Sri Narayana Panditacharya’s ‘Mani Manjari’ is a work of 301 slokas divided into eight chapters. Traditionally, it is the first text taught to Madhvas. It is among the three works on Sri Madhvacharya – Sri Hari Vayustuti and Sri Sumadhva Vijaya, being the other two – that has had a long tradition of being recited with devotion among orthodox Madhva circles. According to Dr. BNK Sharma, it is an essential prologue to Sri Sumadhva Vijaya. In the collection of essays on Sri Sumadhva Vijaya by Sixteen Eminent Scholars, released in Srirangam in late sixties, Sri Narayana Panditacharya is mentioned as amsha of Sri Subramanya, though no pramanas are given.

The first two chapters deal with Creation and Ramayana. The third and fourth chapter deal with Krishnavatara. The fifth chapter deals with ascent of Buddhism and early days of Advaita. The sixth chapter deals with the birth of Adi Sankara…

The world of plants is central to the Ramayana, and this Indian pre-historical book written in long poem describes several trees and plants that are geographically accurate, and even today, the plants that are described are found growing in the exact locations all over India where Valmiki, author of the Ramayana, has placed them. It is both geographically and botanically correct.

Mr. M. Amerthalingam, botanist with the C.P.R. Environmental Education Centre, Chennai, presented the paper, “Plant Diversity in the Valmiki Ramayana” at the February 2013 Conference on The Ramayana in Literature, Society, and the Arts. The proceedings have recently been published. Dr. P. Sudhakar, the co-author*, was invaluable in tracing the botanical and modern names for several of the plant species, which are named in Sanskrit. Valmiki Ramayana is replete with superb descriptions of nature’s glory. It hinges on two major events, namely Rama’s fourteen year exile in the forests…