BOOK REVIEW IN “SRI DESIKA SEVA” – ON "HINDUISM REDISCOVERED"

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BOOK REVIEW IN “SRI DESIKA SEVA” – JUNE 2004 ISSUE ON "HINDUISM

REDISCOVERED"

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HINDUISM REDISCOVERED

by Anbil Ramaswamy

Publishers: The Thiruvenkatam Group, Kuwait, 2004 pp. lxiii + 832

Price Rs.480/= USA $ 48.

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PLEASE READ ALSO MY REPLY AT THE END OF THIS POSTING

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REVIEW:

Hinduism is a vast ocean and deep too. To write about Hinduism and to trace

its development and growth in totality from ancient times to the present day

is a Herculean task. It cannot be done in a short time frame. But, Sri Anbil

Ramaswamy, President, Swami Desika Darsana Satsangam, USA and Editor and

Publisher “Sri Ranga Sri” has attempted to do this and, one might say, he

has fairly succeeded.

 

With his background of traditional study and deep abiding interest in

Hinduism in general and Sri Vaishnavism in particular, Sri Ramaswamy (now in

USA) has been contributing over several years, many articles of Hindu

scriptures, philosophy, theology and religion with emphasis on Sri

Ramanuja’s philosophy of Visishtadvaita. They contain a wealth of

information on both Hinduism and Visishtadvaita from the viewpoints of

Indian as well as Western authors. The Thiruvenkatam Group in Kuwait has

thought it fit to bring the articles together in a book form to ensure a

wider readership.

 

The result is a voluminous compilation, which is more than a book or even a

dictionary. But, one can only ‘dip’ into an encyclopedia occasionally. It is

hoped that the targeted readers will find many such occasions to do so.

 

The book is divided into six parts, each captioned to attract the Western

mind or Indians following Western thoughts with titles such as “Eldorado”,

“Pilgrim’s progress” etc.

 

The flow of narration is smooth from part to part and chapter to chapter in

each part.

 

While Part 1 covers Hinduism as a whole, the contents of Part II and

thereafter deal with Visishtadvaitic ideas and conclusions as propounded by

Sri Ramanuja and successive preceptors, particularly, Sri Vedanta Desika.

 

Profusely referenced and tellingly expressed with apt Western ‘quotes’ and

‘idioms’ e.g.“Oh! My God!” “From here to Eternity” etc. these well-knit articles

will appeal to the modern non-conservative followers of Srivaishnavism in India

and abroad. Everybody who is anybody in the Western philosophy finds a

mention here. The bibliography is impressive and shows the pains the author

has taken to make this work as comprehensive as possible by including every

shade of opinion.

 

As mentioned earlier, the tenets of Visishtadvaita, the life and works of

Azhwars and Acharyas have been elaborately brought out, including the

traditional episodes often cited in Upanyasams and Kaalakshepams. The

contents of Srimad Rahasya Traya Sara, the magnum opus of Sri Vedanta

Desika, have been abridged in a chapter. In the penultimate chapter in Part

IV, the greatness of Sri Ramanuja Darsana (Visishtadvaita) has been brought

out by comparison with the viewpoints of the other two rival systems in the

Vedanta philosophy viz Advaita and Dvaita. One however wishes that these two

philosophies, one prior to Sri Ramanuja and the other Post- Ramanuja, had

been adequately explained in the “origin and Development of Hinduism” (Part

I- Chapter 5). This would have helped the reader to appreciate better

distinctions among the three principal schools of philosophy.

 

The Views of the Southern school of Sri Vaishnavism (Tenkalai) have also

been listed out in a chapter with comments thereon based on Sri Desika’s

views. (Incidentally, the contents of this chapter have some diacritic

marks, but these are not found in other parts of the book).

 

Part VI entitled “Miscellaneous” and the “Epilogue” thereafter is a

statistician’s delight. They contain data such as deluge (Pralaya) according

to Hindu concept, space measurements, the Hindu Calendar, Divisions of time,

Scheme of Worlds in Hindu cosmology, Chronology of events in India

correlated with events in other parts of the world etc. These are mainly

intended for reference and verification.

 

A few errors have, however, been noticed which may be rectified in the next

edition. To quote a couple of instances, on page 102, it has been mentioned

that “one Loka Saranga Mahamuni” was in the North and he came down South to

settle after hearing the melodious Tiruvoimozhi. Actually, it was Nathamuni

who was called down South in a dream and who heard a few verses of

Tiruvoimozhi and who later successfully went in search of the entire

composition. Secondly, on page 623, the details mentioned against Nadadoor

Sri Varada Vishnu Acharya, one of the 74 Simhasanaadhipatis, actually

pertain to Nadadoor Ammal, his grandson, This Nadadoor Varada Vishnu Acharya

is known as “Nadadoor Azhwaan”

 

On the whole, “Hinduism Rediscovered” is a well-documented book with essays

on various aspects of the Visishtadvaita philosophy propounded by Sri

Ramanuja and clarified by Sri Vedanta Desika. For those who have not seen

the earlier archived articles, this book should prove worthy of possession

for the wealth of information it contains.

 

M.K.Srinivasan

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MY REPLY TO THE REVIEWER

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Dear Sri Srinivasan Swamin:

After a long stay away at Philadelphia, Cleveland etc, on return from my

trip to India, I returned to my base at Atlanta a few days ago.

I happened to see your review of my book. Thank you for your kind words.

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I would, however, invite your attention to a remark made by you in the

penultimate paragraph of the said review, which reads as follows:

"A few errors have, however, been noticed which may be rectified in the next

edition. To quote a couple of instances, on page 102, it has been mentioned

that “one Loka Saranga Mahamuni” was in the North and he came down South to

settle after hearing the melodious Tiruvoimozhi. Actually, it was Nathamuni

who was called down South in a dream and who heard a few verses of

Tiruvoimozhi and who later successfully went in search of the entire

composition"

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My Reply:

It is true that NathamunigaL was greatly influenced by the Paasuram "Aaraa

AmudE", which led to salvaging the 4000 Divya Prabandhams. But, the incident

relating to Loka Saaranga Mahaamuni is also true. It is based on the

specific reference to it on pages 466-467 of Azhwar Tiru uLLam Part I (3rd

Collection) published by Sri VisishTaadvaita Research Centre, Chennai - Pub:

1994.

 

I wish that you had read this before making your comments.

 

I repeat my remarks in connection with a similar erroneous observation in

the Review in "The HIndu" thus:

-----------

"It would have been better if the Reviewers were instructed to consult the

Authors before attempting to point out flaws. As it is, the Reviews

unilaterally leave the Authors defenseless to refute the points projected in

the Reviewer’s Reports and point out the flaws in the reporting of the

Reviewers themselves!"

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I have mentioned this incident in SRS Vol.06/06 also as follows:

"It is said that one Loka Saaranga Mahaa munigaL who was living in the far

north, happened to listen to the recital of this hymn by a few pilgrims. He

was amazed at the felicity of the word “aaraa amudE” – (insatiable nectar)

to describe the Lord, when there are umpteen other names for the Lord,

Narayana etc. He found the name so wonderful that he immediately decided to

set forth to the Tamil speaking country (Tamizh naDaiyaaDum dEsam) where the

language had such meaningful expressions never heard of before elsewhere.

(Vide pages 466-467 of Azhwar Tiru uLLam Part I (3rd Collection) published

by Sri VisishTaadvaita Research Centre, Chennai- Pub: 1994).

 

I give below a rough transliteration of this reference:

 

"Oru aitihyam ingu poruttam:

LOka Saaranga MahaamunigaL was living in the North for long. Once, when he

accosted some pilgrims from the South, he enquired one of them "What is the

news in the down south from where you are coming?" The pilgrim in reply

mentioned how Nammazhwar was born in the South, how he had composed

Tiruvoimozhi and how this had become so popular in the South. When prompted

to recite one verse from Tiruvoimozhi, the pilgrim recited the Paasuram

"aaraa amudE". Munigal was so impressed to hear this unique expression in

describing the Lord's name that he came to the Southern area where such

felicity of expression was in vogue (naDamaaDum pradEsam)".

 

I have heard this also in the KaalakshEpams of His Holiness Azhagiya Singhar

in his Poorvaasramam.

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You have also observed:

"Secondly, on page 623, the details mentioned against Nadadoor Sri Varada

Vishnu Acharya, one of the 74 Simhasanaadhipatis, actually pertain to

Nadadoor Ammal, his grandson, This Nadadoor Varada Vishnu Acharya is known

as “Nadadoor Azhwaan”.

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My Reply:

I am sorry for the mix up.

But, this was already commented upon in the Hindu Review as follows:

"While mentioning about Nadadur Azhwan, the biographical data of his

grandson Nadadur Ammal have got mixed up".

Vide Hindu dated 22/06/2004

URL:

http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/br/2004/06/22/stories/2004062200071400.htm

 

I feel that if you had read the Hindu Review, you would not have repeated

it.

 

However, your well-meant remarks are taken in the right spirit and I will

try to guard against such errors.

Thanking you again

Dasoham

Anbil Ramaswamy