[Advaita-l] Pranams; and a translation problem

[Siva Senani Nori]

----- Original Message ----
From: jiva das <jivadas3 at yahoo.ca>
To: advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
Sent: Friday, December 8, 2006 3:40:51 AM
Subject: [Advaita-l] Pranams; and a translation problem


Pranams to you fine ladies and gentlemen for your responses to my <pauruSa> question. All your responses have been helpful.

I have a question which is more poetic than philosophical, but which I hope will be answered by some one of you philosophers who also knows poetics or grammar, particularly the <samAsa-vRtti>. It is from the <vairAgya-prakaraNa> of Yoga Vasishtha, in which the teenage Rama laments and berates every aspect of life. In Canto 15 he rants against <ahaMkAra>. He says:

<putra-mitra-kalatrAdi-tantra-mantra-vivarjitam | 
  prasAritam anen'eha mune 'haMkAra-vairiNA> [yv 1.15.17] 

>> padacchedanam, anuvritti, and translation: ** mune!, (O Sage!), putra-mitra-kalatrAdi-tantra-mantra-vivarjitam (sons, friends, wives and others abandoned {not endorsed?} by mantra & tantra} prasAritam (are propagated) iha (in this world) anena (by this) ahaMkAravairiNA (enemy that ahaMkAra is).

>> Meaning: "O Sage! sons, friends, wives and others, not endorsed by mantra and tantra, are propagated in this world by this enemy [of true Knowledge] that ahaMkAra is".

>> Here, ahaMkAravairin should be treated as a karmadhAraya compound (ahaMkAra eva vairin) due to the context. In the same sarga other usages include durahaMkAravairiNA, na ahaMkArAt paro ripuH, tam ahaMkAram ciravairiNam etc. (unable to give the references because I am quoting from a YV-Sara, translated into Telugu by Sri Nori SrinAtha VenkaTa SomayAjulu).

>> I have left out translation of mantra and tantra because learned commentators had given very specific expansions of these when used together, which I cannot quote correctly off-hand, but they kind of cover the entire knowledge-practice spectrum.

>> I can't make out what '[RPA]' is supposed to mean, but the following translation given by you seems to be the nearest proper one, but lacking in reference to mantra & tantra:

   <Our inveterate enemy of egoism, has (like a magician) spread about us the enchantments of our wives, friends and children, whose spells it is hard to break.> [RPA] ]


praNAms
Senani


 
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