To Dharmavidya on translations

[Guest guest]

Dharmavidya wrote:

....Swamiji's translation appears to me much mellower, gentler. But I

dowonder the amount of freedom he applied in translating this text.

Thisactually seems to be the case with all his translations and I

rememberhaving put a similar question referring to the Chandi Path.

The Chamakam: In my text it is a supplication to Rudra for all

kindsof favours - and again I think this is the original meaning.

Swamjihas transported all these great stuff that is asked for into

the innerheart of man, as inner qualities. Which again I think is

more"spiritual", maybe closer to the hidden meaning of the text - but

Ithink it's not a translation, or a very free one...

Dear Dharmavidya ~ it is my belief that both Shree Maa and Swamiji are

Self-Realized Beings. One only has to read of their lives and

experiences ("Shree Maa, The Life of a Saint"; "Sahib Sadhu") re

understand this. I wish I could find the text where Swami wrote this,

but I cannot. Yet I will relate it to you anyway, and perhaps someone

in the group will know which text it is in. Swami calls Sanskrit a

living language, and that, through the course of time, new

translations of scriptural texts are necessary to keep pace with the

understanding that the people of that time may generally have. My

trust in Swamiji is total, and the "picture" he presents in the

translation of the Rudri, of Shiva as a compassionate reliever of

sufferings makes sense to me in terms of all the pictures or

statuettes I have seen of Shiva. He appears to be kind and loving,

with water coming out of his hair, to wash away our misunderstanding

and our fears, or he appears as Nataraja, showing us that this life

(and beyond) is a cosmic dance. Shiva Ki Jai ~ Linda