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RE: Introduction

From the Bhakti List Archives

K. Sadananda • Thu Feb 01 2001 - 05:45:23 PST 


>Dear Sadanandaji,
>How can we get the translations
>you dad and great grand father
>did in Telugu?
>Is there any place where we can
>buy them? Did you great great grand
>dad also write in telugu?
>
>Oud dasohams,
raghu ramanuja dasa
In response to my introduction, I was flooded by many  e-mails.  I 
want to thank all of them and am providing some information in 
response to some requests.

Most of my father's works are in telugu or Sanskrit but also 
published in telugu lipi.  Since most of them are in poetic style and 
involves bhakti - it is difficult to translate these. 

1. He has written "Melinomu" - translation of Tiruppavai into telugu 
with extensive commentary that was published many years ago by TTD - 
But I heard it is now out of stock.  To appreciate this you have to 
know telugu since lot of quotations are from Potana bhagavatam 
besides vedic texts and his own works.

2. He has translated "Amukta Maalyada" of Krishnadevaraya into 
Sanskrit -"VishNuchittiiyam" - again published by TTD in telugu lipi. 
- This is the story of Vishnuchitta and AnDal.  The original telugu 
poetry itself is difficult to understand.  The Sanskrit version is 
more difficult. 

3. Another translation work is Allasaanipeddana's classic work in 
telugu - Manucharitra - into Sanskrit - "ManusambhavaH' - This was 
published by Andhra Sahitya Academy, Hyderabad. It was in Devanagari 
script but I understand copies are difficult to be  located. - This 
is more of relevance to saahityam than bhakti.

4. Bhagavad Giita - according to Ramanuja's interpretation - This is 
in  telugu poetry.  We published ourselves last year- We have 
established Kuntimaddi Seshasarma Foundation and publishing one by 
one book. - If any one wants copies - if you write to me I will make 
a note and this summer when I go to India brings some copies.

5. Indira Vandanam - These are slokas in Sanskrit - A tribute to Maha 
Lakshmi - published only in Telugu lipi.  We have to get this 
published again in devanagari script.

6. Three are three volumes of " yatiraajiiyam' - Published by my 
father (with the help of local vaishnva devotees - This is the story 
of Bhagavaan Ramanuja -and his digvijayams -  in Classic Telugu 
poetry. His literary style is very unique and to appreciate his 
poetry one has to have good telugu -Sanskrit knowledge.

7.  There are innumerable other books - and article close to 100 
-some titles include  Ramayana Paryavalokanam,  Shree Krishana 
Vilaasam,  VishishhTadvaita darpanam, parakaala maTha vaibhavam, 
Raghavendra vijayam, Sudhaabinduvulu, Telugu Talli, Hari Vilaasamu, 
etc.

Many are published and some are not.  I have mentioned already about 
the commentaries on Vedanta Deshika's works. - This is again in 
Telugu. Since it is a monumental task -  Shree Narayana chinna jiir 
agreed to publish the works.

I want to share something else.  My father had great value for 
education.  He was a schoolteacher, with meager income but our house 
was full with many poor students who were seeking education. This is 
besides the seven children he raised.  We use to have also many 
weekly-once type students who used come on rotation. - I remember 
when I was a kid, a moving story - a poor boy approached first my 
mother and who readily agreed to feed him one day a week. - Later 
when he approached my father, he said no since he cannot afford any 
more as the house was already full.  But my mother with full of tears 
came forward and said she would forgo her meals weekly on that day 
and feed that food to the boy so that there will not be extra cost. 
- The result was the boy ended up having two days a week at our 
house.  We are indeed blessed to have such great parents, who taught 
us by their own examples.

  My father was himself mentored by his uncle - Shree Rallapalli 
Ananta Krishna Sarma - who was sangeeta and saahitya vidvaan and was 
involved in the bringing out Annamaacharya keerthan-s under TTD 
sponsorship. (my father has translated some of Rallapallis works 
too).  After my father passed away, we have established on his name a 
poor Brahman vasati gruham  in Anantapur so that poor brahman 
students can stay freely and study.  There are now 35 students who 
are selected based on need and merit. They go to regular schools and 
colleges but also learn vedic chantings.   I am currently raising 
money to support these students - The idea is to raise money so  that 
it can be put in fixed deposit and the interest will be used to 
maintain the students' expenses.  The hostel is being run very 
efficiently and many donors have come forward to built rooms and 
other facilities needed for the students.  Many who are retired are 
volunteering and also coaching the students who need help in studies.

I am planning to raise the funds - as "Rishi Putra Program" - a 
support for a poor brahmin student. It  would cost $500-750/- the 
interest from which helps to support a student.  I am getting 
brochure printed for circulation.  If anyone is interested in 
supporting, the cause, I will be happy to provide the details.  The 
reason we started this is that we found several students who have no 
place to go.  We have Vaishya hostel, Kashtriya hostel, kamma hostel, 
Reddy hostel, etc but nobody wants  to take poor brahmin students 
only because he is not a Vaishya or kshatriya etc. We did not have 
much choice.  We do not have facilities to take girl-students right 
now since that involves lot more security and facilities.

I am sorry to flood all this information, but when one is taking 
about parents one cannot stop! they are the first daities on the 
earth. - maatR^itu devo bhava, pitR^idevo bhava and then aachaarya 
deva bhava  - in that order says  sruthi. There are the incarnates of 
Lord Narayana and Lakshmi.


Hari Om!
Sadananda






-- 
K. Sadananda
Code 6323
Naval Research Laboratory
Washington D.C. 20375
Voice (202)767-2117
Fax:(202)767-2623


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