralysis: By Chandra Kanta Bakshi. Writers Workshop, Calcutta - 45. Price: Rs. 25.

At a time when the literary scene in India is full of violence and sex, this translated Gujarati off-beat novel, Paralysis, comes fresh as morning breeze. Prof. Chandrakanta Bakshi is a prolific Gujarati writer with nineteen novels to his credit. The present novel enjoys great popularity. A text-book in four universities, it has been translated in to other Indian languages like Marathi. It was a stage and screen success too. Wherein lies its secret of success? It seems it owes its success to its theme and technique in the main. The author tells us how a paralysis patient, Prof. Aram Shah, on the wrong side of forty, recovers marvelously under the extraordinary love and care bestowed on him by a middle-aged widowed matron, Ashika, aged 39 and wedded to her profession leaves the hospital fit as a race-horse in the end. The meeting of the two mature but unhappy minds result in a psychological exploration of the values of sex, love, marriage and life in general. At the end of the novel a possibility of marriage of convenience, “a part marriage” as Prof. Shah playfully suggests in one of his conversations with Ashika, between them is hinted at. The story at this level reads like a Shavian drama of discussion. The sprouting of an urge for life on the part of death-wishing patient on one hand and the birth of a new vision on the part of the lonely, routine crushed matron on the other is managed with masterly skill by the novelist. The psychological theme assaults us with a fresh­ness all its own. The author has scored a different success with his dexterous handling of flash-method of narration. A casual remark or gesture of Ashika instantly reminds him of an event in his past life – his marriage and domestic happiness, the birth of his daughter Manisha, the death of his wife, his supreme sacrifice for his daughter who wants to pay her debt of gratitude but was unable to do so on account of her hasty, star­crossed marriage and her final act of suicide whose tragic weight sent him to hospital as a patient of paralysis. The method enables him to unite the physical and psychological levels of actions at the same time showing how the past and present coalesce to form a new whole and a new vision of life. The novel is a triumph of technique mote than anything else.

–DR. G. SRIRAMA MURTHY