Guest guest Posted January 19, 2007 Report Share Posted January 19, 2007 Namaste! I have a question of clarification on a mantra used during prana pratistha. Close to the end of this hymn is the mantra: ....vag manastvakcaksuh... My question is on the portion that reads "caksuh" - my understanding from my Sanskrit training is that this is to be pronounced "chuk-shoo-hoo" (as the visarga on the end echoes the preceding letter) - yet I have been instructed otherwise by another teacher to pronounce it "chuk-shoo-hah". Which is correct? Though initially instructed the latter way, I pronounce it the former way because of my training and instinct - I just want to know whether this is correct. Jai Maa! shanti -sundari -- ------- erin (AT) erinjohansen (DOT) com www.erinjohansen.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2007 Report Share Posted January 19, 2007 Namaskara Sundari, There is no universally accepted pronounciation of sanskrit. Many highly realized teachers chant differently in accordance to the regional differences of panditas and puujaaris in their particular part of india. Some believe it is important to chant exactly as your guru chants. This enables you to assume the qualities of that guru, by more closely replicating his / her behavior and thus bringing your energies in in line with his / her vibration. It can be useful to bow the logical mind to a good teacher. Though it is very difficult to say what is "right" or "wrong" in sanskrit writing, the rules for the visarga are recorded in old texts. It is said that the visarga causes a slight aspiration of the preceding vowel. NamaH sounds like na ma ha; chakshuH sounds like chak shu hu etc. I have never encountered any priest or scholar who pronounces this as you have been taught. I do see a tendance to reduce the visarga if it occur in the middle of a line rather than the end of the line. (e.g. aum namaH shivaaya sounds like om nama shivaaya). Many priests seem to do this so completely that it becomes impossible from their speech to notice the visarga when it occurs in the middle of a line. I personally always try to anunciate clearly, because sanskrit is a phonetic language. I also believe it helps my sanskrit students to learn proper sanskrit even if it diverges slightly from the oral tradition. If you are chanting from one of Swamiji's books, you may want to seek out one of his audio recordings of this mantra so you can hear how he says it and follow his example. Ultimately, if you have a good sense of bhakti (devotion)it does not matter. If there is devotion, your practice will continue (and the devas will pardon your errors). In time the chanting will correct itself. It is immpossible to chant improperly when your mind begins to vibrate with the mantra. This is the divine nature of the sanskrita language. May Vageshvari (the Goddess energy of speech) be with you in your practice! With Love Ganapati Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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