Spelling Bee 2014 co-winners and 'real' Americans

Congratulations to the co-winners Sriram Hathwar and Ansun Sujoe of Spelling Bee contest.

And of course the racial remarks of frustration as to why 'Americans' are not winning it. Check this as well.

Indian-Americans have won 11 out of 15 times since 1999. That is indeed a trend and feat. Shows Indians have an affinity to languages. Now if some kids will focus on Sanskrit as well :) Or is it just their 'tiger' parents behind them!

In all this, a few thoughts came to mind:

No Spelling Bee for Sanskrit

Sanskrit and related Indian languages won't have such a thrilling spelling bee contest because once you learn the alphabet (the sound to letter mapping) there is no more mystery to it. You could have a sandhi (सन्धि) and samAsa (समास) contest though! Where long words are shortened and short words combined to make really long words! The longest word is also a Sanskrit word. (निरन्तरान्धकारिता-दिगन्तर-कन्दलदमन्द-सुधारस-बिन्दु-सान्द्रतर-घनाघन-वृन्द-सन्देहकर-स्यन्दमान-मकरन्द-बिन्दु-बन्धुरतर-माकन्द-तरु-कुल-तल्प-कल्प-मृदुल-सिकता-जाल-जटिल-मूल-तल-मरुवक-मिलदलघु-लघु-लय-कलित-रमणीय-पानीय-शालिका-बालिका-करार-विन्द-गलन्तिका-गलदेला-लवङ्ग-पाटल-घनसार-कस्तूरिकातिसौरभ-मेदुर-लघुतर-मधुर-शीतलतर-सलिलधारा-निराकरिष्णु-तदीय-विमल-विलोचन-मयूख-रेखापसारित-पिपासायास-पथिक-लोकान्)

Useless words merely for contests?

Kids should stop wasting their brains on learning spellings of words that are merely used in contests, when they don't even follow phonetics. Might as well learn the 3000+ characters of Chinese! (no disrespect meant for anyone) But each word of English which violates phonetics rules is a new 'character' (sound-to-symbol mapping) to remember. One has to remember the entire combination of letters. So there are many more than 26 'letters' of English. There are too many examples of the inconsistencies. Try reading this poem for a challenge!

(Dearest creature in creation,

Study English pronunciation.

I will teach you in my verse

Sounds like corpse, corps, horse, and worse.

I will keep you, Suzy, busy,

Make your head with heat grow dizzy.

Tear in eye, your dress will tear.

So shall I’ Oh hear my prayer.

Just compare heart, beard, and heard,

Dies and diet, lord and word,

Sword and sward, retain and Britain.

(Mind the latter, how it’s written.)

Now I surely will not plague you

With such words as plaque and ague.

But be careful how you speak:

Say break and steak, but bleak and streak;

Cloven, oven, how and low,

Script, receipt, show, poem, and toe.)

'Real' Americans prefer sports over language, Bubba?

Americans, the so-called 'real' ones who claim that America is theirs alone, those ones) should realize that even at their own language (which they have made EZ and Kool) they are not excelling, this must be a low for their own kids' study efforts. Why crib when the 'real' American kids are busy with football and basketball, Pokemon and Clash of Clans? After all, sports has more money than spelling bee! :)

America progresses in matters, not where it matters.

These kids who won are US citizen, mostly born in US itself, and are equally American. Just their parents couldn't shrug off their Indian baggage and imposed the importance of education and knowledge on the kids at an early age. This current spate of racism shows that despite the progress America has made in material things, it has not made much on social and human levels. They not only still feel averse to diversity, want success without working on it. This is not what made US succeed in the hundred years!

Despite all the technological growth guns and prisons are still a 'major blow to the American society', apart from racism and killer capitalism. 6-year old shoots grand-dad and 36-month old shoots 18-month old !



Bilingual is not bad
The 'real' Americans tell the Spanish to learn English if they want to live in America. Now the Indians are just following the commands of the 'real' Americans. Why this kolavari di?
Shouldn't the real Americans be proud that these immigrants (and/or their kids) not only learn English, they far exceed the 'real Americans themselves! What a faithful bunch of immigrants.

People of narrow-minded thinking are in every society. It is exposure to more ideas, thoughts, places, opportunities that broaden the minds. But when so-called advanced society and educated people express so racially insultingly, then one starts to wonder the claims of human progress.




(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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Hindi newspaper from 1925

Found this piece of newspaper from 1925 CE. It was used to wrap a book (that was not a Sanskrit book). But these are the kind of nostalgic treasure trough one finds when visiting back to the rural roots.

For those who cannot read devanagari, some points are :

1. Hindi daily from Kolkata (Calcutta), printed on 23 March 1925
2. The mission statement says - "dharme te dhIyatAm buddhir_manas_te-mahad_astu cha" That is, roughly, "May your intellect be steadfast in dharma, and your heart be magnanimous" from Mahabharata.
3. Catastrophe in America - referring to the Tri-State Tornado.  As of the news 300 killed in Frankfurt, 150 in Murphysboro, Perry was wiped out, 2700 injured.
4. Lord Curzon died in London.
5. Freedom fighter Subhash Chandra Bose arrested.
6. Mahatma Gandhi visits Madras (Chennai).
7. 2 dead, 12 houses damaged in Mandale fire in a godown of dry tea.
8. Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya bought Hindustan Times for 50,000 Rupees in 1925.

(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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Good governance and 16 percent tax

After the recent government change in India, with the promises and expectations of development and good governance, let us look at some signs of good governance from Sanskrit sources. We can learn some Sanskrit while discussing relevant modern topics as well.

"The guilt/crime/sin that a king gets, whose people are unprotected even after taking one-sixth (of the income as tax), may the he get upon whose counsel Rama went to exile in the forest."

The background of this shloka from Ramayana is when Rama’s brother Bharata comes back from Kekaya to find Rama has gone at the behest of his own mother Kaikeyi. When Rama’s mother Kaushalya scolds him, a sad and repentant Bharata says he had nothing to do with this. And then as if to prove his point, he hurls the curses on the one who instigated this whole thing. When today’s curses are of lowest level possible, the curses that Bharata gives show the elegance of the writer Valmiki and the high standards of the society and its elites.

From the above curse of Bharata two things are very clear.

One, it was a serious matter that a person doesn't do his duty. Dharma is one’s chosen duty. A king’s duty is to protect and prosper the citizens. That is the reason the tax is collected. Not for the enjoyment of the king. The king simply gets his salary (a higher but limited salary). If a king does not do that even after taking the tax, he is guilty, sinner, criminal; whichever way you want to look at. And this was so grave a matter, that Bharata curses the instigator with this grave curse.

Two, the tax at that time was one-sixth. That is 16%. And Ayodhya was one of the richest city of its time. And it was called the Golden Goose (Sone ki Chidiya in Hindi). And the world clamored to come here, in peace and in violence and in deceit, but came they all!

Why is it not possible today to have 16% tax and all the benefits, riches. Because the greedy corporations siphon off the resources of the society. The corrupt politicians swindle the money.

Even if we simply stop the corruption of present day (lakhs of crores of Rupees), we can lower the tax rate and still make progress. If we are able to get the Swiss bank black money of Indians then we will know what development can be.

There is enough to fulfill everyone’s needs

but not enough for even one person’s greeds.

And now the language aspects -


bali = sacrifice (tax)
ShaD = sixth
bhAgam = part (sixth part of the income)

uddhRitya = having taken, after taking (ut- = up, out; + hRit = to take away; + -ya = prefix to denote ‘after having done’)

nRipasya = of the protector (-pa) of people (nRi)

arakShitaH = unprotected (a- = not; rakSh = to protect; rakShitaH = protected)
prajAH = subjects of the king, citizens, people of a land (literally those that are born, generations, descendants)

adharmo = adharmaH = not right/just/fair (the guilt/sin of not being right) [ dharma = dhArayati iti dharmaH, right thing/action at the right time ]
yo’sya = yaH asya = that which is of such a king (whose people are unprotected even after 1/6 tax) [yaH = that which’ asya = of this]
so’syAstu = saH + asya + astu = that be of him [astu = may it be]
yasyAryo’numate = yasya + AryaH + anumate = upon whose counsel Rama [AryaH = noble, sir, contextually rAma; mati = thought, opinion; anumata = counsel, advice; anumate = in/by the advice of ]
gataH = went (to exile) [gaM = to go; gataH = that which is gone]


Pronunciation help with other Sanskrit words used in text:
rAmAyaNa रामायण ; bharata भरत ; kaikeyI कैकेयी ; kaushalyA कौशल्या ; vAlmIki वाल्मीकि ; dharma धर्म





(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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What does 'Narendra Damodardas Modi' mean?

What does the name Narendra Damodardas Modi mean?

नराणां इन्द्रः = नरेद्रः
narāṇāṃ indraḥ = naréndraḥ
= Protector of people
= Lord, ruler, governor of people.

Though he has called himself  ‘Mazdoor #1’ i.e. ‘Worker #1’. Keeping up with his background as a had working man, and able administrator.

He is new Prime Minister of India, Honorable Shri Narendra Damodardas Modi.

Congratulations to the largest democracy in the world and, for those who know, the oldest as well. The concept of jana-pada (region ruled by the people) is older than Emperor Ashoka the Great, and older than Mahabharata.
After a very long time the people of India have got a leader who oozes confidence and determination. People may differ politically, but no one can deny we have a leader who wants to do a lot, and has the ability to do a lot good for the country.

The first prime minister to openly ask people to contribute with ideas, time, skill and energy. And to embrace technology with open arms.

Check out the Official website of the PM , Official site of Narendra Modi


Word meanings:
narendra / नरेन्द्र = nara + indra / नर + इन्द्र = Ruler of the people

dāmodara-dāsa /dAmodara-dAsa / दामोदरदास = ‘devotee (dāsa ) of Krishna’

dāmodara = dāmā (rope) + udara (belly) = The one with rope around the belly. This name refers the incident in Krishna's life when his mother, tired of his bothering her with his antics, tried to tie him to a drum so she could finish morning chores. But to her surprise, the rope she used was two finger-breadth short. No matter how much more rope she got, it was always short by two finger-breadths. Hence the name for Krishna as Damodar (dāmodara)

modī / modI / मोदी = Glad, pleased, cheerful. (from modin मोदिन्)
In Panchatantra comes the word goShThika-karma गौष्ठिककर्म as one of the seven businesses. This would translate today to a ‘supplier, event manager, resource organizer’.

Click to jump to his oath taking at 10min 30 sec

(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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Do unto others - golden rule of humanity

We have all read about the golden rule and its history in almost all world cultures - "Do unto others what you wish to be done to you" or the negation of it "Do not do unto others what you don not wish to be done to you."

But rarely you find the reference to this in ancient Indian tradition. While this sentiment abounds all over in Sanskrit literature small and large, here is an actual reference from Mahabharata that says it exactly as is.

Hence, by self-control and by making dharma (right conduct) your main focus, 

treat others as you treat yourself.

= तस्माद्धर्मप्रधानेन भवितव्यं यतात्मना ।

तथा च सर्वभूतेषु वर्तितव्यं यथात्मनि ॥

= tasmād_dharma-pradhānéna bhavitavyam yatātmanā |

tathā cha sarva-bhūtéṣhu vartitavyam yathātmani ||

[Mahābhārata Shānti-Parva 167:9]

Vidura says to the king Yuddhishthira, "Listening to wise scriptures, austerity, sacrifice, respectful faith, social welfare, forgiveness, purity of intent, compassion, truth and self-control - are the ten wealth of character (self). O king aim for these, may you be steadfast in these qualities. These are the basis of prosperity and rightful living. These are highest attainable things. All worlds are balanced on dharma, dharma encompasses ways to prosperity as well. O King, dharma is the best quality to have, wealth the medium and desire (kāma, kAma) the lowest.

Hence, (keeping these in mind), by self-control and by making dharma (right conduct) your main focus, treat others as you treat yourself."

There is no need to explain this self-explanatory, simplest of core values. If only everyone can follow just this one rule, there will be no man-made problems in the world!

And now the language aspects -

tasmād /tasmAt = hence
dharma-pradhānéna / dharma-pradhAnena = by keeping dharma as main focus
bhavitavyam = is worth becoming, one should become
yatātmanā / yatAtmanA = yata + ātmanā /AtmanA = restrained, by self , i.e. by restrained self, controlled self.
tathā / tathA = similarly, in that manner
cha = and
sarva-bhūtéṣhu / sarva-bhUteShu = in all (sarva) beings (bhūta/bhUta)
vartitavyam = one should behave
yathātmani / yathAtmani = yathā /yathA + ātmani /Atmani = as in oneself.




(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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Greed - the root cause of all sin

लोभात् क्रोधः प्रभवति, लोभात् कामः प्रजायते ।

लोभान्मोहश्च नाशश्च, लोभः पापस्य कारणम् ॥

lobhāt krodhaḥ prabhavati, lobhāt kāmaḥ prajāyaté |

lobhān_mohash_cha nāshash_cha, lobhaḥ pāpasya kāraṇam ||

Greed influences (causes) anger, greed begets desire, from greed [come] delusion and destruction, greed is the root cause of pāpa (sin, evil, any wrongful deeds).


Also note the usage of ‘begets’ with ‘desire’, and ‘influences’ with ‘anger’.




And now the language aspects -

Word by word meaning:
lobhāt = from lobha (greed)
krodhaḥ = anger
prabhavati = happens (due to the prabhāva influence of)
bhū = to happen
bhavati = happens
prabhāva = influence
prabhavati = cause something to happen by one’s influence

lobhāt = from lobha (greed)
kāmaḥ = desire
prajāyaté = is born

lobhān = lobhat = from greed
mohaḥ = delusion, inability to think, attachment
cha = and
nāshaḥ = ruin, destruction
cha = and

lobhaḥ = greed
pāpasya = of sinful, evil, wrong doings
kāraṇam = reason





(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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Happy New Year 2013

(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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You make your own friends and enemies

No one is anyone's friend, no one is anyone's enemy.

Friends and enemies are born by your conduct.

न कश्चित् कस्यचिन्मित्रं, न कश्चित् कस्यचिद्रिपुः ।

व्यवहारेण जायन्ते, मित्राणि रिपवस्तथा ॥

na kashchit kasyachin_mitram, na kashchit kasyachidripuḥ |

vyavahāréṇa jāyante, mitrāṇi ripavastathā || 

Hitopadéshaḥ (Mitralābhaḥ 72)

The almost unreadable 'scanned' part right under the English explanation in the image above is from the Hitopadesh copy printed in 1864!

And now the language aspects -

na / न = not
kashchit / काश्चित् = someone
kasyachin / कस्यचिन् = of someone
mitram / मित्रम् = friend
na / न= not
kashchit / कश्चित् = someone
kasyachid_ripuḥ / कस्यचिद् + रिपुः = someone’s enemy
vyavahāréṇa / व्यवहारेण = by conduct
jāyanté / जायन्ते = are born from
mitrāṇi / मित्राणि= friends
ripavas (ripavaḥ) / रिपवः = enemies
tathā / तथा = and




(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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Learning Sanskrit: The Easy and Practical Way - Workbook 2 - Ligatures

Learning Sanskrit: The Easy and Practical Way -
Workbook 2 - Ligatures (Conjugate and complex letters)

Various variants of ha-conjugates.

Following the Workbook 1 which covered single letters, Workbook 2 is out and covers conjugate letters. Conjugate letters (Ligatures) are integral to Sanskrit script for a very scientific reason (explained in the Workbook).

This Workbook 2 covers all combinations of consonants + vowels and gives writing practice. It also lists out almost 100 ligatures, where consonants meet consonants and a new letter is formed. This is a comprehensive list, and most computer fonts don't have all of the ligatures. This 80 pages, 8.5x11 size workbook covers everything there is to be able to read classical Sanskrit. This of course doesn't mean you can understand the original texts, but being able to read the original script open doors for much more material to read, learn and enjoy. And, trust me, Sanskrit looks so much more beautiful in its own script.

TO WATCH IT FULL SCREEN, click on the "Watch it on Youtube' icon (or here)on bottom right of the video frame, then on Youtube click on the 'Full Screen' icon on bottom right of the the video frame.

 Features: 

• All consonant+vowel combinations writing practice;  
• Coffee/tea Break Time practices, 
• Original Sanskrit texts from famous works for exercise, 
• Calligraphy artwork, 
• Comprehensive list of 100 ligatures
• Special signs and marks
• Most suitable for those who have not had exposure to Indian scripts or Sanskrit.

Things covered in Workbook 1 are not covered again, so keep your Workbook 1 handy. If you have not ordered that yet you can do so now. Order your copy now.

There is also a focused study group for those who are following the workbook and need help or motivation. Join it once you have started studying the workbook.





(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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Save a tree, save ten families

A pond equals ten wells, a reservoir equals ten ponds.

A son equals ten reservoirs, and a tree equals ten sons!

दशकूपसमा वापी दशवापीसमो ह्रदः ।

दशह्रदसमः पुत्रो दशपुत्रसमो द्रुमः ॥

dasha-kūpa-samā vāpī, dasha-vāpī-samo hradaḥ |

dasha-hrada-samaḥ putro, dasha-putra-samo drumaḥ ||

Matsya-purāṇa 154:512

The message here is of immense environmental importance.

Most people want children, even those who can't have their own, want to adopt. It is a basic instinct of Life, to continue itself. Humans want to procreate for continuing their lineage, passing on their knowledge, possessions, empires, businesses etc as well.

Since daughters mostly go away to build a new home after marriage, it has become customary in societies worldwide to also desire at least one son. Kingdoms were maintained based mainly on lineage of sons, with some exceptions of queens.

Water is an important natural resource. Earlier water scarcity was in terms of distance, today due to excessive pollution it is the scarcity of drinking or usable water that itself is a problem. In olden times it was crucial to keep water bodies clean, do some rain harvesting in dry regions. In Indian tradition, great stress has been put on water bodies and their maintenance and on water purification techniques (jala-kataka-renu). Even as far back as Veda-s, one does two kinds of deeds - one for self, another for society. Among the recommended deeds for society are building a well or vāpī (artificial pond for rain water harvesting), opening a school, hospital, inn etc.

A well was one of the closest water source, mostly man-made, well maintained with raised walls, and steps to climb up close to it and pulleys to help draw water with buckets. People would bring water from it and use it carefully, for it involved the hard work of getting it daily.

vāpī in Rajasthan.

Much bigger than a well, was a vāpī, that was man-made as well. A huge open catchment area, well-marked with walls, steps to climb down as water level dropped after usage. A vāpī could store water for a whole village for all the dry months. It had water outlets outside for animals to drink as well. The modern Hindi word bāvaḍī comes from vāpī.

Seen in the image is a vāpī in Rajasthan. You can see the size of it by comparing with the humans. It had steps leading down as water level went down during non-rain months.


A hrada is a natural reservoir formed in a river bend, and is usually very calm. The modern Hindi word 'haud' comes from hrada as well.

So, by size, a well, vāpī and then a hrada.
The importance of son (to continue the family efforts of business or knowledge) was so much that a son is compared to ten such huge reservoirs. Of course it is a metaphor used to stress/acknowledge the importance of a son.

But even more important than a son is a tree. A tree, like the one shown in the photo above, is huge. A whole family could stand side by side and still not be more than its trunk! Such a tree does not grow in a few years. It develops an eco-system of its own around it, supporting insects, animals, birds, and humans. It enriches the environment with oxygen, dead leaves as nutrients to the soil.

But here is the kicker! A son would take care of one family, one's own. But a giant tree like this will take care of ten families! With its role in the circle of life, and eco-system cycle. Such is the importance of trees that it is ten times more important than an already important son (child).


Some readers may feel it lays undue importance on son at the cost of daughter, but they must see the main point, that of importance of trees for the environment. It is not to emphasize the importance of son over daughter (though it may be reflecting the cultural desire to have at least one son). It in no way says anything about comparing daughter and son, but simply emphasizes the importance of trees. A son would pass on one lineage, a tree will help so many life forms and so many generations, selflessly!

Also, for group nouns, the masculine form is used in most languages. For example, a group of lions, lionesses, cubs is called 'a pride of lions', but that does not mean it is masculine only. Similarly, the word putra covers both son and daughter, and specifically son. Also, the word may also have be chosen to fit the mete, compared to a longer word for children.


And now the language aspects -

dasha = ten
kūpa= water-well
samā = like (fem.)
vāpī = a pond or a man made water catchment of a pond size
samo = samaḥ = like (masc.)
hradaḥ = large water body
putro = putraḥ = son, child.
drumaḥ = tree




(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।

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