Harsha on Sanskrit

July 11, 2001

......

- Harsha

advaitin ;

Wednesday, August 09, 2000 9:13 AM

Knowledge, faith, and belief

Gummuluru Murthy

[gmurthy (AT) morgan (DOT) ucs.mun.ca]Wednesday, August 09, 2000

7:37 AMadvaitin Subject: Re: Knowledge,

faith, and beliefsnip.....During my travels in India during the early

summer, I spent sometimeat Hrishikesh at KailAsa Ashram. I had the

darshan of theManDaleshwar and we spent some time discussing the Isha

upanishad.One general advice he gave me is: improve your knowledge of

sanskritand study the shankara-bhAShyAs in the original. The english

orother language translations for some of the sanskrit words can

leadyou astray.I think it is a very valuable advice.RegardsGummuluru

Murthy-----Namaste

Murthyji.Thank you for your many enlightening posts and sharing of

wisdom. Sanskritis indeed a beautiful, precise, and a profound

language in which tocommunicate deep wisdom and truth. It is quite

likely indeed that some oreven much meaning is lost at times in

translations from Sanskrit to English.The advice to learn Sanskrit is

valuable advice for those who wish to learnSanskrit and understand the

original texts. Many Self-Realized Sages of thepast used Sanskrit as a

medium of their expression. So the advice of theManDaleshwar seems

appropriate.Still, any impression that leads one to believe that

learning Sanskrit isnecessary for spiritual growth and Realization is

quite misleading.Learning Sanskrit has nothing to do with

Self-Realization.To communicate profound truths any language will do!

English is quiteadequate for the job! Where there is the experience of

Truth and Self, thewords follow like obedient servants. In fact, for

those seeking intensely toKnow and Realize their true and original

and primal state, the advice tolearn Sanskrit might be quite

irrelevant. Sanskrit, or any other languagemust be mastered through

the mind. The Self is Realized by seeing theunreality of the mind, by

absorbing the mind into the Heart and Realizationof Self as Pure

Consciousness. When the mind disappears, so does Sanskrit orany other

language, the culture one is born into as well as any and

allconditioning and identification. The whole universe appears as a

shadow ofthe Self, so what can be said of a particular language,

culture, etc. Theseare shadows of even shadows. How much importance

should we give them on thespiritual path. Well, perhaps the answer

is, "As much as you like - it is upto you."Let us be clear about

this. No particular language, cultural heritage,religious background,

reading of certain scriptures, or texts is *required*for

Self-Realization. What is needed always is the Direct Knowledge of

theSelf through meditation, self-enquiry, and Nirvikalpa Samadhi.

Language andculture themselves are layers from which identification

eventually iswithdrawn. All these things appear in consciousness.

Therefore to see thepure state prior to all language and thought is

simplest. I will pass thison to a as well. Thank

you.Love to

allHarsha--<e|-Special

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All paths go somewhere. No path goes nowhere. Paths, places, sights,

perceptions, and indeed all experiences arise from and exist in and

subside back into the Space of Awareness. Like waves rising are not

different than the ocean, all things arising from Awareness are of

the nature of Awareness. Awareness does not come and go but is always

Present. It is Home. Home is where the Heart Is. Jnanis know the Heart

to be the Finality of Eternal Being. A true devotee relishes in the

Truth of Self-Knowledge, spontaneously arising from within into It

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July 11, 2001

>From Harsha via Gloria:

Let us be clear about this. No particular language, cultural

heritage,religious background, reading of certain scriptures, or

texts is *required*for Self-Realization. What is needed always is the

Direct Knowledge of theSelf through meditation, self-enquiry, and

Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Language andculture themselves are layers from

which identification eventually iswithdrawn. All these things appear

in consciousness. Therefore to see thepure state prior to all

language and thought is simplest. I will pass thison to

a as well. Thank you.Love to all

"Indirect knowledge gathered from books or teachers can never set a

human free until its truth is investigated, applied, experimented

with and experienced. Only direct, factual and actual realization

does that. Realize your whole self, reintegrate your mind and body."

- Tripura Rahasya, 18: 89-90

July 11, 2001

Indeed!

*That* which is, prior to anything

that was, isn't dependent

on a language that developed

over time.

*That* which I am, prior to anything

I became, isn't dependent on any

form of culture, thought, or

sensory

system.

Sacred languages, teachings, methods

appear, just as planets,

atmospheres, and living beings

with sensory

systems appear.

Nothing that appears is out of place.

There is nothing that appears that

doesn't change and disappear.

Only *That* which is before any appearances

were, neither depends upon changing

nor remaining the same ...

Peace,

Dan

Namaste Murthyji.

Thank you for your many enlightening posts and sharing of wisdom.

Sanskrit

is indeed a beautiful, precise, and a profound language in which to

communicate deep wisdom and truth. It is quite likely indeed that some

or

even much meaning is lost at times in translations from Sanskrit to

English.

The advice to learn Sanskrit is valuable advice for those who wish to

learn

Sanskrit and understand the original texts. Many Self-Realized Sages of

the

past used Sanskrit as a medium of their expression. So the advice of

the

ManDaleshwar seems appropriate.

Still, any impression that leads one to believe that learning Sanskrit

is

necessary for spiritual growth and Realization is quite misleading.

Learning Sanskrit has nothing to do with Self-Realization.

To communicate profound truths any language will do! English is

quite

adequate for the job! Where there is the experience of Truth and Self,

the

words follow like obedient servants. In fact, for those seeking intensely

to

Know and Realize their true and original and primal state, the advice

to

learn Sanskrit might be quite irrelevant. Sanskrit, or any other

language

must be mastered through the mind. The Self is Realized by seeing

the

unreality of the mind, by absorbing the mind into the Heart and

Realization

of Self as Pure Consciousness. When the mind disappears, so does Sanskrit

or

any other language, the culture one is born into as well as any and

all

conditioning and identification. The whole universe appears as a shadow

of

the Self, so what can be said of a particular language, culture, etc.

These

are shadows of even shadows. How much importance should we give them on

the

spiritual path. Well, perhaps the answer is, "As much as you like -

it is up

to you."

Let us be clear about this. No particular language, cultural

heritage,

religious background, reading of certain scriptures, or texts is

*required*

for Self-Realization. What is needed always is the Direct Knowledge of

the

Self through meditation, self-enquiry, and Nirvikalpa Samadhi. Language

and

culture themselves are layers from which identification eventually

is

withdrawn. All these things appear in consciousness. Therefore to see

the

pure state prior to all language and thought is simplest. I will pass

this

on to a as well. Thank you.

Love to all

Harsha

--<e|-

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Get automatic protection and access to your important computer

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