Book Reviews

THE IMMORTAL KURAL: V.C. Kulandaiswamy; Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Kulapati Munshi Marg, Mumbai 400 007. Rs.60.

About 2000 years ago, a Tamil weaver wove ethical maxims into the celebrated Tirukkural that can now be used as a textbook on the art of living. In fact, Tamil literature is rich in ancient ethical texts. Most of them have been collected as Pathinennkeezkanakku. Of these again, Kural has had a highly honored place as early as the date of the epic, Manimekalai.

SUBODHINI – Commentary on Tiruppavai (Tamil): 44th Azhagiasingar of the Ahobila Mutt; Narasimha Priya Trust, 30, Venkatesa Agraharam, Mylapore, Chennai 600 004. Rs.70.

While the Nalayira Divya Prabandha of the Alwars is hailed as the Tamil Veda, Vedanta Desika calls Tiruppavai as the Upanishad (the head or quintessence of the Vedas).

PRECEPTORS OF ADVAITA – Pujya Sri Jayendra Sarasvati Swamigal Peetarohana Swarna Jayanti Volume : Samata Books, 10, Congress Building, Chennai 600 006. Rs.350.

This publication edited by T M P Mahadevan which was originally published to commemorate the Diamond Jubilee of the ascension of Sri Chandrasekharendra Sarasvati Swamigal to the Kanchi Kamakoti Pitha has been published now as Samata edition on the occasion of golden jubilee of the Peetarohanam of his disciple and successor Sri Jayendra Sarasvati Swamigal.

Svetasvatara Upanishad. Swami Vedananda, 10 Kalyan Nagar, Gaddi Annaram, Hyderabad 500 060. 2001. 240 PP. Rs.60.

Pointing out the uniqueness of this Upanishad, R D Ranade, the celebrated author of The Constructive Survey of Upanishadic Philosophy, says that "it was written at the time of the parting of the ways between the Vedantic, the Sankhya and the Yoga Schools of Thought." This "explains why we have not in the Svetasvatara cut-and-dry doctrines about Nature and God and their interrelation," says Ranade and declares that this Upanishad is "the locus classicus [of] the roots of the Yoga systems." Indeed, the text blends in a unique way the two paths of saguna and nirguna, bhakti and jnana.

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