The
follwoing inspiring note was found in Prof. KNS's collection of papers. He wrote
this powerful mandate to himself, as a clarion call from God, to guide him through
his incessant, ambitious work in literature, without shirking his family duties.
As a writer, Prof. KNS had many pen names, Sokkan was one of them. This
is a note to Sokkan from God.
God's
Clarion Call to KNS: by KNS (as pdf)
My
Beloved Sokkan,
Sleep only for 5 ½ hours every day - it will suffice
for you. Have you not much to write? Who will do it for you ? 800 love poems !
- wherefore, try to write at least two daily, good weather or bad, cool or hot,
rain or shine. After writing one poem when passing to the next, have you not often
said to yourself - "when shall I read it again and enjoy its beauty?"
Yes, Sokkan, you have to re-peruse them all - revise them and then type them too
- is that not colossal work to be done under your nose somehow?
There
are the 100 modern plays already written, but waiting for the finishing touches.
Two hundred others grown in the amorphous shape of mere notes. Have you forgotten
now the Saints Plays - the daily dream that was yours a decade ago ? And the grand
Sangam panaroma - oh, no Sokkan - you cannot afford to waste a single minute -
even if I could promise you a life long like Tagore's to rush to 1000 months.
Believe with all your heart that overwork will harm you never. Have you not felt
your health thrill at its peak of balance in the days and nights when you laboured
from early morning right up to the 8 O' clock wink ? In the stretching forward
to your great ideal, your mind and body will remain better. Go to bed at midnight
- thou shalt wake up fresh at dawn. During the day use even a five-minute leisure
to begin or continue or conclude a poem.
But heed thou this warning.
Quality is better than quantity. No trash from you, Sokkan. Of course, you can
revise, re-shape and polish and embellish later; but let the beginning and the
building be sound and beautiful.
Another warning ! The M a n is greater
than the W r i t e r. Dont get intoxicated with this passion of continuous wielding
of the pen. Be sober, Look normal, Dress well. The duties at College; the claims
of friends, the joys of the family wherein you have your roots, the pang and progress
of the world as heard in the newspapers - these you ignore at the peril of your
life becoming dull, and therefore your handiwork becoming duller and dud. Enjoy
this life - for about it you sing in your art. Depart from your routine with full
freedom and discretion. Only - let your frisk and dance be always under the shadow
of the Central Gopuram Tower where you worship the main literary mission of your
life on earth. Bless you, Sokkan. Cheer up, Sokkan.
(Based
upon the thoughts in my mind in the night of 12 October 1943).
website
by Sundaresan Srinivasan