Dear all,
Just remembered something interesting about the "LAMP" on which vichu had written a piece. The Tamil word for lamp is VILAKKU.The same word is used as a verb to describe what the vilakku does,which is to clarify or to throw light on or to enlighten .I cannot recall right now other similar words but it is not uncommon in our regional languages to use the same word as noun and verb. Not exactly as an extension of the above but "KADAVUL"(God) stands for "Kada"(stay put) and "Vul"(inside).In a manner of understanding Kadavul(God)is one that stays at rest inside everyone.
"Swasth" in sanskrit means healthy.The etymology is "stah"(seated) in "swa"(in oneself).So to be healthy is to stay in the quite of your own being. The manner in which words are constructed in sanskrit to give the most fundamental meaning is astounding. Sanskrit is Samyak+Kritam which means Well Done. And again the sanskrit word for "the end" is SAMAPTHAM which means "Well obtained".Samaptham therefore presumes that the message or the moral of any narration is absorbed well.
I am deciding to share with all of you interesting examples as above as they come to my mind.
Love
Gulpa
Since Samskrit is so well done, that some times when we try and get to the root of a partcular word or phrase, we land up realising that a particular usage, is extremely inappropriate.
ReplyDeleteFor instance, the usage "katha kalashepam" or for that matter "hari katha kalkshepam" are used for discourses on scriptures/puranas, the latter being a musical one, which had come into vogue later probably to add to entertainment value.
The word Kalakshepam actually means "time pass, whiling away time" etc; which would mean that the katha kalakshepam far from being one to enable you to hear Hari's katha, and elevate you, is reduced to just a way to kill time, and enjoy as a pure entertainment.
Probably, the phrase has come to stay, after people started giving undue(?) importance to music, and less and less to bhakthi part in any harikatha.
Fortunately the vedanta discourses have not been yet referred to "upanishad kalakshepam", though sadly it is taking such hues with today's discernng and intelligent, generation.
Any similar inapt phrases? Think it over.....
Love
Vichu