The Philosophical System of iva atakam"and Other aiva Poems by Nryaa Guru

This full-scaled monograph, rich in factographic material, concerns Nryaa Guru (1855/56--1928), a founder of a powerful socio-religious movement in Kerala. He wrote in three languages (Malayalam, Sanskrit, Tamil), drawing on three different literary conventions. The world of this complex philosophic-religious literature is brought closer to the reader with rare deft and dexterity by the Author who not only retrieves for us the original circumstances, language and poetic metre of each work but also supplies histories of their reception. Thanks to numerous glosses, comments and elucidations supplied by the Author, we can much better understand how Nryaas mystical universe creatively relates to the Tamil aiva Siddhnta and to Keralas variety of Vednta tradition. Prof. Cezary Galewicz