BOOK REVIEW

Sri Gurubhyo Namaha

PUNYA KSHETRA SRINGERI :
Compiled by - T. V. Shiva Kumara Sharma.

Published in Kannada by Bharati Tirtha Trust, Dakshinamnaya Sri Sharada Peetham,
Sringeri - 577139.  Pages 336+16.  Rs. 500/-

Innumerable books on Sringeri, dealing with sanctity of the place and the spiritual mission carried out by the Jagadgurus who ascended the holy Sharada peetham over the centuries, have come out in several languages. This voluminous book in Kannada excels many of them from the viewpoint of its contents and usefulness, apart from its fully illustrated attaractive get-up, highly suitable to readers of all ages.

Printed wholly on art paper, the entire gamut of details is conveniently divided into five parts. This large book with 336 pages consisting of abundant multicolour photographs of different sizes is conceived brilliantly in an album form.

The first part begins with a set of beautiful photographs of the sacred place, Sringeri, and the genesis of the Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, the first and the foremost of the four Peethas founded by Jagadguru Sri Shankaracharya some 1,200 years ago.

The second part is devoted to details of the temples situated in the holy place. This includes exquisite photographs of the temples in the picturesque background of Malnad hills and rivulets and vivid descriptions of their historical and religious importance. Inclusion of color portraits of the icons is an added attraction in this monumental volume.

Source Material

The third part elaborates the details of festivals, processions, Vedic rituals, literary and religious conventions and celebrations throughout the year. Navaratri, Shivaratri, Vyasa Puja and Shankara Jayanthi are some such events.

The fourth part narrates the biographical sketches of all the 36 pontiffs of the Peetha, including the present seer, Sri Bharathi Tirtha Mahaswamiji. This part of the volume is the major portion of this work. It contains authentic and authoratative information on the history of this ancient Math and serves as an important source material for scholars and students of history.

Starting with the life-sketch of Adi Shankara in four-colour pictures right from his boyhood, a number of important events in his life are vividly narrated. Details of the parentage and early days of all the Jagadgurus, wherever available, and description of their spiritual tours with emphasis on the important events that happened during their period are compehensively dealt with in simple language.

Historical Mementos

Historical details about several important documents relating to the gifts of lands and precious ornaments given by kings and chieftains to the Jagadgurus with their colour facsimile photographs are available in this book for research scholors. The copperplate given by Harihara, the king of Vijayanagara kingdom, contains the establishment details of Vidyaranyapura as an agrahara in the year 1386 AD, letters written by Hyder Ali, and the daimond crown presented by the Nizam of Hyderabad to the Sringeri Peetha are a few among them to be mentioned here.

Literary Compositions

The fifth and concluding part comprises the index in six sub-divisions with a lot of information about the literary and devotional conositions of the Jagadgurus. The texts of some devotional songs and hymns composed in Sanskrit by some of the Jagadgurus with a simple commentary on them are also provided.

The Bharathi Tirtha Trust, under the benediction of the present Jagadguru, has granted generous subvention to publish this volume in order to make it affordable to common readers despite the high cost of production.

This table-top book is a commendable contribution to history and culture; a welcome addition to all libraries and scholars.

The author, Shiva Kumara Sharma, though young (26), has collected so much authentic information and presented them cogently. Jwalamukhi Press in Bangalore has also done a commendable job of printing.

This publication in English, devoutly to be wished for, will fulfil the need of a larger audience.

                                                                                                                        - Dr.V.Gopalakrishna