Intro

[Guest guest]

Pranams to everybody.

 

I am happy to associate myself with an electronic forum devoted

to Visistadvaita. Let me introduce myself.

 

Born in a family of svayam-acharya-purusas, I was encouraged

to study Sanskrit and Vedanta. Apart from my educational quali

fications, I have done Sribhashyam kalaksepam under the lotus feet

of Vidvan Karpangadu Venkatacharya for more than four years.

After teaching Sanskrit in Government colleges and Bangalore

University for 14 years, I joined the Academy of Sanskrit Re

search, an autonomous body engaged in research and study in the

field of Vedanta, with a primary focus on Visistadvaita.

 

 

 

The head quarters of the Academy is located in Melkote,

which is hallowed by the presence of Acharya Ramanuja. The main

activities of this organisation are research and publication in

the field of Vedanta, Sanskrit & allied sciences, organising

seminars, conferences and short term courses, encouraging inter

action between the Sanskritists and the sceintists, developing a

traditional Indian garden. A library of 20,000 titles on various

systems of Vedanta & Indology etc. and 10,050 palm-leaf and paper

manuscripts is already established.

 

My interests - Developing computer-aided teaching softwares

for Sanskrit and sastras; producing audio-video cassettes on the

lives of Alwars, Acharyas and saints of India; singing Alwar

divyaprabandhams with music; ancient architecture and traditional

building techniques; publishing ancient texts; developing daivarama

(a garden meant for the deities) and a herbal garden.

 

I have been receiving the postings of the prapatti net

users. I am happy to note that our young generation is

evincing keen interest in the treasure house of knowledge

contained in our ancient texts.

 

 

 

I am happy to learn that the net has taken up a project to

store on CDROM the pictures of deities of 108 divyadesams. It is

a laudable work. I would like to tell you that T.T. Devasthanams

have published a book in English called 108 divyadesams by Miss.

Ramesh, Madras. And, Parthasarathy Cultural Academy of Madras

has published in four volumes a work titled `108 Sri Vaishnava

Divya Desams - A devotional Pilgrimage of a Dasanudasa' (avail

able at The South India Saiva Siddhanta Works Publishing Society,

Tinnevelly Ltd., 154, TTK Salai, Madras 600 018). If anybody is

willing to get these books, (to avoid delay) I will order and

arrange to send the books by post. Do write to me at tata

char

 

We have many texts in Sanskrit/kannada on floppies. Most of

there were fed in Macintosh computers using PageMaker 3.0 and

font packages. I would be happy if someone can enlighten me

regarding providing these texts on internet. Also, please suggest

whether a particular format/package (like windows/PageMaker) is

required for provide textual material on Internet.

 

PLEASE NOTE: THE FAMOUS VAIRAMUDI FESTIVAL IS ON 29TH MARCH '96.

THE RAMANUJACHARYA TIRUNAKSHATRAM IS ON 23 APRIL 96. INTERESTED

PERSONS MAY PLAN A VISIT TO MELKOTE TO ATTEND THESE UTSAVAMS.

Regards, MA LAKSHMITHATHACHAR.

Postal address: Director, ACADEMY OF SANSKRIT RESEARCH,

MELKOTE 571 431 KARNATAKA PH: 08232-38741