Devata-Dhyana-Malika of Krishnaraja Wodeyar III of Mysore (Profusely Illustrated)

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The Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore is an Institution running with the benign blessings of His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Tirtha Mahaswamiji under the auspices of Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, established in 1981.Kalpatharu Research Academy has strided across the horizon of Indological Research and Publications with giant steps, and today stands as an Institution known for its unique quality of Research work.

Kalpatharu Research Academy is dedicated to the cause of preservation of ancient heritage of India; it has encouraged Research in the fields of Agama, Veda, Tantra, Jyoutisha, Mantra-Sastra, Vastu, Yoga, Silpa, Ayurvedic etc.

The Among its prestigious publications (numbering more than seventy—five till now), are Six Volumes of Pratima-Kosha, Twelve Volumes of Agama-Kosha, Three Volumes of the Art and Architecture of Indian Temples, and several Koshas like Ganesha-Kosha, Lalita-Kosha and Navagraha-Kosha, Oshadhi-Kosha, Salagrama-Kosha, Gita-Kosha. Hanumat-Kosha etc.

The Academy has plans of undertaking intensive Research in the field of Veda and Vedanga and intends publishing "Bharatiya-Samskriti-Sarvasva-Kosha” an encyclopedic work in several volumes dealing with all aspects of Indian Tradition and Culture. It seeks to promote Education, Culture, Science, Art and learning in all its branches. The approach will be broad-based and multi-disciplinary.

An extensive, comprehensive and specialist reference library has been built up to assist the Research Workers in the Indological disciplines. A valuable collection of Palm—Leaf" manuscripts relating to Veda, Vedanta, Vedanga and allied subjects has already been made; the collection work is continuing.

Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham has been running a Guru-Kula type of Institution on traditional lines to impart Vedic Education at several places. Some of these Institutions are over l00 years old. It is the intention of Kalpatharu Research Academy to take an active part in continuing this age-old tradition and act as the Research & Publication wing for these Institutions.

Our ambition is to develop as a National Centre for higher learning in Veda, Vedanga and Shastras and facilitate the propagation of unique Sanskrit and Vedic Texts in the National and International arena.

This Publication is the 95th of its achievement in this field.

Vidyalankara, Sastra—Chudamani. Sangita-Kalaratna, Professor Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao, is a well-known scholar who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well—versed in Sanskrit, Pali, Ardhamagadhi and several modern Indian languages and acquainted with Tibetan and some European languages, he has written extensively on Vedanta, Buddhism, Jainism, Indian Culture, Art and Literature.

In his professional career, however, he was a Professor of Psychology. He has headed the Department of Clinical Psychology in the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, and the Department of Indian Culture in the Callison College Study Centre of the University of the Pacific (USA). At present, he is the Senior Associate of National Institute of Advanced Studies (Indian institute of Science), Bangalore, and Guest Faculty, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore and member of the Governing Council of TTD (SVCL Research Centre). Tirupati.

He has been Member of Karnataka State Lalitha Kala Academi and Sangita Nritya Academi; he has served on the Agama Board (Govt. of Karnataka). He is President:‘ Silpa-Kala Pratishtana. The Govt. of Karnataka has honored him with the 1986 Rajyotsava Award. He has received awards from Lalita-Kala Academi and Sangita Kala Academy. He is the recipient of the Veda Sanman for the year 2000 by the Govt. of India (H.R.D. Ministry).

He has written more than sixty books in Kannada, a play in Sanskrit, and a Pali commentary on a Buddhist classic. One of his books on iconography in Kannada has won the State Sahitya Academi Award, as also another of his books on the Tirupati Temple.

Among his numerous English publications are three volumes of Encyclopedia of Indian Medicine (Popular Prakashan, Mumbai). Tibetan Tantrik Tradition and Tibetan Meditation (Arnold Heinemann. Delhi), Consciousness in Advaita, and a series of six books on Indian Temples (IBH Prakashana. Bangalore) and Origins of Indian Thought (Bangalore University); Kalpatharu Research Academy has published his Pratima-Kosha in six volumes. Agama-Kosha in twelve volumes, Art and Architecture of Indian Temples in three volumes.

He is at present engaged in the 30—volume project Rgveda-Darsana (eleven volumes of which have appeared).He is also a musicologist, a sculptor and painter, and has held some one-man shows.

Kalpatharu Research Academy has created a landmark n the field of indological publication since its inception in 1981. It has brought out more than minety volumes which have been hailed as valuable contributions towards preserving our ancient heritage. Here is an old kannada work authored by the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar III and illustrated by the artists of his court. The work has been edited by Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao with translation of the text into English and the original paintings have been reproduced. We hope it will be widely received by the discerning readers.

The academy is indebted to its Chief Patron his Holiness Jagadguru Sri Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahaswamigalu of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetam who is the Chief Patron of the Academy and its chairman Shri V.R. Gowrishankar who is the Chief administrator of the Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham. We are grateful to Vidyalankara, Sastra Chudamani Sangita Kalaratna Vidyavachaspati Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao for having prepared this publication

We acknowledge the assistance received from the Ministry of Human Resources Development Govt. of India New Delhi and the Authorities of ministry of education Govt. of Karnataka and we thank M/s Omkar offset printers for the neat and prompt execution of this volume.

The erstwhile Maharaja of Mysore Sri Krishnaraja Wodeyar III was a prolific writer. His Sri Tattva Nidhi is a celebrated work encyclopedic in character and profusely illustrated. Here is another work form his pen Devata Dhyana Malika which is a compilation of descriptive verses in Sanskrit of several Indian gods in popular worship. The text has been amply illustrated by fine painting executed by the artists adorning the Maharaja’s court. The verses as well as the visualizations are meant to help in contemplation these deities. The text as well as the paintings are here reproduced.

The text bears the title Devata-dhyana-mala but elsewhere in the list of his work it is called Devata-dhyana-Malika. This name has been retained here.

I am indebted as usual to the chief Editor of the academy Sri Daivajna K.N. Somayaji for taking up this work for publication. I am also grateful to the chief Patron of the academy his holiness the Jagadguru of Sringeri Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Tirtha Swamigal and to the Chairman of the academy Shir V.R. Gowrishankar the chief administrator of the sringeri Sharada Peetam. I acknowledge the courtesy of the Omkar offset printers especially Shri Venkatesh Babu and Shri Nagendra during the printing of this volume.