Poems of Nilakanta Dikshitar

[Guest guest]

Hello Everyone:

 

Namaskaram!

 

On my recent trip to India, I went to THE Kuppuswami Sastri Research

Institute in the Sanskrit College., Madras.

As many of might now, the library has some priceless collections

including more than 600 palm leaf manuscripts.

These manuscripts are on a variety of topics such as astronomy,

astrology, dance, tantra sastram etc.

 

Regrettably, the institute is extremely underfunded and there is no

proper catalog of these manucsripts or of

any manuscripts for that matter. I went searching for the works of

Nilakanta Dikshitar. My interest was

stimultated due to the discussion in this forum on Ananda Sagara Stavam.

Since there was no proper catalog.,

we searched thru the racks of books and finally found a book entitled

'Minor Poems' of Nilakanta Dikshitar

publishedin 1911 by Vani Vilas Press. The institute made a xerox copy

of this book for a nominal processing

fee of Rs.10 and I can make copies of this for those interested in the

group.

 

The book has the following literary pieces (in Sanskrit with no

commentary or translation into other languages)

 

KALIVIDAMBHANAM

SABHARANJANA SATHAKAM

SANTIVILASAH

VAIRGYA SATHAKAM

ANANDA SAGARASTAVAM

ANYAPADESA SATHAKAM

SIVOTKARSHA MANJARI

 

These poems in less than 100 pages can be copied and sent to those

interesed. Please let me know if you are interested

by March 20th and I will process all the requests at the same time.

 

As I mentioed earler, the Institute is in dire financial condition.,

there is no proper equipment (for example there is

not even a xerox machine)., no funds for salaries and no funds to

preserve these priceless pieces of literary works.

There is no money to turn on the air-conditioner in the room which holds

the 600+ palm leaf manuscripts. Hence the

longevity of these manuscripts is in jeopardy.

 

Consequently, I request that those interested in getting a copy to make

a small contribution to the Institute. You can make out a check to

'THE KUPPUSWAMI SASTRI RESEARCH INSTITUE'. I can consolidate all of

these and forward it to them.

 

Alternatively, you can make it to me 'Ramu Thiagarajan' and I can put it

all together and send it as one check to the Institute

and you will receive an acknowledgement from Dr. Kameshwari who is the of the Institure. A single check

reduces the processing cost for the institute to convert the dollars

into rupees.

 

While the institute is not setting any minimum, I request that

interested parties make a minimum contributin of $10.

Even those not interested in getting a copy may please consider making a

contribution to the preservation of priceless

piece of literature, philosophy and art in the form of books and

manuscripts. I have a notice/appeal that I can mail

to those interested in obtaining more information. Thanks for your help.

 

Furthermore, if any knows of any funding sources that will likely help

this endeavor, please do let me know.

 

Hari Om

 

Ramu

Attachment: vcard [not shown]

[Guest guest]

That collection is available in the US. And some more books are

also available. I am sure that libraries like Connemara library

in Madras should have them all.

 

If you search, UT Net Catalog,

 

http://dpweb1.dp.utexas.edu/lib/utnetcat/

 

for

 

nilakantha diksita

 

you will find it. The minor works were again published in

Hyderabad in 1984. I even checked this out. IMHO, it is difficult

to understand nilakaNTha if one does not know sanskrit

well. Fortunately, I was able to get a translation of

AnandasAgarastavaH that with word by word meaning.

 

 

Ravi

 

 

On Tue, 7 Mar 2000, Ramu Thiagarajan wrote: