Ananda Coomaraswamy

Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy is one of the little-known figures of India. Which is baffling because a vague estimate of his works runs into more than 15,000 pages. It is all the more baffling because his range of subjects is almost beyond belief and his grasp of their intricate nuances is…

Bhartrhari: King, Poet, Philosopher

Those familiar with Sanskrit–even an introductory course is sufficient–are sure to know Bhartrhari mainly via reading several shubashitas (noble sayings in verse form). Indeed, almost every other verse by Bhartrhari is a shubashita.

K. Krishnamoorthy — The Doyen of Indian Aesthetics

A. R. Krishna Shastri, the great savant of Kannada literature, once took a young boy to meet D. V. Gundappa (DVG). The boy, by then, had some articles to his credit. He had even taken a copy of his book for DVG’s perusal. DVG quietly glanced…

Madhava-Vidyaranya: Establishing Vijayanagara

We will never tire of repeating that quote of Vidyaranya from his Panchadashi that amply illustrates how he managed affairs of state as well as those of the Spirit:

ज्ञानिना चरितुं शक्यं सम्यग्राज्यादिलौकिकम्
It is indeed…

The Unalloyed Erudition of M. Hiriyanna

The best biography of Professor Mysore Hiriyanna was written by Professor Mysore Hiriyanna himself not by using a paper and pen but by living life as he did. And that living revealed itself in every single sphere — in his personality, dressing, speech…

A Story for a Verse — Jayadeva

स्मरगरलखण्डनं मम शिरसि मंडनं
देहि पदपल्लवमुदारम् ।
ज्वलति मयि दारुणो मदनकदनारुणो
हरतु तदुपाहितविकारम् ॥

Chintalapalli Venkataraya: The Tiger of Carnatic Music

Sangitaratna Chintalapalli Venkataraya was a tiger of the yesteryears. Though the usage of ‘tiger’ as a simile for a musician may be debated, the tiger is renowned for representing courage and fortitude. This was the prowess of…

Vedic Traditionalists

Vedic traditionalists or Vedics in short, are a community of people who are fast fading into the pages of history. They are the torchbearers of Vedic traditions and have been carrying it forward for generations. A happy, contented life even under poverty has been a trademark of their way…

Madhava-Vidyaranya: Early Life

“यद्यदाचरति श्रेष्ठः तत्तदेवेतरो जनः” — Krishna points out in the Gita (3.21) that people follow the actions of a learned person. Vidyaranya was definitely one such shreshtha whose life is worthy of emulation though impossible for most people. His life has several gems…

Prof. Bellave Venkatanaranappa: Founder of Basavanagudi Club, Exemplary Citizen

This is a summary of the speech that I delivered on Sunday, 29th April 1953 on the occasion of unveiling a portrait of Prof. Bellave Venkatanaranappa, one of the founding members of the…