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Book Review
Life story of a Yoga master
MASTER C.V.V. JIVITA KATHA — Biography of Master C.V.V.: Sri Sarvari (Vasili Ramakrishna Sarma); Master Yogashram, Plot 89, (31 — 847) Krishna Enclave, Tirumalagiri, Secunderabad-500015. Rs. 60.
THIS BIOGRAPHY, in 12 chapters, presents a vivid panorama of the life story of master C.V.V. alias Venkaswami Rao, claimed to be the 13th avatar of the immortal Moria in Kaliyuga.
Fluency in Tamil, Telugu, Sanskrit and English and the first municipal chairmanship of Kumbakonam facilitated Rao's success in his quest for unravelling secretes of spiritual domain. His metamorphosis into a mystic with astral powers took place in 1887 at Madras in a secluded prayer room of Madame H.P. Blavatsky, the co-founder of the Theosophical Society. The Madame, after her death in 1891 in England, was reborn as Master's Yoga Patni, Venkamma, the second wife, which enabled continuation of their combined spiritual voyage started earlier.
The book abounds with similar super-natural anecdotes like reviving dead people through Prana supply treatment. Naturally, people with faith or experience alone believe in such celestial dispensations.
Founder of Bhirkta rahita taraka raja yogam, the master started Yoga classes in 1912, with Sri Satchidananda Saraswathi of Kanchi as personal secretary. A host of celebrities became followers of his new yogic path, including Potharaju Narasimham (senior to Dr. S. Radhakrishnan), Veturi Prabhakara Sastry, (a renowned poet-scholar), and T. S. Sankara Iyer (from whom the biographer received initiation). These stalwarts themselves had over 50 years' experience in yoga practice.
After the demise of the master in 1922, Mother CV, who acted as his perfect complement throughout, spent 18 years in Yoganidra (trance) before the two souls merged once again in 1940.
The reading is smooth with simple narrative style, although a few English sentences in Telugu script are interposed here and there. Better proof reading could have avoided printer's devils like "Blantaski" for Blavatsky and year 1988 for 1888. Inclusion of contents and index of key words and phrases could have made the book more reader-friendly.
Despite these minor hiccups, this is an excellent exposition of the uncommon achievements of a yoga virtuoso not so well known. Cover design is attractive and the price reasonable. The book deserves to be read by students, scholars, yoga practitioners and common people as well for finding possible solutions to their problems.
P.V.L.N. RAO
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