>Marcocapelle at 12:11, 5 June 2021

2021-06-05T12:11:31Z

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{{Short description|Indian philosopher, and scholar}}
{{tone|date=March 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=April 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2020}}
{{Infobox philosopher
| region = [[India]]
| name = Bannanje Govindacharya
| image = Bannanje.JPG
| image_size =
| alt = Bannanje Govindacharya
| caption = Bannanje Govindacharya
| birth_date = 3 August 1936
| birth_place = [[Udupi]], Karnataka
| death_date = 13 December 2020
| death_place = [[Ambalpadi]], [[Udupi]], Karnataka
| school_tradition = [[Dvaita Vedanta]]
| main_interests =
| notable_ideas = ಇರವು ಸಂಪತ್ತಲ್ಲ,<br>ಇರವಿನ ಅರಿವು ಸಂಪತ್ತು
| influences =
| influenced =
| signature =
| signature_alt = {{lang-tcy|''ಬನ್ನಂಜೆ ಗೋವಿಂದಾಚಾರ್ಯ''}}
|awards = [[Padma Shri]] (2009)
| website = {{URL|anandamala.org}}
}}

'''Bannanje Govindacharya''' (3 August 1936 – 13 December 2020) was an [[Indian people|Indian]] philosopher and [[Sanskrit]] scholar versed in Veda Bhashya, Upanishad Bhashya, Mahabharata, Puranas and Ramayana. He wrote Bhashyas or commentaries on Veda Suktas, [[Upanishads]], ShataRudriya, BrahmaSutra Bhashya, Gita Bhashya and was an orator. He was awarded the [[Padma Shri]] by the Government of India in 2009.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=21 July 2015 |url-status = dead|archive-url=https://www.webcitation.org/6U68ulwpb?url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 November 2014}}</ref>

==Early life==

Govindacharya was born on August 3, 1936, in the Bannanje neighborhood of [[Udupi]], in present day southern Indian state of [[Karnataka]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=2020-12-13|title=Renowned Sanskrit scholar Govindacharya passes away at 85|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/renowned-sanskrit-scholar-govindacharya-passes-away-85-139531|access-date=2020-12-13|website=The News Minute|language=en}}</ref> He started his Vedic studies under his father, Tarkakesari S. Narayanacharya, and went on to study under Vidyamanya Tirtha Swamiji of the [[Palimar|Palimaru]] [[Matha]] and Vidyasamudra Tirtha Swamiji of the [[Kaniyuru|Kaneyur]] [[Matha]], both in Udupi. He later studied under [[Vishwesha Tirtha]] of the [[Pejawara Matha]].{{Citation needed|date=December 2020}}

== Career ==

=== Vedic studies ===
Sanskrit scholar versed in Veda Bhashya, Upanishad Bhashya, [[Mahabharata]], [[Puranas]] and [[Ramayana]]. He wrote Bhashyas or commentaries on [[Veda Suktas]], [[Upanishads]], ShataRudriya, BrahmaSutra Bhashya, Gita Bhashya and was an orator. He wrote new Vyakarana Sutras where Panini left and also did vyakhyana for the words written before [[Pāṇini]]. He synchronised all{{Which|date=July 2018}} the philosophical texts to understand all the texts are composed by Vedavyasa.{{Clarify|date=July 2018}} He was one of the greatest exponents of Bhaagavata chintana and commented on the philosophical meaning of Bhagavata and other Puranas. Even though by birth he was the follower of Madhvacharya, he had studied Mayavada and other philosophies and then read Madhvacharya's Tattvavaada. He was a well known philosopher, speaker in Sanskrit and Kannada. He has around 4000 pages of Sanskrit Vyakhyana to his name with 50 odd books and around 150 books, including those in other languages. He wrote screenplay for the Sanskrit film "Bhagavadgita" and Shankaracharya. He hailed from Bannanje locality of [[Udupi]] in Karnataka, India. He was born in 1936. He was in particular one of the greatest experts on the ''[[Madhvacharya|Madhvas]] Tattvavada'' or Madhva philosophy. He is best known for his ''pravachanas'' or discourses which are very popular among [[Tuluvas]] and [[Kannadigas]] all over the world. His speeches have covered almost all the philosophical texts and amount to more than 10000 hours. His ''pravachanas'' (discourses) have made him a household name among [[Tuluvas]] and [[Kannadigas]]. He is very popular in Kannanda literary world and hailed by Jnaanapeetha awardee Da.Ra.Bendre. He also wrote on this Naaku-Tanti. His literary achievements also include his translation and commentaries of the complete texts of [[Madhwacharya|Shri Madhwacharya]]. He was awarded the [[Padma Shri]] by the Government of India in 2009.<ref name="Padma Awards" />

===Preservation of manuscripts===
In 2005–2006, Professor P.R. Mukund (a disciple of Sri Bannanje) along with his colleague Dr. Roger Easton from the [[Rochester Institute of Technology]] in New York and Dr. Keith Knox of the Boeing Corporation in Hawaii, undertook the painstaking process of imaging and preserving the original ''Sarvamoola Granthas'' authored by [[Madhvacharya]] himself. Knox and Easton had earlier imaged fragments of the [[Dead Sea scrolls]] and are on the imaging team for the [[Archimedes Palimpsest]] project. Bannanje suggested this task as a project of enormous importance and was using the images in his studies of the manuscript.<ref>[http://taraprakashana.org/index_files/na_msnbc.htm News Article-msnbc] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728081724/http://taraprakashana.org/index_files/na_msnbc.htm|date=28 July 2011}}</ref><ref>[https://archive.is/20120913131045/http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/296162/Digital%20life%20for%20ancient%20text.htm Digital life for ancient text - News - The Engineer - [News: engineering news, engineering info, latest technology, manufacturing news, manufacturing info, automotive news, aerospace news, materials news, research & development]]</ref>

===Other contributions===
Apart from his voluminous writing, Bannanje also contributed more than 800 articles on various important issues which are published in different books, journals and magazines. He also served as the editor at [[Udayavani]] early in his life. He wrote book on life of Shree Madhwa acharya called Acharya Madhva: Baduku-Bareha published by RastraKavi Govinda Pai Samshodhana Kendra, Udupi.

Bannanje Acharyaru also did a lot of work to propagate and preserve the Chaturdasha Bhajans, 14 songs in Sanskrit penned by Acharya Madhwa's direct disciples and prominent followers of his philosophy. This is a great contribution to the Madhwa community.

Another notable contribution of his is to the Indian and Kannada film industries. He wrote script in Sanskrit for [[G V Iyer]]'s movies Bhagavadgeeta, ''[[Adi Shankaracharya]]'', [[Madhwacharya|Shri Madhwacharya]], [[Ramanujacharya|Sri Ramanujacharya]]. He also wrote the scripts for the [[Adi Shankaracharya]] and [[Madhwacharya]] movies. ''Adi Shankaracharya'' incidentally was the first ever Sanskrit movie.

==His works==
Shri Bannanje Govindacharya has many contributions to Vedic scholarship to his name. He authored numerous commentaries, translations and original works on the subject. He also contributed hundreds of articles in magazines and journals. He also travelled all over India and around the world giving discourses in Indian philosophy and Hindu scriptures.

===Publications edited===
Works of Madhwa : This monumental work is a painstakingly crafted reconstruction of the complete commentary on [[Works of Madhvacharya|Madhwa's works]] by [[Hrishikesha Tirtha|Shri Hrishikesha Tirtha]], a direct disciple of Shri Madhwacharya of the 13th CE. It comprises 2000 pages in five volumes complete with footnotes and colophons. Two other works of Shri Madhwacharya, ''Tithinirnaya'' and ''Nyasa Paddhathi'' which were unknown were discovered and included in this great work.

===Translation of major Sanskrit works into Kannada===
Apart from the Vedic texts, Shri Bannanje also translated several other Sanskrit works into [[Kannada]]. These include,
* ''Bana Bhattana kadambari'' - A translation of [[Bana Bhatta]]'s novel
* [[Kalidasa]]'s [[Shakuntala]]
* [[Śudraka|Shudraka]]'s [[Mṛcchakatika|Mrichakatika]] as ''Aaveya Mannina Atada Bandi'', won the [[Sahitya Akademi]]'s award for translation in 2001<ref name=saa>[http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa507.htm AKADEMI TRANSLATION PRIZES 1989-2005] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100220041651/http://www.sahitya-akademi.gov.in/old_version/awa507.htm |date=20 February 2010 }}</ref>
* Bhavabhuti's Uttaramacharita
* Mahashweta's [[Sanskrit]] stories
* Several Sanskrit poems.

===Short commentaries in Sanskrit===
* ''Anandamala'' of shri trivikramarya dasa
* ''[[Vayu Stuti]]'' of Shri [[Trivikrama Panditacharya|Trivikrama]] Pandita
* ''Vishnu Stuti'' of Shri Trivikrama Pandita
* ''Chaturdashastotra'' – different stotras in Sanskrit
* ''Raghavendra stotra ''
* ''Jayathirtha stuti''
* ''Vada ratnavali'' of Shri Vishudasacharya
* A philosophical dialectic in [[Sanskrit]]
* Short commentaries for six upanishads with commentaries of Trivikramarya Dasa

===Detailed commentaries in Sanskrit===
Some of Bannanje's detailed commentaries in Sanskrit include,
* ''Nirnaya Bhava Chandrika Tippani'' on '''Mahabharata Tatparya Nirnaya''' by Shri [[Madhwacharya]]
* ''Teeka'' (critique) on Mahabharata Tatparya (yamaka bharatha) by Shri [[Madhwacharya]]
* ''Teeka'' on Shri Madhwavijaya of Narayana Pandita
* ''Tippani'' on Bhagavata tatparya by Shri [[Madhwacharya]]

===Translation of Sanskrit to Kannada===
* ''[[Purusha sukta]]''
* ''[[Shri sukta]]''
* ''[[Shiva stuti]]'', ''[[Narashimha stuti]]''
* ''[[Talavakaropanishad]]'' (''[[Kenopanishad]]'')
* ''[[Krishnamritamaharnava]]'' of [[Madhwacharya|Shri Madhwacharya]]
* ''[[Tantra sara sangraha]]'' of [[Madhwacharya|Shri Madhwacharya]]
* ''[[Sangraha Ramayana]]'' of Shri [[Narayana Panditacharya]]
* ''[[Madhwa Ramayana]]''
* ''Parashara kanda para tattva'' ([[Kannada]] rendering of Shri Vishu Purana)
* ''Prameya nava malika'' of [[Narayana Panditacharya|Shri Narayana Panditacharya]]
* ''Anu Madhwa Charita'' & ''Sampradaya paddhati''
* ''Mangalashtaka'' of Shri Rajarajeshwara ''yati''
* ''Yajneeya mantropanishat'' (''Ishavasya'')
* [[Bhagavad Gita]]
* ''Ananda Thirthara Bhakti Geetegalu'' ([[Kannada]] rendering of [[Madhwacharya|Shri Madhwacharya's]] [[Sanskrit]] devotional songs)

===Upcoming books===
*VishnuTattvaNirnaya Tika by Narayana Panditacharya and its vyakhyana by Bannanje Govindacharya

== Death ==
Govindacharya died on December 13, 2020, at his home in [[Ambalpadi]] in [[Udupi district|Udupi]]. He was aged 85. He died due to a [[Heart Attack]]<ref name=":0" />

==Recognition and honours==
Bannanje won numerous awards and various titles were conferred on him by esteemed institutions. Some of these include
* [[Padma Shri]], India's fourth highest civilian honour, 2009<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=46983 |title=PIB Press Release |publisher=Pib.nic.in |access-date=13 May 2010}}</ref>
* The state award conferred by the [[Government of Karnataka]] for his meritorious service and scholarship in Vedic literature and philosophy.
* The [[Sahitya Akademi]]'s award for translation in 2001<ref name="saa"/>
* ''Vidya Vachaspati - by Shri [[Admar Mutt]] swamiji, [[Udupi]]
* ''Pratibhambudhi'' - conferred on him by [[Puttige Mutt]] and [[Palimar Mutt]] swamijis
* ''Shastra savyasachi'' - a title conferred by ''Akhila Bharata Madhwa Maha Mandala'', [[Bengalooru]]
* ''Shri Krishanugraha Prashasthi'' - an award presented by [[Pejavara]] Mutt swamiji
* ''Sahitya sarvabhouma'' - saraswata maha vishwa vidyalaya, [[Bengalooru]]
* ''Samshodhana Vichakshana'' : by Shri Admar & Shri Palimar Mutt
* ''Pandita Ratna'' : by Palimar Mutt swamiji
* ''Pandita shiromani'' - by Pratibha Ranga, [[Shivamogga]]
* ''Pandita Ratna'' : by H.H. Shrimad Dwarakanath swamiji of [[Gokarna Mutt]], [[Partagali]]-[[Goa]]
* ''Vidya Ratnakara'' - title conferred by Shri Palimar Mutt swamiji
* The Academy of General Education, [[Manipal]] presented him with a fellowship for the meritorious service and scholarship in Indian religion and philosophy.
* ''Veda Vyasya Sanman'' : by [[Sree Ramaseva Mandali]], Chamarajapet, Bangalore

==Conferences attended==
* Brand Ambassador of India in World Conference on Religion & Peace, Princeton, USA in 1979.
* Participated in World Sanskrit Conference in Delhi in the 1980s.
* Was president to ''Sanskrit Parishat'' of [[South Canara]].
* Served as President of All India Madhwa Sammelanna in [[Chennai]] in 1995.
* Served as President of the Sahitya Sammelanna in [[Udupi]] in 2001.
* Participated in number of poetic symposiums and debates.

==See also==
* [[Dvaita]]
* [[Ashta Mathas of Udupi]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.facebook.com/govindamala.org/ ("Govindamala : Philosophical Discourse by Dr. Bannañje Govindācārya", is a Facebook Page. An effort to introduce to all Spiritual aspirants, each one of Acharyas, Philosophical discourse. Stay Tuned.... )]
* [http://www.taraprakashana.org/ TARA PRAKASHANA (contains many articles on Poojya Shri Achaaryaru )]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071007165822/http://www.jnanadoota.org/html/jnanavani/bannanje2.htm A lecture series on the Mandukopanishat]
* [http://www.cis.rit.edu/people/faculty/easton/manuscripts-India-2006.html Guru Govindaacharya - Prof. Easton writes about his interactions with Bannanje during the imaging of the Sarvamoola Granthas]
* [http://www.wie.org/j17/bannanje.asp?page=2 Bannanje Govindacharya Interview, 'Is the Ego an Illusion?']
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070804154751/http://www.vnn.org/world/WD9901/WD28-2924.html VNN World - Interview With Sri Bannanje Govindacharya]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20060523220830/http://www.madhva.net/Bannanje/default.asp madhva.net - shrI Bannanje Govindacharya]
* [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOpuENgO30lIdJno5aC4gAQ/feed Pravachana on "Bhagavadgeetha " by Vidyavachaspathi, Padmashree Bannanje Govinda Acharya]
* [https://soundcloud.com/vedanta-sangama Sample Audio clips-1 of Shri Bannanje Govindacharya]
* [https://soundcloud.com/vedanta-sangama2 Sample Audio clips-2 of Shri Bannanje Govindacharya]
{{Authority control}}
{{Padma Shri Award Recipients in Literature & Education}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Govindacharya, Bannanje}}
[[Category:20th-century Hindu religious leaders]]
[[Category:21st-century Hindu religious leaders]]
[[Category:Indian Sanskrit scholars]]
[[Category:Dvaita Vedanta]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Shri in literature & education]]
[[Category:People from Udupi]]
[[Category:Dvaitin philosophers]]
[[Category:Mangaloreans]]
[[Category:2020 deaths]]
[[Category:Tulu people]]
[[Category:1936 births]]

Bannanje Govindacharya - Revision history

>Marcocapelle at 12:11, 5 June 2021