nAlO nEnu (Is literature the ultimate? #9)
Prabhakar Vissavajjhala (vissa@cortex.neuro.mssm.edu)
Wed, 18 Jun 1997 21:56:55 -0500
nAlO nEnu
[Is literature (poetry) the ultimate regarding practical reality?#9)
[This is put in the form of a dialogue between 'manassu' (mind) abbreviated
as 'M' and 'buddhi' (conscience) abbreviated as 'B' of the same
individuval.]
M: How about feminism? Isn't that a modern day concept at least?
B: Coming to 'feminism', I already mentioned about 'prameela' of
mahAbhArat times to you. You keep forgetting.
M: Could that story be real?
B: If you take it as real, you have to accept that the present timers are
not the pioneers in this aspect. If you say, it is fictitious, then you got
to give credit for the imaginary power of the writer. The choice is yours.
Prameela (real or a role), probably was the first feminist, unless you want
to tell me that there was no English language at that time, so in strict
terms I should not call her a 'feminist', as this term is basically an
English one.
Similarly, the revolutionary trends by the suppressed/oppressed against the
exploiting was not just modern as many people may think. For the sake of
the concept, SudrakA's 'mRcchakaTikam' brought that revolutionary attitude
in the form of a literary drama, where a rebel named 'Aryaka' fights
against the unruly king on the same lines as the present day naxalites are
doing, and kills the king and takes over the kingdom. This was as old as
1st/3rd century A.D.
M: So, do you mean to suggest that people should switch back to the old
literature as they have resemblances with the modern day concepts?
B: That is not what all this means to say. Anybody is free to follow what
one likes regarding literature, pertaining to a minimal etical standard. If
one wants to stick only to a person/writer/poet/form what one likes just to
read and discuss that may be fine too. However, if one fails to see the
point and believes that the person or the literature one likes is the only
existing one of that kind, it only reminds us 'kUpasta manDUka nyAyam'
(nUtilO kappa adE prapanca manukonnaTlu). This limited knowledge may
prove dangerous. So, one should be cautious about that, if at all one is
truly seeking mental elevation out of reading and talking literature. If
one really aims at becoming a better individuval out of reading and
discussing literature, this is very imporatant. This holds good for either
of the 3rd or 2nd category people, who read old or new literature.
However, without being put into practice, literature is not the ultimate to
deal with the reality. It is the purity of the mind that is required, which
is the quality of the 4th category.
M: How can you say that?
B: That is what is called 'trikaraNa Suddhi'. It means 'speak out your
thoughts and do what you speak'. However, we never know whether one is
speaking one's mind or not? As humans can't read others' mind, only the
'words' and 'action' have become popular in the world.
erugalEru gAna edalOni talapulu
mATa cEtalE pramANamuluga
ennabaDe jagatini minnagA bhAvinci
eTTi vArinaina enci cUDa
So, the genuine people like the 4th people go by the most sincere way.
talacu nadiye ceppu, tA jeppu nade cEyu
vij~nDerigi Suddhi viluva nepuDu
talapu, mATa, cEta dArulu vEraUTa
dharma hAni yancu talaci madini
Scientifically, 'liquids' are described shapeless but assume the shape of
their containers. 'dharma' is also shapeless like a liquid and it takes the
shape in the person, who implements it on that occasion. And guess, if that
is a crooked one.
dharma manna depuDu dravamugA noppunu
pAtra baTTi rUpu baragu cunDu
pAtra meruganaTTi pAtaku nanduna
dharma mandu rUpu dainya magunu
The reason for this could be
vijaya mandu kAnksha vipareeta dugdhayai
phalita mandu ASa paridhi dATa
Suddhi kunna viluva SUnyata gAvincu
kuTila praj~na cEta kutsitunDu
They use their intelligence for crooked purposes. A crooked man can always
find a misinterpretation for something to satisfy the self interests. Here
is the situation, how it effects 'word' and the 'action' in
'implementation'.
'mATa', 'cEtala' sandhincu marma mandu
keeLLa gurtincu vArala vrELLa naligi
trumpa baDucu tirigi yatikimpa baDucu
'mATa' cEtalO kunTidai mraggu cunDu
Once there is no correlation between the 'word' and 'action' that leads to
distrust and unrest.
mATa landu dOcu sUTi ardhamu lella
cEta landu iTlu SRtulu dappa
nammakamu, viluvalu naSiyinci mATala
naraka mannadi ila navatarincu
At this stage, people feel like switching to another system, hoping for
something new. The unfortunate thing is the same old story follows again
after a while. even in the new system as the crooked explore and exploit
the loopholes of it. This goes on until there are crooks among humans. So,
it is not the literature that is ultimate regarding the practical reality,
it is human menatlity that is important whether it is sincere or crooked.
Even the best literature can be reduced to nothing, if there are crooks
among those implementing ones on top.
M: O.K. If literature is not the ultimate to deal with reality, what is
the purpose of literature? Do you want to go by 'literature for the sake of
art' or literature for the sake of representing the human contemporary
life?
B: Quite honestly, I don't know the answer.
M: Ha! You are escaping, Aren't you?
B: No, I am not. But I try to get the answer contacting my superior for
this. Then I can tell you.
M: You have a superior?! I thought you are the most superior.
B: Shut up! Superlative degree doesn't exist in between two. I am better
than you. We both are on the either side of this man's brain. You talk of
equality, but you don't practise that within yourself. You always keep the
brain flat and invariably, I am the fellow getting down. Then you do
whatever you like and when things go wrong you come and contact me only
when you don't have any other go. If you let this man's brain stand
upright, I too can stand just behind you guarding your behaviour all the
time. That is the only way you can give me equal value.
M: Then can you make a genius?
B: No, I can't say that I can make you a genius. But I can assure you that
I don't let you make a fool of yourself. That is for sure. So, let me go
and contact my superior.
M: Who is he?
B: Not he, she.
M: Who is she?
B: She is 'telugu talli'. While you are at rest, I go and contact her
and let you know what she says. I am seeking the clarification from her for
your question. O.K. Stay well till I come back.
(to be concluded next in #10)
With regards,
Prabhakar Vissavajjhala