Karnatakada Haridasaru

Synopsis

The author of this book, Dr. H.K. Vedavyasachar, has done an illuminatingly scientific and historical study of the whole range of Dasa Sahitya and its thoughts in a scholarly and systematic manner. The distinction of this work lies in the fact that for the first time a study has been done (on Dasa Sahitya) in relation to the history of religion, philosophy and mysticism in general, - as they developed in different parts of the world and not merely as an offshoot of a prejudiced sect of Brahmanism.

The reader of this book gets a fair glimpse into the cravings (or philosophical enquiries) of the human spirit through ages; the way such enquiries coursed through historic times in ancient Sumeria, Assyria, Egypt, Greece and Israel and later in Europe and Arabia and found its fulfilment in the long course of the development of Vedic thought in Hinduism, in the north and south of India through successive phases of Vedic, non-Vedic, Puranic and Darsanic thought.

The study in this book is divided into two major parts.

History of Religions

The first part is devoted to the study of the history of the religion as such. Religion is the governing principle of civilized life. The author inquires into its meaning, reason for its existence and its relation to science, and politics, into the values and sanctions of religion, the different aspects of the manifestations of the religious spirit among the great religions of the world and their variations.

The author faces the challenge to religion brought up by Subjectivism, Rationalism, Logical Positivism, Dialectical Materialism and other ways of thinking and shows how none of them is in a position to dismiss religion and the religious spirit and instinct from our midst or disprove their authenticity. He supports his views with relevant citations from the writings of eminent thinkers like Descartes, Spinoza, Kant, Locke, Berkeley and others. He has quoted extensively from Sanskrit philosophical classics like the words of Shankaracharyaru, Madhwacharyaru, Jayateertharu, Vyasarayaru, Udayanacharyaru, Sri Raghavendra Swamigalu and others to give point to his arguments.

The major topics covered in the first part are as below:

Detailed analysis of Haridasas of Karnataka

In the second part, we have the detailed treatment of the Haridasas of Karnataka led by Sri Madhwacharyaru. The part played by his distinguished successors like Narahariteertharu, Sripadarajaru, Vyasarayaru, Vadirajaru, Purandaradasaru, Kanakadasaru, Vijayeendrateertharu, Kumara Vyasaru, Vaikunthadasaru, Sri Raghavendra Swamigalu, Prasanna Venkatesharu, Vijayadasaru, Giriyamma, Varadendrateertharu, Vyasatatvagna Yatigalu, Mohanadasaru, Gopaladasaru, Jagannathadasaru, Bhagannadasaru and Praneshadasaru in the development of the Bhakti-Siddhantha through Haridasa Sahitya is sketched with an unerring eye for significant details.

The major topics covered in the second part are as below:

Kannada Haridasaru

Striking Feature

The author has provided the readers a peep into the devotional enthusiasm of the Vyshnava Mystics of Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu. The author has given short but lucid accounts of the works of each of the great Dasas mentioned above and brought out literary and philosophical excellences of their writings. One striking feature of Dr. Vedavyasachar's work is the bold step he has taken in including the famous Kannada Mahakavi Kumaravyasa (alias Gadugina Naranappa) in the family of Haridasas.

Conclusion

From the beginning till the end of this thrilling study of about 500 pages, the young and alert mind of this enterprising scholar and earnest researcher, holds the attention of the reader riveted to the subject, filling him with genuine admiration for the mighty work of social and spiritual rehabilitation of the human spirit that the selfless Haridasas had done for the benefit of the sons and daughters of Karnataka and through them to the whole of humanity.

Publications

Before being published as a book in 1965, the author submitted this as a thesis ("Karnatakada Haridasaru") and obtained PhD from the University of Bombay in 1954. After this, Parimala Research and Publishing House, Najangud brought out the contents of the thesis as a serial in the magazine Parimala (posthumously for the author). Later on, the same publishing house went on to release the first edition in 1965, second edition in 1992. The third edition in 2005, however, was brought out by Sri Raghavendraswamy Mutt, Mantralayam. The book continues to be used as reference by the students taking Dasa Sahitya exams. A book about the life of the author was also released by Parimala Research and Publishing House, Najangud