Digital revolution has started long back and India has been doing this in a decent phase regardless of kind of content. However, when compared to western countries we have a long way to go. A paradigm shift has to happen for our publishers/authors to jump on this wagon to increase the reach of their content to millions of people. However, the adoption rate on electronic gadgets also plays a significant role in this process.
To be part of this whole thing, to increase the reach of various vedic treasures – particularly to Kanchi Sankara Mutt and Periyavas, I recently kick-started a project with an idea of releasing an e-book on all seven volumes of Deivathin Kural. Although it is available at
http://www.kamakoti.org, my plan was to make it readable in iPads, kindles and all kinds of electronic tablets that can eliminate carrying thick bound books. Also exchanging ideas, discussing on a specific topics in a discussion forum would be made lot more easier as it is today. However, my plan did not materialize due to various copyright issues etc. So to lay a proper foundation, we gathered around 20 volunteers in US and some from India to correct all the spelling mistakes, type the missing contents in the existing contents of Deivathin Kural in kamakoti site based on Ra Ganapathi mama’s book version. We are nearing completion – hopefully in the next few weeks, kamakoti site will be refreshed with our updated contents. Thanks to all the volunteers who are still doing a fantastic job in this effort. Big thanks to Shri Suresh Panchanathan for rallying a great set of folks from his friends’ circle.
During my trip to Kanchi last month, I spent some time with both the Periyavas to show what I have undertaken and get their blessings. HH Pudhu Periyava blessed the whole team. HH Bala Periyava spent little longer time with me. I explained the need to digitize so that all the content from mutt would reach more people if digitized etc. He recognized the need and He directed me to start with digitizing all of Adi Shankara’s works on stotrams, articles, bashyams etc. He spent some time to emphasis the need to focus on Adi Shankara’s works as they are the foundation to our culture and essential roots to cultivate bakthi etc. He has given a book series on one such thing. I went there to get blessing on one thing and came back with 20 extra books to digitize 🙂
Currently, I am talking to various publishers to bring their contents digitally. Although they appreciate the efforts, they still drag their feet in responding on a timely fashion.
I will be starting my first project soon. Once ready, they will be distributed to all for free. Currently these books are distributed for free at the mutt. These books will be made available for download from Apple, Amazon and various other online book stores for free. I need volunteers, who are tech-savvy for this – preferably with iOS and Android development experience…..
Stay tuned for more updates from me on this…..Hopefully I will deliver a series of eBooks soon.
Looks like either I need more hours in a day or do this as my main job – neither of them are going to be possible… Let us see what Periyava decides!
Categories: Announcements
Mahesh & team
wonderful effort. I would like to be part of this initiative. Infact, I have this in my mind to make Kamakoti.org and deivathin kural mobile enabled.. please let me know. I can be reached via sundarvarad@gmail.com
Sri Chandrasekhara Gurubyo Namaha( sringeri and Kanchi Maha Periyaval)
I believe in my inner heart the digitization is not a good approach. The reason is in the above process we may loose ancient tradition. Having physical book is different than having an epdf. In every house there must be Valmiki Ramaya( all kandas), Bhavatham, etc. Tomorrow this concept will vanish in the labtops or tablets we may have digitization works.
This leads to what extent, even on the ceremony day the son will keep digital tablet of his/her parents perform the ceremony instead of real pics or photos.( we are going to digitization world) waste of space and no time to carry books. but we carry our elephant weight of Labtops etc
If a person deletes the digitization work it goes to Recycle bin nothing but equivalent of garbage bin( in physical).
Maha periyaval was against of few such as publishing his pictures in the form of calendar ( the reason was the pic will be kept in barbar cutting place along with cinema posters ( some times we can not see those calendars also).
If a person opens his tablet or laptop in the alcohol drinking place and shows having all scriptures what he is studying to all.
Tomorrow our own kids inform why do we need puja room, we can have a virtual room in computer where all idols can be installed( he may express when scriptures all we have done digitization why can’t we have a virtual pooja room)
All ready in all the houses allocation of Pooja room is lesser than what Master bed room contains.( we believe GOD dont need space , he can be in corner any where but all of us need greater space for our visitors and relatives) Even in some houses pooja room will be in below SINK( Top kitchen cleaning water and bottom sewer water will be going) , where god will be in fear status and blinking his eyes the way HE got allocated.
Maha periyaval expressed his grief, when Panchangam reading people vanished because of those days book printers came. They lost their nitya earning.
Recently maha Perriyaval ‘s audio program in Sankara Netralaya,how the old tapes brought and converted into CD’s , in the same way , if necessary Maha Periyaval shows way to restore all this.
– I dont think in digitization process we are restoring the works. if all the scriptures ( which has written in leaves) captured in micro films( the Maha periyaval university is doing) that is called restoring but this process is not restoring process.
All of us enough time, if one person say i can not read and dont have time means not believable.
we should not be the seeds for tomorrow decay. All ready all of us rotten.
Evey one wanted to have Atma kshma he will never deviate the old principles and tradition.
Dharmo Rakshito Rakshitaha
swadharamo Migunam Shreyaha Paradharmo Bayapaha
Sarvam Eswarapana mastu.
Jaya Jaya Sankara Hara Hara Sanknara
i am overwhelmed by your activities and feel belittled that i am unable to work with / help you.
But i pray to the Almighty to help and be with you for smooth and speedy completion.
thamizh chelvan
Lovely..you are blessed to do this noble work
It is a God- send development. Sri Adi Sankara Bhagavadpatha’s works and philosophies are the foundation for the Advaitha concept and more so for our Sacred Mutt. This is certainly a very noble assignment that would elevate the persons to different sphere. Well done Sri Mahesh. I am sure that with your gusto and commitment, and of course with the divine blessings, this work would be the talking point of next generation, across the world. We need to showcase the greatest thinker and Mahapursha Sri Adi Sankara and by adopting to the latest technology, His works would have wider ‘applications’. (pun intended).
It is likely that this monumental task can be completed before Sankara Jayanthi or at the latest by HH Paramacharya’s Vaikasai Visakam.
The angels are watching. Sincere best wishes.
Never thought of those deadlines – thanks for defining a date. You’re acharya-sent! God speaks to us in various ways. We choose to remain stupid in not identifying it – I am the king of all! For a change, I see your post with these dates as deadlines given by Adi Acharya and Paramacharya themselves.
Thanks
Dear Sir,
I would like to offer my services to type if you have any thing in English. I have a good speed in typing and i can also do audio-typing (Transcription). Should you need any help please do get in touch with me. It would be my pleasure to carry this forward and do some work for the future generations to come. Thanks for your work and taking it up. Vaidehi
பெரியவா கருணையில் கார்யங்கள் யாவையும் சீரிய வெற்றி பெறட்டும்.
Sharing ஜகத்குரு பாமாலை: http://erodenagaraj.blogspot.in/2009/06/blog-post.html
I have heard personally from Padhuka Subramanya Rao, about the incidents mentioned in thi pAmAlai like அளந்தாளா படி அம்பாள் என வியப்பில் ஆழ்த்தி நின்றாய், நிலமகளால் கொண்டதொரு நடுக்கத்தை நீ அடக்கி நின்றாய் and all.
Great Manava Seva. Hats off to you.
Jaya Jaya Sankara ! Hara Hara Sankara !
Radhekrishna! I just received MahaPeriyava’s Deivathin kural in Tamil in pdf format from one friend. Please contact me if you need the pdf. Thank you.
this is a splendid effort! Please let us know what we can do to help..
ONLY GREAT PEOPLE CAN DO GREAT THINGS., THIS IS ONE OF THE FIRST STEP TOWARDS A GREAT THING.,.SHRI MAHESH IS GOING TO ACHIEVE SO MANY LAURELS IN THE FUTURE. MAY BHAGAVAN VYASA,,SUKHA, AND ALL OTHER RISHIES AND MUNIES BLESSINGS ON YOU IN PLENTY. WE PRAY GOD TO BLESS HIM AND HIS FAMILY AND CHILDREN CHOWER OF BLESSINGS.
Thank you and all others for undertaking to do very essential and urgent work that will add its support in preserving our Sanskrithi for pur children. If and when my own work in trying to save our land, water, forests, minerals and food resources from the demonaic forces of capitalism and materialism, I would like to offer what little I can towards this project.
Meanwhile, I would like to use your site, to draw attention to a similar issue. i hope you do not mind. Many families right across India have in their possession precious and rare books,manuscripts and other material, that are slowly disappearong into the maws of international collectors and museums,or even being sold for scrap and raddi through ignorance. Slowly but surely the knowledge treasures of our antique land are being bled away. I know one very established and respected old books trader in Bangalore, who has a been given carte blanche by foreign buyers to purchase any such precious material that might come into his purview for up to 10 lakhs, on his own discrimination!
Many large households are shrinking and the younger genaration has no time, or interest, or facility to preserve and use such family heritage. tHey are quite willing to give rhem away to organisations with proven integrity. But, which one and where and how? No one knows. So due ro sheer helplessness they discard these treasures into extinction. It is my thought and wish to see an orgainisation, maybe under the blessings or even supervision of the Kanchi Madam, or something similar, which will act as a collector, documentor, preserver, and librarian for such material. When the young are too involved in the rigors of daily living, and times ARE difficult, Senior Citizens who have retired from jobs bu tnot from Life, can involve themselves in this urgent work. Seniors, specially those living in retirement homes will welcome this involvement, and specially as so many are themselves repositaries of immense knowledge, experience and contacts that they have acquired over the years, and can bring all these to the mission.
Here I will give a small example. An established library in my area has a sale of old books every year. I once picked up dozens of compilations of The Aryan Path, all moth eaten, but readable for a pittance. The autorikshaw fare home was more than the amount I paid for these books. I handed them over ro The Academy of Sanskrit Research, Melkote, where they have very good preservation techniques. Also, with them, I also got a hand written, and hand-illustrated 18th century “book” made of thin sheets of sandal wood. This too I gave to the Academy.
A family friend has many more such treasures that he is willing to give to a genuine organisation which is totally devoted to our land, our history, samskriti, and which is totally honest and sincere. I am sure there are lakhs of people like him in Bharata.
Chandra Ravikumar
Lovely..you are blessed to do this noble work
Narendra
can you send me your personal mail id for me.
thanks
jagadesan
mk.netid@gmail.com
Mahaperiyavas Grace would guide you in abundance to finish this important task,effectively.
thanks for the wishes and motivation….
Great effort Mr.Mahesh & team. May i suggest something? I know you [and yr team] will be spending lot of money to do all these things. You may also be in a position to bear the entire cost. However it would be great if you allow us [other bakthas] to contribute to this great project. Edho engalaal mudinthathu [raamayanathu’s anil maathiri]
Subramanian
mahesh i have always been beliving and saying and seeing that once Periava thinks and pudu periava blesses things happen and here it is with you. great. all the blessings of HH. n.ramaswanu
Dear Mahesh
Great Great Job. May the Lord bless you and all the volunteers.
I am one of the volunteers to type Deivathin Kural Tamil Part 7. In fact, it is getting completed with just 50 sub-divisions pending for typing, which I think would be completed by me in the coming week. Mr Vasant Mehta of Srimatam uploads the content that I type in NHM Writer (Tamil) and send him through mail. As the Tamil content is available with me for many chapters done by me, I can send this to you for uploading in Apple and Android version.
I typed Sree Chandrasekarendra Vijayam ( English) for Srimatam (which is yet to be uploaded in kamakoti.org)…. I can send you that also if it can be uploaded straight to android / apple e-version. Please let me know the mail-id to which I can send all these text files.
MahaPeriyavaa Charanam!
Uma
Mr. Mahesh, you are doing a great work. I wanted to be part of this project. But, being a non technical person don’t know in what way i am useful. Seeking Periyava’s blessings and guidance to be part of this.
Jaya Jaya Shankara! Hara Hara Shankara!
As Mahaperiyava says, every living being is useful in its own way. being technical is not a matter of pride, it is a matter of pain 🙂 I wish i had taken some other profession! I will certainly reach out to you if. need help.
thanks for the support…..
Mahesh
I would like to volunteer in the digitizing project. I am not a mobile app programmer, but can help in other areas. Let me know how I can take part in this project and help.
Thanks.
S. R. Subramanian
In 2003, Kanchi Mutt released, 51 books of the Bhagavat Padal’s Slokas. Sringeri Mutt has also come out with similar book. I dont know whether this information would be useful to you.
HH Bala Periyava gave me 35 books from tha bundle to digitize. they were printed part of HH Pudhu Periyavas peetarohana golden jubilee celebrations.
Mahesh, I know for a fact that Swami Dhayananda Ashram, has progressed considerably in this area. The person who is spearheading this is Dr. Abhiramsundaram has done considerable work on this. I also that Sanskrit college at Chennai is also working on similar lines.
Dear Mahesh,
I am ready to help you in this regard. Please let us know.
Very proud of your efforts Mahesh. Do something for the sake of others’ benefit and one will always succeed, says He.
Excellent idea & obtained the Blessings of Kanchi Periyavals.
I pray to Lordess Kamakshi & Maha Periyaval to bless YOU to continue your Mission without any hindrance interruption.
HARA HARA SANKARA
JAYA JAYA SANKARA.
thondu endru thaan alivan ennil pathiyadi ghana thangamey , avan arulaley avan thaal vanagi
mahesh there is no need to tell write or speak since it is known truth about guru kadaksham divine bliss.
jeya sankara hara hara sankar
Thank you. May the Lord God bless you. The technology is helping spirituality too !
Sir: This month 24th will be one year of Sri Ra Ganapthi (anna) sivapathi. He left his body on a sivarathriday after takeing vibuthi from Siva temple. If you have any picture of anna can you send me the ecopy of it. He was very close to me and Baghavan gave me a chance to serve him. To serve also we need Gods grace. May God bless you. Partha
May Pujya Maha Periyavaa’s, Periyavaa and Pudu Periyavaa’s be ever with you to guide and reap success in all your Holy and Divine endeavours. Of course the entire Kanchi Mutt devotees would be beneficiaries and simple ‘thank you very much’ would not be sufficient for your glorious assistance. While in my work life in Mumbai, a Sringeri Mutt devotee, my colleague had some doubt about some rituals and I suggested to seek Guru’s advice by posting a letter with a self-addressed envelope and the response was fantastic. Similarly, I also used to write to Kanchi Mutt whenever I had doubts and Periyavaa’s response was good. But, now that the technology has gone ahead, is there any facility to seek such guidance from the Mutt through emails? Can anyone guide please? Thanks in advance.
Mahesh very good. Unfortunately, i am not tech savvy but look forward to fruition of your work.
No Words,…..Amazingly Divine!!!!
you may try this link goo.gl/9xE18
http://goo.gl/9xE18
hi mahesh, i am more than happy to help out with your project. I have 13+ yrs exp in IT indisutry and reasonably tech savvy – but no experience in iOS+ or Android – but can learn if required. let me know if i can be of any help.
Appreciate your offer to help Shri Deepak. Swamigal will be very proud of you.
Great start! With both the Periyavaa’s blessings, it will happen!
Dear Mahesh, you are doing amazing work. I would love to be involved in serving Maha Periyava in any way possible. I am computer savvy if that’s of any help. 🙂
Do let me know if I can be of any assistance.
Periyava Charanam
Radha Ramasubramanian
New Zealand
Appreciate your offer to help Smt Radha. He will be very proud of you.
Ellam avan seyal. Dharmo rakshathi rakshakaha, Where there is a will there is a way..