Gujarati Language writer, philosopher, and social thinker Manilal Nabhubhai Dwivedi. He was an influential figure in 19th-century Gujarati literature, and was one of several Gujarati writers and educators involved in the debate over social reforms.
Manilal’s writings belong to the Pandit Yuga , or ‘Scholar Era’ – an time in which Gujarati writers explored the traditional literature, culture and religion to redefine contemporary Indian identity when it was challenged by the Western culture brought by the colonial rule. His works include Atmanimajjan, a collection of poems on the theme of love in the context of Advaita (non-duality) philosophy; Kanta, a play combining Sanskrit and English dramatic techniques; Nrusinhavatar, a play based on Sanskrit dramatic traditions; Pranavinimaya, a study of yoga and mysticism; and Siddhantasara, a historical critique of the world’s religious philosophies. His faith in Shankara’s Advaita philosophy was the fundamental underpinning of his philosophical thought. He was invited to present a paper at the first Parliament of World Religions, held in Chicago in 1893, but he could not afford to go.
In 1882, Manilal published his play Kanta. A fusion of Sanskrit drama and Shakespearean tragedy, the play had the first tragic hero in Gujarati drama. Manilal wrote another play, Nrusinhavatar (1896), at the request of the Mumbai Gujarati Natak Company. It was based on Hindu mythological episodes, and was staged in 1899 after his death.
Manilal based his poetry collection Atmanimajjan (1895) on his own experiences, with the theme of love. It largely consisted of ghazals in the style of Persian Sufis. Despite flaws of language, such as the misuse of Persian words, they were held to capture the spirit of the ghazal according to critic Mansukhlal Jhaveri. Through them, Manilal illustrated the concepts of the Advaita Vedanta, and expressed his disappointments and his cravings for love. His ghazal “Amar Asha” is popular in Gujarati.
Manilal made Vedantic philosophy popular among the Gujarati community, examining the main features of Indian philosophy and of Hinduism. He imparted to Gujarati readers an awareness of the foundation of their religion and culture. He argued in his writings that the native culture of India was superior to that of the West. He was recognised both in India and in abroad as a staunch proponent of ancient Hindu traditions and as a learned Indian philosopher.
Manilal translated the Sanskrit plays Malatimadhava and Uttararamacarita by Bhavabhuti into Gujarati. Of these, Uttararamacarita was considered an excellent translation by Jhaveri. Manilal also translated Samuel Smiles’s Character into Gujarati as Charitra (1895), and Samuel Neil’s Culture and Self-Culture as Shikhsna ane Svashikshan (1897). He translated the Bhagavad Gita with commentary into Gujarati. He prepared with translation and notes the English editions of Patanjali’s Yogadarshan and Mandukya Upanishad for the Theosophical Societies of India and America respectively.
