Book Review #107: Brihat Karnataka: Bhaashika, Samskrutika By Dr. M. Chidananda Murthy

Title: Birhat Karnataka: Bhashika, Samskrutika (Greater Karnataka: Linguistic, Cultural)

Author: Dr. M. Chidananda Murty

Publishers: Sapna Book House

Genre: Linguistic Research/Non-Fiction

Pages: 344+ (Paperback)

Source: Personal Copy

This is the book that should be read by every Kannadiga out there. The book makes each Kannada speaking person proud of their culture, language and their history. The amount of research that went into this book is inexplicable. Dr. M. Chidananda Murthy, a great human being and a research scholar has painstakingly compiled this book after doing years of research and arranging it in a chronological order. I have always admired the author for his stands on the various issues apart from his writings. He is one of the highly respected personalities in Karnataka and in India.

Coming to the book, it is definitely not an easy read. Reading a research book requires great deal of patience and an open mind to accept the ideas put forth in the book. It is definitely not a fantasy tale. The book mainly captures the greater Karnataka that existed before the Independence of India and before the partition. As we go through the book, we will realize that what a great culture that we belong to. It is also imperative that none of the so called research scholars in present day have the zest to do this kind of research on their language and culture.

Greater Karnataka, as we speak of today, is not the Karnataka that we see in today’s map. It includes the whole part of Maharashtra, parts of Andhra Pradesh (including the Telangana) and parts of Tamil Nadu, Goa, and few parts from the Madhya Pradesh and to some extent Gujarat. Author has presented his research facts point by point. Thereby, giving us a clear picture of the boundaries of the greater Karnataka since 7^th Century CE. We will come across many examples ranging from the languages that we use in present day Karnataka and the language that became an influence for the Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Goa etc… during yester years.

Quoting several language examples and the common words that belongs to Kannada and how it became the inspiration for the other languages to adopt Kannada and developed their own dialect and language is a fascinating read. The main examples from the Telugu, Konkani, Tamil and Marathi languages and how their origin of the language is greatly dependent on Kannada is a must read from the book. Not only were the languages, even the cultural beliefs and practices adopted from the Kannada speaking people in other states is a true testimonial of how dominant was Kannada during those times. It is quite clear from the book that, the southern parts of the India were greatly influenced by Kannada language, cultural practices and beliefs.

The first part of the book mainly concentrates on the research that author has done on the Maharashtra and the languages like Marathi and Konkani and how these are originated. His research includes many myth shattering events that present day Maharashtra or Goa people will not be able to digest. The book also explores the caste influences on major communities like Mahar, Danagar, etc… also the chief deities of Maharashtra like Tulaja Bhavani, Khandoba, Kollapura Lakhsmi, Pandarapura Vithoba and how these gods have the roots originating in Karnataka. The greatest personalities like Gnaneshwar, Nannideva of Marathi origin have spoken extensively on the importance of Karnataka and Kannada in their writings. Author also mentions the present day tussles of Maharashtra and Karnataka on the border dispute. He also mentions about the Mahajan Report that studied and settled the border dispute and village sharing between Karnataka and Maharashtra. Currently, this was challenged by the government of Maharashtra in Supreme Court and the case is pending. These things can be read in greater details in the book.

The 2^nd part of the book speaks about the epitaphs (Veeragallu and Masthigallu) of the Karnataka and the excavations found in the depths of Maharashtra and other states. The story behind these stones engravings is a treat to read from the book. Veeragallu is a stone engraved in the memory of a male person that has sacrificed his life to his King in the battles, in averting robbery and protecting their village or town. The stones speak about the bravery of these persons. Whereas, Masthigallu stone engravings belongs to the brave women that has sacrificed their lives for their husbands or to their villages. Masthi is a condensed form of “Mahasathi” in Sanskrit. Those days, following the Sathi system was not a compulsion, rather it is a self declared practice. Women folks would enter the pit fire of their dead husbands and self immolate them in order to prove their loyalty, chastity and love towards their husbands.

The final part of the book is an important research work that describes the influence of Kannada and Karnataka outside India. The book speaks extensively on Nepal and how Nepal was ruled and preserved by the Kings that has their roots in Karnataka. Author gives us an example of the dynasties like “Jangam” and other such families that originated in Karnataka and ruled Nepal for several centuries. As a mark of this, Author has given us ample amount of stone engravings from different temples in Nepal that has Kannada inscriptions on them. The chief priest of the Pashupatinath Temple of Nepal is a southern Indian Brahmin that belongs to the Shankara math of Southern India. This practice of appointing the chief priest from Southern India has been running since the temple was built. The legend says that, a Brahman from South India who conducted the proceedings of worshiping the Shiva during one of the Kings tenure in Nepal and that’s the practice ever since.

Words are short to explain how important this book is. There are many such research records that prove the influence of Karnataka and Kannada pan India and outside India like Nepal. It is quite difficult to include everything in this review. I would highly recommend every Kannadiga to read this book at least once in their lifetime to feel proud of their language and culture. Author’s anguish is evident in few pages, where he expresses his concern regarding the non availability of the research scholars that can take up this work and give a logical end, since, Kannada influence is literally unlimited in India and rest of the world. I hope his wishes come true in future.

My Rating:

5/5 

Book Review: #90: The Battle for Sanskrit: Is Sanskrit Political or Sacred, Oppressive or Liberating, Dead or Alive? By Rajiv Malhotra

Title: The Battle for Sanskrit: Is Sanskrit Political or Sacred, Oppressive or Liberating, Dead or Alive?

Author: Rajiv Malhotra

Publishers: Harper Collins India

Genre: Non-Fiction/Language & Linguistics

Pages: 488(Hardbound)

Source: Personal Copy

This is a must read book for every Indian who is a courtesan of Sanskrit. Rajiv Malhotra has established an authoritative argument in this book by enunciating the rejoinders and refutations in the most erudite way and confronted the western narrative of the language Sanskrit.

It has been proven time and again that, we Indians, have a propensity to consent the views of a western or white man whenever they come up with any works on India. We believe every word of their elucidation, as if, it is the most sought and well acknowledged work. It is a common trait, because, when a western mind has shown interest to study India or Indian culture, we believe that these people are appealed to our culture and practices. Well, the veracity is far-fetched.

This book “Battle of Sanskrit” discourses the very same dispute in a comprehensive manner. Apparently, this is a significant work for the many Indologist scholars that are doing their research on Sanskrit since several years. Atrocity literature is not a new phenomenon for our country. It has been an instrument for most of the westerners, politically leftists and communists to perpetrate the abhorrence towards some class of people. Here in this book, the author refers to those westerners that has worked relentlessly to tarnish the importance of Sanskrit and devalued the language as oppressive, politically incorrect, and dead.

The author exclusively engaged the works of Dr. Sheldon Pollock, a distinguished Indologist as he claims and did extensive research works on Sanskrit since many decades. The author has presented us to the terms called “Outsiders” vs “Insiders”. The readers must not take into consideration that an outsider means a non-Indian and insider means an Indian. The metaphor mentioned here is basically unpretentious, an insider is someone that believes Sanskrit as a language which is sacred, liberating and alive, and this person can be an Indian or a foreigner. Whereas, an outsider means someone that believes Sanskrit as political, oppressive and dead. Again, this outsider can be someone from India or a foreigner, plainly can be mentioned as Leftists, Communists.

As per the title of the book advocates, this book mainly debates on the prominence and germaneness of the language Sanskrit. Author has asked those questions in the title of the book itself.

Political or Sacred?

Oppressive or Liberating?

Dead or Alive?

As many western minds have premeditated the language Sanskrit and made a noteworthy contributions in their own way. Amongst them were Ingalls, William Jones, Sheldon Pollock and many such peoples. But what is most troublesome in their works is, their interpretation of the language as socially oppressive, barbaric and dead. Author Rajiv Malhotra has exclusively selected several works of Sheldon Pollock and tried to give a perfect counter narrative. As per Pollock, our Vedic scriptures, Puranas, Kavyas and Upanishads were mere works of common people and that too it all happened in the Buddhist era. He also argues that, the great Ramayana essentially illustrates the social oppression and encourages violence. Rajiv Malhotra has carefully analyzed these claims and provided a completely substantial retort on why Pollock is erroneous on so many levels.

The book gives us a rational perspective of seeing the things in a diverse way. It encourages the readers to adopt the Purva-paksha. It is a call by the author to reverse the gaze of the westerners and see the Sanskrit in a more Indian way than a western way. Author also emphasizes the point that, translating Sanskrit or regional text in to English is a risky affair. This is basically because, a western vulture would take up any significant work and hand picks the bits and pieces as it suits him and presents a version that is totally devoid of what the original critical Sanskrit edition was supposedly intended to achieve. Thus the ownership of the text passes from an Indian to a westerner just because it is in English and widely read!!

This book is not a rabble rousing of Grammar or literature. It is about the politicization of Sanskrit scholarship. It reveals and studies the production of knowledge and intellectual control mechanism in a globalized modern western world. It documents the vested interests of the American orientalists that are wielding control over the Sanskrit tradition from the helpless Indian pundits and thereby break the backbone of Hindu tradition. From the Pollock’s argument it seems clear enough that, Sanskrit is something Nazi. He argues that, Sanskrit in fact encouraged the Hitler of Germany to perform the Jew holocaust.

An additional frightening aspect that Malhotra expressed is that the funding that these authors are getting globally. Even the Indian billionaires that are well established globally is establishing the organizations that funds these western scholars to execute their works. One such example is the is wealthy Infosys industrialist Narayan Murthy’s gift of millions of dollars to Sheldon Pollock of Columbia University for overseeing the translation of 500 classics by US-based Sanskritists under the umbrella called “Murthy Classic Library”. If any learned Indian doesn’t educated these billionaires about their wrong doing, then it is imminent that, we will witness more atrocity literature in the coming days that would make any Indian self-loath.

Apart from donating millions to these western vultures, the spending of Hindu funds on non-Hindu interventions to do research work is unworthy and dangerous. Pollock’s approach to Sanskrit studies is what he calls “political philology”. His sole intention is to destabilize the foundation of the country that was built on. He sees Greek, Latin and Sanskrit under the same lens. He has consistently undervalued the spiritual dimension that Hindus associate with Sanskrit, and portrayed it as a language of oppression and barbaric. This is not out of malevolence, he deserves the benefit of the doubt regarding his motives (he has for instance deplored the decline of classical studies in India, leaving a void which he now steps in to fill).

Pollock’s political motive is clearly visible from his works. To add a cherry on the cake, Pollock actually expressed his dissent over Narendra Modi. He has signed various petitions asking several dignitaries, universities, associations for inviting Modi to certain events and inauguration functions questioning them to reconsider their decision citing the very same reason that many leftists and communists and pseudo-seculars in India have been doing since a decade and a half. His motive is clear from his behavior. Pollock not only wants any Indians to interfere in his so called claims of Sanskrit authority, but also, he doesn’t want any able India minds to challenge a counter narrative. Do we want that aversion for Hinduism to have control over the Sanskrit heritage?

Overall, a well-researched book. Rajiv Malhotra had given hope for the serious Indologist and Sanskritists to take a step back and observe what they are putting themselves into. He has taken a powerful stand on the self-respect of Hindu tradition. Every Hindu should and must join hands with him in facing these atrocity literature producers.

My Rating:
5/5

Book Review #38 - Who Will Cry, When You Die? By Robin Sharma

I generally don't read self-help books. But, this one book made me to read more of such books. Thanks to the author Robin Sharma. It didn't really transform my life in overnight, rather, it did allowed me to sit and introspect a bit on what I might be missing in life. This book is something that reverberates in your mind for a long time, leave alone giving you an idea of what's most important.

I really loved the title of the book. In a moment you all want to read this book. Who Will Cry When You Die?. A question that everyone must ask themselves when they are alone and contemplating about life and its oddities. Robin Sharma had clearly articulated in this book, the 101 'Life Principles'. Is it just 101 or much more? To answer this, there are more to what Robin Sharma had tried to give to his readers.

The entire book is just about those small changes that we can apply to our lives to bring that happiness that we always longed to bring or see. Collection of these thoughts what makes this book as an unique and inspiring. You may wonder while reading this book, why didn't I realized these trivial things all these days? Well, we are too much deep in our materialistic desires and never in any given day has given thoughts about these.

This book is just about realizing what makes us more happy and less resentful. Robin Sharma had explained in a simple but elegant manner. Author had covered every little details ranging from waking up early in the morning, to have a nice family outing, to have a collection of our favorite books, to see that one life changing movie or to have a gala time with our kids till some of the serious topics like why doing meditation is a good way of silencing our chattering minds, why having a "lone time" is important, why should we start living our day like its our last etc, etc...

We all knew that these things are more important in our life, but, we haven't given a much thought about it. From this book, what you learn is an art of living and an art of dying as well. We are living our life trying to achieve something we don't really like to show off to some people whom we really like. If those people like you really, they allow yourself to get something that makes you live as yourself. Though I don't really say that, materialistic success is not required, I am only asking to not consider those as the real success. There is something beyond in everyone's life that we are failing to appreciate. Well, this book just gives you an idea of finding those somethings and make your life more meaningful.

Robin Sharma regularly uses famous quotes in all his books. That adds more meaningful messages to what he says. Even in this book you find ample number of quotes that adds more color to the book. I really liked this particular quote:

"When you are born the World rejoice while you cry. Live a life in a such a way that when you DIE, the World should cry and you rejoice" - Sanskrit Saying

I recommend this book to be read by everyone. Though it may not bring overnight changes to your life, but, surely, it evokes some questions that every readers can questions themselves.

My Rating:
5/5