AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
1. Propagation of Sanskrit lagnuage:- To extend support to such of those institutions that take up teaching of Sanskrit language,
To popularise short quotations in Sanskrit with English translations,
To conduct competitions in recitation of Sanskrit texts.
2. Meditation
To conduct a Guided Meditation course to help those who feel the need for ‘reorientation of attitude and perception’ . To encourage such meditators to share their experiences through the e-news letter.
3. Free health care:-To provide support to those that take initiatives to provide free health care.
4. Promotion of fine arts and music:-
To conduct camps for promoting talent in painting, music, handicrafts and other fine arts.
5. Social service.
6. Literature and Cultural Activities:-
7. To prepare a brief biographical sketch of Sri LKM.
8. To bring out a collected edition of all the writings of Sri LKM.
9. To bring out translated version in English of all the writings of Sri LKM and make it available in the e-mode.
10.To prepare an illustrated Lanka Family Tree.
11.To invite articles from those who wish to share their experiences, achievements, along with some rare photographs, if they have, etc.
12. To arrange Programs to felicitate some distinguished persons from time to time.
LANKA KRISHNA MURTI FOUNDATION
Sri Lanka Krishna Murti was a person of exceptional accomplishments: He had a fine literary taste that was enriched by a profound scholarship in Sanskrit, Telugu and Kannada. As a creative writer, though he adopted the traditional style of writing poetry using several conventional meters, he was quite modern in his outlook and expression. His first literary creation was a shataka. A poem of hundred and eight stanzas called Sri Vilasamu, which postulates a new definition of wealth and its uses.
Then he wrote a narrative poem called Daana Yagnamu, which highlights the value of giving daana that is a kind of sacrifice voluntarily done, showing compassion towards every form of life, human as well as non-human. He illustrates this principle by narrating the story of Saktuprasta drawn from the Mahabharata.
His third literary work is another narrative called Thyaga Shilpamu that captures in vivid detail the supreme sacrifice made by a great lover of art in realizing his vision of building an artistic marvel, the sculptured temple in Lepakshi.
He tried his hand at, and succeeded in, writing a novel in Kannada, called Kodeya Gopala, a moving narrative that brings into life a local legend we were all familiar with in our younger days in Penukonda.
Towards the end of his career, he took up the daunting task of translating a Telugu epic called Hari Vamsamu into Sanskrit! Sadly, it remains incomplete.
His creativity was not confined to writing poetry only. His artistic sensibility expressed itself in music and painting.
With a sound knowledge of classical Carnatic music, he helped the founding of an institute in Indiranagar.to promote musical talent.He was himself a good painter. As a symbolist, he stimulated thinking among the viewers of his paintings.As an informed humanist, well-rooted in the essentials of Vedic culture, he made his life’s mission the propagation of Sanatana dharma. He founded, for this purpose, a Kannada monthly journal called Dharma Prabha.
In addition to being a creative writer of a high order and an inspiring propagator of Dharma, he possessed a heightened degree of social consciousness that found expression in a variety of cultural initiatives.
Recognising the value of Sanskrit language as the preserver and propagator of Indian Culture, he conducted classes, free of cost, to teach Sanskrit language to stimulate interest in using it to understand the great cultural heritage.
To promote health care, he helped to run a clinic at his own residence where homoeopathic medicines were dispensed freely.
Recognising a sense of charity to be central to all humanistic concerns, he promoted several measures to help the disadvantaged people.
To give a clear definition and focus to his social concerns, he established a cultural and charitable trust known as Sanatana Dharma Samrakshana Samsthe.
The best way to pay homage to such a multi-faceted personality is to first cherish the values he stood for and then to revive and give impetus to the several initiatives he charted out during his life time. It is therefore very appropriate that a foundation in his memory known as Lanka Krishna Murti Foundation is instituted.
LANKA FAMILY
The word Lanka refers to a family name. It means an island, literally. It does not, of course, refer to the country Sri Lanka, nor to the country ruled by Ravana. It is a common family name among the people in the delta area of the coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh, from where the ancestors of Lanka Krishna Murti might have migrated to Rayalaseema region.
Lanka Krishna Murti’s grand father Lanka Venkappa Sastry was well informed in Sastras and Puranas. Though poor, he was strict and orthodox in the practice of a dharmic way of life. He endeared himself to the people in Lepakshi, who developed such reverence and devotion to him that he was called guru, a spiritual guide and preceptor. He led a very austere life of piety and devotion. He was a regular Practitioner of Suryanamaskarams. A great Rama Bhakta, he materialized his devotion by copying the whole of Valmiki’s Ramayana.
. Calm and balanced in temperament, he used to spend his time with his grand children, giving them necessary initiation to essential traditional concepts of dharma, bhakthi, dutifulness, compassion,etc. His wife Akkamma believed in pativratha dharma and played her role as a dutiful wife and affectionate mother to all her children.
Venkappa Sastry’s sons Venkataramappa, Krishnasastry and Chayaramappa, continued the tradition started by their father though they had to seek employment due to change in social setup.
Venkappa Sastry’ daughters Laxamma, Bhagirathamma and Seethamma though they joined different families due to marraige, continued the traditions of Lanka family set by Venkappa Sastry.
Venkatataramappa and his wife Durgalakshamma had a small family with three sons namely lateLanka Srinivasa Rao, late Lanka Krishna Murti and L. Adinarayana who is the President of the Foundation.
Venkataramappa, as the eldest son, took the responsibility of the joint family and joined the office of a lawyer, Hampapuram Narasinga Rao, as a clerk. He was also well versed in Shastras,Puranas and astrology. Next to mother tongue Telugu, Sanskrit was the language to which every member was initiated. He planned everything meticulously and executed with precision.
Durgalakhamma was the very embodiment of patience and endurance. She was well informed about Shastras and Puranas. She knew by heart several hyms and prayers. She learnt reading and was able to read Ramayana, Bhagavatha and some philophical books. She used to recite verses in Bhagavd Gita with ease and fluency everyday.
L.Srinivasa Rao, L.Krishna Murty and L.Adinarayana were brought up in a large, cohesive, and predominantly orthodox family.Sacrifice and compassion which hold not only families, but entire human societies were emphasized as essential values to be followed by everyone. Krisna Murti and his brothers were brought up to imbibe these qualities.
Lanka Krishna Murti devoted all his life to inculcate these two cardinal principles in human conduct namely sacrifice and compassion, Daana and Karuna through his works, speeches and actions.
THE LOGO
In Bhruhadaranyaka Upanishad the advise given by the Guru Prajapathi to his disciples and how they interpreted it according to their own notions is narrated. Prajapathi gave advice through the sound of thunder as “Da” to his disciples namely Devathas, Manavas and Asuras. Devathas interpreted the said advice as ”Damyata” meaning “Control” as they lacked self control. The Manavas interpreted it as “Datta” meaning “Give’’ as they were avaricious. The Asuras interpreted it as ‘Dayadvam” meaning “Sympathize” as they were cruel. It is also emphasized in the said Upanishad that the above said essential qualities “Give” or “Charity”, “Control” and “Sympathy” or Compassion” have to be practiced by us. These Qualities have to blossom in us like a Lotus. The foundation emphasizes and stresses to propagate the above said messages in its Logo.