By
V. SIVA SUPRAMANIAM,
President, All Ceylon Hindu Congress,
Judge of the Court of Appeal,
Member, Constitutional Court of Sri Lanka
For over half a century a spiritual beacon burnt brightly at the unpretentious Ashram at Columbuturai, in Jaffna, and the effulgent beams of light emanating from it illumined not merely this small island of ours but reached countries far beyond. Many a weary traveller found the Path he was seeking for by the aid of those resplendent rays. Though the physical form of that beacon can no longer be seen, the spiritual aura that enveloped it continues to be as radiant as ever and serves as a guide to many.
St. Yoga Swami who shed that spiritual light showed the Path towards Self Realisation to his devotees principally through his sublime songs--called Natchintanai--which are veritable treasures of thought and of language. These songs contain the distilled essence of the Vedanta and Saiva Siddhanta systems of Hindu philosophy. The Sage saw no conflict between the two systems. The exquisite language, the haunting melodies and the lucidity with which the steps towards Self realisation are unfolded fill the devotee with ecstatic rapture.
In this work “St. YogaSwami and the Testament of Truth” Mrs. Ratna Navaratnam presents to the English speaking world some of the treasures contained in Natchintanai. There is none better qualified than Mrs. Navaratnam to have undertaken this task. Apart from her scholarship in both Tamil and English language and literature, and her deep knowledge of the Hindu shastras and Philosophy, she is one who has enjoyed in ample measure the Swami's Grace for over forty years and, as such, is specially qualified to interpret the Message of the Master.
In her translations of the selections from the Natchintanai, Mrs. Navaratnam has suceeded in capturing the spirit as well as the harmonious melody of the original without straying far from the text. This is a most creditable achievement. The classification of the subject matter under separate headings and the admirable commentaries under each head, along with the translations of the songs, enable the reader to unravel with ease the intricacies of Saiva metaphysics and at the same time to get a glimpse of the greatness of Natchintanai--an undoubted masterpiece of devotional literature.
As in her valuable work on Tiruvacagam--The Hindu Testament of Love--, Mrs. Navaratnam has adopted an unique line of treatment of her subject and her analysis is both penetrating and refreshing. Her parallel quotations from various sources, both of the East and of the West reveal a wide range of scholarship and research and enhance considerably the value of the work.
We cannot be sufficiently grateful to Mrs. Navaratnam for this very welcome addition to the religious literature of the world.
Vaikasi Purnami--1972
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