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Written by Sri Swami Chandrashekarendra
Saraswati |
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In speaking about the Vedas I stated that the sound of a word was more
important that its meaning. That reminds me. In the Vedic language
called "Chandas" and in Sanskrit which is based on it, there are words
the
very sound of which denotes their meaning. Take the word "danta". You
know that it means a tooth. We have to use our teeth to produce the
sound of the word "danta" - the tongue has to make an impact on the
teeth. You will note this phenomenon when you ask a toothless person to
say "danta". He will not he able to vocalise the word clearly.
From such small observations comparative philology can discover an
important fact: which word has come first in what language. Sanskrit,
Greek, Latin, German, French, etc, have been jointly referred to as
belonging to the Indo-European group and derived from one mother
language. Western philologists do not accept Sanskrit as the original
language, the mother of all Indo-European tongues. But words like
"danta" point to the fact that Sanskrit is the root language.
Consider the English word "dental". There is so much similarity between
"dant" and "dent". In languages like French and Latin also the word for
tooth is akin to "dent", though it is "da-kara" and not the "da-kara" of
Sanskrit. "Why shouldn’t you derive the Sanskrit word 'danta' from
'dental'? " it might be asked. But you must consider the fact that to
say
"danta" you have to make use of your teeth. Not so to say "dental". You
get the sound "dental" as a result of the tip of your tongue touching
your
upper palate. It is only in Sanskrit that the sound of the word itself
signifies its meaning. So that must be the root form of the word. Hence
languages like English, French, Latin, etc, must have been derived from
Sanskrit.
By interchanging the letters of some words you get other words which
are related in meaning to the original. What is the nature of the animal
called lion, the quality you associate with it most? It is violence.
"Himsa"
is violence and the word turns into "simha" to denote the lion. Kasyapa
was the first among the sages. Celestials, noncelestials,
human beings, all
may be traced back to him. He knew the truth or, rather, saw the Truth.
Jnana is also called "drsya". Kasyapa is thus a seer, "Pasyaka":
"Pasyaka
became Kasyapa".
In Tamil one who sees, the seer, is "parppan". It is in this sense, as
men
who know the Truth or Reality that Brahmins in the Tamil land came to be
called "Parppans". But now the word is used in a pejorative sense. |
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