Reflections on the Ninth Day of the Trp: Academy of Sanskrit Research and the traditions of Sanskrit Scholarship at MelukOte:IV.3

[Guest guest]

SrimathE RaamAnujAya nama:

 

Dear BhakthAs :

 

As a center of Ubhaya VedAntham , MelukOte has

a hoary tradition in Sanskrit studies and Research.

AchArya RaamAnujA's stay of twelve years strengthened

this Ubhaya Vedantha tradition in general and Sanskrit

Scholarship in particular. In this posting , we shall

highlight Sanskrit scholarship activities at MelukOte .

 

MelukOte's eminence as a Sanskrit scholarship center

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MeluKOte compares very well in stature with ancient

seats of Sanskrit scholarship like Srirangam , Thiruppathi ,

Kaashi , Ujjain and KashmIr . This KshEthram is indeed

a JnA~na mantapam for Sanskrit scholarship. Many great

VidvAns have made invaluable contributions to protect

our sampradhAyam through Critical studies. AdiyEn agrees

with Sriman Krishna Kalale that it is our duty to protect

these Kuladhanams by supporting the efforts of the assembly

of Scholars striving to mainitain the vitality of this tradition .

Any one in our group working for Major Computer Companies

with business growth plans in India ( Microsoft, HP,

IBM ,Siemens et al ) can help the ongoing resaerch programs of

the Academy of Sanskrit Research headed by a great

Scholar , Sri Lakshmi TatAchAr Swamy. We can approach

these companies as employees to contribute funds, equipment

to ongoing research in Computational Linguistics ,

Natural Language processing and number of other related areas .

We can also help directly .AdiyEN plans to approach

IBM Research Lab in New Delhi to link up with the Academy

as a retired IBM Research Executive .Please do the needful

to approach the General managers of your companies in India,

who are intrested to expand their business programs . Thanks.

 

Samplings of Great Sanskrit Scholars over the ages at MelukOte:

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Sri AnandALvAn of Pushpa kaimkaryam fame at Thirumalai

( 1054-1154 A.D) was awarded 18 villages as sarvamAnyam

by the HoysaLaa King , VishNuvardhanaa in recognition of

His Sanskrit Scholarship .He hails from KiranganUr ,

a village near SrirangapattiNam , not too far from MelukOte.

The 52 scholars appointed by AchArya RaamAnujA to the Melukote

temple kaimkaryam were also outstanding scholars of Sanskrit.

 

The First and the second Jeeyars of AhObila Matam hail from

ThirunArAyanapuram and have contributed immensely to

the core literature of Sri VaishNavam through their

rakshaNam of the works of AchArya RaamAnujA . The second Jeeyar

(Sriman NaarAyaNa Yathindhra MahA Desikan ) has blessed us

with 60 siddhAntha granthams .

 

An Illustrious family in service to Sanskrit scholarship

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During the 17th century onwards, the WodeyAr kings of

Mysore have nurtured many great Sanskrit scholars at MelukOte.

Great sholarship existed and continues to exist in

Sri VaishNava Aagamams at MelukOte . Many of the Sanskrit

scholars of the 19th Century descend from the heritage of

Panditha Rathnam KuppaNNaiyengaar Swamy ( 1840-1920) ,

the founder of the Sanskrit College of MelukOte.

 

One of his important disciple is Tarkatheertha MahA VidvAn

Lakshmi TaatAchArya Swamy ( 1874-1926 A.D).Latter was

the principal of the MelukOte Sanskrit College for

many years . PanditharAjA AlvAr Thirumalai Iyengar

Swamy ( 1906-1973) was the son of MahA VidvAn

Lakshmi TatAchAr Swamy and served also as the principal

of the Sanskrit College like his renowned father.

Professor M.A. Lakshmi TatAchAr Swamy ( b:1938) is

the son of PanditharAjA AlvAr Thirumalai Iyengar

and is the great scholar in NyAyA and VedAnthA.

He followed the family tradition of serving as

the Principal of the MelukOte Sanskrit college

with distinction . He has the further distinction of

being the sishyar Of the late KaarpankAdu VenkatAchAr

Swamy .

 

Today , Porfessor M.A.Lakshmi TatachAr Swamy , my

respected host during the stay at MelukOte is

directing the research programs of the renowned

Academy of Research in Sanskrit from 1976. Critical

editions of AchArya RaamAnujA's granthams , PoorvAchArya's

commentaries on Upanishads and other rare sanskrit

works are being released by the Academy under his direction.

Professor Lakshmi TatachAr is assisted in this

far reaching work by great contemproary scholars like

U.Ve Kotthimangalam VaradAchAr Swamy , Aasukavi Sri Arayar

Srirama Sharma. Latter serves as the principal of

the sanskrit College of MelukOte and is an expert

in NyAya , Ubhaya VedAnthA ,MimAmsA , VyAkaraNam ,

Aagamam and AlanakAra saasthram .Areyar Swami is

also a member of the Managing Committee

of the Academy of Sanskrit Research .

 

Sriman U.Ve Lakshmi TatAchAr's first son is

Dr. M.A.Alwar , my colleague and partner in

bringing out the recently released versions

of AchArya RaamAnujA for Vadakalai and TennAchArya

sampradhAyins and students of Sri VaishNavam .

Dr.Alwar is a faculty member at Mysore Sanskrit College .

We have number of projects underway to serve

the Sri vaishNavA community in general and

the 20 Million non-resident (overseas )citizens

of Indian origin abroad thru emerging technologies

like Multimedia , Internet Web Page hosting ,

Portals et al. AdiyEn will keep you posted and

seek your active participation in these projects

during this coming year .

 

Academy of Sanskrit Research

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This academy has been established in 1976

under the distinguished leadership of

Sri Lakshmi TatachAr Swamy .One of Its key goals

is the comparitive study of SaasthrAs and Science .

Critical examination of and analysis of selected

texts such as Sri BhAshyam , Upanishads , Various

systems of VedAnthA philosophy , release of

unpublished works , organization of thematic

conferences are the welcome activities of the Academy.

Please visit the Academy during your next visit home.

 

The Research Projects at the Academy

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KRIYA PROJECT

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Artificial Intellegence project(Kriya) to aid

some areas of stymied research in natural languages

processing is making good progress. It so happens

that Sanskrit linguists , grammarians and

philosophers have successfully addressed number

of baffling issues in natural language processing.

Insights gained from such studies should be of help

in advancing AI research abroad .In addition to that

goal in the Kriya project, the work done here would

help establish links to multi-Indian scripts through

the foundation of Sanskrit lingustics. Computational

Lingusitics experts from our group are requested to join

in these peojects at MelukOte. Microsoft word processing ,

syntax checks , grammar checks in sentences clearly

stand to gain from the insights obtained from

the Research at Academy . The SabdhabOdhA , Semushi

and Praj~na software and other modules developed here

address other important research issues related to:

 

* parsing valid sentences and identifying

a factually incorrect sentence (BodhA )

 

* The semushi analyser identifies the ending (anta) ,

the gender (linga) and base (pratipadika), the case

(vibhakti) and number (vacana ) of any given noun.

 

* Praj~nA software module consists of Verb generator

and analyser.

 

* ChEtana module consists of participle generator

and analyser.

 

* PaaNini is a rule-based software to understand

the Sandhis as established by the great grammarian,

PaaNini .

 

* Janani module is a powerful synonom retreiver

that uses a large data base of AmarakOsa, Nirukta

and PaaNiNi's ashtAdyAyi .

 

* MedhA is a multilingual electronic dictionary

covering Sanskrit, Hindi, Kannada, Telegu ,

MalayALam and English.Any one of the above seven

languages can be chosen as a source language and

the other six become the target languages.

 

* Bharati is another rule-based software giving

the metric analysis of any stanza with the number

of laghus and Gurus and their triplets (gaNAs),

chandas, VrutthA and the definition (lakshana) for

the particular metre.

 

As computer Scientists , many members of the net

would like to learn more about these projects of

the Academy and are requsted to get in touch with

Dr.Lakshmi TatachAr and help him speed up the progress

of these valuable avenues of research .

 

Acaedmic Programs , Library, Museum and Garden

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adiyEn has touched upon the flora (pious plants)of

the unique garden at the Academy earlier. The library

has 23,000 books on Indian and Western philosophy ,

VedAnthA, Indology, ancient sciences et al. Audio

and video casettes containing lectures by scholars

are also available along with precious/rare palm leaf

manuscripts. The Museum contains number of artifacts

like ancient coins, tools and idols from various

sites in and around the Academy.

 

A wonderful and Modern guest house with

excellent facilites run by solar power

is a great source of comfort for vistors from abroad

and different parts of India. Modern computers from

desktops to laptops are heavily used here along with

offset printing facilities. In short , the academy

is a Scholar's paradise thriving under the protective

Thiruvadi Nizhal of ThirunArAyaNan in this ancient

religious center.

 

Those who wish to help the Sanskrit academy advance

its laudable goals are requested to contact Professor

Lakshmi TatAchAr Swamy at the following address :

 

Dr.Lakshmi Tatachar Swamy

Academy of Sanskrit Research

MelukOte Karanataka , India 571 431

 

Azhagiya Sigar ThiruvadigaLE SaraNam

AdiyEN, RaamAnuja Daasan SadagOpan