Book Reviews

ENGLISH

The Meaning of Macbeth: Edited by Bhupendranath Seal. Published by SAS Publications. 11 A Ram Banerjee Lane, Calcutta - 700 112, Price Rs.50.00 - 93 pages.

This uique book is a collection of eight critical essays on MACBETH by the teachers of English of Calcutta colleges.  The book is fittingly dedicated to the memory of a teacher-scholar by the Editor who is himself a teacher of English.

The study of Shakespearean tragedy is vast and deep.  The temptation to write on it is strong and irresistable.  Among the four great tragedies MACBETH, the shortest play, presents a formidable challenge to critics.  Shakespeare criticism is something every lover of the dramatist wishes to attempt but hesitates to commit in print.  In this context the attempt of the adventurous teacher-critics is laudible and commendable.  Surely a lot of hard work and clear analysis has gone into each of the essays.  The teachers of the Calcutta colleges have gone about their business with the confidence and gusto of professional critics.

The edition reveals a two fold fulfilment of purpose.  The first is that teachers can produce critical appraisals at once fresh and unambiguous, convincing and clear in the stand they take on aspects they choose to discuss as in this book.  The second is that practising teachers do possess latent talent and prove sound critics given the right kind of direction and encouragement as the editor has done.

The imaginative inclusion of excerpts from G.K. Chesterton's hitherto unpublished essay on the Macbeths and an examination of a few observations of Caroline Spurgeon on the imagery in MACBETH at the end of the book adds weight and enhances the value of the edition.

Chesterton in the essay mentioned above says that Shakespeare survived his own  age and ours too.  We may add that Shakespeare is relevant for all times and climes.

-D. Ranga Rao

Maiden Flight (Stories) - Dr. Vasa Prabhavati, Vasa Publications, Malakpet, Hyderabad - 500 036, Book Links Corporation, Narayanaguda, Hyderabad - 500 029; pp97; Rs.95

There is no dearth of good story writers in Telugu. There are some Telugu stories which were translated into English, Russian and other European languages, but their number is small.  The main draw is that Telugu story confined itself to the Telugu reading world.  If they are translated into Hindi they would reach atleast half of the country. If they are translated into English they can cover the entire world. Of late this stark reality has been realized as a consequence of which quite a good number of writers are publishing the English versions of their Telugu originals. Some are translating themselves while some others are getting their stories translated by others. In this course the latest addition is Dr. Vasa Prabhavati’s “Maiden Flight” translated by Dr. P. Bhargavi Rao.  Prabhavati is a senior writer and a multi faceted genius. Besides being a story writer she is a novelist, poet, playwright, essayist and what not.  Virtually she competently touched every branch of literature.  She has had scores of Awards and honours including some very prestigeous ones.  Madras Telugu Academy, and Telugu University honoured her with their “Puraskars’.

The book “Maiden Flight” contains 12 good stories. The title story “Maiden Flight” is about a woman who sacrifices her marital pleasures for the sake of her family.  In many families when the bread winner dies and the eldest is a daughter who is educated, normally the responsibility of looking after the family falls on her.  She educates her younger brothers and sisters, performs girls’ marriages and in the process remains a spinster.  By the time every one in the house is settled she crosses her marriageable age and none comes forward to take her hand.  Anasuya is one such woman.  How long she could control her natural passions?  Her student Mohan who is quite young in age and coming from a different caste develops love for her which she could not resist.  Finally she elopes with him coolly.  People comment and even condemn.  But she has taken a natural course.  “The Secret” is about one Chalapati who is addicted to bribes yet irritates all including his wife with his miserly and peevish behaviour. How he taught a lesson by his wife is a guarded secret.  Thus all the stories enthral the readers.  The translation by Dr. Bhargavi Rao is straight, simple and refreshing.  Kudos to both.
-Dr. K.R.K. Mohan

“Another I” K. Srinivasa Sastry by Yugadi Publications, 303, Amulya Apts., Tarnaka, Hyderabad - 500 017. Price : Rs100/-; ($ 8)

“Another I” is a collection of essays that largely deals with the concepts of time, the time that is like a friend that greets us all the time and the human being is the active connection between time & eternity, eternity which is like a stranger and stares at us. The author also deals with the feelings, the relationships among people, the indifferent attitude of people towards one another and the individual’s constant feeling of loneliness. He enumerates on the perception of the human world, the relevance of science and art to society at large. He expresses that the artist has more dimension of freedom than a scientist and the suffering of an artist is more than and is different from that of a scientist, in his experiences and circumstances.

There is philosophical brooding over death and journey after death. The author relates time and death and death in turn being related to eternity.

He projects the real life experiences in one or two essays like in “Dream” where the author brings out the materialistic thinking and the materialistic attitude of modern man who feels that English education earns our bread whereas Sanskrit does not earn bread for us. Therefore, everyone would like to give their children English education rather than emphasise on giving them Sanskrit education. On the whole, the book deals with ideas which are very thought provoking.

- Dr. T. Vasantha Lakshmi

Sri Aurobindo and the new millenium; R.Y. Deshpande; Sri Aurobharati Trust, 5 Kumaran street, S.V.P. Salai, Pondicherry - 695012.

The work under review is a timely reminder to us who are on the threshold of the New Millenium that what we must look for is not only economic development and political and social stability, not merely a further progress in Information and other/types of Technology, not at all a further possibility to gratify our physical and vital desires but a true spiritual evolution of the whole of mankind when the very cells of our body can house the spirit and our life will be one of the highest Anada possible.

To make such an evolutionary progress possible was the mission of Sri Arobindo and the Mother. Sri Aurobindo has not only presented such a Vision in his The Life Divine and Savitri but striven hard to bring down what he called the Supermind, the  Truth Consciousness to the earth-consciousness.

The book is a collection of reflections and reviews published by the author over a period of time and dealing with the vision and work of Sri Aurobindo. The brilliant Preface and the Introduction speak of the Millenium of the Spirit Sri Aurobindo sought to usher in.

The book itself falls into four sections. The First Section has essays on Savitri, the epic poem in which Sri Aurobindo poetically presents the evolution of the work from Inconscience to the Supramental state. Deshpande demonstrates how Aswapati and Savitri are none other than Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. It is their Sadhana the poem presents.

The essays in the next sections deal with various themes covered by the essays on Savitri, the nature and meaning of Death, the stages in which Sri Aurobindo tried to bring down the Supermind into his body.

The essays reveal the author’s intimate knowledge of every word written by Sri Aurobindo or the Mother besides his sound and profound knowledge in every branch of knowledge whether it be physics or metaphysics, economics or politics, philosophy or poetry, mysticism or spirituality.

The book is a great contribution to Sri Aurobindo studies.

-K. B. Sitaramayya

Telugu

Sri Chittaranjanam: (Lyrics and devotional songs) by M. Chittaranjan, Plot No.203, Gangotri Apartments, St. No.6, Habsiguda, Hyderabad - 500 007; pp220; Rs.150/-

This is a compilation of 55 keertanas, lyrics and devotional songs written and set to music by M. Chittaranjan, an eminent songster - in the classical and light music traditions - for over half a century.  In addition to his well known career as a producer of Light music in the AIR, Sri Chittaranjan has made a mark as a composer also in the traditional vaggeyakara style.  What is heartening is that he has given notation to each of the keertanas, and other songs and lyrics.  That makes this book invaluable to readers and musicians alike.

He has used not only many of the already popular janyu and melakarta ragas but also created many a new raga like Sri Nagaranjani, Sri Nagapriya, Sayee priya and Shanmukhi.  He has appropriately used these ragas to set the tunes for the sahitya such as for example, Sayee priya for the praise of Sayeebaba, Shanmukhapriya for Lord Shanmukha, Vagadheeswari for Saraswathi.  What strikes one most is the reverence and immersion in the bhakti bhava in his lyrics in praise of Mannava Amma, who is said to have showered her love and blessings on him profusely, and in whom he sees the divine trinity - Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvathi.

Sri Chittaranjan is also credited with having drafted the syllabi for the Light music faculty of the Telugu University and this work assures his rightful place among the musical composers - yesterday, today and perhaps, tomorrow.

-Vemaraju Narasimha Rao

Kavita Samhita (Poetry): Dr. Nanduri Ramakrishnamacharya 420, Jawahar Nagar, Secunderabad - 500 003; Pp.112; Rs.75

The octogenarian Nanduri Rama Krishnamacharya is perhaps the only vestige of the generation of the glorious traditional poets.  Nanduri Rama Krishnamacharya is a true heir of these great stalwarts.  Even at the ripe age of 84 he is fully active and writing poetry.  His recent work entitled “Kavita Samhita” unevils his soul.  The word “Samhita” means a collection. True to the title, the book contains not only poems but also very valuable memories of himself. Perhaps this is the only book which projects the feelings of a poet so frankly and vividly.  Some of the poems are rib tickling satires.  In one of the poems he writes “The Eskimos build their houses with ice bricks without counting the number. The poets build their homes with dreams without taking note of realities”.

In this small book he gives extensive details of his experiences with many prominent people in the memoirs.  Some are highly memorable.  He worked as a Telugu lecturer in A.C. College, Guntur. Mr. Sipes, an American was the Principal who did not know even a word of Telugu.  Yet when Ramakrishnamacharya told that he translated Longfellow’s poem into Telugu as “Jeevana Suktam” and read before him he was so pleased that he immediately raised his salary by 20 rupees. (From 80 to 100)  Probably he  had a speck of Sri Krishnadevaraya in his heart.  It is said Karunasri breathed his last in his arms.  There are so many such interesting details in this small book.
The beauty is that Sri Ramakrishnamacharya dedicted this book to Sri Mantena Venkata Suryanarayana Raju who himself is a great poet.  Normally writers dedicate their works to those who help them financially or who are influential.  But dedicating the book to another great poet shows the greatness of Ramakrishnamacharya.  The book is not only valuable but highly refreshing.

-Dr. K. R. K. Mohan

Sabda Gaganam (poetry): Oriya Original Translation: Nikhileswar: Sitakant Mahapatra Sahitya Academy, 35, Feroze Shah Road, New Delhi - 110 001; Pp.80; Rs.70

One of the aims of Sahitya Academy is to translate good books of one language into other Indian languages at affordable prices. This is the largest Institution in the world which publishes books in 20 languages. It recently published an Anthology of Oriya poems entitled “Sabdagaganam” written by Sitakant Mahapatra who was an IAS Officer and a Jnanapeeth Awardee. The translation was done by Nikhileswar one of the five popular “Digambara Kavulu” (Naked poets).

Sitakant is essentially a lover of nature. Orissa is known for its natural beauty with thick jungles, innumerable streams and rivulets, of course the mighty Mahanadi hills and beaches.  All these form objects for his poetry.  Any poet who loves nature derives pleasure in describing them. But the difference in presentation makes his poems special. He analyses Yasoda, Krishna, Nanda etc., from a different angle. In the poem entitled “Vidushakudu” he writes “The clown weeps at laughter and laughs while sharing tears”! He finds stripes of the tiger on the wings of a butterfly.

Nikhileswar’s Telugu rendering is simple, straight and meaningful. He did full justice to the original. Generally Art films and modern art are beyond comprehension of ordinary men. A casual reader has to struggle a bit to get the meaning of some poems. However all the poems regale the habitual reader.

But it is perhaps too much to price this book of 80 pages of Rs. 70/-. The Sahitya Academy should take note of this.

-Dr. K.R.K. Mohan

Endaro Mahanubhavulu: Jananaddi Hanumatchastri, Visalandhra, Hyderabad and its branches;  Pp.112; Rs.25

India is a great country where great people were born in all times who enhanced the glory of every field.  Especially the latter half of the past century and the former half of the present century gave birth to outstanding personalities. Each one was a legend and an example. But how many of us know about them?  The present generation practically knows nothing about them. One may not find time to read biographies.  But if they are given as brief biographies or profiles or anecdotes they would be interesting as well as inspiring.  Janamaddi Hanumatchastri wrote scores of biographies and anecdotes about great people. His recent book entitled “Endaro Mahanubhavulu” is a collection of his brief writings about eminent people earlier published in various journals. His selection of the personalities and the incidents is exemplery. All the fifty five pieces given in the book are most interesting and at times highly touching. For instance the profile of Right Honourable Srinivasa Sastry has two pronged greatness. He was born in such a poor family which had no money even to buy salt when somebody gave some raw mangoes for pickle and had to refuse the offer on this count.  He had no shirt to wear and went to college covering his chest with a towel. Once when he drenched in rain he had to remove the towel for drying and sat in a corner with bare chest.  The Principal Mr. Builderbek who was taking his class took objection to it and fined him with half a rupee. After the class was over Sastry told him that he had no money to purchase a shirt or pay fine. The Principal was so moved that he took half a rupee coin from his pocket, gave to Sastry and asked him to pay the fine.  He also gave money to buy two shirts.  This poor boy rose to the heights of Privy Council Member, Stateman and an incomparable English scholar.  He was given the title of “Right Honourable” by the British King. Once when he visited London representing India he called on the Builderbek couple out of courtesy. The couple hosted a party in honour of his disciple.  He narrated before the gathering this incident.  He said this shirtless Srinivas whom he punished became such a great man for which he felt happy.  This profile presents not only the greatness of Sastry but also that of Mr. Builderbek.  The Principal could’nt have waived the fine. But in order to ensure discipline he paid the fine.  As a magnanimous person he gave money to buy shirts, which Sastry’s relatives or friends did not do.  Those were the golden days. Will they return again? 

Janamaddi is doing yeomen service in digging out such inspiring stories.  Kudos to him.

-Dr. K. R. K. Mohan

‘Swaatantrya Siddhi’: By Prof. V. Ramanatham, VCR Charitable Trust, Secunderabad - 500 017.

There are three preliminary points I wish to submit as I embark on this critique of Professor V.V.Ramanadham’s ‘magnum opus’ entitled ‘Swaatantraya Siddhi’, a 350-page book containing some 1731 verses. In his latest work Ramanadham bursts out with the fragrance of his poetry and presents a lucid and highly readable account of our great Independence movement, the trials and tribulations undergone by the freedom-fighters, and their immense sacrifices for the sake of ‘swatantry siddi’ - the achievement of Independence. This work is of particular benefit to the post-Independence generations in realising at what cost India won her freedom and that by nonviolent means and hence what responsibility each of us bears to preserve it in perfect sanctity.

An aesthetic journey into the ‘mahakavya’ - great poem : This literary masterpiece, the like of which Dr. C. Narayana Reddy opined has not been seen after the great works ‘Sivabharatam’, ‘Rana Pratapasimha Charitram’ and ‘Vandemataram’ - has many distinctive features. It is a ‘mahakvya’, simply put, in that it has an ultimate objective in view, it has a didactic purpose and a great motive to inform with a message to the reader - ‘sandesa’. It has a unified theme, an elevated subject matter, rendered in a form that is at once attractive, inspiring and pleasing. It has in it sufficient expression of a variety of human sentiments, emotional experiences, and beauties of life and Nature; and all these are depicted artistically with a sense of proportion and propriety. Actually this is a piece of literary artistry. The author possesses adequate vocabulary, felicity of diction, and vigour of expression, suggestiveness, modulation and style according to the theme or situation, use of words that echo the sense (‘dhvani’), a plethora of figures of speech, and stylic devices such as ‘anuprasa and yamaka’ and command of various metres suited to the latent sentiments. He has used some eighteen different metres, on my casual count.

While dealing with the various episodes contained in his work, the author has brought within the ambit of his poesy all the common human sentiments like heroic (‘veera’), terrible (‘bhayaanaka’), chaotic (‘bhibhatsa’), aggressive (‘roudra’), pathetic (‘vishaada) etc. Of these the sentiment of pity (‘karuna’) has a subtle but dominating place in this work; and this is not the product of his mere imagination, but born out of the ‘lived experience’ of the author, along with his contemporaries. Moreover in this work, all the essential requirements of a ‘mahakavya’ are simply fulfilled - ‘kaavyam yasase, adthakrite, vyavaharavide, siveta rakshataye..’ Even the objects of propriety - ‘auchitya’ - as laid down by Panditaraya in his ‘Lakshana grantha’ ‘Rasagangadhara’ and the ‘alankaras’ - figures of speech - prescribed by Appayya Dikshita in his ‘Chandraaloka’ are all satisfied.

Ramanadham’s literary command is evident all through the work. Words follow thoughts with a naturalness that fills the reader with a sense of adequacy and  appropriateness. His description of nature, landscape etc. are most effective and enchantingly poetic. He has the capacity to expound his theme with brevity, beauty and effectiveness. In epitomizing and surveying the events, he has his own unrivalled technique. He has left many dull and prosaic moments of the long idependence struggle and concentrated on select themes, to which he imparted intensity of sublime feelings in his verses. He has literally used euphemisms, pun, witticism etc, with efortless grace and charm. While quickly jumping from one meter to another in many ‘adhyaayas’ - chapters, he used, in some sub-sections depicting specific incidents or stories the technique of employing a given metre in the whole of the episode - a ‘dwipada’, ‘geeta’ or ‘seesa’. On careful reading the beauty of this device stands out.

It goes to the credit of Ramanadham that in his composition ‘meaning’ is not sacrificed to originality of styles; the sense of music is not sacrificed to an artificial preference for the ‘syllables’, which are maintained without ‘hypes’. Although in the post-independence period political morality has generally declined - as evidenced by frequent and rampant scandals - and the temple of nonviolence is in ruins, the author concluded his work with a note of optimism for better fortune, with his immense faith in basic human goodness.

-Dr. M. Prabhakara Rao

Shopenheur, German Philosopher says: “In the world there is no study so beautiful and so elevating as that of the UPANISHADS. It has been the solace of my life! It will be the solace of my death!”

There are 108 Upanishads. It is the essence of the Vedas, The content is also called Vendanta
(the end of Vedas). Sankara and Ramanuja wrote commentaries on them.

Western scholars who did research in Vedas : Maxmuller; Prof. Rath; Goldstein; Graymann; M.H. Wilson; Dr. Roer; W. Writney; Bloomfield.

They spent all their sparetime on Vedic Studies. Ralf T.H. Griffith translated Rigveda into English, Longlois into French and Dr. Rosen into Latin.