Mettupatti Yamunacharya


Mettupatti Yamunacharya was a Writer, Editor, Translator, Gandhian and a Professor of Philosophy at Maharaja College, Mysore., He edited Kannada translations of all of Mahatma Gandhi's works spanning nearly 10,000 pages across eight volumes. He was an authority on the 10th-century saint Ramunajacharya and the Hindu Philosophical school of Vishistadvaita. M. Yamunacharya was awarded the Karnataka Rajyotsava Award for his work "Vishistadvaita Darshana" in 1969. Noted Kannada Novelist and Philosopher S. L. Bhyrappa had his tutelage under M. Yamunacharya at Maharaja College, Mysore, in Philosophy. Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar sought and later acknowledged M. Yamunacharya's valuable contributions in bringing forth his book "Dattatreya: The Way and The Goal". Yamunacharya's works on Ramanujacharya and Tarka are seminal in Indian Philosophy. He was a student of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, M. Hiriyanna, A. R. Wadia and K. T. Shah at University of Mysore between 1921 – 23.

Origins

M. Yamunacharya was born on 30 September 1889 in Mysore, Karnataka to parents Narayana Iyengar and Manikyamma. His grandfather Alkondavalli Govindacharya Swamy held the post of Executive Engineer in the erstwhile Mysore State under Dewan Seshadri Iyer and was a contemporary of A. R. Wadia, M. Hiriyanna, K. T. Shah and Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan at the nascent University of Mysore. The family were ardent followers of Saint Ramanujacharya and the Hindu Philosophical school of Vishistadvaita and hailed from Mettupatti, near Salem, Tamilnadu.

Education

M. Yamunacharya had his early schooling at Marimallappa High School, Mysore, under prominent educationist, social reformer and philanthropist M. Venkatakrishnaiah. He completed his M.A. in Philosophy under the tutelage of M. Hiriyanna, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, A. R. Wadia and K. T. Shah at Maharaja College, Mysore in 1923.

Academician

M. Yamunacharya began his teaching career at Collegiate High School, Tumkur. From here, he was transferred to Intermediate College, Hassan, as Principal. After this, he spent nearly a decade teaching Tarka in Indian Philosophy at Bangalore. He was transferred to Mysore in 1951 and continued teaching Philosophy at Maharaja College till his retirement in 1956. M. Yamunacharya helped many scholars and doctoral students with their research. Prominent among these were S. L. Bhyrappa and the American author John. C. Plott, who sought help for his PhD on Ramanujacharya. After his retirement from Maharaja College, Mysore, he was invited as Honorary Professor at Government Ayurvedic Medical College, Mysore to teach Darshanas. Yamunacharya became Emeritus Professor in Philosophy under University Grants Commission, New Delhi in 1968.

Works

Books and articles

Ramanuja's Teachings in his own words An Introduction to Logic & Scientific MethodAcharya RamanujaruAlwarugaluPaschatya Rajakeeya TatwagaluDeeper Meaning of Yagna in Indian Religious Thought Matha Dharma Tattva Shastra Tarka Shastra SangrahaThe Concept of Maya as AvidyaThe Hindu Theory of International Relations as Expounded in Kamandaka's Nitisara – Geeta BhashyaShree BhashyaLogicStudies in PhilosophyReligion and Literature
  • ''Mary and S.K. George souvenir ''

Translations

Matha Dharma Punarjeevana Manushyana Mannassu Kannada translation of Thoreau's Biography
  • ''Kannadadalli Gandhi Granthamale''

Editorial work

Samaja Vignana Sangraha
  • ''Aadhunika Tattvashastra Sangraha ''

Doctoral thesis (as guide)

  • ''The Nature and Destiny of the Individual in the Philosophy of Lokacharya''

Gandhian

Yamunacharya was made Chief Editor of the Committee entrusted with translating into Kannada language, all of Mahatma Gandhi's works in 1956, by R. R. Diwakar. All of these translated volumes were brought forth in Kannada as "Kannadadalli Gandhi Granthamale". The Committee was based at Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, Mysore and consisted of Gorur Ramaswamy Iyengar, G. P. Rajarathnam, Sampatgiri Rao, Kanvi, Narayanamurthy, K. S. Narayanaswamy and Kuvempu. M. Yamunacharya was the first Director of Gandhi Bhavan at University of Mysore, from 1965 to 1966. From 1967 onwards, he was associated with Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi.

Recognition

Yamunacharya chaired the 'Joint Symposium on Indian Educational Values ' at New Delhi in 1966. He was a regular invitee at All India Radio studios, where he either delivered lectures or took part in interviews on a host of philosophical topics. M. Yamunacharya helped many a scholar in their academic research. The renowned American author John. C. Plott came to Yamunacharya seeking guidance for his PhD on Ramanujacharya. His later, more popularly remembered work "Global History of Philosophy", also has a dedication to Yamunacharya in its Index. Similarly, the former Maharaja of Mysore, Jayachamarajendra Wodeyar, in his seminal work on Lord Dattatreya, titled "Dattatreya: The Way and the Goal" gives a heartfelt tribute to M. Yamunacharya for guiding him in the writing of the book. M. Yamunacharya was invited to Rashtrapathi Bhavan, New Delhi to meet then President of India, Zakir Hussain in connection with his work at Gandhi Peace Foundation, New Delhi in 1967. After his retirement, M. Yamunacharya was made Emeritus Professor in Philosophy by UGC, New Delhi in 1968. 'Karnataka Rajyotsava Award' for the year 1969 was presented to M. Yamunacharya, by then Chief Minister of Karnataka Veerendra Patil, in recognition of his work "Vishistadvaita Darshana".

Personal life

M. Yamuancharya married Rajamma and had eight children. From 1966 onwards, he had suffered cardiac ailments and had admissions both at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi as well as . M. Yamunacharya died on 4 January 1970 at Mysore, aged 80 years.