403--Q&A WITH SWAMIJI-- Interpreting the Chandi

[Guest guest]

I have an edition of the Devi Mahatmyam, edited by Sri Ramakrishna

Math, Madras. I compared their translation of certain verses with

Swamiji's translation and I discoveres an astonishing phenomenon.

Where the Math's edition puts only the names of gods and their

attributes, Swamiji's translates the god's and their attribute's

names, gives them meaning for a western audience, I suppose. Cause

many of us have no association whatsoever with Indra, Varuna and so

on, whereas for an Indian public the meaning of the gods and their

attributes seems to be clear.

So - I can appreciate what Swamiji is doing here.

Still - I do wonder on what authority, on what scriptural sources he

is doing this. On what grounds can he translate Surya into "authority

of the Light of Wisdom", Indra as ""the rule of the pure" and so on?

Is this his own interpretation? And from what sources does the

explanation of the diverse attributes of the Goddess derive? I would

very much appreciate an answer to this question.

 

Nanda says:

Swamiji, there were two responses to the

question/message/14463and/message/14467

Can you please let us know your opinion. Thank you for your time.

 

Swamiji's response:

 

Thank you for the wonderful discussion.

 

Not only are the meanings of the names and attributes illuminated by

many years of sadhana, but they have been translated from the

tradition of the succession of disciples from our lineage of the

Saraswati Sampradaya, In addition, there are Sanskrit scriptural

references for each interpretation, as close as I could come in

English.

 

I certainly respect Swami Jagishwarananda's work. My good friend,

Swami Birananda, was a direct disciple of Jagishwarananda, and we

often performed Navaratri together on the bank of the Bakreswar River

in the village of Tattipara. We performed the puja, homa and Chandi

Path regularly, and talked about how to explain it into English.

[Guest guest]

Thanks everybody for your help in answering my question. And helpful

it was.

 

Wishing everybody all the best

 

D

 

 

 

 

, Nanda <chandimaakijai> wrote:

> Question from Dharmavidya:

> I have an edition of the Devi Mahatmyam, edited by Sri Ramakrishna

Math, Madras.

> I compared their translation of certain verses with Swamiji's

translation and I discoveres an astonishing phenomenon. Where the

Math's edition puts only the names of gods and their attributes,

Swamiji's translates the god's and their attribute's names, gives them

meaning for a western audience, I suppose. Cause many of us have no

association whatsoever with Indra, Varuna and so on, whereas for an

Indian public the meaning of the gods and their attributes seems to be

clear.

>

> So - I can appreciate what Swamiji is doing here.

>

> Still - I do wonder on what authority, on what scriptural sources he

is doing this. On what grounds can he translate Surya into "authority

of the Light of Wisdom", Indra as ""the rule of the pure" and so on?

Is this his own interpretation? And from what sources does the

explanation of the diverse attributes of the Goddess derive? I would

very much appreciate an answer to this question.

>

> Nanda says:

>

> Swamiji, there were two responses to the question

> /message/14463

> and

> /message/14467

> Can you please let us know your opinion. Thank you for your time.

>

> Swamiji's response:

>

> Thank you for the wonderful discussion.

>

> Not only are the meanings of the names and attributes illuminated by

many years of sadhana, but they have been translated from the

tradition of the succession of disciples from our lineage of the

Saraswati Sampradaya, In addition, there are Sanskrit scriptural

references for each interpretation, as close as I could come in English.

>

> I certainly respect Swami Jagishwarananda's work. My good friend,

Swami Birananda, was a direct disciple of Jagishwarananda, and we

often performed Navaratri together on the bank of the Bakreswar River

in the village of Tattipara. We performed the puja, homa and Chandi

Path regularly, and talked about how to explain it into English.