World of Philosophy

Author(s): Christopher Key Chapple, Intaj Malek, Dilip Charan, Sunanda Shastri, Prashant Dave
Publisher: Shanti Prakashan

Page 14

Ideal personality and Exemplary Work
- N.S. Hegde, BharatanaHalli.
(Shri. N.S. Hegde is 84 years old primary teacher of Yajneshwar Shastri. N.S. Hegde, Bharatanahalli, is renowned writer of Kannada and honoured with 'Karanatak Shri' by the Government of Karnataka.)
Where is the mango tree and where is cuckoo,
What kind of relation is this! It is veritably so in the function of nature. When mango tree starts blossoming, at that time only the cuckoo' beautiful songs are heard. Other times no one knows the whereabouts of cuckoo. This is the natural relation between things.
Similarly, though, our Yajneshwar Shastri has been spending the springs of his life in a far away peace like Ahmedabad in Gujarat, still notes of cuckoo's songs are heard in his birthplace of Malenadu in Karnataka. His scholarly and academic activities are well known here as well. Fragrance of this soil is spread there as well. Yajneshwar Shastri has become natural binding between these two places. Creeper of his intellectual and familial life is spreading fruitfully there is a fact. It is also fact that the roots of this delicate creeper have sprouted here. These roots are pulling him back and encircling in this soil connecting people. Sweetness of emotions in his heart and broadness of mind are truly responsible for the strong tie between him and people of his soil.
That young child Yajneshwar is comes before my eyes though today's Yajneshwar has ascended the heights of Meru Mountain of scholarship. I remember that Yajneshwar who wore Khaki half pants, clean white half shirt and Gandhi cap on the head and school bag full of books and notebooks dangling from his shoulder. He came barefooted to school from his home in the Kosguli village three kilo meters away passing through thick forest of our area. He always came running with long steps and panting. He used to reach before the prayer bell of the primary school in the front row. He was very punctual child. It is still fresh in my mind that I got him as my student. Yajneshwar was a young boy of twelve or thirteen at that time and a much disciplined boy. Children are disciplined in the class for two reasons, either due to fear of teacher or through self discipline. Our Yajneshwar belonged to second category of naturally self disciplined child. Most probably it was the influence of his family culture.
Child Yajneshwara's father Vidvan Sadashiv Shastri and mother Tungabhadra both well cultured. They were traditionalists of the finest nature. They were such ideal couple that humility should be learnt from their life. Vidvan Sadashiv Shastri was the first person to move out from this forest region where the means of communication were scarce before our indepen
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