Committed to Sanskrit and Vaishnavism- extract from the Hindu today-

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Committed to Sanskrit and Vaishnavism

 

Prof. Narasimhachary has been chosen to be honoured by

the President of India for his service to Sanskrit. A

profile by KAUSALYA SANTHANAM

 

"SANSKRIT IS a vibrant language. It is so contemporary

in its application that Panini's grammar suits today's

computer language. Many scholars such as Prof. Lakshmi

Thathachar of the Melkote Sanskrit Academy are working

on it," says Prof. Mudumby Narasimhachary, retired

Head of the Department of Vaishnavism, University of

Madras. Prof. Narasimhachary has been selected to be

honoured this year by the President of India for

outstanding service to Sanskrit. He is among 15

scholars from all over the country who have been

chosen to receive the award at a function to be held

in New Delhi.

 

Prof. Narasimhachary's scholarship is formidable. But

meet this scholar and you are charmed by his humility

and liberal attitude. Like all great masters of

learning, he is chary of talking about himself and his

accomplishments. But these are substantial. Author of

25 books, chief editor of the Nrisimhapriya journal of

Vaishnavism, teacher to students from across the

world, and mentor to 25 scholars who have obtained

their Ph. D. under his guidance.

 

His book on "The contribution of Yamunacharya to

Visistadvaita" is based on his doctoral thesis under

the guidance of Dr. V. Raghavan. A study of Yamuna's

Agamapramanya, a translation of the stotras of Sri

Vedanta Desika and an English translation of "Sri

Padukasahasram" are among the many notable books of

the scholar who is also a trained grammarian. He has

studied Advaita with Sri V. R. Kalyanasundara Sastri

and Visitadvaita from Sri Uttamur Veeraraghavachariar.

 

 

Greatness of Sanskrit

 

"Sanskrit is the basis of our culture. The Vedas, the

Upanishads, the agamas and all the sciences have their

origin in Sanskrit," he tells you in his third floor

apartment in Mylapore.

 

Is the language out of favour in this State? And is it

a disadvantage to be a Sanskrit scholar here? "In this

State, the language is identified with a particular

community, caste and region whereas from ancient times

nowhere is it identified with a particular community.

King Janaka's discussions with scholars such as

Yajnavalkya testify to this. In the North, the

language is always in favour," he points out.

 

"But no, it is not a disadvantage, rather the

contrary," smiles the soft-spoken professor. "Sri Adi

Sankara, Ramanujacharya and Madhwacharya were all from

the South and their commentary is so widely read and

respected." The scholar was in Kuala Lumpur for two

years teaching Sanskrit in the University of Malaya.

"Many Muslim youth there learn the language for

numerous Sanskrit words are present in Malay — Bhoomi

Putra (son of the soil), for example, Maharaja and

Raja Parameswari (title for "queen")".

 

Prof. Narasimhachary comes from Rajahmundry in Andhra

Pradesh. Childhood was a time of great adversity as

the family had to battle poverty. His father died when

he was just three years old and he was the third among

four sons. "My mother became a widow when she was just

20 years old and my elder brother Krishnamachary had

to undergo many sacrifices to educate us," he recalls.

 

 

Narasimhachary graduated in Telugu with Sanskrit as

second language from the Government Arts College in

Rajahmundry where his principal who was a Christian

wrote to the higher authorities in order to engage the

services of a Sanskrit teacher. But Narasimhachary's

lineage helped. His great great grandfather was the

asthana vidwan of the Vizianagram kings at the turn of

the last century and his uncle Parthasarathy initiated

him the beauties of the Sanskrit language.

 

When his elder brother obtained a job as a

stenographer in Madras, Narasimhachary got the

opportunity to do his Masters in Sanskrit from the

Vivekananda College. He stood first in the

examinations and began working for his doctorate under

the guidance of Dr. V. Raghavan. "He was a

perfectionist and a very strict disciplinarian. I was

very fortunate to be his student," says Narasimhachary

After teaching for a few years at the Vivekananda

College, where he introduced a course in spoken

Sanskrit, Narasimhachary joined the Madras University

as a Reader in Sanskrit. Then came the offer in the

University of Malaya. He returned to Madras to become

the founder and Head of the Department of Vaishnavism

in 1984. "Madras University was celebrating its

platinum jubilee and the Vice-Chancellor Dr. Shantappa

invited me to set up the department. Unfortunately,

now owing to a financial crunch there are only two

staff members in the department."

 

About his affinity for Sri Vaishnavism, he says, "It

has a lot of emotional interest for me. The concept of

Sri Vishnu as the Supreme being and of his divine

consort Sri Lakshmi moderating to fulfil the wishes of

the devotees has a special appeal."

 

"The Jeer of the Ahobila Math himself asked me to take

up the job of the chief editor of the Nrisimhapriya,"

he adds.

 

Guiding scholars

 

 

The professor has guided 25 scholars and they talk

about him with respect and admiration. "Many senior

persons such as Ms. Ramesh, Mrs. Y. G. Parthasarathy

and Sarojini Varadappan have devoted themselves to the

study of Vaishnavism (and obtained doctorates), with

an enthusiasm that is moving." Western scholars from

the United States and Europe have also sought him out.

 

 

Why are western scholars so deeply interested in

Vaishnavism? "There are similarities between

Christianity (Catholicism) and Vaishnavism. The

followers of both believe that the world is real and

in the doctrine of wholehearted surrender. To both,

the Lord is a personal loving god. So comparative

studies yield rich fruits." His lectures in the U. S.,

U. K. (Oxford University) and Germany attracted huge

audiences.

 

Prof. Narasimhachary is a gifted poet too. He is an

"Asukavi," one who can compose opens extempore in

Sanskrit and Telugu. Even when he was a student, he

participated in the Ashtavadhana where eight scholars

pose questions to the poet about each line of his

work. He is now at work on a monumental poem,

"Abhinava Bharata."

 

"It starts where the Mahabharata ends and covers

events till the present. About 3000 verses are ready.

I want people to know that you can read, write and

speak in Sanskrit. There is a bright future for this

ancient language as many youngsters are learning it.

Samskrita Bharati conducts classes in various centres

across the country. And with more and more women

learning the language, it will be passed on to future

generations," he prophecies

 

 

 

 

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