Necklace around the neck - कण्ठ-चामीकर न्यायः

kaNTha-chAmIkara nyAyaH
kaṇṭha-chāmīkara nyāyaḥ
कण्ठ-चामीकर न्यायः

While a bangle in the hand doesn’t need any mirror to be seen, a necklace around the neck surely does need external help to be admired and appreciated. We may forget we have it around our neck, or we are simply not reminded of its beauty and it may slip our mind totally. We cannot see our own necklace around the neck; someone has to point it out.

Similarly, we do not know our own true self, our strengths (and weaknesses). Others are true mirror of our self. They can see us as a separate entity, without the subjective baggage we carry about ourselves. Use that as feedback to realize our strong and weak point.

This is used when someone doesn’t realize one’s own worth – as in our hidden talents, true potential, which a guru, mentor or coach may. The same happened with Hanumān in the great epic Rāmāyaṇa, where due to the curse of ṛiṣhi-s for his childhood pranks, he forgot he had any super powers until Jāmbvān reminded him of it. Then of course he jumped over the ocean, went to Lankā and found Sītā. Compare with ‘No need of mirror for bangles in hand’(न हि करकंकणदर्शनाय, na hi kara-kaṅkaṇa-darshanāya / na hi kara-ka~NkaNA-darshanAya)

KNOW YOUR OWN TRUE WORTH.

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and now the language aspects -

kaṇṭha = kaNTha = throat.
also, nIla-kaNTha = blue-throat = shiva

chāmīkara = chAmIkara = gold [necklace].


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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Practical Sanskrit. All rights reserved. Check us on Facebook.

Wishful thinking is not enough - आशामोदकतृप्त न्यायः

laDDu

आशामोदकतृप्त न्यायः
= AshA-modaka-tRipta nyAyaH
= wishful-sweets-content maxim

Who doesn’t like sweets? Imagine you want to eat a laDDu (लड्डू) or a gulAba-jAmuna (गुलाब जामुन) or a cake. And I tell you to close your eyes, imagine you are eating the finger-smacking, tongue-tingling, syrup-dripping sweet thang called a gulAba-jAmuna – would that suffice? Won’t you, don’t you right now, just want to eat one as well?

If you are satisfied with just the hope or wish of the thing, what motivation will you have to get it? Wishes are not sufficient. You have to follow through and act upon them as well. Well, most of our wishes, the ones that are legal and moral!

आशा-मोदक-तृप्ता ये, ये चोपार्जित-मोदकाः ।
रस-वीर्य-विपाकादि तुल्यं तेषां प्रसज्यते ॥
AshA-modaka-tRiptA ye, ye chopArjita-modakAH |
rasa-vIrya-vipAkAdi tulyam teShAm prasajyate ||
(nyAya-kandalI, न्याय-कन्दली)


Those who enjoy merely imaginary sweets and those who eat real sweets, would [they really] have comparable experiences of flavor, strength, nutrition value etc.?

In kathA-sarit-sAgara (ocean of rivers of stories, largest collection of stories in one place) comes a wonderful reference to modaka. modaka can also be split as mA + udaka = not water.

tara~Nga (chapter) 6, 114-115
sA jalairabhiShi~nchantam rAjAnamasahA satI |
abravIn-modakairdeva paritADaya mAmiti || 114
tachchhrutvA modakAnrAjA drutamAnAyayadbahUn |
tato vihasya sA rAGYee punarevamabhAShata || 115

सा जलैरभिषिञ्चन्तं राजानमसहा सती ।
अब्रवीन्मोदकैर्देव परिताडय मामिति ॥ ११४
तच्छ्रुत्वा मोदकान्राजा द्रुतमानाययद्बहून् ।
ततो विहस्य सा राज्ञी पुनरेवमभाषत ॥ ११५

Where the king 'sAtavAhana' सातवाहन) while playing with his queen in water, misunderstood her 'modaka' to be the sweets rather than mA + udaka (no water)

GET REAL. WISHFUL THINKING IS NOT ENOUGH.

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and now the language aspects -

AshA = hope.
modaka = a sweet shaped somewhat like an onion, a laddu.
tRipta = content.

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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Practical Sanskrit. All rights reserved. Check us on Facebook.

importance of proper breathing - प्राणायामेन युक्तेन

प्राणायामेन युक्तेन, सर्वरोगक्षयो भवेत् |
अयुक्ताभ्यासयोगेन, सर्वरोगस्य संभवः ||

= prANAyAmena yuktena, sarva-roga-kShayo bhavet |
a-yuktAbhyAsa-yogena, sarva-rogasya saMbhavaH ||

= by proper prANAyAma, all diseases can be cured, by improper practice, all diseases are possible. (haTha-yoga-pradIpikA)

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and now the language aspects of the shloka -


prANAyAmena =
by prANAyAma (breath control)
prANa = breath
AyAma = dimensions, the space, so the movement of breath in all directions

yuktena = by proper
yukta = proper, appropriate.

sarva = all
roga = disease
kShayo = kShayaH = decay, ruin.

bhavet = happens. [as in 'must happen']

a-yuktAbhyAsa-yogena = by improperly practiced yoga
a = not
yukta = proper
abhyAsa = practice
yoga = yoga (Asana, prANAyAm and other aspect, but here prANAyAma out of context)

sarva = all
rogasya = of disease (roga)

saMbhavaH = possibility

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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Practical Sanskrit. All rights reserved. Check us on Facebook.

World Sanskrit Book Fair in Bangalore

World Sanskrit Book Fair has started in Bangalore.
For full details visit their official site. They also have a live webcast during the function.

A really huge function with heavy attendance, it was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Karnata Mr BS Yeddyurappa. Many speakers spoke in fluent Sanskrit, and it was still very much understandable to anyone who had even a few years of exposure.

A small village was setup where all the shopkeepers and people talked in Sanskrit, including a small case of judicial issue, where the local judge heard the case and gave the verdict.

There were lot of school students as well in attendance. A lot of book stalls with all kinds of Sanskrit books have been setup. Plan to be there on the weekend if you haven't been so far.

Here are some photos from today, more on the official site.

a board on the street close to the venue.

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 a panoramic view of the vast grounds of the venue. right side has the stalls, left side the main stage.

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inauguration function

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 panoramic view of the attendees at the inauguration function 

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 state of uttarakhand has made sanskrit the official state language!

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 long shot from the back, of the inauguration function

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 school children in line to get in the exhibition area.

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 in the sanskrit village, this auto mechanic spins his tales of great service he offers on motorcycle - all in sanskrit!

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 the local village school

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 panoramic view of school children in line to get in the exhibition area.

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 exhibitions - the shakaTa configuration of the army, as mentioned in mahAbhArata war as well

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 exhibitions - closeup of the the shakaTa configuration of the army, as mentioned in mahAbhArata war as well

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 exhibitions - closeup of the the garuDa (eagle) configuration of the army, as mentioned in mahAbhArata war as well

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exhibitions - closeup of the the chakra-vyUha (the most deadly) configuration of the army, as mentioned in mahAbhArata war as well. this is the configuration that teenager abhimanyu broke through and was finally killed by 6 general of the opposing side

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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Practical Sanskrit. All rights reserved. Check us on Facebook.

Back to the grindstone? - पुनरपि घरट्टः

New Year Day is over. Now it is the rest of the year remaining.
365 days of पुनरपि घरट्टः = punarapi gharaTTaH = once again, the grindstone.

gharaTTaH = a grindstone, millstone. A class of devices made of heavy stone and used to grind grain, extract oil from seeds etc.

What is shown in the picture is a home millstone, a simple device with two heavy circular slabs of stone. The upper one had a handle using which the stone could be moved in a circle. The bottom was connected to a bigger base and a moat kind of collection facility for the ground flour. The grain was poured in the hole at the center of the top slab. It is still found in many rural homes, but is fast becoming a museum piece, as the 'luxuries' of urban reach the rural.

It was one of the simple, utilitarian and wonderful way to keep your joints moving in advanced old age as well. Of course, only if you keep doing it all along in youth too though. You can't just start at 60!

Many other things that were part of normal life were a good way to keeping healthy. Even today some of the motions in those tasks are prescribed as physical therapy and as prevention of age related joint problems. For example,

• Washing cloths the old style.
• Scrubbing the floor, great for waist movement.
• Grinding your own grains fresh every week or half an hour a day, as a group activity.
• Kneading the flour to make your own fresh bread twice a day - great for wrist and avoid carpal tunnel syndrome.

Life was tough, for it was filled with lot of physical work. There was domestic help for those who could afford or needed time to focus on mental work. But everyone else had a good workout while keeping busy.

Today, everyone can afford mechanical help, and has much more time but very little exercise. You can still find many roads in India, traveling by which gives you an excellent back massage only at the cost of your car's shock absorbers. But otherwise, people have saved a lot of time so that they can spend it in important activities like -

• Stuck in traffic; 
• Shop useless things that appear great on TV;
• Go to a high-paid gym to do workout and break a sweat and get hearing problems because of the ear-buds from the iPod stuck deep in the ear canal;
• Watch useless TV soaps that bring our intelligence lower than an earthworm's belly button;
• Talk on the mobile phone with people living far away while we are oblivious of our neighbors.

Many things to fill up our new found empty time.

This year, why don't we think of doing some of the chores of our own life, by our own hands and body, so that we feel involved in our own activities, get a workout, and don't get bored while working. Making it a group/family activity can make it more fun.

Think of doing some of these things this year.

• Knead dough for making fresh bread, at least once a day. It will be great for your wrist and whole hand. Don't worry, you will become an expert in just 5-6 attempts.
• Once a week, try mopping your own floor using the old style wash cloth. No stick mop. If you feel tired, stop and switch to the stick mop.
• Plant some plants, in the garden, or in pots depending upon the size of your 'empire'.
• When the hem of the jeans wear off, cut the bottom strip and sew the hemline.
• Iron your own cloths.
• Wash a few cloths in the old style.
• Wash a few dishes the old style.

When Ramana Maharishi was asked how to realize the divine, he said, "do everything as if you are doing for the divine, even washing your own utensil."

If you imagine that tonight, the lord is coming for dinner. How nicely and with love will you cook your food? Carefully clean your dishes? Clean up your house? Wear nice dress even in the house and wear an extra big smile?

Do that everyday, anyways!

There is also a tradition of some Vishnu devotees to consider themselves as caretakers of their own house, and the Lord Vishnu being the actual owner of the house. When you do it as a duty given to you by the divine, your attitude towards the task changes. You don't slack, you put in an extra effort. You don't cut corners (Which you may and do with your own house.)

Do that everyday, anyways!

When you do that, you will notice that you will enjoy the chores as you are doing your own work. Don't use an iPod, enjoy the silence and maybe even mull over your own thoughts.

In ancient Mesopotamia, even the king had to know at least one trade of hand. Mahatma Gandhi used to take care of his goat. If big leaders came at that time, they had to wait or sit with him as he tended the goat. It is held in high regard for one to have a cow at home - one gets to care for someone, workout, get discipline, get good milk and calves for the field.

Now that the Welcome Party for the New Year 2011 is over, we need to let the reality sink in that nothing has actually changed except when writing the date, you will draw one less circle, and one more line.

But change your attitude, and do not think you are getting back to the grindstone.

Enjoy your work, and it will not be work anymore.

Anyways, back to the grindstone :)

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and now the language aspects -

पुनरपि = punarapi = punaH + api = again + also (once again)

घरट्टः = grindstone.
This is an onomatopoeia, ghar-ghar (yes, it is the basal sound, not gar-gar, but ghar-ghar. give it a force.) is the sound made by the grindstone as it moves around at a frequency of about 40 RPM (revolutions per minute).

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(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Practical Sanskrit. All rights reserved. Check us on Facebook.