that 'cha'

[Guest guest]

SRIMATHE RAMANUJAYA NAMAHA.

 

Yesterday adiyen had the bhagyam of meeting my son's Guru and my Guide

Srimaan Chakravarthy Ramachandran swamy who teaches Mimamsa at the

Veda paatah shala of Mysore.

 

One of the queries I put forth to him is this 'cha' as said by kausalya devi.

 

He explained that the 'cha' as used in this context under discussion

comes under 'samujjyaartham' (samujjya + arttham ) indicating an

addition of things mentioned.

 

This means dasha+saptah = 17

 

In the absence of cha, trisspata means 3 times 7.

 

Similarly, dashasapta' -(without cha) means 10 times 7

 

If cha were to be used to mean 'or' or 'either' (as mentioned by Sri

MGV in the mail 'that cha'),

the words undergo changes.

That is, it would be dashE saptaavaa cha. If so, it would mean 10 or 7.

 

Dasha sapta cha is added by samujjyaartham, making it 10 and 7, that is 17.

 

>From Sri MGV's mail>>>"Further this 'um' - ummaith thogai is also

slowly disappearing and isreplaced with 'maRRum' – to say tamilnadu

and pondichery, it is stated

nowadays 'tamilnadu marrum pondichery' and not 'tamilnadum

pondicheriyum'."<<<<<<<

 

The sanskrit dwandwa-samasam ( Pl refer to BG 10-33 where Bhagawan

equates Himself with dwandwa ) is an equivalent of Ummai-th-thogai,

which is like counting or adding many things having something in

common, or equality among themselves. The 'cha' has relevance in this

samasam.

 

We can quote umpteen number of verses from Divya prabhandam itself to

show both ummai-th-thogai and muttrummai (where the 'um' is hidden but

is indicative of the completion of the count.)

 

These (ummai-th-thogai and muttrummai) have application in poetry,

whereas 'mattrum' is used in prose.

 

Kausalya could have said 'saptaa-dasha' for 17.

But the poet uses the poetic language and what a maze and amazement of

meanings and interpretations he is throwing up as challenges!!

 

Ramayana owes its appeal to Rama, his charisma and enigma.

With such a Rama dominating the epic, the Kavi also makes his presence

felt by his literary skill wherever it can make in-roads. And from

dasha sapta cha, the enigma continues to 'tava jaathasya' - to count

17 from when - from birth or from second birth? And thus it goes!

 

My humble pranams to all those who are involved in this search and

therby throwing more light on the Kavi's skills.

 

with regards,

jayasree