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Tag: sanskrit

  • Common Link Language Of Vedic Sanatana Dharma India

    One finds references to South India, called Dravida Desa during the Santana Dharma Period

    There are references to in Tami literature and Sanskrit Texts, Vedas,Ramayan, Mahabharata,Eighteen Purans and in later Sanskrit and regional literary works.

    Regional literature refers to Sanatana Dharma and Ithihsas in detail, e it Tamil, Telugu,Kannda,Bangla, Oriya.

    Evidence abounds that a healthy trade between the people of the south  and the north flourished since the Vedic period.

    Now the question is how did these people communicate with each other in view of the fact that India has multiple languages and dialects.

    ‘

    There are 22 major languages in India, written in 13 different scripts, with over 720 dialects’  .https://www.justlanded.com/english/India/India-Guide/Language/Languages-in-India

    ‘According to Census of India of 2001, India has 122 major languages and 1599 other languages. However, figures from other sources vary, primarily due to differences in definition of the terms “language” and “dialect”. The 2001 Census recorded 30 languages which were spoken by more than a million native speakers and 122 which were spoken by more than 10,000 people’ -wiki

    Sanskrit is said to be oldest language being dated about 5000 years back.

    ( I had written this my not be correct and Sanskrit might be much older along with Tamil, an ancient language of India. million year old Tamil  Site near Chennai ,Tamil Nadu with advanced Tamil civilization.And Tami quotes Vedas and Vedas in turn quote Tamil and Tamil Kings.Please read my articles on this)

    The languages spoken in the south and even among the north indi differ.

    Sanskrit is accepted in all the regions though!

    Groups in India spoke  different languages.

    Yet they were in intimate contact with the Sanatana Dharma People whose language was Sanskrit.

    Not all groups were familiar with Sanskrit.To compound the issue there was Vedic Sanskrit and Panini Sanskrit ( Ashtdhyayi)

    ‘

    Vedic Sanskrit is the language of the Vedas, a large collection of hymns, incantations, and religio-philosophical discussions which form the earliest religious texts in India and the basis for much of the Hindu religion. Modern linguists consider the metrical hymns of the Rigveda to be the earliest. The hymns preserved in the Rigveda were preserved by oral tradition alone over several centuries before the introduction of writing, the oldest among them predating the introduction of Brahmi by as much as a millennium .[citation needed]

    The end of the Vedic period is marked by the composition of the Upanishads, which form the concluding part of the Vedic corpus in the traditional compilations, dated to roughly 500 BCE. It is around this time thatSanskrit began the transition from a first language to a second language of religion and learning, marking the beginning of the Classical period’

    And Tamil a past of not less than 20,000 years at a conservative estimate..the excavation of Poompuhar confirms the date.please read my article on this.

    There are references to the effect in Sanskrit Texts, Mahabharata  and Ramayana to Tamils.

    Udiyan Cheralathn, a Tamil King provided food to both the armies during the Mahabharata battle.

    Shiva is considered to be the founder of Tamil language.

    Agstya, Subrahmany are associated with Tamil intimately.

    Lord Krishna and Arjun married Tamil Pandyan Princesses;Krishna had a daughter and had her married to a Pandyan prince.;Arjuna had a son from south.

    Sahadeva went on a pilgrimage to south and Balarama came to south and worshiped Subrahmanya.and of course, Parshurma who founded the present Kerala State.

    I can go on adding in this vein.

    But the issue is, how did these people communicate with each other?

    The common thread seems to be Brahmi.

    Devimahatmya manuscript on palm-leaf, in an early Bhujimol script, Bihar or Nepal, 11th century
    Devimahatmya manuscript on palm-leaf, in an early Bhujimol script, Bihar or Nepal, 11th century,Variation of Brahmi

    Image Credit.

    By Anonymous – Commentary: The Devimahatmya cropped from http://www.nb.no/baser/schoyen/5/5.20/ms2174.jpg; taken from: w:en:Image:Devimahatmya Sanskrit MS Nepal 11c.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=191227

    ‘

    Brahmi (brāhmī) is the modern name given to one of the oldest writing systems used in South and Central Asia during the final centuries BCE and the early centuries CE. Like its contemporary, Kharoṣṭhī, which was used in what is now Afghanistanand Pakistan, it is an abugida.

    The best-known Brahmi inscriptions are the rock-cut edicts of Ashoka in north-central India, dated to 250–232 BCE. The script was deciphered in 1837 by James Prinsep, an archaeologist, philologist, and official of the East India Company.[1] The origin of the script is still much debated, with current Western academic opinion generally agreeing (with some exceptions) that Brahmi was derived from or at least influenced by one or more contemporary Semitic scripts, but a current of opinion in India favors the idea that it is connected to the much older and as-yet undeciphered Indus script…

    The Brahmi script diversified into numerous local variants, classified together as the Brahmic scripts. Dozens of modern scripts used across South Asia have descended from Brahmi, making it one of the world’s most influential writing traditions. One survey found 198 scripts that ultimately derive from it.

    The script was associated with its own Brahmi numerals, which ultimately provided the graphic forms for the Hindu–Arabic numeral system now used through most of the world.’

    Tamil Brahmi was discovered in Harappa and there is a Million year old Brahmi script found in Karnatka, Kannada Brahmi.

    Brahmi script, though associated with Sanskrit was also used in other parts of India with local variations.

    We have another,Brahui, spoken by Tamils and by the people of North Weaste India!

    ‘Brahui /brəˈhuːi/ (Brahui: براہوئی) is a Dravidian language spoken by the Brahui people in the central Balochistan region ofPakistan and Afghanistan, and by expatriate Brahui communities in Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Iraq, and Iran.It is isolated from the nearest Dravidian-speaking neighbour population of South India by a distance of more than 1,500 kilometres (930 mi). Kalat,Mastung, and Khuzdar districts of Balochistan are predominantly Brahui-speaking.

    Area where Dravidian languages are spoken
    Area where Dravidian languages are spoken,Brahui

    Image credit.

    By BishkekRocks – Base map template: demis.nl. Sorce for map data: Language families and branches, languages and dialects in A Historical Atlas of South Asia, Oxford University Press. New York 1992., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=1593835

    Tamil Chola King, ancestor of Rama, who built the Thiruvellarai Temple, near Sri Rangam, ruled from the present Pakistan region.

    Sibi Ruled from Pakistan

    We have yet another common Link language,after the advent of Buddhism.

    It is Pali .

    Pali is the Middle Indo-Aryan language in which the Theravada Buddhist scriptures and commentaries are preserved. Pali is believed by the Theravada tradition to be the same language as Magadhi, but modern scholars believe this to be unlikely.[citation needed] Pali shows signs of development from several underlying prakrits as well as some Sanskritisation.

    The prakrit of the North-western area of India known as Gāndhāra has come to be called Gāndhārī. A few documents written in the Kharoṣṭhi script survive including a version of the Dhammapada.

    Considering these facts it seems logical to conclude that  .apart from Sanskrit, Prakrit,Brahui and Pali were used as common link languages of India since Vedic Times.

    They have changed during the course of Time.

    References and Citations.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahui_language

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linguistic_history_of_the_Indian_subcontinent#Proto-Indo-Aryan

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahmi_script

     

  • Were The Vedic People Literate

    One of the strengths of Sanatana Dharma is its Oral tradition of transmitting texts, both Philosophical and Scientific.

    But the sheer volume defies imagination.

    brah11
    Ancient scripts, Origin

    “With Thirty Million  Manuscripts existing even today,Sanskrit is the oldest Language of the world and the Rig Veda which is in Sanskrit is the oldest literature of the world”

    .Thirty Million Manuscripts Seven Hundred Poetic Meters  Sanskrit

    Is it possible for any race to transmit such a large volume only by Oral tradition?

    Could the people of Ancient India, of Sanatana Dharma, Bharatvarsha Read and Write?

    Western Scholars think it s possible and declare that the ancient Indians had Super Memories!

    phrase_sanskrit
    Evolution of South Asian Scripts.

    For this is convenient to deny at a later stage and declare that such a feat is impossible and hence the such oral traditions are a myth and hence can be dismissed as interpolations and a latest date may be assigned to them

    The fact that one finds Sanskrit Brahmi, and Tamil Brahmi were found in Indus Valley civilizations..

    This at the latest is dated at 3000 to 5000 BC

    And the finding of Kannada Brahmi in Karnataka.

    And Tamil Sangam Literature speaks of the Vedas, its texts.

    Consider the Mathematical , Biological, Astronomy,Genetics, texts which involve writing of the highest order.

    Imagine building, for example,The Thanjavur Big Temple or any other Temples and structures which could not  have been built with ot written calculations and drawings

    And,

    ‘western scholars of Indology said:
    “Entire absense of writing, reading, paper, or pen in vedas, or during Brahamana period and complete silence in Sutra period(When art of writing was beginning to be known), the whole Literature of India was preserved in oral tradition only”

    Weber who wants to bring all history to later than Biblical period admits:
    “Europe has 10,000 sanskrit texts and considering that we have tens of thousands which the parsimony of karma has hithherto withheld form Museums and libraries of Europe, what a memory must have been their!.”

    Indian super Memory
    The Immemorial practice with students of sanskrit literature has been to commit to memory the various subjects of their study and this practice of oral tradition has preserved the ancient Vedic texts. This fact has led Western Indology scholars to surmise that writing was unknown in the earliest period of Indian Civilization and that the later forms of the alphabet were not of pure Indian growth.

    So According to these Western Indology Scholars, Indians have Super Human Memory. By Which they can not only memorize scores of documents, but they can also transmit through generations. Wow!, Who said science fiction is 20th century Stuff.

    We are looking at this question. Did writing existed prior to Mauryas?

    Panini
    Panini is best known grammarian of India. Muller says that there is no single term in the panini terminology which presupposes the existence of writing. So we go to find out.

    Panini almost singlehandendly brought together the classical sanskrit grammer. He mentions Grantha the equivalent for written or bound book in the later days in India. For Max Muller Granta mean simply a composition, which is handed down the generation by oral tradition. In short Panini is illiterate and somehow he produced one of the most eloborate and scientific set grammer ever known to mankind till today.Remember Panini has given 3996 rules for Classical Sanskrit Grammar.

    Writing in Literature
    Classical Sanskrit Literature
    The direct reference to writing classical sanskrit according to Indologists in literature are found to be in the Dharmasutra of Vasistha, which Dr.Buhler thinks, was composed around 8th century BC. Some scholars will assign this work 4th century BC as well.Astadhyayi of panini contains such compounds as Lipikara and Libikara, which evidently mean writer. The date of panini is not fixed, prof.Goldstucker puts him 8th century BC, others put him in 4 the century BC. The Vedic works contain technical terms like aksara, kanda, patala, grantha and the like, which is clear indication of writing. Of course Indology scholars wont accept them.

    Buddhist age
    There are quite a large number of passages in the SriLanka’s Tipitaka, which bear witness to an acquaintance with writing and to its extensive use.

    At the time when Buddhist cannons were composed. Lekha and Lekhaka are mentioned in the Bhikkhu pacittiya and Bhikkhuni pacittiya.

    In the Jatakaas, constant meniton is made of letters being written. The Jatakas know of proclamations.

    Epic Age
    Epics contains archaic expressions such as likh, Lekha, Lakhaka, Lekhana but not lipi, which some scholars think is foriegn orgin. So Writing was known in Epic Age.

    Vedic Literature
    We find clear evidence in wide spread use of writing in the vedic period. Written documents are mentioned as legal documents.

    Scripts
    Brahmi
    The earliest surviving written record other than Indus script is Piprawa vase inscription discovered by Colonel Claxton peppe. This Inscription is a prakrit before the prakrits of magadhi or sourasheni developed, so differently interpreted. This is dated to early part of 5th century BC.

    Next comes Sohaura Copper plate , which Dr.Smith puts before Ashoka by 50 years.

    The Inscriptions of Ashoka is all over India. This shows that Writing was well used in Royal courts and the writting was well understood by common people.

    Dr.Weber came with view that Brahmi is borrowed from South Arab tribe. But this has been dismissed by Dr. Buhler.

    Buhler Identified certain Brahmi letters were identical to 9th-7th BC century Inscriptions found in Assyria. One third of 23 Alphabets are identical to Brahmi letters. This Indologists suggestions that the Brahmi letters were derived from these letters from all Indology scholars including Buhler. But we have to note that the tribes in question are belonging belonging to Indian Tribe. This script traveled from India to Middle east.

    Jain Stupa unearthed at the Kankali Tila site of Mathura regarded by Vincent Simith as the oldest known stupa then (Before Indus valley sites were discovered). Smith dated it to be 600 BC for erection. Dr.Fuhrer who supervised the excavation found out that it contained a inscription Deva Stupa in a script, so old that it was forgotten.

    Indus Script
    Indus Script has 250-500 characters. Some of the Seals seems to be Bilingual with Indus script next to the symbols. Seeming symbols to be for traders from other languages. So Indus valley is literate culture.”

    So the Ancient Indians knew Reading and writing and transmitted Vedic Texts orally to ensure that they are not destroyed.

    Citation and reference..

    http://controversialhistory.blogspot.in/2012/11/was-ancient-india-literate-super-human.html

    Image of ancient scripts Credit.

    http://webspace.ship.edu/cgboer/evolalpha.html

    http://www.ancientscripts.com/brahmi.html

  • Indian Script Began in 3012 BC Beginning Of Kali Yuga

    Apart from wondering about the treasure trove of Hinduism which opens the doors to Wisdom,Knowledge, Information and Spirituality, one thing has been nagging my mind.

    There are thirty million manuscripts 700 poetic meters in Sanskrit.

    https://ramanisblog.in/2015/02/04/thirty-million-manuscripts-700-poetic-meters-amazing-sanskrit/

    and you have the Vedas.

    ps345722
    First Indus Valley script 2600 BC

    ‘The Vedic literature is composed of many books.

    mbh_ikswaku_lineage

    The oldest texts are the Rig-veda, Yajur-veda, Sama-veda, and the Atharva-veda. It is said in the Muktikopanishad that these four Vedas had 21, 109, 1000, and 50 branches respectively, with over 100,000 verses. Now, however, we can only find around 20,023 (some say 20,379) verses in total from these four Vedas.

     

     

    It is the oldest book in any Indo-European language and contains the earliest form of all Sanskrit mantras that date back to 1500 B.C. – 1000 B.C. Some scholars date the Rig Veda as early as 12000 BC – 4000 B.C

    https://ramanisblog.in/2013/08/16/rig-veda-date-components-details/

    It is well known that the Hindu Texts were transmitted orally.

    True.

    Even today one can see the Vedas being transmitted orally in India.

    I am amazed at the sheer volume being transmitted only by Oral tradition.

    It is enjoined in the Vedas that one has to study the Vedas from a Guru for Twelve Years.

    Even this can be one Shaka, a portion of a Specific Veda that is assigned to one by tradition.

    How come all the verses, well most of them, are available today?

    Only by Oral tradition?

    Without recourse to any form of writing?

    Well let me leave this for the present.

    But writing must have been in vogue during the Ramayana and Mahabharata Period.

    We have instances of Kings sending emissaries with written Communication ‘Nirupam’

    Sita’s Swayamwara, Damayanti Swayamvara, Draupadis Swayamvara have been communicated to all the Kings of India, then 56 in number.

    And these messages traveled from Ayodhya to Madurai and the present Kerala, to Pandyan and Chera kings respectively.

    The messages as Nirupam implies a language, script.

    Resting aside the  controversy about the common language, which I shall address later, the accepted early script is Brahmi.

    Again there is Tamil Brahmi, Sanskrit Brahmi, Kannada Brahmi.

    Tamil Brahmi is found in the Harappan Civilization.

    Two million year old Rock carving dating to Million years was found in Karnataka.

    Earliest Brahmi script  is assigned a date of 2600 BC

    ‘The first Indian script, developed in the Indus Valley around 2600 B.C. is still undeciphered. Thus, it is still not possible to fully understand this civilization, as we have no readable records of their beliefs, history, rulers or literature’

     

    ‘The Indus valley findings made Indologists acknowledge that writing existed prior to Mauryan writing. Though it has not been deciphered , it clearly shows writing existed in India before atlest 5-2 milliena before christ. Some Indology scholars have tried to show Indus script is derived from script from another civilization. But all these theories have fallen flat. Hrozny tried to derive Indus script from Hittite, Diringer is convinced that no script existed prior to Indus script from which Indus scirpt can be derived. Hunter and Langdon regard Indus script as prototype of Brahmi. The Vedic Scholars believed that Brahmi is from Brahma. It is mentioned in Narada Smriti that if Brahma has not created the art of writing or given excellant eye in the shape of script, the future would not have been deprived of obtaining bright future.

    The Absence of inscriptions since Indus valley is due to widespread use of Paper and Cloth, which are perishable in nature…

    ‘Alberuni believes Indian Alphabet originated with the begining of Kali Age (3102BC).

    Hiuen Tsang speaks of high Antiquity of Indian writing system. Brahmi is stated, in the Chinese Encyclopedia Fa-Wan-Shu-Lin, to be the best of scripts.’

    ‘

    One of the first great civilizations–with a writing system, urban centers, and a diversified social and economic system–appeared around 3,000 B.C. along the Indus River valley in Punjab and Sindh.

     

    http://www.ancient.eu/article/294/

    I agree with Alberuni the Chinese  ancient .eu ,taking into account the dates of Ramayana and Mahabharata and of course the Vedas.

     

    Sources.
    A Concise History Of Classical Sanskrit Literature By Gaurinath Shastri, Bhattacharyya Shastri Gaurinath
    The rise, decline and renewals of sramanic religious traditions within indic civilisation with particular reference to the evolution of jain sramanic culture and its impact on the indic civilization by Bal patil
    Students’ Britannica India, Volumes 1-5 By Indu Ramchandani
    A Companion to Sanskrit Literature: Spanning a Period of Over Three Thousand … By Sures Chandra Banerji
    On the origin Indian Brahma Alphabet Georg Buhler
    Was Writing Know Before Panini by A Chela
    Agama Aura Tripitaka, Eka Anusilana: Language and Literature By Nagraj (Muni.)

    Citations.

     

    http://www.ancientindia.co.uk/writing/home_set.html

    http://controversialhistory.blogspot.in/search/label/sanskrit

    http://www.stephen-knapp.com/complete_review_of_vedic_literature.htm

    Ramani’s Blog

  • Three Hundred Twenty Five Recognised Languages India

    India, we all know, is a land of diversity.

    Look at the number of languages.

    It is curiousthat we have taken English and French into our fold!

     

    Agaria,

    Ahirani,

    Aimol,

    Aiton,

    Anal,

    Andamanese,

    Some Languages of India, Scripts.jpg Some Languages of India, Scripts.

    Angani,

    Angika,

    Ao,

    Apatani,

    Arabic,

    Armenian,

    Ashing,

    Assamese,

    Asuri,

    Awadhi,

    Badaga,

    Baghelkhandi,

    Bagri,

    Baigani,

    Bajania,

    Balti,

    Bangni,

    Banjari,

    Basturia,

    Bauria,

    Bawm,

    Boli,

    Bengali,

    Bhanja- bhumia,

    Bantu,

    Bharmauri,

    Bhairi,

    Bhili,

    Bhojpuri,

    Bhotia,

    Bhuiya,

    Bhumij,

    Bhunjia,

    Biate,

    Bilaspuri,

    Birhor,

    Birjia,

    Bishnupriya,

    Bodo,

    Bokar,

    Bondo,

    bori,

    Braj Bhasha,

    Brijlal,

    Bugun,

    Bundelkhandi,

    Burmese,

    Bushari,

    Chakhesang,

    Chakma,

    Chambilai,

    Chameali,

    Chang,

    Changpa,

    Chattisgarhi,

    Chikari,

    Chinali,

    Chiru,

    Chote,

    Churasi,

    Dalu,

    Deori,

    Dhanki,

    Dhimal,

    Dhodia,

    Dhundhari,

    Didayi,

    Dimasa,

    Dingal,

    Dogri,

    Dommari,

    Droskhat/Dokpa,

    Duhlian-Twang,

    English, French, Gadaba, Gadiali, Gallong, Gameti, Gamit, Gangte, Garasia, Garhwali, Garo, Giarahi, Gondi, Gujarati, Gujjari, Gurung, Gutob, Hajong, Halam, Halbi, Harauti, Haryanavi, Hebrew, Himachali, Hindi, Hinduri, Hindusthani, Hmar, Ho, Hrusso, Hualngo,Irula, Jabalpuri, Jangali, Jarawa, Jaunsari, Juang, Kabui, Kachanga, Kachari, Kachchi, Kadar, Kagati, Kakbarak, Kanashi, Kangri, Kannada, Karbi, Karen, Karko, Kashmiri, Kathiawari, Khadiboli, Khaka, Khamba, Khampa, Khampti, Khampti-shan, Kharia, Khasi, Khaskura, Khatri, Kherwari, Khiangan, Khorusti, Khotta, Kinnauri, Kiradi, Kisan, Koch, Kodagu, Koi, Koireng, Kokni, Kolami, Kom, Komkar, Konda, Konicha, Konkani, Konyak, Koracha, Koraga, Korava, Korku, Korwa, Kota, Kotwalia, Kudmali, Kui, Kuki, Kulvi, Kumaoni, Kunbi, Kurukh, Kuvi, Ladakhi, Lahauli, Laihawlh, Lakher (Mara), Lalung,Lambani, Lamgang, Laotian, Laria, Lepcha, Limbu, Lisu, Lodha, Lotha, Lushai, Mag, Magahi, Magarkura, Mahal, Maithili, Majhi, Makrani, Malankudi, Malayalam, Malhar, Malto, Malvi, Manchat, Mandiali, Mangari, Mao, Maram, Marathi, Maria, Maring, Marwari, Mavchi, Meitei, Memba, Mewari, Mewati, Milang, Minyong, Miri, Mishing, Mishmi, Mizo, Monpa, Monsang, Moyon, Muduga, Multani, Mundari, Na, Nagari, Nagpuri, Naikadi, Naiki, Nati, Nepali, Nicobarese, Nimari, Nishi, Nocte, Odki, Onge, Oriya, Padam, Pahari, Paharia, Palilibo, Paite, Panchpargania, Pang, Pangi, Pangwali, Parimu, Parji, Paschima, Pasi, Pashto, Pawri, Pengo, Persian, Phom, Pochury, Punchi, Punjabi, Rai (Raikhura), Rajasthani, Ralte, Ramo, Rathi, Rengma, Riang, Sadri, Sajalong, Sambalpuri, Sangtam, Sansi, Santali, Sadra, Saraji, Sarhodi, Saurashtri, Sema, Sentinelese, Shekhawati, Sherdukpen, Sherpa, Shimong, Shina, Shompen, Sikligar, Sindhi, Singpo, Siraji, Sirmauri, Soliga, Sulung, Surajpuri,Tagin, Tai, Tamang, Tamil,Tangam, Tangkhul, Tangsa, Tataotrong, Telugu, Thado, Thar, Tharu, Tibetan, Toda, Toto, Tulu, Urdu, Vaiphei, Varli, Wagri, Wancho, Yereva, Yerukula, Yimchungre, Zakring (Meyer), Zeliang, Zemi, Zou.

    The following information is derived from DM Silveira‘s INDIA BOOK 1994-95, page 61, ISBN 81-900218-2-6 published by Classic Publishers Pvt. Ltd., Goa, India.

    The original author of this was Mr. Gurnek Singh

    http://www.sanyal.com/india/indlang.html

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  • Intellectual Bhakti Kalidasa’s Genius Vagarthaviva

    Bhakthi is a form of worshiping God.

    Bhakti is Love tinged with Devotion, Mind, Heart and Soul.

    It is an emotional bond.

    God as Man and woman.Jpg
    Man Woman God,Shiva and Sakthi

    Like Music Bhakthi can transport you into God’s.

    Hinduism attaches importance to Bhakthi, mostly emotional as a means of being with God, Realizing the Ultimate Cause.

    There are other means too.

    Path of Knowledge, Gnana Yoga, where one is wise enough to realize the transient nature of things and the Permanence that is God/Reality.

    Path of Action, where the renunciation of the fruits of action, at the mental level itself, is Karma Yoga.

    Raja Yoga , the path of controlling breath by strict practices.

    All these paths are from experience.

    Logic plays a secondary role.

    And these have delivered results as the Lives of Great souls reveal.

    I have noticed a fact that there seems to be two approaches even in bhakti.

    When I go through some inspired Sanskrit Poems, Tamil Verses, in the Bhakthi Bhava, the approach of Love  of/to God,I find there are two distinct types.

    One is Bhakthi tinged with Reason and Intellectual approach.

    Another is total emotional immersion in the Love of God.

    And example of an intellectual bhakti may be discerned in Kalidas’s first sloka of Raghuvamsa , which set about describing the Dynasty of Lord Rama.

    Curiously the work that is about to talk about Lord Hari,Vishnu , begins with a Sloka on Lord Shiva and Parvathi.

    This is the sloka.

    The genius of Kalidasa lies in that this poem is open for Twenty Five meanings!

     

    वागर्थाविव संपृक्तौ वागर्थप्रतिपत्तये|
    जगतः पितरौ वन्दे पार्वतीपरमेश्वरौ||
    Vag-arthou-iva-samprukthou-vag-artha-prati-patthaye-jagathah-pitarou-vande-parvathi-paramesvarou”
     I salute the parents of the world, Parvati and Parameswara, who are inseparable like the “vAk” (word) and “artha”(its meaning); to gain expertise in the right understanding of the words and their meanings.

    ‘The verse is addressed to many deities depending on how we interpret it. Thus:

    1. Parvathi parameshwarau  means divine Mother Parvathi and Lord Shiva. Very simple! This is the original intended meaning by Shri Kalidas.  All other meanings are our interpretations. Arrangement(anvaya): Vagrthapratipattaye vagarthaviva sampriktau jagatah pitarau parvatiparameshwarau vande |
    2. Sampruktau Parvathi Parameshwarau:  inseparable or conjoined (samprukatu) Lord Shiva and Shri Devi. What is the deity? Lord Ardha Nareeshwara! i. e. the deity in which right half is Lord Shiva and left half is Shri Devi. Just amazing! Right?  Arrangement(anvaya): Vagrthapratipattaye  jagatah pitarau vagarthavivasampriktau parvatiparameshwarau vande |
    3. Parvathipa – rameshwarau: Pravathipa means Lord Shiva and Rameshwarau means Lord Vishnu. In other words, it represents popular deity Hari –Hara(Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva). sampriktau suggests that Hari and Hara are intricately connected together. Arrangement(anvaya): Vagrthapratipattaye  jagatah pitarau vagarthavivasampriktau parvatipa-rameshwarau vande |
    4. Parvathipa – rameshwarau: Parvathipa means Lord Shiva accompanied with Parvathi Devi. Rameshwaru means Lord Vishnu with Ramaa(Shri Lakshmi). Arrangement(anvaya): Vagrthapratipattaye  jagatah pitarau vagarthavivasampriktau parvatipa-rameshwarau vande |
    5. Vagarthau parvathipa rameshwarau:  Saraswati Devi is Vak and Artha is Brahma.Parvathipa : Parvathi Devi and Lord Shiva. Rameshwarau: Shri Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. This is par excellence! It represents the Hindu Trinity Lord Brahma, Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva along with their consorts Saraswati Devi, Lakshmi Devi and Parvathi Devi. Arrangement(anvaya): Vagrthapratipattaye  jagatah pitarau iva(sthithau),  sampriktau, vagarthau parvatipa-rameshwarau (cha) vande | HereVagartha indicates Brahma accompanied by Saraswati Devi. Samprikta refers to Lord Brahma and Lord Hari-Hara. It says, Lord Brahma, Hari(Lord Vishnu) and Hara(Lord Shiva) are intricately connected together.

     

    What are we Praying for in the verse?

    Again, it depends on how we interpret! Let us see.

    1. Vagarthah  pratipattaye:  Vak also means word and speech. Artha means meaning. So, the entire phrase says – To know the word and its meaning. In other words, to get expertise in literary skills.  It also means – to know speech and its meaning to get proficiency in oratory skills. This is the original meaning  as intended by Shri Kalidasa.
    2. Vak also means The Holy Vedas. So, the word vagartha means: meaning of the Vedas. Now, vagartha pratipattaye means to access the meaning of the Vedas. All others below are our insights.
    3. Pratipaataye vagartha:  Pratipattaye means to access. Vagartha :  inseparable Lord Shiva and Parvathi Devi. They together form the Universal Self. Accessing means to merge with them. In other words, we intend to merge with the Universal Self, i.e. to achieve liberation(moksha).  This is the real goal of yoga and the highest purpose of human life.
    4. Vak-artha, pratipattaye: Vak also means Shri Devi  or Kundalini Devi  who gives liberation(moksha) and artha  means prosperity or material enjoyment(bhoga). Shruti(The Vedas) says – Devim vacham ajanayanta devah etc. Remember, Shridevi is the consort(power) of Lord Shiva who is the ruler of liberation(moksha). It is well-known that Shri Lakshmi is the presiding deity of prosperity and material comforts.
    5.  Vak, artha  and pratipattaye: As said earlier, Vak  symbolizes liberation(moksha),Artha  is material enjoyment(bhoga) and Pratipatti means Knowledge.  Together, these three represent three presiding deities Parvathi Devi, Lakshmi Devi and Saraswati Devi respectively. Caution: This meaning is based on vagartha (word and its meaning) only. So, may not be grammatical.

    Mathematically, how many meanings are possible now? 5 x 5 = 25! You may pick your combination and pray now! Is it not magical and amazing!?  Hats off to the Great Poet Shri Kalidasa!!

    Citation.

    https://rudrakshayoga.wordpress.com/2013/03/20/vagarthaviva-a-magical-verse-from-poet-kalidasa-one-prayer-25-meanings-part-3/

     
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