The Mahabharata has moulded the character and civilisation of one of the most numerous of the world's people. How did it fulfil- how is it still continuing to fulfil this function? By its gospel of dharma, which like a golden thread runs through all the complex movements in the epic; by its lesson that hatred breeds hatred, that covetousness and violence lead inevitably to ruin, that the only real conquest is in the battle against one's lower nature.
Born in 1926 at Wadakanchery in the Thrissur Dt. of Kerala, Sri Ananthanarayanan holds a Master's degree. He entered the Goverment of India service at an early age and was a Class I Officer. His first love has been the propagation of knowledge. The North Bombay Welfare Society's High School in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, is a standing testimony to it. A founder-member of the institution, under his dynamic leadership as President for 38 years and with the immense support and co- operation of his colleagues on the governing body, which he has been able to command, the School has come to be rated as one of the best educational institutions in Mumbai. He has also championed other social causes.
Shri Ananthanarayanan has written a book on Sri Guruvayur Temple - Gurupavanapuram - a Bhavan's publication, and has contributed articles on a variety of subjects of public interest.
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the community, the Pestom Sagar Citizens' Forum has conferred on him the award "PRIDE OF PESTOM SAGAR".
Srimad Bhagavatham occupies a high place in Hindu scripture. Regarded as the most important among the 18 Puranas, eminent scholars have written commentaries on this masterpiece of Sage Veda Vyasa, in particular on Dasama Skanda (10th Canto or Skanda) covering the life and teachings of Sri Krishna. Maybe, it is presumptuous for a layman like me to try to abridge this epic in about 150 pages. Yet, I have ventured on it as I feel in today's world with competing demands, one is hard put to find the time for perusal of big tomes. Oftentimes, one tends to put them aside for study at a later date, but invariably it is not read at all, thus missing totally the verities therein. For this reason, I have tried to piece together the cardinal points of Bhagavatham in the Introduction itself. In short, I have followed the aphorism - Something is better than nothing. Whether or not I have succeeded in the attempt, I leave it to the judgement of the readers.
I may add that the inspiration for this publication came from a review of a Bhagavata Saptaha Yagna and a reading of the Book, "Glimpses of Srimad Bhagavatha" by (late) S. Subbaraman of Wadakanchery, Thrissur district, Kerala, who was Professor of Economics in the Madras Christian College. I have drawn liberally from it; also supplemented it with material from other publications e.g. Srimad Bhagavata of Ramakrishna Math, Madras, Bala Bhagavatham of Chinmaya Mission, Mumbai and late C. Rajagopalachari's Mahabharata.
I owe a deep debt of gratitude to Kerala Kala Prachara Mani Chakyar Rajan of Mumbai for perusing the manuscript, suggesting improvements and writing the Foreword, which I am sure will enhance the book's appeal. I wish to record my gratitude to Shri S. Sundaram for closely editing the manuscript. He specialises in coding news items in financial publications and classifying all trade-related items according to international standards.
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