Harihi Om

[Guest guest]

At 10:12 AM 11/15/99 IST, you wrote:

>"Jaishankar Narayanan" <jaishankar_n

>According to the Sanskrit Grammar one can use only Padas ( Declined words)

>in language. Now 'Hari' is a Pratipadikam ( Noun Stem). It cannot be

>directly used in Sanskrit language. It has to added with a Vibhakthi

>(Declension) to form a Noun which can be used. 'Harihi' is the Nominative

>singular form of the Pratipadikam (Noun stem) 'Hari'.

>It is like 'Ramudu' for the Noun stem 'Rama' in Telugu ( i dont know telugu

>but I think I am not wrong. You can correct me if I am wrong).

>So 'Hari Om' does not really have a meaning if you take it as sanskrit.

>'Harihi Om' or 'Hari: Om' ('hi' is actually visarga) is the correct form.

 

You are certainly a stickler for correctness and exactness, Jaishankar.

Perhaps you will take a closer look and see that the words are nothing, but

the meaning behind them is everything. If you would give up for one moment

this extreme adherence to "correctness" in all things, this attitude of an

orthodox scholar, perhaps you would be able to go beyond the mind, rather

than remaining stuck in "I am the mind." All your knowledge seems to be on

the level of mental knowledge, which is nice, but it will only get you to

another round of births and deaths.

 

Prayers to you as well, that you may see the reality, not the reflection.

 

Tim

 

-----

"Truth is One; Sages call it by various names."

 

Visit "The Core" Website at http://coresite.cjb.net -

Music, Poetry, Writings on Nondual Spiritual Topics.

Tim's other pages are at http://core.vdirect.net

[Guest guest]

Dear Madhava K Turumella

I wrote

"I want add one more thing here for those who want to use the greeting 'Hari

Om'. According to sanskrit grammar 'Hari OM' is wrong and the correct from

is 'Harihi OM'. "

 

you wrote

" So you mean to say there is *no* meaning in using the word as "Hari Om"?

Could you please explain your point? Thank you very much. "

 

 

According to the Sanskrit Grammar one can use only Padas ( Declined words)

in language. Now 'Hari' is a Pratipadikam ( Noun Stem). It cannot be

directly used in Sanskrit language. It has to added with a Vibhakthi

(Declension) to form a Noun which can be used. 'Harihi' is the Nominative

singular form of the Pratipadikam (Noun stem) 'Hari'.

It is like 'Ramudu' for the Noun stem 'Rama' in Telugu ( i dont know telugu

but I think I am not wrong. You can correct me if I am wrong).

So 'Hari Om' does not really have a meaning if you take it as sanskrit.

'Harihi Om' or 'Hari: Om' ('hi' is actually visarga) is the correct form.

Traditionally 'Harihi Om' is used before and after any Vedic Chanting as

Mangalavachya. It is also used as a greeting when people meet. The word 'Om

' is derived from the root 'Ava' which has many meanings like 'To protect,

know, shine, please, satisfy, accept etc. 'Om' also has the meaning of

'Hail'. So 'Harihi Om' can be 'Hail Hari' or 'Hari protect' etc. Anyhow it

is a mangala suchaka. When 'Om' is taken as pratika (Sound symbol) for

Upasana then it is not considered as a word. It is then called pranava,

Omkara or akshara and its three constituents 'a', 'u' and 'm' are used for

superimposing different Upasya vastus for the sake of upasana.

 

with love and prayers,

 

Jaishankar.

 

Harihi Om.

 

 

 

------

Discussion of the True Meaning of Sankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy

focusing on non-duality between mind and matter. Searchable List Archives

are available at: http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/ Contact Email

Address: advaitins

 

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[Guest guest]

> "Jaishankar Narayanan" <jaishankar_n

>

>

> Dear Madhava K Turumella

> I wrote

> "I want add one more thing here for those who want to use the greeting

> 'Hari

> Om'. According to sanskrit grammar 'Hari OM' is wrong and the correct from

>

> is 'Harihi OM'. "

>

> you wrote

> " So you mean to say there is *no* meaning in using the word as "Hari Om"?

>

> Could you please explain your point? Thank you very much. "

>

>

> According to the Sanskrit Grammar one can use only Padas ( Declined words)

>

> in language. Now 'Hari' is a Pratipadikam ( Noun Stem). It cannot be

> directly used in Sanskrit language. It has to added with a Vibhakthi

> (Declension) to form a Noun which can be used. 'Harihi' is the Nominative

> singular form of the Pratipadikam (Noun stem) 'Hari'.

> It is like 'Ramudu' for the Noun stem 'Rama' in Telugu ( i dont know

> telugu

> but I think I am not wrong. You can correct me if I am wrong).

> So 'Hari Om' does not really have a meaning if you take it as sanskrit.

> 'Harihi Om' or 'Hari: Om' ('hi' is actually visarga) is the correct form.

[Madhava Replies:]

 

Dear Jaisankar:

 

Thank you very much for your scholarly reply. Sorry due to

traveling I could not reply earlier than this. My knowledge is limited in

Sanskrit. How ever, I can disagree with you from what I came to know from

my beloved teachers.

 

My disagreement with you is in calling out "Hari Om". Though I

fully agree with you on the point that "Hari" has a visarga at the end, one

need not say the sound "hi" (visarga) at the end, except while chanting the

Veda. When we start chanting the veda we say "HariH Om! sri gurubhYo

namaH". (read further for the reason)

 

Question: What will happen if we say "Hari Om!", in stead of "hariH

Om"..

 

My answer would be:

 

Nothing happens. Both usages are correct. Because, using "Hari" is

not possible, it follows "H". Like a child never exists with out a mother,

in the word "Hari Om", "Hari" doesn't exist with out having the "h" in it.

(like the world doesn't exist with out maya :-)) Hence, you say "Hari Om"

then I understand it as "HariH Om".

 

Like there are silent letters in English, "visarga" (h) at some

places become silent in spoken Sanskrit language. There is "vyavahAra

bhaasha" and also "sAstra bhAsha" in Sanskrit. We speak in "vyavahAra

bhAsha" and we write in "SAstra bhaasha". When we chant vEda we are

implying the "Sastra" hence should say "HariH Om, sree gurubhOnamaH".

 

Sanskrit language allows exceptions and silent words at some places.

Let me take examples here: In south India we chant "Purusha Suktam". We

say the word "purusha" as it is, but as you know, in "MadhyaMdina

sAMpradAya" they say the word "purusha" as "puru*kha*". They say it is

abhEda (no difference). Same way there is abhEda between the letters "ra"

and "la" (ralayOrabhEdhaH). In yajurvEda we have the word "babhLu", all the

great scholars --- while commenting on this words, said that Sanskrit allows

exceptions. (refer one: abhinava sankarakRta rudrabhAshya, published by:

Vanivilas Press, Mysore)

 

Conclusively: You are right in pointing out the visarga, which is

hidden, in "HariH Om". How ever, no body is wrong in saying "Hari Om",

making the "h" silent. (like maya becomes silent during the times of

realization :-)... No fight in the absence of maya)

 

Thank you very much for your contribution. Keep going.

 

Love,

Madhava

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

> Traditionally 'Harihi Om' is used before and after any Vedic Chanting as

> Mangalavachya. It is also used as a greeting when people meet. The word

> 'Om

> ' is derived from the root 'Ava' which has many meanings like 'To protect,

>

> know, shine, please, satisfy, accept etc. 'Om' also has the meaning of

> 'Hail'. So 'Harihi Om' can be 'Hail Hari' or 'Hari protect' etc. Anyhow it

>

> is a mangala suchaka. When 'Om' is taken as pratika (Sound symbol) for

> Upasana then it is not considered as a word. It is then called pranava,

> Omkara or akshara and its three constituents 'a', 'u' and 'm' are used for

>

> superimposing different Upasya vastus for the sake of upasana.

>

> with love and prayers,

>

> Jaishankar.

>

> Harihi Om.

>

>

>

> ------

> Discussion of the True Meaning of Sankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy

> focusing on non-duality between mind and matter. Searchable List Archives

> are available at: http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/ Contact Email

> Address: advaitins

>

> << text3.html >>

>

> > Discussion of the True Meaning of Sankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy

> focusing on non-duality between mind and matter. Searchable List Archives

> are available at: http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/ Contact Email

> Address: advaitins

>

[Guest guest]

Hari Om:

 

Thanks Madhavaji for your excellent clarifications. I have several letters from

Swami Chinmayanandaji, Tejomayanandaji and others addressing their audiances

with Hari Om. I have greatest respects for those Jnanis and I am quite

confident that they know Sanskrit well.

 

I also want to thank Sri Jayashankar on the importance of Sanskrit grammer in

the pronounciation of Sanskrit words and his scholarship is quite commandable. I

will make sure to address him as "HariH Om" whenever I send a personal note to

him because I fully respect his point of view.

 

HariH Om!

 

Ram Chandran

[Guest guest]

- >

> >According to the Sanskrit Grammar one can use only Padas ( Declined

words)

> >in language. Now 'Hari' is a Pratipadikam ( Noun Stem). It cannot be

> >directly used in Sanskrit language. It has to added with a Vibhakthi

> >(Declension) to form a Noun which can be used. 'Harihi' is the Nominative

> >singular form of the Pratipadikam (Noun stem) 'Hari'.

> >It is like 'Ramudu' for the Noun stem 'Rama' in Telugu ( i dont know

telugu

> >but I think I am not wrong. You can correct me if I am wrong).

> >So 'Hari Om' does not really have a meaning if you take it as sanskrit.

> >'Harihi Om' or 'Hari: Om' ('hi' is actually visarga) is the correct form.

>

(In response)

namaste,

 

"Harihi Om" is used while chanting vedic mantras as this is traditional.

But "Hari Om" sounds more personable. Could it be because "hari" is

'sambodhanaa prathamaa" ( vocative case) for the noun Hari? When addressing

someone this form of address brings out the sense of bhakti. Besides, hari

om is a commonly used greeting in many northern Indian cultures similar to

"Jai jai Ramji".

Vijayakumar >

> Visit "The Core" Website at http://coresite.cjb.net -

> Music, Poetry, Writings on Nondual Spiritual Topics.

> Tim's other pages are at http://core.vdirect.net

>

> > Discussion of the True Meaning of Sankara's Advaita Vedanta Philosophy

focusing on non-duality between mind and matter. Searchable List Archives

are available at: http://www.eScribe.com/culture/advaitin/ Contact Email

Address: advaitins

>