Seshendra Sharma : Memorial & Obituary
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HYDERABAD: An era of scholastic excellence and poetic
grandeur has come to an end in the passing away of Gunturu Seshendra Sarma, one
of the foremost poets and critics in Telugu literature. His mastery over
western literature and Indian `Alankara Sastra' gave his works a stunning
imagery, unparalleled in modern Indian works. One of the ironies in literature
is that he came to be known more as a critic than a poet. The Central Sahitya
Akademi award was conferred on him for his work `Kaala Rekha' and not for his
poetic excellence. The genius in him made him explore `Kundalini Yoga' in his
treatise on Ramayana in `Shodasi' convincingly. His intellectual quest further
made him probe `Naishadha Kaavya' in the backdrop of `Lalita Sahasra
Naamavali', `Soundarya Lahari' and `Kama Kala Vilasam' in `Swarna Hamsa',
Seshendra saw the entire universe as a storehouse of images and signs to which
imagination was to make value-addition. Like Stephene Mallarme who was
considered a prophet of symbolism in French literature, Seshendra Sarma too
believed that art alone would survive in the universe along with poetry. He
believed that the main vocation of human beings was to be artists and poets.
His `Kavisena Manifesto' gave a new direction to modern criticism making it a
landmark work in poetics. Telugus would rue the intellectual impoverishment
they suffered in maintaining a `distance' from him. Seshendra could have given
us more, but we did not deserve it! The denial of the Jnanpeeth Award to him
proves it.
* * * *
SESHENDRA:
A MULTIFACETED GENIUS
In the galaxy of Indian
poets and critics, the position of Seshendra as a luminary is unique. He
visualizes the cross currents of tradition and modernity as perpetually
interacting and moving towards the future, in new directions. As a Telugu poet
and critic, he is a multifaceted genius, seminal in his thought, his writings
in various genres facilitating the evolution of new modes of literary activity
among the new generation writers.
The traditionalist facet
of Seshendra is evident in Shodasi:Secrets of the Ramayana. It is a new
interpretation of a part of Valmiki Ramayana in terms of Kundalini Yoga. The
Sundarakanda represents the quintessence of Valmiki Ramayana\u2019s thought. The
first verse of the Sundarakanda, \u201cTato Ravana Nithayah,\u201d etc.,
has been interpreted by Seshendra as representing an attempt by Hanuman to
traverse the path of the Sushumna, which is the mystic path situated between
the Ida and Pingala, thereby reaching the final goal, of oneness with the
Kundalini Sakti. In the chapter on Indra Paratva as opposed to Vishnu Paratva,
the critic makes an original thesis: that the Ramayana closely follows the
predominant position of Indra in the pantheon of gods, which is the Vedic
pattern as against the supremacy of Vishnu which is the Puranic pattern.
\u201cShodasi\u201d is related to the Maha Mantra \u201cSri Vidya.\u201d Viswanatha in his Foreword
says that it is Seshendra\u2019s commentary on Gayatri Mantra. He wonders about
Seshendra\u2019s genius in reading the Maha Mantra \u201cSri Vidya\u201d with such deep
significance. While maintaining that no one else has read Mahabharata and
Ramayana together in the way Seshendra could do, Viswanatha says that not only
Telugu people but Indians at large should be grateful to Seshendra for writing
Shodasi Ramayana.
Seshendra\u2019s
interpretation of Sri Harsha\u2019s Naishadhiyacharitham based on the story of Nala
in Vyasa\u2019s Mahabharata is another landmark in his studies in Sanskrit
literature. He goes beyond Mallinatha, Srinatha and Nannaya and maintains that
Naishadhiyacharitham synthesizes Mantra Sastra, Yoga Sastra and Vedanta Sastra.
The work is an allegory on the journey of the soul, a discourse on Matter and
Spirit.
In his Foreword to Ritu Ghosha (\u201cCRy of Seasons\u201d) too Viswanatha showers praise on Seshendra\u2019s poetic genius. In
this poem Seshendra renders the beauties of the seasons that determine time.
His understanding of the sounds of seasons is not merely in external terms. He
makes an in-depth study of the human time in different aspects in relation to
the seasonal time. Viswanatha says that Seshendra\u2019s eminence as a poet lies in
his understanding of the multiple aspects of the seasons, the deep resonances
between the human system and the seasonal variations. In this sense, according
to Viswanatha, Seshendra\u2019s writing is of the highest order.
One of Seshendra\u2019s major
poems, Gorilla, uses the Tantric philosophy to reinforce the poet\u2019s views on
modern life. While Shodasi Ramayana explicates the
Sundarakanda as presenting the power of Kundalini, the modern epic Gorilla deals with the will
traced through the pages of Vedic philosophy. As Seshendra says in his Preface,
\u201cThe great power of universal creation is the vital force which forms the subject
matter of contemplation for many thinkers of ancient India in the Vedic,
Tantric and Darshanic systems of philosophy.\u201d According to the poet, even in
the turbulent contemporary life, the individual can summon all the superhuman
energy of the primordial Apeman to destroy evil forces around. The invocation
to Gorilla is significant:
\u201cO Gorilla, arise, Gorilla!
Rise from your slumber, O Creative Power sleeping in man. O Pitamaha, O Grandsire,
who first saw the sun and moon, awake! Mankind is imploring helplessly for
you.\u201d
Inspired by Primordial
force, the poet says:
\u201cThe ocean does not sit
at anybody\u2019s feet and bark. The voice of a storm does not know how to say yes.
The mountain does not bend and salute. I may be a fistful of earth, but when I
lift my pen, I have the arrogance of a nation\u2019s flag.\u201d
Seshendra\u2019s message is
that deriving superhuman\u2019s energy from Primordial Nature, the individual can
survive the onslaughts of contemporary life.
