KRISHNAMOORTHY, KERALAPURA, 1923-1997
Keralapura Krishnamoorthy, (ಕೃಷ್ಣಮೂರ್ತಿ,ಕೇರಳಾಪುರ)(kEraLApura kruSNamUrti) was a
great scholar and academic in the fields of Sanskrit language and literature. He
is gratefully remembered by the Kannada literary community for his translations
of Sanskrit works in Kannada. This passion of his encompassed both creative literature
and celebrated texts on poetics.
He was born in
Keralapura, a small village in Hassan district and obtained an M.A. degree in Sanskrit
from the
Krishnamoorthy
has a number of publications to his credit in Sanskrit, English and Kannada. They
include genres such as translation, textual edition and a number of original works.
His basic interests were Sanskrit poetics, Sanskrit drama and literary theory. His
desire to make available the basic texts of Sanskrit poetics to Kannada readers
has resulted in translations and commentaries that have enduring merit. He has rendered
prose and poetry in Sanskrit in their original form. He did not evince any particular
interest in linking his erudition to the literary tradition of Kannada. This trait
is present in his theoretical works also. He is more interested in elucidation than
a critical analysis. He fits admirably in the net work of Pan Indian scholars in
Alankara Shastra. The scholastic
world of the west also was interested in gaining an access to the originals. A list
of important contributions, among approximately eighty works published by
K.Krishnamoorthy is presented here:
a. Edited Works:
1.
‘Dhvnyaloka’(dhvanyAlOka) by Anandavardhana
2.
‘Vakroktijeevita’(vakrOktijIvita)
by Kuntaka
3.
‘Natyashastra of Bharatamuni with
commentaries by Abhinavaguptacharya’(nATyashAstra),
1992,
4.
‘Yashodharacharite’(yashOdhara
carite) by Vadiraja, 1963,
5.
‘Subhashitasudhanidhi’ (suBASitasudhAnidhi)
by Sayana, 1968,
6.
‘Kavirajamarga’(kavirAjamArga)
by Shrivijaya
b. Translations of Sanskrit creative Works:
1.
‘Kannada
Uttararamacharita’
2.
‘Kannada
Kiratarjuneeya’
3.
‘Kannada
Mrucchakatika’
4.
‘Kannada
Pratimanataka’
5.
‘Kannada
Yajnaphala’
6.
Six
one act plays of Bhasa
c. Translations of Works on Sanskrit Poetics
1.
‘Kannada
Kavyalankara’ by Bhamaha
2.
‘Kannada
Kavyaprakasha’ by Mammata
3.
‘Kavyalankara Sutravrutti’ by Vamana
1.
‘Dhvanyalokalochana mattu Lochanasara’
2.
‘Kannada
Kavyameemamse’ by Rajashekhara
3.
‘Auchityavichara Charche’ by Kshemendra
d. Original works in Kannada
1.
‘Kannadadalli Kavyatatva’ (kannaDadalli kAvyatatva)
2.
‘Anandavardhanana Kavyameemamse’
(Anandavardhanana kAvyamImAmse)
3.
‘Rasollasa’ (rasOllAsa)
4.
‘Srujansheelate mattu
Panditya’ (srujanashIlate mattu
pANDitya)
5.
‘Bharateeya Kavyameemamase: Tatva mattu prayoga’
(BAratIya kAvyamImAmse:tatva
mattu prayOga)
e. Original Works in English
1.
‘Essays
in Sanskrit Criticism’, 1964,
2.
‘Some
Thoughts on Indian Aesthetics and Literary Criticism’, 1968,
3.
‘The
Dhvanyaloka and its Critics’, 1983,
Bharateeya Vidyapeetha Publications.
4.
‘New
bearings of Indian Literary theory and criticism’, 1982, B.J. Institute of Learning
and Research.
5.
A Critical
Inventory of Ramayana Studies in the World’,1991,
6.
‘Aspects
of Poetic language: an Indian Perspective’, 1986,
7.
‘Indian
literary theories: a Reappraisal’, Meharchand
Lachhmandas Publications.
8.
‘Theory
of Suggestion in Poetry’, 1955, Oriental Book Agency
9.
Studies
in Indian Aesthetics and Criticism’, 1979, D.V.K.Murthy,
In addition to these he has published a number of monographs
on great writers such as Kalidasa,
Bhasa, Bhavabhuti, Panini and
Banabhatta (
The contributions of Krishnamoorthy have received many
honors and awards in