In Respectful Memory of © SHRI M.R. JAMBUNATHAN EDITOR, VEDAS & UPANISHADS IN TAMIL Born: 23-8-1896 Died: 18-12-1974 Published on the occasion of the posthumous release of the Tamil Translation of Rig Veda Samhita — Vol.-2 14th April 1980Smt. Shanti Jambunathan offers the Tamil translation of the Rig Veda Part | to Dr. Raja Ramanna, Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre to be reteased.Life Sketch of SHRI M. R. JAMBUNATHAN A life time service to the spread of Vedic culture . If India is rich in cultural heritage, it is due to the untiring, selfless and scholarly dedication of a few. who searched for truth and the inner meanings of life. As they strove, they found odds and found issues in- soluble; they found what Rabindranath Tagore called “a sense of the inexhaustible that is implicit in life”. But yet they. strove, delving deeper and deeper. The cultural heritage of this great nation is in fact the fruit of this endless striving — striving for sublime solutions to the eternal play of life. This search for sublime answers to eternal problems has also induced variety and diversity in thoughts propounded and paths recommended. In the -historical process of evolution, those’ thoughts and paths became the preserve of a few, though learned. But there were men who not only imbibed those thoughts, and learning but also sought their communication to the general populace, In every language and in every region of this great nation, we have always found such men of learning. The late Shri M. R. Jambunathan, who died on 18th December, 1974 at the age of 78, was one such Vedic and Upanashadic Scholar, who while he lived, lived a rich life and when ‘he died, died with a rich sense of fulfilment. Born in. Manakkal, Tiruchirapalli District, Tamil Nadu on August 23, 1896, the late Shri Manakkal Ramaswamy Jambunathan was educated in Tamil, Sanskrit and English. He attained great scholarship in these languages, particularly in Tamil and Sanskrit. It was yet the firm conviction of the late Shri Jambunathan 1that scholarship if treated as an end in itself, would not lend society anywhere; it had to have a purpose and that purpose was to communicate the thoughts of scholarship to the people in their own language. But even for this, the vast majority of the people, remained unprepared because of illiteracy, poverty and ‘general backwardness. Therefore, the late Shri Jambunathan carved out a role for himself in the upliftment of the depressed classes. As a social worker, the late Shri Jambunathan became the organiser of the Depressed Classes Mission Madras 1918-20. He later shifted to Bombay, which in the years to come, became the centre of all his activities. In Bombay, he worked for the founding in 1924, the first Tamil Primary School for the poor and downtrodden living in the slums of Dharavi. The Golden Jubilee of the School was celebrated in 1974 at his hands. By then there were as many as 45 Municipal Tamil Schools in this great Metropolis for the benefit of the poor, some of them leading upto the Matriculation. The late Shri Jambunathan’s learning and scholarship were deeper and wider, and his accomplishments truly great. He pioneered the translation of the Vedas and Upanishads into Tamil with the sole purpose of com- municating them to the. sons and daughters of India. The Sama, Yajur and Atharva Veda were’ published by him in the forties. After thirty years of devoted work, he completed the translation of Rig Veda in his life time. ‘The late Shri Jambunathan was of the firm conviction that Vedas, if they were truly interpreted and brought within the knowledge of the people, the animosities that unfortunately existed between the different sects would 2I give place to abiding fellow-feeling and camraderie. “In order that Vedas shrine in the heart of every Hindu, the sun of Vedas will have to rise on the horizon of all the languages of India” he said. As every language is sacred, no language can claim monopoly and divinity tw itself. Hence it should be translated in all languages and made known to people in their mother tongue. The late Shri M. R. Jambunathan was associated with several all-India bodies. He had been a member of the All-India P. E. N. Centre, Bombay, from the year 1933, and its Honorary Secretary for many years. Ho organised the International P. E. N. Conference at Annamalai Nagar in 1954 which was inaugurated by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, former Prime Minister of India and presided over by Dr. S. Radhakrishnan, former President of India. Shri M. R. Jambunathan attended the International P. E. N. Congress at Tokyo in 1957, the World Tamil Writers’ Congress in Madras 1968, the International Congress of Orientalists and Indologists in New Delhi and the Sanskrit Vishwa Parishad at Somanath. Shri M. R. Jambunathan was also a member of the Vedic Research Institute, Hoshiarpur, the World Academy of Sanskrit, the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona, the World Tamil Writers’ Association, the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, the Royal Asiatic Society ana many other such organisations. He was a regular contributor of articles to Vedic Journals and he contributed several Research papers on Vedic and Upanishadic lore to the Oriental Congress and other Conferences.Veda Books PUBLISHED WORK OF SHRI M. R. JAMBUNATHAN ‘Veda Chandrika or A. B. C. of Vedas — 1934. Sama Vedam — A tamil translation of Sama Ved from Sanskrit — 1935 . Yajur Vedam — A tamil translation of manthras of Krishna Yajurveda-and Sukla Yajurveda — 1938. Atharva Vedam — A tamil translation of Atharva veda from Sanskrit — 1940. : Rig .Vedam — A tamil translation .of Rig . Veda from . Sanskrit — 1978 Ist part only. Kathopanishad or Yama speaks — 1932. Yajurveda Satha Patha Brahmana Stories — 1933. Katha Ratham — A book of short stories — 1933. Upanishad Stories — 1932. OTHER TAMIL BOOKS: Swami Dayanand Saraswathiyin Charithram — 1918. Satyartha Prakasham — A tamil translation of Dayananda Saraswthi, book of the same title. Roja Thottam or a tamil translation of Shaik Shadis Gulistan from English — 1926. Tirumoorthi Unmai or Truth: of Trinity — -1928. Yoga Asanas — 1929. Cheena Vedam or Maxmis of Confuscious — 1928. Life of Mazzini and Duties of Man — 1931. 6 Veera Sanyasi Shraddhananda Charithram — 1931. ENGLISH BOOKS: (2) Yoga Asanas — First’ Edition — 1938; Second Edition — 1943, 5 (2) Yoga Body — 1941. i (3) Swami Shraddhanand —, Published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan “1961. °° 4IN THE WORD’S OF LEARNED‘AND PUBLIC: MEN Late Dr. C. P, Ramaswami Alyer, Ex-Vice-Chancellor of the Hanaras Hindu University & Annamalai University; Delisle, Ootacamund, 10ch July, 1957. Shri M. R. Jambunathan, a distinguished savant and Scholar has been doing most meritorious work in the direction of rendering available to the Tamil speaking public ‘the Vedas which, till he started on the task, had. not been trarislated into easily comprehensible idiomatic Tamil. Under the patronage of the Tiruppanandal Mutt and the Dharmapuram Adhinam, the Sama, Yajur and Atharva Vedas were published by him. Now he has completed the major enterprise of translating the Rig Veda, the oldest Hindu Scripture and in publishing this most ancient of the Vedas he richly deserves the encouragement and patronage of the Universities in Tamil Nadu and of discerning patrons as well as the Government. Sd/- C. P, Ramaswami AlyerLate Justice A. S, P. Ayyar, MA. LCS., FRS.L Bar-at-Law, High Court Judge. ‘Gite’. 1B College Road, Madras 31, 10 July, 1957. My friend Shri M. R. Jambunathan is a great scholar in Sanskrit and Tamil and has devoted a life-time to translate the Vedas into Tamil. India is the land of the Vedas. . The Vedas take nothing for granted, but the whole history of India after the Vedas has to take the Vedas for granted. It is a pity that even after Swaraj, this precious heritage of Bharat has not been fully translated into Tamil, the oldest living language in our country. Shri Jambunathan has after great effort suc- ceeded in getting the Yajur, Sama and Atharva Veda translations published, but the greatest of them all, the translation. of the Rig Veda, has still to see the light of day. Only a big Government, like the India Government or the Madras Government, can publish such a voluminous work, Individuals like Shri Jambunathan can only contribute their labour of love. I hope the India Government and Madras Government will publish this monumental work and bring to fruition the life labour of a devoted scholar. Sd/- ALS. P. Ayyar‘Dr. Suniti Kumar Chatterjee, Former Chairman, Legislative Council, West Bengal. Calcutta. 2nd July, 1957, Shri M. R. Jambunathan, a distinguished scholar of Sanskrit and Tamil, is doing very valuable work for the dissemination of a knowledge of the Vedas and Vedic Literature among the Tamil speaking people by rendering into Tamil the Four Vedas and the Upanishads. A literal translation into Tamil of these oldest books of India has quite for a Jong time been a desideratum, and it is a matter of congratulation that Shri M. R. Jambunathan has taken up this work in hand. I am very happy~to find that competent scholars of both Sanskrit and Tamil have commented very highly upon the accuracy of the translations made by Shri Jambunathan, and they have also testified to the chasteness of the language into the Tamil versions. To make accessible the four Vedas and the major Upanishads in Tamil is certainly a work of national importance, and [ can only hope that both the Central Govt. and the Govt. of the State of Madras will give proper support, financial and otherwise, to this work of the highest cultural and even, scientific importance, Sd/- Suniti Kumar ChatterjeeLate Shri Vishva Bandhu Shastri, MA., M.OLL., (Ph) O@A(Fr)KLCT. (It) Hon. Director, ohne Vishvesvarand Vedic Research Institute, pasties Hoshiarpur. Hoshiarpur, 10th July. 1957. , Jt has filled my heart with delight to know that Shri M. R. Jambunathan has now completed his Tamil translation of the Rig-Veda. To have devoted with ideal singleness of purpose, the best portion of his life; to the noble objective of rendering all the four Vedas into Tamil and to have creditably achieved, the same is~ a- most worthy consummation on which I offer my heartiest felicitations. Now every one in Tamil Nadu, no matter with or without caste, should be able directly to claim, ‘have and enjoy his due share, in our- great national, cultural heritage of the Vedic lore Now, any one there ‘can enter the portals of the temple of Vedic culture and -pray to, nay, even converse with the Gods that the ‘Vedic: hymns sing of and extol. ‘ Sd/- ‘Vishva Bandhu Shastri,Late Dr. Radha Kumud Mooker}i, M.A, PhD., Hon, D.Litt. Fass., Emeritus Professor of History, Lucknow University, Member of Parilament. Calcutta, 12th July, 1957. I deeply appreciate the depth of Sanskrit scholarship, which has enabled and prompted Shri M. R. Jambunathan, to translate into felicitous Tamil the difficult literature of the Vedas. He has filled a gap in the intellectual and religious life of Tamil Nadu, by introducing to it, in its regional language, the wisdom of the Vedas which Hindu thought has treated through the ages, as the Tree of Knowledge, out of which have sprung and grown so many offshoots and branches in the numerous sects and philosophical schools, of which some. of the most important works originated, in the fertile spiritual soil of the South. The authors of some of the Tamil philosophical classics were themselves, masters of Vedic Sanskrit upon which they have freely drawn, and closely depended in the formulation of their own particular systems. And now it has been left to Shri Jambunathan to bring down from the clouds, to the market place, that supreme knowledge and popularise it among the masses by presenting it in their own mother tongue which it will also enrich by these additions of Vedic thought. Sd/- Radha Kumud MookerjieQbysrgsu Gug Mes sor 83580 Curpysin Guse 606 Qswy Yssaoris 36g) . 989 QUOGH—F35 v&Sh Osdnrgs wages Rvdhws Ogramiapge SamrGars goygngdr. 2786 HPGI Bascywha grhars Cage aad Cuappe Aho seta Cag Bong Baw $89h QewSegacr FG Qupes 30h Oona Peows CGugms gy o7g08 BC6 $HH HivMmer HonT) ats arpacal C505 Bow Oeisge #065 Bidar um Qewg Cugs Ysyd YanaPwyd QUOD Boy 32508 9GS Larm0 Heuer acing Asrehgd 2 mwoudsadr vigh Saree Asagors vend sear aagaca! 2bu 8P Caudgpage carer «fw wavenyms Bbut wéacr wrageeo BAIS Ghat Oewag Curw gogo HPw Cugmacr 5m 69Pd poses Bby B980 CusP oer S0eP Sy angaca. 1145883) —ecfwen CgAecfemueid MereRig Veda Volume I Release Function on 15-1-1978 MESSAGE I am glad to know that the Tamil translation of the Rig Veda by the late Shri M. R. Jambunathan has been published and that the book will be released on 15th January, 1978, at a function to be held in Bombay. The late Shri Jambunathan was a well-known Vedic scholar, He had translated all the four Vedas and was able to publish during his life time the Sama, Yajur and Atharva Vedas. He had also translated the Upanishads. J understand that the present publication covers the translation of the first six Mandalas of the Rig Veda Samhita, I hope the translation of the remaining Mandalas will also be published soon. I send my best wishes for the success of the function on the 15th January. Shri B. D. Jatti Vice-President, India 11MESSAGE lam glad to know that the Tamil translation of the. Rig Veda done by your husband, the late Shri M.. R. Jambunathan, is being released on January 15. The Rig Veda is not only the earliest book of mankind but, by its wisdom and nobility, a perennial source of inspiration to all. I wish suecess to the function. Shri Morarji Desai Prime Minister, India 12ot = ————— a ae ALL INDIA PEN CONFERENCE, CHIDAMBARAM — 1954. Shri M, R. Jambuna- than, Hon. Secretary, PEN and Chief Or- ganiser, with Shri S. 3 Radhakrishnan, Vi President of India and Nehru, Prime Minis- ter of India. Tamil Writers Association, Bombay, Honouring Litterateurs of Indian Languages — 1959. Shri V. 8. Khandekar (Marathi), Shri M. R. Jambunathan (Tamil), Shri S. Ramakrishnan on the background representing Shri K. M. Munshi (Gujarati)Shri M. R. Jambunathan with Dewan Bahadur Krishnalal M. Jhavert, Chief Judge, Small Causes Court, and Persian Scholar, Shri Manikodi Srinivasan and others — on 28th Oct. 1956.| f \ | All-India PEN Delegation to International PEN Congress, Tokyo, Japan 1957 L. to R.: Shri M. R. Jambunathan, Madam Sophia Wadia, Smt. Kamala Doongerkery, Prof. U. K. Gokak, and Shri Uma Shankar Joshi. asFamily of Shri M. R. ie eae Left to Right : Anantharaman M.A., D.B.M., — Son-in-! law, Smt. Dr, Second daughter, Smt Savita Raghunathan M.A., First M.A.LLB, — Son-in-law, Shri N, Shri R. Murugiah — friend, Shri T. N Indira Anentha reman daughter, M.A.,Ph.D., RaghunathanMESSAGE We are very happy to note that Stalwarts like the late Dr. C. P. Ramaswami Iyer, Late Justice A. S. P. Iyer and other eminent scholars have in one vdice expressed their profound appreciation of the translations of the scriptures published by your late husband. It is good that you are now arranging for the posthumous: release of the Tamil translations of the Rig Veda and we wish the function all success, May Lord Senthilandavan bless you and extend ta you all assistance so that the translation of the remaining Mandalas are also published early so that they may be available for the benefit of the Tamil speaking public. His Holiness Silastt Kasivasi Mathuswami Tambiran Swamigal, Head of Sri Kasi MuttMESSAGE Iam glad that among the participants there will be two P.E.N. Members who were over a long period col- leagues of the late Shri Jambunathan in the Executive Committee of the P.E.N. All-India Centre, We are all glad to think that this occasion will see one more step in the fulfilment of the important work that our late friend and colleague made his own with such devotion. In the more than forty years of his Membership af our Centre — during some of which he was Secretary-Treasurer and during @ quarter of @ century when he was member of the Executive Com- mittee — we developed an affection for him as a man of geniality and character and a special respect for his steady devotion to important work in social reform ‘and his pioneering work in the translation of Vedic and Upariishadic texts into Tamil. Let me-wish-every success to the function on the 15th. Sophia Wadia Founder-Organizer The P.E.N. All-India Centre 14 eyProceedings of the function in connection with the Release of Rig Veda Part-I The Tamil translation of the first six mandalas of the Rig Veda rendered by late Shri M. R. Jambunathan was released at the hands of Dr. Raja Ramanna, Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre at the South Indian. Education Society’s Hall, Matunga, Bombay on 15th January 1978. The function was presided over by Prof. T. V. Ramanujam, Ex-Sheriff of Bombay. Dr. Raja Ramanna released the publication with a call for the retransfer of the Vedas to the people again. Smt, Shanti Jambunathan while” requesting Dr. Raja Ramanna to release the book said that the posthumous release of the Tamil translation of the Rig Veda rendered by her husband late Shri Jambunathan was in accordance with his wishes being dedicated to the people of our motherland. Prof. T. V. Ramanujam who presided over the function said four decades of hard work had gone into the translation work. Dr. H. R. Karnik, a noted Indologist characterised the translation work as stupendous and congratulated the family on publishing it posthu- mously, Shri Gulab Das Broker, a novelist associated with Shri Jambunathan at the All-India PEN Centre said that Shri Jambunathan spent a life-time translating the four Vedas without hoping for a reward. Shri K. N. Anantharama Ayyar, a Scholar and Administrator said that each member of the audience should contribute towards educating one boy at least in one branch of the Vedas and for ameliorating the conditions of the Vedic Scholars. 15Extracts from the speech of the Chief Guest — Dr. RAJA RAMANNA I was not at all sure whether I had any qualifications whatever to be present here on this occasion and certainly beyond the other side of the dias. But as it happens, occasions like this serve two purposes. The man participat- ing in it can honour the occasion or the occasion honours the person concerned. ... As vedantic scholars you cannot but escape having to present your respects to Science as much as you present your respect to the Vedas. It is synonymous to me and that is why I am here and if in my small small way I-can give another interpretation and not an interpretation, an indication of an interpretation which is within me, you may all say it is completely wrong — it is a free country and tha interpretation of the Vedas is a thing that has been going on for the last 4,000 years and one more for a short time by a very small person will make or do no harm to anybody concerned and, therefore, I request your permission to carry on. ... That there are scholars around, we have to get them together to see how the Rig Veda can be re- transferred to the people again. ... The Rig Veda which was written 4,000 years ago is so much alive, must be; otherwise it would not have lasted 4,000 years inspite of such adverse circumstances and as you all know it comes to us in the pristine form. In the ‘Scientific American’ there was a reprint of the Rig Veda in its original and this has come to us exactly as it was 4,000 years ago. Neither the Greek, Latin or any other Hindu literature has come to us with this purity as the Rig Veda particularly. I do not know 16about other Vedas because there seems to be some inter- polations but the Rigveda has come to us in the purest form and here we have the huge document which has been unchanged “for the last 4,000 years and surely it must be something which will tell you about the socio- logical character, the evolutionary character of human being, Even 40 years ago life might seem so different, 400 years ago seems antique but 4,000 years is unbeliev- able, it takes you to mystical time and I think. it. is, therefore, very important that we look at the Rigveda from a slightly different point of view... Shri Ananthara- man sent me two reprints by Shri Jambunathan “On a few suggestions for the translation of the Vedas” and “wanted Vedas in regional languages.” Now, the case may be there that it should be in regional language and what is important is that it should be given in its purest form, in its simplest form. ... That people who have been trying to interpret the Vedas have always been try- ing to put their ideas, their commentation into it rather than telling us, what it actually contains. First of all, I go backwards to. European interpretation. They took @ soméwhat objective scientific attitude and looked at it from a part of the Aryan language. I do not say that their interpretations are correct because one interpretation which I read long from a vmissionary said that “Rigveda are a set of poems by primitive people”, .. «. . When you go. back you come to the interpretation -of the Acharyas. Now whether they say the Rig veda has inspired them, we will accept everything of Rigveda but “they will not tell you what the Rigveda is, they will only tell ‘you. what they think of the’ Rigveda but you go back ‘you really: wonder--whether ‘the Rigveda tried to make things so complicated for you, so involved for you, so 17difficult for you and so much away from your normal behaviour, may be they are right, may be they are not, but still it never took you to the original. . I tried to constantly see the philosophical con- nections between Science and the Rig Veda and I find that the Rigveda has so much in it not for as a text book of physics, but as a real source of inspiration and I think you contribute more to scientific, philosophy and the progress of science if we started our education through the Rigveda not as a cannon of a religion but as a basis of your culture or the basis of world culture. 1 am looking forward to the time when not only scholars from Tamil Nadu whom I have always respected because inspite of the many years of British rule they are tho one’s that has kept the prestine purity of many of our ancient learning and culture in its available form and with a depth of learning which is not available in other parts than Tamil Nadu. I would like to pay my respects not only to Shri Jambunathan but the people whom he re- presents —— sitting quietly in some place under very: dif- ficult financial circumstances and not only take the time to translate these things and make it available to the public when there is not a direct demand but to do social work. ... Smt. Anantharaman revered mother has given me a chance to pay my homage to Jambunathan, to ex- press my inspiration, which has come about in a very round about way, of the Rigveda and with a plea to all of you to make it available as much as possible, wherever possible, through Television, through Newspapers, through media; that is where your culture lies and not in some foreign words in the French language or the Russian or the German language. 18Extract from the speech of Prof. T. V. RAMANUJAM President of the function The Vedas are as everyone here knows an elementary truth ... they are considered to be the Supreme Pramana whether it is the Brahma sutras or the Upanishads or the Itihasas; whenever anybody is in doubt they always say Veda is the Pramana. They go to that. Now to translate it into simple Tamil is not given to everybody; it requires great resources of mental equip- ment. But that is not enough. Are there not people in India who are as profound in their erudition in Sanskrit and Tamil as the Late Shri Jambunathan. There aro But you should have the dedication, you should be willing to sacrifice. It means 40 years of hard work at the end’ of which nothing but turmoil, nothing but tears, nothing but sweat is involved. Did they expect any reward. — No. Just as the great musician sings because he must, just as the bird sings, the skylark sings, or the nightingald sings because it is a must, Jambunathan wrote because it was a must. It was his natural instinct. So he was Prepared to undergo trials and tribulations. Shri Jambu- nathan inspite of such erudition and scholarship as I said was a man of extreme humility. I have met him, spoken to him and in the gatherings in the Arangethrams of Raja Rajeswari students, in the Tamil Sangham meetings organised by Shri Murugaiah and so on, in all these places whenever we see 30 people Shri Jambunathan will be there. There will be nothing to indicate that here is a man who is attempting a great work, gigantic work; he never threw his weight about, never showed that he was u great man, he was truly a humble man. And the last thing to which I want to refer is a very rare quality, a rare combination. People who are interested in Vedas 19ern and vedic literature, people who translate them into Tamil, people who do it not off and on, sporadically, but as a lifetime’s Mission, generally such people are very orthodox. But here was a man who had the courage to come to Bombay and 40 years | ago starting a school ini Dharavi for depressed classes. Compare ‘this man start- ing a class for depressed classes at the same time tran- slating the Vedas. This kind of combination we will never find. Social workers are generally people who are social workers and nothing else but he was a_ great social worker and a great scholar. What I am eagar to convey to you is here was remarkable combination of humility and preparedness to give up orthodoxy. From such a family for a person to go to Dharavi and start a class for a depressed class people is something remarkable. Such were the’ many excellences of the Late Shri Jambunathan. Therefore today I feel very happy ttiat. his lifetime’s dream has been fulfilled. That first volumie itself is nearly 1000 pages of printed matter. Another 1000 pages of printed matter is still to be printed. Now that dream. has been realised because of Mrs. Jambunathan’s life long attachment and dedication to him. Above all I ‘should not forget to mention that it is also largely due to Shri Murugiah, his life long friend and ‘admirer. Tam very happy that Dr. Raja Ramanna has been available for releasing the book because people who are great scientists are also people who are great admirers of other great talents. When Sir C. V. Raman came to the Presidency College years ago, I remember vthat he fold the students of the Presidency: College Union, pléase don’t arrange a function of the Chemical Assoelation or Physics Association or the Mathematics Association. At the highest level, Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics ‘all © melts and there is only knowledge. Similarly, at the level of Dr. Ramanna it is not mere atomic ‘science and 20°Pe : and, scientific eminerice; at his level, at the level of Shri Jambunathan it all knowledge and dedication to knowledge. And that is why I am happy that he has come to release this publication. today. Extracts from the speech of Dr. H. R. KARNIK Guest Speaker «- In the fifties and the sixties Prof. Jambunathan and I used to meet at the ‘Mecca’ of us. Indologists viz., the biennial sessions: of the All India Oriental Conference. I don’t: remember any session of the oriental conference where Prof.’ Jambunathan did not make a significant contribution to the deliberations of the conference. When the word got round that Professor Jambunathan had taken the platform of the Vedic section of the conference to read a research paper on one or the other problem of Vedic literature all feet were turned to that hall, all eyes were focussed on Prof. Jambunathan and all ears were raised actively to hear what Prof. Jambunathan had to say about the problem of the Vedic literature that Prof. Jambunathan was handling at the time. Translating even ons: Veda in any language is a stupendous task in itself. Prof. Jambunathan has translated all the four Vedas into Tamil. This speaks for his erudition, scholar- ship, indefeatable energy, devotion to the work in hand and sincerity of purpose. I was always attracted by thesd extraordinary qualities of Prof. Jambunathan. By translating the four Vedas in Tam‘l, Prof. Jambunathan has exposed the Tamilians to the poetic fancies and phanasies of the Rigveda, its philosophy of Unity in Diversity (ekam sat Vipra bohudha vadanti); to the ritualistic formulae of the Yajur Veda which play a significant part even today in the life of the Indians; to the melodies of the Sama Veda which happen to be the premises of the Science of music developed later and 21to the charms, incantations of the medical formulae of the Atharva Veda which were the norms of the medical science. The Tamil reading public have been laid under a deep gratitude by Prof. Jambunathan by bringing the literary treasurers of the Aryans within their grasp. I fully compliment Mrs, Jambunathan and the other members of the Jambunathan family for publishing posthumously the: first volume of the Tamil translation of the Rigveda and express the hope that the 2nd volume of this translation will soon see the light of the day. When one’s heart is full the tongue struggles to find:an adequate expression to give vent to ones feelings. I recall to myself with emotions the happy days when I used to sit by the side of Prof. Jambunathan in the conference of the Indologists and exchange views: on problems of Indology. I was always at the receiving. end. Prof. Jambunathan was an authority on Indology whila I was only a humble student of the same. I am not at all exaggerating when I rank Prof. Jambunathan with great exponents of Indology like Max Muller, Rolt, Lewdwig, Griffilter, Winternitz, Velankar and Dr. R. N. Dandekar and others. When I dwell upon the life and works of Prof. Jambunathan I am reminded of the famous. sloka of a renowned saint of Maharashtra, Sant Ramdas (“Tanu ‘tyagita kirfi mage uravi Mana sajjana he ci kriya ghadavi Mana Chandanache paritva Zijave Pari Antari Sajjana Nivavave’’) Prof, Jambunathan was an embodiment of what the Saint. has said in this verse. Prof. Jambunathan served the depressed and the downtrodden as the sandalwood spends itself to mitigate the torments of the suffering individuals. By his social and literary activities he glad- dened the hearts of the God. Though now invisible in his mortal frame he will ever live by and in his reputation as a great Indologist. 22Govt. Recognition Sama Veda R.O.C. No. 160 — G36 of 17-4-1936. Director of Public Instruction, Government of Madras, Madras brings to the notice of all Government and Aided Colleges, High Schools and Secondary Training Schools in the Famil area of the Madras Presidency the book, Sama Veda, in Tamil by Mr. Jambunathan as be- ing useful for their libraries. Yajur Veda in Tamil R.C. No. 3311 G/38 dated 10-2-1939 The Dirertor of Public Instruction desires to bring to the notice of all the Arts Colleges, High Schools and Secondary Training Schools in the Tamil Districts the translation of Yajur Veda. Atharva Veda in Tamil RC. No. 1036 G/40 dated 7-8-1940 The Director wishes to bring to the notice of the High Schools and Colleges in the Tamil Districts the Tamil translation of Atharva Veda by Shri Jambunathan.Some Book Reviews Rig Veda Vol.I THE HINDU, dated 2ist March 1978 “This posthumous publication is the fruit, in part, of an erudite scholar’s lifelong work. The rest of it would follow before long. Sri Jambunathan was indeed, more than an academic scholar; he was a dedicated social worker and a distinguished man of letters. His reputation for mastery alike of Sanskrit and of Tamil would in itself render his present work worthy of the rest attention of all concerned with the propagation of Wedic wisdom through regional language media. Comprehending the first six Mandalas of the Rig Veda, Sri Jambunathan’s translation presents here a true rendering in Tamil of the text of the Suktas and Riks included in their original.” THE SUNDAY STANDARD, dated 19th March 1978 “An unpretentious scholar and social worker, Jambunathan has already to his- credit such translations of the other three Vedas between 1932-40 as also some books relating to Vedic studies which have all been well received by the Tamil knowing public. His motto is: “In order that the Vedas shine in the hearts of every Hindu, the Sun of Vedas will -have to rise in the horizon of all the languages of India.” The present volume in 900 closely printed pages contains the literal translation of the first six chapters (Mandalas) of the Rig Veda, nearly half, in chaste and easy Tamil based on the commentary of Sayana. As a pioneer in the field, Jambunathan’s labour of love will be appreciated by one and all 24interested in our ancient culture. This laudable and self- less venture deserves all help and encouragement from the State and Central Governments in their avowed aim to rejuvenate Sanskrit studies.” THE ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY OF INDIA, dated 3rd December 1978 i “Apart from his involvement in social work, he devoted his life to making the most ancient Hindu religious texts available in Tamil. His translations of the Sama, Yajur and Atharva Vedas were published in the forties. After devoting thirty years to translating the Rig Veda, he finished the work shortly before his death. Volumz I, containing the first six Mandalas, was recently published by his wife, Shanti Jambunathan, and the rest of the work is also expected to be published shortly. The oustanding characteristic of this literal transla- tion of the Rig Veda is its faithfulness to the original. vouched for by several Scholars.” Welcome by Shri T. N. Anantharam lyer during the release of the Tamil Translation of the Rig Veda on 15th January, 1978.‘B10 00F-AVANOM ‘ssaud MYAgS Late Shri M. R. Jambi & Smt. Shanti Jambunathan, Jambunathan (1396-1978) was born in a leamed family of edie scholars of Maralkkal T- ruchirapalé District, Tamil Na~ Jdu. Jambuiathan was proficient in Tami, Sanskrit, and English, He also studied the Vedas in depth. in his high School days he went around the wil Jes and towns of Famil Nada to collect fancent serptares. He was also inter ested in numismatics and collected an “arly in life, Jambunathan made it his mission to translate the four Veda |Sembites ~ Rjg, Yajur, Sama and Ath~ farva Vedas — into Tamil, so that all Tierate Tamils could have aceess tothe [Vedes and learn for themselves the Jeternal values and the spiritual thoughtsenshrined in them. Atvarious Hots he enthused scholars Co translate the Vedas into te language ofthe re= ion from which they hailed sothatal Indians could have aecess to the an= cient scriptures, “Translations ofthe Yajur, Sama andl |Atharva Vedas were published in Jam~ lounatnan’slifetione. After almost three decades of painstaking labour, he com- pleted the translation ofthe Rig Veda, the langer compendium of the Veda jSambitas. The Rig Veda translation Voll. was posthumously released by Raja Ramana, who wa then the direc tor of BARC, i 1978, and Volt by 1. Patel, Governor, Reserve Hank of India, jin1980, VEDIC SCHOLAR M. R. Jambunathan Jambunathn wrote many books on subjects such as the Uj ad the Brahmanas, Yoga Asunas, Yoga Body, Cheena Vedam (Teachings of Confucius), Life of Mazainl and Duties ‘of Mans (Mazzini an italian Patrio), in Man with a mission TRIBUTE What made civil engineer and Vedic scholar M. R. Jambunathan such a unique individual? ‘Tamil and Swami Shraddanand in En- lish, ‘He served the Indian Chapter of In- ternational PEN (Poets, Essayists and ‘Novelists) Centre, Mumba, for over 30 years, ae its Executive Committee ‘Member/Honorary Secretary, He pat= ticipated in the All-India Conferences ‘of PEN members and the international ‘Conference held in Japan. He was 2 member of several All-india institutes: and Tamil literary bodies (notably, ‘World Academy of Sanskrit and the ‘World Tamil Writers’ Association), He ‘was a researcher in Indology and wrote: many research papers i simple lan= He was hailed as a“Renaissance ‘Man" of the 20% Century ‘Vambunathan_ served the socially and the economically deprived sec~ ‘tons of society im his capacity as Hon ‘rary Organiser, Depressed Classes League, Chennal, when he was pursi- ing his studies in Civil Engineering: (918-2), When he came to Mumbai and took up the position of Civil Engi~ heer in the Mumbai Municépal Corpo- ration, he established with local ‘support the ist primary school in Ta- He enthused scholars to transtate the Vedas into the language of the region from which they hailed, so that all Indians could have access to the ancient scriptures ‘mil medium in 1924, forthe poorest of the poor, siding in the slums of Dha- ‘is cellecton of ancient indian pin related to the Pallas, Chote, Pandyas and Vijayanagar periods (- 10? Century AD), the Pench East In- ‘a Company and the British period (G0 Century AD), There were a few fins of Aurangzeb, Mysore Wo- fdeyars, Mysore Sultans and the Hy abel Nizms Jambunathan’s Collection of 138 antique eos was do fated to the RBI Monetary Museum by Indira Anantharam Iyer Jambunath- aivs daughter) and 7. N, Anantharam iver (his son-in-law) former Executive Director, RBL The coins have been displayed in the Reserve Bank of nia Monetary Museum, Mumbai, INDIRA ANANTHARAM IYER Coins from the era ofthe Imperial ‘Cholas (circa AD 850-1279): Standing King and Seated Goddess motifs on Rajaraja-l in copper, popularly known as Celon man type ‘With the Corporation's interest in providing primary education to the poor in their mother tongue in areas ‘where they lived, the school was even {wally handed over to the Corporation. In the Diamond Jubilee year (0924 1974) of the fist school, there were 45 ‘schools in Tamil medium, afew among {hem leading to middle snd high school levels under Municipal auspices, “Tua ey. 3°4e| *,*S a 8 = Ze Beeee «= « 84s" +444 ee _