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VOL. 11, ISSUE 3 (2025)
Epiphany and self-realization in U.R. Anantha Murthy’s Samskara
Authors
Jangle Lalita, Mitkari S.B
Abstract
This paper examines U.R. Anantha Murthy’s Samskara:
A Rite for a Dead Man (1965) through the lens of epiphany, a concept central to
modern fiction since James Joyce. Set in a Brahmin settlement, the novel
explores the tension between orthodoxy and individual conscience, tradition and
transformation. At the center is Praneshacharya, a revered scholar whose
authority collapses when scriptures fail to resolve the question of Naranappa’s
funeral rites. His moral crisis deepens through an unexpected union with Chandri
and culminates in his decision to abandon rigid ritualism for an uncertain
journey of self-discovery. These turning points function as epiphanic
moments—sudden awakenings that challenge inherited certainties and open new
possibilities for truth. By connecting Murthy’s narrative with the modernist
idea of epiphany while situating it within the Indian cultural and religious
context, this paper argues that Samskara redefines revelation not as
divine miracle but as a profoundly human experience. The novel’s epiphanic
structure exposes the limits of ritual authority while affirming the power of
lived experience in shaping morality and self-realization. Thus, Murthy’s work
stands as both a critique of Brahminical orthodoxy and a universal meditation
on the search for truth in a changing society.
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Pages:34-36
How to cite this article:
Jangle Lalita, Mitkari S.B "Epiphany and self-realization in U.R. Anantha Murthy’s <i>Samskara</i>". International Journal of English Research, Vol 11, Issue 3, 2025, Pages 34-36
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