*Aksamala*
"Rudraksa" means the eye of Rudra or Siva. "Rudraksa-mala" is a "garland"
(or rosary) made up of such "eyes". "Aksa" means eye. In Tamil the rudraksa
is called "tirukkanmani"[ the sacred pupil of the eye] What is the meaning
of "aksamala" or "sphatika-aksamala"? Here the word "aksa" is not taken to
mean the eye but the letters of the alphabet from "a" to "ksa". In the
Sanskrit alphabet "a" comes first and "ksa" comes last. To convey the same
idea in Sanskrit we say "a-karadi ksa-karantam". There are 50 letters from
"a" to "ksa". So an aksamala consists of 50 beads. There is of course a
51st bead which is bigger than the rest and it is called "Meru". The sun,
the legend goes, does not go beyond the Meru Mountain during his daily
journey. When we make one round thus, muttering the name of the Lord or a
mantra, first clockwise up to the Meru and then anticlockwise up to the
Meru again, we will have told the beads a hundred times.
Tvasta wanted to take revenge on Indra for some reason and conducted a
sacrifice to beget a son who would slay Indra. When he chanted his mantra,
"Indrasatrur varddhasva. . ", he went wrong in the intonation. He should
have voiced "Indra" without raising or lowering the syllables in it and he
should have raised the syllables "tru" and "rddha"(that is the two
syllables are "udata"). Had he done so the mantra would have meant, "May
Tvasta's son grow to be the slayer of Indra". He raised the "dra" in Indra,
intoned "satru" as a falling svara and lowered the "rddha" in "varddhasva".
So the mantra meant now: "May Indra grow to be the killer of this son (of
mine)". The words of the mantra were not changed but, because of the
erratic intonation, the result produced was the opposite of what was
desired. The father himself thus became the cause of his son's death at the
hands of Indra. The gist of this story is contained in this verse which
cautions us against erroneous intonation.
Mantrohinah svarato varnato va Mithya prayukto na tamarthamaha
Sa vagvajro yajamanam hinasti Yathendrasatruh svarato' paradhat
What was the weapon with which Tvasta 's son was killed? Not Indra's
thunderbolt but the father's wrongly chanted mantra.
Versions with Slight Differences
All over India, from the Himalaya to Ramesvaram and all through the
ages, the Vedas have been taught entirely in the oral tradition, without
the aid of any printed books and without one part of the country being in
touch with another. And yet 99 percent of the texts followed everywhere is
the same to the letter. So it means that there is a difference of one per
cent, is there not? Yes, there is, among the recensions in the different
regions. Is it proper to have such slight differences? After claming that
the consequences would be unfortunate even if one syllable of a mantra goes
wrong, how are we to accept that the same mantra in the different
recensions or in the different regions differ by one percent? If the
original Vedas in their true form are one, will not the departure by even
one percent mean undesirable consequences? The sages have introduced
slight changes in the different Vedic recensions, but these are not such as
to produce any adverse effort: indeed, even with the changes, the mantra
yield the expected benefits. As a matter of fact, the sages have introduced
the changes for the benefit of people who are entitled to learn the
particular recensions. The rules with regard to these are clearly stated in
the Prati sakhyas.
Vedic Vocalisation and the Regional Languages
If we relate certain characteristics of the different languages of India to
how Vedic chanting differs syllabically from region to region, we will
discover the important fact that the genius of each of these tongues and
the differences between them are based on how the Vedas are chanted in
these regions. The letters da, ra, la and zha are phonetically close to one
another. Ask a child to say "rail" or "Rama", in all likelihood it will say
"dail", "Dama". The reason is "da" is phonetically close to "ra". Quite a
few people say "Sivalatri" for "Sivaratri". And some say "tulippora" for
"tulippola" (Tamil for "just a little"). Here "la" and "ra" sound similar.
I spoke about how "ra" and "da" change. So "la" can change to "da". "La" is
very close to "la". Usually what we pronounce as "lalita", "nalina", and
"sitala" will be found in Sanskrit books as "lalita", "nalina" and
"sitala". There is no need to say how "la" and "zha" are close friends.
Madurai is indeed the city of Tamil but here people say "valapalam"
(plantain) for "vazha-pazham". That is they use "la" for "zha", a letter we
believe to be unique to the Tamil (or Tamizh) language. What is considered
unique to Tamil, "zha" [retroflex affirmative], is present in the Vedas
also. Jaimini is one of the Samaveda sakhas: it is also called the
Talavakara Sakha. The "da" or "la" of other Vedas or sakhas sounds like
"zha' in the Talavakara Sakha. Those who have properly learned this
recension say "zha" for "da" or "la". Perhaps it is not a full"zha" sound
but something approximating to it, or something in which the "zha" sound is
latent. The "zha-kara" occurs even in the Rgveda in some places. Usually
"da" and "la" are interchanged and where there is "da-kara" in the
Yajurveda it is "la-kara" in the Rgveda. The very first mantra in the Vedas
is Agnimide". "Agnimide" is according to the Yajurveda which has the
largest following. In the Rgveda the same word occurs as "Agnimile". The
"le" here is to be pronounced almost as "zhe". In the famous Sri Rudra hymn
of the Yajurveda occurs the word "Midustamaya". The same word is found in
the Rgveda also and the "du" ini the "midu" sound like "zhu" instead of
sounding like "lu" - that is the "zha-kara" is latent in how the syllable
is vocalised. {Da-Zha variation between Yajur and Rig vedam}Generally
speaking, the "la" in the Rgveda is "da" in the Yajurveda and "zha" in the
Talavakara Samaveda.
{source of Da-La-and Zha} The "zha-kara" is special to Tamil, "da" to
Telugu and "la" to Kannada. Where "zha" occurs in Tamil, it is "da" in
Telugu and "la" in Kannada. Take the Sanskrit word "pravala" (coral). It is
"pavazham" in Tamil, "pakadalu" in Telegu and "havala" in Kannada. "Pavazham"
is derived from "pravala", so too "pakadalu" in Telegu, in which language
the original Sanskrit word has changed more than in Tamil: the "va" of
"pravala" has become "ka" but it is according to the genius of that
language. How has the word changed in Kannada? In Tamil and Telegu the
change from the Sanskrit "pra" to "pa" is but small. But in Kannada the
"pra" becomes "ha" and that of course is according to the genius of that
language. The "pa" in the other languages becomes "ha" in Kannada. Thus
"Pampa" becomes "Hampa" and then "Hampi" The Tamil "pal" for milk is "halu"
in Kannada and the Tamil "puhazh" (fame) is "hogalu" in Kannada. In the
same manner "pravala" becomes "havala" in Kannada. The predominant Veda in
the western region [of Peninsular India], including Maharastra and
Karnataka, is the Rgveda. In the region from Nasik to Kanyakumari, the
Rgveda has the widest following. Kannada is one of the languages spoken
here and "la" has a unique place in it. And this "la", special to Kannada,
which is considered a Dravidian regional language, is Vedic in origin. If
we go to that part of the eastern seashore and the hinterland that form
Andhra Pradesh, we find that 98 out of 100 people (Brahmins) here are
Yajurvedin. The remaining two percent are Rgvedins. There are practically
no Samavedins in Andhra Pradesh. Since Yajurvedins are the predominant
group the Rgvedic "la" is "da" here, so also the "la" of other languages.
In Tamil Nadu also Yajurvedins are in a majority though not to the same
extent as in Andhra Pradesh. Here 80 percent are Yajurvedins, 15 percent
Samavedins and 5 percent Rgvedins. In ancient times, however, the
Samavedins formed quite a large group- there is evidence for such a belief.
It is likely that there were Brahmins belonging to all the 1,000 recensions
of the Samaveda in the Tamil land. Isvara is extolled in the Tevaram as
"Ayiram-sakhai-udaiyan" (one with a thousand Vedic recensions).{WHICH IS
SAMA VEDAM}
Among the Samavedins those belonging to the Kauthuma Sakha form the
majority. But in the old days the followers of the Jaiminiya or Talavakara
Sakha were quite large in number. Cozhiyar are people of the Cola land.
Even today they are all Samavedins and they follow the Talavakara Sakha-
the Cozhiyar residing in Tirunelveli(which is identified as a Pandya
territory) still belong to this recension. Originally the Samaveda had a
great following not only in the land of the Colas but also in the land of
the Pandyas. "Cozhiyar" may be understood as Brahmins belonging to the
Tamil land from very ancient times. They are indeed the Brahmin "Adivasis"
of that region. Among Tamil Smarta Brahmins there is a sect called
"Vadamas"(Vadamar ). They must have come to the Tamil land from the North,
specially from the Narmada valley. Their very name suggests that they are
from the North. Cozhiyar must have been inhabitants of Tamil Nadu from the
earliest times. As a matter of fact, in the very word "Vadamar" there is
proof that all Brahmins did not come from the North. If all Brahmins in
Tamil Nadu or in the rest of the South had their original home in the
North, why should one sect have been singled out for the name of "Vadamar"?
The rest of the Brahmins must have belonged to the Tamil land form the very
beginning Cozhiyar are among these first Brahmins. There is one proof to
show that "Vadamar" originally belonged to the Narmada valley. Only they,
among the Brahmins[in the South], recite the following verse in the
sandhyavandana.; *it is a prayer for protection from snakes.*
Narmadayai namah pratah Narmadayai namo nisi
Namostu Narmade tubhyam pahi mam visa-sarpatah
Among the Cozhiyar there was a great man called Somasimara
Nayanar who was one of the 63 Nayanmars. Somasi is not an eatable, but
means a "somayajin", one who has performed the soma sacrifice. Sri
Ramanujacarya's father had also performed the same sacrifice and he was
called "Kesava Somayajin". The Samaveda has an important place in the soma
sacrifice. If there were a large number of Cozhiyar Brahmins in the very
early times in Tamil Nadu, it means that the Talavakra Sakha of the
Samaveda must have had a large following then. I have spoken about the Cola
and Pandya kingdoms but not of the Pallava and Chera lands. In the dim past
there was no Pallava kingdom. The "Muvendar" are the Cheras, colas and
Pandyas. The region where the Pallava kingdom arose later was then part of
the cola territory. So the early Brahmins who had come form the North, the
Vadamar, settled in the northern part of Tamil Nadu, that is the Pallava
territory. Subsequently they came to be called "Auttara Vadamar". There are
Samavedins among the "Vadamar" also, but they do not belong to the
Talavakara Sakha but to the Kauthama Sakha. The "Vadamar" came to the Tamil
land long after the Tamil language had developed into its classical stage.
So their Vedic chanting is not germane to out subject. The same could be
said about the Pallavas after the Sangam literature came to flourish.
Let us now turn to the Chera land. Malayalam is spoken in Kerala. If
I did not touch upon this language when I dealt with Tamil, Telugu and
Kannada, it was because of the fact that it appeared much later than the
other three. Until about a thousand years ago, Kerala was part of the Tamil
land and its language too was Tamil. Malayalam evolved from Tamil. If the
Tamil "zha" is "da" in Telegu and "la" in Kannada, it remains "zha" in
Malayalam. Tamils say "puzhai" for a river. Malayalis say "puzha". If the
former say "Alappuzhai" and "Amblappuzhai"[both names of places in Kerala],
the latter say "Alappuzha" and "Amblappuzha". Leaving aside the question of
the Malayalam language, let us turn to the subject of the Vedic tradition
of Kerala. The Malayala Brahmins called Namputris have a long tradition of
learning the Vedas in the sastric manner. There are among them
Trivedins(those well-versed in the Rgveda, Yajurveda and Samaveda, and
among the last-mentioned a number of people following the Talavakara Sakha).
The Pancanmana family is one such and it has behind it a fine Vedic
tradition. They belong to the Talavakara Sakha. Today those who follow the
Kauthama Sakha are in a majority among the Samavedins in Tamil Nadu but in
Kerala the Samavedins belong to the Talavakara Sakha. From generation to
generation, the Nambudiris have been chanting the Talavakra Sakha. They
pronounce the "da" or "la" of other sakhas as "zha"- which means they
follow the same practice as in Tamil Nadu. Both the palm-leaf and printed
versions of the Talavakara Sakha, in Tamil Nadu as well as in Kerala, have
"zha" in the relevant places. Thus we see that from early times the
Talavakara Sakha of the Samaveda has had a following in the Tamil land
larger than in any other part of the country. And with this recension has
come the "zha" which is a phoneme not found elsewhere. Naccinarkkiniyar[
நச்சினார்க்கினியர்] is among the commentators of the Tamil Samgam works. In
his commentary on the Tolkappiyam (famous Tamil grammatical treatise), he
mentions "four Vedas": "Taittiriyam, Paudikam, Talavakaram and Samam". He
mistakes recensions for full-fledged Vedas. However, we note from his list
that the Talavakara Sakha had the place of a full-fledged Veda in Tamil
Nadu. "Taittiriyam" is a recension of the Krsna_Yajurveda. The Kausitaki
Brahmana of the Sankhayana Sakha of the Rgveda is called "Pausa". What
Naccinarkkiniyar calls "Paudiyam" is referred to by the Azhvars as "Pauzhiyam"-
here again you see the relationship between "zha:"[ ழ ] and "da". All told
the phonemes unique to the languages spoken in the different regions have
evolved on the basis of the differences in pronunciation in the various
Vedic recensions.
It is customary in the North to use "ja" for "ya" and "ba" for "va"-
both in literary and colloquial usage. The use of "ba" for "va" is
noticeable particularly in Bengal and "ja" for "ya" in Uttar Pradesh, and
Punjab, etc. In Bengal they follow the dictum, "vabayorabhedam" - there is
no difference between "va" and 'ba". In Tamil too"Bhisma" is sometimes
referred to as "Vittumar" and "Bhima" as "Vima". In Bengali, all "va's" are
vocalised as "ba's". Indeed "Bengal" itself is from "Vanga".Bengalis say
"Bangabasi" for "Vangavasi"( a resident of Bengali). Once they realised
that changing all"va's" universally into "ba's" was not right and called a
parisad[ a meeting of scholars] to consider the question- it was called the
"Vanga Parisad". According to one of its decisions all "ba-kara" in Bengali
books to be printed thenceforth was to be changed to "va-kara". They
strictly carried out the decision. But in doing so they also changed what
should naturally be "ba" into "va"- for instance, "bandhu" into "vandhu",
"Bangabandhu" into "Vangavandhu". As observed earlier, in other regions of
the North too "ba" is used for "va". For example, the name "Bihar" itself
is from "Vihar". (Once there were many Buddhist viharas, temples or
monasteries, in this region) The name "Rasbihari" is from "Rasavihari". How
would you explain this practice? Such usage is laid down in the Pratisakhya
of the Vedic recension followed in these parts. People there applied the
rule of the Pratisakhya to their ordinary writing and speech also. It also
follows that the rules laid down by the Vedic sastras have been faithfully
followed in this region.
Yajurvedins, it will be remembered, from the majority in the country
taken as a whole. The Krsna-Yajurveda is followed in the South and the
Sukla-Yajurveda
in the North. There is a sakha of the latter called "Madhyandina" and it
has a large following in the North. In its Pratisakhya it is said that "ja"
may be used in place of 'ya", and "ka' in place of 'sa". we say in the
South "yat Purusena havisa"(from Purusasukta); the Northern version of the
same is "jat Purusena havika". We are amused by such chanting and we even
feel angry that the Vedas are being distorted. At the same time we feel
proud that we in the south maintain the purity of the Vedic sound. However,
the "ja" and 'ka" in the Northern intonation have the sanction of the Siksa
sastra. It is only phonemes that are close to one another that are
interchanged. There are examples in Tamil also to show that "ja" and " ya"
are closely related. "Java(the "Javaka" island) is referred to in Tamil
works as "Yavaka". Generally, if 'ja" comes as the initial letter of a word
it is spelt as 'sa" in Tamil, but if it comes in the middle it becomes
"ya'- "Aja(n)" and "Pankaja(m)" become "Ayan and Pangayam". "Sa" is a form
of sa. If "sa" and 'ka" are interchangeable so too, it seems, "sa" and
"ka". In keeping with this what is "kai" (hand) in Tamil is "sey" in
Telugu. "Doing" (performing some work) is the function of the hand(in Tamil
"seyvadu"). So better than the Tamil "kai" is the Telegu "sey" which
denotes the function of the hand. In Sanskrit the word "kara" has the
meaning of "to do" as well as the hand--"Samkara"("Sankara") one who does
good; "karomi" is "I do". One wonders whether in Tamil too "sey" was
originally used to denote the hand and then "kai" came to be used. Now
"sey" is a verb in that language. The "sa"(or "sa"), it is likely, changed
to "ka" and then "kai". One more point: "sa" and "ksa" are related sounds.
So for "ksa" to become "ka" is natural "Aksam" -"akkam"; "daksinam" -
"dakkanam"; "ksanam" _"kanam". Such examples could be multiplied.
We have seen that "ba" becomes "va" in Tamil while in the Northern
languages it is the other way round. Similarly, "ja" becomes "ya" and 'sa"
becomes "ka" in Tamil while in the Northern languages "ya" and "sa" become
"ja" and "ka" respectively. That is according to the Vedic recension
followed there and the rules of the Siksa relating to it. That is the
reason why Northerners chant "jat" Purusena havika" for "yat Purusena
havisa". This change is to be seen in so many other words in the North:
"Jamuna" for Yamuna"; "jogi" for yogi(n); "jug-jug" for yuga-yuga; "jaatra
for "yatra". "Sa" is changes to ka" and so "rsi" becomes "riki". As we have
seen, "ksa" and "sa" are related. Even in the South we hear people saying
"Lasimi for "Laksmi"- they even write like that. In the North "ka" is used
for "ksa"- for instance "Khir" for "ksira". The same applies to Tamil usage
also-"Ilakkumi" for "Laksmi".
Let us now turn to other countries, first to the land which saw
the birth of Christianity, to the Semitic countries like Palestine and
Israel. The Old Testament is basic to the Quran also. Some characters are
common to Christianity and Islam, but in Arabic they are pronounced
differently. Joseph becomes "Yusuf" and Jehovah becomes "Yehivah". There
are differences among the Christian nations too. In some languages you see
"ja-kara" to be prominent. "Jesu" and "Yesu", the name of the very founder
of Christianity, is spelt differently. "Ja-kara" is a characteristic of
Greek also. We could trace the root of all this to the Vedas. Jehivah or
Yehovah is the same as the Vedic deity Yahvan. "Dyau-Pitar"(Dyava_Prithivi)
becomes Jupiter. Sanskrit words lose their initial letter when borrowed by
other languages. So Dyau_Pitar becomes "Yau-Pitar" and then Jupiter. What
were originally Yahvan and Dyau-pitar changed to Jehovah and Jupiter with
the addition of the "ja-kara". In the beginning the Vedic religion was
practised everywhere. It is likely that the Madhyandina Sakha was followed
in Greece and its neighbourhood.
Impact of Siksa Sastra
In the foregoing we noticed that certain Vedic syllables had a special
association with certain regions and that these were absorbed in the
languages spoken there. We also learned from this that the Vedas flourished
in all countries. There was never a period in Tamil Nadu, the land we know
intimately when Vedic dharma was not practised there.
The name "Tamizh" itself has the "zha" characteristic of the Talavakara
Sakha of the Samaveda. Suppose the argument goes like this: it is the "zha"
characteristic of Tamil and the "ja" characteristic of Northern tongues
that are seen as the distinguishing phonemes in the Vedic texts prevalent
in Tamil Nadu and the North respectively. In other words what was already
present in the regional languages came to be absorbed in the Vedic sakhas
prevalent in the areas concerned. Did I put the whole thing topsy-turvy
when I made the statement that the Vedic "zha", "ja" and "ba" became
characteristic for the Tamils, Northerners and the Bengalis respectively,
that these were reflected in the speech of each of these linguistic groups?
*That the rules of the Siksa sastra had their impact on the regional
languages is the correct view*. The rules of the Pratisakhya do not apply
to one area alone but to all those parts where the Vedic recension
concerned is followed. If there is a Brahmin chanting the Talavakara in
Kamarupa(Assam) or Kasmir, he will use "zha" where others use "da" or "la"
in the mantras. A Brahmin who chants hymns from the Krsna-Yajurveda has to
use "da" instead of "zha" or "la" whether he belongs to Gujarat or
Maharashtra or any other place in India. In the same way, it is not only
the Kannadiga, any Rgvedins anywhere will use "la" where others use "da" or
"zha" in chanting the mantras. *The Pratisakhya determines the sound of
Vedic mantras* not for a particular area alone but for the whole country. In
course of time the local language takes on the characteristics of the sakha
where it is practised. LOGICALLY ANSWERED.
The name of the month "Margasirsi" is derived from the fact that
generally the full moon falls on the day to which is conjoined the asterism
of Mrgasirsa during that month. Margasirsi is Margazhi in Tamil. "Si"
changed to "di" and "di": to "zhi". It is according to the genius of that
language that "sa" becomes "da". "Purusa" is called "purudan" in Tamil
and "Nahusa"
is "Nag(h)udan" in Tamil poetry. Kambar calls Vibhisana "Vidanan". But, if
Margasirsi changed to "Margasirdi" and then the "sir" in the middle
dropped, should not the word have the final form of "Margadi"? How do you
explain the presence of the "zha-kara"? In other words, how does the name
of the month finally take the name "Margazhi"? The "zha-kara" must be
attributed to the Talavakara Sakha that was predominant in Tamil Nadu.
People belonging to this recension use "zha" and Krsna-Yajurvedins use
"da", don't they? This habit they still retain unconsciously. The Telugu
Vaisnavas sing the Tamil Divyaprabandham during worship in the temples. In
Tirupati the Tamil Tiruppavai is sung before the Lord. It starts with the
words "Margazhi-t-tingal". "Zhi" is difficult for Telugus to vocalise. How
is it that they do not say "Margali" or "Margali" then? They say
"Margadi-t-tingal", that is with the "da-kara" instead of the "zha-kara".
When they chant hymns from the Samaveda that is prevalent in Tamil Nadu
they unconsciously use the " da-kara" for the "zha-kara". "Da is in the
blood of the Yajurvedins, so they say "Margadi" instead of "Margazhi".
Names of Months
Citra-purnima is a sacred day. The Tamil Cittirai does not represent much
of a change from the Sanskrit "Citra".
Vaishaka is connected with the asterism Visakha; it is "Vaikasi" in Tamil.
Just as Madurai becomes Marudai, so the Sanskrit, Vaishaki has changed
to "Vaikasi"
in Tamil. (In Bengal the month is called "Baisakhi", )Visakha is the
asterism under which Nammazhvar was born. Now Vaisakha purnima is
celebrated as Buddha purnima.
The month Anusi is associated with the asterism of "Anusa"[ Anuradha]. The
full moon usually falls under this asterism during this month. In Tamil the
month is called "Ani"- the "sa-kara" of the original has dropped.
There are two "Asadhas"- Purvasadha and Uttarasadha (Earlier Asadha and
later Asadha). Purvasadha is called "Puradam" in Tamil; in the Tamil name
the "rva" of the original is eroded and the "sa" has dropped. Similarly,
Uttarasadha is "Utradam "in Tamil. The Sanskrit "Asadhi" is the Tamil month
of "Adi".
Sravana means that which is associated with the asterism Sravana. In the
Tamil "Onam" the "sra" of the original has dropped and "vana" has become
"onam". Since it is the asterism sacred to Mahavisnu the honorific "Tiru"
[equivalent of Sri] is prefixed to its name --thus we have "Tiruvonam".
(Ardra is the asterism sacred to Siva. It is called " Adirai" in Tamil and
with the prefixing of "Tiru" it becomes "Tiruvadirai". It is not customary
to add " Tiru" to the Tamil names of other asterisms. In the South, the is
a festival of lights in the month of "Karttigai" --the original Sanskrit
name is Krttika. During this time alone is " Tiru" added to "Karttigai".
But to the asterisms sacred to Hari and Hara-- Visnu and Siva--"Tiru" is
added. Here is proof of the fact that it is part of the religious culture
of Tamils not to maintain any distinction between these two gods). To come
back to Sravana. The full moon in this month generally falls under the
asterism of Sravana. In the Tamil name of "Avani", the " sra" of the
original has dropped.
For this linguistic phenomenon of letters dropping off in Tamil there is
the example of "Izham" for Simhala [the island nation known as Sri Langa].
"Sa" and "sa" become "a" in Tamil. If "sahasra" is "sasiram" in Kannada, it
is "ayiram" in Tamil.
"Ayiram" reminds me of other numbers. The Tamil numbers onru, irandu,
mundru (one, two, three) seem to have no connection with the Sanskrit eka,
dvi, tri. But ancu and ettu (five and eight) seem to be related to the
Sanskrit panca and asta. The English "two" and "three" are related to the
Sanskrit dvi and tri. Sexta, hepta, octo, nano, deca -- these are obviously
connected with the Sanskrit sasta, sapta, asta, nava and dasa. But the very
first number "one" seems totally unrelated to the Sanskrit "eka". But,
strangely enough, it appears to have some connection with the Tamil "onru".
The Telugu equivalent is made up of the "o" of the Tamil "onru" and the
"ka" of the Sanskrit "eka" -- "okati". If we consider all this, just as we
are one racially, in the matter of language for Sanskrit and Dravidian
tongues.
In Simhala the "sa" and "ha" of "Simha" have dropped off and the word has
become "Ilam" and the "la" has changed to "zha" to become "Izham".
Like Asadha, Prosthapada has also a Purva and an Uttara. Purva-Prosthapada
is " Purattadi" in Tamil: "asta" changing to "atta" is already known to us.
Uttara- Prosthapada is "Utrattadi" in Tamil. The full moon falls under this
asterism or the one near it in the Tamil month Purattasi which name is
derived somehow from Prosthapadi.
We call Asvayuja Asvini or "Asvati". The full moon conjoined with the
asterism Asvayuja makes the month Asvayuji which in Tamil is "Aippasi".
The "Karttika" of Sanskrit (adjective of Krttika)has not changed much in
its Tamil equivalent of Karttigai. The "Tirukkarttigai" festival of lights
usually falls on a full moon. I stated with how Margasirsi changes to
"Margazhi". The full moon of that month is celebrated as Tiruvadirai, the
day sacred to Siva.
"Pusya" is the Tamil "Pusam". (We in Tamil Nadu have got so used to "Pusam"
that we have made the asterism "Punarvasu" into "Punarpusam". Of course,
there is no Sanskrit equivalent like "Punarpusya") "Pausya" means what is
associated with Pusya. Pusya is also known as Taisya. The Tamil name of the
month "Tai" is the result of the second syllable of "Taisya" dropping off.
The month "Magha" is named after the asterism Magha -- in Tamil it is
"Masi". The "si" ending is reminiscent of "Vaikasi", "Purattasi" and
"Aippasi".
There are two asterisms called Purva-Phalguna and Uttara-Phalguna. In the
corresponding Tamil names the important part of the Sanskrit original,
"Phalguna", has dropped off. So "Purva-Phalguna" is mere "Puram" in Tamil
and "Uttara-Phalguna" is mere "Utram". But the month in which the full moon
falls under the asterism of Uttara-Phalguna is "Panguni" for Tamils. It is
a festive day in many parts of the south. We celebrate it as Panguni-Utram
Tiruk-kalyanam.From an examination of the Tamil names of the months we form
an idea of how the phonemes of Sanskrit change in Tamil.
Other Notable Aspects of Siksa
The general rule is that the sound of the Vedas ought not to be changed,
that there should be no tonal alterations. But there are rules permitting
slight modifications based on the differences between the recensions - and
these rules are according to the Siksa sastra. Slight tonal changes are
also allowed. In some hymns of the Rgveda the "a-kara" and "e-kara" are
drawn out further than in the other Vedas. In some recensions we have "m"
and in some others "gm" - these are called "anusvara". The differences are
not so much related to letters or syllables as they are tone and accent.
Sound means so much to the Vedic tradition, so due importance must be given
to it. Thus Siksa sastra is the Vedapurusa's organ of breathing. The 50
letters of the Sanskrit alphabet are derived from the Vedic sounds. If you
add "jna" to them you will have 51. These letters are called "matrka". The
word has more than one meaning. Importantly, "matr" or "mata" means Amba,
the World Mother. The 51 letters make up her form - Amba, Parasakti,
personifies them. If the cosmos is the creation of this Supreme Goddess
and, if it is also remembered that creation was accomplished with sound,
Amba must be the incarnation of the 51 letters. The Sakta Tantras declare
that the 51 letters are the limbs of Amba and correlate the letters with
different parts of her sacred body. The 51 Sakti pithas [seats of the
Supreme Goddess] are associated with one or another of these letters. If
siksa is particularly esteemed as the breathing organ of the Vedapurusa, we
must also remember that it is made more glorious by the fact that it sheds
light on the 51 letters which personify Amba.
K Rajaram IRS 9524//10524 TO BE CONTD
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
"Thatha_Patty" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email
to [email protected].
To view this discussion on the web visit
https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZopQvmiXFdTsk480ooJ0hSDPxhXr04mNV0nVNddRiHBg%2BQ%40mail.gmail.com.
