NORI NARASIMHA SASTRY (1900-78) was a name that echoed majestically in the portals of Telugu literature for the better part of the last century. A lawyer by profession, his literary interests, scholarship and attainments strode multiple realms simultaneously. He not only pioneered an inimitable tradition of writing historical novels but set an impossible standard in the field.
It is an enduring national curse that he is almost unknown beyond the Telugu land. Happily for us, Shatavadhani Dr. Ganesh has filled this gap by translating Nori Narasimha Sastry’s classic novel, Kavisārvabhaumuḍu (published in the 1950s) into Kannada. The translation is not only faithful to the original but fully exudes its zesty spirit.
With little exaggeration, it must be said that Dr. Ganesh’s lengthy introduction to the novel is a masterpiece in itself. With his typical erudition and multidisciplinary mastery, Dr. Ganesh provides a masterclass in writing and appreciating historical fiction infused with dense classicism. But to state the blunt truth bluntly, savouring a work like Kavisārvabhaumuḍu requires a certain degree of Samskara — it is not for lesser mortals.
Dr. Ganesh’s introduction is so compelling that I couldn’t stop myself from translating it into English.
Happy reading!
— Sandeep Balakrishna
THE HONEYED RELATIONSHIP between Kannada and Telugu— a sweet and ancient entanglement flowing like a mellow monsoon river through the centuries, unbroken, unhurried, carrying the silt of empires and the perfume of poets. Right from the Satavahanas, those old warrior-kings with their chariots and their stone inscriptions, the evidence for this relationship glitters like temple gold: brilliant, undeniable.
Nannayabhatta, Andhra's primal poet, the one who first translated the Mahabharata in Telugu, received his royal patronage from the Vengi Chalukyas, who were purely Karnataka monarchs. Meanwhile, our own Adikavi Pampa, the progenitor of the Kannada epic, has his roots deep inside Telugu soil. We also have Palkuriki Somanatha, who stands as the golden bridge spanning the two tongues humming with shared meters and myths.
These are followed by the effulgent Vijayanagara blaze, that imperial furnace where Kannada and Telugu melted together in an intimate forge. It is a truly unforgettable phenomenon. Annamacharya in Telugu and Purandaradasa in Kannada, singing bhakti hymns to the same God, with mutual love and affection.
Prosody forms like Ragaḷe, akkara, kanda, sīsa, and vr̥tta are born from the same womb, common to both languages. The Champu style of Kavya flourished in the same musical cadence in both tongues. The art of Avadhāna, which is very dear to me, has grown like twins in both languages. If one keeps speaking about it, nowhere else can one find such a close, unbroken bond as exists between Telugu and Kannada. That is precisely why, in my heart, affection and friendliness have grown equally towards both languages. Through the translation of the present work, I have wished to firmly establish this truth.
In the annals of historical novels in Telugu, the seven novels by Nori Narasimha Sastry have secured an unparalleled spot. About forty years ago, I was introduced to these works. Since then, I have been reading and relishing them from time to time. Nori’s novels Narayana Bhattu and Rudramadevi have been translated into Kannada respectively by Raghuvirayya Sastry and K. Venkataramappa. His remaining works have not yet been translated into Kannada. Observing this, my desire to translate at least one of Nori’s novels into Kannada is now being fulfilled through Kuvempu Bhasha Bharati. For this, I remain indebted to that institution.
The novel Kavisārvabhaumuḍu is composed in Telugu in very vigorous, mature, and majestic prose. Therefore, its translation too, has proceeded faithfully along the same lines, staying true to the original. However, keeping in mind the natural flow of the Kannada language, every effort has been invested to ensure that the translation feels spontaneous and idiomatic. All the Sanskrit shlokas and Telugu verses that appear in the original have been rendered into Kannada prose exactly at the places where they occur. In a few absolutely essential instances, one or two footnotes have been also included. With utmost humility, I can claim that the translation has been carried out without doing any injustice to the original anywhere. Even so, this is not a word-for-word, literal translation of every single term. Yet, in more than ninety-five percent of the cases, one can find the very style, phrasing, and structure of the original words and sentences faithfully preserved. To this extent, it may be called an authoritative translation.
A more detailed introduction and critical appreciation of the work has been provided separately in the preface specifically written for it. I believe it offers the necessary background for a complete enjoyment of the novel.
IT APPEARS THAT of late, a newfound curiosity and enthusiasm regarding Indian culture, history and heritage have emerged both within and outside our country. While this shift is certainly welcome, it is regrettable that such curiosity and enthusiasm are often accompanied by excesses, irrationality, a lack of deep scholarship, and yawning incompetence. My distress intensifies when I observe these aforementioned shortcomings in a new generation of writers in various Indian languages, but more so in English. These writers are producing creative fictional works like stories and novels based on ancient Indian society, history, epics, and the Puranas.
In the current information age marked by the dominance of science and technology, collecting information or printing and distributing books is no longer difficult. However, there is a severe dearth of original and solid talent, profound scholarship, and diligent practice. The harsh reality is that no external support can compensate for this lacuna. This is precisely why individuals like Devdutt Pattanaik, Amish Tripathi, and several others who could be called their shadows, have been so popular.
In such a period of decline, it is my belief that current writers in these areas might find a sense of future greatness by remembering the standard of brilliant literary gems and creators of aesthetic rasa produced during the Renaissance of Indian languages and literature in the first half of the last century.
Primarily, it is appropriate to reflect upon the preeminent authors of that era who wrote exceptional historical novels, along with an introduction to their works. In this regard, the foremost Telugu writer Nori Narasimha Sastry is memorable. Among his unforgettable creations, the novel Kavisārvabhaumuḍu ranks right at the top.
NORI NARASIMHA SASTRI (1900–1978) hailed from the coastal region of Andhra Pradesh known as Konaseema, and was a lawyer by profession. For nearly sixty years — in fact, until the very end of his life — he remained dedicated to literary pursuits, engaging himself in almost every genre. Particularly renowned for his novels, he authored a total of seven works in that category, all of which are notably historical in nature. In addition to these, he composed metrical poetry, i.e., Champu (prose-poetic) works and plays, and scholarly essays.
Nori was initiated into Srividya by the ascetic Srivimalananda Bharati, who was famous for his mastery of Tantra, Astrology, and Srividya. Perhaps because of this, a ritual involving Srichakra worship invariably appears somewhere in each of his novels; Nori’s talent lies in how he seamlessly integrates these rituals into the plot. Perhaps due to his legal background, his research encompasses aspects of ancient Indian social systems, commerce, law, and administration. It is for this reason that one can find a sophisticated application of all this specialized knowledge in his novels.
His first novel, Waghira is set against the backdrop of the Ajanta Caves. Waghira is the name of a small stream that flows near those caves. During the reign of the Chalukya Emperor Pulakeshin II, painting and sculpting work was progressing rapidly within these caves. Waghira is a poignant love story imagined by Nori based on those artworks.
Following this, he wrote a series of novels based on the lives of Telugu poets. Among these, three relate to the composition of the Mahabharata in Telugu, while the other three focus on other poets.
Three eminent poets translated the Sanskrit Mahabharata into Telugu with great devotion. The translation was spread over several centuries: Nannaya Bhatta in the 11th century, Tikkana Somayaji in the 13th century, and Errana (or Erra Pregada) in the 14th century. Nannaya completed only two and three-quarter chapters (Parvas); he passed away while finishing the Aranya Parva. Errana later completed the remaining portion of the Aranya Parva and wrote the Harivamsa, which serves as a supplement. Tikkana Somayaji composed the fifteen chapters from Virata Parva to Svargarohana.
Nori structured his novels around these three eras. His Narayana Bhattu is set in the time of Nannaya; Rudramadevi covers the period of Tikkana Somayaji, and Mallareddy focuses on the era of Errana.
Although the respective poets appear as central figures in these novels, they do not play an active role in the prolific events of the plot. Therefore, it is appropriate that the names of the poets do not feature in the titles of the novels. Furthermore, there is no rule that a poet must necessarily be a revolutionary, a social leader or a diplomat leading the masses. Nor must he possess a personality capable of exerting a decisive influence on all the happenings of their time. Additionally, it is doubtful whether such an active and public-facing mind is always capable creating imaginative poetry.
NORI’S VISION SUGGESTS that whenever Sanatana Dharma faced a threat —particularly in Andhra — it became the collective subconscious desire of the people to revisit Veda Vyasa’s Mahabharata. Thus, the Mahabharata served the poets of various eras as a tool for the resurrection of Sanatana Dharma. During Nannaya’s time, the upheaval came through the Buddhists; in Tikkana’s time, through the Jains; and during Errana’s era, through the Muslims.
These were all periods of great turmoil in the history of Andhra. During such times, the inspiration provided by the Mahabharata was deemed essential, leading these poets to engage in the composition and completion of the Andhra Mahabharata. In Telugu, these three poets are traditionally referred to as the Kavitrayamu (the Trinity of Poets). Their linguistic usage eventually became the standard for Telugu; they endure as the ideal for Telugu grammar, prosody, and the classical style of poetic composition. Their influence is so pervasive that they continue to serve as guides for all subsequent poets — till date.
Apart from the Kavitrayamu, Nori wrote novels about Srinatha and Pothana, who lived in the 15th century. It was through Srinatha that Telugu poetic composition shifted from the simple, narrative-driven Purana style to the Prabandha — a highly ornate and technically skilled poetic genre. Although some claim that Nachana Somana — who lived a generation earlier — was the pioneer of this path, it does not diminish the significance of Srinatha’s role as a trailblazer.
Typically, poets were either established in a specific king's court or lived quietly in their own villages. Srinatha, however, visited the courts of numerous kings, traveled across his entire homeland, and journeyed through foreign lands as well. He beautifully captured the pulse of the people of his era. Furthermore, he made a sophisticated, charm-laden style of poetry world-famous, appealing equally to scholars and commoners; he established poetic composition almost as a profitable enterprise. While there might have been one or two such figures in other languages, Srinatha is the one who achieved this feat uniquely in Telugu.
In truth, Srinatha was a born scholar, well-versed in many sciences, proficient in multiple languages, and a confident creator who could deliver grand, mature poetry as an extemporaneous flow through elegant wordplay and wit. He was also a distinguished individual whose refined taste matched his poetic genius, making him a legend in his own lifetime. His grandfather, Kamalanābhāmātya, was an expert in Sastras, poetry and administration, holding the position of a minister. His father, Marana, was also economically well-off. Thus, Srinatha was considered a consummate cosmopolitan. Perhaps for this reason, despite being a great devotee of Shiva, he was a man who embraced a life of luxury.
To be continued