(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Thursday, December 30, 2010
happy new year 2011 - नववर्षाभिनन्दनम्
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Sunday, December 26, 2010
Without effort your skills are useless - अगच्छन् वैनतेयोऽपि
अगच्छन् वैनतेयोऽपि पदमेकं न गच्छति
= agachchhan vainateyo'pi padamekam na gachchhati
= not moving, even the [mighty] garuDa doesn't move a step.
The eagle is a fast bird. Just like a rabbit is a fast hopper. Remember the hare the tortoise story?
But their talent is of no use, if they don't use it. An eagle though can surpass a mouse in no time, will not have moved a single step, if it sits perched on the branch. To succeed, it has to take the flight, it has to move.
The toughest thing is usually to take the first step. Once that is done, half the battle is won.
'garuDa' गरुड is the son of 'vinatA' विनता , and hence is called 'vainiteya' वैनितेय . He is the king of the birds, and a vehicle of Lord 'viShNu' विष्णु and is known for his speed. Because of him Lord Vishnu can move from anywhere to anywhere in no time!
But even the might garuDa गरुड, the golden winged suparNa सुपर्ण , will not moved an inch while it is still perched on the branch. There is no substitute to the first step.
Similarly, mere wishing won't make things happen. You have to work at it. Procrastination or wishful thinking doesn't do any good. Else no one would have to do anything. They could simply wish and viola!
In the hare and the tortoise story too, as soon as the hare sleeps, the tortoise starts to win. And surely he does win at the end.
The full shloka goes :
गच्छन् पिपीलिको याति योजनानां शतान्यपि |
अगच्छन् वैनतेयोऽपि पदमेकं न गच्छति||
= gachchhan pipIliko yAti, yojanAnAm shatAnyapi |
agachchhan vainateyo'pi, padamekam na gachchhati ||
= a moving ant goes even a hundred yojana; even the [fast eagle] garuDa doesn't move a step when stationary.
And now the language aspects -
अगच्छन् = (adj) while not moving
This is one of the ways to denote 'while doing something', and they are treated as adjectives of the do-er.
e.g. "Don't read while eating.", here, 'while eating' is khAdan खादन्.
Similarly, 'gachchhan' गच्छन् means - while moving. with the a- prefix it is the opposite.
hence, 'while not moving'.
There are other rules, but mainly the -an -अन्, -aan -आन्, -maan -मान् suffixes are used.
In some cases, for feminine forms, the verb in third person, plural is used with a long -I (-ee) -ई ending. e.g. gachchhantI गच्छन्ती, pibantI पिबन्ती, vadantI वदन्ती etc are valid words (the ending is NOT short -i) which are feminine adjectives meaning she while going, drinking, speaking etc.
वैनतेयोऽपि = vainateyaH + api = son of vinatA (garuDa) + even/also
पदमेकं = padam + ekam = step + one
न = not
गच्छति = goes
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
= agachchhan vainateyo'pi padamekam na gachchhati
= not moving, even the [mighty] garuDa doesn't move a step.
The eagle is a fast bird. Just like a rabbit is a fast hopper. Remember the hare the tortoise story?
But their talent is of no use, if they don't use it. An eagle though can surpass a mouse in no time, will not have moved a single step, if it sits perched on the branch. To succeed, it has to take the flight, it has to move.
The toughest thing is usually to take the first step. Once that is done, half the battle is won.
'garuDa' गरुड is the son of 'vinatA' विनता , and hence is called 'vainiteya' वैनितेय . He is the king of the birds, and a vehicle of Lord 'viShNu' विष्णु and is known for his speed. Because of him Lord Vishnu can move from anywhere to anywhere in no time!
But even the might garuDa गरुड, the golden winged suparNa सुपर्ण , will not moved an inch while it is still perched on the branch. There is no substitute to the first step.
Similarly, mere wishing won't make things happen. You have to work at it. Procrastination or wishful thinking doesn't do any good. Else no one would have to do anything. They could simply wish and viola!
In the hare and the tortoise story too, as soon as the hare sleeps, the tortoise starts to win. And surely he does win at the end.
The full shloka goes :
गच्छन् पिपीलिको याति योजनानां शतान्यपि |
अगच्छन् वैनतेयोऽपि पदमेकं न गच्छति||
= gachchhan pipIliko yAti, yojanAnAm shatAnyapi |
agachchhan vainateyo'pi, padamekam na gachchhati ||
= a moving ant goes even a hundred yojana; even the [fast eagle] garuDa doesn't move a step when stationary.
And now the language aspects -
अगच्छन् = (adj) while not moving
This is one of the ways to denote 'while doing something', and they are treated as adjectives of the do-er.
e.g. "Don't read while eating.", here, 'while eating' is khAdan खादन्.
Similarly, 'gachchhan' गच्छन् means - while moving. with the a- prefix it is the opposite.
hence, 'while not moving'.
There are other rules, but mainly the -an -अन्, -aan -आन्, -maan -मान् suffixes are used.
In some cases, for feminine forms, the verb in third person, plural is used with a long -I (-ee) -ई ending. e.g. gachchhantI गच्छन्ती, pibantI पिबन्ती, vadantI वदन्ती etc are valid words (the ending is NOT short -i) which are feminine adjectives meaning she while going, drinking, speaking etc.
वैनतेयोऽपि = vainateyaH + api = son of vinatA (garuDa) + even/also
पदमेकं = padam + ekam = step + one
न = not
गच्छति = goes
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
worryfree bliss - द्वावेव चिन्तया मुक्तौ
यो विमुग्धो जडो बालो, यो गुणेभ्यः परं गतः ||
dvAveva chintayA muktau, paramAnanda Aplutau |
yo vimugdho jaDo bAlo, yo guNebhyaH param gataH ||
bhAgavat purANa 11.9.4
Only two are free of worries and drenched in bliss - one who is ignorant, innocent kid or one who has transcended beyond the manifest (a realized soul).
The one who knows not, is happy.
The one who has known it all, and gone beyond the duality, multiplicity, seen the one in all, all in one, is also blissfully happy. The former just came from that source, the latter is going to go there. Bliss.
It is this world, that adds to the worries, to the ones who have been 'dirtied' by this world. Worries like
- Will it rain/snow today?
- Why is her shirt whiter than mine? What detergent is she using?
- Why has s/he not responded to my SMS yet? Is s/he seeing someone else?
- Will wikileaks leak something about me?
- How is the traffic going to be today?
- Why don't they reduce the menu choices at the fast food to just one and make it really fast?
- Will there be enough money for a 3G scam in India?
- Will the US economy get better enough to afford another mortgage kind of scam?
If you have forgotten how you were happy some day, watch the video above. Maybe when you were young, there were no remote cars, at least not when I was a kid that age! But that is irrelevant. Kids always find something, even a cardboard box, to be happy. After all, it is all in the mind - happiness and sorrow. And NOT in the things.
When we forget the difference between wants and needs, we start looking for happiness in things - like when getting a 'beige' iPad, that no one else has! (Yeah, I know, they haven't made that shade for consumer market yet, only I have the custom colored toy!)
So, live a bit, laugh a bit, learn a bit. Learn to unlearn, unlearn the worrying, the worries. Worries beyond the basics - food, cloth, roof.
Your true nature is indeed to be happy. Remove the heavy cloak of worries and ego, and find yourself!
and now the language aspects of the shloka -
the adjectives match in vibhakti and vachana, and is easily seen here -
dvau muktau Aplutau.
द्वावेव dvAveva = द्वौ dvau + इव eva = two only
चिन्तया chintayA = by worry
मुक्तौ muktau = two free
परमानन्द paramAnanda = parama + Ananda = ultimate bliss
the words before sandhi are paramAnande Aplutau. due to sandhi, the 'e' drops and becomes paramAnanda Aplutau
आप्लुतौ Aplutau = two drenched
यो yo = yaH = that which
विमुग्धो vimugdho = vimugdhaH = one who is mesmerized, oblivious of everything else
जडो jaDo = jaDaH = ignorant. (also means foolish, less intelligent, non-living)
बालो bAlo = bAlaH = child, kid. (specifically boy, generally a child)
यो yo = yaH = that which
गुणेभ्यः guNebhyaH = away from/beyond guNa, forms, qualities, (of matter, people, differentiation)
परं param = other (side of differentiation)
गतः gataH = one who has gone
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Four degrees of pronouns - एतद् etad इदम् idam अदस् adas तद् tad
There are four degrees of pronouns, based on proximity.
एतद् = etad = this (very close);
इदम् = idam = this (close);
अदस् = adas = that (away);
तद् = tad = that (not present, i.e. in absentia).
These are root words, their forms in three genders go very similarly.
masc.
एतद् = एषः एतौ एते
etad = eShaH etau ete
इदम् = अयम् इमौ इमे
idam = ayam imau ime
अदस् = असौ अमू अमी
adas = asau amU amI
तद् = सः तौ ते
tad = saH tau te
fem.
एतद् = एषा एते एताः
etad = eShA ete etAH
इदम् = इयम् इमे इमाः
idam = iyam ime imAH
अदस् = असौ अमू अमूः
adas = asau amU amUH
तद् = सा ते ताः
tad = sA te tAH
neutr.
एतद् = एतत् एते एतानि
etad = etat ete etAni
इदम् = इदम् इमे इमानि
idam = idam ime imAni
अदस् = अदः अमू अमूनि
adas = adaH amU amUni
तद् = तत् ते तानि
tad = tat te tAni
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
एतद् = etad = this (very close);
इदम् = idam = this (close);
अदस् = adas = that (away);
तद् = tad = that (not present, i.e. in absentia).
These are root words, their forms in three genders go very similarly.
masc.
एतद् = एषः एतौ एते
etad = eShaH etau ete
इदम् = अयम् इमौ इमे
idam = ayam imau ime
अदस् = असौ अमू अमी
adas = asau amU amI
तद् = सः तौ ते
tad = saH tau te
fem.
एतद् = एषा एते एताः
etad = eShA ete etAH
इदम् = इयम् इमे इमाः
idam = iyam ime imAH
अदस् = असौ अमू अमूः
adas = asau amU amUH
तद् = सा ते ताः
tad = sA te tAH
neutr.
एतद् = एतत् एते एतानि
etad = etat ete etAni
इदम् = इदम् इमे इमानि
idam = idam ime imAni
अदस् = अदः अमू अमूनि
adas = adaH amU amUni
तद् = तत् ते तानि
tad = tat te tAni
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Don't axe your good projects - आम्रं छित्त्वा कुठारेण
आम्रं छित्त्वा कुठारेण निम्बं परिचरेत् तु कः |
यश्चैनं पयसा सिञ्चेन्नैवास्य मधुरो भवेत् ||
Amram chhittvA kuThAreNa, nimbam paricharet tu kaH |
yash_chainam payasA si~nchennaivAsya madhuro bhavet ||
यश्चैनं पयसा सिञ्चेन्नैवास्य मधुरो भवेत् ||
Amram chhittvA kuThAreNa, nimbam paricharet tu kaH |
yash_chainam payasA si~nchennaivAsya madhuro bhavet ||
Who after cutting a mango tree, should take care of a Neem tree (i.e. no one)? Whosoever may water the Neem tree even with milk, indeed the Neem doesn't become sweet.
 Mango |  Neem |
In the epic rAmAyaNa रामायण, kaikeyI कैकेयी had asked for her boons. Exile to rAma राम, throne to bharata भरत. The king, dasharatha दशरथ was unconscious, his charioteer sumantra सुमन्त्र too fell unconscious. All the ladies and residents of the palace were wailing.
When sumantra सुमन्त्र regained consciousness, he was very angry. Rubbing his hands together, clenching his teeth, with red eyes, he started to torment kaikeyI कैकेयी with his word-arrows. Among the many things he said, was this.
Here he compares dasharatha's दशरथ decision to enthrone rAma राम as the mango and to give throne to bharata भरत plus exile to rAma राम as nimbam निम्बम् (Neem tree). No matter how much you pour milk in the Neem tree, it doesn't acquire sweetness.
Similarly, when starting a project, task, if it is a bad intentioned project to begin with, no amount of masking, faking, misleading PR stunts will make it a good project. Some day, sooner than later, the scam will be exposed, the illness of the project will be out. And as Vidura विदुर warns, when the secret of one bad project done with illegal means come out, then come all other that were done with the same illegal wealth. One may see that happening in the current political news-sphere in India or US or world, 2010 seems the year of the scamsters.
The leaves of Neem are very similar to that of a mango tree, the fruit of Neem is similar to that of a mango when it starts out. Mango grows to be a luscious sweet pulpy juicy big fruit, Neem fruit remains small and very bitter.
The Neem is a very medicinal tree, and its benefit as a medicinal tree is NOT under dispute or criticism. It is only the sweet and bitter characteristics of the fruits being compared. This in no way should make Neem a villain!
 Mango |  Neem |
and now the language aspects of the shloka -
आम्रं = Amram = [to] mango [tree]
used as object in the sentence (dvitiyA vibhakti)
छित्त्वा = chhittvA = after having chopped, cut down
छित् chhit = to cut
-त्वा -tvA suffix to indicate 'after having done so and so'
कुठारेण = kuThAreNa = by axe
kuThAra = axe
-eNa suffix to indicate instrument, by (third vibhakti)
निम्बं = nimbam = to Neem tree
used as object (see Amram above)
परिचरेत् = paricharet = should serve
char चर् verb = to walk about
pari-char = to walk around, as in taking care
pari-charyA परिचर्या = nursing, taking care of
तु = tu = word meaning 'pray tell me!' (used for emphasis)
कः = kaH = who
यश्चैनं = yash_chainam = and who, to this
यः + च + एनम् = yaH + cha + enam = one who + and + to this
यः yaH = one who
एनम् enam, comes from etad एतद् ('this', used for very close by thing)
for the second vibhakti (to this), both etam एतम् and enam एनम् are used.
पयसा = payasA = by milk
पयस् payas = milk
payasA = by milk, using milk (instrument, third vibhakti)
सिञ्चेन्नैवास्य = si~nchennaivAsya = should water (as verb), not, indeed, of it
सिञ्चेत् + न + एव + अस्य = si~nchet + na + eva + asya
सिञ्चेत् si~nchet = should water (as in watering a plant)
न na = not
एव eva = indeed (used for emphasis, has many shades of meaning)
अस्य asya = [fruit] of it
मधुरो = madhuro = sweet
मधुरः madhuraH = sweet
संधि sandhi makes the -aH to -o
भवेत् = bhavet = should become, becomes
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Monday, December 13, 2010
Take from the known to the unknown - अरुन्धती-प्रदर्शन-न्यायः
The Ursa Major constellation is called the saptarShi सप्तर्षि (sapta-RiShi सप्त-ऋषि) or the seven sages. The second star from the tail-tip is Mizar which represents vasiShTha वसिष्ठ. It is a double star, and the faint star next to it is called Alcor, which is 'arundhatI' अरुन्धती (that which unblocks). To show this faint star arundhatI, one first points out the Ursa Major, then its tail star and then the faint arundhatI star.
After the wedding ceremony, one of the first rituals is for the groom to show the arundhatI star to the new bride as an ideal of marital harmony. Since the star is faint it is shown in steps from the most visible stars to the smaller one.
It is even said that one who can't see the star with naked eye, will soon be dying. This is held even in Japanese culture. And in Arabic cultures also, it was used a test of sharp eyesight.
What are the practical inferences from this?
In teaching someone, or showing a way, this method of going from the known to the unknown works much better.
Lead from the known to the unknown. Whether it is the new joinee at the company, a student at school, or your child - when explaining a new or complex concept, start from what is known to the other person. Build up on that step by step and take them to your vision, or the goal or the answer as the case may be.
When ‘selling’ new policies or programs, to employees or clients, start from what they know, and lead their path to the green pasture you are ‘selling’. Along the way, show how it is possible to traverse the path or implement the policy and what the benefits will be.
Change meets resistance of the unknown. If you remove the unknown factor, make people understand the journey and destination, they are more willing to travel with you.
and now the language aspects -
arundhatI = one that unblocks (the path?)
rundh = to block, choke
pradarshana = show
dRik = to see
driShya = view (noun) as in "what a view!"
darshana = seeing of something/one
pra-darshana = to show, to put up a show, show off
pra-darshanI = exhibition, trade show
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
Stable fame and prosperity - संयमात् प्रतितिष्ठति
The start of any long term and stable prosperity and fame is in a good deed, a beneficial project. Be it for a company or for society at large, or at home. Be it a business person thinking or a politician. We are of course not talking about selfish spectrum scandals, which may bring prosperity in short run, but legal action, infamy in the long run.
When prosperity and associated fame starts pouring in, it is increased, fed, nourished by the maturity of mind, intelligence. Which finds new ways to create holistic and win-win-win situations that compound the prosperity.
But it starts to gain roots (in one's endeavors) when one shows skill, expertise, dexterity - of resourcefulness, management, innovation, efficiency, domain knowledge etc.
But when does it not just start, increase, take root but establish permanent (for the time being) camp? That happens when one learns and practices saMyam संयम self-restraint. When one controls one's urges, whims, petty wishes. When one has discipline. Discipline to do the work, which is required, even if it is not 'interesting' or 'challenging' as sometimes people with high
श्रीर्मङ्गलात् प्रभवति प्रागल्भ्यात् संप्रवर्धते |
दाक्ष्यात्तु कुरुते मूलं संयमात् प्रतितिष्ठति ||
shrIr_ma~NgalAt prabhavati, prAgalbhyAt sampravardhate |
dAkShyAt_tu kurute mUlam saMyamAt prati_tiShThati ||
śhrīr_maṅgalāt prabhavati, prāgalbhyāt sampravardhate ।
dākṣhyāt_tu kurute mūlam saṃyamāt prati_tiṣhṭhati ॥
Prosperity happens by good deeds, increases by maturity [of intelligence], takes root by skill/cleverness, and establishes by discipline.
This is from Vidur Neeti 3:51.
and now the language aspects of the shloka -
shrIr श्रीर् = shrIH श्रीः = wealth, prosperity, fame
shrIH became shrIr (H -> r) dues to visarga विसर्ग sandhiH संधिः
ma~NgalAt = ma~Ngala मङ्गल (मंगल) = auspicious, good, beneficial
-At suffix = from
= from auspicious [deeds]
prabhavati = comes from
bhava भव = to be
prabhAva प्रभाव = influence
prabhavati = gets influenced by, comes from
prAgalbhyAt = maturity
pragalbha प्रगल्भ = mature of mind
prAgalbhya प्रागल्भ्य = maturity of mind
-At suffix = from maturity
sampravardhate = increases very much
vardhan/vRiddhi = (n) increase
vardhate = increases
sam- pra- prefixes add to its magnitude - completely, verily increases
dAkShyAt = from dexterity, skill
dakSha दक्ष = skillful, dexterous (even the word dexterous seems derived from dakSha)
dAkshya दाक्ष्य = skillfulness (adj)
-At suffix = from skillfulness
tu = used for emphasis
kurute = does, makes
mUlam = base. root.
saMyamAt = from control
saMyam = control, self-control
-At suffix = from self-control
prati_tiShThati = fully establishes
tiShThati = stays, stays put
prati- completely, well, fully establishes itself
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
When prosperity and associated fame starts pouring in, it is increased, fed, nourished by the maturity of mind, intelligence. Which finds new ways to create holistic and win-win-win situations that compound the prosperity.
But it starts to gain roots (in one's endeavors) when one shows skill, expertise, dexterity - of resourcefulness, management, innovation, efficiency, domain knowledge etc.
But when does it not just start, increase, take root but establish permanent (for the time being) camp? That happens when one learns and practices saMyam संयम self-restraint. When one controls one's urges, whims, petty wishes. When one has discipline. Discipline to do the work, which is required, even if it is not 'interesting' or 'challenging' as sometimes people with high
श्रीर्मङ्गलात् प्रभवति प्रागल्भ्यात् संप्रवर्धते |
दाक्ष्यात्तु कुरुते मूलं संयमात् प्रतितिष्ठति ||
shrIr_ma~NgalAt prabhavati, prAgalbhyAt sampravardhate |
dAkShyAt_tu kurute mUlam saMyamAt prati_tiShThati ||
śhrīr_maṅgalāt prabhavati, prāgalbhyāt sampravardhate ।
dākṣhyāt_tu kurute mūlam saṃyamāt prati_tiṣhṭhati ॥
Prosperity happens by good deeds, increases by maturity [of intelligence], takes root by skill/cleverness, and establishes by discipline.
This is from Vidur Neeti 3:51.
and now the language aspects of the shloka -
shrIr श्रीर् = shrIH श्रीः = wealth, prosperity, fame
shrIH became shrIr (H -> r) dues to visarga विसर्ग sandhiH संधिः
ma~NgalAt = ma~Ngala मङ्गल (मंगल) = auspicious, good, beneficial
-At suffix = from
= from auspicious [deeds]
prabhavati = comes from
bhava भव = to be
prabhAva प्रभाव = influence
prabhavati = gets influenced by, comes from
prAgalbhyAt = maturity
pragalbha प्रगल्भ = mature of mind
prAgalbhya प्रागल्भ्य = maturity of mind
-At suffix = from maturity
sampravardhate = increases very much
vardhan/vRiddhi = (n) increase
vardhate = increases
sam- pra- prefixes add to its magnitude - completely, verily increases
dAkShyAt = from dexterity, skill
dakSha दक्ष = skillful, dexterous (even the word dexterous seems derived from dakSha)
dAkshya दाक्ष्य = skillfulness (adj)
-At suffix = from skillfulness
tu = used for emphasis
kurute = does, makes
mUlam = base. root.
saMyamAt = from control
saMyam = control, self-control
-At suffix = from self-control
prati_tiShThati = fully establishes
tiShThati = stays, stays put
prati- completely, well, fully establishes itself
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Friday, December 3, 2010
Time is insurmountable - कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः
Time devours all things, Time kills all that are born.
Time is awake while all else sleeps, Time is insurmountable.
- Vidura in Mahabharata
Time is awake while all else sleeps, Time is insurmountable.
- Vidura in Mahabharata
Everything that is created will be destroyed, sooner or later. This destruction is actually transformation. It is only destruction of external form. Otherwise, it is mere transformation. Be it on earth, by simple forces of nature like earthquake, volcano, water erosion, even mighty oceans are shaken, Grand Canyon is created, new islands are formed in the middle of oceans. At celestial levels, stars are born and die, galaxies collide.
Everyone that is born, has to die. That is the eternal truth expressed in Upanishads, Gita as well as modern expression - 'Tax and Death spare none.' No matter who - God incarnate, minor gods, son of god or messenger of god, all have gone from the earth in the physical form.
A young mother once went to Buddha with her dead baby, pleading him to give the baby life. No amount of reason seemed to work on her motherly attachment. So Buddha told her to get some rice for the life-ritual from a house where none had died. The desperate mother went to each and every house of the village, but to her horror, there was not a single house where no death had happened.
The immortality we hear of is not of the form, but of the soul.
When all else sleep, be it people, dogs, godhead, or even creation after the annihilation, time never stops. The huge serpent on which viShNu विष्णु lies is called 'ananta' अनन्त or 'sheSha' शेष . ananta means without end, and time has no end. sheSha means remainder, time is what is left when all else is gone. While we rest, time keeps moving.
Time is in essence nothing but change. And change is the only constant out there. And the great lord of lord (devAdhideva देवाधिदेव, mahA-deva महा-देव ) shiva शिव is the personification of change. And hence it is called mahA-kAla महा-काल - the great Time.
The last part in itself is quoted instead of the whole shloka. 'kalo hi durati-kramaH' - time is inevitable, insurmountable.
There are so many observations about this inevitability of time, that it is like a list of cliches -'Time and tide wait for none. Time heals. You get nothing before time, or more than destined (samaya se pahale aur bhAgya se adhika kisI ko nahI.n milatA - समय से पहले और भाग्य से अधिक किसी को नहीं मिलता ).
This shloka is said by Vidura (vidura, विदुर) to the king Dhṛitarāṣhṭra (dhRitarAShTra, धृतराष्ट्र) in Mahābhārata (mahAbhArata, महाभारत) Strī Parva (strI parva, स्त्रीपर्व) verse 2.22
कालः पचति भूतानि, कालः संहरते प्रजाः |
कालः सुप्तेषु जागर्ति, कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः ||
kālaḥ pachati bhūtāni, kālaḥ saṃharate prajāḥ |
kālaḥ supteṣhu jāgarti, kālo hi duratikramaḥ ||
kAlaH pachati bhUtAni, kAlaH saMharate prajAH |
kAlaH supteShu jAgarti, kAlo hi duratikramaH ||
कालः सुप्तेषु जागर्ति, कालो हि दुरतिक्रमः ||
kālaḥ pachati bhūtāni, kālaḥ saṃharate prajāḥ |
kālaḥ supteṣhu jāgarti, kālo hi duratikramaḥ ||
kAlaH pachati bhUtAni, kAlaH saMharate prajAH |
kAlaH supteShu jAgarti, kAlo hi duratikramaH ||
And now the language aspects of the shloka -
kAlaH = time
pachati = digests
bhUtAni = that which have materialized - things, living beings etc.
bhava = to happen, to be
bhUta = that which has happened. even the word for past tense is 'bhUta kAla' भूत-काल
it is also used for all creation that has happened. e.g. pa~ncha-mahA-bhUta पञ्च-महा-भूत are the basic five elements of creation - air, earth, fire, space and water.
kAlaH = time
saMharate = kills, takes back
prajAH = that which has been born.
it is also used to denote the subjects, citizens.
from root word jan - to give birth
kAlaH = time
supteShu = in sleep. while everything else is sleep.
jAgarti = wakes, is awake
kAlo = kAlaH (kAlo due to sandhi)
hi = surely (for emphasis)
duratikramaH = duH + ati + kramaH = difficult to trespass = insurmountable, can't be defeated/passed/violated. i.e. the flow and laws of time can't be broken.
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Monday, October 25, 2010
Worrying ruins everything - संतापाद्भ्रश्यते रूपं
If there is one thing in abundance in the world, beyond poverty, corruption and bad politics, it is our worries. Maybe the first three are causing it :). Like the poverty of character, worries are the disease of the mind that eat into our core.We may think worries are a comparatively modern phenomenon with a fast life, more pressure, uncertain times etc. and it was great in the past, it is not so. Of course, there were and are carefree and worry-free people always, but we are talking about the middle of the curve people. In 'mahAbhArata' महाभारत, when 'yakSha' यक्ष, the spirit of the lake, asks 'yudhiShThira' युधिष्ठिर - what is more [common] than the grass?' he answers - 'Our worries.'
And in the same epic, when the wise minister 'vidura' विदुर is advising the emperor 'dhRitarAShTra' धृतराष्ट्र he says that 'Do the right thing, the just thing, and you will have nothing to worry. For worrying destroys everything.'
Too much worrying never helped anything. If it were so, I would have solved the world hunger decades ago!Physically and psychologically, worries eat away into our very being. We are never smiling when we are worried, so instantly it robs our beauty away from us. In the long run, it causes loss of sleep which leads to those puffy eyes and bad skin. It leads to loss of beauty of the form. After all, they call it a beauty-'sleep' for a reason!
Worry takes away appetite and that leads to a bad health, weak body. The spurts of binging leads further deterioration of health.
Too much worrying blinds our thinking, and the ability to make proper decision. We get biased and one-tracked and make silliest of mistakes when we worry too much. Such decisions only worsen the situation, leading to more worries.
And all this leads up to some real diseases as well, not just of the thought but of the body. Depression, lack of immunity, headaches, ulcers - what not.
So, plan, be concerned, but not worried. Not excessively worried to the point that it is santApa संताप - full mental torture!
Here is what 'vidura' विदुर says to the emperor:
संतापाद्भ्रश्यते रूपं, संतापाद्भ्रश्यते बलम् |
संतापाद्भ्रश्यते ज्ञानं, संतापाद्व्याधिमृच्छति || (4-44)
santApAd_bhrashyate rUpam, santApAd_bhrashyate balam |
santApAd_bhrashyate GYaanam, santApAd_vyAdhim_Richchhati ||
Beauty is ruined because of (from) worrying, strength is ruined because of worrying. [Proper] Thinking is ruined because of worrying, because of worrying one gets disease.
and now the language aspects of the shloka -
santApAd संतापाद् = from, because of santApa संताप
tap तप् = to heat up
tApa ताप = heat, suffering, fever. it is used in both its literal and figurative meanings.
tapasyA तपस्या = that which gives heat, suffering, a penance. austerity of the mind and body.
saMyak सम्यक् + tApa ताप = santApa संताप = full heat, total suffering, worrying,
santApAt संतापात् = from santApa, because of santApa
santApAd संतापाद् - the last t त् changes to d द् due to sandhi.
bhrashyate भ्रश्यते = declines, falls. (passive voice)
from bhraMsh भ्रंश् root which means to decline, fall.
from this there are many related words like -
bhraShTa भ्रष्ट = corrupt[ed]
apa-bhraMsha अपभ्रंश = the new languages that resulted from the 'decline' of sanskrit as a perfected language.
when used as intransitive verb (AtmanepadI आत्मनेपदी i.e. the result is on oneself, one falls, declines) then the verb goes as 'bhraMshate' (present tense, singular)
when used as a transitive verb (parasmaipadI परस्मैपदी , result on others) the verb goes as bhrashyati (present tense, singular)
rUpam रूपम् = form, beauty.
balam बलम् = strength
GYaanam ज्ञानम् = knowledge, thinking, intelligence
vyAdhim व्याधिम् = disease
Richchhati ऋच्छति = [one] goes to, gets
(one goes to ... the state of being ill)
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Saturday, October 23, 2010
watering the mango tree - आम्र-सेक-पितृ-तर्पण
आम्र-सेक-पितृ-तर्पण न्यायः
= āmrasékapitṛitarpaṇa nyāyaḥ
= Amra-seka-pitRi-tarpaNa-nyAyaH
= the maxim of watering the mango tree while offering oblations to the ancestors. killing two birds in one stone.
Amra = mango
seka = sprinkling
pitRi = ancestors, [fore]father
tarpaNa = act of offering of oblations
nyAyaH = maxim
So this maxim says that one may be offering water oblations to the ancestors, but in the same act, one ends up watering the mango tree as well.
The mango is considered the king of fruits and the fruit of kings (the second one easily disputed by people today). India is one of the largest producer of mangoes and at least of the best varieties of them.
Mango is critical to Indian culture, for the spring onset is indicated by the mango buds coming out and the cuckoo starting to sing even sweeter than before, the classical description of spring.
It has been Indian tradition to take care of neighborhood trees planting, watering etc. and many customs are created with trees in the focus or just involved. Today 'educated' people may call it 'superstition' to worship a peepal tree or any other such tree, but for ordinary people not yet touched by ego of knowledge or fast and mobile life, these rituals made it enjoyable to practice the wisdom of land.
Today we have govt programs to plant trees and public doesn't care. Traditionally, trees have been central to many ceremonies. even today, you will find at certain holy places, large banyan trees on which devotees tie red thread or put a tiny statue of a deity and many such things. It all ends up keeping the trees in the focus.
Maybe global warming needed a simple solution!
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Today we have govt programs to plant trees and public doesn't care. Traditionally, trees have been central to many ceremonies. even today, you will find at certain holy places, large banyan trees on which devotees tie red thread or put a tiny statue of a deity and many such things. It all ends up keeping the trees in the focus.
Maybe global warming needed a simple solution!
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
different kinds of wealth - विदेशेषु धनं विद्या
Most of us aspire for wealth. And while it is important to live in society, it doesn't always have to be in the form we know of.
In today's world, we all know of immigrants, people moving from one country to another. Many come to US for jobs. How do they get a job in a different country? By their knowledge and ability. Knowledge is a great friend and wealth in a new place. By our knowledge we can already know how to move around and mix and gel in the new place, people, custom, rules. Or this could be within the country, like India where customs change from state to state. Or within countries of Europe.
In a foreign land, our knowledge is our greatest asset.
In difficult times, while friends and money can be of lot of help, it is ultimately our presence of mind, intelligence that helps us out of it. It helps us to not get into bad times to begin with, but even if we get due to unforeseen factors, we get out of it by our own intelligence.
The true wealth in difficult times is our wisdom, which makes best use of all resources (including money or how to get it) and finds a solution.
In the after life, we get heaven or hell based on the deeds, the karma (कर्म) we did here. The credit and debit system works in the KBA (Karma Bank of Almighty). What comes handy there is what we did here. If we followed dharma(धर्म), the right conduct at right time, then we accumulated wealth for the other world. Dharma is not religion, but the way of just life that upholds the basic interests of all the members of the society. It is law, morality, duty all rolled in one.
And above all these, good character (decency, humility, nobility) is appreciated in all situations. It is the wealth for all times, anytime, anywhere. Being a gentleman or lady never goes unappreciated.
Everything starts with a good character. Everyone seeks good character in other person - be it employee, teacher, doctor, service personnel, prospective spouse.
And the shloka goes -
विदेशेषु धनं विद्या व्यसनेषु धनं मतिः ।
परलोके धनं धर्मः शीलं तु निखिलं धनम् ॥
vidéshéṣhu dhanam vidyā, vyasanéṣhu dhanam matiḥ |
paraloké dhanam dharmaḥ, shīlam tu nikhilam dhanam ||
videsheShu dhanam vidyA, vyasaneShu dhanam matiH |
paraloke dhanam dharmaH, shIlam tu nikhilam dhanam || In foreign lands knowledge is wealth, in difficult times the intelligence. following dharma here is wealth in afterlife, and good character is wealth anywhere.
And now the language aspects of the shloka -
videsheShu = in foreign lands
desha = region, country
videsha = different region, foreign country
-Shu suffix = in (plural)
dhanam = money
vidyA = knowledge
vyasaneShu = in difficult times
vyasana = troubles, difficult times
-Shu suffix = in (plural)
dhanam = money
matiH = intelligence
paraloke = in other (next) world
para = other
loka = world
-e suffix = in (singular)
dhanam = money
dharmaH = that which upholds, social conduct, right action at right time and space.
shIlam = right conduct, moral conduct, modesty
tu = used for emphasis and filler
nikhilam = complete, whole, in all situations
dhanam = money
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
In today's world, we all know of immigrants, people moving from one country to another. Many come to US for jobs. How do they get a job in a different country? By their knowledge and ability. Knowledge is a great friend and wealth in a new place. By our knowledge we can already know how to move around and mix and gel in the new place, people, custom, rules. Or this could be within the country, like India where customs change from state to state. Or within countries of Europe.
In a foreign land, our knowledge is our greatest asset.
In difficult times, while friends and money can be of lot of help, it is ultimately our presence of mind, intelligence that helps us out of it. It helps us to not get into bad times to begin with, but even if we get due to unforeseen factors, we get out of it by our own intelligence.
The true wealth in difficult times is our wisdom, which makes best use of all resources (including money or how to get it) and finds a solution.
In the after life, we get heaven or hell based on the deeds, the karma (कर्म) we did here. The credit and debit system works in the KBA (Karma Bank of Almighty). What comes handy there is what we did here. If we followed dharma(धर्म), the right conduct at right time, then we accumulated wealth for the other world. Dharma is not religion, but the way of just life that upholds the basic interests of all the members of the society. It is law, morality, duty all rolled in one.
And above all these, good character (decency, humility, nobility) is appreciated in all situations. It is the wealth for all times, anytime, anywhere. Being a gentleman or lady never goes unappreciated.
Everything starts with a good character. Everyone seeks good character in other person - be it employee, teacher, doctor, service personnel, prospective spouse.
And the shloka goes -
परलोके धनं धर्मः शीलं तु निखिलं धनम् ॥
vidéshéṣhu dhanam vidyā, vyasanéṣhu dhanam matiḥ |
paraloké dhanam dharmaḥ, shīlam tu nikhilam dhanam ||
videsheShu dhanam vidyA, vyasaneShu dhanam matiH |
paraloke dhanam dharmaH, shIlam tu nikhilam dhanam ||
And now the language aspects of the shloka -
videsheShu = in foreign lands
desha = region, country
videsha = different region, foreign country
-Shu suffix = in (plural)
dhanam = money
vidyA = knowledge
vyasaneShu = in difficult times
vyasana = troubles, difficult times
-Shu suffix = in (plural)
dhanam = money
matiH = intelligence
paraloke = in other (next) world
para = other
loka = world
-e suffix = in (singular)
dhanam = money
dharmaH = that which upholds, social conduct, right action at right time and space.
shIlam = right conduct, moral conduct, modesty
tu = used for emphasis and filler
nikhilam = complete, whole, in all situations
dhanam = money
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
The coconut and berry people - नारीकेलसमाकारा
No wonder we have all sorts of troubles in this yuga (युग), of increased speed of creation and consumption, but a very slow speed of satisfaction.
The essence of this, of decent people, of ladies and gentlemen as opposed to the wolf and the witch, is very nicely caught in an example from nature. This also shows that the problem of finding good people is not new! From Hitopadesha -
नारीकेलसमाकारा दृश्यन्तेऽपि हि सज्जनाः ।
अन्ये बदरिकाकारा बहिरेव मनोहराः ॥
nArIkela-samAkAra dRishyante'pi hi sajjanAH |
anye badarikAkArA bahireva manoharAH ||
good people are like coconuts and sometimes are [even] seen.
others are like berry, and enchanting from outside only.
अन्ये बदरिकाकारा बहिरेव मनोहराः ॥
nArIkela-samAkAra dRishyante'pi hi sajjanAH |
anye badarikAkArA bahireva manoharAH ||
good people are like coconuts and sometimes are [even] seen.
others are like berry, and enchanting from outside only.
What does it all mean?
Good people are like coconuts - hard from outside, soft and sweet from inside and are sometimes seen (rarely seen). There is a wonderful verse in Hindi on guru -
गुरु कुम्हार शिस कुम्भ है, गढ़ि-गढ़ि काढ़े खोट
अंदर हाथ सहाय दे, बाहर बाहे/मारे चोट
i.e. guru is a potter, disciple a pot, [guru] incessantly removes [deep set] flaws.
he supports from inside, but strikes outside.
And others [bad people] are like berries - soft from outside, hard from inside and found everywhere. There are so many verses on evil minded people and to be careful of them, that one is surprised about either no one was paying heed and the advice had to repeated, or that evil intentioned people have always been a lot more. And the cause of most of this 'evil' is selfishness, pride, false attachment, ego.
Simple observation, great truths.
And now the language aspects of the shloka -
nArIkela = coconut
samAkAraH = those with similar, same shape
sama + AkAra = same shape
AkArAH = plural
dRishyante'pi = dRishyante + api = also seen
that is they are sometimes seen as well, not totally un-found, i.e. are scarce.
hi = for emphasis
sajjanAH = good people
sat + jana = good + person = good person
sajjanAH = plural
t of sat becomes j of jana due to sandhi rules
anye = others
badarikAkArA = those that are berry shaped
badarikA = berry
AkArAH = shaped
bahireva = bahiH + eva = from outside only
manoharAH = enchanting
manaH + hara = manohara
manohArAH = plural
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Tomorrow's stuff today - श्वः-कार्यमद्य कुर्वीत
A wonderful advice I heard about time management is - "Finish it off the first time." E.g. handling email, or filing papers, paying bills etc. When you first get the email, immediately do what should be done - reply, delete, file etc. When you get a bill, immediately pay it. When an important paper passes through your hands, immediately file it appropriately.
There are many saying to this effect in Hindi and other Indian languages.
'काल करे सो आज कर, आज करे सो अब्ब |
पल में परलय होयगी, बहुरि करेगा कब्ब ||'
'kaal kare so aaj kar, aaj kare so abb |
pal me paralay hoyegee, bahuri karegaa kabb ||'
i.e. What you have to do tomorrow, do today, what [you have to] do today, do it now. Catastrophe may happen in a moment, when will you do so many [things that you have to do]'
Here is an almost verbatim source of these saying from an ancient source, the 'mahAbhArata' [shAnti-parva]. I was pleasantly surprised to see this. It also reinforced the notion that the two epics of 'rAmAyaNa' and 'mahAbhArata' have had a profound impact on everything India - drama, poetry, polity, sayings, stories, metaphors, names of places, people. But to see couplets of Kabir verbatim in Sanskrit, also shows how well read Kabir was or how common the Epics were among common wisdom of the land.
श्वः-कार्यमद्य कुर्वीत, पूर्वाह्णे चापराह्णिकम् |
न हि प्रतीक्षते मृत्युः, कृतं वास्य न वा कृतम् ||
shvaH-kAryamadya kurvIta, pUrvAhNe chAparAhNikam |
na hi pratIkShate mRityuH, kRitam vAsya na vA kRitam ||
Which translates to -
Tomorrow's work, should do it today, and afternoon's [work] in forenoon.
Death does not wait [for] whether [work] has been done or not done.
and now the language aspects of the shloka -
shvaH = [that which is for] tomorrow
kAryamadya = kAryam + adya
kAryam = work
adya = today
kurvIta = should do
pUrvAhNe = in forenoon
chAparAhNikam = cha + aparAhNikam = and + [that which is for] afternoon
na = not
hi = surely, for emphasis
pratIkShate = waits
IkSha = eye
prati + IkSha + A = pratIkShA = wanting to see with eyes, have eye to eye, wait.
mRityuH = death
kRitam = done, completed
vAsya = vA + asya
asya = of this [person]
na = not
vA = or
kRitam = done
asya kRitam vA, na kRitam vA = his [work] done or not done
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Monday, September 27, 2010
Small but many can still add up - वधू-माष-मापन
The man also had a son, who one day grew old enough to get married. As was the custom in earlier days, the bride was comparatively younger. One day while the daughter-in-law came to serve him food, the man saw that she had much smaller hands compared to his wife's. So he thought of a novel idea to save some money and yet not be seen as a miser.
Next day, he told his wife to let the daughter-in-law give the alms. The young lady gave out alms of one fistful of beans, and indeed it was a much smaller fist. The man was really happy, that even though he is technically giving out a fistful of grain in charity, the fist is smaller and he is saving while building credit of good deeds! What a jackpot.
But, soon, he found that the number of beggars and monks coming to his house increased substantially. News of the new bride, a beautiful young damsel had spread, and now the young villagers were disguising themselves as beggars and monks just to get a chance to see the daughter-in-law.
So the man, even though giving smaller portion of grain, ended up giving more, since there were more people at his door.
For this the saying goes -
वधू-माष-मापन न्यायः = vadhU-mASha-mApana nyAyaH
= daughter-in-law measuring the [fistful of] beans [to give as alms]
It is used when one tries to reduce the loss by being smart, but actually ends up spending more. That is due to the fact that many smalls can add up to be more than a few bigs.
In modern times, the 'Profit at the bottom of the pyramid' theory, works on similar principle that less margin but high volume can also give you high profits. So serving the lower economic classes can also make huge profits, if you reach to a larger mass. Prahlad? CK?
and now the language aspects of the shloka -
वधू-माष-मापन न्यायः
= vadhU-mASha-mApana nyAyaH
vadhU = bride. daughter-in-law
(groom = vara , that who is worthy of accepting, taking)
mASha = a kind of beans
mApana = act of measuring
nyAyaH = maxim
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
The misunderstood Swastika
Recently a news caught my attention, that a Pretend City Children's Musuem decided to put back the Swastika they had on display on a model Hindu home. The swastika was part of a decoration that is hung on the doors of many Hindu families. After protest from a few locals, they pulled it down. How could they have a model Hindu home, without this really ancient symbol?
Swastika is such an auspicious symbol in India that it is drawn (with hand) at every important occasion, wedding, prayer, festival. Every religious book or calendar has it. In any drawing of a deity, the swastika is a must. Shopkeepers have it on either sides of the shop entrance!
But thanks to one event some 60 years back in Europe, this symbol that was revered and held dear all over the world has become the most tabooed word. To dispel this misunderstanding, here are two pictures from an American greeting card that speaks fondly of this symbol. I had found these almost a decade back, but now the internet is providing many more images of its abundant and peaceful use in Western world as well.
The word Swastika, स्वस्तिक, is made from Sanskrit words su + asti = well + being (सु + अस्ति = स्वस्ति) or all be well. the -ka suffix makes it a symbol, i.e. swastika is one that symbolizes well being, brings well being, good fortune.
Next to OM ॐ, swastika is the most ubiquitous and revered symbol in one of the oldest living tradition of India.
Below, on the boon and fearlessness-bestowing right hand of "lord ganesha" (गणेश) is the swastika. On his trunk is the symbol OM. Lord Ganesh is the most revered and first-prayed-to god (Adi-pUjyam आदि-पूज्यम्) among the various manifestations of the divine force.
The symbol is so ingrained in the art and culture of India, that it is even mingled with the next most 'artified' symbol, that of Lord Ganesh himself. Lord Ganesh is made from so many variety of things and in so many ways that it amazes the mind of any artist. A simple lump of clay, or a beetle-nut can signify Ganesh. So can a coconut. Ganesh have been made of banana leaves, or artfully in simple black and white with Swastika as below.
The word 'swasti' appears even the Vedas and Upanishads. It is found in many shAnti-pATha-s (शान्ति-पाठ), including e.g. in the Mudaka Upanishad (muNDaka-upaniShad मुण्डक-उपनिषद्) -
Which roughly translates -
May we hear good with the ears, and see good with the eyes. May our body be strong and healthy, may we sing praises. Indra, who is well-praised, is good for/to us. Pusha (pooShaa, pUShA, पूषा), the all knowing, is good for/to us. Tarkshya (tArkShya, तार्क्ष्य), the all saving is good for/to us. Brihaspati (bRihaspati, बृहस्पति) is good for/to us. Let there be three fold peace.
Here the word 'swasti' is used four times, in lines 3 and 4, as the first word of each half - स्वस्ति
It is good that the Pretend City Children's Museum has woken up to the possibility of dire ignorance, and chosen to honor a tradition that predates script, not just scriptures. For the Vedas were not written, but composed and remembered and preserved and transmitted orally.
Rejoice the symbol of good wishes, well being and favorite of all cultures till about half a century back. Let not our blinding ignorance due to one man take out the anger on this millennia old symbol. After all, the inquisition and witch-hunt of European Dark Ages has not led to any hatred or ban for the cross.
If you do step in India, swastika will of course be in your face all over - from the front of an auto rickshaw to the back of a truck, and even at your office on a festival occasion. Smile,, when you see it, for the well wishes of the universe, from all eight (four arms, and four diagonal corners) directions is being bestowed on you.
Some more references to the symbol. These images have been collected from various sites on the internet. Many thanks to the owners -
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Swastika is such an auspicious symbol in India that it is drawn (with hand) at every important occasion, wedding, prayer, festival. Every religious book or calendar has it. In any drawing of a deity, the swastika is a must. Shopkeepers have it on either sides of the shop entrance!
But thanks to one event some 60 years back in Europe, this symbol that was revered and held dear all over the world has become the most tabooed word. To dispel this misunderstanding, here are two pictures from an American greeting card that speaks fondly of this symbol. I had found these almost a decade back, but now the internet is providing many more images of its abundant and peaceful use in Western world as well.
 |
| Four Ls make a swastika. But that is NOT the real meaning :) |
 |
| Birthday wish swastika. |
The word Swastika, स्वस्तिक, is made from Sanskrit words su + asti = well + being (सु + अस्ति = स्वस्ति) or all be well. the -ka suffix makes it a symbol, i.e. swastika is one that symbolizes well being, brings well being, good fortune.
Next to OM ॐ, swastika is the most ubiquitous and revered symbol in one of the oldest living tradition of India.
Below, on the boon and fearlessness-bestowing right hand of "lord ganesha" (गणेश) is the swastika. On his trunk is the symbol OM. Lord Ganesh is the most revered and first-prayed-to god (Adi-pUjyam आदि-पूज्यम्) among the various manifestations of the divine force.
 |
| Lord Ganesh - first-prayed-to bestows well-being through swastika |
The symbol is so ingrained in the art and culture of India, that it is even mingled with the next most 'artified' symbol, that of Lord Ganesh himself. Lord Ganesh is made from so many variety of things and in so many ways that it amazes the mind of any artist. A simple lump of clay, or a beetle-nut can signify Ganesh. So can a coconut. Ganesh have been made of banana leaves, or artfully in simple black and white with Swastika as below.
 |
| Lord Ganesh and Swastika combined artfully. |
The word 'swasti' appears even the Vedas and Upanishads. It is found in many shAnti-pATha-s (शान्ति-पाठ), including e.g. in the Mudaka Upanishad (muNDaka-upaniShad मुण्डक-उपनिषद्) -
Which roughly translates -
May we hear good with the ears, and see good with the eyes. May our body be strong and healthy, may we sing praises. Indra, who is well-praised, is good for/to us. Pusha (pooShaa, pUShA, पूषा), the all knowing, is good for/to us. Tarkshya (tArkShya, तार्क्ष्य), the all saving is good for/to us. Brihaspati (bRihaspati, बृहस्पति) is good for/to us. Let there be three fold peace.
Here the word 'swasti' is used four times, in lines 3 and 4, as the first word of each half - स्वस्ति
It is good that the Pretend City Children's Museum has woken up to the possibility of dire ignorance, and chosen to honor a tradition that predates script, not just scriptures. For the Vedas were not written, but composed and remembered and preserved and transmitted orally.
Rejoice the symbol of good wishes, well being and favorite of all cultures till about half a century back. Let not our blinding ignorance due to one man take out the anger on this millennia old symbol. After all, the inquisition and witch-hunt of European Dark Ages has not led to any hatred or ban for the cross.
If you do step in India, swastika will of course be in your face all over - from the front of an auto rickshaw to the back of a truck, and even at your office on a festival occasion. Smile,, when you see it, for the well wishes of the universe, from all eight (four arms, and four diagonal corners) directions is being bestowed on you.
 |
| Swastika with four diagonal corners. |
Some more references to the symbol. These images have been collected from various sites on the internet. Many thanks to the owners -
 |
| coronado naval base, san diego |
 |
| It is only a sign from good luck land. |
 |
| Good luck sign of a hundred lands - sky and sunset glow! |
 |
| Even the US flag!! |
 |
| Kuber yantra with OM and swastika border. |
 |
| Welcome sign |
 |
| Dalai Lama |
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Monday, September 6, 2010
fickle as the mongoose on a hot surface
Long time ago I had seen a nature documentary where they showed a desert scene, and a lizard running across the vast ocean of hot sand. The lizard would walk or practically run over the sand for some time, then rest. But the sand was so hot it could not put all its feet on it at the same time.
So it would put down two feet, and keep two opposing ones up. Quickly, it would change positions and keep the other two feet up, to save from the heat.
It reminded me of an interesting nyAyaH, situational observation in Sanskrit. It is called mongoose on a hot surface. Just the animal has changed, idea is same.
अवतप्ते-नकुल-स्थितम्
= avatapte-nakula-sthitam
= mongoose on a hot [road].
This situation is used for someone who is as fickle-minded as a mongoose on a hot surface.
And now the language aspects of the shloka -
avatapte = in very hot [situation]
tap = heat
tapta = hot
ava-tapta = very hot
ava-tapte = in very hot [situation, surface, road, path]
-e suffix makes "in, on" etc.
nakula = mongoose. brave and cunning like a mongoose, who can defeat even a snake or cobra. name of one of the pANDava-s as well
sthitam = situated.
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Monday, August 16, 2010
Losing principal while growing the interest - वृद्धिमिष्टवत्
In life or business there are many times, when we are focused on the future growth. We come up with great plans, course of action to achieve the desired goals. But if in such planning we overlook to protect what we already have, then it is something like getting the desired interest rate but losing the principal itself!
So, what we already have, we should protect, secure. Our growth should not be at the expense of our current core values and competencies. We should safeguard it from our blindingly excited future plans!
In today's fast track world, we see many young people working overtime, exerting themselves, eating fast food, sleeping at weird hours, sitting long hours in sedentary but high paying jobs? And hence the cases of health issues are rising - back problems, heart problems, cholesterol and blood pressure, increasingly become fatal at younger and younger ages with time.
In the rush to make money faster, we do two people's job, and end up hurting our own health, peace, family time and the chance to smell the roses. If you look at the big picture, we are losing out a lot in the mad rush to quick gains. Our aspirations have grown bigger, and we keep rationalizing it that once a certain amount is made we will relax, but that usually doesn't happen till a major health issue literally puts brakes on our life.
Or take the case of the man who worked so hard to be able to give his wife a good life, he ended up spending so little time with her, that she left him and married someone else. So, true he got the money he wanted to provide for his wife a lifestyle he thought she wanted, but now he doesn't even have the wife.
Or to some degree even the Gift of the Magi story fits this situation. Both the husband and wife sacrifice their prized possession to get a gift for the other, but now they had the gift for the other, but the gifts couldn't be used. She had sold her hair to get him a chain for his pocket watch, he had sold his pocket watch to get her a comb! They surely got the gift, but lost the original!
Here is a small nyAyaH, maxim that captures a wonderful essence of common or business life.
वृद्धिमिष्टवतः मूलमपि ते नष्टम्
= vRiddhim_iShTavataH mUlam_api te naShaTam
= [Indeed, you have] growth as wished for, [but] your principal also is destroyed!
And this can be shortened for quick reference as simply -
वृद्धिमिष्टवतः = vRiddhim_iShTavataH
And now the language aspects of the shloka -
vRiddhim = growth
iShTavataH = as desired, wished for.
iShTa = desired. wished for.
from this comes iShTa-devatA = personal desired form of the deity
ichchhA (hindi) = wish
mUlam = root, base, principal amount
api = also
te = yours
the te and me usage is the older style and in mantras.
e.g. the most famous shloka from gItA : karmaNi-eva-adhikAraH-te = in action - only - control - YOUR (your control is only in action)
naShaTam = destroyed. (adjective)
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
So, what we already have, we should protect, secure. Our growth should not be at the expense of our current core values and competencies. We should safeguard it from our blindingly excited future plans!
In today's fast track world, we see many young people working overtime, exerting themselves, eating fast food, sleeping at weird hours, sitting long hours in sedentary but high paying jobs? And hence the cases of health issues are rising - back problems, heart problems, cholesterol and blood pressure, increasingly become fatal at younger and younger ages with time.
In the rush to make money faster, we do two people's job, and end up hurting our own health, peace, family time and the chance to smell the roses. If you look at the big picture, we are losing out a lot in the mad rush to quick gains. Our aspirations have grown bigger, and we keep rationalizing it that once a certain amount is made we will relax, but that usually doesn't happen till a major health issue literally puts brakes on our life.
Or take the case of the man who worked so hard to be able to give his wife a good life, he ended up spending so little time with her, that she left him and married someone else. So, true he got the money he wanted to provide for his wife a lifestyle he thought she wanted, but now he doesn't even have the wife.
Or to some degree even the Gift of the Magi story fits this situation. Both the husband and wife sacrifice their prized possession to get a gift for the other, but now they had the gift for the other, but the gifts couldn't be used. She had sold her hair to get him a chain for his pocket watch, he had sold his pocket watch to get her a comb! They surely got the gift, but lost the original!
Here is a small nyAyaH, maxim that captures a wonderful essence of common or business life.
वृद्धिमिष्टवतः मूलमपि ते नष्टम्
= vRiddhim_iShTavataH mUlam_api te naShaTam
= [Indeed, you have] growth as wished for, [but] your principal also is destroyed!
And this can be shortened for quick reference as simply -
वृद्धिमिष्टवतः = vRiddhim_iShTavataH
And now the language aspects of the shloka -
vRiddhim = growth
iShTavataH = as desired, wished for.
iShTa = desired. wished for.
from this comes iShTa-devatA = personal desired form of the deity
ichchhA (hindi) = wish
mUlam = root, base, principal amount
api = also
te = yours
the te and me usage is the older style and in mantras.
e.g. the most famous shloka from gItA : karmaNi-eva-adhikAraH-te = in action - only - control - YOUR (your control is only in action)
naShaTam = destroyed. (adjective)
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Friday, August 13, 2010
Old age makes great even out of the selfish - यममिव करधृतदण्डं
Now for a lighter post, after much serious and newsie stuff :)
Pun is a very powerful tool used in Sanskrit just because the language kind of lends itself to it, with multiple meanings of words and different breaking points for sandhi (liaison) and samAsa (compounding) and different ways of compounding (which preposition is omitted).
So much stress is laid on good karma (कर्म), for karma (कर्म) alone decides our future. Even old karma (कर्म) gets to play the role and daiva (दैव) or destiny being the totally unknown factor beyond our current comprehension.
To understand दैव we should take a simple example. Few hundred years back people may not have known why someone died of 'consumption', what today we call tuberculosis. Then someone would have said, "Well it is your daiva (दैव)". Today, we know and we can say, "Well you must have done some karma (कर्म) to be exposed to the bacteria, and then some karma (कर्म) to not seek cure, hence the results." If we change the karma (कर्म) of laziness or unawareness to that of going for treatment, we change our own future and become cured of this ailment.
So, we are told to do good karma (कर्म), only then anything good will happen to the society, to us, our next generation and the environment and to the whole unknown universe, kind of like the butterfly effect! :)
But the poet takes a jab at those who don't do any good karma (कर्म) when they were able to, and simply get old as a parasite. He says that old age even does good to them, gives them good credit points by making them yama (यम) god of death, viShNu (विष्णु), chandra (चन्द्र) moon, and shiva (शिव), that too, all at the same time! What more good karma (कर्म) can one do to be so fortunate to be all four in one go!
How does old age turn even a selfish person into all these great divine powers?
yama (यम) has in his hands, a stick, club - the stick of rounding up the dead, if you may and take them for auditing to decide where they go.
The old man too has a stick in his hand!
hari (हरि), or viShNu (विष्णु) has the mace, which is called gadA (गदा), so viShNu is called sagadam (सगदम्)- one with the mace. The word mugadara (मुगदर), a large club for gym training used even today by wrestlers also comes from the same word.
The old man has disease, or gada (गदः), so he is also sagadam (सगदम्). The root for both words is though 'gad' (गद्) (rhymes with bug).
The [crescent] moon is crooked.
The old person, with a hunchback or a hip problem or some other issue, is also crooked.
shiva (शिव) is called virUpa-akSha (विरूप-अक्ष) i.e. one with special eyes (what with three eyes instead of normal two!).
The old person too has 'special' i.e. distorted eyes, and weak eyesight etc.
Of course, all of these are said in satire for the selfish (that at least old age will make him 'great'), and as terms of endearment to shiva and moon.
And, it is not making fun of the old people, but of the selfish.
So here goes the shloka -
Like yamarAja [god of death] holding a stick in hand (walking stick in old age),
Like hari [viShNu] with mace (gada = disease, for old age),
Like [crescent] moon that is crooked (crooked body posture for old age),
And like shiva with special eyes (shiva with three eyes, old age with 'special'/distorted eyes),
Old age does good (puNyam) even of the [selfish] non-good-doer (akRitam)
[by making him yama, viShNu, moon, shiva simultaneously].
And now the language aspects of the shloka -
यमं-इव कर-धृत-दण्डं हरिं-इव स-गदं शशांकं-इव-वक्रम् ।
शिवं-इव च विरूप-अक्षं जरा करोति-अकृत-पुण्यं-अपि ॥
yamam = yama, the divinity of Death
iva = like
kara-dhRita-daNDam = hand-held-stick
kara = hand
dhRita = held (adj)
daNDam = stick
harim = viShNu
iva = like
sagadam = sa-gadam = with mace (or with disease)
gada = disease
gadA = mace (from root gada)
shashA~Nkam = moon
shasha = rabbit, hare
a~Nka = mark (also marks as in test paper!)
so moon is one with the rabbit mark. western folklore sees a spinster at a spinning wheel, eastern tales see a rabbit
iva = like
vakram = crooked, bent
shivam = shiva the benefactor
iva = like
cha = and
virUpAkSham = distorted or 'special' eyes
virUpa = vi-rUpa = distorted or special form
rUpa = form and vi- prefix makes it special, you can take it in good or sarcastic way.
so, "He is so 'special'!" is sarcastic, and "He is so special!" may be a compliment.
jarA = old age; that which decays, rusts
karotyakRita = karoti + akRitam
karoti = does
akRitam = a-kRitam = [one who has] not-done
puNyam = positive points n karma bank; opposite of sin
api = also.
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Pun is a very powerful tool used in Sanskrit just because the language kind of lends itself to it, with multiple meanings of words and different breaking points for sandhi (liaison) and samAsa (compounding) and different ways of compounding (which preposition is omitted).
So much stress is laid on good karma (कर्म), for karma (कर्म) alone decides our future. Even old karma (कर्म) gets to play the role and daiva (दैव) or destiny being the totally unknown factor beyond our current comprehension.
To understand दैव we should take a simple example. Few hundred years back people may not have known why someone died of 'consumption', what today we call tuberculosis. Then someone would have said, "Well it is your daiva (दैव)". Today, we know and we can say, "Well you must have done some karma (कर्म) to be exposed to the bacteria, and then some karma (कर्म) to not seek cure, hence the results." If we change the karma (कर्म) of laziness or unawareness to that of going for treatment, we change our own future and become cured of this ailment.
So, we are told to do good karma (कर्म), only then anything good will happen to the society, to us, our next generation and the environment and to the whole unknown universe, kind of like the butterfly effect! :)
But the poet takes a jab at those who don't do any good karma (कर्म) when they were able to, and simply get old as a parasite. He says that old age even does good to them, gives them good credit points by making them yama (यम) god of death, viShNu (विष्णु), chandra (चन्द्र) moon, and shiva (शिव), that too, all at the same time! What more good karma (कर्म) can one do to be so fortunate to be all four in one go!
yama (यम) has in his hands, a stick, club - the stick of rounding up the dead, if you may and take them for auditing to decide where they go.
The old man too has a stick in his hand!
hari (हरि), or viShNu (विष्णु) has the mace, which is called gadA (गदा), so viShNu is called sagadam (सगदम्)- one with the mace. The word mugadara (मुगदर), a large club for gym training used even today by wrestlers also comes from the same word.
The old man has disease, or gada (गदः), so he is also sagadam (सगदम्). The root for both words is though 'gad' (गद्) (rhymes with bug).
The [crescent] moon is crooked.
The old person, with a hunchback or a hip problem or some other issue, is also crooked.
shiva (शिव) is called virUpa-akSha (विरूप-अक्ष) i.e. one with special eyes (what with three eyes instead of normal two!).
The old person too has 'special' i.e. distorted eyes, and weak eyesight etc.
Of course, all of these are said in satire for the selfish (that at least old age will make him 'great'), and as terms of endearment to shiva and moon.
And, it is not making fun of the old people, but of the selfish.
So here goes the shloka -
यममिव करधृतदण्डं हरिमिव सगदं शशांकमिववक्रम् ।
शिवमिव च विरूपाक्षं जरा करोत्यकृतपुण्यमपि ॥
yamam_iva kara-dhRita-daNDam harim_iva sagadam shashA~Nkam_iva-vakram |
shivam_iva cha virUpAkSham jarA karotyakRita-puNyam_api ||
शिवमिव च विरूपाक्षं जरा करोत्यकृतपुण्यमपि ॥
yamam_iva kara-dhRita-daNDam harim_iva sagadam shashA~Nkam_iva-vakram |
shivam_iva cha virUpAkSham jarA karotyakRita-puNyam_api ||
Like yamarAja [god of death] holding a stick in hand (walking stick in old age),
Like hari [viShNu] with mace (gada = disease, for old age),
Like [crescent] moon that is crooked (crooked body posture for old age),
And like shiva with special eyes (shiva with three eyes, old age with 'special'/distorted eyes),
Old age does good (puNyam) even of the [selfish] non-good-doer (akRitam)
[by making him yama, viShNu, moon, shiva simultaneously].
And now the language aspects of the shloka -
यमं-इव कर-धृत-दण्डं हरिं-इव स-गदं शशांकं-इव-वक्रम् ।
शिवं-इव च विरूप-अक्षं जरा करोति-अकृत-पुण्यं-अपि ॥
yamam = yama, the divinity of Death
iva = like
kara-dhRita-daNDam = hand-held-stick
kara = hand
dhRita = held (adj)
daNDam = stick
harim = viShNu
iva = like
sagadam = sa-gadam = with mace (or with disease)
gada = disease
gadA = mace (from root gada)
shashA~Nkam = moon
shasha = rabbit, hare
a~Nka = mark (also marks as in test paper!)
so moon is one with the rabbit mark. western folklore sees a spinster at a spinning wheel, eastern tales see a rabbit
iva = like
vakram = crooked, bent
shivam = shiva the benefactor
iva = like
cha = and
virUpAkSham = distorted or 'special' eyes
virUpa = vi-rUpa = distorted or special form
rUpa = form and vi- prefix makes it special, you can take it in good or sarcastic way.
so, "He is so 'special'!" is sarcastic, and "He is so special!" may be a compliment.
jarA = old age; that which decays, rusts
karotyakRita = karoti + akRitam
karoti = does
akRitam = a-kRitam = [one who has] not-done
puNyam = positive points n karma bank; opposite of sin
api = also.
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Sanskrit news from the web
Some Sanskrit related news recently found on the web -
Rare Buddhist relics on view -
"The Sanskrit manuscripts are from a cache of Buddhist relics found during the Otani expedition in China’s then Xinjiang province in early 20th century. These are now a part of the Lushun Museum Collection in China. The other documents have been sourced from the Cambridge University Library, Columbia University Press, the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the National Archives of Nepal. The facsimiles and panels have been made by the Institute of Oriental Philosophy in Japan."
PS: The sad part is, most of the manuscripts were outside India.
A renowned scholar, but down to earth
CHENNAI: Polite, kind and genteel in manners, Dr Calumbur Sivaramamurti was more of a friend and a resourceful companion to his two children. Sundararamamurti (68), the elder son of the art icon, says his father never behaved like a world renowned scholar. “He was an affectionate father, simple and down to earth. I did not understand till his death that he was a great mahapurusha venerated the world over,” he shrugs.
‘God is not an extra-cosmic personality’
"There is a Sanskrit saying, ‘Tatwa masi’ (God is a spirit within us).”
PS: comedy of errors - sort of - the dangers of writing sanskrit words in roman script with bad compounding (sandhi) points can be hilarious! "tatwa masi" instead of "tattwam asi" changes "that you are" to "essence/gist/core/material ink" !
Original = tat twam asi = तत् त्वं असि = that you are
In article = tatwa masi = तत्व मसि = closest translation would be "essence/gist/truth/substance ink!" (masi from maShi = ink)
'Spiritual' Innovation
"It was then that I realised that they were actually sharing the task of conducting the ritual. They were taking turns guiding people through them. The first person started off with new batches, while the second person did the middle portion and the third completed the ritual.
Brilliant!
They must have not had the time to memorise the entire set of shlokas and understandably so. But to their credit, they overcame the hurdle by slicing the overall work into smaller chunks that they shared. Coupled with this, their adeptness at getting the timing 'right' was spot on."
PS: An interesting read on necessity is the mother of invention or innovation :)
Rashtriya Sanskrit Kavi Sammelan at Panchkula on August 13
Me Talk Sanskrit One Day
PS: I am not sure if I should smile or cry reading this article. It was funny, except that it also shows that how Sanskrit, can be brutalized for fun, half knowledge can give rise to crude humor, and maybe lack of proper teaching can cause more pain than joy! But you might enjoy it! If I was not a Sanskrit lover, I would have only laughed it off :)
"Sanskrit letters are far less recognizable, in shape, than popular alphabets, like Hebrew, Arabic, or Cyrillic, which appear obscure yet somehow familiar to our eyes."
"because Arjuna, like every Hindu epic character, has something like a thousand names, one of which, apparently, is Kounteya."
PS: kaunteya (कौन्तेय) = of kunti (कुन्ति) = arjuna (अर्जुन) (her son)!!
"Therefore, I’d push ahead with my Sanskrit by contacting the American Sanskrit Institute. They’d sent me the folder of death. And then I’d vocalize compound consonants from ancient Vedic texts until my eyes bled."
PS: Why do people jump straight to Vedas when they think of Sanskrit, i could never comprehend. let me climb the Everest, after all i can stand now :) :)
Epigraphy up against odds, only 2 colleges in city
Girl forced to take Sanskrit moves Delhi High Court
PS: Interestingly, this led to the best side discussion on sweet and sour on Facebook.
Question: and what with svAdu (which is etymologically related to the European words meaning "sweet")? and ShADava?
Answer: @noc, wonderful question. this itself is worth a post in itself, tracing the origins of the words.
khaNDa (खण्ड) = variation of sugarcane. also: division, country, landmass etc.
khaNDakaH (खण्डकः) = confectioner. apart from one who breaks in...to khaNDa (pieces)
khANDa (खाण्ड) = sugar (jaggaery) in hindi (and marAThI also i think)
In many places, the Sha (ष) is pronounced as kha (ख) , and the kha (ख) is written as Sha (ष).
Examples:
pAkhaNDa (पाखण्ड) = hypocrisy is written as pAShaNDa (पाषण्ड) also, but pronounced only as pAkhaNDa (पाखण्ड)
the constellation puShya (पुष्य) is pronounced both as puShya (पुष्य) and pukhya (पुख्य)
khANDa (खाण्ड) -> khANDava (खाण्डव) -> ShANDava (षाण्डव) -> ShADava (षाडव) (for of sugar, sweet)
Wow! From where to where! phew! Thanks for that Q noc!
H'wood get inked in Sanskrit!
"but his misspelt ‘Vhictoria’ tattoo in Sanskrit came under much criticism"
PS: The surprising thing is who is doing the transliteration for them? so many errors! wonder how Victoria becomes Vhictoria with the extra h!
Nalanda: World's Oldest University Poised for Revival in India
PS: The university at takShashilA (तक्षशिला) where chANakya (चाणक्य) taught is much older than nAlandA (नालन्दा) by more than half a millennium.
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Rare Buddhist relics on view -
"The Sanskrit manuscripts are from a cache of Buddhist relics found during the Otani expedition in China’s then Xinjiang province in early 20th century. These are now a part of the Lushun Museum Collection in China. The other documents have been sourced from the Cambridge University Library, Columbia University Press, the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the National Archives of Nepal. The facsimiles and panels have been made by the Institute of Oriental Philosophy in Japan."
PS: The sad part is, most of the manuscripts were outside India.
A renowned scholar, but down to earth
CHENNAI: Polite, kind and genteel in manners, Dr Calumbur Sivaramamurti was more of a friend and a resourceful companion to his two children. Sundararamamurti (68), the elder son of the art icon, says his father never behaved like a world renowned scholar. “He was an affectionate father, simple and down to earth. I did not understand till his death that he was a great mahapurusha venerated the world over,” he shrugs.
‘God is not an extra-cosmic personality’
"There is a Sanskrit saying, ‘Tatwa masi’ (God is a spirit within us).”
PS: comedy of errors - sort of - the dangers of writing sanskrit words in roman script with bad compounding (sandhi) points can be hilarious! "tatwa masi" instead of "tattwam asi" changes "that you are" to "essence/gist/core/material ink" !
Original = tat twam asi = तत् त्वं असि = that you are
In article = tatwa masi = तत्व मसि = closest translation would be "essence/gist/truth/substance ink!" (masi from maShi = ink)
'Spiritual' Innovation
"It was then that I realised that they were actually sharing the task of conducting the ritual. They were taking turns guiding people through them. The first person started off with new batches, while the second person did the middle portion and the third completed the ritual.
Brilliant!
They must have not had the time to memorise the entire set of shlokas and understandably so. But to their credit, they overcame the hurdle by slicing the overall work into smaller chunks that they shared. Coupled with this, their adeptness at getting the timing 'right' was spot on."
PS: An interesting read on necessity is the mother of invention or innovation :)
Rashtriya Sanskrit Kavi Sammelan at Panchkula on August 13
Me Talk Sanskrit One Day
PS: I am not sure if I should smile or cry reading this article. It was funny, except that it also shows that how Sanskrit, can be brutalized for fun, half knowledge can give rise to crude humor, and maybe lack of proper teaching can cause more pain than joy! But you might enjoy it! If I was not a Sanskrit lover, I would have only laughed it off :)
"Sanskrit letters are far less recognizable, in shape, than popular alphabets, like Hebrew, Arabic, or Cyrillic, which appear obscure yet somehow familiar to our eyes."
"because Arjuna, like every Hindu epic character, has something like a thousand names, one of which, apparently, is Kounteya."
PS: kaunteya (कौन्तेय) = of kunti (कुन्ति) = arjuna (अर्जुन) (her son)!!
"Therefore, I’d push ahead with my Sanskrit by contacting the American Sanskrit Institute. They’d sent me the folder of death. And then I’d vocalize compound consonants from ancient Vedic texts until my eyes bled."
PS: Why do people jump straight to Vedas when they think of Sanskrit, i could never comprehend. let me climb the Everest, after all i can stand now :) :)
Epigraphy up against odds, only 2 colleges in city
Girl forced to take Sanskrit moves Delhi High Court
PS: Interestingly, this led to the best side discussion on sweet and sour on Facebook.
Question: and what with svAdu (which is etymologically related to the European words meaning "sweet")? and ShADava?
Answer: @noc, wonderful question. this itself is worth a post in itself, tracing the origins of the words.
khaNDa (खण्ड) = variation of sugarcane. also: division, country, landmass etc.
khaNDakaH (खण्डकः) = confectioner. apart from one who breaks in...to khaNDa (pieces)
khANDa (खाण्ड) = sugar (jaggaery) in hindi (and marAThI also i think)
In many places, the Sha (ष) is pronounced as kha (ख) , and the kha (ख) is written as Sha (ष).
Examples:
pAkhaNDa (पाखण्ड) = hypocrisy is written as pAShaNDa (पाषण्ड) also, but pronounced only as pAkhaNDa (पाखण्ड)
the constellation puShya (पुष्य) is pronounced both as puShya (पुष्य) and pukhya (पुख्य)
khANDa (खाण्ड) -> khANDava (खाण्डव) -> ShANDava (षाण्डव) -> ShADava (षाडव) (for of sugar, sweet)
Wow! From where to where! phew! Thanks for that Q noc!
H'wood get inked in Sanskrit!
"but his misspelt ‘Vhictoria’ tattoo in Sanskrit came under much criticism"
PS: The surprising thing is who is doing the transliteration for them? so many errors! wonder how Victoria becomes Vhictoria with the extra h!
Nalanda: World's Oldest University Poised for Revival in India
PS: The university at takShashilA (तक्षशिला) where chANakya (चाणक्य) taught is much older than nAlandA (नालन्दा) by more than half a millennium.
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Sunday, August 8, 2010
return of the cheetah
The cheetah was native to India and made extinct due to excessive hunting. Now the Indian government maybe planning to bring it back to India, for no other grand motive than to increase the tourism. Interestingly, it is not able to keep its tiger population safe, wonder what will be achieved in increased revenue by bringing the cheetah.
It would be good if the wonderful cat can return and remain safe, yet another habitat for it.
Read more on the news of cheetah coming back to India - http://www.tourism-review.com/despite-the-considerable-cost-involved-the-cheetah-is-coming-back-to-india-news2337
The word cheetah comes from Sanskrit/Hindi.
चित्र (sanskrit/hindi) = chitra = varied, strange (wonderful), spotted, picture (among many other meanings).
चित्ता (hindi) = chittaa = spotted.
चीता (hindi) = cheetaa (from which comes english cheetah) = the large wild spotted cat.
Other similar words are
- vichitra (विचित्र) i.e. visheSha chira, specially varied, i.e. weird, strange.
- chalachitra (चलचित्र) - a newly coined word, meaning motion picture, i.e. movies. This has been accepted now in Indian languages for the word, movie, but 'film' is most common.
- chitra-paTa (चित्रपट) the screen, surface (paTa) for showing the chitra. earlier it meant a wall or canvas, today in modern Indian languages it means movie screen. There are even programs on radio and TV called 'chitra-paTa sa~Ngeeta' (movie songs)
- chitra-greeva (चित्रग्रीव) the "spotted neck", name of the pigeon king in the first story of Hitopadesh (pigeons fly away with the net)
More about cheetah at Wiki, check out - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asiatic_Cheetah
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Friday, August 6, 2010
soap bubbles and humongous numbers - फेनिल-बुद्बुद
Soap bubble
= phenila-budbuda
= फेनिल-बुद्बुद
फेनिल = soap. That which foams.
बुद्बुद = bubble. This is an onomatopoeia word, based on the sound bubbles make.
The बुद्बुद is used as a metaphor for this world.
The scales that Indians have thought (and used) in numbers and time, is staggering. rAmAyaNa (रामायण) has mention of numbers upto 10^60 [yuddha kANDa, 28:33-38], that is 1 followed by 60 zeros, which is 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 to be precise. This was in connection with the size of rAma's army. Of course the number is not exact and surely an exaggeration, but the main point is that vAlmIki (वाल्मीकि) explains the NAMES of the place values in the number system upto 10^60.
100 = 1 shatam (शतं)
100,000 shatam = 10^7 = 1 koTi (कोटि)
100,000 koTi = 10^12 = 1 nIla (नील) or sha~Nku (शंकु) or sha~Nkha (शंख)
100,000 sha~Nku = 10^17 = 1 mahA-sha~Nku (महा-शंकु)
100,000 mahA-sha~Nku = 10^22 = 1 vRinda (वृन्द)
100,000 vRinda = 10^27 = 1 mahA-vRinda (महा-वृन्द)
100,000 mahA-vRinda = 10^32 = 1 padma (पद्म)
100,000 padma = 10^37 = 1 mahA-padma (महा-पद्म)
100,000 mahA-padma = 10^42 = 1 kharva (खर्व)
100,000 kharva = 10^47 = 1 mahA-kharva (महा-खर्व)
1000 mahA-kharva = 10^50 = 1 samudra (समुद्र) (yes, multiplied by 1000 and not 100,000)
100,000 samudra = 10^55 = 1 ogha (ओघ)
100,000 ogha = 10^60 = 1 mahaugha (महौघ, महा-ओघ)
How do you do that with Roman numerals?
Thinking upon this, makes you wonder that without this simple concept of place value and zero, not much science would have progressed. No calculus for sure, and no going to the moon. How do you do logarithms in Roman again? There is not enough praise for this simple but far reaching counting system.
The same was true for time scale. From a fraction of a second (nimiSha निमिष) all the way to mahAyuga (महायुग) (4,320,000 years), the scale went full range [bhAgavat-purANa].
The age of creation itself is mentioned indirectly. The Tower of Hanoi problem is originally an Indian problem. It has 64 disks of varying sizes, that need to be moved from one peg to another following certain rules. It is said that a priest sits in the temple of brahmA (ब्रह्मा), making the moves without error, and when he is done, the creation will restart. So much for 2012! Mathematically it will take 2^64 moves. If one correct move is made every second, even then the time taken comes to 585 billion years. Now that is an order of time not thought of anywhere else! Trademark Indian thought.
Except modern astronomy, which feels not only comfortable with such large numbers but would not exist in lack of them! That is why a light-year is not a measure of time, but of distance, the distance light would travel in a year (6 trillion miles, 10^16 meters). And then there is the radius of the observable universe at 46.5 x 10^9 light years = 46.5 x 10^22 kilometers = 465,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 kilometers!
To just go crazy thinking more such 'fictional' numbers, :) :) which make no sense to anyone but astronomers and those who believe in them, check out Light Year. And then, when you are all excited, read some of the purANas, they will appear more believable, even if unfathomable! LOL!
Seeing all this, our human life is what - a bubble on the surface of a fast flowing stream? That won't even be noticeable cosmically. Now, this doesn't mean one needs to go in depression :) but just that 'This too shall pass' - so have neither gloom nor pride.
In Hindi there is a beautiful couplet that goes:
pAnI kerA budabudA, asa mAnasa kI jAta |
dekhata hI chhipa jAyegA, jyo tArA parabhAta ||
(पानी केरा बुदबुदा, अस मानस की जात | देखत ही छिप जाएगा ज्यो तारा परभात ||)
i.e. water produced bubble, such is human birth. it will set in no time, like a morning star.
Enjoy before the bubble bursts!
[There is a lot more to write on this theme, but for sake of brevity, I will stop here, maybe some other time.]
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
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