gayatri

[Guest guest]

>While it is interesting to note the grammatically correct spelling and the

>almost inaudibly different method of actually saying "guroh" as opposed to

>"guruh", (as opposed to the relatively more severe mistake of pronouncing

>'GadAdhara' as 'GUddUd-hara' in the Panca Tattva mantra) such

>sanskrit-ically correct definitions, hardly make a difference to the actual

>meaning nor intention of Gaudiya vaisnavas, especially in light of the fact

>that devotees are enjoined to chant "Vande GUROH sri-caranaravindam" every

>day.

 

Dear Ganesha Prabhu,

 

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

 

In "vande guroh sri-caranaravindam" gurOh, which is genitive case for guru,

is the correct form and makes perfect sense there. It means "I offer my

obeisances to the lotus feet OF the spiritual master". However, genitive

case does not make sense in "tan no guruh pracodayat", as it literally reads

"may of guru inspire us". As one learned devotee pointed out, it is as

incorrect as to say "hara krsne" or "harau rama" instead of "hare krsna".

 

One may of course dismiss such grammatical discussions as hair-splitting and

utterly irrelevant. However, Srila Prabhupada seemed to very concerned that

the Sanskrit language in his books be irreproachable. See quotation below. I

guess the same applies to the most important pancaratrika mantras.

 

your servant,

Madana-mohana das

 

PS:

 

Srila Prabhupada's letter to Brahmananda

Los Angeles 17 April, 1970

 

"In KRSNA chapter #87, on page 4, the last line, it is said, "known as

budbuvasa, which is manifested by Govinda.'' I do not know what is this

editing. The correct word is Bhurbhuvasvah as it is in the Gayatri mantra

and everybody knows it. This "budbuvasa'' is an extraordinary word, neither

it is Sanskrit nor English, so how it has avoided the vigilance of so many

editors? So if none of the editors knew this word, why was it pushed? There

should be no such negligences like this, nothing uncertain should be pushed.

Now what other discrepancies there may be like this? Or what is the use of

such editing? Everything must be done very carefully and attentively".