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