[Advaita-l] praNava

[sivasenani at yahoo.com]

I don't know about all Sanskrit but the multi-level interpretation is certainly true of vedas!

Since etymology seems to be the flavour of the season, etymology is one source of multiplicity in meaning. For instance we have the concept of a sa-arthaka naama as in a VidyaSankar doing good (Sam) through knowledge (vidya) in India. Now if you want a comment about this person, a second level meaning immediately presents itself. I don't know the etymology of Abrahamic first names but was more or less trained not to speculate about the smithy inherent in John Smith. 

However etymology is not the only means available to sustain a work at different levels. We have works like  Jonathan Livingston Seagull operating at multiple levels due to the power of the author. Or, a Waiting for Godot! And how Shakespearean quotes transcend context, place, time and culture! Or, the characters of Dostoevsky! 

Senani


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-----Original Message-----
From: "Michael Shepherd" <michael at shepherd87.fsnet.co.uk>

Date: Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:52:48 
To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta<advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] praNava


Shrinavas,

Namaste. The dictionary struggles with prana, mixing, I suspect, the three
worlds !
It is derived as pra-ana, the dhatu an itself being breath. And what appears
(to me) to emerge from the various references quoted, is that prana
is/refers to/ at the causal level, universal life entering the individual
jiva; at the subtle level, 'vital air' which is composed of the five
elements, apprehended by sound, touch, sight, taste and smell; and at the
physical level, enlivening the ears, nostrils, eyes, mouth and nose.. of
which, at the physical level, we tend only to notice the 'breathing'.

Intriguingly, the measure of a  breath is given by one source as the time
taken to enunciate ten syllables -- make of that what you will !

It's much the same problem of interpretation as encountered in Semitic
languages : that they speak simultaneously at all levels; they are languages
of parable and metaphor. We've lost that in European languages, though poets
struggle to re-establish it; it sometimes emerges in 'common expressions'
('He smelled deceit').

In that respect, dare I say , Sanskrita should be read as a simultaneous
three-level, three-world statement similar to the Semitic languages..

Now over to the pandits.

Michael

-----Original Message-----
From: advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org
[mailto:advaita-l-bounces at lists.advaita-vedanta.org]On Behalf Of
Shrinivas Gadkari
Sent: 11 August 2009 06:45
To: Advaita-l List
Subject: [Advaita-l] praNava



Namaste,

Until now we have three additional interpretations of praNava as being
derived from:
1. pra + nava
2. pra + nu (praise)
3. pravaNa - to slide towars something
4. praNAma - surrender

To pin down the most relevant meaning, we also need to consider that
praNava and prANa are closely related.

To inquire from another angle, how do we dervive the meaning of prANa?

Regards,
Shrinivas



----- Original Message ----
From: Shrinivas Gadkari <sgadkari2001 at yahoo.com>
To: Advaita-l List <advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
Sent: Monday, August 10, 2009 1:45:16 PM
Subject: praNava

Namaste,
 
Shri Bhattacharjya's interpretation of praNava = pra + nava is very
interesting.
Any more comments/ references on this?
 
Regards,
Shrinivas
 
-------------------------------------------
Friends,
 
Yes "pra' prefix is for reinforcing or emphasising. For example in "Pranava"
the prefix of  "pra" is added to
"nava" ie new and the word "Pranava" means the Eternal or ever new or
ageless or beyond time ie.
the Brahman.
 
:
:
Sunil K. Bhattacharjya



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