Tatvamasi

by Sukumar Azhikode

This ebook is from DC Books, the leading publisher of books in Malayalam. DC Books' catalog primarily includes books in Malayalam literature, and also children's literature, poetry, reference, biography, self-help, yoga, management titles, and foreign translations.

Genres: Philosophy, Spirituality

632 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 1, 1984

About the author

Sukumar Azhikode (26 May 1926 – 24 January 2012) was an Indian writer, critic and orator, acknowledged for his contributions to Malayalam language and insights on Indian philosophy.He was a scholar in Sanskrit, Malayalam, and English languages

Reviews

[Dr. Appu Sasidharan (Dasfill) · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you ask me which was the five-star read that was toughest to read, my answer will be this book,

This is not a book for all. The author did a lot of research and reference to write it. We will get a deeper understanding of philosophy and Upanishads by reading it.

This is one of the books that took the longest for me to read. This might be a five-star read for me, but I m still trying to understand it fully with all its essence. It is because this is such a book which requires a lot of understanding and contemplation.
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[Jaise Joseph · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I should reduce the rating I have given to all other book by 1 star to match with this rating. This is one of the most precious piece of work I ever read in my life. In 352 page the author is giving a brief, according to his writing a very brief introduction to Upanishads. I am sad because the Author is no more alive to en-light many by his words and his writing but I a proud of him since he have transferred his enlightenment to the coming generation in all possible way he can. This book took away the prejudiced mind I had when I hear the name of Author

About the book
As I said before this is a very brief introduction of Upanishads and its teaching. I like to call this as a book which is pathfinder to reach the Eastern enlightenment period and teaching, to the zenith of internal enlightenment. This is not a book to read and leave but for continuous reading. Author choose each word very carefully so that no information will lose between words. End to end this book is packed with knowledge and trying to show the way to the ultimate path to achieve perfect happiness "bhramanandam". This book gave me an introduction to the Hindu Philosophy. He himself have given the reference to read more about it through the notes. I wonder how one can read that many book. He has given a list of 120+ book he referred for writing this book.

Though the language is bit tough it won't take away your interest in reading because of information packed in it. I suggest everyone should read this book.

[Vijay Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why Sukumar Azhikode Mash was born? To give many electrifying speeches? No, it was his mission to write this book Tathwamasi for Malayalees. I don't know how many times did I read this book. Each time my respect for Azhikode Mash multiplies. I read many books by him. This is his book. Many may not find it interesting, due to heaviness of the subject handled - Vedas & Upanishads. Veda means knowledge & Upanishads are philosophy. It is a solid reference book for knowledge seekers.

[Ahamed]

sadas

[Shajahan Shakka]

Good

[Anjana Asok · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hats off to his extent of citation

[OD · Rating 1 out of 5]

This 300-odd page book devotes its first 147 pages to an incredibly tedious "introduction" in which the author disses whole fields of scholarship regarding the Vedas and the Upanishads for sins as varied as finding similarities between Norse mythology and some Vedic stories, for believing that the horse of the Asvamedha is an actual horse as opposed to 'rays of light', and for believing that the Vedas are only 3500 years old. Problems with several commentaries on the Upanishads and the Vedas are discussed in nauseating detail, and very many Vedic verses quoted with no corresponding translation into Malayalam which wouldn't be a problem if only the book had not pretended to be a gentle introduction to the Upanishads, the first of its kind in Malayalam. I was briefly rewarded for plodding through this section on page 103 with a luminous translation of the Nasadiya sukta, but for that I am tempted to give full credit to the sukta itself and not to Dr. Azhikode. The nasadiya sukta is difficult to mangle.

In the second half of the book the author gets down to actually discussing the contents of the ten principal upanishads. So far I've covered only the chapters dealing with the Isavasya upanishad and the Kenopanishad. This section is definitely more of what I was hoping to get out of an introduction. Discussion of the actual upanishads and several important verses, brief asides into commentaries and expositions. I've taken to reading these chapters in conjunction with the relevant portion of 'The Principal Upanishads' by Radhakrishnan. This is proving to be fun, but only because I'm able to get some sense of some of the prettier verses in the original language and grope towards the meaning, somewhat like piecing together a puzzle. Too taxing to attempt to read all ten upanishads though, so I'm going to take my time.

So far the biggest gain I've had from this reading is I've finally been able to shake off the guilt I've felt for years every time I saw this book sitting unread on my bookshelf.

[Sarath Krishnan]

The author/publisher claims that this is the best source for anyone who wants to know anything about upanishads. And you cannot find any other work in Malayalam which painstakingly discusses the world of upanishads. If this claim is true, I would just say how poor the philosophic tradition of Malayalam, thats all. I agree with the claim that the author 'painstakingly' "listed out" the upanishads in this work, but it is just an introductions to upanishads in my point of view; not even an introduction. If you imagine that you can include all the major ideas of upanishads in this single work, you simply underestimates our past philosophers. Sukumar Azhikkode is acclaimed as a great critic only because of his tongue which tastes everything that is not needed.

[Manu · Rating 5 out of 5]

ഒരു സമഗ്രനിരീക്ഷണം; ഒരു നല്ല തുടക്കം.

ഒരു സമഗ്രനിരീക്ഷണം, ഒരു നല്ല തുടക്കം. ചിന്താഭേദങ്ങളുടെയൊന്നുംതന്നെ പക്ഷം പിടിക്കാതെ കാര്യങ്ങളെ നോക്കിക്കാണുവാൻ ഗ്രന്ധകാരൻ മനഃപൂർവമായി ശ്രമിക്കുകയും അതിൽ ഏറെക്കുറെ വിജയിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തിരിക്കുന്നു.
സംസൃതം അത്യാവശ്യം അറിയാതെ ഇതിലെ ശ്ലോക ഉദ്ധാരണികൾ മനസ്സിലാക്കാൻ പരിമിതികളുണ്ട്.
ഈ പുസ്‌തകം അതിൽത്തന്നെ അപൂർണ്ണമാണ്‌. വായനക്കാരന് വേദോപനിഷത്തുകളുടെ തടർപഠനത്തിന് ഇതൊരു പ്രചോദനമായില്ലെങ്കിൽ കേവലം "ന്റുപ്പുപ്പാക്കൊരാനേണ്ടാർന്ന്" എന്നുപറഞ്ഞ് മിധ്യാഭിമാനിതനാകമെന്നേ ഉളളൂ.
ശ്രീമാൻ അഴീക്കോട് ഒരു ചൂണ്ടുപലക നാട്ടി അതിൽ കുറെ പ്രലോഭനങ്ങളും എഴുതിയിരിക്കുന്നു; യാത്ര നാം തന്നെ. अहं यानास्मि।

[Ashok Kallarakkal · Rating 2 out of 5]

I started reading this book with lot of expectations, considering the accolades it had received. I think it is another one of those highly sold rarely read books. I expected gems of Upanishads thoughts from it but got disconnected critique of the various explanations/studies of Upanishads. Add to that the book is highly boring to read.
May be it is not meant for lay men like me.

[Amal Dev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maybe the most difficult book I have ever read, and that is not even an introduction to upanishads! This book can very well guide you to the source, as per the author, of what kept India to withstand tides of changes from different religions, beliefs and even attacks and still remain without much changes.

[Arun · Rating 3 out of 5]

a critical study about vedas and upanishad

[Madhu Nair · Rating 5 out of 5]

A person who want to know the Truth must read this book.
It is the stepping stone to the Vedas and Upanishads.
It will give you an Idea what is Hindu Religion and Culture?

[Mahesh Raju · Rating 5 out of 5]

Undoubtedly the best book I have read. Mesmerised by the knowledge of the author and his writing skills.

[Anoop G · Rating 2 out of 5]

was very hard for me to read this book. was boring and did not understand much.