SCHOLARLY WORKS OF VASISTHA GANAPATI MUNI

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Vasistha Muni never wrote for name or fame. Tapas was his pre-occupation. As a part of tapas, he took to literary activities. He was a poet of magnitude ranking next to Kavi Kalidasa. His works cover a wide range of subjects. His important works in Sanskrit are enlisted:

  1. UMASAHASRAM: This is the magnum-opus of the Muni. A laud of 1000 verses in praise of Goddess Uma, the consort of Lord Siva.
  2. indrāṇīsaptaśatī: A laud of 700 verses cast in the various metrical moulds derived from the 7 chandas of Veda. Each verse of chiseled beauty like a crystal reflects the glory of the Goddess Indrani.
  3. PRACHANDACHANDI TRISATI: A laud of 300 verses in praise of Goddess Prachandachandi.
  4. UMASATAKAM: 100 verses in praise of Goddess Uma, the consort of Lord Siva.
  5. SIVASATAKAM: 100 verses in praise of Lord Siva.
  6. UMATRISATI: 300 names of Goddess Uma for daily recital composed as stotras.
  7. INDRASAHASRANAMA: 1000 names of Indra as occurring in the Veda called and made into a powerful  stotra. There is a unique composition conferring all the benefits of Veda adhyayana on the reciter.
  8. GITAMALA: A garland of stotras on the Vedic deities like Agni, Vayu, Chandra, and Surya.
  9. sri-ramana-catvarimsat: 40 verses in praise of Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi which are recited daily at Sri Ramanasramam.
  10. herambopasthanam: Stotras dealing with the worship of Lord Ganesha.
  11. VISVAMIMAMSA: This deals with the principle of Iswara, Sakti, all the gods and goddesses, the individual soul, the divine descent and the means of worship as propounded in the Upanishads. It also deals with the concepts of Heaven, Hell, various lokas and the final liberation.
  12. Sri Ramana Gita: A record of the questions asked by devotees and answers given by Sri Ramana Maharshi.
  13. TATVAGHANTASATAKAM: 100 verses composed extempore in one hour as a part of avadhana near Udupi. A good example of the Muni's metaphysical writings.
  14. MAHAVIDYASUTRAM: The 10 Cosmic powers of the Great Goddess, the Tantric dasa maha vidyas are dealt with in these aphorisms, and their mysteries unraveled.
  15. RAJAYOGASARASUTRAM: On the essence of Raja Yoga, these Sutras are composed.
  16. SABDAPRAMANACHARCHA: The origin of the Veda is discussed.
  17. PANCHAJANACHARCHA: Work condemning untouchability with the authority of the sastras.
  18. VIVAHADHARMASUTRAM: On marriage as a sacrament.
  19. ISOPANISHAT BHASHYA: A simple and lucid commentary on the intricate Upanishad.
  20. UPADESASARA BHASHYA: A commentary on the Maharshi's upadesa saram.
  21. CHIKITSANUSASANAM: Work on medicine.
  22. AYURVEDASANGRAHAH: Work on medicine.
  23. PRANATOSANAM: Work on medicine.
  24. SODASASLOKI: Work on astrology.
  25. HORANIRNAYASANGRAHAH: Work on astrology.
  26. TRIBHAVAPHALACHANDRIKA: Work on astrology.
  27. INDRAGITAMU: Book in Telugu dvipada, a stotra on Indra.

Apart from these, are certain works of the Muni, incomplete. In this category comes the famous novel PURNA and the work of criticism on MAHABHARATA. Kavyakantha has also written on an ideal constitution SAMRAJYA NIBHANDANAM for a country.

All the works display his inspiration, originality, and uniqueness.

 

Reference: Bhagavan and Nayana, S.Shankaranarayanan, Copyright by Sri Ramanasramam, Tiruvannamalai