‘JIGNASA -17,’ Abhinavagupta’s contribution to Sanskrit literature,’ a two-day national conference, will be held on March 24 and 25 at Maharaja’s College Centenary Hall in the city under the joint auspices of Department of Sanskrit, Maharani’s Science College for Women, Mysuru, and with Amrutabharati, Mysore University Sanskrit Lecturers’ Forum.
Abhinavagupta of Kashmir was a scholar in Sanskrit literature. His works like ‘Lochana,’ a commentary on Anandavardhana’s Dhvanyaloka, ‘Abhinavabharati,’ a commentary on Bharata’s Natyashastra, ‘Tantraloka,’ are testimony to his scholarship and creativity. This is the millennium year of his death. To commemorate the occasion, the conference intends to throw light on the contribution of Abhinavagupta.
The conference will be inaugurated on March 24 at 10.30 am. Lakshmitatachar, president of Samskruti Foundation, will deliver the keynote address. A Nagaraju, principal of Maharani’s Science College for Women, will preside. H V Nagaraja Rao, chairman of Sri Poornapragna Samshodhana Mandiram, will talk on ‘Life and achievements of Abhinavagupta’.
M A Hegde, retired principal, will talk on ‘Salient Features of Lochana on Dhvanyaloka’. Madhusudana Adiga, associate professor, Kalabhairaveshvara Sanskrit Vedagama College, Adichunchanagiri Kshetra, Nagamangala, will deliver a lecture on ‘Rasasvarupa in Abhinavabharati.’
Talk by experts on March 25
On March 25 Boris Marjanovic, California, USA, a scholar in Kashmir Shaivism, will talk on ‘Tantraloka – A study;’ S Suryaprakash Pandit, journalist, will deliver a talk on ‘Shaivadarshana of Abhinavagupta,’ A V Nagasampige, director of Sri Poornaprajna Samshodhana Mandiram, will talk on ‘Bhashya on Bhagavadgeeta,’ and H P Devaki, director of Oriental Research Institute, Mysuru, will be the chief guest at the valedictory function.
D Sheela Kumari, associate professor of Sanskrit, is the convener of the conference. M P Raghavendra, assistant professor of Microbiology and C H Gururaja Rao, chairman of department of Sanskrit, Karnataka State Open University (KSOU), are the co-conveners.
Academicians and students of the departments of languages, philosophy, linguistics and fine arts and all those interested in Sanskrit may participate in the conference. More details may be had on cell: 98440 37008/98454 50219/99725 99520, stated a press release.