D. V. Gundappa Quotes

Indian writer

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Devanahalli Venkataramanaiah Gundappa (March 17, 1887 – 1975), popularly known by his pen name DVG, was an Indian writer, biographer, journalist, and novelist in the Kannada language with philosophical approach to life. His magnum opus, the Manku Thimmana Kagga, meaning "Dull Thimma's Rigmarole", is a set of philosophical muse, which is a collection of 945 poems, each of four lines in length. It is one of the best known of the major literary works in Kannada. He also started Kannada newspapers such as Bharat and Karnataka and also founded the Gokhale Institute and promoted fine arts. He was the recipient of Padmabhushan by the Government of India. A commemorative postage stamp was also issued by the Indian Postal Department.

Bio from: Wikiquote (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Native Name: ಡಿ.ವಿ.ಗುಂಡಪ್ಪ

Alternative Names: Devanahalli Venkataramanaiah Gundappa • DVG

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The probity in a public life is a must for improvement of country’s economy vis-à-vis the living conditions of common man. To mould the perceptions of students he wrote biographies of three great men.

Seeking Brahman in world transactions,
Seeking Brahman in all JIva forms,
Feeling Brahman in body and sense experiences,
This is the secret of salvation – Mankuthimma.

As the author describes it, it is the conversation of a “common man” with other common men. Intricate, distant and sacred questions of Religion, Reality, Dharma and Divinity are not for me. .... such has been my belief from the outset. It was not my good fortune to have had transcendental experiences, concentration on religious austerities, or the philosophical knowledge to qualify me for the exposition of abstruse problems.

Once in garden then in friends’ company,
Once in music and then in philosophy,
Once with family and then in silence,
Experience Brahman- Mankuthimma

Be relaxed, not to bother yourself, let it happen whatever that happens.

The higher we go, the ups and downs at the lower level would gradually fade. If what we do is to be worth while and if we are to get job satisfaction, we have to study more and work hard. The more we work, the stronger the profession would become and grow.

For some people belligerency and divisiveness are inbuilt qualities and if they come to power, unity becomes a far cry. Belligerent and divisive attitude are but natural in power politics.

Journalism is meant to educate the people. To do this effectively, journalists will have to equip themselves adequately.

This [Journalism] is not a profession of my choice. Nor is it family traditional occupation. God must have created this profession as a fit theater for all my struggles...Whatever I have written so far is about politics or philosophy, literature, music, poetry or even speeches I made either in the floor of assembly or from public-platforms-all these in a way touch one aspect of journalism or the other

It is my intention to represent the world of Shakespeare as far as possible as it really is and not merely to tell the story. It is my effort to retain the names used by him, the atmosphere he created, his descriptions...on the whole. His representation of the world as it is. I believe that this is necessary for the enhancement of Kannada literature and the sensibilities of the Kannada people and for the broadening of their vision of the world. If human civilization and peace are to last, it is of foremost importance that the different races of the earth attain a world vision. In order to achieve this the people of the West should read our epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata sympathetically as we must acquaint ourselves with their poetic tradition.

Best of feasts is the essence of the Supreme
Brahman, Nothing to beg when you have tasted it.
Vanishes the distinction of renouncer, renunciation and renounced.
And you become the monarch of the universe - Mankuthimma.

When the mind was disgusted with the ways of the world, when obstructions were feared in the path of duty, when people became excited and lost their reason, when friends lost their spirit and suffered inner disquiet on any account, [Sastry used to recollect these Slokas. Tulya nindastuti] – equal and unmoved by praise or insult - is an injunction which ought to guide our public men...

Any journalist worth his salt, should have to study literature to some extent.

The one and only God of Universe Vishwanatha, takes the shape of different deities, worshipped by the devotees whether he be Hindu, Jain, Parsi, Mohammed, Yahudi, Christian. Let him also sow seeds of unity and friendship in the mind of the people of the country.

...our national leaders demanded ‘Swarjaya’ [self-rule]. It was equally true that everybody had joined that demand. But the key [element] in that ‘Swarajya’ was the ejection of foreigners. But it wasn’t crystal clear in anybody’s mind as to the sort of people who would take the place of these foreigners. “Let the foreigners get out first, we’ll rule our country ourselves” – this was the only definite opinion back then... thus, the leaders of India artificially embraced to their hearts a political system that wasn’t convenient to our people...the pundits who authored Bharata’s political statute were bookish pundits...