Book Review - Pillai Lokacharya's magnum opus

[Guest guest]

NewsPaper's article:

http://www.hindu.com/br/2007/10/09/stories/2007100950231400.htm

 

 

Pillai Lokacharya's magnum opus

M.NARASIMHACHARY

 

SRIVACHANABHUSHANAM OF PILLAI LOKACHARYA—Translation and Commentary of

Manavala Mamuni; Critical Evaluation of the Theo-Philosophy of the

Post-Ramanuja Srivaishnavism: J. Rangaswami; Sharada Publishing House,

2094/165, Ganeshpura, Tri Nagar, Delhi-110035. Rs.1950.

 

Srivaishnava philosophy of the post-Ramanuja period had an interesting

growth. What was adumbrated by Ramanuja in his Gadyas received a

detailed and categorical exposition at the hands of great teachers

like Pillai Lokacharya and Vedanta Desika. The compositions of the

mystic saints Azhvars received greatest attention during this period.

Works highlighting the essential doctrines under the name Rahasya were

composed in Manipravala (Sanskritised Tamil). This may be describe d

as the golden period of the Manipravala style. Since many Sanskrit

words do not have a correct parallel in Tamil, ancient writers

resorted to this method of blending Sanskrit and Tamil. This gave the

Tamil language, a rare charm and dignity. Pillai Lokacharya wrote 18

Rahasyas. Of these, the Srivachanabhushana, Tattvatraya and the

Mumukshuppadi are important, and among them the first work is the

magnum opus of the great writer. The credit of commenting on this

important Rahasya text goes to Manavala Mamuni (1370-1444).

 

Features

 

It has to be pointed out in this context that the Srivaishnava

writings are in Sanskrit, Tamil and Manipravala. Understanding this

literature requires special training. The present work embodying the

Srivachanabhushana contains 466 pithy aphoristic statements. But for

the commentary of Manavala Mamuni, this work would have remained

unintelligible with its subtle layers of meaning. The central

teachings of this work may be summarised as follows: the soul does not

need anything but knowledge about its essential nature. It is always

subservient to and dependent upon the Lord. It has to do eternal

service through the mediation of the preceptors. It is the grace of

preceptors that ultimately helps the soul to attain liberation.

Translation

 

The credit of providing an excellent, reliable and readable English

rendition for this monumental work goes to J. Rangaswami. Here the

original aphorisms of Pillai Lokacharya are given in Roman

transliteration, using diacritical marks. This is followed by verbal

(word-to-word) translation. Then comes the translation; this is

followed by introduction (to the topic) and then a detailed

commentary.

 

The translator has admirably succeeded in bringing out the essence of

the original text along with the flavour of the commentary of Manavala

Mamuni.

 

The value of the text is enhanced by the large number of useful

indexes which include the original text of Srivachanabhushana in

Grantha script; glossary of all the technical words, and index of

works and authors. We congratulate the translator J. Rangaswami for

this commendable publication.