VEPACHEDU EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION

Mana Sanskriti (Our Culture)

Issue 86

5106 Kali Era , taarana Year,  maagha month
1926 Salivahana Era
taarana Year,  maagha month
2062 Vikramarka Era, 
taarana Year,  maagha month
 2005 AD, March

Krishnamurtisastri Sripada (1866-1960)

Krishnamurtisastri was born in 1866 in a Brahmin family of Kousika gotra. He learned Sanskrit and Vedas, as per the Brahmin tradition. In those days, Brahmins used to learn their native tongue Sanskrit and the religious texts Vedas.  Despite the opportunities, he avoided the formal Western education.  Sripada family shunned English and formal education* to the extreme and as a result Krishnamurtisastri did not even know the difference between a yard and a square yard (ref).

Krisnamurtisastri was an expert in avadhana, a form of literary art. He received several titles such as ashtaavadhaani, sataavadhani, adhunaatana kavimitrudu etc. He wrote more than hundred books, of which thirty were dramas.  He considered kalabhaashini as the best among his dramas.  His drama bobbili yuddham was very famous.  His dramas included contemporary issues like the freedom movement, e.g., Tilak maharaja and Gandhi vijayam. His prabandhas include vijayalakshmi vilaasamu.  He also translated Sanskrit Raamayana, Bhaarata and Bhaagavata, an amazing feat for one person.  There is no other Telugu who translated all the three Sanskrit epics into Telugu language.  He opened his own printing press to publish journals such as kalaavati and vajraayudha.  He also wrote poetry on Telugu people entitled, aandhraabhydayam.  He adorned the "State Poet" office. The Indian federal government honored him as a Sanskrit Poet. His biography was written in English and Telugu.  He wrote his autobiography "srikrishna sveeyacharitramu" in Sanskrit and Telugu.  He was also interested in extracurricular activities like horse riding and traveled widely. He received many awards, all without knowing any English or formal education.

 

* Today, both Brahmin and non-Brahmin Telugus are emphasizing learning English at the cost of Telugu. And majority of Brahmins forgot Sanskrit and Vedas altogether.  The feeling that "there is nothing to learn in Telugu" has been there for ages in Telugu-land. As a matter of fact, there is nothing to learn in Telugu, if one wants to excel in this modern global village, due to the policies of successive governments. As a result, everybody is crazy about Western education in English today, which was not acceptable during the British Raj, at least for some orthodox Brahmins and was unavailable for majority of Telugus. The concept of learning two languages at a young age has no place in the Telugu society even today.  Consequently, Telugu is relegated to purgatory in Hyderabad, the capital city of the Telugu State.  There is a real threat to the existence of Telugu like never before because literacy is growing and "literate" means "one who speaks Tenglish".  Bilingualism, knowing two languages equally well, is the only way out, unless Telugus accept and replace dying Telugu with bombastic and high class Tenglish as their language.  While Brahmins have to follow trinlingualism and learn Sanskrit and Vedas as well, if they want to keep their heritage, just like Telugu Muslims learn Urdu and Koran.

Source: naa vaangmaya mitrulu, Kameswararao Tekumalla

Copyright ©1998-2005
Vepachedu Educational Foundation, Inc
Copyright Vepachedu Educational Foundation Inc., 2004.  All rights reserved.  All information is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for medical advice or treatment for special medical conditions or any specific health issues or starting a new fitness regimen. Please read disclaimer.



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