Devata-Rupa-Mala (Part – III)

The Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore is an Institution running with the benign blessings of His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya, Sri Sri Sri Bharathi Tirtha Mahaswamiji under the auspices of Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, established in 1981. Kalpatharu Research Academy has strided across the horizon of Indological Research and Publications with giant steps, and today stands as an Institution known for its unique quality of Research work.

Kalpatharu Research Academy is dedicated to the cause of preservation of ancient heritage of India; it has encouraged Research in the fields of Agama, Veda, Tantra, Jyoutisha, Mantra-Sastra, Vastu, Yoga, Silpa, Ayurveda etc.

Among its prestigious publications (numbering more than Hundred till now), are Six Volumes of Pratima-Kosha, Twelve Volumes of Agama-Kosha, Vastu-Silpa-Kosha in Three Volumes, Three Volumes of the Art and Architecture of Indian Temples, and several Koshas like Ganesha-Kosha, Lalita-Kosha and Navagraha-Kosha, Oshadhi-Kosha, Salagrama-Kosha, Gita-Kosha, Hanumat-Kosha etc.

The Academy has plans of undertaking intensive Research in the field of Veda and Vedanga, and intends publishing “Bharatiya-Samskriti-Sarvasva-Kosha” an encyclopaedic work in several volumes dealing with all aspects of Indian Tradition and Culture. It seeks to promote Education, Culture, Science, Art and learning in all its branches. The approach will be broad-based and multidisciplinary.

An extensive, comprehensive and specialist reference library has been built up to assist the Research Workers in the Indological disciplines. A valuable collection of Palm-Leaf manuscripts relating to Veda, Vedanta, Vedanga and allied subjects has already been made; the collection work is continuing.

Dakshinamnaya Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham has been running a Guru -Kula type of Institution on traditional lines to impart Vedic Education at several places. Some of these Institutions are over 100 years old. It is the intention of Kalpatharu Research Academy to take an active part in continuing this age-old tradition and act as the Research & Publication wing for these Institutions.

Our ambition is to develop as a National Centre for higher learning in Veda, Vedanga and Shastras and facilitate the propagation of unique Sanskrit and Vedic Texts in the National and International arena.

This Publication is the 103rd (One hundred and Third) of its achievement in this field.

Vidyalankara, Sastra-Chudamani, Sangita-Kalär Professor Saligrama Krishna Ramachandra Par well-known scholar who combines traditional learning with modern research. Well versed in Sanskrit, 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, however, he was a Professor of Psychology. He has headed the Department of Clinical Psychology in the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience’s. Bangalore and the Department of Indian Culture in the Collision College Study Center of the University of the Pacific (USA). At present, he is the Associate of National Institute of Advanced Studies (Indian Institute of Science Bangalore. and Guest Faculty. Indian Institute of Management. Bangal0ore and member of the Govenirig Council of lit 15V0 Research Centre), Trupati. He has been Member of Karnataka state Lalitha Kala Academy and Sangita Nritya Academy. He has served on the Agama Board (VL of Karnataka). He is President of Silpa-Kala Pratishtana. The Govt. of Karnataka has honoured 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 Sanman for the year 2000 by the Govt. of India (H.R.D. Ministry).

Kendriya Samskrita Vidya-peetha, Tirupati, (deemed university) has awarded him honour is cause degree ‘Vachaspati’ (2003).

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 Encyclopaedi of Indian Medicine (Popular Prakashan, Mumbai). Tibetan Tantrik Tradition and Tibetan Meditation (Arnold Heinemanna, Delhi) Consciousness in Advaita, and a series of six books on Indian Temples (IBH Prakashana, Bangalore) and Origins of Indian Thought (Bangalore University); Kalpatharu Research Academy has published his Pratima-kosa 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 (Twelve volumes of which have appeared).

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

Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore is proud to bring out the third part of Devata-Rupa-Mala in its prestigious series of publications entitled Bharatiya Samskriti Sarvasva Kosha. This series has been planned to provide correct and comprehensive acquaintance with all aspects of Indian culture. It is heartening to note that several important books have come out in this series. It is the intention of the Academy to make this an ongoing project.

The Academy wishes to place on record its reverential gratitude to His Holiness the Jagadguru Sri Sri Sri Bharati Tirtha Swamiji for his munificent blessings and to Sri V.R. Gowrishankar the chairman of the Academy and the Administrator of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham for his continued keen interest in the Academy’s research programmes.

It is also indebted to Prof. S.K. Ramachandra Rao, who has prepared this volume for publication, and to the Omkar Offset Printers who have produced this volume neatly. The Academy is also grateful to the Authorities of the Ministry of Human Resources Development, Govt. of India, New Delhi and the Authorities of Ministry of Education Govt. of Karnataka.

This is the third part of Devata-Rupa-Mala a project inspired by Devata-Dhyana-Malika by the late Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyear III. The third part deals exclusively with the iconic representa4ions of Vishnu. The volume has been planned to help the artistes and craftsmen to acquaint themselves with the classical forms of the gods in the Agama and Silpa-Sastra texts I am grateful to Sri Daivajna K.N. Somayaji, Director and Chief Editor of the Kalpatharu Research Academy, Bangalore, to the Chief Patron of the Academy, Sri Sri Sri Bharathi-tirtha Swamiji, the revered pontiff of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham, and to Sri V.R. Gowrishankar, the Chairman of the Academy and also the Administrator of Sri Sringeri Sharada Peetham. And to my friends Sri Venkatesh Babu and Sri Nagendra of Omkar Offset Printers for their courtesy and cooperation during the production of this volume.