treasure troves of knowledge

Motilal Banarsidas, Mumbai, publish many Sanskrit books.

But the textbooks in Ordinary level Sanskrit are too ordinary and oft repeated,, and no publisher ventures to introduce any new edition..

A book will be published only if there are buyers..

And for PG and Doctoral Studies people depend on libraries..

They say there is a very good library for Sanskrit in the Patashala High School, Chittur, but I read in a newspaper that the valuable books are facing destruction for want of proper preservation.

The University Library Trivandrum is a treasure house.

In Chennai, Connemara, Kuppusamy Sastrigal etc. libraries are very valuable.

However, no one is interested much in reading. People just read the back cover of a book, or a recorded upanyasam and then simply reel out their self-assumed wealth of knowledge, as if they are Vyasa, Brihaspati, Bharadwaja, Manu, Valmiki all bundled together..

Gita Press is doing great service in furthering the cause of Sanskrit language.

. More worthy of great reverence and praise is that the

Maha Sannidhanam of Sringeri Bharathiteertha SwaminaH

is a great Scholar in Sanskrit and he conducts Vidvat Sadas and Durbars, and honours great scholars.

Sometimes even the greatest scholar shrinks before the light of knowledge of our great Guru

Knowledge is in understanding.. Not in copying and pasting.

In our formative years, about thirty years ago,we were struggling for references and quotes, books and articles, on any subject.. in our pursuit of knowledge..

There were people who would go to any extent to lay their hands on authentic materials..

They would travel, they would spend hard earned money and others resources, and some may even steal books or materials.. Some might even cheat people while taking away reference materials from them.. especially when the one who did have it had little idea about its value and antiquity..

But internet and storage in world wide web has revolutionized our modes of acquisition of knowledge..

No materials is unreachable for anyone, if he has an internet connection..

But now the problem is that people expect everything at fingertips, everything to be spoon fed to them.. Some just copy from the web without knowing what they are doing..

It is impossible to read and digest even one millionth of what we get from internet..

But if we try to understand even that tiny part, we, the ordinary men would be far more learned that many of the most learned scholars of yonder years..

From oral rendering and memorizing we tried with books or crude writing materials with very crude recording techniques.. Then the paper and printing were discovered and our horizons of knowledge widened substantially..

But now the width of that horizon is just infinity.. Can we, are we really, making use of that effectively?

Knowledge is in understanding.. Not in copying and pasting.. and forwarding messages..

World books day..

Today is World books day..

Love and more love to my dearest friends, the Books..

I am what I am, I am somewhat sane, just because of you..my books

from the little Malayalam magazines like Chilampoli which I read as a boy of five year.. and the stotra books of RS Vadhyar.. ln Malayalam..like Laghustotra Ratanakaram recited daily as a little boy.. then their Vishnu Sahasrnamam.. and innumerable books..

Books on Physics and Chemistry

Books on taxation and law.. specially the Income Tax Act, 1961 and the Incometax Rules 1962, other acts, budgets, finance bills and acts.. they were my holy granthas for about forty years..

The epics and puranams.. first in Malayalam of Tamil.. then parts in Sanskrit.. the books on Ramayanam and Mahabharatham by Rajaji,

Many novels in Malalyalam. Tamil, English..

The journey is long.. and continues..

Now there are not many printed books.. we read from PCs and Tablets.. that is a boon and a bane too..

Boon because of easy accessibility and easy storage.

But then we cannot feel the touch, we cannot enjoy the aroma of print ink on paper..

but still I read some periodicals like Readers Digest or Frontline.. and of course a couple of newspapers..

And Dharmavani and Shrutivani.

The journey goes on..

Cannot sleep without reading about hundred pages of printed matter.. even today.. though it gives strain to the eye after sixty..

But then, a book is sweet, it is sweetness incarnate, whatever be its contents..

Someone said of Kadambari..the classic poetry in prose by the Sankrit master Banabatta..

कादंबरी रसज्ञानां आहारोऽपि न रोचते..

kaadambaree rasajnaanaam aaharopi na rochate

meaning

those who are tasting Kadambari will never have appetite even for gourmet food..

( Incidentally Kadambari also is the name of an intoxicating drink) ..

But for a lover of books I would say.. nothing would taste nice except printed words..

For a genuine lover of word, there is no difference between the word he reads the world he lives in..

Long live my dear friends.. My dear books..

I remember an old post.. where I talked about the anxieties of a book..

Worth a repost..

The book tells its owner

तैलाद् रक्षेत् जलाद् रक्षेत् रक्षेत् शिथिल बन्धनात्।

मूर्खहस्ते न दातव्यं एवं वदति पुस्तकम्॥

tailād rakṣet jalād rakṣet rakṣet śithila bandhanāt|

mūrkhahaste na dātavyaṁ evaṁ vadati pustakam||

तैलाद् रक्षेत् protect from oil

जलाद् रक्षेत् protect from water

शिथिल बन्धनात् weak or soiled stitches रक्षेत् protect

मूर्खहस्ते न दातव्यं should not be handled by a ruffian or idiot |

पुस्तकम् एवं वदति the book says so..

# The book tells its owner

**** Please save me by keeping away from oil

**** Please save me by keeping away from water

**** Please save me by mending the torn and dislodged stitches

And

**** Please, Never, never, hand me over to a ruffian and an idiot..

I love my books.. and the love is unconditional.

regards..

k v ananthanarayanan

the prayer of a book

तैलाद् रक्षेत् जलाद् रक्षेत् रक्षेत् शिथिल बन्धनात्।

मूर्खहस्ते न दातव्यं एवं वदति पुस्तकम्॥

tailād rakṣet jalād rakṣet rakṣet śithila bandhanāt|

mūrkhahaste na dātavyaṁ evaṁ vadati pustakam||

A great reminder for lovers of book and lovers of knowledge too, The books contain the accumulated knowledge of many generations of humanity.. Of course, the paper, ink, printing machine and such recording techniques were invented only a few centuries ago. Before that for some time words and letters were recorded in palm leaves, tablets, papyrus rolls and all. Earlier to that, the knowledge composed in words and sentences were imparted by teachers to disciples orally, and the disciple recited such advices repeatedly and memorized them too.. Great works like Vedas were maintained in their pristine purity and transmitted from generation to generation.. because the rules of pronunciation, the rules of intonation and the rules of the languages in general were very accurate'

However, the appearance of printed books brought in an unprecedented revolution in the field of knowledge.

The technology of printing and creation of books has been improving by leaps and bounds over the past few centuries.

And with the advent of storage of data and images in digital storage spaces appear to have revolutionized the field of transmission and imparting of knowledge especially during the past three or four decades

The fascination for printed volumes is still very prominent among us.. And in spite of all the digitalized reading appliances, we choose some books for study and preservation.. 

The slokam given is about the printed volume. 

The book tells its owner

Please save me by keeping away from oil

Please save me by keeping away from water

Please save me by mending the torn and dislodged stitches

And

Please, Never, never, hand me over to a ruffian and an idiot..

The paper would get damaged and the printed words would be obliterated when the book comes into contact with oil. Similar damage happens when the book is drenched too

And when the book is in constant use and has many years of existence, the stitches that bind the pages get cut or frayed.. The pages come apart and the utility of the book suffers.

More than all these, if the book is given to a ruffian who has no inclination for reading and who has no particular affinity for knowledge too, the book would be handled callously, it may suffer damage and the leaves might be torn and used for packing or such purposes.. 

So the prayer of a book is that it should be protechted from one and all of the above four threats.

तैलाद् रक्षेत् protect from oil

जलाद् रक्षेत् protect from water

शिथिल बन्धनात् weak or soiled stitches रक्षेत् protect

मूर्खहस्ते न दातव्यं should not be handled by a ruffian or idiot |

पुस्तकम् एवं वदति the book says so..

തൈലാദ് രക്ഷേത് ജലാദ് രക്ഷേത് രക്ഷേത് ശിഥില ബന്ധനാത്|

മൂര്ഖഹസ്തേ ന ദാതവ്യം ഏവം വദതി പുസ്തകം||

തൈലാദ് രക്ഷേത് ജലാദ് രക്ഷേത് രക്ഷേത് ശിഥില ബന്ധനാത്|

മൂര്‍ഖഹസ്തേ ന ദാതവ്യം ഏവം വദതി പുസ്തകം||

പുസ്തകങ്ങളുടെയും വിദ്യാഭ്യാസത്തിന്റെയും തീവ്ര സ്നേഹികള്‍ക്ക് ഒരു അതിപ്രധാനമായ ഓര്‍മ്മപ്പെടുത്തല്‍ .

പുസ്തകങ്ങള്‍ നമുക്ക് മുന്നേ കടന്നുപോയ വളരെയധികം തലമുറകള്‍ സമ്പാദിച്ചുകൂട്ടിയ അറിവിന്‍റെ ആകത്തുകയുടെ സന്ച്ചയങ്ങള്‍ ആണ്. കടലാസും അച്ചടിയും മഷിയും അച്ചടിയന്ത്രവും അതുപോലെയുള്ള ആധുനിക സംവിധാനങ്ങളും എല്ലാം കണ്ടുപിടിച്ചിട്ട് നാലോ അഞ്ചോ നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകളെ കഴിഞ്ഞിട്ടുണ്ടാവൂ. 

അതിനു മുമ്പ് വാകുകളിലും വാക്യങ്ങളിലും സ്വരൂപിച്ച അറിവ് താളിയോലകളിലും, ശിലാലിഖിതങ്ങളിലും പാപ്പിറസ് ചുരുളുകളിലും എല്ലാം ആലേഖനം ചെയ്യപ്പെട്ടിരുന്നു. 

അതിനും മുമ്പുള്ള കാലങ്ങളില്‍ ആ അറിവ് ഗുരു ശിഷ്യന്നു വാക്കുകളായി പറഞ്ഞു കൊടുക്കുകയും ശിഷ്യന്‍ അത് ശ്രവിച്ചു ഉരുവിട്ട് പഠിക്കുകയും ചെയ്തിരുന്നു . 

നമ്മുടെ വേദങ്ങള്‍ പോലെയുള്ള മഹത്തായ കൃതികള്‍ അവയുടെ ഒരിക്കലും മങ്ങലേല്‍ക്കാത്ത പരിശുദ്ധിയോടെ ഉരുവിട്ടും ശ്രവിച്ചും എത്രയോ തലമുറകള്‍ കൈമാറപ്പെട്ടു. വേദങ്ങളുടെ ഈ കൃത്യതക്കും പരിശുദ്ധിക്കും കാരണം അവയുടെ ഉച്ചാരണത്തിലും വാക്യവിസ്താരത്തിലും നമ്മുടെ പൂര്‍വ്വികര്‍ അനുവര്‍ത്തിച്ചിരുന്ന കൃത്യതയും വിശ്വസ്തതയും ആണ്

എങ്കിലും അച്ചടിക്കപ്പെട്ട പുസ്തകങ്ങളുടെ ആവിര്‍ഭാവം അറിവിന്‍റെ ചക്രവാളത്തില്‍ അതുവരെയില്ലാത്ത വിപ്ലവകരമായ പുരോഗതി ഉണ്ടാക്കി. 

പുസ്തകങ്ങളുടെ അച്ചടിയിലും പ്രസിദ്ധീകരണത്തിലും നമ്മുടെ സമൂഹത്തില്‍ കടന്ന നാലോ അഞ്ചോ നൂറ്റാണ്ടുകളിലായി തുടര്‍ച്ചയായ ആധുനിക പ്രവണതകള്‍ ഉടലെടുത്തു. 

അത് മനുഷ്യരാശിയുടെ അറിവിന്റെ മേഖലകള്‍ വികസിപ്പിച്ചുകൊണ്ടേയിരിക്കുന്നു. 

കഴിഞ്ഞ നാലോ അഞ്ചോ പതിറ്റാണ്ടുകളില്‍ വാക്കുകളും അറിവും എല്ലാം ഇലക്ട്രോണിക് സ്റ്റോറേജുകളില്‍ ശേഖരിച്ചു വയ്ക്കുവാനും കംപ്യുടര്‍ പോലുള്ള ഉപകരങ്ങളുടെ സഹായത്തോടെ വായിക്കുവാനും എഴുതുവാനും എല്ലാം നാം പഠിച്ചു.

ഇന്റര്‍നെറ്റ്‌ വഴി ആ അറിവുകള്‍ നിമിഷങ്ങള്‍ക്കകം ലോകത്തിന്‍റെ വിദൂരകോണുകളിലും എത്തിക്കുവാനും നമുക്ക് കഴിയും

എങ്കിലും അച്ചടിമഷിപുരണ്ട പുസ്തകങ്ങള്‍ സ്വന്തമാക്കുവാനും അവ സൌകര്യപൂര്‍വ്വം വായിക്കുവാനുമുള്ള നമ്മുടെ ത്വരക്ക് ഇന്നും വലിയ കോട്ടമൊന്നും തട്ടിയിട്ടില്ല. എത്ര ഡിജിറ്റല്‍ സൌകര്യങ്ങള്‍ വന്നാലും ചില പുസ്തകങ്ങള്‍ നാം നമ്മുടെ അലമാരികളില്‍ അടുക്കിവയ്ക്കുക തന്നെ ചെയ്യും. 

മുകളില്‍ ഉദ്ധരിച്ച ശ്ലോകം കടലാസില്‍ അച്ചടിച്ച പുസ്തകത്തെക്കുറിച്ചാണ്

അര്‍ത്ഥം 

പുസ്തകം അതിന്റെ ഉടമസ്ഥനോട് അപേക്ഷിക്കുന്നു

എന്നെ എണ്ണയില്‍ നിന്നും രക്ഷിക്കുക

എന്നെ ജലത്തില്‍ നിന്നും രക്ഷിക്കുക 

എന്റെ താളുകളെ ചേര്‍തുനിര്‍ത്തുന്ന നൂലുകള്‍ പൊട്ടിപ്പോകാതെ സംരക്ഷിക്കുക. 

പിന്നെ അറിവും വകതിരിവുമില്ലാത്ത ഓരു വിഡ്ഢിക്കു ഒരിക്കലും എന്നെ കൈമാറരുതേ

എണ്ണതട്ടിയാലോ വെള്ളത്തില്‍ കുതിര്‍ന്നാലോ പിന്നെ പുസ്തകത്തിന്‌ ഒരു നിലനില്‍പ്പും ഇല്ല. ഏറെക്കാലം ഉപയോഗിക്കുന്ന പുസ്തകങ്ങളുടെ നൂല്‍ക്കെട്ടുകള്‍ ദ്രവിച്ചു പോട്ടിപ്പോവുന്നത് സ്വാഭാവികമാണ്. ഇടക്കിടെ താളുകള്‍ കൂട്ടിത്തുന്നി പുസ്തകങ്ങളെ നല്ലവണ്ണം സൂക്ഷിക്കണം. പരിപാലിക്കണം. 

ഇതിനുമെല്ലാമേറെ ഒരു പുസ്തകം വായിക്കാനുള്ള താല്‍പര്യവു തീരെ ഇല്ലാത്ത ഒരു വിഡ്ഢിയുടെ കൈയില്‍ എത്തിച്ചേര്‍ന്നാല്‍ അതുപോലെ ദൌഭാഗ്യം വേറൊന്നും ഇല്ല. അയാള്‍ പുസ്തകത്തെ അവഗണിക്കും.. ക്രൂരതയോടെ വലിച്ചു കീറും. താളുകള്‍ ഒരുപക്ഷെ അങ്ങാടി സാധനങ്ങള്‍ പൊതിഞ്ഞു കൊടുക്കാന്‍ ഉപയോഗിച്ച് എന്നും വരും.

അതുകൊണ്ടാണ് പുസ്തകം സ്വന്തം രക്ഷക്കായി ഇങ്ങനെ അപേക്ഷിക്കുന്നത്.

books should live for ever

books should live for ever

No books, either toeing the lines of those who are in power today or those which are branded as tainted or distorted by many ,, should ever be destroyed..

We should never forget that there is always room for more than one view in any matter, and the dissident strains always air the alternate views.. and decency and democratic ethos make it inevitable that records of unpalatable views or happenings should be kept in tact..

If the present dispensation feels that the past thinking was wrong, they have the choice to express their views and convince the people..

The Indian system of Philosophy always took note of this idea.. 

While articulately putting down an old idea, the scholar never hesitated to state what the old idea was..

In the High Courts and the Apex Court, cases are decided after hearing both sides, one side staunchly opposing the other one.. 

However the arguments of both the litigants are taken on record, discussed in detail even in the speaking order, and then the decision is given in favour of one of the litigants. 

The dissenting notes of any of the judges who are in the minority are also made part of the judgment.. 

And if a constitutional bench of the Apex Court finally decides an issue against the verdict of a division bench, it does not follow that the papers relating to the decision of the Division bench are destroyed or blacked out..

May sanity prevail.

Reading.....

Reading.....

To read something to understand what is conveyed or what is intended to be conveyed.. just for understanding and enjoyment and without any necessity to analyse or interpret to an audience, and without dancing to their fancy.. is much more comfortable than reading with a hawk's eye always intent on finding fault and with the sole aim to coin, and write some sarcastic or sour remark and waiting for the reaction or "review" s..

However, sensible reading takes a lot of training and discipline.. we just grow into it..
True, in the process of graduation, we may spend a few nights in the wayside inn of "reading for the audience". But that is merely a temporary phase,


Like listening to music or enjoying a work of art, reading can be sheer pleasure..
We get transposed to the world of the author, laughing, crying and even dancing with him, as he interacts us through the printed words.. And that is an experience.. sublime, for a lover of words.. almost on par with realization of the Supreme.

As we read on, at once stage we would become conscious of the style or lack of it in the writing..

But we progress further into a stage where grammar and syntax would hardly matter.. We just resonate in sync with the ideas and emotions conveyed by the author..

And then we read a book from its flyleaf to the last page...
without caring for time or space..
and can shed tears of ecstasy for having shared with the author those unearthly moments
and also tears of agony that the book has reached its end.. .

Maybe, such things happen rarely in one's life, one's reading life..

You will get what is meant for you

You will get what is meant for you.

A story by Vishnu Sharma in Panchatantram

There lived in a town a businessman named Sagaradatta. His son was never bright in any way, and the fellow was his father’s perennial anxiety. One day the businessman gave some gold coins to the son for starting a business. The junior business magnate, as if he were a scholar, purchased a book for the entire sum. It was just written in that book. "A man will get what is ordained as his due. Even gods cannot prevent the man from acquiring that. So I am neither sad, nor surprised. Whatever is my due, will come to me, and no one can take it away from me'. The enraged father on seeing the youth bringing a book instead of some profit, called him nice names like Idiot and drove him away from his household.

The youth left his home and his town with a heavy heart and reached a metropolis. There someone asked him his name. "You will get what is meant for you." Was the reply. 

This was his stock reply to all who cared to talk to him.

Things were happening in the city. One day the princess of the ruler of the city was doing the rounds in the city on a festive occasion. It so happened that a handsome prince came that way, and for the princess it was love at first sight. She sent her maid to the prince to fix up a meeting for the two. The prince was at a loss as to how to enter the harem of the princess. The maid assured that she would leave a long sturdy rope tied to the top of the building and the prince could enter climbing up that rope. The prince agreed, and the princess was duly informed. 

Meanwhile the prince had second thoughts. " It is a heinous sin to enter the harem of a friend's daughter, a friends wife, a preceptor's wife, the master's wife, or the wife of the servant… it is equivalent to killing a Brahmin. Why should I commit such a sin and confine myself to sure hell for ever? " So he simply did not come at the appointed time.

Our hero, the son of the businessman was wandering in the streets aimlessly and saw a rope dangling from the royal citadel. Curious, he climbed up the rope and landed up in the Princesses bedroom. She mistook the youth for her lover and extended him all hospitality. They occupied the royal bed also. She was repeatedly asking the silent youth why he was not talking at all. He simply replied. "You will get what is meant for you." The princess then realized that it was not her lover with whom she had spent that night. Angry to the bone, she simply drove him away.

The desolate youth went and sat near a dilapidated temple. Before long, a city police constable came to the temple. The latter had arranged for a rendezvous with a prostitute on that spot at that time and the lady was about to reach soon. He asked, "Who are you?"

"You will get what is meant for you." Was the reply.

To save the situation, the policeman told him. "The temple is deserted. I will show you my house. You can go there and spend the night there. My cot is prepared there for sleep. You can occupy that." The youth obliged readily. He did not know which cot belonged to the policeman and when he entered the cot the policeman's young daughter received him eagerly. In fact, she was expecting her lover to visit her at that time. The darkness of the night did its curious tricks. Finally the girl asked, "Why are you not talking anything to me?"

Again came the reply ""You will get what is meant for you." 

Once more, the switching of identity was revealed and the youth was driven away.

By then it was morning, and walking along the street, the youth came across a marriage procession. He followed the procession which led to the house of a very rich merchant of the city. It was the time for marriage of the daughter of the businessman. Right on the moment, a huge rogue elephant got its rut and started running helter-skelter. All the people including the bridegroom and the parents of the bride ran for their lives. The bride could not run. Our youth was also standing there gaping at the elephant, not knowing what to do. Finally, seeing the girl in utter terror, he held her hands tight and told her," Do not fear, I shall protect you". 

Then he shouted at the elephant to calm down and go away. For reasons best known only to god, the elephant calmed down and walked away. 

People returned and tried to resume the ceremony. But the bride would not accept anybody other than her saviour from the rogue elephant as her husband. Hence, though reluctantly, the marriage between our youth and the daughter of the businessman was consummated. 

The next day the youth with his new bride and retinue and gifts following in plenty, reached his father's house. The father was overjoyed. 

Meanwhile the ruler of the place had heard about what had happened to his daughter and he also came in search of the youth and after hearing the whole episode, gave her hands in marriage to the youth. The Policeman was also not lagging behind far. 

So the lucky youth got three wives and huge wealth just because he followed the dictum.

"You will get what is meant for you."