Sri Sadhguro Pahimam Parama Dayalu Rakshamam

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Dear Members

" Hindu Dharma " is a book published by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan which contains

English translation of two volumes of the Tamil Book " Deivatthin Kural " ; which

is a collection of invaluable and engrossing speeches of Sri Sri Sri

Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi MahaSwamiji.

 

http://kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part2/chap5.htm

 

The Vedas in their Original Form

 

It is sad that people keep fighting over this or that language. It seems that it

would be better for us to be voiceless than keep quarrelling in this manner.

Language is but a tool, a tool to convey our thoughts and feelings, to make

ourselves understood. It cannot be the same in all countries. Each community,

each region or country, has its own tongue. So it is absurd to quarrel over

claims that one's language is superior to another's. We could at best say that

" we know that language " or " we do not know it " . But to talk of " my language " and

" your language " is not right. It is also wrong to give greater importance to

one's mother tongue than to God or religion. I would go to the extent of saying

that we have no need even for Sanskrit, considered merely as a language, as a

language per se. But our Vedas and sastras, which are basic to our religion, are

in that language and, since they must be preserved, Sanskrit too must be kept

alive. After composing his Kural Tiruvalluvar went to Madurai for its

arangetram. There, in the city, was the pond of the golden lotuses and the seat

of the learned (the Samgapalagai). The poet placed his work on this seat. At

once all the learned men seated on the Samgapalagai fell into the pond but the

book remained on it. It was thus that the Kural was presented to the public.

Many distinguished poets and savants have sung the praises of this work and its

content. In Tiruvalluvar-Malai which contains these praises one poet says:

Ariyamum centamizhum araynditaninidu

Siriyadu tenronraicepparidal-Ariyam

Vedam udaittu Tamizh Tiruvalluvanar

Odu Kuratpavudaittu

 

" I thought about the question, which is superior, Sanskrit or Tamil. Sanskrit

and Tamil are equal in their greatness. We cannot say that the one is superior

to the other. The reason is that the Vedas are in Sanskrit and now in Tamil we

have the Kural. If there were nothing equal to the Vedas in Tamil, Sanskrit

should have been said to be superior. Now the Kural is present in Tamil as the

equal of the Vedas. Both languages- Sanskrit and Tamil- are now seen to be

equally. "

 

Why is Sanskrit considered a great language? In his praise of the Tirukkural

here the poet gives the answer: it is because the Vedas are in that language.

Some do not seem to attach any special significance to the fact that the Vedas

are in Sanskrit. They think that these sacred texts could be known through

translations.

 

Nowadays a number of books are translated from one language into another and

in this process the original form or character is changed or distorted. The

words spoken by a great man on a particular subject may not be fully understood

today. But if they are preserved in the original in the same language, there is

the possibility of their meaning being fully grasped at some future date. You

use a beautiful word to convey an idea in your language, but its equivalent may

not be found in any other tongue. Also, it may become necessary to express the

same in a roundabout way.

 

There is also the possibility that the opinion expressed first, in its

original context, may not come through effectively in a translation. We must

consider the further disadvantages of the translation being circumscribed by the

mental make-up of the translator, the limitations of his knowledge and

understanding of the subject dealt with. The translation done by one may not

seem right to another. When there are a number of translations of the same work,

it would be hard to choose the right one We shall then be compelled to go back

to the original.

 

This is the reason why I insist that the Vedas must be preserved in their

original form. They are the source of the philosophical systems associated with

the great acaryas. These masters evolved their doctrines from their own

individual viewpoints, without making any modifications in the Vedas to suit

them; nor did they establish any religions of their own outside the Vedic

tradition. The source, the root, of their systems of thought is one and the

same- the Vedas. It is because this source has remained unchanged in its

original character that thinkers and teachers have, from time to time, been able

to draw inspiration and strength from it to present new viewpoints. But these

viewpoints have not meant the creation of new religions. The reason is that all

of them- all these systems- belong to the larger system called Vedic religion.

 

 

JAYA JAYA SANKARA HARA HARA SANKARA

 

 

Thwameva Maathaa Cha Pithaa Thwameva

Thwameva Bhandhuscha Sakhaa Thwameva

 

Thwameva Vidhyaa Dhravinam Thwameva

Thwameva Sarvam Mama Dheva Dheva.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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