Samskara: A Rite for a Dead Man

by U.R. Ananthamurthy, A.K. Ramanujan (Translation)

Samskara is one of the acknowledged masterpieces of modern world literature, a book to set beside Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and Tayeb Salih’s Season of Migration to the North . Taking its name from a Sanskrit word that means “rite of passage” but also “moment of recognition,” it begins when Naranappa, an inhabitant of a small south Indian town and a renegade Brahmin who has scandalously flouted the rules of caste and purity for years, eating meat, drinking alcohol, marrying beneath him, mocking God, unexpectedly falls ill and dies. The question of whether he should be buried as a Brahmin divides the other Brahmins in the village. For an answer they turn to Praneshacharyah, the most devout and respected member of their community, an ascetic who also tends religiously to his invalid wife.
 
Praneshacharyah finds himself unable to provide the answer, though an answer is urgently needed since as he wonders and the villagers wait and the body festers, more and more people are falling sick and dying. But when Praneshacharyah goes to the temple to seek a sign from God, he discovers something else entirely—unless that something else is also God.
 
Samskara is a tale of existential suspense, a life-and-death encounter between the sacred and the profane, the pure and the impure, the ascetic and the erotic.

Genres: Fiction, India, Indian Literature, Religion, Literature, Classics, Novels

176 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1965

About the author

Udupi Rajagopalacharya Ananthamurthy was a contemporary writer and critic in the Kannada language and is considered as one of the pioneers of the Navya movement. He is the sixth person among eight recipients of the Jnanpith Award for the Kannada language, the highest literary honor conferred in India. In 1998, he received the Padma Bhushan award from the Government of India and in 2013, he was nominated for Man Booker International Prize.

Ananthamurthy's works have been translated into several Indian and European languages and have been awarded with important literary prizes. His main works include Samskara, Bhava, Bharathi Pura, and Avasthe. He has written numerous short stories as well. Several of his novels and short fictions have been made into movies.

Most of Ananthamurthy's literary works deal with psychological aspects of people in different situations, times and circumstances. His writings supposedly analyze aspects ranging from challenges and changes faced by Brahmin families of Karnataka to bureaucrats dealing with politics influencing their work.

Reviews

[Garima · Rating 4 out of 5]

If one believes that life is complicated then death comes with its own share of ramifications. No matter how much we read or learn, the eternal truth that claims to render understanding about every situation and ensures answers to every possible question remains nothing but an illusion, which when shatters brings out a whole new set of predicaments. U.R. Ananthamurthy’s novel Samskara revolves around such perplexities and presents an allegorical enquiry into the nature of word Samskara, its various denotations and its deep rooted connection with humanity.

Under Hinduism, Samskaras or Sanskars refers to the series of sacraments, sacrifices and rituals that serve as rites of passage and mark the various stages of the human life and to signify entry to a particular Ashrama (i.e. stage of life). In all, there are 16 major Samskaras that have been recognized of which how many are actively observed in today’s Indian society is a matter of speculation but the ones associated with birth and death are performed diligently because apart from being a part of religious practice, they are also considered as a right of the new born and the dead. Antayeshti is the last Samskara, also called Antim Sanskar which is affiliated with last rites of the dead i.e. funeral rites. Every dead person deserves a respectable exit from this world irrespective of the man made notions he’s tied with namely religion, caste, creed, gender et al and this very perspective act as a catalyst for the progression of this small but powerful novel.

A death of a rebel has occurred in an orthodox Brahminical Colony in India circa 1930s and it has given birth to the question: Who will perform his last rites? Naranappa, while he lived did many things which went against the standard pious Brahmin life and it was enough to outrage his fellow Brahmins and now that he is dead, nobody wants to take the responsibility to lit fire to his funeral pyre else the very act will malign the purity of their caste but he must be cremated because despite his anti- brahminical acts, he died a Brahmin. The most respected member of the clan, Praneshacharaya is approached to find a suitable solution to this dilemma and from there on the book covers his journey of finding answers and in the process, layers after layers is uncovered which depicts the true nature of the so-called Brahmins, who notwithstanding their claims to the contrary turns out to be weak human beings whose vulnerability in the moments of crisis is revealed under glaring lights which defeats the purpose of ethics and morals they swear by.

Praneshacharaya has lived his whole life in dedication to the ideals and teachings of his caste but in the wake of making an important decision, his whole life opens up in front of his eyes and he witness opposing forces challenging his beliefs, his intellect and his human nature. Here we encounter another aspect of Samskara - realizing of past perceptions. U.R. Ananthamurthy has wonderfully captured the double standards of society with the caricatural representation of some characters which also mirrors the vices which plagues this world. With biting poignancy and ingenious symbolism, this novel aptly furnishes the hypocrisy of human beings veiled under the religious practices by taking cues from ancient Hindu philosophies but at the same time, delivers a message in the form of a gripping tale which is universal in nature that sometimes good and bad or right and wrong is not defined by the scriptures and certain things are bound to be honored in isolation without allocating any concrete conclusions to them. A.K. Ramanujan in his afterword intricately summarise the whole book and delicately delivers by way of his brilliant translation, a novel which defies the cultural boundaries and should be read by one and all.

[Himanshu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Your idea that only men of 'Goodness' can reach salvation, isn't that only a form of hopelessness? Doesn't it mean the disappointment of a human hope, desiring a thing and not getting it? In men of 'Darkness' there's no desire of salvation in the first place. How can such clods feel disappointed by not getting what they don't want? No one can say, 'I'll become a "Man of Goodness"'; one can only say truly 'I am a "Man of Goodness"'. Only such natures crave and hunger for the Lord's grace.

I came to know when I read the first paragraph of the translator's note that it was first published in 1965, but then when I turned the last page, I was perplexed. I had to flip to the first page again to reaffirm the publication date because I just couldn't believe it. You see because in India, time hasn't really tick-tocked normally in the past 70-80 years, it has actually raced through the whole societal landscape as far as its belief system is concerned. In such small span of time we have largely overcome centuries long customs, prejudices and superstitions which were once considered imperative to live a good life but are rightly discarded now for being regressive and parochial. Though the extent of this is still debatable in large sections. What Ananthamurthy has done is, with this small piece, he has not only systematically mocked many of the traditional and religious prejudices but has cracked that rigid system to the core and carved a path of Samskara for the most righteous man of a proverbial ancient village. This coming undone of the epitome of a Hindu Brahmin was particularly interesting to follow because the author chose to not dwell into the conclusion of whether it was right or wrong. Neither does it compels the reader to go in that direction. Seldom do we find such freedom.

A man dies in a small village of an ancient elite social class. Not an ordinary man, a mutinous, thorn-in-the-bush, rotten-apple-in-the-basket kind of a man. The dilemma is to commence his funeral because he wasn't excommunicated from the caste when the time was right and now the tradition compels others to carry out his samskara(the ending rituals). But who dares put his hands in the filth and be marred forever to be the one who put holy fire to such a man. This leads them to their crusader whose word is to be final. But this crusader not knowing the solution himself, looks for the correct path from the Gods and the Holy books which puts him on a journey that upheavals his life. Quite often in the middle I was reminded of Garcia Márquez's Chronicle of a Death Foretold and Hermann Hesse's Sidhartha. No, in no way is this work even remotely related to either of them, but it really did. Maybe I'm crazy. Let's not dwell into that.

Samskara, a Sanskrit word, in many ways is the perfect title for this amazing book. Its many meanings(wiki it if you will) are given their due importance and it sits at the back of your mind as a motif of this little affecting journey. Strongly recommended.

[Ashish Iyer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Samskara is a work that rejects Indian traditions and bound by French existentialism. Disappointing read to be honest. Felt dry textbook translation. Maybe i was expecting more from this book but story can't be justify within 136 pages. Even i felt that author didn't read Dharmasastra. The main protagonist Praneshacharya who studied 12 years in Kashi was looking so helpless in this story. Even if the author had done his research by reading Dharmasastra before writing this book he wouldn't make this character more incapacitated. Anyway i don't want to say much, otherwise everyone will start commenting here for having different a view.

Anyway U.R. Ananthamurthy was my 10th Kannada writer. Being a non Kannada reader, I am really enjoying Kannada literature. I will keep exploring Kannada books.

[Daniela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samskara, written in Kanada language, is set at the crossroads of Indian history, around the time of India’s struggle for independence. A Brahmin village is in uproar because one of their members just died and they don’t know what to do with the body. Naranappa, a bit of a heretic, cavorting with Muslims and lower caste women, might not be fit to receive the appropriate rituals. The decision falls upon the leader of this community, Praneshacharaya, who spends hours studying sacred texts in order to find a solution to this dilemma while Naranappa’s body decays in the heat.

The book is much more about Praneshacharaya, the wise, pious leader of this community, whose life and ideals are upended by his inability to make a decision. The book is almost a coming of age story for Praneshacharaya, who, by leaving his village, traveling and meeting other people, realises his own fragilities and the impossibility of applying clear rules to real life problems. The book is also about a dying social organisation that is becoming less and less relevant as the tide of modernity comes barging in. A wonderfully humane book, I heartily recommend.

[Ina Cawl · Rating 5 out of 5]

what choice will u make if your belief system or faith cannot answer for your daily problem?
will u discard your faith and think rationally to solve your problem or will you faithfully return to your holy text in order to find answers for your problems.
longer review to come

[Shanmugam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Problem is not with the book, translator is not entirely at fault here either, it is just that I am not part of the targeted audience. I might not know the Kannada language, but I am not an alien to the setting - where this story takes place. The place is only a few hundred miles away. We, South Indians, share same customs, caste intricacies, religion and beliefs to a greater extent.

Instead of bringing forth a missed out experience, this dry, textbook translation only glares with a lose of eloquence and subtlety, which the modernist U.R. Ananthamurthy might have crafted in the original version. Read out this sample, “…appearing suddenly like a bear let loose in the middle of a service for Shiva.” I believe every South Indian language has a catchy phrase for this metaphor, in just a couple of words. Whatever the chuckle and style you feel in the original language is irrevocably lost in this literal dry translation.

“;plump fleshy thighs, buttocks, breasts.”
Seriously? Even those cheap pocket size crime novels have better sensual descriptions. The only good part about this book is, it is just 143 pages cover to cover. Sums up the experience!

[Vivek Balasubramaniam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was lost in the final 30 pages of this book. Not sure what the author was trying to say about the confusion Praneshwaracharya was having. And middle of the book, the characters in agraharam are gone. I understand there is a subtle poke at the religious hypocrisy of the folks in the agrahara, and Praneshwaracharya's own belief systems and ideas. But I am not sure of the bottomline. The book ends open ended, but its far too open for me to make a conclusion.

[Nayaz Riyazulla · Rating 3 out of 5]

ಮರು ಓದು - 2

ಕಥನ ಕಲೆಗಾರಿಗೆಯ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಜಕ್ಕೂ ಈ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಕ್ಲಾಸಿಕ್.. ಕಥೆಯ ಸಂಯೋಜನೆ, ಪಾತ್ರಗಳ ರಚನೆಯ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಯಿಂದಲೂ ಇದು ಘನ ಕೃತಿಯೇ. ಆದರೂ ಈ ಕೃತಿಯ Thought process ತೀರಾ Biased.

ನಾನೊಮ್ಮೆ ಕಸ್ತೂರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಬಂದ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರದ ಮೇಲಿನ ವಿಮರ್ಶೆಯೊಂದನ್ನು ಓದಿದ್ದೆ, ಅದರಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾದಂಬರಿಯ ಮುಖ್ಯ ಸಮಸ್ಯೆಯಾದ ನಾರಾಣಪ್ಪನ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಹಿಂದೂ ಧರ್ಮದಲ್ಲಿ ಸುಲಭ ಪರಿಹಾರವಿದೆ ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು ಸವಿವರವಾಗಿ ವಿವರಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಹೀಗಿದ್ದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾದಂಬರಿಯ ಸತ್ವವೇ ದುರ್ಬಲವಾಗುತ್ತದೆ.

ಆದರೂ ಉದಾಸೀನ ಮಾಡದೇ ಒಮ್ಮೆಯಾದರೂ ಓದಲೇಬೇಕಾದ ಕೃತಿ,

[Anjana Balakrishnan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Made me want to learn Kannada and read the original text. I understand Kannada and I thought the translation didn't do justice to the original.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

So wow. Just wow. Words fail.

[Atharv G. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good messages and discussions on caste, purity, and personal responsibility, (except perhaps when it came to women), but I didn't really enjoy the reading experience.

[Gorab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Samskara by U. R. Ananthamurthy
Kannada to Hindi translation by Chandrakanth Kusnoor

Naranappa, a Brahmin by birth, indulges in worldly pleasures (flesh, alcohol, polygamy, mingling with non-Brahmins) and abandons the Brahmin way of life. The story begins with his death.
He had no kids. And no other Brahmin is ready to perform his funeral rites, afraid of accumulating sin by even touching this sinful Brahmin.
Unless the funeral is performed, no Brahmin is allowed to eat even a morsel of food.

Praneshacharya, the most respectful Brahmin of this community, is entrusted to guide the way out. As per Praneshacharya's knowledge from the scriptures, even though Naranappa had abandoned Brahminhood, Brahminhood had not abandoned him. And hence the funeral rites must be performed by the Brahmin community.

Will they figure a way out?

With this premise starts the journey of contemplating the righteous path, introspection on identity.
All customs, rituals and beliefs are being questioned.
The religious framework and its belief system starts tilting towards greed and lust, and tries to justify these acts with some logic!

Totally loved reading this. Though it takes a dig at Brahminism by showing it in poor light, still enjoyed the plotline where these circumstances were created.

Still pondering:
In most Kannada literature to Hindi translations, I have observed the usage of the word कन्नड़ (Kannad) as against कन्नड़ा (Kannada) - Which is a topic of contention among the native speakers.
Wondering why none of the translators, all over India, in so many different works, could get it right?
Exercise for you - try writing कन्नड़ा in Hindi script using Google translate!

[Shefali Mehta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Now I do get that the focal point for the author was decaying brahminism, but I find it sort of morbid that all women characters in the novel are either dismissed by other male characters as dead fish or seen as so "ripe" that a man wouldn't be responsible for acting on his sexual impulse. The epidemic theme could have been elaborated, but the author plays out the whole tension of the novel through the protagonist's sexuality. So while sex is seen as an affirmation of life, and the path for spiritual completion, the flip side is that women in the novel appear only in their capacity to be sexually available for men. This is why the author passes off stray acts of molestation and indifference to the woman's refusal for sex in the banner of his celebration of sexuality.

Other than that, the psychological realism in the novel is quite commendable.

[Mike Elder · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too hard to follow.

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is another book I learned about from a book blogger. The blurb on the back of the New York Review of Books reprint I read (obtained from the library) claims it is an acknowledged masterpiece of modern world literature.

For me, it was another book about the problem of burying a dead body, as in As I Lay Dying by Faulkner. In this case, a small South Indian town populated mainly by Brahmins (the highest caste in Hinduism, from which Hindu priests are drawn) is thrown into chaos by the death of an inhabitant who is looked upon as a renegade. Should he be buried as a Brahmin or not?

The characters resemble what I suppose one would find in any small town. When agreement cannot be reached, they turn to the most devout priest for an answer. He is hard pressed to decide.

Though the life, customs, and religion are somewhat foreign to me except for what I have learned in books, I enjoyed the story. As the body festers, as all the Brahmins must fast until the burial is accomplished, as a plague creeps into the village, the priest and many of the other characters including some of the women, are forced to examine their lives and beliefs in order to find the answer.

[Karthik · Rating 4 out of 5]

ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ
-----
ಮನುಷ್ಯ ಬದಲಾವಣೆಗಾಗಿ ಹಂಬಲಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ.ನಿತ್ಯವೂ ಮಾಡುವ ಕಾರ್ಯಗಳೂ ಒಂದು ಘಳಿಗೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ತೀರಾ ಸಪ್ಪೆ ಎನಿಸಿ ಬಂಧನದಿಂದ ತಪ್ಪಿಸಿಕೊಂಡು ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಗಾಗಿ ಹಪಹಪಿಸುತ್ತಾನೆ.ಹೀಗೆ ಯಾವುದೋ ಬಂಧನದಿಂದ ಹೊರಬಂದರೂ ಅದರ ಸೆಳೆತ ಸುಪ್ತವಾಗಿ ಮನದೊಳಗೆ ಬೆಚ್ಚಗೆ ಅಡಗಿರುತ್ತದೆ.ಸರಿಯಾದ ಸಂದರ್ಭ ಅಥವಾ ಮೂಹೂರ್ತಕ್ಕಾಗಿ ಹೊಂಚು ಹಾಕುತ್ತಾ, ಮತ್ತೆ ಪ್ರಕಟವಾಗಲು ತುದಿಗಾಲಲ್ಲಿ ನಿಂತಿರುತ್ತದೆ.

ಯು ಆರ್ ಅನಂತಮೂರ್ತಿ ಅವರ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ ಇದೇ ಎಳೆಯ ಮೇಲೆ ರಚಿಸಲ್ಪಟ್ಟ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ.ಅಗ್ರಹಾರದಲ್ಲಿ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣತ್ವವನ್ನು ತ್ಯಜಿಸಿದ ನಾರಣಪ್ಪನ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರವಾಗದ ಶವವಿದೆ, ಹಾದಿ ತಪ್ಪಿದ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣನಾದ್ದರಿಂದ ಆತನ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ ಮಾಡಲು ಉಳಿದ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣರು ತಯಾರಿಲ್ಲ, ಈ ಸಂಧಿಗ್ಧ ಪರಿಸ್ಥಿತಿಯನ್ನು ನಿಭಾಯಿಸುವ ಭರದಲ್ಲಿ ವೇದಾಂತ ಶಿರೋಮಣಿ ಪ್ರಾಣೇಶಾಚಾರ್ಯರು ನ್ಯಾಯ ನೀಡುವ ಅರ್ಹತೆಯನ್ನೆ ಕಳೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತಾರೆ, ಇದಕ್ಕೆಲ್ಲ ಮುಕುತವಿಟ್ಟಂತೆ ಊರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಪ್ಲೇಗ್ ಕಾಣಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳುತ್ತದೆ.ಇಂತಹ background ನಲ್ಲಿ ಸಾಗುವ ಕಥೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಆಸೆಯಿದೆ,ಪ್ರೀತಿಯಿದೆ,ನಿರಾಕಾರ ಭಾವವಿದೆ,ಮೋಹವಿದೆ, ಸ್ನೇಹವಿದೆ, ಕಾಮವಿದೆ.

ಅಂತರರಾಷ್ಟ್ರೀಯ ಮಟ್ಟದಲ್ಲೂ ಬಹಳಷ್ಟು ಚರ್ಚೆಗೆ ಒಳಗಾದ ಕೃತಿ ಯು.ಆರ್‌. ಅನಂತಮೂರ್ತಿ ಅವರ ’ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ’. 2015ನೇ ಇಸವಿಗೆ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಐವತ್ತು ವರ್ಷಗಳನ್ನು ಪೂರೈಸಿದೆ.

ನೊಬೆಲ್ ಪ್ರಶಸ್ತಿ ಪುರಸ್ಕೃತ ಲೇಖಕ ವಿ.ಎಸ್. ನೈಪಾಲ್‌, ’ಪ್ರಜ್ಞಾಪೂರ್ವಕವಾಗಿಯೋ ಅಪ್ರಜ್ಞಾಪೂರ್ವಕವಾಗಿಯೋ ಅನಂತಮೂರ್ತಿ ಒಂದು ಬರ್ಬರ ನಾಗರಿಕತೆಯನ್ನು ಚಿತ್ರಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ’ ಎಂದು ಗ್ರಹಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಮನೋವಿಜ್ಞಾನಿ ಎರಿಕ್‌ ಎರಿಕ್ಸನ್ ’ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ’ ಸಿನಿಮಾ ನೋಡಿ ’ಇದು ಕಾಮದ ಅನುಭವ ಪಡೆಯದೆ ವೃದ್ಧನಾಗುವ ಆತಂಕವನ್ನು ಹೇಳುವ ಕತೆ ಎಂದು ವ್ಯಾಖ್ಯಾನಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.

- ಕಾರ್ತಿಕ್ ಕೃಷ್ಣ

[Preetam Chatterjee · Rating 5 out of 5]

All grand works of literature are in a sense, a roundabout autobiography and ‘Samskara’ is no exception to this rule. The author's own rearing in a conventional Brahmin family in an ‘agrahara’ in a village near Thirthahalli town in Karnataka provides the backdrop for his novel.

Coming under the sway of the great Kannada writers, Murthy developed a critical acumen to voice forth his protest as a 'critical insider'. Also, Murthy had come under the influence of indigenous and Sanskrit classical traditions, folk tradition and the impact of western education.

The existential states of discontent, seclusion and purposelessness have received sufficient notice in the literature of the West. Doyens such as Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Bergson, Heidegger, Proust, Camus, Sartre and Beckett are the advocates and followers of the existential viewpoint. Insightful people, world over, have expressed their solemn concern about the ill-fated spiritual quandary of the modern man.

Man's internal problems have been exposed in substantial detail in modern literature, more so in fiction. No emotional predicament is more intimidating today than the existential one. The ethical bewilderment of modern Indians who live on an impromptu basis and follow a dual code of conduct is alarming.

In the above sense, ‘Samskara’ is a complicated novel. It begins manifestly enough, with the Brahmins of a renowned ‘agrahara’ facing a hard choice. If they bury a dead Brahmin degenerate, they avoid the sin of leaving him untended (and can get on with eating and the rest of their routine lives); but if he is considered absolutely degenerate and no longer "truly" Brahmin because of his many sins of word and deed, they completely pollute themselves through contact, as they also do if they allow a true Brahmin to be buried by anyone else; aggravating their impasse is that word of a mistake in such a matter would ruin their reputation as an especially holy, high settlement, a reputation based on the presence of Praneshacharya, winner of fifteen prize scarves in religious debates.

This crisis is convoluted by the following sequence of disasters that ensue while Pranesh is stymied: --

a) He contends with his long-standing rivalry with the victim, Naranappa, who turns out to have died from a plague which begins to spread in the village;

b) He makes love after a day of fruitless fasting and prayer with the dead man's lover, a beautiful former prostitute;

c) He leaves the village after cremating his ailing wife and commits a series of ritual offenses while he is on the road having a crisis of spiritual individuality

His orderly, stationary and steady world goes all to hell, and the novel ends before any "answer" can be dramatized, leaving us to deal somehow with how methodically each turn of the novel ripples out both into the plot of ‘Tradition’ and the plot of ‘Modernity’.

‘Samskara’ is also a fascinating reading of man-woman relationship. A close examination of the text reveals that the novel is conceived in the quest pattern where the outer quest of the protagonist for consequential relationships is an indication of his inherent pursuit for self. This pursuit for self is undertaken for the archetypical woman.

The theme of quest is age old as ‘Moth's quest for the star’, ‘the legend of the Holy Grail’ or of ‘Endymion’. It is here manifested as a quest for self through the experiential

In Samskara, Praneshacharya is the main protagonist who is forced to undertake a journey to discover his newly evolved self in the Campbellian mode. Praneshacharya had been a student of Sanskrit in Kashi and he always cherished the ideal of an ascetic.
One day his class mate Mahabala disappeared from the class.


Later on Praneshacharya found him in the company of a prostitute in the streets of Kashi. The Acharya recalled that event: "I was startled, I shivered in fear... Then my heart hardened to stone. I came away with a vow: I will not go the way of the fallen Mahabala…..

Here we have the first clue to Acharya's psychological roblem of indecision. His disappointment with Mahabala sticks to him aking him fall for the route to asceticism. He deliberately marries an invalid woman…. "By marrying an invalid, I get ripe and ready."(p. 2)

Finally, a word on the erotic elements in ‘Samskara’…

Eroticism forms an essential element of the framework of the novel. Like the myths of Parasara, Visvamitra connecting the human and the divine, splendour and holiness, erotic and austere, the erotic elements in the novel indicate the transcending power of love though it is labelled as lust (Kama).

Love is a regenerative code. That is why it has been glorified in Hindu myths, epics, art and sculpture. The detrimental containment of libido is unwarranted.

The agrahara Brahmins lead a desolate life controlling their impulse of love/lust by their rituals and diet habits which in keeping with Murthy are life denying. It is in opposition to the standard of Eros. As Freud has suggested that we should not have love in the wrong niche of our psyche.

The androgynous nature of Lord Shiva and Parvathi is a pointer to this. The unwanted restraint of the libido through Brahmin inhibitions makes Naranappa become a reprobate. He is not able to swallow the argument of enjoying erotic descriptions in epics and puranas but not let to enjoy them in real life.

In dealing with his erotic constituent, Murthy has made a tight-rope walking by giving an edified creative handling. His protagonist becomes redeemed by the excelling power of the libido.

A classic!!

[James Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting novel. I liked it a lot, even if I couldn't fully appreciate the tangled webs of Brahminism, the Indian caste system generally, or the many tiers of the Vedic religion. The "Introduction" and "Afterword" of the translator A. K. Ramanujan helped a lot. He also provides notes, but I thought them too specific to ritual and myth rather than helping to explain the interplay of characters and motives.

The translator's notes and explanations along with an interview with the author help a western reader to enter and enjoy the story, even if they don't completely close the cultural gap. It's a religious novel. A Brahmin has died, but he was one who for years had flouted the rules by such acts as eating meat, drinking alcohol, and living with a low-caste woman. It falls on Praneshacharya, the unofficial head of this Brahmin community in southern India to decide if the body's to be cremated as a Brahmin. The controversy splits the community, providing part of the story, but the larger narrative is the emotional and spiritual passage of Praneshacharya himself as he metamorphoses from devoted Brahmin to outlaw like Naranappa, the deceased. The agent of change is the concubine Chandri who occupies the space equidistant between the devout living and the profane dead. As I say, it's an interesting novel.

[Sairam Krishnan · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novella’s pace is almost electric, as the events that flow from the starting, startling event gather pace and just keep going. Samskara’s story, structure, and masterful use of allegory are mesmerising, and the afterword, as well as the author interview in the Oxford Perennial edition, are incredibly helpful. Glad than a book of this importance in the Indian literary canon is receiving the care it is due.

[Aadharsha Kundapura · Rating 4 out of 5]

ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ:
ಯಾವುದು ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ? ಉತ್ತಮ ಪಾಲನೆ, ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿ, ಮೌಲ್ಯ ವ್ಯವಸ್ಥೆಯೇ? ಹೌದು ಆದರೇ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ನಾರಯಣ್ಣಪ್ಪನ ಶವ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರಕ್ಕೆ ಅಡ್ಡಬಂದ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ ಯಾವುದು?.

ಅದೊಂದು ಅಗ್ರಹಾರ, ಅಲ್ಲಿ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರಕ್ಕೇನು ಕೊರತೆ ಇದ್ದಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ಯಾಕೆಂದರೆ ಅದೊಂದು ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣ ಅಗ್ರಹಾರ. ದಿನ ನಿತ್ಯ ಪೂಜೆ ಪುನಸ್ಕಾರ, ಮಂತ್ರಗಳು, ಹೋಮ ಹವನಗಳು, ಮಡಿವಂತಿಕೆ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಇತ್ತು. ಆದರೆ ನಾರಯಣಪ್ಪ ಎಲ್ಲವನ್ನು ದಿಕ್ಕರಿಸಿ ಸಾರಾಯಿ ಕುಡಿಯಲು ಶುರುಮಾಡಿದ, ಮಾಂಸಹಾರ ಸೇವಿಸಿದ, ಸಾಲದಕ್ಕೆ ಸೂಳೆಯನ್ನು ಮನೆಯಲ್ಲಿಟ್ಟುಕೊಂಡ. ಬಹಿಷ್ಕಾರ ಹಾಕಲು ಹೊರಟರೆ, ಬಹಿಷ್ಕರಿಸುವವರನ್ನು ಕಂಬಕ್ಕೆ ಕಟ್ಟಿ ಗೋ ಮಾಂಸವನ್ನು ಬಾಯಿಗೆ ತುರುಕುವೆನು ಎಂದು ಬೆದರಿಸಿದ. ತನ್ನ ಜೀವನವನ್ನು ಸುಖವಾಗಿ ಕಳೆಯಲು ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಕಟ್ಟುಪಾಡುಗಳನ್ನು ಮುರಿದು ಜೀವನ ಸಾಗಿಸಿದ.

‌ ‌‌‌ ದುರದೃಷ್ಟವಶಾತ್ ನಾರಯಣಪ್ಪ ಸತ್ತು ಹೋಗುತ್ತಾನೆ. ಇಡೀ ಅಗ್ರಹಾದವರಾರೂ ಅಂತಹ ನೀಚನ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ ಮಾಡುವುದಿಲ್ಲವೆಂದಿತು. ಕೊನೆಗೆ ಅವನ ಆಸ್ತಿ, ಬಂಗಾರ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ ಮಾಡಿದವರಿಗೆ ದಕ್ಕುತ್ತದೆ ಎಂದಾಗ "ನಾರಯಣಪ್ಪ ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣ್ಯ ಬಿಟ್ಟರು ಬ್ರಾಹ್ಮಣ್ಯ ಅವನನ್ನು ಬಿಟ್ಟಿಲ್ಲ" ವೆಂದು ನಾ ಮುಂದು ತಾ ಮುಂದು ಎಂದು ಅವನ ಅಂತಿಮ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ ಮಾಡಲು ಸಿದ್ಧರಾಗುತ್ತಾರೆ. ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ ಮನುಷ್ಯನಿಗೋ, ಅಥವಾ ಅವನು ತೊರೆದ ಐಶ್ವರ್ಯಕ್ಕೊ? ಇದೆಂತಹ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ.
‌‌ ಏನೇ ಇರಲಿ ಅವನ ಶವ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರದ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗೆ ವೇದ, ಧ್ರರ್ಮಶಾಸ್ತ್ರ ಶಿರೋಮಣಿ ಪ್ರಾಣೇಶಾಚಾರ್ಯರಲ್ಲು ಉತ್ತರವಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ. ರಾತ್ರಿ ಇಡೀ ಮನುಸ್ಮೃತಿ, ತಾಳೆಗರಿ ಶಾಸನಗಳನೆಲ್ಲ ತಡಕಾಡಿದ್ದೆ ಆಯಿತು. ಉ್ಹ ಊ್ಹ. ಉತ್ತರ ದೊರಯಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲ. ಒಂದು ಕ್ಷಣಕ್ಕೆ ಸ್ವತಃ ತಾನೊಬ್ಬ ದಡ್ಡ ಶಿಕಾಮಣಿಯೇ ಎಂದು ಅವರಿಗೆ ಅನ್ನಿಸಿದ್ದೂ ಹೌದು.

ನಾರಾಯಣಪ್ಪನ ಸಾವು ದೊಡ್ಡದೊಂದು ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಯಾಗಿಯೇ ಉಳಿಯಿತು. ದೇಹ ಕೊಳೆತು ನಾರುತ್ತಿದ್ದರು ಅವನ ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರದ ಪ್ರಶ್ನೆಗೆ ಉತ್ತರ ದೊರೆಯದಾಯಿತು. ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರದ ಕಟ್ಟಳೆಗೆ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿ ಬಿದ್ದ ಎಲ್ಲರ ರಸರಹಿತ, ಖುಷಿರಹಿತ ಸಪ್ಪೆ ಜೀವನದಲ್ಲೇನಿದೆ. ಎಲ್ಲರೂ ಬಹಿರಂಗವಾಗಿಮಾಡದಿದ್ದರು ಪ್ರಪಂಚದ ಕಣ್ಣಿಗೆ ಗೋಚರಿಸದ ಹಾಗೆ ಮಾಡಿದ ಅಸಂಸ್ಕಾರವೆಷ್ಟೋ.
ಮೋಹ, ಕಾಮ, ಆಸೆಗಳನ್ನು ಮನುಷ್ಯನಾದವನು ಎಷ್ಟಂತ ದೂರವಿಟ್ಟಾನು. ಇವನು ದೂರವಿಟ್ಟರು ಅವುಗಳು ಬಿಡಬೇಕೆ. ನಾರಯಣಪ್ಪ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದು ಅದೇ, ಆದರೆ ತಪ್ಪೆಂದರೆ ಬಹಿರಂಗವಾಗಿ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದು.

ನಾರಾಯಣಪ್ಪನ ಸಾವು ಹೇಗೆ ಅಗ್ರಹಾರದ ಅವನತಿಗೆ ಕಾರಣವಾಗುವುದು. ಸಂಸ್ಕೃತಿಯ ಅಳಿವಿಗೆ ಹೇಗೆ ಕಾರಣವಾಗುವುದು. ಇದೇ ಈ ಕಾದಂಬರಿಯ ಕಥಾವಸ್ತು.
ಸ್ವಲ್ಪ ಚರ್ಚೆಗಳಿಗೊಳಗಾದ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಅರವತ್ತರ ದಶಕದ ಜನಜೀವನವನ್ನು ಚಿತ್ರಿಸುತ್ತದೆ.

ಸಂಸ್ಕಾರ
🖊ಯು. ಆರ್. ಅನಂತಮೂರ್ತಿ

[Chandana Kuruganty · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I must tell him: Only the form we forge for ourselves in our inmost will is ours without question."

I started to read this book with a perception of mere anti-brahminical story set in early 20th century. By the end, I did seem to realize the allegorical value of characters, background which critically challenge discriminating ideology and staunch orthodoxy alike. Very powerful writing, providing depth in characters by talking on topics of taboo- caste, religion, purity and pollution perception, sexuality are what made me like this book.

In the afterword of the translated work, the author says " He ( the translator) tried to write English like English man." I am left to wonder, if there were more takeaways in the novel's kannada version. Phenomenal Read 😄

[Satwik · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sanskar is a small, controversial book from 1965 by Anant Murty. It has a very simple story, but it becomes interesting because of the prevalent societal norms and the expectations placed on an individual by the Brahminical hegemony. It showcases how caste shaped a person’s identity in those times and seeks to break Brahminical orthodoxy, ritualism, and moral rigidity.

[Anupam Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Made me regret not touching regional literature until now.

[Ero · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tried to read this a few years back and got stuck on cultural confusion (not knowing what the basic plot elements are about, can really make a novel tough going) and gave up a third of the way through. On this reading I found it somewhat easier, and by the halfway point was thoroughly hooked. I've also been reading Joseph Campbell, so I was very aware of some of the classic elements in this story: the unison with the opposite, the crossing of the threshold, the return to the community.

The main character's feelings of confusion and alienation were enough to thoroughly upset and disorient me as I was reading it; walking home from work, I got very upset by trash on the sidewalk in front of my home and thought guiltily, this is because I'm neglecting my role as caretaker. What have I done with my life? Then I realized I'd internalized the chaos in the book. It took a half hour or so after I put it down to come back to normal.

Despite taking place in a place and time very foreign to my experience (an exclusive and strict Brahmin village in 1930s India, as opposed to my life in middle-class urban secular North America), I found this a very universal book, with deep resonance beyond its place and time. This is essentially an allegory about learning to follow a truer path than the one we'd thought necessary to follow, which seems to be a conversation we should never stop having with each other as human beings.

[Adiba · Rating 2 out of 5]

Okay, so I'm not exactly sure what to think of this book. Was it interesting? Yeah maybe at some parts. I like how allegorical the ideas behind the materialistic things were. I like how they portrayed the importance of "sanskar" through the calamities faced. However, the ending was really annoying and some parts of the book, like how everyone's fighting over gold and allowing the body to rot! There were many parts in the books that I understood and that I didn't and parts that I did was mainly because i grew up in a society where the essence of such culture existed. Regardless of what religious background you come from, this idea of obsessing over materialism is very evident. The competition of who owns how much and the disgusting nature of people where they destroy everything because of their desire. I hated the ending though. I was looking forward to what happened to acharya, was he going to Chandri or what! But anyway.

Come to think of it, I might like it. It's a lot to do with the morals one has and how much one should have in society. Oh well. on to the next book.

[Shreyansh Thakur · Rating 1 out of 5]

Just avoid it.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Years go on, infection rates are undersold and over-normalized, and through it all, my relationship with the NYRB Classics imprint flows and ebbs, ever contingent on my personal priorities and the luck I have in my purchases. Several months back, I made the rare decision of treating myself to a drink drawn straight from the publication source, and, based on estimations of how much the quality of the work resembled the ideals of the imprint (when not being unabashedly andro + Eurocentric) and unlikely it would be for me to find a copy out in the wild (I'd been searching for this one for eight years already), this was one of the works I chose to acquire. Published more than 50 years ago, written in a language, Kannada, that is barely represented on my shelves beyond the contents of a few broad yet shallow anthologies and one other complete work, and deeply concerned with the premise of an age old faith confronting the onslaught of the future, it certainly fits the bill for any looking to expand their literary scope in a manner that acknowledges modern day conventions while drawing upon millennia old cultural reserves that currently inform the lives of around a billion adherents. As the afterword states, it's not a text addressed to a "Westerner" such as myself, so it was rather inevitable that my overall reception of the text be part admiring, part lukewarm, and, if in small amounts, part critical. So, I can acknowledge the worth when strictly adhering to the definition of a religion-centered allegory, but my reading is predicated on more than such, and so my evaluation follows.

When it comes to allegory, certain excuses are made with regards to convenient coincidences of plot, simplification of character, and extended meditations and/or digressions on topics that can sometimes have the bare minimum of relevance to the overall narratological infrastructure. So, if you're coming to this looking to know more about Brahminism, Hinduism, and what happens when a two thousand year old social hierarchy meets the dominance of a foreign power in the early 20th c., you'll certainly get much to chew over within the scope of less than 200 pages. As for me, I'm a tad more concerned with the whole "modernity" level of things when it comes to faith based social systems, especially when it comes to the real life persons who have been marked for perhaps not quite pure human sacrifice, but certainly serve a purpose of a "social outlet" through conscious marginalization based on deeply respected texts and other cultural theories that seek to make sense of the world based on what is of worth and what is not. So, we have the much respected top of the caste system male figure on one hand, the pure bottom of the cast system female figure on the other, and a writing style that chooses to allow the first to question the seemingly unquestionable and confine the second to base instinctual reactions that modulate the narrative as is necessary. Hardly unexpected, but still uneven, and while I imagine public condemnation stemming from certain status quo sectors would have been much fiercer had Ananthamurthy gone even further in his humanization (the film of the piece was banned at least once without any stated reason), if Ismat Chughtai can defend herself against obscenity charges for queer themes in a short story in 1944, I would hope that a work published nearly 20 years later by a man could at least grant a cishet woman sex worker some measure of character definition. Course, would NYRB Classics have gone as far as in acquiring this for its self-congratulatory collection were such the case? Unresolved upon unresolved, and as this commentary is free labor upon my part, I'll go ahead and cut it off there.

In terms of my overall reading, this is a work that does what it needs to do in a way that I appreciate but don't entirely like on an instinctive level. Still, if the majority of the works that the NYRB Classics has and continues to build up its catalogue with looked a lot more like this in terms of international scope and publication intrepidity and less like hipster mania, it would be all the better for it. I acknowledge the need for marketability and target audience and all that jazz, but such is what is likely to prevent me from ever committing to a publishing subscription of any sort, as the longer period of time and effort I spend in picking through what comes to me in a less exorbitant if more chaotic fashion is rewarded ten fold when a book fits exactly to my specified needs. So, while this work didn't prove an absolute favorite, it's also not something I can imagine myself stumbling across even if I gave it another three, five years, so I'm glad I indulged when it proved practical to do so. As for whether you, reader, should read this, it's not something I'd recommend without some knowledge of the context of both the history and the faith system, else even the 30 pages of supplemental material for 120 pages of actual text isn't going to do you much good. Information moves faster than ever these days, but issues of access and respect loom as infuriatingly large as ever. This is one of those pieces that make such clear in an unavoidable sense, so I would advise you take it on only if you're honestly willing to engage, rather than exoticize.

P.S. It seems the 1970's film adaptation for this is, leastwise of 1/23/22, available in its entirety for free on YouTube, for whomever is into that sort of thing.

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novella that takes the reader to various aspects built around death. Touching and thought provoking book. Translation by the eminent translator, poet and teacher is added to the flavour bof reading experience.

[Himanshu Rai · Rating 4 out of 5]

U.R. Ananthamurthy’s Kannada novel Samskara is a powerful critique of Brahmin orthodoxy and religious hypocrisy. Set in a Brahmin settlement (agrahara) in Karnataka during the 1930s–40s, era of social reform and growing Western influence. The story begins with the death of Naranappa — a Brahmin who defied tradition by living with a Dalit woman, eating meat, and questioning rituals. His death causes a crisis: who will perform the last rites for someone seen as “impure”?

The novel questions the meaning of religion, rituals, and the authority of scriptures. It reveals the greed, moral weakness, and inner turmoil of all characters, and hypocrisy to hide the moral bankruptcy. Through them, the novel challenges the spiritual emptiness behind rigid traditions. Samskara is considered revolutionary for its bold questioning of Brahmanism, superstition, and caste, raising deep questions about what it means to be religious, moral, or free.

Reading this is a reminder of the historical injustices of the caste system and its lingering effects. The story's stark portrayal of human suffering and social injustice has made it a classic, prompting critical reflection on societal norms and the treatment of the vulnerable.

[Prof. Mohamed Shareef · Rating 3 out of 5]

Paper on the Novel 'Samskara'
The Quest after Divinity:
Praneshacharya and Putta in
‘Samkara’



I. Introduction.

U.R. Anantha Murthty’s ‘Samskara’ was first published in 1965 and it was made into a film in 1970. Since then, it had created a lot of controversy in academic and
non-academic circles. The theme of the novel is the story of a decaying brahmin agrahara in the old Konkan region.

The title of the novel ‘Samskara’ has different meanings. According to ‘A Kannada- English Dictionary’ by Reverent F. Kittel, the word ‘Samskara’ has the Following nine possible meanings:

1. Forming well or thoroughly, making perfect, perfecting; finishing refining,
refinement,accomplishment.
2. Forming in the mind, conception, idea, notion; the power of memory,
faculty of recollection, the realizing of past perceptions.
3. Preparation, making ready, preparation of food etc., cooking, dressing...
4. Making sacred, hallowing..
5. Consecration, consecration of a king, dedication etc.
6. Making pure, purification, purity.
7. A sanctifying or purificatory rite or essential ceremony (enjoyned on all the first
three classes or castes).
8. Any rite or ceremony.

Funeral obsequies.



Interestingly enough, the novel incorporates most of the meanings of the word ‘Samskara’ in its scope and content. According to A.K. Ramanujan, who translated the novel into English, the title refers to a concept central to Hinduism. The sub-title of his translation, ‘A Rite for a Dead Man’ , is the most concrete of these many concentric senses that spread through the work.

The central theme of the novel is the death of Naranappa and the complications connected with the issue of his burial. Naranappa was an anti-Brahminical Brahmin who spent all his life in defying Brahmin beliefs and lifestyles. He brought a lower-caste prostitute to the agarahara and lived with her in his house. He even invited Muslim friends to the agrahara and openly consumed alcohol and non-vegetarian food so as to insult the other Brahmins.

When Naranappa died, his burial became a complicated issue. The Brahmins did not want to do the last rites of Naranappa because they were afraid that the guru at Shringeri might excommunicate them for burying a heretic. At the same time, they wanted the burial to be over as soon as possible because they were not even permitted to eat or drink anything while a Brahmin corpse awaited cremation in the agrahara. Finally they left the issue to Paneshchaarya who was the head of the village.

Praneshacharya searched all the holy books to find a solution to this problem. Chandri, the concubine of Naranappa, submitted all her jewels at the feet of Praneshacharya to meet the expenses of the burial rites. This act of Chandri further complicated the issue because all the Brahmins suddenly turned greedy on seeing such a large quantity of gold. Now they all wanted to do the rites so as to get the gold. Praneshacharya became afraid that the love of gold might corrupt the whole agrahara.

Pranesha charya couldn’t find a solution to the dialemma of the burial issue even after consulting Manu and other holy texts. So he went to the Hanuman temple and prayed for some divine direction. But the monkey-God refused to enlighten him in anyway. While he was returning from the Hanuman temple, Chandri tempted him in the darkness. He fell to the temptation and made love to her then and there.

The sexual relationship with Chandri totally transformed Praneshacharya. He felt that he no longer had any moral right to continue as the spiritual leader of the agrahara. So he refused to direct the Brahmins in the issue of the burial.

Chandri became desperate and she approached the lower caste people to do the burial. But they refused “to meddle with a Brahmin corpse even if she gave them all eight kinds of riches”. Finally she went to the Muslim section and pleaded to Ahmed Bari