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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
  
Location: A Blue State |
Hello Brother Neel!
17 hours!!? That's quite a bit of time and thought you've put into this.
I will have to think about whether I can afford the price, however, which
is not inexpensive for me. I am puzzled about the format you mention,
(video CD). Did you do this using mpegs on CD?
Bay Guy |
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| Dear Brother Guy:
This is the recording of Lectures I was asked to give on Patanjali Yoga Sutras, as a part of Teacher Training at one school, but also was open to others. There were 4 sessions and they took around 17 hours to complete. Each video CD is 1 hour approx, and it can be viewed on a computer or on a DVD player. Yes, I think the actually files shall be mpeg.
Regards
neel kulkarni |
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| Brother Bay Guy,
I have found several benefits to studying the Sutras in Sanskrit with a good transliteration. One is that pronouncing the Sanskrit words seems to be activating points on the roof of the mouth and tongue. This helps with the Mantric Yoga.
Another is that when looking at the various definitions of each word, there can be several meanings. This makes the study more enriching, exiciting, and mysterious altogether. It leaves less room for precision and more room for speculation making it a broader practice for many people. This can in and of itself compel one to more compassion. When having more compassion, Ahimsa becomes natural and effortless.
So by studying the Sutras in Sanskrit and looking closely at the transliteration and translation, you have a greater ability to transform the intellectual understanding into practice.
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| Dear Dreamerge:
Please do not take my comments offesively, because I may have understood you wrongly what you meant (I am only assuming what I see you wrote) and I do not know your background:
I have found several benefits to studying the Sutras in Sanskrit with a good transliteration.
===> What does studying in Sanskrit mean? And, what does 'with transliteration' mean? I thought transliteration tells how to pronounce, and does not help any further understanding of sutras.
One is that pronouncing the Sanskrit words seems to be activating points on the roof of the mouth and tongue. This helps with the Mantric Yoga.
===> Wrong. Sutras are NOT really mantras as such. They can be respected as much as Mantras, but the real reason of sutras is to condense understanding in short space for memorization. Of course, the way you chant will have association with memorization as well as with the correctness of pronunciation in Sanskrit. Correct pronunciation in Sanskrit itself is beneficial.
Another is that when looking at the various definitions of each word, there can be several meanings. This makes the study more enriching, exiciting, and mysterious altogether. It leaves less room for precision and more room for speculation making it a broader practice for many people. This can in and of itself compel one to more compassion. When having more compassion, Ahimsa becomes natural and effortless.
===> Wrong. Sutras are written with precision in mind and not for coming up with exciting different meanings of words. For example: in Bhagavadgita, the word Yoga is used several times. At each place its meaning is different, but it is precise at that point. So, when one is talking about Karmayoga, the meaning can be ONLY karmayoga, NOT bhaktiyoga. In the entire Yogasutras, the Yoga means ChittaVrittinNirodha as given in the second Sutra. NOT whatever a person thinks, even though it sounds to make sense. And, allowing many meanings and viewpoints in case of Sutras meaning, is NOT an act of ahimsa.
So by studying the Sutras in Sanskrit and looking closely at the transliteration and translation, you have a greater ability to transform the intellectual understanding into practice.
Best Wishes
Neel Kulkarni
www.authenticyoga.org |
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| Dear Neel,
No offense taken, in fact gratitude is expressed when the intent is to further my own and other people's understanding of the Sutras.
Transliterate to me means the closest corresponding letters to a given language or alphabet. So yes, it does tell how to pronounce with the definition I was using.
I believe there is a misunderstanding of what I was trying to convey and what you read. That is perhaps my fault for not being able to articulate my thoughts as well as you can with this subject.
I agree with you about the Sutras not being Mantras but being respected as such. I think you put that very well and it makes a lot of sense. That is pretty close to what I was getting at, you just said it better.
I understand that the Sutras have been written at the time with precision in mind. That is something that is important for me as a student to long for, the attainment and understanding of that original precision. I do not believe that the Sutras can mean anything a person thinks for that would deviate from the original purpose. I do, however, believe that when something is translated into another language, when multiple translations are available, it is important to have the ability to see the word for word translation with that text.
Best Wishes
Dreamerge |
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| Thanks Dreamerge. I wish you all the best.
Neel Kulkarni
www.authenticyoga.org |
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| Namaste
Of course, the most important thing is to read the translation and understanding it. But, since translating the Sutras is problematic it is very helpful if you read the Sanskrit two. The bible was mentioned:
As someone who speaks Hebrew I can tell you that if you want to REALY read the bible you have to read it in Hebrew. But it’s not impossible to read a translation of the bible to English and get the right perspective.
If you can’t read the sutras in Sanskrit I recommend that you’ll read more then one translation of the sutras and try to compare them. This can be very helpful.
There is also the common opinion that reading scriptures such as the Vedas out loud in Sanskrit create some sort of mystical vibe that fix the readers consciousness in a certain way that helps our practice, sort of like a Mantra.
http://howtomeditate.tripod.com |
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| Comments on above (Kumar):
Sutras are not Vedas. Vedas which create effects due to Sound are called: samhita and are supposed to be chanted ONLY. brahmanas in Vedas explain Samhitas in textual form.
Comparing various translations will not benefit. It might actually confuse. Now, Sanskrit can only be understood by a Sanskrit knowledgeable. If one does not know Sanskrit, sutras are not going to be understood in Sanskrit.
The Sanskrit and Terminology of Sutras has to be known from who knows Vedantic Philosophy well.
However, from all above, I can accept that even WRONG or incomplete understanding of sutras is advisable. It gives some understanding of the Science of Yoga and are extremely inspiring. Also, it gives a clear idea of how much mental knowledge existed at 300 B.C. which is still not touched by the Psychology.
Neel Kulkarni
www.authenticyoga.org |
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Expert Yogi
Posts: 2479
Location: A Blue State | It can really bring you up short to realize how much of what was written
2000 or 3000 years ago is directly applicable to what we all do today.
I read a nice translation of the Illiad a few years ago (Richard Lattimore's
translation, I think). It was all about power, and people meeting and posturing
and negotiating. The whole thing sounded exactly like meetings that I'm in all
the time. It was written in 1000 BCE.
Our technology has changed quite a bit over the centuries, but on some levels
we have not changed at all....and so course the old texts can be quite relevant
today.
Edited by Bay Guy 2005-10-13 10:06 PM
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| thanks for that BG. Only technology changed without changing the hearts!!!
Neel Kulkarni
www.authenticyoga.org |
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| A bit off topic:
I know that scriptures such as Puranas, Bhagavad-Gita and Upanishads are sometimes chanted for the effect of spiritual vibe. Are these scriptures considered Samhitas?
http://howtomeditate.tripod.com |
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| No dear Kumar:
Puranas, Upanishads and BG (which is the summary of all Upanishads, and is itself an Upanishad called Geetopanishad), come under Vedanta. Yes, their chanting also gives spiritual benefits. Samhita is ONLY part of vedas.
However, what I said before is:
Vedas have two parts: one for chanting, other explanation.
Samhita is Mainly for Chanting only.
Chanting does NOT mean Samhita.
Another example: The Mahamantra of Vaishnas (hare krishna....) is meant for Chanting and shall give every possible thing. But, that is NOT Vedas and also NOT samhita.
Neel Kulkarni
www.authenticyoga.org |
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Yoga Sutra Study
