मृत्कूटम्: Mritkutam (An Old and Rare Book)

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Foreword The lovers of modern Sanskrit poetry will be highly delighted to ramble through this small Kavya which is a worthy addition to the long series of sataka-kavyas existing in Sanskrit. The Mrtkitam i.e. 'Heap of Earth' (or better still : 'a handful of dust' ) is a medium-length poem describing the various vicissitudes of human life, its full course beginning with embryonic stage till its final end when it merges back into the Earth from where it has emanated testifying the Biblical saying : 'Dust though art, to dust returnees.' The poet has divided the circle of human life into ten phases and has devoted uniformly 10 verses to each of these stages, thus completing a century of Sragdhard verses. He beautifully describes aspirations and ambitions, dreams and imaginations, struggles and fights, frustrations and achievements of each of these stages. The poet is fully embedded in the ancient classical tradition of Sanskrit poetry, yet he is umnistakingly a poet of the end of 20th century. Much of his imagery and many of his similes are entirely new and they not only impart a fresh look and lend a novel and modern character to the Kava but are also responsible for the invigorating fresh air that it breathes. It is amazing how new ideas and new sentiments can be expressed with the help of pictures and images based on age-old Sanskrit words. The novelty of approach and the novelty of expression are absolutely smashing and one wonders how such an ancient idiom can be brought to express the most modern of ideas a most modern manner!

Another feature which strikes the reader immediately upon going through the Kavya, is the exceptional command of the Poet on the Sanskrit language and his special mode of expression as well as his unique way of putting across his point with the help of subtle and fine allegories. Everyone would concede that a life-time of variegated experience of human character and behavior as well as years of patient labor go into the making of such a perfect and well chiseled-out piece of literature.

Dr. Bhaskaracarya Tripathi is presently running the Sanskrit Academy of Madhya Pradesh smoothly and efficiently as its Secretary. He is fortunate to have been born in the family of traditional Sanskrit scholars at the village Panclar of Allahabad Distt. in the year 1942.

After finishing his studies at the Allahabad University, he served on the staff of a number of Post-graduate colleges in M, P. He is also the famous editor of Durva" , the Sanskrit quarterly magazine of the Academy. He has been publishing smaller poerris'in Sanskrit magazines and participating in Sanskrit poetical meets, but this is, per-haps, his first major published work. However this attempt itself is marked with a very high degree of poetic sensitivity and a rare grandeur. The Hindi translation, on the contrary, is distinguished by its simplicity and 'folk-touch'.

I hope, the Sahrdayas will enjoy the Kavya and appreciate the efforts of a Sanskrit poet to produce some-thing absolutely new and original , not only with regard to the theme but also in respect of expression.

Book's Contents and Sample Pages