Selected Slokas from the Srimad-Ramayanam

 

          The following verses are selected from the Srimad Ramayanam of Sri Valmiki.  According to Indian tradition, Ramayanam is the first samskrit poem (Aadi-Kaavyam) and Valmiki is the first poet (Aadi-Kavi).  Valmiki is generally placed by modern historians about the 3^rd B.C.  The Ramayanam is one of the two epics, the other being the Mahabharatam.

          The Ramayanam is acclaimed as one of the top-ranking poems in Sanskrit literature. Some critics consider it to be the best of Sanskrit poems.

1.     असङ्कल्पितमेवेह यदकस्मात्प्रवर्तते । निवर्त्यारम्भमारब्धं ननु दैवस्य कर्म तत् ।।

Asankalpitameveha yadakasmat pravartate l

Nivarthyarambhamaarabdham nanu daivasya karma thath ll

                                                                   - Ayodhya.Kaan:22-24

These are the words of Rama to Lakshmana, when the latter expressed his unhappiness over Rama’s going to the forest-

“Whatever undertaking gets started abruptly without any premeditation causing abandonment of the one that is already taken up, that indeed is the work of Providence.”

2.     शोको नाशयते धैर्यं शोको नोशयते श्रुतम्।शोको नोशयते सर्वं नास्ति शोकसमो रिपुः ।।

Soko naasayathe Dhairyam Soko naasayathe srutham  l

Soko naasayathe sarvam Naasthi Sokasamo RipuH  ll

                                                                   - Ayodhya.Kaan: 62-15

These words are spoken by Kausaly to Dasaratha- Grief destroys courage; grief destroys erudition; grief destroys everything; there is no emeny comparable to grief.

A SHORT TREATISE ON SANSKRIT PROSODY- PART-III

 

          In metres regulated by the number of syllabic instants one instant or Matra is allotted to a short vowel, and two to a long one.

          For the purspose of scanning metres regulated by the number of syllables, writers on prosody have devised eight “Ganas” or syllabic feet, each consisting of three syllables, and distinguished from one another by particularly syllables being short or ling.  They are given in the following verse:-

मस्त्रिगुरुस्त्रिलघुश्च नकारो भादिगुरुः पुनरादिलघुर्यः।

जो गुरुमध्यगतो रलमध्यः सोऽन्तगुरुः कथितोऽ न्तलघुस्तः॥

आदिमध्यावसानेषु यरता यान्ति लाघवम्। भजसा गौरवं यान्ति मनौ तु गुरुलाघवम् ॥

Expressed in symbols (The symbol l is denoting a short syllable, and a S long one) the different Ganas may be represented as follows:

यगणः = l S S = Yagana=(Bacchius);     रगणः=S I S =Ragana=(Amphimacer)   तगणः=l l S=Thagana=(Anti Bacchius); भगणः=S l l=Bhagana=(Dactylus)  जगणः=l S l=Jagana=(Amphibrachys);  सगणः=l l S=Sagana=(Anapaestus) मगणः=S S S=Magana=(Mollosus);      नगणः=l l l=Nagana=(Tribrachys)     Similarly ल (l) is used to denote a short syllable and ग (S) a long one.

SRI VAISHNAVA MANTRAS

   

     There are three Mantras hailed as Rahasya-trayas namely.  They are

1.     The Moolamantra alias Tirumantra or Ashtakshara –

“Om Naamo Narayanaya” means Salutation to Lord Sriman Narayana - Vishnu.

2.     The Dvayam –

“Sriman Narayana-Charanau-Saranam-Prapadye; Srimathe Narayanaya Nama: - I take refuge in the feet of Sriman Narayana joined with Sri (SriLakshmi the Goddess of Wealth) and salutation to Narayana with Sri.

3.     The Carama Sloka -

“SarvaDharman Parityajya Mamekam Saranam Vraja  l

  Aham tva Sarva Papebhyo Mokshayishyami maa sucha: ll”

(Srimat Bagavad Gita - XVIII-66)

Having relinfuished all dharmas resort to me alone as a refuge.  I will release you from all sins.  Be not grieved - Lord Sri Krishna said to Arjuna.

          Tirumantra, Dvayam and CaramaSloka predates Sri Vaishnavas itself, dating back to the first Azhvars (Tamil Vaishnavite Saints) and probably earlier, to the epic period.

          The name of Narayana is well rooted in the later Vaishnava Upanishads like Maharanya Upanishad, Subala Upanishad and in the Mahabharata, MokshaDharma section of the Santi Parva.

          The brief Narayanaatharvasira Upanishad quoted by the preceptors of Vasihnavism gives specific instruction in how the eight syllabled Ashtakshara Mantra, (Om Namo Narayanaya) is to be pronounced.

GOALS TO MEET IN 2025

 

Personal Goals

1.     Prioritizing the time management

2.     Not to miss any family gathering

3.     Not to commit to everything, and start to say no.

 

Creative Goals

1.     To take up teaching online.

2.     Improving the painting skills.

3. Joining the sports club.

A BLOGPOST ON A FELLOW BLOGGER

 

As a final campaign of the year 2024, Blog Chatter announced #Blogchatterwrapparty, with five constituent prompts, of which the following is the one:

“Give a shoutout to a fellow creator, sharing what you like about them”

I will write this blog post about fellow blogger Pandian Ramaiah.

He writes about mythological stories, fiction, and translations in his blog.

Particularly I liked his bilingual scholarliness. (English & Tamil)

Here is the link https://dwaraka.wordpress.com/

He posts his writings on Blog chatter and earns many stickers by participating in various campaigns.

“Shortness is sweetness” can be felt by reading his posts.

His blog is an interesting one and kindles me to read.

His writing style is very lucid and catchy.

Though I have not regularly read his posts, I found so much valuable information packed within the compass of his posts' limited length.

 

 

(This blog post is a part of #Blogchatterwrapparty. For more details here : https://www.theblogchatter.com/campaign-registrations/are-you-ready-to-wrap-up-2024-with-a-bang)

THE YEAR 2024 SO FAR

 

Recollecting six major milestones, I summarise the year in six words:

1.  Achievement

          Something that I have done successfully, especially through hard work.  It gave me a sense of achievement.

D.Litt stands for Doctor of Literature, received the Degree in June 2024. 

2. Celebration

          A celebration is a special enjoyable event that people organize because something pleasant has happened.  Participating in someone's birthday, marriage, anniversary, etc., in this way, I am highly glad to have participated in the same. 

3. Travel

          Travel is the main part of my life. The advantages of travelling include stress and anxiety reduction to alleviating tension. It improved my mental well-being and creativity and provided a sense of satisfaction. Apart from other travels, visited my native village twice this year.

4.  Asset

          Jewellery is the essential thing.  Gold enhances life span, wealth, body complexion, intellect, and memory, and eradicates the evil spirit.   Brought gold jewellery to compliment & wear as a symbol of my achievement.

5. Gaining health through exercise:

          Health is wealth. Prioritizing it, I got back to my routines. Regaining my health with rigorous exercise to stay in shape.

6.  Fair enough with my Passion for writing and reading

          Sparing time to Read books & write on specific themes and compose poems in Sanskrit.

A SHORT TREATISE ON SANSKRIT PROSODY - PART II

 

 

A syllable is as much of a word as can be pronounced at once, that is, a vowel with or without one or more consonants.

A syllable is लघु ‘Short’ or  गुरु ‘long’ according as its vowel is ‘short’ or ‘long’.  The vowels अ, इ, उ, ऋ & ऌ are short; आ, ई, ऊ, ॠ, ए, ऐ, ओ & औ are long.  But a short vowel becomes long in prosody when it is followed by an Anusvara, Visarga and by a conjunct consonant; as the vowel अ in गंध or गः. (The consonants प्र & ह्र as also ब्र & क्र are said to be exceptions, before which the vowel may be short by a sort of poetical license.  So also the last syllable of a pada is either long or short, according to the exigence of the metre, whatever be its natural length.

सानुस्वारश्च दीर्घश्च विसर्गी च गुरुर्भवेत् । वर्णःसंयोगपूर्वश्च तथा पादान्तगोऽपि वा ॥