Importance of the Self. BG 6:5-6 Revise Atman and the optative mood.

"One should uplift oneself by the Self; One should not degrade oneself;

For the Self alone is one's friend (and) the Self only (can be) an enemy of the Self. For him who has conquered himself by the Self, (the Self) is a friend. For him who hasn't, the Self remains hostile, like an enemy." 

In BG Ch 6 verses 5 and 6 we will familiarise ourselves with the optative mood (विधि लिङ्) as well as the declension of the noun ātman आत्मन्  which varies from the 'a' ending masculine nouns we are used to. (e.g Rāma bālaka, etc) Now you have the table in front of you, you can tally words from the verse easily. Note: 

This verse is one of my favourites. Don't worry if it seems complex to start with! It's actually really very simple.

BG 6:5: 

उद्धरेदात्मनात्मानं नात्मानमवसादयेत्

आत्मैव ह्यात्मनो  बन्धुरात्मैव रिपुरात्मनः

Vigraha 

उद्धरेत् आत्मना आत्मानम् न आत्मानम् अवसादयेत् 

आत्मा एव हि आत्मनः बन्धुः आत्मा एव रिपुः आत्मनः

Anvaya 

आत्मना  आत्मानम् उद्धरेत् न हि आत्मानम् अवसादयेत्

आत्मा एव हि आत्मनः बन्धुः आत्मा एव आत्मनः रिपुः

One should uplift oneself by the Self; One should not degrade oneself;

For the Self alone is one's friend (and) the Self only (can be) an enemy of the Self.

आत्मना - By the self (3rd vibhakti/instrumental, masc. sing.) 

आत्मानम् - self ko (2nd vibhakti/accusative, masc. sing)

उद्धरेत् - he should uplift/redeem/elevate himself  (विधि लिङ्/optative, 3rd person, sing.)  

न - not

हि - verily

आत्मानम् - self ko (2nd vibhakti/accusative, masc. sing) 

अवसादयेत् - he should not degrade (विधि लिङ्/optative, 3rd person, sing.) 

अवसादयेत्  from ava+sad has the sense of  going downward, can mean decline has the sense of perish by neglect. Gita Press Gorakhpur glosses the word with अधोगति - descent or going downward.

आत्मा - Atmaa (1st vibhakti/nominative masc., sing.)

एव - only 

हि (I think the 'verily' fits better here. Even anvaya has wiggle room. Tell me what you think when you read the verse peacefully later) 

आत्मनः  of the Atmaa (6th vibhakti/genitive masc., sing)

बन्धुः friend (1st vibhakti/nominative masc., sing.)

आत्मा Atmaa (1st vibhakti/nominative masc., sing.)

एव only

आत्मनः of the Atmaa (6th vibhakti/genitive masc., sing)

रिपुः enemy ((1st vibhakti/nominative masc., sing.)

The verse 6:6

बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः 

अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत् 

Vigraha

बन्धुः आत्मा आत्मनः तस्य येन आत्मा एव आत्मना जितः

अनात्मनः  तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेत आत्मा एव शत्रुवत् 

Anvaya

येन आत्मा आत्मना जितः तस्य आत्मनः एव आत्मा बन्धुः

अनात्मनः  तु आत्मा शत्रुवत्   एव वर्तेत  शत्रुत्वे  

For him who has conquered himself by the Self, (the Self) is a friend. For him who hasn't, the Self remains hostile, like an enemy

येन - by whom (जिस के द्वारा 3rd vibhakti/instrumental, masc., sing., of yat) 

आत्मा - Himself/oneself

आत्मना - by the Atmaa (3rd vibhakit/instrumental., masc., sing.) 

जितः - is won (past participle of the root ji)

तस्य - His (6th vibhakti/genitive masc., sing)

आत्मनः  Of his Atmaa (6th vibhakti/genitive masc., sing)

एव - only 

आत्मा 

बन्धुः 

अनात्मनः Of his Atmaa (6th vibhakti/genitive masc., sing)  

तु - lekin, but

आत्मा 

शत्रुवत्   - like an enemy, in the manner of an enemy

एव - only 

वर्तेत  - it would exist (विधि लिङ्  आत्मनेपद optative middle voice, pl note the full 'ta' at the end which is different from the halanta 't' in the two optatives in 6:5

शत्रुत्वे  - in enmity (7th vibhakti/locative, masc. sing.)

Unsung Hero: The arrow that kills the mighty Rāvaṇa

Ramlila tonight will re-enact the destruction of a mighty warrior, Rāvaṇa who the Rāmāyaṇa itself calls, in his dying moment, dyutimaḥ (effulgent, brilliant) and one of terrific swiftness (भीमवेगः). The Hindu epics are generous in recognising valour even in the enemy -  a mature sentiment which makes our religion what it is. 

Dussehra focuses on the glorification of Rāma and celebrates the triumph of 'good' over 'evil', 'light' over 'darkness'. I like to draw attention to the unsung hero in these stories. In this case, the arrow itself that accomplishes the deed. In the heat of battle, nearly 10 verses are devoted to describing the 'astra' made by Brahma. We'll do one verse DVP style - but I'd like to share some of the description in translation. This can be found in sarga 108 of the Yuddha Kāṇḍa.

Being reminded by Mātalī, Rāma took hold of the blazing/flaming arrow (दीप्तः शरः) which was breathing as if like a serpent. In its wings is [the] wind, in its head there is Fire and the Sun, in its body is the sky and in its weight are (mount) Meru and Mandara. Resplendent by its own lustre, bright as the rays of the Sun, it is like the fire of dissolution (कालाग्निः). Made by Brahma for Indra, smeared in the blood and dipped in the  marrow of various victims, it presented a dreadful appearance. With the essence of a thunderbolt, hissing like a serpent, it has the form of death (yamarupa). 

Consecrating it with mantras laid down in the Vedas, the mighty Rāma set it on his bow. That excellent arrow being mounted, all beings were stricken with fear and the earth trembled. Rāma, well-enraged, discharged that arrow which pierces the vitals (मर्मविदारणः शरः) at Rāvaṇa. That shaft cleft the breast of the evil minded Rāvaṇa, and anointed with blood, penetrated the earth. And then returned to the quiver. (In some rescensions, it does, and others it doesn't).

Now the verse. A relatively simple one today!!

यं तस्मै प्रथमं प्रादादगस्त्यो भगवानृषिः |

ब्रह्मदत्तं महद्बाणममोघं युधि वीर्यवान् ||

[The arrow] which was unfailing in battle was first (earlier?) given to valiant Rama by the divine rishi Agastya.

यम् which - (yat, accusative, masc., sing)

युधि - in battle (yuddha, locative, neut. sing)

अमोघम् - unfailing (adj, accusative, masc., sing) 

बाणम् - arrow (accusative, masc., sing)

प्रथमम् - at first, firstly

तस्मै  - to him, to Rama (dative, masc., sing)

वीर्यवान् - Brave, valiant (Rama)

प्रादात् - pra+adaat, past tense of 

अगस्त्यः Agastya 

भगवानृषिः Divine ṛṣi

Durga Saptaśati Dhyānam: Verse to comtemplate during Navratri

You'll see various translations of this verse. As ever, I quote Patrick Olivelle: every act of translation is an interpretation - so I will not comment on why 'bow to' or 'resort to' feature in some versions of this dhyāna verse. Here is the literal translation, with a note on some grey areas. I've broken it up a bit so you can see what the words are.

ॐ 

खड्गं चक्र+गद+इषु+चाप+परिघान्+शूलं भुशुण्डीं शिरः

शङ्खं संधतीं करैः +त्रिनयनां+ सर्वाङ्ग+भूष+आवृतं 

 नीलाष्म+द्युतिमा+आस्य+पाद+दशकां सेवे महाकालिकां

याम्+अस्तौत्+स्वपिते+हरौ+कमलजो+हन्तुं+मधु+कैटभम्

Anvaya:

Your basic sentence is this: 

(Aham) महाकालिकां सेवे  याम् कमलजः मधु+कैटभम् हन्तुं अस्तौत् स्वपिते+हरौ 

I serve/honour Mahākāli who Brahma praised/lauded, when Hari was asleep, for the killing of Madhu and Kaiṭabha 

कमलजः is another name for Brahma - 'born of a lotus' 

हरि of course is Viṣṇu and स्वपिते+हरौ is a sati saptami, a locative absolute meaning 'when'. स्वपिते comes from √svap - to sleep

अस्तौत् - 3rd person, sing., past from √stu - to praise, extol

The rest are compounds/adjectives in the 2nd vibhakti/accusative case describing Devi and her attributes. All in the accusative, because I am doing something to her - praising/serving देवी को. 

त्रिनयनाम् - three eyed one को

सर्वाङ्ग+भूष+आवृतम् - all (her) limbs adorned (with) ornaments (को)
आस्य+पाद+दशकां  - (she) who has ten faces and ten feet (को) 

नीलाश्म+द्युतिमा - of the one who shines/is luminous like a sapphire (blue stone) Since this is a fragment of a larger compound, I've left it in nominative, but were it on it's own, it too would be in the accusative 

संधतीं+करैः holding 'by' her hands (this is in the plural not the dual, so maybe that is where the idea of 'more than two' hands come from. संधतीं present participle, fem.) 

परिघान् - iron clubs (acc. plural)
खड्गं - sword

चक्र - disc

गद- mace

इषु - arrow

चाप - bow

शूलं - spear

भुशुण्डीं - a sort of weapon

शिरः - head/skull

शङ्खं - conch

(Note: when not part of a compound, even the weapons are in accusative, because she is doing something to them - she is holding them -  करैः instrumental plural, हाथों से)

Bhagvad Gita 1:2-3

Remember to listen to the verses here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=499duqPw-x4

Ch 1 verse 2

संजय उवाच
Sanjaya said:

दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डवानीकं व्यूढं दुर्योधनस्तदा 

आचार्यमुपसंगम्य राजा वचनमब्रवीत्

Seeing verily the army of the Pāṇḍavas arrayed [in battle formation] King Duryodhana having approached his teacher said these words: 

विग्रह
दृष्ट्वा तु पाण्डव आनीकम् वयूढम् दुर्योधनः तदा आचार्यम् उपसंगम्य राजा वचनम् अब्रवीत्
अन्वय
तदा राजा दुर्योधन वयूढम् पाण्डवानीकम् दृष्ट्वा तु आचार्यम् उपसंगम्य वचनम् अब्रवीत् 

तदा - then

राजा - King

दुर्योधन - Duryodhana

वयूढम् - arrayed in battle formation (past participle, vi+√vah adj., masc/neut., accusative, sing.)

पाण्डवानीकम् - army of the Pāṇḍava ( आनीकम् = army, masc/neut., accusative, sing.)

दृष्ट्वा - having seen (gerund of √dṛś) 

तु - indeed, verily 

आचार्यम् - teacher (masc. accusative, sing.)

उपसंगम्य - having approached (gerund upa+sam+√gam)

वचनम्  - word, speech (neut., accusative, sing.)

अब्रवीत् - said (3rd person, sing., imperfect √brū
Hindi: 
उस समय पांडवों की व्यूहरचनायुक्त सेना को देख कर राजा दुर्योधन  ने आचार्य के पास जा कर कहा: 

Ch 1 verse 3

पश्यैतां पान्दूपुत्राणाम् आचार्य महतीं चामूम्

व्यूढां द्रुपदपुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता 

Behold! Teacher, this great army of the sons of Pāṇḍu arrayed by your intelligent student, the son of Drupad.

विग्रह

पश्य एताम् पाण्डु पुत्राणाम् आचार्य महतीम् चामूम्

व्यूढाम् द्रुपद पुत्रेण तव शिष्येण धीमता 

अन्वय

आचार्य! तव धीमता शिष्येण द्रुपद पुत्रेण व्यूढाम् पाण्डुपुत्राणाम् एताम् महतीम् चामूम् पश्य

आचार्य - Teacher! (vocative)

तव - your

धीमता - by the intelligent (masc., instrumental, sing.)

शिष्येण - by the student

द्रुपद - [of] Drupad

पुत्रेण  - by the son

व्यूढाम् - arrayed (fem., accusative, sing., past participle of vi+√vah) arrayed  

पाण्डुपुत्राणाम् - of the Pāṇḍavas (genitive plural)

एताम् - this (fem., accusative, sing.)

महतीम् - great, mighty (fem., accusative, sing.)

चामूम् - army (fem., accusative, sing.)

पश्य - Look, see! (2nd person, imperative, √paś)

Hindi:
हे आचार्य आपके बुद्धिमान शिष्य द्रुपदपुत्र [ध्रिश्ताद्युम] द्वारा व्यूहाकार की हुई पांडू पुत्रों की इस बड़ी भारी सेना को देखिये 

Revise Sandhi: III Hal-Sandhi

As vowel sandhi was called अच्सन्धिः and in it we studied what happens when a vowel at the end of one word meets a vowel at the beginning of the next word. Today we are going to look at  हल्संधिः in which word-final consonants meet word-initial consonants (as well as vowels) and the changes that come about. The key sandhis are those of the final 't' त् 'n' न् and 'm' म् 

त् remains a त् before  क् ख् त् प् फ् and स् There is no change in it - it will appear as a half 't' as it does in Hindi:  

तत् + कर्म becomes तत्कर्म

तत् + पतति becomes तत्पतति

तत् + फलम् becomes तत्फलम्

एतत् + कदा becomes एतत्कदा

However if the त् is followed by another त् it will become a double tt - त्त, exactly as we are used to in Hindi: For example:

तत् + तत् becomes तत्तत्

तत् + तदा becomes तत्तदा 

If the त् is followed by a vowel, it will become a द्

मत् + इदम् becomes मदिदम्

मत् + अस्ति becomes मदस्ति 

अस्मात् + आसीत् becomes अस्मादासीत्

तस्मात् + ऋषि becomes तस्मादृषि

(please don't forget that ऋ is a vowel!!)

In addition there is a series of almost 20 consonants before which त् will become a द् . (In Paninian terms I refer to the हश् pratyahaara) At our level you are most likely to meet about 9 of these. The two consonants will conjoin and appear just like they do in Hindi: for instance: 

त् --->  द् + य् = द्य

त्  --->  द् + व् = द्व

त्  ---> द् + र् = द्र 

त् ---> द्  + भ् = द्भ्

त् ---> द्  + ब् = द्ब

त् ---> द्  + द् = द्द

Let us look at some examples:

युष्मत् + धनम् becomes युष्मद्धनम्

वृक्षात् + भूमिः becomes वृक्षाद्भुमिः

अपतत् + यदा becomes अपतद्यदा 

अभवत् + राजा becomes अभवद्राजा 

तत् + वचनम् becomes तद्वचनम्

त् also changes before specific consonants - each has a formal grammatical name, but as you know, in this course our objective is to learn the fundamentals first. You'll be pleasantly surprised by how easy it is to acquire the formal grammar terminology both in Sanskrit and English, once you know what's actually going on! At least that was my experience.

त् if followed by a च् itself becomes a च् ---> तत् + च् = तच्च्

त् if followed by a ज् itself becomes a ज् ---> तत् + ज् = तज्ज्

त् if followed by a न् or a म् itself becomes a  न् ---> तत् + न = तन्न and तत् + म = तन्म

तत् + चरति = तच्चरति

आसीत् + जीवति = आसीज्जीवति 

अभवत् + नमति = अभवन्नमति

अभवत् + मित्रम् = अभवन्मित्रम्

Now just a few more to go with त् ...

त् + ल् becomes तल्ल्

त् + श्  are BOTH replaced by च्छ

त् + ह् are  BOTH replaced by  द्ध्

Some examples:

तत् + लीला = तल्लीला

त्वत् + लिखति = त्वल्लिखति

तत् + श्रुत्वा = तच्छ्रुत्वा

तत् + शान्ति = तच्छान्ति

तत् + हस्तिन् = तद्धस्तिन्

मत् + हरि = मद्धरि

Top tip for today: In all sandhi if you say the word aloud slowly two or three times you will automatically be able to tell what the component words are. Try these:

तद्राक्षसः

अभवज्जितः

अस्मच्च

Now for sandhi of the final 'n' न्. If followed by a च् both coalesce into a nasal and a श् like so:

तान् + च् = तांश्च (the sh+ch might appear as श्च of course)

And न् If followed by a त् it become a nasal + स् like so:

तान् + त् = तांस्त्

A न् if followed by a ज् or a श् becomes a ञ (I couldn't put a halant on this, sorry! but of course there is meant to be one.)

रामान् + जलम् = रामाञ्जलम्

If a final इन् or अन् meets a vowel, theन् doubles:

अभवन् + इति = अभवन्निति

तस्मिन् + एव = तस्मिन्नेव

A न् followed by a ल् will give you a double ल्ल, and a chandrabindu on top - sorry I couldn't do this on the typing system I use -but the description should suffice.

And finally the sandhi of the final 'm' म्

If followed by a vowel it will simply join up with the vowel in a manner familiar to all Hindi speakers: 

म् + अ, आ, उ, ऊ etc = म मा मि मी मु मू etc

And if it is followed by ANY consonant, it will become an anusvaara अनुस्वार.

So रामम् + अस्ति = राममस्ति

but रामम् + वा ---> रामं वा

At this juncture another top tip - all consonants, very much like the 'm' example combine with the initial vowel of the next word.  So in verses you have to be very careful. The most famous example of course is अभ्युथानमधर्मस्य from यदा यदा हि धर्मस्य, (BG IV:7) where in the second part of the verse it is a-dharmasaya that is being talked about rather than dharmasya as it seems from the word.

अभ्युथानमधर्मस्य =   अभ्युथान् + अधर्मस्य

Bhagvad Gita 1:1

In translating our verse for the day, we achieve three objectives. We are reading from original ancient scriptures, translating for ourselves without the interpretive filter of a translator, and last but not least, we are learning Sanskrit grammar. As we saw in the Maha Mrityunjaya verse  yesterday, grammar does matter very much. From today we will add another critical dimension. Listening. I am providing an audio link for the verses we will translate over the next few weeks. You could listen to them silently, or better still chant along! Very soon you'll find that listen/read/understand/remember is leaving grooves in your mind and that the much misunderstood Sanskrit grammar [it's sooo easy really:-)] is automatically becoming second nature.

The audio is only ten minutes long, so if you can spare the time, listen to all of it everyday, and read off the script you will find here: 

http://sanskritdocuments.org/all_pdf/bhagvadnew.pdf 

If you can't spare the time, simply listen to 1:1 today, 1:1 and 1:2 tomorrow etc. You'll find the audio link here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=499duqPw-x4

Today we revisit BG 1:1, so you can get used to the format. 

धर्मक्षेत्रे कुरुक्षेत्रे समवेता युयुत्सवः 

मामकाः पाण्डवश्चैव किमकुर्वत संजय

Assembled on the field of dharma, at Kurukṣetra, desirous of battle, what did my (sons) and the sons of Pāṇḍu do? 

धर्मक्षेत्रे - in/on the field of dharma (neuter., locative case, sing.) 

कुरुक्षेत्रे - in/on the field of the Kurukṣetra 

Two locatives together are called a sati saptami or a locative absolute. It gives an indication of 'when'. Hence this verse if often translated 'When in the field of ....'

समवेता - assembled, come together (masc, nom., plural past participle of sam+ava+√ i). The actual word is समवेता: but the visarga is lost by the rules of sandhi before the य of युयुत्सवः

युयुत्सवः - desiring to do battle (masc., nom., plural, adjective; desiderative of √yudh)

मामकाः पाण्डवाश्चैव = पाण्डवाः च एव

मामकाः my, mine (masc., nom., plural) 

पाण्डवाः lit. Pandus - sons of Pandu (masc., nominative, plural)

च and (avyaya)

एव indeed, only (avyaya) here used as a rhythmic filler

Note that मामकाः does not lose it's visarga before the 'p' of पाण्डवाः by sandhi rules.

किमकुर्वत संजय = किम् अकुर्वत संजय

किम् - what (interrogative, neuter)

अकुर्वत - (they) did (3rd, plural, past ĀP of √kṛ)

संजय - O Sanjaya (vocative, masc., singular)

For a historical perspective of this verse, (if you haven't already seen it) please see: 

http://dharma-karma-prayashchitta.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/the-significance-of-bg-11-dharmaksetre.html

Mahā Mṛtyunjaya Mantra: Grammatical Analysis

I have been asked very often what this mantra means. And though I've recited it for years, frankly I was never sure.  All I knew was it had something to do with Shiva saving me from death, and that was good enough! I've seen many interpretations on the net, a lot of which make sense in themselves, but don't really add up on the grammar. So here is my understanding grammatically. If you disagree, please do write in. This blog is meant to be a forum for discussion - not a shastri talking down to plebeians...

ॐ त्र्यम्बकं यजामहे

सुगन्धिं पुष्टि वर्धनं 

उर्वारुकमिव बन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीय 

मामृतात् ॐ

Om tryambakam yjaamahe sugaṇdhim puṣtivardhanam

urvārukamiva bandhanaan mrityor mukshīya māmritaat Om

Now the 'anvaya,' which just means making a prose sentence of the verse. Actually it's very helpful for precision. Because you cannot conveniently leave out what you wish, or changie meanings as it suits you. You'll be surprised how many 'experts' do that. The verse reads:

त्र्यम्बकम्  सुगन्धिम्  पुष्टि-वर्धनम् यजामहे

उर्वारुकम् इव बन्धनात् मुक्षीय 
मा अमृतात् 

त्र्यम्बकम् - ambaka comes to be understood as 'eye' in later times - three eyed. In early Vedic texts it retains the meaning of 'mother' so, one who has three mothers - and applies to Agni; the mothers being sky, the middle space and the earth (hence he is the Sun, lightning and fire). Agni and Rudra are often considered one - hence the transference of the name.
यजामहे - we worship, adore, honour (ĀP, 1st person, plural, active, present - 'we' √yaj)

सुगन्धिम् - fragrant (accusative case), adj. for Shiva

पुष्टि-वर्धनम् - giver of the state of nourishment - (acc. case) adj. for Shiva

उर्वारुकम् - musk-melon (neuter, nominative, singular)

इव - like (a)

बन्धनात् - from bondage (ablative case, singular, of bandhana [neut])

मृत्योः - from death (ablative case of मृत्यु masc, sing.)

मुक्षीय - (I) ought to be released. (√muc, 1st person, singular, benedictive)

मा - not
अमृतात् - from immortality, (ablative case of अमृत, sing.)

ॐ 

The translation then becomes: 

We worship [the] fragrant Shiva, increaser of nourishment; 

Like the musk melon [is] released from its bond, I should be released from death, not from immortality.

(Here of course we are assuming that the bondage/bhandhana of the fruit is to its plant/creeper/vine. And as it ripens, it falls on its own. Hence, once we have ripened, i.e. lived our lives, we should be separated from this existence. But these are meanings we assign. I have mine just like everyone else will their's.)