Professor Suresh Amonkar undertook a unique task of contributing to the mother-tongue Konkani by translating valuable scriptures
The walls of thestudy are lined with books. The sight would visually appeal to a book-lover andwould qualify the study a haven to work in. The study is part of ProfessorSuresh Amonkar’s house in Mapusa. The 77 year old professor is well-known forhis love for the Konkani language. He has translated seven sacred booksspanning different religions into Konkani. The translations are in Devnagariscript.
“The first bookI transliterated was Dhammapada whichcontains the teachings and sayings of Lord Buddha,” says the professor. Thebook is written in Pali – the language of the people of Bihar. “When I wasabout to retire, I decided that whatever I do, I will do for my mother-tongue.I learnt Pali so I could translate the book,” he adds. The translated Dhammapada won an award from the SahityaAkademi.
The professorthen went on to translate the Bhagwad Gita, a Tamil Veda called Sritirukkul written in 1 AD, a Sikhreligious scripture called Japuji Saheband a commentary on the Geeta by St Dnyaneshwar called Dnyaneshwari.
The latesttranslation was the Gospel of John. When asked why he chose the Gospel of Johnfrom among the four Gospels, the professor says, “I read all four gospels, butfound this one mystical.” When the translation was published in 2009, theprofessor got it compared with the Greek version (the original Bible waswritten in Greek). “A Greek scholar Longinus Nazareth certified my work andsaid it was well done,” he said.
Fr MousinhoAthaeid who was at the Rachol Seminary, in his preface to the translatedGospel, requested Professor Amonkar to take up the translation of the KristaPurana – a Marathi rendition of the Bible written in verse by Fr Thomas Estevão SJ and published in 1616. The translation is complete, and will bepublished in December this year. The professor has also written a book of Zenstories – titled Zencho Distavo (Realizationof Zen) – which he intends to publish next year.
ProfessorAmonkar does not use a computer for his work; all the translations and proofsare done manually. The translated books surely make Konkani proud.
