SHAMASASTRY R

SHAMASASTRY R., 1868-1944

Rudrapattana Shamasastri (rudrapaTTaNa shAmashAstrI) (ರುದ್ರಪಟ್ಟಣ ಶಾಮಶಾಸ್ತ್ರೀ) was a great scholar who rendered yeoman service to the disciplines of textual criticism, Vedic studies and astronomy. He achieved world renown for finding, editing, translating and publishing the famous ‘Arthashastra’ by Kautilya.

Shamasastry was born in Rudrapattana a small town in Hassan district and shifted to Mysore seeking education. He came under the patronage of Dewan K.Shesadri Iyyer at an early age. He completed the Vidvath examination in Maharaja Sanskrit College in 1891. Later he studied at the Central College, Bangalore and obtained a B.A. degree Physics, English and Sanskrit from the University of Madras in 1899. He got a job in the Oriental Library, Mysore. He moved over to Bangalore as the Principal of the ‘Chamaraja Sanskrit College’. He was appointed as the Curator of the Oriental Library, Mysore in 1918. He was made the director of the Department of Archaeological Research. (1922) He was a Professor of History in the University of Mysore for a short while before his retirement in 1928.

Shamasastry came across the manuscript of ‘Arthashastra’ by Kautilya while he was preparing a catalogue of the manuscripts present in the Oriental library in 1905. He understood the importance of the manuscript in the ‘grantha’ script and it was published by the institute in 1909. He took upon himself the task of translating the work to English and the English version was published in 1915. This was treated as an epoch making discovery because it brought about a sea change in the attitude of the western scholars about ancient Indian polity. It was later translated in to many other languages like French and Germany. Shamasastry became an authority on the subject.

Shamasastry took a leading role in the discovery and publication of many important works both in Sanskrit and Kannada. ‘Brahmasutra Bhashya’, Bodhayana Grihyasutra’, ‘Smritichandrika’, ‘Ashauchakhanda’, Taittireeya Brahmana’, ‘Kavyaprakasha’, ‘Ayurvedasutra’, ‘Alamkara Manihara’, ‘Vidyamadhaveeya’ and ‘Abhilashitarthachintamani’ are some of the Sanskrit works published under his stewardship. A list of Kannada publications is provided later in this note. His contribution to the publication of the “South Indian Inscriptions’ is very valid.

Shamasastry received ample recognition for his services in India and abroad. He was awarded a doctorate by the the Oriental Philosophy School of the Washington University in 1919. The Bombay branch of the Royal Asiatic Society awarded its prestigious Campbell Memorial Gold Medal to Shamasastry in 1921. The Calcutta University conferred another doctorate on him in 1921.’ ‘Mahamahopadhyaya’ was the title given to him by the Government of India. More importantly his contributions were greatly appreciated by many contemporary scholars such as Ashutosh Mukharji, B.N. Seal, Radhakumuda Mukharji, Moriz Winternitz, A.B. Keith, Vincent Smith, L.D.Barnet etc. J.F. Fleet himself a well known scholar and sums it up in his words like this: "We are, and shall always remain, under a great obligation to him for a most important addition to our means of studying the general history of ancient India."

Important books by Shamasastry are as follows:

1. ‘Kautilya’s Arthashastra’, 1909, 1915, with an introductory note by the late Dr.J.F. Fleet, XL (ind.), Mysore Printing and Publishing House, Mysore. reprinted in 2005 By Chaukhamba Pratishthan, New Delhi

2. ‘Evolution of Indian Polity’ 1967

3. ‘Kautilya’s Arthashastra’ (Translated in English) By R.Shamasastry, 1915, 1956, Sri Raghuvir Printing Press, Mysore.

4. ‘Vedänga jyotisa’ (with Sanskrit commentary and English translation) 1936, Mysore

5. ‘The origin of the Devanagari alphabets’ 1973 - Bharati-Prakashan, Mysore

6. ‘Gavam Ayana, The Vedic Era’, 1908, Government Oriental Library. Wesleyan Mission Press, Mysore.

7. ‘Surya-Prajnapti’ of Mahaveera, (English Translation), 1927.

8. ‘Drapsa, The Vedic Cycle of Eclipses’, 1938, Mysore.

9. ‘The Eclipse in the Vedas, the Bible and the Khuran’, 1940

10. ‘South Indian Inscriptions’, Volume 9, Part 1,1939, Volume 9, Part-2, 1941

Textual Criticism (Kannada)

11. ‘Keladinrupavijaya’ by Linganna Kavi, 1973(2^nd Edition).

12. ‘Udhbhatakavya’ by Somadeva, 1921.

13. ‘Jagannathavijaya’ by Rudrabhatta, 1923.

14. ‘Akruracharite’ by Somanatha, 1923.

15. ‘Dharmamruta’ by Nayasena, (Part 1 and 2), 1924, 1926.

16. ‘Kantheeravanarasarajavijaya’ by Govinda Vaidya, 1926.

17. ‘Virataparva’ By Kumaravyasa, 1920.

18. ‘Udyogaparva’ By Kumaravyasa, 1922.