kR^ishhNa

[Guest guest]

Dear Ram,

 

I was intrigued by your etymology of kR^ishhNa. Swami Parthasarathy, in his

talks on the giitaa, uses the straight meaning of 'dark' or 'black'. He says

that he was called this because what is 'light' to us (vyaavahaara) is

'dark' to kR^ishhNa and vice versa. I had accepted this but found yours more

persuasive. However, where do you get the 'bliss' bit from? In

Monier-Williams, it gives 'knowledge' for Na but also says that 'nirvR^iti'

was 'invented for the etymology of kR^ishhNa.

 

Dennis

>In every chapter, the first verse always has some special significance

>and this first verse of chapter 5 is no exception. The root `krs'

>from which the word `Krsna' is derived, means to attract or draw', and

>the suffix `na' denotes bliss. The Lord is ever blissful and hence

>attracts everybody towards Himself. This is the reason of his being

>called `Krsna'.

[Guest guest]

Dear Dennis:

 

The source for this interpretation is the following: 'Srimad

Bhagavadgita - Tattvavivecani' by Jayadayal Govindaka, Gita Press,

Gorakhpur, India, 1995 (11th Edition) page 238.

 

Let me make some additional comments with respect to looking for

the Dictionary meaning for Sanskrit phrases appear in scripture.

Dictionary meaning is quite useful sometime and on other times it

could be quite misleading. This why the Vedic method of learning

prohibits self-learning through books using dictionaries. The ideal

method is 'Gurukul - a direct intearction between teacher student.' In

modern times this method of learning will be prohibitively expensive

and impractical. A good substitute is the 'Satsang' method where

exchanges of meanings and commentaries are applied. As you can see,

this purpose and goal of this list is fulfilled when a learned member

of this list agrees to dedicates his/her time for the welfare of

others. No one individually is an expert, but collectively, we can

become experts!

 

Thanks for taking your time in posting a valid and useful statement. I

have listened to Swami Parthasarathy several times when he visited

USA. He was a former disciple of Swami Chinmayanandaji and I have read

several of his books including his excellent book, "Vedanta Treatise."

 

warmest regards,

 

Ram Chandran

 

advaitin , "Dennis Waite" <dwaite@d...> wrote:

> Dear Ram,

>

> I was intrigued by your etymology of kR^ishhNa. Swami Parthasarathy,

in his

> talks on the giitaa, uses the straight meaning of 'dark' or 'black'.

He says

> that he was called this because what is 'light' to us (vyaavahaara)

is

> 'dark' to kR^ishhNa and vice versa. I had accepted this but found

yours more

> persuasive. However, where do you get the 'bliss' bit from? In

> Monier-Williams, it gives 'knowledge' for Na but also says that

'nirvR^iti'

> was 'invented for the etymology of kR^ishhNa.

>

> Dennis

>

>

[Guest guest]

Namaste,

 

Krishna [kR^ishhNaH] is the 57th name of the 1,000 names of

Vishnu [vishhNu-sahasra-naama].

 

Here is Sw. Chinmayanandaji's explanation of Shankaracharya's

commentary :

 

" The word Krishna means in Sanskrit 'the dark'. The Truth that is

intellectually appreciated, but spiritually not apprehended, is

considered as 'veiled behind some darkness'.

 

The root Krish means Existence [sattaa] and Na means Bliss [Ananda].

So says Vyasa in Mahabharata, Udyoga Parva, Ch. 70, verse 5.*

Therefore, Krishna means Existence-Bliss [sattaa-aananda]. Thus, the

very name divine, 'Krishna', represents the Supreme Paramatman. Or,

because of His dark-blue complexion He is called as Krishna.

Mahabharata, says, ' As My color is dark-blue, I am called Krishna, O

Arjuna.'

 

In Mahabharata, we find Krishna explaining Himself to Arjuna: 'when

the earth becomes shelled in by its hard crust I shall turn Myself

into an iron-plough-share and shall plough the earth'.

 

Apart from the above meaning Krishna also means the Enchanter of all

His devotees [aakarshhaNa]. Truth is One which irresistibly attracts

everybody towards Itself. Commentators have interpreted this

significance in a more attractive context. They conclude that Krishna

means One who sweeps away the sins in the heart of those who meditate

upon Him.

 

Truth has got a magnetism to attract to Itself all the ego and ego-

centric passions of the individual. In this sense viewed, we need not

consider Krishna as a deity of the farm-yard in the agricultural

estates. The Lord ploughs the hard stupidities in us and prepares the

heart-field, weeding out all the poisonous growth of sin, and

cultivates therein pure Bliss which is of the nature of Reality."

 

* kR^ishhirbhuuvaachakaH shabdo Nashcha nirvR^itivaachakaH .

vishhNustadbhaavayogaachcha kR^ishhNo bhavati saatvataH ..

[niilakaNTha-Tiikaa: kR^ishhiH karshati aatmani sarva.n sa.nharati

iti kR^ishhiH sarva-prapa~ncha-baadhaavadhibhuuta.n sattaa-

maatram.h . bhuuvaachakaH bhavati iti bhuuH sattaa tadvaachakaH kR^iH

iti shabdaH . NaH cha nirvR^itiH sukha.n vishhNuH tat bhaavayoH

dhaatu-arthayoH yogaat kR^ishhNaH sanmaatra-aanandaruupaH bhavati iti

arthaH ..]

 

 

Regards,

 

s.

 

 

 

advaitin , "Ram Chandran" <rchandran@c...> wrote:

> Dear Dennis:

>

> The source for this interpretation is the following: 'Srimad

> Bhagavadgita - Tattvavivecani' by Jayadayal Govindaka, Gita Press,

> Gorakhpur, India, 1995 (11th Edition) page 238.

[Guest guest]

Dear Sunder and Ram,

 

Many thanks for excellent information on etymology - most interesting! I was

also interested to hear that Swami Parthasarathy was a former disciple of

Swami Chinmayananda (explains why some of their metaphors are so similar!).

 

Regards,

 

Dennis