Mankutimmana Kagga now in English, courtesy K Natarajan

Jyothi Natarajan says, “Gundappa and BGL Swamy were great, erudite personalities, often diverse, at times peculiar, at times unfathomable, but always outstandingly scholarly.”

In an exclusive interview Natarajan, now 79, and a lecturer at various engineering colleges in Bengaluru and a visiting professor in the United states, talks about these works. Excerpts:

Knowing the vast content and underlying philosophy found in Mankutimmana Kagga, how did you feel when you first considered translating it?

First, Mankutimmana Kagga’s fame attracted me. As I studied it, it became evident that there were layers of meaning and deep philosophical insights in every stanza. The few books on the Mankutimmana Kagga that I referred to, left me with a sense of awe for the author. Its reach, scholarly content, verse formation and poetic structure are incredible.

So, it was raw nerve and the spirit of “Why not?” that egged me on. It was a formidable task and at times, it seemed impossible. If I left it midway, my effort would become antithetical to the grand theme of the Mankutimmana Kagga itself – to spur man on to live life and fight, not to be cowed down by vagaries of fate.

Did you feel translating the Mankutimmana Kagga was a great responsibility? What were your experiences in handling his 945 couplets?

I always felt that the great ‘kavya’ deserved wider exposure, and that translating it was a way of broadening its readership. Translating was indeed a genuine pleasure, although often tempered with agonising difficulties. I am aware of a disconnect between the modern reader and the original work in Kannada. Today’s youngsters seem to prefer instant solutions, while a sustained effort is needed to enjoy classical literature. The Mankutimmana Kagga has a lasting quality, an enduring innate beauty, that has not lost its appeal in over 80 years. I am happy that I have made no attempt to modernise it. The splendour of the original should not be mutilated.

Would you comment on some of your favourite couplets? 

My admiration for the Mankutimmana Kagga is centered on its theme: the supremacy of dharma, the inevitability of karma and most importantly, karma being the vehicle for performing dharma. It is not without reason that the Mankutimmana Kagga is considered the ‘Kannada Bhagavadgeeta.’

Writer K Natarajan
| Photo Credit:
SUDHAKARA JAIN

What can you tell us about DV Gundappa as a person?

Despite his intellectual and scholastic stature, Gundappa was a person with absolutely no pretensions. It is the hallmark of his character that he was able to establish a connection with people of any level — from his personal assistant to the pontiff of Kanchi. He was as much at ease singing nursery rhymes with children as he was discussing nuances of a raga with MS Subbulakshmi. He was easygoing with family, a terror to the favour seeker, and downright nasty to the showy!

Another feature that defined him was his breadth of vision. He had insisted that I go through parts of The Bible and The Koran; irreverent references to sacred texts annoyed him greatly.

DVG Balaga Pratisthana decided to translate the family’s literary works into English with the DVG Global Literary series. What is the plan of the Pratisthana when it comes to the translations it has chalked out?

The DVG Balaga Pratishthana is a non-commercial organisation helmed by a group of like-minded people interested in DVG’s contribution to Kannada literature. They have taken up publication of works as part of their overall activities. We, the members of DVG’s family, feel a sense of pride in the Pratishthana’s work. The agenda does not appear to be structured or formalised, except that their interests are in spreading “the message of DVG and BGL”.

Writers K Natarajan and Jyothi Natarajan with The Hindu in Bengaluru, January 2025.
| Photo Credit:
SUDHAKARA JAIN