Reviews

[We shall be glad to review books in all Indian languages and in English, French and German. Books for Review should reach the office at least SIX WEEKS in advance of the day of publication of the Journal]

Portrait Sculpture in South India–By T. G. Aravamuthan, M.A., B.L. (Published by the India Society, London. Price Sh. 21 net.)

Mr. T. G. Aravamuthan, whose contributions were a prominent feature of the early numbers of ‘Triveni,’ needs no introduction to our readers. The instalments which appeared originally in ‘Triveni,’ together with others, have now been brought together in a handy volume under the title "Portrait Sculpture in South India," to which that eminent scholar and critic, Dr. Ananda K. Coomaraswamy, contributes a foreword.

The evidence of Indian literature is overwhelmingly in favour of the view that portraiture as such was practised in an intensive degree from very early times. There wore occasions when the artist went to Life for motif and sometimes even for method; there were also occasions when he produced not a copy, but something independent, something artistically true, which differed and did not resemble. Hindu portraiture therefore comprised several methods of which the achievements of one special school is exclusively denoted by the modern term ‘portrait.’ There were the semi-divine and conventional forms of the departed ones; there were the individualised forms of the living ones, recognised alike by contemporary and non-contemporary; there were also those human forms which art had transfigured in greater or smaller measure, which contemporaries had little difficulty in identifying, but which to us appear little more than generalised types.

The question is not therefore whether or not the Hindus were familiar with the branch of art known as portraiture, but whether it is possible to identify the portraits that have survived in stone or metal, with any degree of accuracy. The problem is really one of identity and depends to a large extent on traditions of varying grades of trustworthiness, some genuine and unimpeachable, but others far too unreliable for an enquiry of the kind Mr. Aravamuthan intends. If in the circumstances, Mr. Aravamuthan's identifications never rise above plausible conjectures, it is not his fault so much as that of the materials he has been at such pains to gather, which hardly permit of better results.

The bow-legged copper repousse of Venkata I with its exquisite whimsicality of facial expression and the merry spheroid Chola, executed in definite realistic fashion, need little proof that they are protraits. But not those rendered in as definitely non-realistic styles, typical of the various periods in which they were called into being. It is not an easy task to prove that these latter are portraits in the modern sense; and, in the process, Mr. Aravamuthan has to make out that the Andhras are a specially tall race with a tendency to ‘lean forward’ and has to detect facial resemblance between a man and woman in bronze, in order to establish a theory that they are brother and sister–considerations which, we are afraid, would have greatly surprised the artists who fashioned the images. In a similar manner he tells how Nannan, the tyrant, had a girl put to death, for the crime of having eaten a fruit belonging to the royal demesne, and how the tyrant refused an offer from the girl's relatives of 81 elephants as well as a statue of gold of the weight of the girl. "If the ransom was offered," Mr. Aravamuthan argues, "not merely as gold, but as gold measured to the weight of the girl, and cast into the shape of a statue, it is not improbable that the statue was cast into the likeness, of the girl." We are not told whether the statue was actually made or not, but the mere offer on the part of the relatives of the girl to make one, is responsible for this formidable inference on the part of Mr. Aravamuthan.

Mr. Aravamuthan is doing himself less than justice when he besmirches a classic like the Mahendravarman group at Mahabalipuram. On the image stated to be that of Balaramavarman at Suchindram, he has let the Travancore Archeological Department do the thinking for him when he assigns it to the 18th century and makes out that it is a defective piece of art. The subject is certainly more complex than would appear from the author's cursory disposal of it and merits more attention than he has been able to give it. The queens of Krishna Devaraya have been done on a smaller scale, not in deference to the custom of figuring minor figures of a group in smaller size than that of the principal figure, as stated by Mr. Aravamuthan, but because the canonical prescriptions ordain that woman's height should never exceed the shoulder of man.

There is no doubt that Mr. Aravamuthan would have acquitted himself better had he visited every place he describes and depended less on blue-books and official inspiration. It is a handicap no doubt to have to depend on one's private resources for expensive research of this kind, but if research is worth doing at all, it is worth doing well. This perhaps explains why he has not found a page for the image of Sankara at Kanchi, or the wonderful bronze of the Lady of Karaikal at Tiruvalangadu, or the Chola Brahminicide at Tiruvidaimarudur, or the portrait of Tyagaraja, the musician.

Considering that Mr. Aravamuthan is a pioneer in a field which he has practically made his own, it is matter for congratulation that he has so few errors to his credit and that so many of his arguments are without serious flaw. He has an amazing command of English, and, thanks to his crisp, scholarly style, his book is eminently readable. Of particular interest are his references to Tolkappiyam on the consecration of hero-stones. His conclusion that there was an unbroken tradition of art from very remote periods of history down to comparatively recent times, and that its methods and motives were similar both in the north of India and in the south and that the differences are negligible, is one that every student of Indian art must subscribe to. In other words, there was unity in India's cultural life which knew neither borders of geography nor history; there was light in India during the dark ages.

K. V. RAMACHANDRAN

The Twelve Principal Upanishads.–In three volumes. . . . Volume I–Text in Devanagari and Translation with notes in English–By Dr. Roer. [Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar, Madras, 1931. X, 312 pp. Price Rs. 4].

The Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar, has been rendering good service to the cause of religious in general and Indian religions in particular. The volume under review is another addition to the list of works published by them on Indian religion and philosophy.

The present volume contains the Isa, Kena, Katha, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya and Svetasvatara Upanishad with the translation of Dr. Roer. Each Upanishad is prefaced by a short Introduction, dealing with the main purport of the Upanishad in simple and intelligible language. Dr. Roer has based his translations of the Upanishads mainly upon the interpretations put upon them by the illustrious philosopher of India–Sri Sankaracharya. The commentary of Anandagiri, has been of invaluable aid to Dr. Roer in understanding the heart of Sankara. The translations have been done in idiomatic English without prejudice to the genius of the language and idea of the Upanishads.

Mr. M. N. Dvivedi puts in a strong plea, in his short but neat Introduction of ten pages, for the antiquity of the Upanishadic literature. The ten principal Upanishads should be regarded, according to him, as contemporaneous with the Vedic literature. The main and fundamental teachings of the Upanishads, i. e., the propagation of the Advaitic conception of man, God, and mortality is well set forth by Mr. Dvivedi in the Introduction.

The T. P. H. is to be congratulated upon the publication of this volume, which is almost free from the so-called printer's devils. Let us hope that the other volumes promised, will be issued ere long.

T. R. CHINTAMANI

Vedanta or The Science of Reality.–By K. A. Krishnaswami Iyer, B.A. (Published by Messrs. Ganesh & Co., Madras, 1930. Price Re. 10/)

We agree with Dr. Radhakrishnan in his scholarly appreciation of this splendid work. To quote his own words "This book embodies the ripe reflections of a life devoted to the study of Advaita philosophy . . . It will appeal to many readers who seek for rational solutions of life-problems . . . No student, who proposes to deal seriously with the issues involved, can afford to neglect it . . . For myself I hope to return to it with greater care which, I know, will be to greater profit," No higher compliment can be paid to the book and its author than the eloquent testimony of one of the greatest philosophers of our age.

One must accept the author's statement that Vedanta exercises an enduring fascination on all thoughtful minds, and his book is a practical demonstration of his statement. Those that have dealt with Vedanta hitherto have assumed it to be a set of doctrines derived from speculation grounded in theology. The author's rational interpretation of the subject convincingly proves that the reverse is the truth. Hindu theological beliefs receive strength from Vedanta. The latter is a system of truth disclosed by the application of reason to our intuitive experience of our three states–sleep, dream and waking. Mere faith or authority has no place in it. Reason is once again enthroned under the benign protection and strength of intuition, which is clearly proved to be the very urge and the ultimate ideal of reason. Reason yields to nothing else but invincible intuition which is shown to be the very basis of ordinary conscious existence. The way to find it is through reason and a strict valuation of facts in terms of our experience. Only, it is a mistake to think that the whole experience is exhausted in the contemplation of waking life. Waking life is but a portion of our experience.

We have had several books on Vedanta. And yet, very few of them deal with this important method. The analysis of the three states is the Vedantic method of arriving at Reality, which is our Real Self revealed as Pure Consciousness. In a comprehensive view of Reality, waking must take a subordinate place instead of domineering over all speculation. Its

reality is in and for itself. Without considering the other two states–dream and sleep, we can arrive only at a partial view of existence. We see a world in waking and a mimicry of it in our dream, and see nothing in deep sleep. This memory of having seen nothing in deep sleep (dreamless sleep) is based upon intuitive experience and thus we come to know what is real and what is merely contingent or accidental in our experience. This world is only a concomitant of the waking state and there is no world apart from the waking or apart and independent of its time-series. Reality is seen to be Bliss and Consciousness and to admit of no real second entity. The Self which seems to pass through the three states, un affected by them, is permanent, free, and is pure or perfect consciousness. Its nature as consciousness is proved by our memory of deep sleep, which is possible because the Self is of the nature of perfect consciousness. This is the only book that deals exhaustively with that subject.

With the discovery of Reality all questions relating to a second entity become irrelevant and impossible. The chapters on the problem of the world, Maya and evil show the deep and subtle thoughts of the author. The problem of the world is discussed and then its absurdity shown. Causation depends on time and time is faithful to the state only. Beyond the state the cause has no place. This daring conclusion based upon convincing proof will revolutionise the existing thought, as this great problem, the night-mare of philosophers, is given its proper place and solved once for all like the cutting of the Gordian knot. To ask for a cause outside the sphere of cause is irrelevant. The cause is not available there! This is the author's argument to prove that it is ignorance to believe in a second entity and greater ignorance to ask for the cause of that ignorance. The chapter on the Problem of Perception is also most fascinating and I am sure that it will not only give enlightenment to the psychologists and the metaphysicians but also to every sincere seeker after Truth.

There is one special feature of the book which must appeal to all thinkers. There is not one dogmatic assertion in the book. Every statement is accompanied by convincing proofs and instances. He makes it the science of Reality and rightly claims it to be the most rational system of thought. Here he discusses the several systems of thought in the West and proves the superiority of Vedanta over them all by an impartial comparison and powerful arguments based upon reason and experience. The chapters on Modern Thought are extremely interesting and all lovers of modern thought will do well to read them again and again. To understand the rational position of Sree Sankaracharya, there is not any other book now available which can lay claim to teach his central truth as Mr. K. A. Krishnaswami Iyer's book does. We recommend this book to the University students, laymen and retired gentlemen, who out of deficiency of their Sanskrit knowledge, despair of ever understanding the rare truths of Vedanta as taught for all mankind by Sankara. To understand this greatest thinker of the past, greatest effort is necessary, and that is made possible and easy by one of the greatest books onthe subject written in recent times.

C. T. SRINIVASAN

The History of Jahangir.–ByFrancis Gladwin. Edited with notes by Rao Bahadur K. V. Rangaswami Aiyangar, M.A. (B. G. Paul & Co. Madras. Price Rs. 5/)

This well-printed volume is a welcome addition to the library of Indian Historical students. Of the early pioneers of Oriental research, Francis Gladwin, the contemporary of Warren Hastings, was a conspicuous figure. He was an accomplished scholar in Persian and in 1783-6 he published a translation of the Ain-i-Akbari. Gladwin aimed at, and apparently achieved, the preparation of a history of the later Mughals; but he published the first volume alone, dealing with the reign of Jahangir, dedicating it to Lord Cornwallis. It has always been recognized as a rare and valuable work on the reign of Jahangir, and it has been very rare in the market. Rao Bahadur Rangaswami Aiyangar has done a great service to the student of history by making it accessible in the form of a new edition.

The Editor briefly traces the life-history of Gladwin and eulogises his dependence on the true Memoirs of Jahangir at a time when the incorrect ones made larger noise. His note on the history of Jahangir's Memoirs and his estimate of Gladwin as a historian is illuminating. He has also done his task in the manner that can be expected of his well-known erudition. Every page contains references to original and secondary sources of information; and a list of 33 principal authorities has been given. The original punctuation and spelling of proper names and Persian words have been retained. This is quite the proper attitude, but a comparative table of modern variations would have been a useful addition, as the old spellings are at times very crude. The book has a portrait of Jahangir and a map, but the latter is too small to be of use to students except to show the general subahs or divisions of the reign. The footnotes show great erudition and industry and draw attention to important omissions on the part of Gladwin or to additional pieces of information of comparative interest. The book is nicely printed and the publishers deserve a word of praise for their enterprise. They could not have done better than entrust the task of editing so valuable a work to the learned Principal of the Maharaja's College of Arts, Trivandram.

V. RANGACHARYA

Flute Tunes.–By V. N. Bhushan, [The Ananda Academy, Masulipatam, Price One Rupee.]

I have not read this author's other books of poems. So far as I can judge from the poems included in Flute Tunes, there is little doubt that Mr. Bhushan has a fine ear for the nuances of the English language. Yes, he is a poet in the authentic tradition. However, it is matter for regret that he should not know better than to make a fetish of alliteration. I am afraid Mr. Bhushan has an obsession for this more or less discarded vehicle of poetic adornment. Occasionally he is very successful. "Messengers of hope thrill humanity's throbbing heart," "Let us peregrinate the pathless skies"–these are original and as exquisite. But more often his attempts result in mere clumsiness of diction. In instances like "darling dreamss," "fickle fortune's eternal fumes and frowns," "feeding flat on flattery fools furnish," "chrysoprase carpet of colours," "palace of plumpose peace" and many others, the jarring unpleasantness is patent. When the poet's diction is such that it fascinates the ear with its verbal inevitability, there is no need to think in terms of rhyme or prosody. It is great poetry, one knows, and he has but to admire it in silence. Precisely what the examples quoted above are lacking in is the inevitability of true poetic effusion: in other words, the alliterative effect seems to be forced and therefore a combination like "hankering humanity" or "a happy mansion fashion then" produces a mere chill. That Mr. V. N. Bhushan has a future before him, I do not doubt. There are, I am sure, some great things in Flute Tunes. The poem on Hampi ruins is soaked with the high fervour of patriotism and "the renascent splendour of ancient things" is in it quietly radiant. "The Contrast" gives a truly pathetic expression to the contrarious moods of the same beloved before and after the death of her lord: it is wrought with a delicacy of feeling and a touch of classic restraint. And, in the poem on Youth, Mr. Bhushan has appropriately revealed all the fulsome rush and tumult that are inseparable from it. Such successes as these herald something more indubitably grand in the same line. The book has been splendidly got-up and has a very suggestive frontispiece.

K. R. SRINIVASA IYENGAR