Satyagraha Gita and Uttar Satyagraha Gita
By :
Satyagraha Gita and Uttar Satyagraha Gita
September 20, 2021
First major Sanskrit work published from Europe and its continuation in the form of 47 cantos on the life of the Father of the Nation
Pandita Kshama Devi Rao was a learned Sanskrit scholar, who wrote many texts in Sanskrit, English and Marathi. Satyagraha Gita was written by Kshama Devi in the year 1931. The inspiration behind this writing was the Salt Satyagraha – Gandhi ji's Dandi March. On the lines of Bhagwad Gita, there are 18 chapters in the Satyagraha Gita. Due to the British colonial rule, this marvelous work could not be published. With the help of another learned Sanskrit scholar, Silva Lehvi, this work was published in Paris in 1932. This was the first major Sanskrit work to have been published from Europe.
The first five chapters of the Satyagraha Gita describe the contemporary situation in the nation. The eighth chapter discusses the Simon Commission and the reaction of the Indians against it. The ninth chapter deals with the Viceroy Irwin's Declaration and the tenth chapter narrates Gandhiji's letter to Viceroy Irwin. The eleventh chapter gives a vivid account of the Dandi march. Thereafter, the chain of events constitute the twelfth chapter. Thirteenth chapter elaborates the Indian freedom struggle in the North East Frontier Province. Fourteenth to sixteenth chapter brings forth to light the various atrocities done by the colonial regime. Seventeenth chapter sheds light on the women freedom fighters of our nation. The last chapter of Satyagraha Gita gives the author's heart-touching account of her encounter with Gandhiji.
Uttar Satyagraha Gita is a continuation of Satyagraha Gita – divided into 47 cantos of appropriate length. It resumes from the coming of Lord Irwin to India, the Gandhi-Irwin Pact, and it closes with the now famous meeting between Gandhi ji and Jinnah at Bombay. Both the works represent Gandhi ji's ideas, philosophy and methodologies of action. This work was originally written in Sanskrit language, within a time-span of five months. Sanskrit is the language which unites our regional languages in thought and form. The author was motivated to write this work by Bhikshu Nirmalananda of the Gandhi Mission, Tiruvennainallur. In this work, the great poetic talent and sincerity of motive of the author is apparent to the reader.
The latter work includes not only political, social and economic aspects pertaining to the Indian freedom struggle but it also provides an account of Gandhiji's interaction with some prominent personalities, his speeches and anecdotes. In other words, it can be called a biography of the Father of the Nation. The e-book contains not only the original Sanskrit text, but the Hindi and English translations as well.
Dr. Divya Sethi