(ASANSKRITEPIC) By Kavirajahamsct DR. V.A.SAR/M/I RetdProfessorofSanskrit $VUniversity TIRC1PATI 1999 SHIPARAMAHAMSA: ASANSKRITEPIC PublishedwiththeFinancialAssistancefrom TTD,TIRUPATl No.ofCopies 1000 Author Copiesavailableat 5-296, Ullipatteda Tirupati-517502 Printedat LV.PRESS Tirupati 4'3"CT,rTBg5 SOtbnSo <P &>S;iff.Cia3 .t5S>> a-s- aa/e i i ae5-a-g>e> -1amgratefultothescholarsfortheirkindopinions MALLAMPALL1SARABHESWARASARMA SpecialOfficer BHAGAVATASUDHALAHARIPROJECT Residence. TirumalaTirupatiDevasthanams 57-B,VmayakNagarQuarters TIRUPAT! TIRUPATI Date-29-9-99 :II JH*0U'^ rat *-reicio*i'W islsldftir^^fftcf'flerfoWINRTlftci f^qf=3=^ffifPT?T I tUWl 'Hef^wRr mWHI^4 *IM f^I :i H<ydfac( id Jjf)<|4<$MJ|H! 'ff?T ^? ff?f I rF^<HHici'iln'M<:<n^ii<-iiuiMfH ar?f: *fl<f*TfW fd[<4fillI *ffrf 204) rf^FTR' i SwamlParamarthananda President,RamakrlshnaMath Hyderabad FOREWORD Thisbook,SriParamahamsah,isaproductofdeepdevotion,vast erudition,andrarepoetictalentItisauniquebookinSanskritonthelife andmessageofSriRamaknshna(1836-1886),thegreatsaintofBengal, whoisnowadoredbymillionsastheProphetoftheModernAge. Sanskritisperhapstheonlyancientlanguagesurvivingtothis daywithoutlosingitsvitalityandversatility TowritemSanskritan epicintheclassicalstyleonthelifeandteachingsofamodernsaintis admittedlyaverydifficulttask.But,thisispreciselywhatProfV.A. Sarmahasaccomplishedinthepresentwork Aretiredprofessorof SanskritatSriVenkateswaraUniversity,Tirupati,heiseminently qualifiedtoundertakethiswork. SriRamaknshna'slifehasauniversaldimensionwhichappeals toallpeople,youngandold,richandpoor,ignorantandlearned,all overtheworldirrespectiveofthedistinctionsofrace,religionorculture. Hecamewithanewmessageformankind.Godrealizationasthegoal oflife,potentialdivinityofthesoul,harmonyofreligions,serviceof Godmman,andotherteachingsofhishaveinspiredcountlessnumbers ofpeopleSriRamaknshna'smessagewhichaimsatthedevelopment ofallthatisbestmthehumansoul,ismostneedednowashumanityis steppingintotheThirdMillennium. Thepresentbookgivesanadmirablesurveyofthevarious incidentsmSnRamaknshna'slifesuchashischildhoodpranks, unprecedentedspiritualpracticesatDakshineswar,spiritualexperiences, meetingfamouspeople,pilgrimages,trainingofdisciples,andfinal illness.Inthenarrationoftheevents,theauthorhasavoided mythologicalassumptionsandexaggerations.Thebookisthe outpouringofadevoutheart,temperedbyskillanderudition.Felicitous expressionsandalliterationsaboundallthroughthebook.Thebasic teachingsoftheMastei,includingsomeofthewell-knownparables, havebeenwovenintothefabricofthenarrative. ThisisanidealbookforteachingSanskrittopresentdayyouths. Itismeantnotonlytobereadbutalsotoberecitedandsung.Itdeserves tobepiescubcdasatextbookforadvancedcoursesinSanskritinour collegesandSanskntinstitutions 1congratulatetheauthoronhis lendenngagreatservicetodevoteesandscholarsalike,andwishhim successinallhisnobleundertakingsofthiskind Letmeconcludethisforewordwiththeversecomposedby SwamiVivekananda,asatiibutetoSriRainaknshna,whichissung alongwithotherhymnsinallomAshramas,inIndiaandabroad,during eveningAtatnkam Sthapakayacadhaimasyasarvadharmasvarupme', Avafaiavansthayaramakrsriayatenamah--- -'IsaluteSriRamaknshnawhocametoestablishdhrama(not anyparticulardharma,sect,orsampradayainhisownname),butthe embodimentofalldharmas,andthesupremedivineincarnation.' BelurMath SwamiRanganathananda 1October1999 President RamaknshnaMathand RamakrishnaMission 1%'GT^l, ?IT wft. ^"t^cft ^PTTFPT^IlEPRf ft