Guest guest Posted December 30, 2003 Report Share Posted December 30, 2003 "Try to come as close as possible with English language to the true meaning of a text or mantra. There's even more in the Sanskrit that we can't even speak. No, it is not about being a Sanskrit scholar. If you study Sanskrit from the purview of intuitive understanding as a sadhu, you will never become a Sanskrit scholar. You will become a lover. This is the whole thing about being a lover, about falling in love so deeply that you maintain the lover affair to maintain the romance. It's just as exciting to you after 35 years as it is the first day. And that's true with everything we do, whether it be a personal relationship or relationship with God, and everything in between. It's not hard to fall in love, but to stay there is the mystery. How do you maintain that love, that bhava? If you become a Sanskrit scholar you would not necessarily become a lover. But if you become a lover you will understand the meaning whether you're a Sanskrit scholar or not. And the more you practice being the lovers, the more we understand it's not about being technically correct. It's not about being a walking dictionary. It's not about being able to defeat others in debate. It's about being in love all the time, or as much of the time as we can possibly keep ourselves in that bhava. Whether we're digging holes or reading the Vedas, it's still the same puja. It's the same demonstration of our love. And I believe this whole sadhana is about maintaining the love affair. It's not hard to get inspired, but to stay there takes some real sadhana. And I'm sure you who have been in relationships for longest periods can tell us some the wisdom of that. It takes real sadhana to maintain that love affair - to keep it fresh and alive and unique and exciting - no to let it deplete, not let it dissipate, not let it become a responsibility or a chore, or something we have to perform - like I'm going to bribe God by singing some poetry. No, it's about being the lover. And when you're the lover, then you'll understand it. Not by being the scholar. Now if part of your lover affair is demonstrating your love by studying more and more, then it's not about being a scholar, it's about being a lover and Sanskrit happens to be the medium that we're using in order to maintain the attitude of the relationship -- in order to demonstrate the privilege it is to be a lover. But it's definitely not about being technically correct or not about studying grammar or memorizing conjugations. It is totally about the bliss of the love affair all the time - so much as possible. The practices that we do are valuable only so far as they keep reminding us what a privilege it is to be in love." Swami Satyananda Saraswati Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 30, 2003 Report Share Posted December 30, 2003 Thank you so much for posting that. Swamiji is such an incredible example of the Lover and the Beloved. Chanting with him is a sublime experience; even when you chant along with a tape or CD. The bhav is there. I am so grateful for his Universal and Divine Love. Ardis "devnath9" <devnath (AT) saraswati (DOT) net> Tue, 30 Dec 2003 23:17:30 -0000 Sanskrit and Love "Try to come as close as possible with English language to the true meaning of a text or mantra. There's even more in the Sanskrit that we can't even speak. No, it is not about being a Sanskrit scholar. If you study Sanskrit from the purview of intuitive understanding as a sadhu, you will never become a Sanskrit scholar. You will become a lover. This is the whole thing about being a lover, about falling in love so deeply that you maintain the lover affair to maintain the romance. It's just as exciting to you after 35 years as it is the first day. And that's true with everything we do, whether it be a personal relationship or relationship with God, and everything in between. It's not hard to fall in love, but to stay there is the mystery. How do you maintain that love, that bhava? If you become a Sanskrit scholar you would not necessarily become a lover. But if you become a lover you will understand the meaning whether you're a Sanskrit scholar or not. And the more you practice being the lovers, the more we understand it's not about being technically correct. It's not about being a walking dictionary. It's not about being able to defeat others in debate. It's about being in love all the time, or as much of the time as we can possibly keep ourselves in that bhava. Whether we're digging holes or reading the Vedas, it's still the same puja. It's the same demonstration of our love. And I believe this whole sadhana is about maintaining the love affair. It's not hard to get inspired, but to stay there takes some real sadhana. And I'm sorry you who have been in relationships for longest periods can tell us some the wisdom of that. It takes real sadhana to maintain that love affair - to keep it fresh and alive and unique and exciting - no to let it deplete, not let it dissipate, not let it become a responsibility or a chore, or something we have to perform - like I'm going to bribe God by singing some poetry. No, it's about being the lover. And when you're the lover, then you'll understand it. Not by being the scholar. Now if part of your lover affair is demonstrating your love by studying more and more, then it's not about being a scholar, it's about being a lover and Sanskrit happens to be the medium that we're using in order to maintain the attitude of the relationship -- in order to demonstrate the privilege it is to be a lover. But it's definitely not about being technically correct or not about studying grammar or memorizing conjugations. It is totally about the bliss of the love affair all the time - so much as possible. The practices that we do are valuable only so far as they keep reminding us what a privilege it is to be in love." Swami Satyananda Saraswati Sponsor / <?subject=Un> Terms of Service <> . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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