Literature

Literature Jul 27, 2019

Mahābhārata and its Place in Indian Culture – Part 4

Vyāsa is said to have presented to Brahmā the topics discussed in the Mahābhārata thus – “In this work there are several secrets of the Vedas; my definitive sid...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Literature Jul 24, 2019

The Sport of Renunciation

भोगे रोगभयं कुले च्युतिभयं वित्ते नृपालाद्भयं माने दैन्यभयं बले रिपुभयं रूपे जराया भयम्। शास्त्रे वादभयं गुणे खलभयं काये कृतान्ताद्भयं सर्वं वस्तु भयान्वितं...

Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Jul 21, 2019

Mandra: The Tragic Character of Ramkumari

From one perspective, Ramkumari’s character is fundamentally tragic. She is the only character in Mandra who keeps “losing” throughout her life. Her loss isn’t...

Sandeep Balakrishna

Literature Jul 21, 2019

Mahābhārata and its Place in Indian Culture – Part 3

Just because the Mahābhārata was narrated in the period of King Janamejaya it doesn’t make it an ancient tale; it is fresh even today and it will forever be new...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Arjun Bharadwaj, Hari Ravikumar

Literature Jul 16, 2019

Vairāgya-vikrīḍitam

किं वेदैः स्मृतिभिः पुराणपठनैः शास्त्रैर्महाविस्तरैः स्वर्गग्रामकुटीनिवासफलदैः कर्मक्रियाविभ्रमैः। मुक्त्वैकं भवबन्धदुःखरचनाविध्वंसकालानलं स्वात्मानन्दपदप्रव...

Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Jul 14, 2019

Mandra: The Music of Raja Saheb and Ramkumari's Samskara

The true root and heart of Mandra is located in the music of Raja Saheb and his small Mahadeva Temple overlooking the perennial, gurgling currents of Narmada Ri...

Sandeep Balakrishna

Literature Jul 13, 2019

Mahābhārata and its Place in Indian Culture – Part 2

The story of the Mahābhārata is gigantic. It is thus divided into eighteen parvas. These divisions are called kāṇḍas in the Rāmāyaṇa. What is termed as ‘sandhi’...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Hari Ravikumar, Arjun Bharadwaj

Literature Jul 12, 2019

The Sport of Renunciation: Verses

Bhartṛhari begins his Vairāgya-śatakam with a verse on Śiva:             चूडोत्तंसितचारुचन्द्रकलिकाचञ्चच...

Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Jul 10, 2019

Vairāgya-vikrīḍitam—The Sport of Renunciation

Ask a random student of Sanskrit to recite a poem—chances are you will hear a verse from Bhartṛhari’s Nīti-śatakam. Go to an Acharya seeking wise counsel—chance...

Shashi Kiran B N

Literature Jul 07, 2019

Mandra: The Triumph of Ramkumari

Introduction In the corpus of Dr. S.L. Bhyrappa’s twenty-three novels, seven stand out as Himalayan peaks in the order of their publication: Vamsha Vruksha, Da...

Sandeep Balakrishna

Literature Jul 06, 2019

Mahābhārata and its Place in Indian Culture - Part 1

The culture of Greater India has its roots in śruti, smṛti, itihāsa, and purāṇa. Śruti means ‘Vedas.’ The Upaniṣads, which form a part of the Vedas, are the bas...

A R Krishna Sastri | Trans: Hari Ravikumar, Arjun Bharadwaj

Literature Jun 26, 2019

ಶೃಂಗಾರಶಯ್ಯೆ

ನಿದ್ರೆಯು ಪ್ರಕೃತಿಯಾದರೆ ಹಾಸಿಗೆಯು ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ. ಮಂಚ-ಮಧುಮಂಚಗಳು ಮತ್ತೂ ಮಿಗಿಲಾದ ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ. ಅಷ್ಟೇಕೆ, ಭೋಗಲೋಕದ ಸ್ವೀಕೃತಿ, ನಾಗರಕಜಗತ್ತಿನ ಸತ್ಕೃತಿ. ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಸಾಹಿತ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಈ ಎಲ್ಲ ಸ್ತರಗ...

Shatavadhani Dr. R. Ganesh