Folklore

The enraptured trio

Hi all,

Three good friends are sauntering along a peaceful pasture. They find a place surrounded by a dense growth circle of trees carrying flowering, fragrant creepers. Very dense, like a wall, but not too high. From inside there seemed to come heavenly music and glorious singing. Birds were going over but not many returned. The trio were perplexed! What’s going on?

They went round the circular wall of green, couldn’t find any opening. In sheer frustration, one of them, the brave one, said, “I can’t take it no more. I’m going over”

He somehow climbed the green wall and peered over. The other two, the timid ones, shouted their query “what’s the big deal? What’s on the other side?”

The brave one could not even hear his friends. He was beside himself with rapture. Basically, he had been hooked. He simply laughed and in total joy jumped in and disappeared!

The other two were thoroughly disgusted. “Fine friend he is! We’ll have to find out for ourselves.” But, who was going to bell the cat. Neither was keen on heights. The first whiff of trouble and they simply conked out! There was only one answer.

The one who drew the short straw somehow climbed the green wall and peered over. The really timid one shouted once more: “What’s the big deal? What’s on the other side?”

But ‘shorty’ was beside himself with rapture. He had been hooked, also. Again, in total joy, he jumped in and disappeared!

The timorous one was really terrified now! Poor thing, he was all alone. So he thought to himself “Ah well, what have I got to loose?”

Somehow, he climbed the green wall and peered over. Inside was like a total well of happiness, everyone inside was in rapture. He was hooked, also, and experienced total joy. But he did NOT jump in.

Somehow, he restrained himself and thought “If I jump in, there will be no one to tell others. No one outside will even know that this place exists. I cannot enjoy this place if I cannot share it!”

So forcing himself to look away, he came down and told everyone. Most of them took him for a madman and shooed him away. But some believed him and followed him. And they went together to that place, jumped in and shared the ecstasy.”

The enchanted trio - an epilogue.

Hi all,

Many Hindus believe that an ‘avatar’ is always conscious of his or her divinity. Therefore his actions are nothing more than ‘lila’ or play-acting. But there are some who do not subscribe to this view. As Rishi Bankim expounded in his essay, “Krishna Charitra” and other scholars like Saradananda explained:

The avatar’s sufferings and moments of weaknesses are not simulated. Though they come free from maya, they immerse themselves in the ignorance and weaknesses of ordinary mortals, so as to provide a realistic and achievable example to them. Nonetheless they are aware from a very early age, if not from birth, that they are not like ordinary mortals. They can transcend mortal existence and show ordinary mortals the way through their sadhana (striving or meditations).

This knowledge gives them superhuman endurance to overcome the trials of mortal life and extraordinary compassion for others not so blessed.

The avatar has no need to achieve moksha, since he/she/it comes without past karma and no earthly karma attaches to him/her/it. It is to help lesser mortals escape the bondage of karma, that the avatar takes birth among mortals.

That was the moral of the story told by Ramakrishna. That is what I believe, also.

Live long and prosper.

Prashna

The leaf and the wind

The Leaf and the Wind

Taken from the book "Tell Me Another Story," by Lisa Suhay Leaf looked out across the broad, dawn-pink sky and down over the beautiful spring garden. The dewy breeze grazed it and left it shimmering, fluttering.
As it moved, Leaf saw all the corners of the garden with its flowers, bushes, trees and animals. Leaf stretched to catch every sight and sound. It was a new leaf at the top of a very old tree.
Leaf adored all the elements - wind, sun and rain. But it was in love with the wind.
Wind gave it the freedom of motion. Without the breeze it would never have seen the world below or from side to side. Wind rocked Leaf to sleep and shook it awake. Wind made Leaf dance.
Wind whistled haunting tunes through the branches, it whispered and sometimes it even sang.
On many days, Wind told Leaf of the places it had been. "All across the Rivers and down to the sea have I been," whispered Wind. On that day, Leaf could even smell the scent of the water and salty places of which Wind spoke.
"High up the mountain to the very door of Heaven today," Wind told, as the fresh clean smells settled down upon Leaf. "I have seen where the Blue-sky ends and birds cease to wing. I have heard the voice of Life itself and it is so beautiful."
Leaf shuddered with the thought of having Life speak to it as it did to Wind. "When will life speak to me?" Leaf asked Wind.
The breeze warmed as it blew over Leaf and Wind said softly, "You can Hear Life's voice in me."
Whenever it blew past, be it a breeze or gale, the little green leaf waved a joyful greeting to Wind - like the hand of a happy child to a loved one.
"I will love you for all time," Leaf whispered to the moving air around it. "I could not be happier."
Hearing this promise Tree itself shook and emitted a deep chuckle. "I am glad you are happy now," the tree said. "Enjoy your youth and beauty while you can, for soon enough you will be withered and brown, dry as dust and blown away with by the same breeze that stirs your heart today."
Leaf stiffened at these words. The other leaves said nothing. One or two fell like tears before their time, so stricken were they by the sadness.
"That is not so!" Leaf cried.
Tree shook again and said, "Oh but it is true. I have seen many, many leaves from many trees fall and crumble. Your time will come to curse the wind and the way of things. Wind is old and you are young. Ask Wind sometime."
The tree said no more. Leaf tried not to think about what Tree had said. Of course it had heard the stories of how leaves grow old and die, but still it would never be hateful.
That very day, Leaf made a decision. It shouted to the world, "I will Never hate Wind. I will not give in to fear or unhappiness."
Still, the next time Wind came to call, Leaf could not help but ask. "When I become old, dry and brittle will you destroy me as Tree says," Leaf asked.
Wind was silent for a long moment. "I will not destroy you my dear one," Wind said. "All Earthly things grow old and dry. That is not my doing."
Leaf was shaking and Wind could see the fear beginning to overtake Leaf. Wind added, "Keep your promise not to give in to hate and sorrow and when the time comes for you to fall, I will be there to catch you. It will be a beginning and not and end for you."
Again Leaf felt strong. "Tell me of your travels," Leaf said. Wind spoke well into the night.
Time passed. Leaf grew and changed. At first it became very big and strong. Then, as the air grew chill, Leaf began to take on the most magnificent colors. First a yellow cast and then little patches of red and gold began to creep across it.
"You are most beautiful today," whispered Wind. "I do not think that of all the leaves in the world there is one to match you."
Leaf shook a bit, knowing full well that many of the others had also begun to change and take on different hues. Still, the words brought joy.
"It is the beginning of the end for you and all your kind," Tree said. "Soon now, oh so soon, you will be nothing but a speck in the dirt."
All the other leaves began to droop and some even tumbled from their homes early as the weight of that unhappy thought dragged them down to Earth.
Not Leaf. "Words, words, words," Leaf laughed. "You cannot harm me with words. I choose to be happy with my fate. Others choose to be sad. The only one who will be sad when I am gone is you old tree for then who will you talk to?"
Tree shook with frustration and anger. "You will see," Tree bellowed. "You will be dirt!"
As days passed Leaf began to feel thin and tired. The bright colors that covered Leaf darkened to brown and Leaf knew its time grew short. Still it would not be sad because each day now Wind told Leaf of the wonderful adventures that were to come.
Just seeing Leaf cling to happiness while all those around it fell made Tree angry. One day it could stand it no more and when Wind came to call, Tree shook for all it was worth and Leaf snapped away from its branch and began to fall.
Tree watched and waited for Leaf to scream and cry, to realize what horror had just befallen it. Instead Tree heard the sound of laughter.
One moment Leaf was held fast to Tree and the next it was falling, flipping end over end. "I am flying!" Leaf laughed in pure joy.
"You are falling! Plunging," shouted Tree.
"I am soaring like a little bird," Leaf sang out. "See how I go!"
Leaf felt something lift it up. It was Wind come to keep its promise. "I cannot take you far right now, just to rest on the ground. No matter what happens, do not be afraid. I will return for you."
Wind carried Leaf ever so gently to the ground and allowed it to rest there. Leaf could feel the rumble of the roots from Tree as it laughed and said," You see? Now you are ready to become like all the others. It is all just as I said. Just give up now."
Leaf was not stirred to sadness by Tree's words. It did not answer, but lay quietly looking up at the world. It all looked so different now. After a time, Leaf nodded off to sleep and a long time passed before it woke.
Instead of feeling old, stiff and papery, Leaf felt suddenly free to move about. It could hear wind singing softly through the trees and felt itself being lifted and spun higher and higher.
"Did I not promise all would be well," crooned Wind. "You have become the dust of the Earth, so light and so fine that I can carry you anywhere with me."
And so Wind did carry the dust of Leaf and scattered it over fields, onto the backs of birds that flew to mountains and into streams that led to oceans. Finally Wind seeded the clouds with the last few tiny grains that were once Leaf and Leaf came back to Earth with rains and snows.
Everywhere it fell the remains of Leaf brought a grain of pure joy, a drop Of hope and touch of love for wind and life.
One day in springtime Wind rustled past Tree and heard Tree telling all the young leaves about the Leaf that had loved the Wind and perished in the dirt.
Wind came back through Tree singing a breezy tune, "Listen my children, but not to those who tell you that your fate is in the dirt. Listen to me instead. I will tell the tale of how you will become Heaven's Dust. Believe and you will never dread."
If ever you wonder which leaves listen to Wind and not Tree, look up on a stormy day and see, which ones wave, a joyous greeting and which fall down in sorrow.

The Leaf and the Wind....
Wind came back through Tree singing a breezy tune, "Listen my children, but not to those who tell you that your fate is in the dirt. Listen to me instead. I will tell the tale of how you will become Heaven's Dust. Believe and you will never dread."
If ever you wonder which leaves listen to Wind and not Tree, look up on a stormy day and see, which ones wave, a joyous greeting and which fall down in sorrow.

Oakey,

You made me cry.

Not a common sight in Vulcan!

Then you made me smile! What joy!

Now all you have to do is to persuade the terrifying Baraf to draw a few pictures to accompany your lovely story.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Prashna

There was this scholar, a bit like me, I guess, who lived in a town by the river Padmaa.

For the Ignoramuses (Plural is like Hippopotamuses, innit) amongst you, Padmaa is the MAIN branch of the river Gangaa and hence carries the most water. Also the most turbulent, stormy and unpredictable!

The scholar needed to cross the river. Came to the quay, found a little boat, did the usual haggling and got on the boat, with an apparent show of disdain and superiority. Rightly so!

Because he was a well-known scholar, rightly respected across the land. And the boatswain was just a low-class majhi or rower!

Halfway across, Ignoramuses, please note, the Padmaa is a mighty river, very wide and extremely treacherous, the scholar deigned to enlighten the poor unfortunate Majhi. Basically, he took pity on him!

He asked "Majhi, do you know the way to salvation (OK, he used the term Moksha, but I am just showing consideration to you lot).

Majhi replied, "Babu, I have to ply the boat all day to feed my wife and children. Moksha means little to me!"

The scholar said "your life is a quarter gone!"

Still, the scholar persisted: "Majhi, you are too attached to your wife and children. Attachment is the source of all suffering. Do you know that?"

The poor majhi needed the fare; what could he say?

" Babu, even if I knew that, will my baby appreciate that when he is hungry?"

The scholar said "your life is a half gone!"

Still, the scholar persisted:
"Majhi, your baby, even your wife and the whole world is unreal. That's the real cause of your suffering. Do you know that?"

The poor majhi had a flimsy boat that was being tossed by the waves! Did he have the time to ponder on such weighty matter? Besides, he needed the fare!

" Babu, even if I knew that, I would still need to face my wife at the end of the day?"

The scholar said "your life is three-quarter gone!"

But there was a mighty storm brewing up. Forked lightning was crisscrossing the dark skies. All the while, the expert majhi was trying his best to save the boat and his life and of course., that of his rich passenger. You see, he had NOT paid yet!

The majhi had to ask " Babu. do you know how to swim?"

The scholar was suitably disdainful, as befits such an erudite person "What do you take me for, a common worker?"

Then the lowly Majhi shouted across, mainly because he b****y well had to!

His voice barely audible amidst the howling wind and crash of thunder!

" In that case, Master, your life is completely gone!"

And the boat sank in the storm!

Thank you Prashna......I love your stories!!...and in each one, a lesson!!

Thank you Prashna......I love your stories!!...and in each one, a lesson!!

Thank you, Oakey.

You wouldn't believe how close to home that story is.

I love rivers.

I am fascinated and ensnared by forked lightning. Sat down for hours at the edge of the Grand Canyon after dusk.

And I can't swim!

Thank you, Oakapple and Prashna, very much for the stories.

Hi Prashna 🙂

Nice Story

Isa

Hi Prashna 🙂

Nice Story

Isa

Thank you, Isa.

Welcome to HP. Look forward to reading your posts.

Prashna

Hi Prashna :):nature-smiley-008:Good Day

Thank you and welcome

Hi Prashna :):nature-smiley-008:Good Day

Thank you, Isa,

Delighted to see you here, of course.
A very warm welcome to HP, it can be addictive.

Perhaps you could say hello to everyone here:

That give a chance for people to welcome you properly. The welcome by the most magical moderator, aka Moonfairy is usually quite spectacular.

But spectacular or not, the warmth is palpable even to those use to the torrid climate of Vulcan.

Then you might wish to say something about your screenname and 'avatar' here:

I look forward to reading your posts.

Live long and prosper.

Prashna

Hi Prashna 🙂

Could you please tell me the difference between "Gnana" "Vidya" & Prajna".
In some contexts they sound similar, but in some, they are different.

Many Thanks in advance
Isa

Hi Prashna 🙂

Could you please tell me the difference between "Gnana" "Vidya" & Prajna".
In some contexts they sound similar, but in some, they are different.

Many Thanks in advance
Isa

Oh dear!

First, may I thank you for asking that at all. It is a truly humbling experience, because I cannot take you to the answer all the way. And there are others on this MB, like Bhavaniidasa and shankara108 against whom my meagre knowledge of Sanskrit pales into insignificance.

But I can take you part of the way.

Before I start, I have to state very clearly that no exact words or concepts in English correspond to these terms; ie exact translation is impossible. The best way is to take several English words all of which roughly correspond, and then find the best meaning in each context. For Sanskrit is highly context-sensitive.

Gnana, often transliterated as jnana, >>>n, Knowledge, awareness, consciousness. etc. in other words not requiring conscious effort. Yet sometimes it is used as a synonym for Vidya.

e.g the word ajnan = unconscious.

Vidya >>>n, learning, erudition, scholarship. in other words requiring conscious effort.

Prajna, >>> adj, a realised person.

stithaprajna >>> a realised yogin, unwavering in his/her realisation of the absolute or Infinite.

I hope that helps.

Regards.

Prashna

Oh dear!

First, may I thank you for asking that at all. It is a truly humbling experience, because I cannot take you to the answer all the way. And there are others on this MB, like Bhavaniidasa and shankara108 against whom my meagre knowledge of Sanskrit pales into insignificance.

But I can take you part of the way.

Before I start, I have to state very clearly that no exact words or concepts in English correspond to these terms; ie exact translation is impossible. The best way is to take several English words all of which roughly correspond, and then find the best meaning in each context. For Sanskrit is highly context-sensitive.

Gnana, often transliterated as jnana, >>>n, Knowledge, awareness, consciousness. etc. in other words not requiring conscious effort. Yet sometimes it is used as a synonym for Vidya.

e.g the word ajnan = unconscious.

Vidya >>>n, learning, erudition, scholarship. in other words requiring conscious effort.

Prajna, >>> adj, a realised person.

stithaprajna >>> a realised yogin, unwavering in his/her realisation of the absolute or Infinite.

I hope that helps.

Regards.

Prashna

Hi Prashna 🙂

Good Day. Thank you for the reply. Much apprecited.

Kind Regards
Isa

As Prashna said, often these terms are used in a very specific, technical manner, and have to be understood as such. But in general, I would say:

vidya is frequently used to refer to 'general' knowledge.
jnana is more often used to refer to 'spiritual' knowledge.
prajna usually connotes 'wisdom'.

These are only very general observations though. I can think of many, many exceptions.
Best,
Shankar.

As Prashna said, often these terms are used in a very specific, technical manner, and have to be understood as such. But in general, I would say:

vidya is frequently used to refer to 'general' knowledge.
jnana is more often used to refer to 'spiritual' knowledge.
prajna usually connotes 'wisdom'.

These are only very general observations though. I can think of many, many exceptions.
Best,
Shankar.

Hi Shankara,

Once again, it's so very heartwarming to see you here again. May I wish you and your near and dear ones a very happy and fulfilling 2008. I hope you will post here in 2008 more frequently in 2008.

But even if that does not happen it's good to know that you are there somewhere in cyberspace...

As I wrote in message 42 of [url]this thread![/url]

Isha, if I am not about, is one who can answer your queries better than I can. Very useful to know...

Live long and prosper.

Incidentally I got an attempted translation into Sanskrit for someone completely unexpectedly. That she tried at all is a tribute to her very considerable talents. And an indication of my failings.

Still, this is the best I can do, off the cuff, applied to myself from her. Hence masculine forms used.

dhiirgham jiyah, aisharjyamay bhabo.

If you could refine it a bit, I would be grateful.

Live long and prosper.

Prashna

Hi Prashna,
Thank you for your kind words. The very best to you and those you love in 2008 also.

Regarding your query, why not say: jiiva ariita ca.

jiiva - as 3rd sing. imperative. To shout 'jiiva' is to shout 'live long' (the 'long' being implied).

ariita - this is a very unusual form, being the 3rd sg atmanepada root aorist optative from the root rdh 'to prosper'. The optative voice of the root aorist is essentially a precative or benedictive, meaning 'may you ...'

ca - as the conjunct 'and'.

I suppose ideally the two verbal forms ought to be in the same tense and mood so that they parallel each other. This would be poetically more pleasing.

I'll have a think about it.
Best,
Shankar.

Brilliant translation

Hi Prashna,

Regarding your query, why not say: jiiva ariita ca.

jiiva - as 3rd sing. imperative. To shout 'jiiva' is to shout 'live long' (the 'long' being implied).

ariita - this is a very unusual form, being the 3rd sg atmanepada root aorist optative from the root rdh 'to prosper'. The optative voice of the root aorist is essentially a precative or benedictive, meaning 'may you ...'

ca - as the conjunct 'and'.

I suppose ideally the two verbal forms ought to be in the same tense and mood so that they parallel each other. This would be poetically more pleasing.

I'll have a think about it.
Best,
Shankar.

Thank you, Shankara,

You've turned up trumps again.

jiiva ariita cha. indeed.

Lean and mean. Beautiful like a sutra, as only Sanskrit can be.

The first word; indeed, why add superfluous text.

Has anyone seen the Sun rise in the west?

Does anyone ever wish another to have a short life?

So succinct, so brilliant.

ariita, now that I shall have to take time over.

The use of Atmanepadii where a parasmaipadi would be the norm is nothing short of inspired.

cha I would say is more than the simple English word, 'and'

It's 'and' with attitude.

Not just and but and with emphasis.

Absolute gem.

Thank you, shankara.

Prashna

As Prashna said, often these terms are used in a very specific, technical manner, and have to be understood as such. But in general, I would say:

vidya is frequently used to refer to 'general' knowledge.
jnana is more often used to refer to 'spiritual' knowledge.
prajna usually connotes 'wisdom'.

These are only very general observations though. I can think of many, many exceptions.
Best,
Shankar.

Hi Shankara,

Firstly, Wish you and your dear ones a very Happy and most fulfilling New Year 🙂 Thank you so much for the reply. I agree that with your observations. If it is not inconvenient to you, could you please give some verses with regard to the exceptions. I am just eager to learn. :). Nice to know you.

Kind Regards
Isa

Hi Shankara, Bhavanidasa, Prashna 🙂

Needed some help with Sanskrit. I have only very very minimal knowledge of Sanskrit. I want to improve it really. It would be of great help, if any of you could suggest how to go about it.

Kind Regards
Isa 🙂

Namaste Isa,

Firstly, regarding the various words you quoted, and their exceptions, I would say:

1. Although vidya often refers to general knowledge, its opposite - avidya, is used in advaita texts in particular to mean ignorance in its most profound, (existential) sense. For it is this most serious misunderstanding regarding the real identification of the Self that results in (apparent) rebirth and suffering. Conversely, vidya - a real understanding/knowledge of one's identity, is liberating.

2. Similarly, jnana, often used in reference to such 'spiritual' knowledge (e.g. the Vedas are sometimes divided into two portions: karma-kanda, ie. those sections dealing with ritual, and jnana-kanda, being those sections dealing with sacred knowledge. Also, a person in possession of such spiritual knowledge is called a jnani - 'one who knows'), can also mean a more prosaic type of knowledge. The verb jna- 'to know' is widely used in this latter sense (e.g. tasya maam tanayaam jaaniita 'know me to be his daughter')

3. prajna is more or less stable in its meaning of 'wisdom'. It is formed from the above verbal root jna-, plus the prefix pra-. Simply put, this modifies the verb's primary meaning somewhat.

With regards learning Sanskrit, it is always best to study under a qualified teacher. If you are in India, this is relatively easy. If not, you could try looking for a university course/evening class near to you, though there usually aren't many. There are some 'teach yourself' type books, but unless you have a firm grip on languages (i.e. have studied several) you may find yourself getting very frustrated very quickly. Not to discourage you though!
Best
Shankar

Sanskrit self-study courses

Hi Shankara, Bhavanidasa, Prashna 🙂

Needed some help with Sanskrit. I have only very very minimal knowledge of Sanskrit. I want to improve it really. It would be of great help, if any of you could suggest how to go about it.

Kind Regards
Isa 🙂

Here it is:

[url]Online course 1[/url] - I like this one. Looks good. I shall be following this myself.

[url]Online course 2. [/url] - Seems more comprehensive. I shall follow this too.

[url]A lot of resources here.[/url]

Books - in English - I have the one by Michael Coulson revised by the Late Prof. Gombrich - Teach yourself Sanskrit - ISBN 0-340-56867-4

I had the good fortune to meet Prof Gombrich in Oxford, Seemed really dedicated, had married a charming Bengali Lady.

The book is very scholarly and might suit you. Doesn't suit me. I prefer the Bengali - Sanskrit books.

There are many books for Hindi speaking children to learn Sanskrit at primary, Middle and Secondary school level. Those might suit you better, since Hindi is your Mother tongue.

Good Luck.

Prashna

hi Isa, hi shankara, hi Prashna,
I've started studying Sanksrit recently -- about 6 years, but fairly intently.
The book I use most is MR Kale's Higher Sanksrit Grammar; it's very heavily based on Panini; although it's quite (?too) detailed, there are sometimes where it's better to look at Panini.
I have Chandra Vasu's translation and commentary on the Asthadhyayi. You wouldn't want to learn Sanskrit from the Asthadhyayayi -- it would be impossible to understand it at all, but after you know some Sanskrit then you can go through it with some advantage.

If you just want to learn the bare essentials, Macdonell's A Sanskrit Grammar for Students is quite tiny -- about the size of a notebook but, has everything to get started.
Another reasonable book is Whitney's Sanksrit Grammar; unfortunately it has a lot of Vedic material, which can make it confusing.

Unless you have book like Macdonell's or Whitney's or the one Prashna mentioned (Coulson's Teach Yourself Sanksrit) then Kale's Higher Sanksrit Grammar might seem a bit daunting, though I think it's the best if you're really serious (ie if you wanted to read the Ashtadhyayi).
European grammarians have a somewhat different way of looking at things than traditional shastris like Kale and Vasu.
Apart from Coulson's, all the books are about a hundred years old or more, and are peculiarly old fashioned in various ways.

If you want to look at some interlinear translations, then:
there's a word for word analysis of the Bhagavad Gita by Winthrop Sargeant;
a interlinear translation of the Twelve Principal Upanisads by Dr E Roer;
an interlinear translation of the 112 Upanishads by a Board of Scholars.

There's a selection of dictionaries at:

if you want to look atsome document repositories:

svasti vo .stu

Namaste Shankara 🙂

Thank you for the explanation.

There are some 'teach yourself' type books, but unless you have a firm grip on languages (i.e. have studied several) you may find yourself getting very frustrated very quickly. Not to discourage you though!
Best
Shankar

Do I need to know other Indian languages to be able to relate to Sanskrit in a better way? I had learnt a bit of Sanskrit in school and done some exams by Sanskrit Prasar Sabhas, which divide courses into Prathama(Basic things), Dwithiya, Thrithiya , Kavya(fairly advanced) modules and many more. Unfortunately I could only do the basic modules. It has been a long time since then, so I guess I will have to put in a lot of effort to get a grip of it. I look forward to your help and guidance in my endeavour.

Kind Regards
Isa 🙂

Here it is:

[url]Online course 1[/url] - I like this one. Looks good. I shall be following this myself.

[url]Online course 2. [/url]- Seems more comprehensive. I shall follow this too.

[url]A lot of resources here.[/url]

Books - in English - I have the one by Michael Coulson revised by the Late Prof. Gombrich - Teach yourself Sanskrit - ISBN 0-340-56867-4

I had the good fortune to meet Prof Gombrich in Oxford, Seemed really dedicated, had married a charming Bengali Lady.

The book is very scholarly and might suit you. Doesn't suit me. I prefer the Bengali - Sanskrit books.

There are many books for Hindi speaking children to learn Sanskrit at primary, Middle and Secondary school level. Those might suit you better, since Hindi is your Mother tongue.

Good Luck.

Prashna

Namaste Prashna 🙂

I went through the 1st link and it brought a smile to me. It reminded me of school.

I am still going through the other links.
Just out of interest, is it Prof. Richard Gombrich?

Kind Regards
Isa 🙂

hi Isa, hi shankara, hi Prashna,
I've started studying Sanksrit recently -- about 6 years, but fairly intently.
The book I use most is MR Kale's Higher Sanksrit Grammar; it's very heavily based on Panini; although it's quite (?too) detailed, there are sometimes where it's better to look at Panini.
I have Chandra Vasu's translation and commentary on the Asthadhyayi. You wouldn't want to learn Sanskrit from the Asthadhyayayi -- it would be impossible to understand it at all, but after you know some Sanskrit then you can go through it with some advantage.

If you just want to learn the bare essentials, Macdonell's A Sanskrit Grammar for Students is quite tiny -- about the size of a notebook but, has everything to get started.
Another reasonable book is Whitney's Sanksrit Grammar; unfortunately it has a lot of Vedic material, which can make it confusing.

Unless you have book like Macdonell's or Whitney's or the one Prashna mentioned (Coulson's Teach Yourself Sanksrit) then Kale's Higher Sanksrit Grammar might seem a bit daunting, though I think it's the best if you're really serious (ie if you wanted to read the Ashtadhyayi).
European grammarians have a somewhat different way of looking at things than traditional shastris like Kale and Vasu.
Apart from Coulson's, all the books are about a hundred years old or more, and are peculiarly old fashioned in various ways.

svasti vo .stu

Namasate Bhavaniidasa 🙂

Many thanks for the exhaustive information. Hopefully, I would be able to read Ashtadhyayi someday. I will try to get both books then: Coulson's or
Mcdonell's and Mr.Kale's Higher Sanskrit Grammar.

Thanks for all the help.

Kind Regards
Isa 🙂

Namaste Prashna 🙂

I went through the 1st link and it brought a smile to me. It reminded me of school.

I am still going through the other links.
Just out of interest, is it Prof. Richard Gombrich?

Kind Regards
Isa 🙂

It was indeed,

The late Prof. Richard Gombrich, Boden Professor of Sanskrit
at the University of Oxford.

His book may be worth getting for the best that a Westerner could do,
using the non-phonetic language of English.

However, books in Hindi are much better for you because with those you do not go
from the completely phonetic Debnagri script >>>
to the completely non-phonetic Roman script and
struggle in the process of transliteration.

Instead, you go directly from the completely phonetic Debnagri script >>>
to the almost phonetic Hindi script, which at least uses the same alphabet.

So you can read the words much better and interpret the sounds much more authentically.

The transliteration systems, however well developed, cannot possibly match the original sound.

jiiva ariita cha.