Rgveda Darsana- Volume Two (Interpretations)

Email

Whatsapp

Facebook

Pinterest

Twitter

Copy link

Vidyalankara, Sastra-Chudaamani, Sangita-Kalaratna. Professor Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao is a well-known scholar who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well-versed in Sanskrit, Pali, Ardharnagadhi 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 (U.S.A). 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.

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 of Silpa-Kala Pratishtana. The Govt, of Karnataka has honoured him with the 1986 Rajyotsava Award. He is on the Advisory Committee of the T.T.D. He has received awards from Lalita-Kala Academi and Sang ita Nritya Academi.

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 Vols., of Encyclopaedia 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). Origins of Indian Thought (Bangalore University); Kalpatharu Research Academy has published his Pratlma-Kosha in six Vols., Agama-Kosha in twelve Vols, Art and Architecture of Indian Temples in three Vols and Navagraha-Kosha in two Vols.

He is also a musicologist, a sculptor and painter, and has held some one-man shows. He presided over the Music Conference of Gayana-Samaja in Bangalore for the year 1990.

The Kalpatharu Academy, Bangalore, (established in 1981) is proud to present to the world of scholars and students of Indology the second volume of its prestigious publication Rgveda-Darsana, which will run into more than Thirty volumes. This is a major project under the 'Bharatiya-Sarnskriti-Sarvasva-Kosha' series. The first volume has been very well received by indologists all over the world, and we hope the same reception will be accorded to this and the subsequent volumes. It is our purpose to project the traditional approach to the Vedic studies, which has been sadly neglected all along. We are beholden to the eminent scholar, Vidyalankara, Sastra-Chudamani, Sangita-Kalaratna, Vedanta-Nidhi, Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao for having undertaken kindly to materialize this dream of the Academy.

We are immensely indebted to the present Peethadhipati, Sri Sri Sri Bharati- Tirtha mahaswamiji of the Sringeri Sarada-Peetham, whose benign blessings have been our strength and succor. We are also indebted to Shri V.R. Gowrishankar, Administrator of Sri Sringeri Sarada Peetham and Chairman of Kalpatharu Research Academy, for his unfailing and constant interest and help in all our activities.

Also we are deeply beholden to the authorities of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India for their generous financial assistance. We also thank the Govt. of Karnataka for their support in our endeavor.

We thank the Omkar Offset Printers, Bangalore for producing this volume neatly and expeditiously.

The need for a fresh edition of Rgveda was felt, as none of the extant modern editions or translations of this corpus appears to follow the traditional approach which was prevalent in the country before the advent of the English and European influences. The approach relies on Yaska's Nirukta, Saunaka's Btheddeveta and the early Bhashayas. It is characterized by a three-fold interpretation: adhi-yajna (ritualistic), adhi-daivata (theological) and adhyatrna (symbolic and philosphical). It became my intention to highlight the traditional approach, when I realized that this is the only valid method available for understanding the true import of the Veda. While the first volume was introductory in nature, this volume explains in detail the significance of each of the three traditional interpretations; adhiyajna, adhidaivata and adhyatma. Explanations of the mantras of Rgveda in accordance with these three interpretations will begin with the next volume.

I am indebted to Daivajna Sri K.N. Somayaji for having set me on this enterprise, which has become most satisfying to me, and I acknowledge my gratitude to the pontiff of Sringeri, Sri Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Mahasvami, who is the chief patron of Kalpatharu Research Academy, which has been my principle publisher for the past several years; and to Sri V.R. Gowrishankar, the Administrator of the said pontificate.

My friends in Omkar Offest Printers, Venkatesh Babu and Nagendra have spared no pains in making this volume elegant and excellent; and I thank them sincerely. My friends Sri c.L. Purshotham Rao and Sri B.S. Vishwanath Rao have helped in correcting the proofs; I am grateful to them.