R. Sridharan

in Suganamala digest July-September 2005 issue

In India upto the beginning of the 19th century most of the information was preserved in an oral way only and there is no written documentary evidence. Most of the people also believed implicitly the oral tradition without questioning its validity. During the fag end of eighteenth century only due to western influence the people adopted the “forum approach” and started questioning various traditional beliefs. They gave prominence to chronology epigraphically and numismatical evidences and written books etc. and started doing ‘research’ on various moot points. In the process they discovered many revealing facts. Naturally some of the old views/ traditional views were jettisoned. That kind of approach is still being continued even in this 21st century to solve various knotty problems. Naturally the traditionalists do not appreciate these “researches”.

But Sri Madhwa himself appreciated this kind of approach, and wrote his great book

 “Sri Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya” wherein he tried to resolve various knotty points found in sacred literature using his “reconciliation” skills and textual evidence. For him truth is the only criterion and nothing else. He discovered various very ancient sources and using them vindicated his points of view.

naahaM karta hariH karta