Manmatha Nath Dutt (Pabna, British India 1855–1912) was a prolific translator of ancient Hindu texts to English. He has translated many ancient Sanskrit texts to English. To this day, his translations remain one of the few or sometimes the only English versions of some Hindu scripture. He translated the Valmiki Ramayana(1892–1894), Markandeya Purana (1896), Bhagavata Purana (1896), Vishnu Purana (1896), Hari Vamsha (1897), Mahabharata (1895–1905), Mahanirvana Tantra (1900), several samhitas and dharmashastra texts (1906, 1908–09), Garuda Purana (1908) and Rig Veda Samhita (1906–1912) which remained incomplete.[1] He has also translated the Kamandakiya Nitisara (1896) which is an ancient book authored by Kamandhaka based on Kautilya's Artha Shastra.
Manmatha Nath Dutt (Shastri) | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1855 Pabna, Bengal Presidency, British India |
| Died | 1912 |
| Occupation | Author & translator of sacred hindu text from Sanskrit to English |
| Language | English, Sanskrit |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Education | MA in English Literature |
| Alma mater | Scottish Church College, Calcutta University, Member of the Royal Asiatic Society (MRAS) |
| Period | 1892-1912 |
| Subject | Hindu literature, religious scriptures, translation of the Ramayana, Mahabharata, Puranas and other ancient Indian texts. |
| Years active | 1892-1912 |
| Notable works | Translation of the Garuda Purana, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and other ancient Indian texts related to Hinduism and Buddhism, both religious and secular. |
| Notable awards | Awarded the title of Shastri by Sanskrit College Calcutta in 1901 |
Apart from his translations of sacred and secular texts on Sanatana and Buddhism, he has also authored some books in English. Among them are his biography of Buddha(1901), and Gleanings from Indian classics (1893) which is a collection of famous stories and anecdotes from classical Sanskrit literature. In the introduction to this book, Manmatha Nath Dutt mentions that it was his attempt to clear western misconception about Hindu religion, literature, and philosophy.
Biography
editManmatha Nath Dutt was born into a Bengali family at Pabna, Bengal Presidency in British India.[2] He received his formal education in Calcutta University where he earned a MA in English and thereafter was awarded the title of Shastri by the Sanskrit College in Calcutta. He became the rector of the Keshub Academy an institute named after Keshub Chandra Sen. He did most of his translation work while he was a rector at Keshub Academy.[3] He became the member of the Royal Asiatic Society in 1894.[4] Manmatha Nath Dutt was the maternal grandfather of the eminent Indian freedom fighter Sucheta Kriplani.[5][6]
A road in North Kolkata (Manmatha Dutt Road) is named after him.
References
edit- ^ "Manmatha Nath Dutt: The Lost Hero". Open The Magazine. 2018-07-17. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- ^ "SEARCHING FOR A HERO LOST IN TRANSLATION". TheDailyGuardian. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- ^ "The Ganguli-Dutt Bind". Open The Magazine. 2021-05-07. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- ^ "I. General Meetings of the Royal Asiatic Society". Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society. 27 (1): 213–214. 1895-01-01. doi:10.1017/S0035869X00022917. ISSN 2051-2066.
- ^ "Manmatha Nath Dutt-I". Open The Magazine. 2019-05-13. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
- ^ Goyal, Anuradha (2020-10-13). "Manmatha Nath Dutt By Bibek Debroy". Anuradha Goyal. Retrieved 2024-05-14.
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