SHIVAMURTHY SHASTRY B., 1903-1976
B.Shivamurthyshastry, (basavayyasvAmi shivamUrtishAstrI) (ಬಸವಯ್ಯಸ್ವಾಮಿ
ಶಿವಮೂರ್ತಿಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಿ) a
journalist, scholar and keertanakaara was an active
participant in the Karnataka unification movement and he has rendered yeoman
service to Kannada Sahitya Parishat.
He
was born and studied up to secondary school in Tumakur.
He taught in a school at Gubbi for a short while. He
had the opportunity to learn Sanskrit and ancient Kannada under the tutelage of
P.R.Karibasavasahastry at Tumakur
for a period of six years. He became closely acquainted with many religious and
literary texts during that period. He developed an abiding interest in the art
of Keertane, which is a public presentation of a
story intermingled with songs. He travelled
extensively all over Karnataka performing Keertanas.
He moved over to
Shivamurthyshastry has edited and published a number of
works. Some of them are listed here:
1.
Puratana Trividhi by Nijaguna Shivayogi
2.
Shivasharanara Tripadigalu
3.
Vedanta
Shikharatna Prakashika
4.
Madeshvara Sangatya
5.
Gana Sahasra Namavali
6.
Shadakshara Mantramahime
7.
Veereshacharite by Raghavanka,
1942.
8.
Ghanaligidevara Vachanagalu
9.
Sri
Basavodaharanam (Sanskrit) 1944.
10. Nyayashatakam
11. Sirumala Charite
12. Kannada Jaimini
Bharata (with Devudu Narasimha Shastry)
13. Kanakadasara
Keerthanegalu (With K.M.Krishna
Rao), 1965
14. Haribhaktisara
(With K.M.Krishna Rao)
15. Someshvara Shataka (With others)
Most of these works are
provided with useful supplementary material. The editing is fairly satisfactory
even though the principles of textual criticism are not followed meticulously. Shivamurthyshastry was the founder editor and publisher of
Sharana Sahitya (Monthly,
1938-1972) and Svatantra Karnataka (Weekly,1938-43) two periodicals that were published for a long
time.
Some of the original works
written by Shivamuthyshastry are as follows:
1.
Veerashaiva Sahitya mattu Itihasa (In three parts)
2.
Veerashaiva Mahapurusharu
3.
Karnataka
Sandarshana
Shivamurthyshastry was the president of Kannada Sahitya
Parishat for eight years. (1956-64). He was a member
of the editorial board of the Kannada Vishvakosha
published by the