Foreword

This foreword, written by Professor Ashok Aklujkar, serves as a tribute to the late Professor K. A. Subramania Iyer, a prominent Sanskritist, and reflects on the state of Sanskrit studies in India.

Aklujkar begins by expressing his observations from traveling to Indian universities to work with Sanskrit manuscripts. He paints a picture of many Sanskritists who, in his opinion, exhibit a lack of dedication, putting in minimal work hours and lacking research initiative. He notes that many publications are unoriginal and that professional advancement doesn't always necessitate continuous scholarly output. He contrasts these "functional Sanskritists" with truly dedicated scholars like Professor Iyer, whose commitment transcended the clock and continued even after retirement.

Aklujkar acknowledges the challenging environment faced by Sanskritists in modern India, where their expertise is often deemed irrelevant and even an obstacle to modernization. They are caught between societal expectations of self-sacrifice and a lack of prestige compared to those in political or high-paying fields. However, he also points out the significant improvements in material support for Sanskritists in Indian universities, including increased salaries, individual offices, and funded libraries. He stresses that if the spirit of dedicated scholarship exemplified by figures like Iyer, V. Raghavan, and others is not maintained, India will be intellectually poorer.

The foreword then delves into the remarkable work of Professor Iyer, particularly his research on Bhartṛhari. Aklujkar highlights that Iyer's most significant contributions to Bhartṛhari scholarship occurred after his retirement, a period when he was free from academic pressures like degree requirements, tenure, or promotions. This post-retirement period saw Iyer produce numerous volumes and articles, demonstrating a "redoubled vigour."

Aklujkar recounts his personal interactions with Professor Iyer, beginning with correspondence in 1967 for his PhD dissertation on Bhartṛhari's Trikāṇḍī or Vākyapadīya. He found Iyer to be incredibly helpful in sourcing texts and encouraging his research, noting Iyer's openness and lack of secrecy. Their first meeting at the International Sanskrit Conference in Delhi in 1972 is vividly remembered, with Aklujkar recalling Iyer's unassuming demeanor and "white smile" that conveyed warmth and scholarly detachment.

Their second and final meeting in Lucknow in 1977 is also described. Aklujkar's early arrival at Iyer's residence, despite the lack of an immediate response, led to a warm welcome from Professor and Mrs. Iyer, who made him feel like a long-known acquaintance. During this meeting, Aklujkar shared his discovery of the lost Malayalam original of a Vṛtti manuscript and additional leaves of the Vākya-kāṇḍa-vṛtti, which greatly pleased Iyer, who saw it as a testament to the interest he had generated in Bhartṛhari.

Aklujkar shares that Professor Iyer's death in 1980, while delivering a lecture series despite a history of heart trouble, was a fitting end for someone so dedicated to knowledge, calling it a "jñāna-yajña" (knowledge sacrifice).

The foreword then provides a biographical sketch of K. A. Subramania Iyer, detailing his birth in Kerala, his education in Paris and London, and his extensive career at Lucknow University, where he held professorships, deanships, and served as Vice-Chancellor. His administration was characterized by fairness and an aversion to politicization. He also served as Vice-Chancellor of the Sanskrit University in Varanasi and as a Visiting Professor. Iyer received national honors for his contributions.

Aklujkar praises Iyer for his linguistic accomplishments, devotion to learning, integrity, and gentle personality, which earned him widespread respect, particularly in North India. Despite being from South India, Iyer felt at home in the North and advocated for Hindi as a link language. He admired traditional panditic learning while also mastering Sanskrit for academic writing and encouraging new Sanskrit works. Notably, he married a Polish lady and named his Lucknow home "Hindska," reflecting his open-mindedness.

The foreword then focuses on Iyer's seminal work in editing the entire Trikāṇḍī text along with its ancient commentaries, a feat previously unachieved. Aklujkar expresses sadness that Iyer did not live to see his edition of the Vākya-kāṇḍa-vṛtti and Ṭīkā published. He contrasts his own forthcoming edition with Iyer's, noting that his will be based entirely on original manuscripts, and will include meticulous identification and discussion of problematic phrases. He emphasizes that these differences are not negative critiques of Iyer's work, acknowledging the challenging circumstances under which Iyer labored.

Finally, Aklujkar reflects on the progress of Sanskritology and Indology, advocating for a shift from summary-type translations and surveys of previous scholarship to groundbreaking work that brings new texts to light, publishes carefully prepared editions, and focuses on solving specific interpretive problems. He believes that while Iyer's work was significant, his approach might have been limited by his age and the complexity of the text, leading to less detailed discussions of problematic passages. Despite these differences in approach, Aklujkar deeply appreciates Iyer's contributions and the difficult conditions under which he worked, citing an ancient verse to emphasize how current scholarship builds upon the foundations laid by predecessors.