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Book Review
Essence of the Gita
THAERTTHATTU VARTHAI: By Sri Vadikesari Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar in Tamil Verse, with meaning and explanation in Tamil by (Varan) Vanamamalai R. Narasimhachariar; Pub. by N. Raman, 38/7, Vivekananda Street, Sakthivelammal Nagar, S. S. Colony, Madurai-625010. Rs. 125.
THE UPANISHADS, the Brahmasutra and the Bhagavad Gita are the three important texts for all the Vedantic schools of thought. Vadikesari Azhagiya Manavala Jeeyar (13th century), disciple of Periyavachan Pillai, wrote apart from works like the 12,000 (Panneraiyirappadi) commentary on the Tiruvaymozhi of Nammazhwar, Rahasyatrayakarika, Pramanasangraha and the Bhagavad Gita in Tamil. It is not an exact translation but its quintessence (Gitasara).
The Gita is popularly referred to in the Srivaishnava tradition as "Thaerthattu Vartai" (message from the driver's seat in the chariot). The very fact that traditional exponents of various schools of thought, mystics and saints, scholars and laymen understood and interpreted it in different ways, indicates its importance and popularity.
The present work of Vadikesari Jeeyar in classical Tamil, set in the "Vennpa" metre is difficult to follow. Hence an exhaustive exposition of it in simple Tamil has been attempted by the late R. Narasimhachariar of Vanamamalai, for the benefit of the lay reader.
Some difficult concepts of the original are explained clearly by him with the help of a number of anecdotes and episodes. He quotes relevant passages from the works of the Azhwars and scriptures. The exposition is simple and impressive. This work appeared serially in the Tamil weekly, Swadesamitran, some years ago.
The publishers have done a commendable job in bringing it in book form. They have also provided about 100 topical headings for the verses, making it easy for the reader to understand the main topics.
Most of the original verses of the Gita are also transliterated in the Tamil script for the benefit of those who want to read the original verses in juxtaposition. But it has to be pointed out that in a few cases the transliteration is not satisfactory (pp. 128, 297, 300). The Vanamamalai Jeeyar has given a valuable foreword to this work.
M. NARASIMHACHARY
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