Dhyana Sataka (A Rare Book)

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Vidyalankara. Sastra-Chudamani Sangita-Kalaratna, Professor Siiligrama Krishna Ramachandra Rao is a well known scholar who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well-versed in Sanskrit, Pali, Ardhamagadhi and several modern Indian languages and acquainted with Tibetan and some European languages, he has written extensively on Vedanta. Buddhism, Jainism, Indian Culture, Art and Literature.

In his professional career, he was a Professor of Psychology. He has headed the Department of Clinical Psychology in the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, and the Department of Indian Culture in the Callison College Study Centre of the University of the Pacific (U.S.A). At present, he is the Senior Associate of National Institute of Advanced Studies (Indian Institute of Science), Bangalore, and Guest Faculty, Indian Institute of Management. Bangalore and member of the Governing Council of TTD (SVCL Research Centre), Tirupati. He has been Member of Karnataka State Lalitha Kala Academi and sangita Nritya Academi: he has served on Agama Board (Govt. of Karnataka) He is President of Silpa-Kala Pratishtana the Govt. of Karnataka has honored him with the 1986 Rajyotsava Award. He has received awards from Lalita-Kala Academi and Sangita Nritya Academi. He is the recipient of the Veda Sandman for the year 2000 by the Govt. of India (H.R.D. Ministry).

He has written more than sixty books in Kannada, a play in Sanskrit, and a Pali commentary on a Buddhist classic. One of his books on Iconography in Kannada has won the State Sahitya Academi Award, as also another of his books on the Tirupati Temple.

Among his numerous English Publications are three volumes of Encyclopedia of Indian Medicine (Popular Prakashan, Mumbai), Tibetan Tantrik Tradition and Tibetan Meditation (Arnold Heinemann, Delhi), Consciousness in Aviate, and a series of six books on Indian Temples (lBH Prakashana, Bangalore) and Origins of Indian Thought (Bangalore University); Kalpatharu Research Academy has published his Pratlma-Kosha in six volumes. Agama-Kosha in twelve volumes, Art and Architecture of Indian Temples in three volumes.

He is at present engaged in the 30-volume project Rgveda-Darsana (Nine volumes of which have appeared).

He is also a musicologist, a sculptor and painter, and has held some one man shows.

This is the Eighty-Seventh publication of the Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore, since its inception in 1981. In keeping with the project a Bharatiya Samskriti-Sarvasva- Koshaa, embracing all aspects of Indian Culture, the Academy is now bringing out a work of Jaina interest. It deals with Yoga, the details of which are interest to all people devoted to the practical aspects of sadhana. The work entitled Dhyana Sataka is here translated into English from the text which is being published for the first time from manuscripts. We have to thank Professor S.K. Ramachandra Rao for having Kindly undertaking to edit translates the Prakrit work for us.

We are greatly indebted to the revered Jagadguru Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Tirtha Mahaswamiji of the Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, who is also the chief Patron of the Academy for his munificent blessings. We are also grateful to Shri V.R. Gowrishankar, the Chairman of the Academy and the Administrator of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peethan for his interest in all our activities.

We also thank the Authorities of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India, New Delhi and the Authorities of Ministry of Education, Govt. of Karnataka for their interest in, and assistance to. Our publication work. We also thank M/s. Omkar Printers for their neat printing of this volume

The Present volume is about Jaina Yoga and meditation entitled ‘Dhyana Sataka’; it is also known as Jhananjjhayanam in Prakrit. It is a Prakrit work of the eminent authority Jinabhadra-gani Kshamasramana, who lived around 593 A.D. It has been provided with an excellent commentary in Sanskrit by Haribhadra-Suri (750-800 A.D.). The text and the commentary have here been edited for the time; and I have also translated the text from Prakrit into English and I have appended relevant notes to explain the observe points raised in the text. The Sanskrit Chhaya for the Prakrt verses of the text has also been given. The work would be of great interest to students of Yoga.

I am indebted to Sri Daivajna K. N. Somayaji, the chief Editor and Director of kalpatharu Research Academy for having accepted this work of mine for publication in the Kalpatharu Research Academy series. I am also grateful to the Chief patron of the Academy, Sri Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Swamiji, of Sri Sringeri Sarada Peetham, and to the Chairman of the Academy Shri V.R. Gowrishankar the administrator of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham. I thank my friends Sri Venkatesh Babu and Sri Nagendra of the Omkar Offset Printers for their unfailing courtesy and co-operation in the production of this book.