Sambodhi 2011 Vol 34

Author(s): Jitendra B Shah
Publisher: L D Indology Ahmedabad

Page 64

Sunanda Y. Shastri
SAMBODHI
co-editor, which shows his humble and extremely loyal nature. (Ef tifare: संपादन-प्रकाशन-प्रचारणादीनां भारः केवलं अप्पाशास्त्रिणामेव शिरसि आसीत. तथापि तैः प्र पानसंपादक इति सर्वदा श्रीजयचन्द्रशर्मणाम् एव समुल्लेखः कृतः । सहकारिसंपादकत्वेन एव स्वकीय उल्लेखः कृतः । 3721.6.4: eifecret: aga qusH41f4i 1199 yada I Te godelareal: 151681 I AC, p. 41).
Vasudevashastri Audumbarakar - the author has finely brought out the best facets of Appashastri's personality as follows: 1. Appashastri was a good poet. He composed an epic 'Gokarnasambhavam' and small poems like Vallabhavilapam, Panjarabaddhah Sukah and many other small poems. 2. Appashastri could write good prose. He translated Bankimchandra's novel 'Lavanyamayi' in Sanskrit, wrote short stories and many jokes. (AC, p. 251) 3. Appashastri was well versed in different sciences (shastrarthavichaksanah). He wrote many scholarly articles on Mimamsa, Dharmasastra, Grammar, Alamkara, Samkhya-Yoga and Nyāya: 4. Appashastri was a literary critic. 5. Appashastri was a great scholar of Vedanta. 6. Appashastri was a researcher and biographer. He wrote many articles on philosophy, religion, spirituality and social issues, geography, astronomy, Ayurveda, science, politics, education, criticism, linguistics, biographies, history and many other subjects. He wrote biographical articles on many great personalities like, Shankara, Gunadhya, Vishvanatha Kaviraj, Shrivenkatadhvari and many others. 7. He was very good reporter. He reported many social and political happenings in crisp language and in interesting way. 8. He wrote many essays with some purport. Some of his essays on the status of untouchables were highly praised. 9. He wrote a treatise on Vriksayurveda (Ayurveda of trees). He wrote about the treatment of humans, animals, trees etc. he had deep knowledge of Ayurveda. 10. He was a very good astrologer. He prepared an almanac at the age of thirteen. Later also he wrote many articles on astrology, which were published in Chandrika and Sunstavadini. 11. Appashastri was dramatist. And humorist. He wrote a drama titled 'Adharmavipakam'. He also wrote many humorous articles in Chandrika. 12. Appashastri mastered many languages like, Tamil, Bengali, Malayalam, English and Telugu. He used to read newspapers and periodicals in those langauges to keep himself updated.
Appashastri's shoulders was extremely loyal and grateful to Jayachandrasharma. Chandrika's annual subscription was Rs. 1 and eight annas. Cost of one issue was four annas. Appashastri catered variety of literature through Chandrika like, auspicious verses at the beginning, good quotations, editorial, religious, issues, articles on modern science, etc. Chandrika's each issue begun wtih the sentence 'Shri Shivah Sharanam.'
Sanskrit Chandrika was highly praised by the scholars, but financially it did not muster enough support. He could hardly recover the cost of printing. Therefore, Chandrika's publication became more and more difficult. Appashastri faced many difficulties in pursuing his task. Sanskrit Chandrika was printed in