Krishnacharya Tamanacharya Pandurangi

Prof. Krishnacharya Tamanacharya Pandurangi Kr̥ṣṇācārya Tamanācārya Pānḍụraṅgi; (1 February 1918 - 22 April 2017), (also popularly known as Prof. K. T. Pandurangi, also known by the pen name Viswamangala), was an Indian Sanskrit scholar and a notable Indologist. Pandurangi is unique among the contemporary Sanskrit scholars, who handled both the traditional and modern systems of education. In 1989, he was honoured with Rashtrapati Award by the Government of India for his contribution to literature and research.[1]

Mahamahopadhyaya

Krishnacharya Tamanacharya Pandurangi
Born(1918-02-01)February 1, 1918
Dharwad, Karnataka
DiedApril 22, 2017(2017-04-22) (aged 99)
Bangalore, Karnataka
NationalityIndian
OccupationScholar, professor
Spouse(s)Susheela
Childrentwo daughters; three son's
Awards1989 : Rashtrapati Award
2007: Rajyotsava Award
Academic background
Alma materMaharaja's College, Mysore
Banares Hindu University
Academic work
DisciplineReligious Studies
InstitutionsBangalore University
Main interestsVedanta, Hindu philosophy

Tamanacharya's students included many of sanksrits's most renowned scholars: D. Prahladachar, former Vice Chancellor, Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati; V. R. Panchamukhi, Indian Economist; Vyasanakere Prabhanjanacharya.[2]

Biography

Pandurangi was born on 1 February 1918 in a family of Sanskrit Scholars to Tammanacharya Pandurangi and Lakshmi Bai in Dharwad, Karnataka. Due to economic condition in the family, he could complete only up to 7th standard and could not study in a High School. He then studied Sanskrit in Sankaracharya Patasala at Dharwad. His further higher education also was in Patasalas only; from Dharwad to Sangli Patasala; from Sangli to Mysore Patasala and so on. In 1936 at the age of 18 he moved to Mysore. Within 4 years he completed the study of Nyaya and Vedanta there.[3] At Patasala, he learnt Nyaya Shastra under Dharapuram Krishnamurthi Acharya. At other times he went to the residence of the same Acharya and learnt Vedanta at home. He practised this kind of double-study under other scholars also like Kasipranesa Acharya, Chaturvedi Ramachandracharya, Doddaballapur Vasudevacharya, Nerur Krishnacharya, Ardikoppam Subramanya Shastry, Channa Kesava Shastry and others. At the age of 22 in 1940, he joined oriental Department of Annamalai University and Maharaja's College, Mysore, during which he studied Purva Mimamsa under reputed scholars including Dr. B. N. K. Sharma. He also holds and Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts degree's from Banares Hindu University.[4]

Career

Pandurangi served as professor in Karnatak College, Dharwar for twelve years and in Government College, Bangalore for six years. Later he joined as Head of the Post Graduate Department of Sanskrit at Bangalore University.[5]

He was a member of Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan and Central Sanskrit Board. He was also a Senior Fellow of Indian Council of Philosophical Research. He served as President of Mythic Society, Bangalore for twelve years. He served as Kulapati of Poornaprajna Vidyapeetha and also served as honorary director of Dvaita Vedanta Foundation at Bangalore.[6][7][8] Pandurangi visited Germany, England, Austria and United States and delivered lectures on Purva Mimamsa and Vedanta. He also guided many Foreign Scholars who came to India on the Subjects like Prakarana Panchika, Ramayana, Uttara Ramacharita, Panchapadika, Anuvyakhyana, Panini Sutras, Vishnu Tatva Nirnaya, Karma Nirnaya and other topics in Dvaita Vedanta.

Accomplishment as a scholar

Krishnamacharya was highly regarded as a scholar. He studied Nyaya, Vedanta, Mimamsa and earned degrees in philosophy and literature.

He also had extensive knowledge of orthodox Hindu rituals and Vedanta. His scholarship in various darshanas of orthodox Indian philosophy earned him titles such as Vedanta Vidwan, Mimamsa Siromani, Darsanaratna and Mimamsa Bhushana.[9]

Works

An invaluable books have been published by him through the Dvaita Vedanta Studies and Research Foundation. Many of the books are in several volumes. Most notable among them include:[10][11][12]

Commentaries
  • Bhatta Sangraha Raghavendra Tirtha (in 3 vols.)
  • Ṛgbhāṣyam of Sri Madhvacharya ( 2 volumes).
  • Nyayamrta and Advaita Siddhi (in 3 volumes).
  • Tātparya Chandrika of Vyasatirtha (3 vols.)
  • Brahmāsūtrabhāṣya with 8 commetaries (in 7 vols.)
  • Nyāya Sudhā with 5 commentaries (in 12 vols.)
  • Bhāgavata with 2 commentaries (in 12 vols.)
  • Tarka Tāṇḍava of Vyasatirtha
  • Pramana Paddhati of Jayatirtha

Translations

Independent works

Sanskrit
  • Nabhovaniroopakaani - a collection of four radio plays
  • Kaavyaanjalihi - an anthology of poems
  • Raveendraroopakaani - an adaptation of Ravindranath Tagore’s four plays
  • Purandaravachanaani - an adaptation of Purandara Dasa’s one hundred sayings
  • Sarvajnavachanaani.

Kannada
  • Kaavyashaastra Vinoda - Critical essays on the works of poets Kalidasa, Bhavabhuti, Kshemishvara etc.
  • Sanskrita Kavayatriyaru - an introduction of thirty two poetesses of Sanskrit
  • Kalidaasana Soundaryadrishti

Anecdotes

Awards and honours

References
  1. Śaśiprabhā Kumāra (January 2007). Veda as word. Indian Council of Philosophical Research, Jawaharlal Nehru University. p. 271. ISBN 9788124603765. Retrieved 1 January 2007.
  2. Śaśiprabhā Kumāra (January 2007). Veda as word. Indian Council of Philosophical Research, Jawaharlal Nehru University. p. 271. ISBN 9788124603765. Retrieved 1 January 2007.
  3. Śaśiprabhā Kumāra (January 2007). Veda as word. Indian Council of Philosophical Research, Jawaharlal Nehru University. p. 271. ISBN 9788124603765. Retrieved 1 January 2007.
  4. "Sanskrit scholar KT Pandurangi dies at 99". Times of India. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  5. "Sanskrit scholar KT Pandurangi dies at 99". Times of India. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
  6. Pride of India: A Glimpse Into India's Scientific Heritage. SAMSKRITA BHARATI. 2006. p. 200. ISBN 9788187276272.
  7. Kamla Kanta Mishra (1997). Sanskrit Studies in India: On the Occasion of 10th World Sanskrit Conference, Bangalore, Jan 3-9, 1997. Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan. p. 158.
  8. The Journal of Oriental Research, Madras, Volumes 47-55. Kuppuswami Sastri Research Institute, Mylapore. 1989. p. xviii.
  9. Saints of Karnataka. Chinmaya Mission. 1981. p. 47.
  10. Kiyokazu Okita (2014). Hindu Theology in Early Modern South Asia: The Rise of Devotionalism and the Politics of Genealogy. Oxford University Press. p. 267. ISBN 9780198709268.
  12. Sheldon Pollock; Benjamin A. Elman; Ku-ming Kevin Chang. World Philology. Harvard University Press. p. 404. Retrieved 5 January 2015.
  13. "Vyasajyothi Award for K.T.Pandurangi". The Hindu. Retrieved 28 July 2015.

Further reading
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