The Hindu Book Review - The Essence of Gita

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Date:12/08/2003 URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/br/2003/08/12/stories/200308120012030

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Essence of the Gita - A Book Review

 

THAERTTHATTU VARTHAI: By Sri Vadikesari Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar in

Tamil Verse, with meaning and explanation in Tamil by (Varan)

Vanamamalai R. Narasimhachariar; Pub. by N. Raman, 38/7, Vivekananda

Street, Sakthivelammal Nagar, S. S. Colony, Madurai-625010. Rs. 125.

 

THE UPANISHADS, the Brahmasutra and the Bhagavad Gita are the three

important texts for all the Vedantic schools of thought. Vadikesari

Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar (13th century), disciple of Periyavachan

Pillai, wrote apart from works like the 12,000 (Panneraiyirappadi)

commentary on the Tiruvaymozhi of Nammazhwar, Rahasyatrayakarika,

Pramanasangraha and the Bhagavad Gita in Tamil. It is not an exact

translation but its quintessence (Gitasara).

 

The Gita is popularly referred to in the Srivaishnava tradition

as "Thaerthattu Vartai" (message from the driver's seat in the

chariot). The very fact that traditional exponents of various schools

of thought, mystics and saints, scholars and laymen understood and

interpreted it in different ways, indicates its importance and

popularity.

 

The present work of Vadikesari Jeeyar in classical Tamil, set in

the "Vennpa" metre is difficult to follow. Hence an exhaustive

exposition of it in simple Tamil has been attempted by the late R.

Narasimhachariar of Vanamamalai, for the benefit of the lay reader.

 

Some difficult concepts of the original are explained clearly by him

with the help of a number of anecdotes and episodes. He quotes

relevant passages from the works of the Azhwars and scriptures. The

exposition is simple and impressive. This work appeared serially in

the Tamil weekly, Swadesamitran, some years ago.

 

The publishers have done a commendable job in bringing it in book

form. They have also provided about 100 topical headings for the

verses, making it easy for the reader to understand the main topics.

 

Most of the original verses of the Gita are also transliterated in

the Tamil script for the benefit of those who want to read the

original verses in juxtaposition. But it has to be pointed out that

in a few cases the transliteration is not satisfactory (pp. 128, 297,

300). The Vanamamalai Jeeyar has given a valuable foreword to this

work.

 

M. NARASIMHACHARY

 

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