|
Ramayana, the story of the Sanskrit Ramayana freely retold in Bengali verse by KRITTIBAS. (A) a 3:426 14:319 (Bengal) National College The Bengal National College and School, Calcutta, was set up by the National Council of Education, Bengal, on 14 August 1906 with Sri Aurobindo as the principal. Sri Aurobindo, however, resigned on August 2, 1907. In 1910, the college merged with the Bengal Technical Institute founded by Sri Tarak Nath Palit; the united institution came to be known as the Bengal National College and Technical School. Some time later, after the arts side of the college met with failure, the technical side was developed into the Jadavpore College of Engineering and Technology, which gradually assumed the form of the present Jadavpur University. (D.I.H., under "National Council of Education") 1:262, 515, 656, 806 2:338 3:330 26:27, 43, 69, 357 XVII: 67
Benoy(bhusan) (1867-1947), the eldest brother of Sri Aurobindo, known as Beno in the family circle. He was a very matter-of- fact person, with a purely commercial mind, a person who looked at everything from a business point of view. (Purani) a 26:2 27: 420-21 II: 88 III: 86 Bent author of the Life of Garibaldi, a book to which Sri Aurobindo referred in a letter of 1907 to Aswini Kumar Banerji. (A) a XVII: 64
Bentham, Jeremy (1748-1831), English philosopher, economist, jurist, political theorist, and founder of Utilitarianism, whose attempts to solve social problems scientifically greatly influenced 19th-century thinking on social reform. (Col. Enc.; Enc. Br.) Der: Benthamism 3:12, 25-26 III: 10
Bentinck, Lord William (Henry Cavendish) (1774-1839), Governor General of India from 1828 to 1835. He introduced important ad- ministrative reforms into Indian government and society. (Enc. Br.) a l: 176 111:12
Bepin (Chandra) See Pal, Bepin (Chandra)
Ber, J. M. a European with whom Sri Aurobindo was in contact in June 1913. In a meeting of 3 January of the same year, the Mother (before she came to Pondicherry) spoke of him as having given a talk to her group in Paris "about Mantras" at the end of December 1912. a XXII: 157 Berar(s) The term refers to the eastern districts of Maharashtra state, western India, specifically the Amraoti, Akola, Buldana, and Yeotmal districts of Nagpur division. These districts formed part, formerly, of the British administrative unit of Central Provinces and Berar. The term Berar no longer has administrative meaning, having been |
superseded by the ancient name "Vidarbha", which now includes three more districts. (Enc. Br.) 1:352, 591, 666 Berber the indigenous Caucasian people of North Africa. They inhabit the land between the Sahara and the Mediterranean, from Egypt to the Atlantic coast. On the evidence of Egyptian tomb paintings their culture derives from earlier than 2400 BC. (Enc. Br.; Col. Enc.) 1:881
Berenice Egyptian cousin of Timocles in Sri Aurobindo’s play Rodogune. (He is not a character in the play.) 6:419
Bergson, Henri (1859-1941), French philosopher, exponent of process philosophy, and one of the most widely read early 20th- century thinkers. His works won him the 1927 Nobel Prize for literature. (Col. Enc.;
Enc.Br.) Der: Bergsonian 14:57, 420 15: 18 16:122 17:320, 388 22:213-14 24:1496 26:166 IX:17 XI:26 XIV:164
Berhampur a town and the headquarters of Murshidabad district in Bengal (now West Bengal state). (Enc. Br.) D 1:222-23, 226, 228, 236, 238-39, 250, 252-53, 256 3: 84, 91 27: 33, 36, 47
Berkeley, George (1685-1753), Irish philo- sopher and bishop. He was the proponent ofimmaterialism. (Enc. Br.) 14:56 16:265 26:223 XIV:127, 164
Berlin formerly capital of Prussia; capital of Germany from 1871 to 1945. Now, located in the territory of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany), the city is divided politically (from 1961 physically by a wall) into East Berlin (the East German capital) and West Berlin, which comprises a Land (state) and a city of the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany). (Enc. Br.) 1:349 2:371, 385 4:24 15:417 26:169 27: 466 V: 94
Benai, Francesco (1497/98-1535), Italian poet and translator, important for his Tuscan version of Boiardo’s epic poem Orlando innamorato and for the distinctive style of his Italian burlesque, which was called after him "bernesco", and imitated by many poets. (Enc. Br.) n 3:101
Bertha Abelard a character – sister of Hugh and Walter – in Sri Aurobindo’s story |
Page-41
|
"TheDooratAbelard". 7:1026, 1033-35, 1037, 1042
Besant, Annie (1847-1933), British social reformer, one-time Fabian Socialist, and a prominent Theosophist, who spent much of her life in India. She was the president of the Theosophical Society from 1907 until her death. In 1916 she founded the Indian Home Rule League, and in 1917 presided over the Congress session at Calcutta. She was also interested in national education, and was the founder of the Central Hindu College at Banaras. Dr. Besant was a great orator and organiser, a voluminous writer, and a lover offreedom. (Enc. Br.;D.I.H.) 1:718-19, 760 2:433 17:362 26:35, 48 27:503 XIII: 29-30, 33, 37 Bethlehem a town in ancient Judah, south- central Palestine, just south of Jerusalem. According to the Gospels it was the site of the nativity of Jesus Christ. (Enc. Br.) 1:802 13:12 XVIII: 128
Beulah the Land of Beulah: in Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, a country of peace and rest near the end of life’s journey. (Web.) a 1:909 3:30-32 IV: 112 B. G. SeeGhose, Barindra Kumar
Bh See Bharati3
Bhabani Babu one of the persons (a Bengali) whom Sri Aurobindo met at Srinagar in Kashmir. He was employed in the Commissariat. (A) D IV:-195
Bhadracar in the Mahabharata, name of a king and people who fled southward, being oppressed by Jarasandha. (M, N.) 8:41
Bhaga‘ a Vedic deity of very indistinct personality and powers, classed among the Adityas and the Vishwadevas. His functions are more clearly outlined than those of Aryaman. He is one of the four powers of the Truth of Surya, and represents a happy spontaneity of the right enjoyment of all things dispelling the evil dream of sin and error and suffering. Bhaga is the Lord of Enjoyment. (A) a 4:22 10:20, 53, 86, 287, 289-93, 326, 329, 382, 399, 425, 438-39, 444-47, 458, 463-64 11:22, 31, 44, 82, 143, 172, 228, 269, 326, 445, 466, 494 16:297 17:85 X: 179-80 XIV: 110 XV: 5
Bhaga2 code name for someone who in 1913 asked C. R. Das for money for Sri Aurobindo. (A) 27:437 Bhagadutt in the Mahabharata, king of Pragjyotishapur (Kamarupa) and a friend |
of Pandu. In the battle he sided with the Kaurava, and was killed by Arjuna. (M.N.) 8:40
Bhagalpur administrative headquarters of Bhagalpur district and division, Bihar state, just south of the Ganga River. (Enc. Br.) 1:167, 171 2: 402
Bhagavadgita commonly known simply as the Gita, a celebrated episode occurring in Book VI of the Mahabharata. It is in the form of a metrical dialogue, in which Krishna reveals to Arjuna the "Supreme Secret" and also shows him his universal form. The Gita is one of the great syntheses in Indian thought and is considered one of the three main authoritative scriptures; its authority is rec- ognised the world over. (Dow.;A) Var:
Bhagawad Gita 1:124 2:3, 7, 19-20, 30, 36, 50, 105, 400-01, 407, 425-26, 428-30, 3:91, 151, 166-68, 171-74, 219, 343, 346-47, 349, 352, 370, 471 4: pre., 43, 46, 55, 57, 60-61, 63, 66-68, 70-74, 80, 82, 85, 90, 92, 103, 107, 109-10, 122-24, 127, 129, 201-02, 252, 276, 293, 298-99, 303-04, 307-10, 312-13, 328 8:77 9:26-27, 33, 218, 320, 326, 370, 478, 504, 510, 541 10:20, 39, 269, 461 11:1 12: pre., 87, 92, 98-99, 136, 423, 427, 457, 461-62, 13:passim14:16, 91, 131, 137, 142, 166, 181, 185, 205, 288, 309, 417 15:140, 398 16:86, 263, 291-92, 294, 330, 364, 401, 414-16, 418, 420-21, 425-26, 429 17:28, 168, 181, 265-66, 271, 292-93, 349, 394, 40, 18:53, 64, 71, 136, 142, 159, 207, 228, 295, 322, 338, 365, 388, 412, 439, 492, 508, 524, 577, 596 19:633, 683, 742, 848, 879, 882, 884, 889, 987, 1019, 1050 20: 5, 22, 39, 49, 82, 87-88, 90, 93, 95-98, 100, 127, 134, 152, 166, 191, 197, 208, 210, 218, 226, 233, 258-62, 295, 302, 305, 307, 316-17, 333, 349, 358, 362, 387, 389, 398, 413, 415 21:521-23, 526, 541, 544, 597, 648, 650, 665, 679, 698, 713, 743 22:16, 39, 53, 61-62, 64, 69-73, 77, 80, 82, 88, 109, 113, 139, 149, 151, 266, 280, 291, 323, 392, 405, 407, 418, 443, 447, 488, 496 23:527-29, 541, 580, 611, 619, 654, 665, 669, 671-72, 674-75, 721, 748, 767-68, 789, 850, 852, 869, 1028 24:1271, 1334, 1347, 1355, 1415, 1441, 1470, 1473, 1475, 1618, 1621-22, 1627, 1630, 1634, 1644, 1740 25:65 26:33, 40, 52, 67-68, 113, 122, 125-30, 136, 138, 151, 277-78, 293, 356, 371, 398 27:311, 317, 320-21, 323, 328, 354, 360, 472, 479 29:737, 815 1:38, 42 11:63-65, 70-71, 74, 77, 79 111:68, 81 IV: 150 V: 1, 52, 62, 66, 68-69 VI: 155-56, 167 VII: 2, 12, 51-56 VIII: 132, 160 IX: 37-38 XII: 183, 196-97 XIII: 22 XIV: 146, 153, 159, 164, 168 XV: 43, 55, 58 XVI: 134, 155-56, 178 XVII: 23-24, 34 XVIIL 155-56 XIX: 82 XX: 117 |
Page-42
|
Bhagavat(a) (Purana) the most celebrated text of a class of Hindu sacred literature in Sanskrit known as the Puranas. It is dedi- cated to the glorification of Vishnu, and is made up of 18, 000 slokas in 12 skandhas or books. The most popular is the 10th book which narrates in detail the events of Krishna’s life. This Purana exercises a more direct and powerful influence upon the Hindus than perhaps any other Purana. (Dow.) Var: Bhagawat(a) (Purana) 4:53 9:418 11:453 14:314-15 17:83, 319 20:257, 260 22:425 25:275 VI: 136 XVII: 10
Bhagawad Gita See Bhagavadgita
Bhagawan Das (1869-1958), an erudite scholar, eminent philosopher, and earnest and enthusiastic educationist ofVaranasi (Banaras). He contributed much to the mutual understanding between the East and the West. (D.I.H.) a 17:319
Bhagawat(a) (Purana) See Bhagavat(a) (Purana)
Bhagirath(a) in Hindu mythology, a descendant of Sagara (a king of Ayodhya), whose austerities induced Shiva to allow the sacred river Ganga to descend to the earth for the purpose of bathing the ashes of Sa- gara’s sons who had been consumed by the wrath of the sage Kapila. (Dow.) Var:
Bhagiruth 3:190 8: 32, 46 16: 284, 430
Bhagirathie (Bhagirathi), in Hindu mythology, a name of the river Ganga, which was brought down to earth by BHAGIRATHA. In modern geography, it is the name of one of the headstreams of the Ganga, and also of its tributary in West Bengal state forming the western boundary of the Ganga delta. (Dow.; R. Map; S. Atlas) 8:32 27:159
Bhagiruth See Bhagirath(a)
Bhaja-Govindam a Mayavadic melodious poem in Sanskrit by Shankaracharya. a 22:55 Bhalchandra, Sir president of the Provincial Conference of the Congress held at Surat in 1907. (A) 1:246 Bhandarkar, Dr. Sir Rama Krishna Gopal (1837-1925), a celebrated Sanskrit scholar, teacher, researcher and author, and a social reformer besides. He was a pioneer in applying Western methods to the study of Sanskrit and Indian antiquities, and his works present a happy combination of the Orient and the Occident. He was |
knighted in 1911. (D.N.B.) a 3:77, 81
Bhangi or Mehtar, a caste of sweepers and scavengers ir> all parts of India except the South. (Mahatma Gandhi renamed them Harijans, a name that later was extended to include all the scheduled castes.) (Enc. Ind.) 4:300, 303 22:486-87
Bhao, Krishnajirao one of the imaginary names (of the leaders of the secret society) supplied to GOSSAIN in the jail by a pre- tended approver in the Alipore Bomb Trial. (A) 4:296
Bhao, Sadashiva Rao a Maratha general (a first cousin of the Peshwa Balaji Baji Rao). Encouraged by his resounding victory over the Nizam in 1760, Bhao rashly attempted to destroy Ahmad Shah Abdali’s power in the Punjab and to establish Maratha supremacy in North India. He failed, however, in diplomacy as well as in battle, and the entire Maratha army was routed (14-1-1761) at Panipat by Abdali’s forces. Some say Bhao was killed in the battle. (D.I.H.; A) n 26:353
Bhao Girdi a term connected with Sadashiv Rao Bhao. Bhao Girdi is not actually his name or title, but simply a transcription of the Marathi phrase "Bhau gardi", which refers to the utter confusion and stampede ("gardi") that occurred in the battle of Panipat after Bhao had fallen from his horse, rushed into the melee and disappeared. The phrase may also mean "Bhao and Gardi", i.e., Sadashiv Rao Bhao and Ibrahim Khan Gardi who commanded a large train of artillery maintained by Bhao. (M.V.K., p. 605; D.I.H.) 26:353
Bharadwaja (Barhaspatya) a Rishi to whom many Vedic hymns are attributed, the reputed author of the sixth Mandala of the Rig-veda. He was the son of Brihaspati and father of Drona. The descendants of Bhara- dvaja are known as Bharadvajas. (Dow.;V. Index) Der: Bharadwajas a 10: 55, 143, 159 11: 247, 265, 271-72, 276-77, 282, 433
Bharat’ (c. AD 100-200), an Indian sage who wrote about the dramatic arts in a treatise called the Natya-Sastra, still the basic work for dancers and actors in India. According to some authorities he belongs to the 8th century BC. (Enc. Br.; Enc. Ind.) Var: Bharuth’ 0 5:199-200 7:909.943, 951 Bharat(a)2 a king of the Lunar race, son of Dushyanta and Shakuntala. It is after him that India was named Bharata(varsa). His descendants are called Bharatas; this term, however, is used especially for the Pandavas, |
Page-43
|
whose ancestor KURU was ninth in descent from Bharata. In the Bhagavadgita, the term Bharata is frequently used for Arjuna. (Dow.) Var: Bharuth2 Der: Bharata(s) (Bharatas) 3:141, 152, 162-63, 190-91, 195-96, 200, 214 5:85 6:259, 277 8:46, 48, 78, 81, 87, 90 11:146 12:430 13:13, 58 14: 286 27: 79, 83 XVIII: 134, 138, 146, 148, 150
Bharat(a)3 in the Ramayana, Rama’s half- brother, son of Dasharath and Kaikeyi, who governed the kingdom of Ayodhya in Rama’s name during the latter’s banishment. (Dow.) Var: Bharath 8:10-11, 22 14:290
Bharata (Bharata), name given to a supposed Sanskrit epic of 24, 000 slokas written by Krishna Dwaipayana, later enlarged into the Mahabharata. (A) 3:144, 199 14:186 27:81
Bharatchandra Bharatchandra Raya (1712-60), the first writer of power and elegance in Bengali, a court poet of Raja Krishnachandra ofNadia (Bengal), who bestowed on him the title of "Raya Gunakara". Besides a trilogy entitled ^nnadamangal, his principal work, he also composed Vidyasundar and Rasa-manjari. (N.B.A.;Gaz.II, p.664) n 3:95 14:320 XV: 62-63
Bharat Dharma (Maha)mandal a short-lived registered association of Hindus formed at Mathura in 1902. Its headquarters were moved to Banaras in 1905. The orthodox character of the association and its avowed object to maintain the Sanatan Dharma secured for it the support of ruling princes (the Maharaja of Darbhanga became its general president in 1912), religious pontiffs and also a section of the common Hindus, but provoked strong opposition and adverse comments from many educated Hindus who regarded the movement as reactionary. (S.F.F;, pp. 986-87) 1:705, 755-56
Bharath See Bharat(a)3
Bharathi, Suddhananda (1897- ), an ochre-robed yogi, a prolific writer and poet in Tamil (and also in other languages), whose austere looks and leonine movements make an unforgettable impression on the visitor. He practised yoga first under Raman Maharshi and then under Sri Aurobindo. He was an inmate of the Sri Aurobindo Ashram from c. 1929 to 1951/52. His wide popularity, however, rests on his poetic |
genius. He has over three hundred books to his credit. His magnum opus is Bharathi Sakthi, an epic inspired by his contact with Sri Aurobindo and the Mother, in which he seeks to convey the Aurobindonian vision of a "super race" in terms of allegory and symbolism. This book won him in 1984 the first Rajarajan Award instituted by the Tamil University for the best creative work in Tamil. The poet has himself translated the entire epic into English and part of it into French. (D. N. B.; Auro-II; The Hindu, 23 & 25 March 1984) 27:503
Bharati’ in the Veda, the same as Mahi; in the Puranas, the same as Saraswati. n 10: 89-9111:32, 83, 90, 118, 293, 426 XV: 39
Bharati2 name given by Sri Aurobindo to the supreme Goddess to denote her special aspect as the Shakti of India. (A&R, XVIII: 194) XVIII: 131, 146
Bharati3 Subramania Bharathi (1882-1921), a revolutionary and nationalist poet, consid- ered the greatest among modern Tamil poets for his creation of a new rhythm and poetic style. Even as a child he was a precocious poet: the title "Bharathi" was conferred upon him when he was only eleven. His irrepres- sible patriotic fervour impelled him to plunge into politics and he joined the camp of the Extremists. He became assistant editor of Swadesha Mitran and also edited Bala Bharatam (English monthly) and India (Tamil weekly). In 1908, warned of his im- pending arrest, he left British India and settled in the French enclave of Pondicherry. It was here that he produced his best work. In Pondicherry he also came into close con- tact with Sri Aurobindo and was greatly in- fluenced by him. He left Pondicherry after a stay of ten years. Arrested as soon as he returned to British India, he was released after a few days. Subramania Bharathi was not only a poet-patriot but also a social reformer, a lover of humanity, a friend of all creatures, and a devotee of Parashakti. In the "Record of Yoga" Sri Aurobindo has mentioned his name mostly in an abbreviated form-"Bh". (Gaz. II; Purani) 27:427, 447, 452 XX: 121 XXI: 6, 51, 67 XXII: 151, 174, 177
Bharati a Bengali monthly of Calcutta, a literary organ of the Tagore family. It was founded in 1878 under the editorship of Dvij endranath Tagore. (Cal. Lib.) 3:91 4:pre.
Bharat Mitra a Hindi newspaper which was published from Calcutta. Under its two |
Page-44
|
editors, Bal Mukand Gupta and Ambika Prasad Bajpai, it became a leading journal. It was subjected to the rigours of the Press Act of 1910. (S.P.P., p. 1024) D 4:196-97 XIV: 99
Bharavi (Bharavi), a 7th-century classical poet of Sanskrit, author of the Kirdtarjuniya. By AD 734 Bharavi was considered, on the strength of this single poem, to be almost the peer of Kalidasa. (Enc. Br.; A; M.I., Mar. 1981, No. 3, p. 138) a 14:301-02, 320
Bharga Pragatha a Vedic Rishi, descendant of Pragatha. Pragatha is the name given in the Aitareya Aranyaka (ii.2.2) to the poets of the eighth Mandala of the Rig-veda, so called because they composed Pragatha strophes (stobhas), that is, verses consisting of a Brhati or Kakubh verse followed by a Satobrhati verse. (V. Index II) a II:352
Bhargava (the Vidarbhan) an Indian seer, a descendant of Bhrigu, who came to Rishi Pippalada from Vidarbha in search of knowledge, 12:295, 299
Bhargavas a line of Vedic Rishis, descendants of Bhrigu. Var: Barghoves (a misspelling) a 10:152 27:158
Bhartrihari (5707-651 ?), a celebrated Sanskrit poet, grammarian, and philosopher; author of 3 satakas or Centuries of Verses:
Srngdra-sataka, Niti-sataka and Vairdgya- sataka, and of the Vakyapadiya (Words in a Sentence) regarded as one of the most outstanding works on the philosophy of language. (Dow.;D.I.H.) 3:225 8:157, 159 14:256, 294, 304 26:254 1:24-30, 70
Bharuth’ See Bharat’ a 5:199, 200
Bharuth2 See Bharat(a)2 6:259, 277
Bhasa (b. 2nd or 3rd cent. AD), the earliest known Sanskrit dramatist, many of whose complete plays have been found. He is believed to have written 13 plays, the best of which, according to Indian critics, is Svapnavdsvadattd. (Enc. Br.; D.I.H.;
Gaz.II) a 8:137 14:241, 305 X: 117 Bhaskara one of the most illustrious names in the field of ancient Indian astronomy. There were actually two Bhaskaras recog- nized for their significant contributions in this |
field. The first Bhaskara was a great astronomer of the 6th century and a contem- porary of Brahmagupta. He was a leading exponent of the Aryabhatta I system of astronomy and wrote a commentary on this around AD 629. The second Bhaskara was one of the most impressive Indian astronomers and mathematicians. He was born in 1114, and was the author of six important works including Lildvati, Bijaganita, and Siddhanta-Siromani. He also published a number of works on mathematical astronomy dealing with planetary motions, the lunar and solar eclipses, conjunctions of the planets with stars, principles of spherical trigonometry and eclipse calculations. (77ie//(WM, June8, 1979) a 17:193-94
Bhaskarananda, Swami (1833-99), originally known as Moti Ram. He became a sannyasin at the age of 27 and assumed the name of Bhaskarananda. He lived for several years at Hardwar, absorbed in the study of the Gita and the Upanishads, and later moved to Varanasi. (Enc. Ind.) II:64
Bhatkhande, Vishnu Narayan (1875-1936), a celebrated scholar of Indian music and a great musician. He modernised the science of Hindustani music. The Madhava Music College of Gwalior and Marris College of Music in Lucknow owe their existence to him. (B.A.C.) 9:561
Bhatpara a town in 24-Parganas district of Bengal (now West Bengal state), just east of the Hooghly River. It is an ancient seat of Sanskrit learning and still has several tra- ditional Sanskrit schools or "tols". (Enc. Br.) a 3:110 IX: 29
Bhatt, Professor an imaginary surname of a supposed leader of the secret society sup- plied to GOSSAIN in the jail by a pretended approver in the Alipore Bomb Trial. (A) D 4:296
Bhatta, Nagoji Indian author known for his commentary on Chandi (see Chandi’). (A) 17:267
Bhattacharjee, Basanta Basanta Kumar Bhattacharjee (c. 1883- ? ). As printer and publisher of Yugantar, in September 1907 he was sentenced to two years’ rigorous im- prisonment and a fine of Rs 1000. (P.T.I.) a 1:548, 565, 744, 771
Bhattacharya, Abinash Chandra (1882-1962), manager of Yugantar, and one of the chief associates of Barindra Kumar Ghose in the work of organising and educating the mem- bers of their secret society. He lived with Sri Aurobindo while the latter was in North Calcutta, looking after Sri Aurobindo’s household. In May 1909 he was sentenced as a member of the Maniktolla Conspiracy to transportation for life, but was released in May 1915. He published Bartaman Rananiti (Modern Science of War), Mukti kon Pathe |
Page-45
|
(Which Way to Liberation?), and other books. In his later life he was associated with many journals, including the Narayana of C. R. Das. (A; P.T.I., Remin, p. 22; S.B.C.)I:563 4:258, 263, 293
Bhattacharya, Basanta SeeBhattacharjee, Basanta
Bhatti full name: Bhattikdvya, also called Rdvana vadha, a Sanskrit poem of 22 cantos by Bhatti, written with the object of illus- trating the rules and principles of grammar and rhetoric. The poem depicts the life history of Rama from his birth up to the time of Ravana’s death. Bhatti probably belonged to the latter half of the 6th and first quarter of the 7th century. Some scholars attribute Bhattikdvya to Bhartri- hari. (Gaz. II; D.I.H.) 3:76
Bhava in Indian astrology, a god or spiritual being presiding over the sign "Archer". (A) 17:257
Bhavabhuti (fl. c. AD 700), a celebrated Sanskrit dramatist and poet, author of three of the best extant Sanskrit dramas, Vira- Charita, Uttara Rama-Charita, and Malati Madhava. These plays, noted for their sus- pense and vivid characterisation, rival the outstanding plays of Kalidasa. Bhavabhuti was the court-poet of King Yasovarman of Kanauj who ruled in the first quarter of the 8th century. (Dow.; D.I.H.; Enc. Br.) 3:258, 260, 303, 315, 322 14:241, 256, 305
Bhavananda a character in Bankim’s novel AnandaMath. 8:329-30, 333-43, 346
Bhawani Mandir title of a tract written by Sri Aurobindo and published in 1905. It was a call sent forth for help in the proposed erection of a temple (mandir) to be conse- crated to Bhawani, the Mother. There were clear political overtones in this scheme, as also in the envisaged creation of a body of political sannyasins dedicated to the service of the motherland. Although written by Sri Aurobindo, it was more his brother Barin’s idea than his. (A;Purani) 1:59, 61 26:51
Bhedi literally "spy" or knower of secrets; apparently a name given to a person living in Sunder Chetty’s house in Pondicherry (now No. 40, Rue Suffren), where Sri Aurobindo stayed from October 1910 to April 1911. (A; Mother India, Jan. 1976, pp. 12-13) XIX: 30
Bheel(s) or Bhils (Bhils), a primitive tribal people of India, referred to as Nishadas in Vedic literature. They inhabit portions of west-central India especially south Rajputana (Rajasthan state) and northern Maharashtra. The Bhils are known for their rugged indepen- dence. (Enc. Br.; Col. Enc.) Var: Bhils D 7:739, 745, 750-51, 757-59, 761, 763-64, 766-67, 771-74, 777, 786-87, 790, 792, 798-99, 804, 806, 813 IX: 1, 2
Bheem(a); Bheem(a)sen See Bhima(sena)
Bheeshmuc See Bhishmuc
|
Bhema; Bheme See Bhima(sena)
Bhide surname of a lawyer of Poona around 1909. He was the editor of Hindu Punch. (A) a 4:222
Bhils See Bheels
Bhima(sena) in the Mahabharata, the second of the five Pandavas, and, mythically, son of the god Vayu. He was of great size, strong physique and wrathful temper. His weapon was a club or mace. (Dow.) Var:
Bheem(a); Bheem(a)sen; Bhema; Bheme;
Bhimsen 1:63, 836 3:112, 148, 151, 162, 197, 207, 213, 304-05 4:75-76, 83, 93-94 8:29, 31-32, 35, 38, 45, 50-51, 58-59, 77 13:186 14:193 27:83 IV: 115 VII: 52 IX: 30
Bhimsen See Bhima(sena)
Bhis(h)ma originally named Devavrata, son of King Santanu by Ganga. The name Bhisma ("terrible") was given to him by the gods when, to gratify his father’s desire to marry Satyavati and to protect the right of Satyavati’s son and descendants to the throne of Hastinapur, he took the terrible vow not to marry. Bhishma brought up Pandu and Dhritarashtra, and acted for them as regent of Hastinapur. In the war of the Maha- bharata he took the side of the Kauravas and was the commander-in -chief of their army. (Dow.) 3:194-96, 213, 461 4:71, 76, 78, 82-84, 97, 102 8: 77-78, 80 13: 55, 370 14:292 17:38522:488 27:79 1:21 VII: 53
Bhishmuc in the Mahabharata, king of Vidarbha, and father of Rukmini, the chief consort of Krishna. (Dow.) Var:
Bheeshmuc 3:1908:40
Bhisma See Bhis(h)ma
Bhogavat(h)ie See Boithorinie .
Bhoja(s) The word is used in ancient Indian literature in three senses: first, as the royal designation applicable to the consecrated monarchs of the southern region; secondly, as a tribal name of a people living perhaps in Berar; and thirdly, as a proper name borne by several princes of Kanauj and Malwa. (D.I.H.) 3:162, 189 4:89 5:319 8:39-41
Bhoje Dutt secretary of the SUDDHI SAMAJ of Agra, and editor of the vernacular paper MusafirArya. (A) 2:226-28 |
Page-46
|
Bhola a sub-divisional town in Bakarganj district of Bengal, now in Bangladesh. 1:641
Bhonsle Indian dynasty founded by the family of the great Maratha king Shivaji. They were a leading power in the 18th- century Maratha confederacy. Sri Aurobindo uses the term as an epithet of Baji Prabhou. (Enc. Br.) 5:281-82
Bhopatkar, Bhaskar Balwant (1874-1949), a leading lawyer of Poona who in 1905 started Bhald, a Marathi weekly, to support staunch nationalism and equally staunch orthodoxy. In February 19Q6 he was sen- tenced to six months’ imprisonment for sedition by the High Court of Bombay. (D.N.B.; P.T.I.) l:l40 Bhowanipur a large and important locality in South Calcutta. (N.B.A.) VI: 123
Bhrig(o)u (Varuni) a Vedic sage and one of the Prajapatis; "the most august and vener- able name in Vedic literature" (27:152); founder of the race of Bhargavas. Con- sidered a son of Varuna, he bears the patronymic Varuni. (A; Dow.; Enc. Ind.; V. Index) 4:29 5: 239, 250, 253 10: 152, 461 11:73, 184, 344, 482 12:337, 340 13:350 15:234 16:254, 261 19:743 27: 152, 156, 158 III: 49 VII: 59, 61, 65, 71 VIII: 180
Bhrigus in Hindu religion, a class of sym- bolic and semi-divine beings connected with Agni; producers or nourishers of fire. In then work they are associated with the Angirasas, Atharvans, Ribhus etc. (Dow.) 10:152, 180, 234, 237 11:91, 272, 479-83, 488 111:49
Bhrigu (Samhita) a celebrated voluminous work on astrology by Bhrigu, a great Hindu seer and astrologer. It is said to contain several thousand charts (horoscopes) de picting all possible relative positions of the nine planets in Hindu astrology, together with an account of the destiny of persons born or to be born at the time when the particular relative position shown in each chart occurred or will occur in future. It is interesting to note that quite a few astrol- ogers claim to possess the true and genuine Bhrgu Samhita. None, however, has yet been able to establish the authenticity of his manuscript beyond doubt. Probably, there were many seer-astrologers who adopted the name of Bhrigu and wrote Samhitas at different times, 26:365
Bhrigu (Varuni) See Bhrig (o) u (Varuni)
Bhu See Bhur |
Bhujyu "the seeker of enjoyment"; son of King Tugra, "the Forceful-Hastening" (10:449). He is repeatedly mentioned in the Rig-veda as being saved from the deep by theAshwins. (A; V. Index) 10:153, 449
Bhupen; Bhupendra; Bhupendranath See Bose, Bhupen(dranath), or Dutt, Bhupen- (dranath) Bhur; Bhurloka or simply Bhu, the material world; the lowest of the seven worlds of the Puranas, and one of the three vyahrtis of the Veda. (The vyahrtis are the three mystical words said by Manu to have been milked from the Vedas by Prajapati – the word "Bhur", from the Rig-veda; the "Bhuva", from the Yajur-veda; and the word "Swar", from the Sama-veda. He uttered the word "Bhu", which became this earth; "Bhuvah", which became this firmament; and "Swar", which became the sky.) Symbolically Bhur is the physical consciousness. (Dow.; A) 4:40 10:42, 171, 271, 275 11:23 12:123, 321-22, 393, 403, 515, 519 17:62 VI: 182-83 VII: 68 XV: 25-26, 33, 46 XVI: 140, 145, 154-55 XIX: 50, 52 XXII: 131
Bhurishrava(s) son of Somadatta and an ally of the Kauravas. He was killed in the battle of the Mahabharata. (Dow.;M.N.) 3:121, 192 4:76, 95 VI: 156 VIII: 188
Bhutas in Hindu mythology, restless ghosts. Bhutas are apt to be malignant if they have died a violent death or have been denied funeral rites. They haunt trees, deserts, abandoned houses, the hearths and roofs of homes, crossroads, and boundaries, but never stay on the ground. (The other senses of the Sanskrit word bhuta given in Vol. 30 of the SABCL have not been indexed.) (Enc.Br.) 4:24 22:395 27:430
Bhuvah See Bhuvar
Bhuvanayshwar Bhubaneswar, once a ruined city in Puri district, Orissa, sacred to the wor- ship of Shiva, and containing the remains of several temples. In 1948 the capital of the state of Orissa was shifted from Cuttack to Bhubaneswar. (Dow.; Enc. Br.) 5:255 Bhuvar; Bhuvarloka world of various becom- ing; the second lowest of the seven worlds of the Puranas; one of the three vyahrtis of the Veda (see Bhur). Symbolically it represents the intermediate dynamic vital and nervous consciousness. (A; Dow.; V.G.) Var:
Bhuvah 10:42, 171, 271, 275 11:23, 501 12:123, 321-22, 393, 404, 515 17:62 II: 38 VI: 183 VII: 68 XV: 25-27, 33, 46 XVI: 140, 145, 154-55 XIX: 50, 52 XXII: 196 |
Page-47
|
Bibhishan See Vibhishan(a)
Bible the Christian sacred book. Actually a collection of books, the Holy Bible, as it is often called, is divided into two parts: the Old Testament and the New Testament. The former contains thirty-nine books (which are also the Jewish scriptures), according to the Protestants, with a supplement of fourteen books known as the Apocrypha ("hidden", of doubtful authority); other churches include part or all of the Apocrypha in the Old Testament. The New Testament contains twenty-seven books. The Old Testament was compiled in Hebrew from the 13th to the 1st century BC; the New Testament was written, probably in Greek, during the 1st century. No original manuscripts have survived. English versions of the Bible are numerous and variously named. The first complete English version dates from 1382. (R. Enc.; Enc. Br.) Der: Biblical 1:603 2:19, 156 4:303 5:365 9:438 13:86 14:48, 60 16:82 17:182, 341 20:52 22:206, 483 24:1237 25:390 26:265, 397, 483 27:313 1:56, 58 11:88 111:25 V:65 IX: 36
Bidyapati See Vidyapati
Bihar a constituent state of the Republic of India, situated in the northeastern part of the country. Formerly, united with Orissa, it formed one province "Bihar & Orissa". Earlier still, the region formed part of a much larger province of BENGAL. "Bihari" refers to an inhabitant or the language of Bihar. (Enc. Br.) Var: Behar Der: Bihari;
Behari; Biharee; Beharee 1:167-68, 226-27, 645 2:255, 346 26:409-10
Bijoli a Bengali weekly, published from Calcutta, dealing chiefly with political topics of the day. It appeared from 1920 to 1924 and was edited by Nalinikanta Sarkar and Barindra Kumar Ghose. (Cal.Lib.) 27:483
Bijoy Bijoy Kumar Nag (1892-1935), a revolutionary and disciple of Sri Aurobindo. Born at Rajshahi in 1892, Bijoy was arrested in 1908 in connection with the Alipore Bomb Case. He was acquitted at the Sessions Court. In 1910 Bijoy accompanied Sri Aurobindo to Pondicherry and stayed with him there as a member of his household. After August 1914, when he left Pondicherry for Calcutta, he was taken into custody at Villupuram under the Defence of India Act, and put in confinement at Calcutta till the end of the |
war. Soon after his release he returned to Pondicherry. Bijoy was among those present on Siddhi Day, 24 November 1926. But a few years later he left the Ashram and died at Khulna in February 1935. In his "Record of Yoga" Sri Aurobindo has used the following abbreviations for his name: B, B., Bj. (A.B.T., pp.l4, 183-85;Purani, pp. 137, 157, 217) Var:Bejoy a 27:439, 461, 469-70, 484, 489 XIX: 29 XX: 121, 148 XXI: 2, 6, 24, 29, 34, 55, 59, 74, 78
Billingsgate oldest of London’s markets, situated by the River Thames at the north end of London Bridge. Since the 16th century it has been principally a fish market. The word "Billingsgate" was popularly used to designate the coarse vituperation of scolding fishwives. It is now also used as a common noun meaning "abuse" or "violent invective". (Enc. Br.;C.O.D.) 1:524
Bilwamangal a well-known Vaishnava saint of South India, son of a devout Brahmin, Ramdas. He had received a devotional education from his father. But after the death of his parents Bilwamangal fell into bad society and got completely engrossed in the love of a prostitute, Chintamani, till one day a biting reproach from her for his blind infatuation, suddenly opened his eyes and his love turned towards God with the same in- tensity of emotion. Once again, however, the sight of a beautiful woman gave him a jolt, but soon after he came to himself. Holding his eyes responsible for the slip, he pierced them each with a thorn and became blind. In that state, it is said, Krishna himself used to come to him as a boy to provide him food, and one day led him to Vrindavan. (Bhakta Ch.) a 23:546, 553, 609
Bindusor in the Mahabharata, name of an ancient pool situated north of Mt. KAILASA. (M.N.) 8:31
Binod Babu See Gupta, Binode Kumar
Binyon, Laurence (1869-1943), English poet, dramatist, and art historian who was a pion- eer in the European study of Far Eastern painting. He is also noted for his verse translation of Dante’s Divina Commedia. Laurence Binyon was a classmate and close friend of Sri Aurobindo’s brother Manmohan. (Enc. Br.) 14:47, 227
Bipasha in the Mahabharata, a river of the Punjab, now called the Beas; it is one of the five rivers within the frontiers of which the Aryans originally dwelt. (A) D 5:246 27:156 |
Page-48
|
Birbhum name of a district in Burdwan division of Bengal (now West Bengal state). (Enc. Br.) 27:484 Bird of Fire, The a poem by Sri Aurobindo, written on 15-10-1933. It is in the nature of a metrical experiment. 5:578 9:360, 363, 412, 531 26:275, 304
Biren’ a fictional correspondent of Sri Aurobindo. About 1910 Sri Aurobindo presented his ideas on Indian and European cultures and their contrasts in the form of letters, some of them addressed to this imaginary "Biren". (A & R, VI: 207) 3:461 VI: 195, 199
Biren2 one of the speakers – the extremist - in Sri Aurobindo’s dialogue "At the Society’s Chambers". (A) 3:471
Biren3 (for references occurring in Vol. 26) See Ghose, Biren
Biren4 Probably Biren Ghose. Possibly another Biren is intended: for example, Biren Roy, a cook who served in Sri Aurobindo’s household around 1913-14 and who was a C.I.D. spy. (Purani, pp. 153-55; L to SL, pp. 31-32) 27:435, 438, 440, 452-53 XXI: 84
Birendra See Sen, Birendra Chandra
Birkenhead Frederick Edwin Smith, 1st Earl ofBirkenhead (1872-1930), a very successful English lawyer and statesman, and a noted orator; Secretary of State for India (1924-28) in Baldwin’s second ministry. (Enc. Br.) 26:389
Birley L. Birley, I.C.S., District Magistrate of 24 Parganas, Bengal, who in August 1908 committed Sri Aurobindo and others arrested in the Alipore Bomb Case to the Court of Sessions. (A.B.T.) a 4:285-86, 289, 293
Birrell, Augustine (1850-1933), English politician and man of letters. As Chief Secretary for Ireland (1907-16), he was responsible for failing to prevent the Easter Week Rising (1916) of Irish nationalists in Dublin. (Enc.Br.) 367
Birth of the War-God, The See Kumara- sambhavam
Bis(h)abriksha (Poison-Tree), a Bengali novel (1873) by Bankim Chandra, containing some striking and faithful pictures of Indian life and posing the problem of widow remar- riage. It first came out serially in the Banga- darshan from its first issue, and was put in book-form in 1873. (Enc. Br.; A; B.R.-I) 3:91, 94 17:345 27:353
Bismarck, Otto von (1815-98), German statesman, founder and first chancellor of the |
German Empire, and a political genius of the highest rank. (Enc. Br.) 1:139, 309 15:’34, 503
Bitosta in the Mahabharata, a river of the Punjab, now called the Jhelum; it is one of the five rivers within the frontiers of which the Aryans originally dwelt. It flows through Kashmir and Punjab. (A; M.N.) 5:246 27:156
Bj. See Bijoy
Black Hundred "Black Hundreds" also called "League of the Russian People", organization of reactionary, anti-Semitic groups in Russia, formed during the 1905 revolution. Having the unofficial approval of the government, the Black Hundreds were primarily composed of landlords, rich peasants, bureaucrats, police officials, and clergymen, who supported orthodoxy, autoc- racy, and Russian nationalism. Particularly active from 1906 until 1911, they staged raids against various revolutionary groups and pogroms (organized massacre) against the Jews. (Enc.Br.) 1:371, 402, 435
Blair, Mr. apparently, a British official. (A) a1:269, 556
Blake, William (1757-1827), English poet, painter, engraver, and visionary, now recog- nised for the breadth of his invention in poetry and painting, and for his prophetic vision. (Enc.Br.) D 9:53-54, 91-92, 94, 116, 123-26, 131, 133, 192, 311, 354-55, 442, 447, 454, 472, 476-80, 482, 529 26:261-62 29:737, 799-800, 809 1:9 11:11
Blanc, Mont See Mont Blanc
Blavatsky, Madame Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky (1831-91), Russian spiritualist, author, and cofounder (1875) of the Theosophical Society in New York, promoting Theosophy, an occult philosophical- religious system largely derived from Hindu writings, whose followers believe in a pan- theistic evolutionary process integrating deity, cosmos, and self. She came to India in 1879 and established a Theosophical temple at Adyar near Madras. (Enc. Br:; D.I.H.) 22:483 XIII: 29, 32
Bloomfield Murder Case a case tried in the Calcutta High Court in 1907. (A) a 1:503-04
Blotton, Mr. a character in Dickens’ novel The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. See also Pickmck, MT. D 3:144
Blumhardt a critic who expressed his appreciation of Bankim Chandra’s great work Krishna Charitra. (A) 27:354 |
Page-49
|
Blunt, Wilfrid Wilfrid Scawen Blunt (1840-1922), English poet whose impulsive, generous nature found expression in anti- imperialism based on sympathy for small or oppressed nations. He championed Indian, Egyptian, and Irish home rule. (Enc. Br.; Col. Enc.) I: 465
Bluysen Paul Bluysen (d. 1928), a French politician, the successful candidate for the seat for French India in the Chamber of Deputies in 1910 and 1914. Paul Richard came to Pondicherry to canvass for him in 1910; in 1914 Richard was unsuccessful in opposing him. (A; Mother-1) Der:
Bluysenites a 27:442, 444-50 B.N.S. See Sen, Baikunthanath
Boadicea title and subject of a poem in galliambics by Tennyson. Boadicea or Boudicca was an ancient British queen (died AD 60) who in the year 60 led a revolt against Roman rule. (Ox. Comp.; Enc. Br.) 27:93
Board of Notables See (Advisory) Council of Notables.
Boccaccio, Giovanni (1313-75), Italian poet and novelist, chiefly remembered as the author of the tales of the Decameron, one of the world’s great books. (Enc. Br.; Col. Enc.) 3:101
Bodas probably Mahadev Raj aram Bodas, who took an active part in propagating the Swadeshi movement in Bombay. (S.F.F., p. 45) 4:178
Bodas Ghose Committee a committee formed by the Nationalist Party after the split of the Congress at the Surat session of 1907 to devise ways and means for re-establishing unity and to maintain the work and objectives of the Congress by preserving its national character. (Mahadev Rajaram ?) Bodas and (Sri Aurobindo) Ghose were the elected conveners of the committee. (A-4:178) n 1:840
Bodhisattwa in Buddhism, the historical Buddha Gautama prior to his Enlighten- ment; also other individuals who are destined to become Buddha in this or another life. Bodhisattwa is a conception of the Mahayana school of Buddhism. Buddhists or saints who have qualified themselves to attain Nirvana in this life but voluntarily forego that state in order to help their fellowmen to attain it, are called Bodhisattwas. They receive veneration, respect, and worship like that given to Gautama Buddha himself. (Enc. Br.; D.I.H.) 16:210 |
Boeotian of Boeotia, a district of ancient Greece, with a distinctive military; artistic, and political history. It lay north of Attica. The Athenians taunted the Boeotians with being dull and slow-witted. So the word Boeotian has come to mean "dull (person)". (Enc. Br.; Col. Enc.; C.O.D.) 1:178
Boer(s) a name applied to South Africans of Dutch or Huguenot descent, especially to early settlers of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Hostility between the Boers and the British resulted in the South African or Boer War (1899-1902), after which the Boer territories were annexed and the Union of South Africa formed. (Enc. Br.) 1:132, 189, 368, 459, 563, 575 2:120, 171, 302 3:193 15:502 1:73 111:23, 26
Bohemia the westernmost province of Czechoslovakia. Prague is capital of both Czechoslovakia and Bohemia. (Col. Enc.) Der: Bohemian 15:88, 625
Boiardo Matteo Maria, Conte Boiardo (14417-94), Italian poet. He wrote numerous works, both in Latin and Italian. (Enc. Br.) a 3:101
Boithorini(e); Bhogavat(h)ie " (the river) to be crossed", before the infernal regions can be entered; "the Ganges of the dead", in Patala; "the river dolorous", described as being filled with blood, ordure, and all sorts of filth, and as flowing with great impetu- osity. (Bhogavati is also the name of the subterranean region of the Nagas, in the Naga-loka portion of Patala.) (A; Dow.) a 5:256, 325 27:159
Bokhara or Bukhara, city and administrative centre of Bukhara oblast (region), central Uzbek Soviet Socialist Republic, USSR. (Enc.Br.) 5:272
Bolingbroke Henry St. John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke (1678-1751), prominent English politician in the reign of Queen Anne (1702- 14); later a major political propagandist in opposition to the Whig party. He was noted both as a brilliant conversationalist and as a notorious libertine. (Enc. Br.) 1:54
Bolpur a small town in Birbhum district of Burdwan division, Bengal (now West Bengal state), 3:431 Bolshevik(s) member(s) of a wing of the Russian Social-Democratic Workers’ Party who, led by Lenin, seized control of the government in Russia (October 1917) and became the dominant political power. The group originated in 1903 when Lenin’s followers won a temporary majority. They assumed the name of Bolsheviks (those of the majority) and dubbed their |
Page-50
|
opponents "the Mensheviks" (those of the minority). After the October Revolution, in March 1918, they changed their name to the Russian Communist Party, and in 1952 they became the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. (Enc. Br.) Var: Bolshevic Der:
Bolshevism; Bolshevist 4:330 9:331 15:45, 302, 327, 470, 488, 506, 510, 560, 576, 611, 627, 642-43, 646-47 22:208-09 25:72 26:389 VII: 5, 16 XIX: 11
Bomba, King Ferdinand II (of the Bourbon dynasty) of Naples, whose treacherous and tyrannical reign extended from 1830 to 1859. He was called "Bomba" on account of his bombardment of Messina in 1848. (Ox. Comp.) 1:505
Bombay name of a former province and presidency in British India; name also of the great city which was the capital of the province and the presidency. Presently Bombay is the capital of Maharashtra state in the Republic of India. It is the biggest port on the west coast, the "Gateway of India", and the financial and commercial centre of India. (Enc. Br.) 1:17, 19, 14041, 186, 189, 19295, 201, 203, 231, 242, 247, 263-64, 284, 311, 360, 387, 414, 429, 479-80, 555, 569, 571, 586, 590, 592-93, 598, 609, 627, 639, 648, 652, 674, 677-78, 681, 685, 715, 754, 783, 797, 815, 818-19, 825, 838-41, 865, 870, 891, 897-98 2:71, 75-76, 78, 101-02, 135-36, 138, 159, 176, 205-06, 238, 246, 260, 295-97, 304-05, 307, 309-11, 315-16, 319, 329-30, 360, 370 3:73, 98, 129, 426 4:175, 179, 182-83, 191, 203-04, 222, 225, 228, 231-34, 240, 263, 268, 278, 290, 296 7:1027, 1031 22:121 23:675 25:221 26:2, 10, 13-14, 23, 45, 49-50, 58, 98, 129, 410, 429 27: 33, 40-43, 54, 67-68, 71, 115 1:29 111:86 VIII: 134 XIV: 102, 105 XV: 64
Bombay Chronicle English daily of Bombay founded in 1913 by Pherozshah Mehta as an organ of the Moderate party. It was edited by B. G. Horniman. The paper played an eminent role in the Indian struggle for freedom. (Cal. Lib.; S.F.F.) 26:390
Bombay University state-controlled institution of higher learning located in Bombay. It was founded in 1857. After the establishment of regional universities in the state in 1948-50, its jurisdiction, which formerly extended to institutions throughout the province, was confined to Greater Bombay. (Enc.Br.) n 1:480
Bonaparte family name of Napoleon I, emperor of France. See Napoleon (Bonaparte) D [Indexed with Napoleon (Bonaparte)] |
Bonerji, Umesh Chandra (1844-1906), much sought-after barrister in the Calcutta High Court, and a Moderate in politics, who pre- sided over the first session of the Congress held at Bombay in 1885. He was an ardent advocate of British connection, and Angli- cised in his habits, customs and ways of thought. (D.N.B. – "Bonnerjee, Woomesh Chandra") n 1:20
Bonnerji, R. C. a poet who contributed to the second number of the magazine Shama’a, which was reviewed by Sri Aurobindo. (A) a 17:321
Booth, "General" William Booth (1829-1912), English religious leader, founder and first "general" of the Salvation Army. (Enc.Br.) 1:8
Borderers a tragedy in verse by Wordsworth, composed in 1795-96. (Ox. Comp.) 9:74
Borgia, Alexander See Alexander Borgia
Borgia, Caesar Cesare Borgia (c. 1476-1507), Italian soldier and politician, who with his father. Pope Alexander VI, enhanced the political power of the papacy. His policies led his contemporary MACHIAVELLI to cite him as an example of the new "Prince". (Col. Enc.; Enc.Br.) 1:605 Boro Budoor vast pyramidal stupa, one of the world’s greatest Buddhist monuments, built about AD 800 at Boro Budur in Java. It is of large dimensions, containing many images of the Buddha, and having galleries covered with sculpture illustrating scenes from the Buddha’s life. (Enc. Br.; Archer) 9:381
Bose, Anandamohan (1847-1906), India’s first wrangler, a leader of the Brahmo Samaj, an educationist, and social reformer. A lawyer by profession, he was associated with the Congress since its inauguration. He was a Moderate and a constitutionalist. (D.N.B.) 4:207
Bose, Bhupal Chandra (1861-1937), father- in-law of Sri Aurobindo, and co-founder, with his friend Girish Chandra Bose, of the Bangabasi School and College. He also served the institution as a teacher for two years. He entered Government service in 1888 and worked as an agricultural officer for 28 years in Bengal and Assam. (A & R, IV: 206) 1:70 Bose, Bhupen(dranath) (1859-1924), a Moderate leader of Bengal, who advocated boycott of British goods during the anti- Partition campaign, and presided over the Congress session held at Madras in 1914. As the nationalists moved towards extremism, Bhupendranath moved away, and came closer to the Government. In 1917 he be- came a member and undersecretary in the Council of the Secretary of State |
Page-51
|
for India, and remained in this position till 1923 when he was appointed a member of the Executive Council of the Governor of Bengal. When he died in 1924, he was working as the Vice- Chancellor of Calcutta University. (D.N.B.; H.F.M.I.) Var: Basil, -98, 755 2:143, 206, 290, 293, 309, 329, 335 4:183, 191, 221, 223, 225, 238, 260 26:52 27:7-8, 38, 40-43 VI: 125 Bose, Debabrata (c. 1879-1918), a member of the ‘Yugantar’ revolutionary group, and one of the real editors or writers of the Yugantar. He was a master of Bengali prose. After his acquittal in the Alipore Bomb Case, he became a sannyasin, joined the Ramakrishna Mission and under the name of Swami Prajnananda contributed to the Mission’s journals. (A; P.T.I.; Purani; L. to Sl.) Var: Devabrata Bose; Devavrata 26:16, 42, 57, 63 27: 444
Bose, Dr. Sir Jagadis Chandra Bose (1858-1937), Indian physicist and plant physi- ologist, noted especially for his research in plant life. He was a prominent nationalist. (Col. Enc.; Enc. Br.) D l: 480 Bose, G. C. Girish Chandra Bose (1853-1939), friend of Sri Aurobindo’s father-in-law Bhupal Chandra Bose. After his return from Europe where he had gained considerable experience in the new methods of education, he founded in 1886, in col- laboration with Bhupal Chandra Bose, the Bangabasi School which the following year was transformed into a college. (D.N.B.; Purani; A & R; S.B.C.) Var: Girish Bose; Giris Babu 1:415-16 4:323 26:66 1:70
Bose, Jodunath Bankim Chandra’s class- fellow at Calcutta University; they were the first Indians to obtain the degree of B.A. (Bachelor of Arts). (A) a 3:77
Bose, Jogendra eldest son of Raj narayan Bose; maternal uncle of Sri Aurobindo, addressed by him as Boromama. (A) a r:68
Bose, Kritanto Kumar a High Court vakil of Calcutta with nationalist sympathies who presided over a Swadeshi meeting held at Harrish Park, Bhowanipur, in Calcutta on 13 October 1909. (A & R, VI: 204; A) a 4:191 VI: 123 |
Bose, Nandalal (1882-1966), celebrated Indian artist of world fame, disciple of Abanindranath Tagore, and teacher of art at Santiniketan. He founded the School of New Calcutta Art. (Enc. Ind.) I:428
Bose, Premtosh ( ? -1912), one of the promoters of the Railway Union (an organization of railway workmen) at Jamalpur, Bengal (now in Bangladesh). Premtosh disposed of most of his ancestral property to help the revolutionary party and the Swadeshi movement. (A; S.B.C.) 1:151
Bose, Rajnarayan (1826-99), maternal grandfather of Sri Aurobindo; one of the leaders of the Brahmo Samaj, who devel- oped it on original lines. He yearned to build a united India so that she might be free and great again. He once formed a secret revolutionary society which Tagore had joined when young. He is known as Rishi Rajnarayan and the Grandfather of Indian Nationalism. Sri Aurobindo wrote a sonnet on him after his passing away on 18 September 1899. (D.N.B.; Purani; Remini.) Var:Basu, — 3:78 5:123 26:4, 6, 16 1:68 XIV: 163
Bose, Rashbehary (1885-1945), the only front-rank Indian revolutionary whom the police force of the British Empire, in India and abroad, was unable to put into prison or detain in a lock-up even for a single day. From 1911 he worked for revo- lution in India, serving as a living link between the revolutionaries of Delhi, Punjab and Bengal. His complicity in the assassi- nation attempt (23 December 1912) on Lord Hardinge, the Viceroy of India, was accepted by the police as certain, and he was declared an accused in the Delhi, Lahore, and Benares Conspiracy cases, but he avoided detection and arrest and, in 1915, escaped to Japan where later on he took a prominent part in organising the Azad Hind Fauj in collaboration with Subhas Chandra Bose. He fell ill in Japan and died on 21 January 1945. (S.B.C.; D.N.B.; R.O.H.; D.I.H.) a 27:470-71
Bose, Sailen(dra) Sailendranath Bose (c. 1888-1977), a young revolutionary who was sentenced to 3 months’ rigorous |
Page-52
|
imprisonment in the Yugantar case in 1907. In the Manicktola Conspiracy case in 1909 he was awarded transportation for life by the Sessions Court, but the sentence was reduced to 5 years’ rigorous imprisonment after an appeal to a third judge (Harring- ton) at the High Court stage. (P.T.I.; A.B.T.) 4:258, 261-63 Bose, Satyendra Satyendranath Bose (1882-1908), Sri Aurobindo’s maternal uncle (son of one of Rajnarayan Bose’s younger brothers), and a native of Midnapore where he was head of the "National Volunteers". As an undertrial prisoner in the Alipore Bomb Case, he was admitted to the hospital of the Alipore Jail, where he, along with Kanailal Dutt, murdered the approver Noren GOSSAIN. In his trial for this offence, the Sessions Judge, disagreeing with the majority verdict of the jury, referred the case to the High Court and there Satyendra was convic- ted and sentenced to death. He was hanged on 21 November 1908. (D.N.B.;A&R, XI: 98, 102-03) n 4:275 Bose, Sudhira a younger sister of Debabrata Bose, and a classmate of Mrinalini Devi, with whom she lived in close intimacy till the day of Mrinalini’s death in 1918. Sudhira Bose, following her brother, joined the Ramakrishna Mission, and worked as a teacher in the Sister Nivedita School, be- coming its head after Sister Christine left for America shortly before World War I. Sudhira was killed in a railway accident at Benares in December 1920. a 26:57
Bose, Tyabji See Tyabji (Bose)
Bossuet, Jacques-Benigne (1627-1704), French bishop and most eloquent and influential spokesman for the rights of the French church against papal authority. He is now chiefly remembered for his literary works, including funeral panegyrics for great personalities. (Enc. Br.) 26:241 29:787
Boston capital of Massachusetts, U.S.A. It is the cultural, commercial, and industrial centre of New England and a major seaport, located at the head of Massachusetts Bay. (Enc. Br.) n 1:127 V:4
Boswell, James (1740-95), Scottish biographer. His Life of Samuel Johnson, LL. D. (1791) is acclaimed as one of the world’s greatest biographies. (Col. Enc.) 3:231
Botha, General Louis Botha (1862-1919), soldier and statesman who was the first prime minister of the Union of South Africa and a staunch advocate of a policy of recon- ciliation between Boers and Britons so as to form a united South African nation. (Enc. Br.) 1:74 Bothie (ofTober-na-Vuolich) later name of one of dough’s major works originally called The Bothie of Toper-na-Fuosich (1848), |
a poem written in hexameters. In spite of its occasional humorous touches the poem is essentially preoccupied with social prob- lems. (Col. Enc.) 5:346 11:27-29
Botticelli, Sandro (1445-1510), one of the greqsatest of the early Renaissance Florentine painters whose "Birth of Venus" and "Primavera" express to modern viewers the spirit of the Renaissance itself. (Enc. Br.) 9:537
Boulogne city and port on the coast of northern France, southwest of Calais at the mouth of the Liane River and 28 miles across the English Channel from Folkstone, England. (Enc. Br.) [From "Record of Yoga" MSS Nov. 1913-Oct. '27]
Bourbon(s) The House of Bourbon was one of the most important ruling houses of Europe. Its members were descended from Louis I, due de Bourbon from 1327 to 1342. The Bourbons ruled in France (1589-1792 and 1814-48), in Spain (1700-1931 with the exception of a few years), and in Naples and Sicily (roughly from 1734 to 1860). (Enc. Br.) D 1:335 3:225 15:357, 421 16:324
Boutros Pasha Butrus Ghali Pasha, a Copt who succeeded Mustafa Fahmi as premier of Egypt. He was assassinated (in 1910) by a Muslim extremist a few days after the project (supported by Butrus) for the extension of the Suez Canal Company’s 99-year con- cession by 40 years was thrown out by the General Assembly. (Enc. Br., Macro, Vol. 6, p. 497) 2:406
Bow See Archer
Bow Bazar a locality in central Calcutta. D 2: 145
Br. probably, Birendranath Roy, a servant (cook) who came to Pondicherry with Nagen Nag in July 1913. He became a member of Sri Aurobindo’s household. In fact, Biren was a secret agent of the Bengal govern- ment. (For further details see Purani’s Life of Sri Aurobindo) [From "Record of Yoga" MSS Nov. 1913-Oct. '27]‘
Bradlaugh, Charles (1833-91), English social reformer and advocate of free thought, a secularist, and an M.P. His genuine pro- Indian attitude in the House of Commons |
Page-53