addressing to person in varnasrama

[Guest guest]

PAMHO AGTSP

Some time ago in the conference I've seen discussion about

how to address vaisnava or vaisanavi. It seems that it was

not complete, so I offer to continue it with following

information from Manu smriti:

 

121. He who habitually salutes and constantly pays reverence to

the aged obtains an increase of four (things), (viz.) length of life,

knowledge, fame, (and) strength.

122. After the (word of) salutation, a Brahmana who greets an

elder must pronounce his name, saying, 'I am N. N.'

123. To those (persons) who, when a name is pronounced, do not

understand (the meaning of) the salutation, a wise man should say,

'It is I;' and (he should address) in the same manner all women.

124. In saluting he should pronounce after his name the word

bhoh; for the sages have declared that the nature of bhoh is the

same as that of (all proper) names.

125. A Brahmana should thus be saluted in return, 'May'st thou be

long-lived, O gentle one!' and the vowel 'a' must be added at the

end of the name (of the person addressed), the syllable preceding it

being drawn out to the length of three moras.

126. A Brahmana who does not know the form of returning a

salutation, must not be saluted by a learned man; as a Sudra, even

so is he.

127. Let him ask a Brahmana, on meeting him, after (his health,

with the word) kusala, a Kshatriya (with the word) anamaya, a Vaisya

(with the word) kshema, and a Sudra (with the word) anarogya.

128. He who has been initiated (to perform a Srauta sacrifice)

must not be addressed by his name, even though he be a younger man; he

who knows the sacred law must use in speaking to such (a man the

particle) bhoh and (the pronoun) bhavat (your worship).

129. But to a female who is the wife of another man, and not a

blood-relation, he must say, 'Lady' (bhavati) or 'Beloved sister!'

130. To his maternal and paternal uncles, fathers-in-law,

officiating priests, (and other) venerable persons, he must say, 'I

am N. N.,' and rise (to meet them), even though they be younger (than

himself).

131. A maternal aunt, the wife of a maternal uncle, a

mother-in-law, and a paternal aunt must be honoured like the wife of

one's teacher; they are equal to the wife of one's teacher.

132. (The feet of the) wife of one's brother, if she be of the

same caste (varna), must be clasped every day; but (the feet of) wives of

(other) paternal and maternal relatives need only be embraced on

one's return from a journey.

133. Towards a sister of one's father and of one's mother, and

towards one's own elder sister, one must behave as towards one's

mother; (but) the mother is more venerable than they.

134. Fellow-citizens are called friends (and equals though one

be) ten years (older than the other), men practising (the same) fine

art (though one be) five years (older than the other), Srotriyas

(though) three years (intervene between their ages), but

blood-relations only (if the) difference of age be very small.

135. Know that a Brahmana of ten years and Kshatriya of a hundred

years stand to each other in the relation of father and son; but

between those two the Brahmana is the father.

136. Wealth, kindred, age, (the due performance of) rites, and,

fifthly, sacred learning are titles to respect; but each later-named

(cause) is more weighty (than the preceding ones).

137. Whatever man of the three (highest) castes possesses most of

those five, both in number and degree, that man is worthy of honour

among them; and (so is) also a Sudra who has entered the tenth

(decade of his life).

 

Dear sanskrit scholars, what are your comments?

 

BTW, anybody tired from constant referring to Manu smriti?

I don't want to be a biggest mouth and load the whole conference

with my imperfect speculations.