[Advaita-l] shraddhAshraddha

[Siva Senani Nori]

Dear Sri Satish

Telugu is my mother tongue and I have great love towards the language. What you 
said about ShraddhA in Telugu is true; however, that does not necessarily mean 
that it is the right usage of the word. Words like avakASa (means opportunity in 
Telugu and space in Sanskrit), avasara (means necessity in T., context in S. - 
also note usages like ayyavasarambuna, meaning simply 'then' or in a more 
expanded form of 'in that context' from Nannayya upto Potana), Siksha 
(punishment in T., training in S.), pramAda (danger in T., accident in S.), 
abhaya (assurance in T., lack of fear in S.) and so on. It is, of course, 
true that the rUDhi meaning in Telugu is but one of the senses admissible in 
Sanskrit as well; but then one must remember that the linga or rUDhi artha is 
always stronger than the vAchya artha. Example: SuSrUshA means care or service 
in all Indian languages now, with there being even SuSrUshA Nursing Homes / 
Hospitals; the vyutpatti is SrotumicchA SuSrUshA - the desire to listen; so 
students who want to learn from their teachers serve the teachers and that is 
how the rUDhi artha came.

Second point: this forum considers the definition given by Sankara to be very 
important. The SamadamAdi shaTkam plays an important role and SraddhA as defined 
there is best translated as 'faith'.

Finally, Apte gives the following meanings: 1. Trust, faith, belief, confidence; 
2. Belief in divine relevation, religious faith; 3. Sedatenss, composure of 
mind; 4. Intimacy, familiarity; 5. Respect, reverence; 6. Strong of vehement 
desire; and 7. The longing of a pregnant woman. And, Monier Williams: faith, 
trust, confidence, trustfulness, faithfulness, belief in, ..., trust, 
confidence, loyalty, ..., wish, desire, longing for, desire of eating, appetite, 
the longing of a pregnant woman, curiosity, purity, respect, reverence, calmnes 
or composure of mind, intimacy. 

Hope this makes it clear that SraddhA means faith.

Regards
N. Siva Senani

 


----- Original Message ----
> From: Satish Arigela <satisharigela at yahoo.com>
> To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta 
><advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
> Sent: Mon, March 21, 2011 4:01:00 PM
> Subject: Re: [Advaita-l] shraddhAshraddha
> 
> namaste
> 
> Let us look at it closely:
> 
> शास्त्रस्य गुरुवाक्यस्य सत्यबुद्ध्या अवधारणा |
> सा श्रद्धा कथिता सद्भिः यया वस्तूपलभ्यते ॥
> 
> 
> So shraddhA is defined as avadhAraNA of shAstra vAkya and guru vAkya with 
> satyabuddhi. avadhAraNa is according to dictionary meaning the following:
> --ascertainment affirmation , emphasis ; stating or holding with positiveness 
>or 
>
> assurance ; accurate determination , limitation (of the sense of words) , 
> restriction to a certain instance or instances with exclusion of any other --
> 
> so shraddhA is this avadhAraNa i.e emphasis(or any meaning above) of shAstra 
> vAkya and guru vAkya with satyabuddhi. Regarding the words satya(true) and 
> buddhi there is no confusion.
> 
> So if we examine each word it looks like there is no place where the English 
> word faith finds place here IMHO.  One can say faith is almost the same or 
> synonymous as one of the English meanings given for avadhAraNa but let us ask 
>if 
>
> indeed faith can be used to describe avadhAraNa why is it not used?
> 
> I am at this point after seeing this definition and also coupled with the fact 

> that a very sanskrit influenced language Telugu the word shraddhA is not in 
> anyway used to mean faith, I am certain that the use of the word faith is a big 
>
> leap.
> 
> The correct sanskrit word for faith is vishvAsa. Considering the usage of the 
> word vishvAsa confirms this further. vishvasanIya i.e. trusted or something 
>that 
>
> can be trusted, andha-vishvAsa i.e blind faith.
> 
> Do we ever use the word shraddhA in normal Sanskrit literature to mean faith or 
>
> trust? Any examples from the any kAvya or purANa? I would be interested in 
> seeing them.
> 
> Regards
> 
> 
>  
> 
> ________________________________
> From: V Subrahmanian <v.subrahmanian at gmail.com>
> To: A discussion group for Advaita Vedanta 
><advaita-l at lists.advaita-vedanta.org>
> Sent: Mon, March 21, 2011 2:58:31 PM
> Subject: [Advaita-l] Fwd: idaM na mama - The scientific evidence?
> 
> On Mon, Mar 21, 2011 at 1:43 PM, Satish Arigela 
<satisharigela at yahoo.com>wrote:
> 
> >
> > By the way shraddhA is not faith. That false equation of the word shraddhA
> > with faith may be the main reason for contradiction.
> >
> > I will not try to give an alternate English word for it..but here is what I
> > suggest. In Telugu we use the word shraddha (apparently it was adopted from
> > Sanskrit). But we never use it to mean faith in something.
> >
> > Here are Telugu usages: shraddhA gA vinu  - meaning: listen
> > intently/attentively or with focus - Any Telugu people can correct me if I
> > am being unreasonable here.
> >
> > The first time my smArta teacher used the word shraddhA is when discussing
> > detail of a mantra practice with me-- and though he is very good at English
> > and we are having the conversation in English, he never used the word faith
> > or belief or anything similar but used the word shraddhA and everytime to
> > indicate something done with focus/attention or something done with
> > constancy/consistency(i.e. without slightest deviation from what was
> > prescribed).
> >
> > This is something to consider in understanding the shloka you quoted.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> 
> Namaste.
> 
> The word shraddhA has a definite meaning in the shAstra, as defined in the
> vivekachUDamaNi:
> 
> शास्त्रस्य गुरुवाक्यस्य सत्यबुद्ध्या अवधारणा |
> सा श्रद्धा कथिता सद्भिः यया वस्तूपलभ्यते ॥
> 
> // Acceptance by firm judgment as *true* of what the Scriptures and the Guru
> instruct, is called by sages Shraddhaa or faith, by means of which the
> Reality is perceived.//
> 
> Thus shraddhA in the context of the shAstra is the firm conviction that what
> the scripture and the Guru say is indeed true; it cannot be otherwise.  That
> 'satya buddhi' (satyatva buddhi)  in their words is shraddhaa.  In the
> context of the mantra/Rudra, the firm conviction that the chanting of the
> mantra will indeed bless me with chitta shuddhi by cleansing me of the sins
> forms the basis for the person's taking it up for japa.
> 
> The meaning of 'attentiveness', etc. could be taken as accompanying the
> fundamental shraddhA, usually translated as 'faith'.
> 
> Regards,
> subrahmanian.v
> 
> >
> >
> >
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