Kumarajiva by Kunwar Narain

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Summary

Alok Bhalla’s lyrical translation of Kumarajiva retains the layers and textures of Narain’s work, weaving into it a philosophical profoundness that honours not just Narain but also the scholar-monk.

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Kumarajiva by Kunwar Narain

Traversing the Silk Road in the fourth century ce, Kumarajiva, the son of a Kashmiri Buddhist teacher and a Chinese Princess, radically transformed the history of Buddhism and East Asian culture by translating Buddhist scriptures from Sanskrit and Pali into Chinese. His odyssey along the Silk Road in times of territorial wars and dynastic changes was in search of knowledge of the Self and the Buddha's moral teachings about the wisdom of following the 'middle path' to nirvana, the final liberation from the cycles of rebirth. In Kumarajiva, Kunwar Narain imagines the life of the enlightened Buddhist scholar and monk about whom very little is known. Narain's elegant and richly composed long narrative poem is a meditation on the mysteries of life and universal truths that hold meaning for all times.
Kunwar Narain (1927-2017) was one of India’s foremost thinkers and literary figures. His seven decades of work include poetry, stories, critical essays, translations of world poetry, writings on cinema and the arts. His honours include the Sahitya Akademi Award, Senior Fellowship of India’s Academy of Letters, Padma Bhushan and the Jnanpith. Alok Bhalla is a widely published critic, translator and poet. He has taught in various universities in the US and India, and held fellowships from academic institutes in France, Italy, England, Germany, Canada, and Israel.
SKU Unavailable
ISBN 13 9789360801984
ISBN 10 9360801984
Title Kumarajiva
Author Kunwar Narain
Condition Unavailable
Binding Type Hardback
Publisher Manohar Publishers and Distributors
Year published 2025-06-30
Number of pages 134
Cover note Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.