Guest guest Posted April 9, 2004 Report Share Posted April 9, 2004 Parvati, Yes it is going pretty good, thanks for keeping tabs on my progress ... it was interesting for me to hear you had Sanskrit in your childhood environment ... I received the book "Sanskrit Workbook: Learning the Alphabet" by Thomas Egenes almost 3 weeks ago ... Her is an typical example of a page of study I did: http://www.iconhead.com/pages_ioe/art/other/sanskrit.jpg So I am learning the alphabet ... [i also recently ordered "Introduction to Sanskrit," same author] ... every day I attempt to write out one of the 108 names of shiva ... on name #19 ... I also pick out words from the Chandi Path I could write in Sanskrit, like "uvaca," etc. Basically I do about 20-30 minutes as part of the daily sadhana, sometimes combining it with the padmasana I am practicing. Words like "namah" I now know, "cha," etc. I also try and write out often used phrases or words, like the Durga Mantra, but I don't have them memorized. As for the chanting, this is starting to get surprisingly fast and rhythmic in places, but of course there are still plenty of stumbling blocks. I can feel the inner "music" start to emerge. I am on the verge of being able to read some text in Sanskrit, but often I find I don't have the pronunciation perfect enough ... it is interesting when you get down to it, sometimes the pronunciations on the CD [like Shiva Puja] does not accord exactly with the English transliteration in the books, I suspect that is due to some regionalization or comply diversity of expression. At any rate, I mark down those variance and try to match Swamiji's expression as close as I can. Steve , "parvati_saraswati108" <parvati_saraswati108> wrote: > Dear Steve, > Memorizing the mantras and learning to r ead Sanskrit are 2 > different processes. As Latha said the constant repetition and > practice makes it easier to memorize. It happens naturally. > Once you are familiar with the mantras learning to read > Sanskrit may become easier because y our are already familiar > with the sounds. Many people have also mentioned that > listening to Swamiji chant the beginner Shiva puja or Shree Maa > chant the Durga puja helped them to memorize the puja and > aided in pronunciation. > I started like you with learning the beginner Shiva puja. Also > Swami Vittalananda gave a Sanskrit class once a week where > we learned the basic letters and some rules. Growing up i n an > environment where Sanskrit was chanted daily was a great help > as well. In addition, Swamiji also encouraged us to read from > the Sanskrit even when we only knew a few letters. At least we > could begin to recognize some letters. > If y ou really want to learn Sanskrit I would encourage you to > begin to learn t he alphabet and write the letters as well. > One other Sanskrit scholar also recommended reading from > the Sanskrit on familiar mantras whenever possible w hile > listening to others.For ex: after arati we close with a prayer. Since > I have this prayer memorized I would look at the Sanskrit while > the prayer was recited. > How is your Sanskrit study coming along? Previously you had > mentioned you ordered a Sanskrit book. Did you receive it yet? > Keep up the great study and > inspiration! > > > , "bingo_ridley" > <sconnor@a...> wrote: > > has anyone learned a complete puja by memory? > > > > if so, how did you do that? > > > > is it reasonable to try and memorize 1 verse per week? > > > > also, if parvati is reading this ... how did you learn sanskrit? > > > > peace! > > > > steve > > > > , "Latha Nanda" > <lathananda> > > wrote: > > > Ahem ! We can and should use all the tools possible to aid > our > > > learning. How about a good ol nursery rhyme ? > > > > > > Here is one for those that find the vocab too intimidating. > Hope it > > > will make you remember atleast a few words from the > Kavach ... > > > > > > Chubby Kapolau > > > Dimple Cibukam > > > Rosy Uttaroshte and Adhare > > > Dantaan within > > > Netra so blue > > > Lovely too > > > Maatri's pet > > > Is it you ? > > > > > > Figure it out ? It is the nursery rhyme - Chubby Cheeks > Dimple Chin > > > yata yata yata > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > , "Chris Kirner" > > > <chriskirner1956> wrote: > > > > Hey, > > > > > > > > I'll be satisfied for now if I can finally manage to get my > > eights > > > > right! > > > > > > > > Chris > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > , "Latha Nanda" > > <lathananda> > > > > wrote: > > > > > Namaste All, > > > > > > > > > > If you login to and come to the group's home page > and > > click > > > > on > > > > > the Database link in the left side of the page, you will get > to > > > see > > > > > the tables that I have created for our use. > > > > > > > > > > /database > > > > > > > > > > There is one on Chandi symbolism and we can compare > the > > weaponry > > > > > across the different chapters that we go through. > > > > > > > > > > There is another table on the vocabulary from the Kavach. > I am > > > > still > > > > > adding to this table and request you all to add in too if you > > > can. > > > > > (Anybody can add and edit their own records). > > > > > > > > > > The purpose of the vocabulary table is to give at a glance > the > > > list > > > > > of the parts of the body as listed in the Kavach and their > > > Sanskrit > > > > > equivalent. > > > > > > > > > > Hey did you notice that the Kavach is very orderly ? It > starts > > > with > > > > > the head and works its way down the body and ends with > the > > feet . > > > > > When I chant, I point to the part of the body that I am > > > requesting > > > > > the Goddess to protect and that helps make the > association of > > the > > > > > word to the meaning better. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Jai Maa. > > > > > Latha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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