A good recognition

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SrI

NamO NarayanA

 

Dear Sri Vaishnavas

 

AdiyEn read with interest and excitement, an article came up in today's Hindu.

 

 

http://www.hindu.com/fr/2004/10/22/stories/2004102202280400.htm

 

 

Committed to Sanskrit and Vaishnavism

" 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.

 

But does following a particular belief make us less liberal in our views? " By

following Vaishnavism, we are not denying the focus on other gods. To some god

appears as Vishnu, to others as Krishna and to others as Siva. As the Lord says

in the Bhagavad Gita, " Yo yo yam yam tanum bhaktah. " Some followers don't visit

temples dedicated to Lord Siva...

 

" I do, " he replies promptly. " Tradition does not speak of that. Sri Ramanuja was

large hearted. Swami Vivekananda said of him, " In his one single heart pounded a

million hearts. " 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.