1/n
frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/wh…
Honestly, I am scratching my head here
After reading this twice, I am truly at a loss, vainly trying to parse the incoherent ramblings of this so-called संस्कृतानुरागी।
frontline.thehindu.com/cover-story/wh…
Honestly, I am scratching my head here
After reading this twice, I am truly at a loss, vainly trying to parse the incoherent ramblings of this so-called संस्कृतानुरागी।
2/n
Part rant, part rage and all polemic, this ‘English Professor’ turned researcher of ‘kutiyattam-the exotic keralan sanscrit théâtre’, seems horror stricken at the prospect of संस्कृतम् not only showing signs of life, but decidedly kicking from the grave....
Part rant, part rage and all polemic, this ‘English Professor’ turned researcher of ‘kutiyattam-the exotic keralan sanscrit théâtre’, seems horror stricken at the prospect of संस्कृतम् not only showing signs of life, but decidedly kicking from the grave....
3/n
.. contrary to all the solemn assurances given by the Burra Sahibs!
Le sanscrit n'est pas mort - the horror, the horror!
.. contrary to all the solemn assurances given by the Burra Sahibs!
Le sanscrit n'est pas mort - the horror, the horror!
4/n
To start with, it is claimed that the भारतीय plurality will be destroyed
In fact, if there is one language steam-rolling the plurality in India today, that must surely be English
The craze for English is riding rough-shod over all vernaculars making them mongrel tongues..
To start with, it is claimed that the भारतीय plurality will be destroyed
In fact, if there is one language steam-rolling the plurality in India today, that must surely be English
The craze for English is riding rough-shod over all vernaculars making them mongrel tongues..
5/n
..with nary a convent-educated soul capable of speaking a simple complete sentence in Kannada, Hindi or Tamizh
And the good professor is certainly part of the steam-rolling team.
So will the dear professor give up his ‘tainted’ livelihood then?
..with nary a convent-educated soul capable of speaking a simple complete sentence in Kannada, Hindi or Tamizh
And the good professor is certainly part of the steam-rolling team.
So will the dear professor give up his ‘tainted’ livelihood then?
6/n
Then, in a breathtaking piece of rhetorical maneuvering, he claims that Sanskrit being offered ‘along with other classical languages’ is ‘rather strident’
It MUST be pushed back into the grave , ...just-cannot-come-back-to-life....
Then, in a breathtaking piece of rhetorical maneuvering, he claims that Sanskrit being offered ‘along with other classical languages’ is ‘rather strident’
It MUST be pushed back into the grave , ...just-cannot-come-back-to-life....
7/n
Then comes the damning accusation that Sanskrit was the lingua franca of India’s ‘fabricated’ past
Never mind that all प्रादेशिक-भाषाः thrived along with संस्कृतम् for centuries, but hey! संस्कृतम् will definitely erase all plurality now
An amazing Sanscrit lover!
Then comes the damning accusation that Sanskrit was the lingua franca of India’s ‘fabricated’ past
Never mind that all प्रादेशिक-भाषाः thrived along with संस्कृतम् for centuries, but hey! संस्कृतम् will definitely erase all plurality now
An amazing Sanscrit lover!
8/n
Now the logical sleight of hand
Because of the *alleged exclusive* nature of the language in the past, we MUST surely block access to Sanskritam for everyone TODAY
Talk about the Biblical “visiting the sins of the forefathers upon the children” trope....
Now the logical sleight of hand
Because of the *alleged exclusive* nature of the language in the past, we MUST surely block access to Sanskritam for everyone TODAY
Talk about the Biblical “visiting the sins of the forefathers upon the children” trope....
9/n
....and also muddling-up logic on a cosmic scale
Surely if संस्कृतम् was inaccessible in the past, why not make it super accessible today ?
But no, I would rather keep stabbing it with my steely knife....
....and also muddling-up logic on a cosmic scale
Surely if संस्कृतम् was inaccessible in the past, why not make it super accessible today ?
But no, I would rather keep stabbing it with my steely knife....
10/n
Of course, the evil, malevolent language which incorporates Yoga - the work of the devil, will most certainly pull back all भारतीयाः back to pre-war Germany or Mussolini’s Italy
And I, the heroic English professor just cannot allow that to happen..noblesse oblige you see!
Of course, the evil, malevolent language which incorporates Yoga - the work of the devil, will most certainly pull back all भारतीयाः back to pre-war Germany or Mussolini’s Italy
And I, the heroic English professor just cannot allow that to happen..noblesse oblige you see!
11/n
So, aFter 3 paragraphs of spittle flying in all directions against the impudent subalterns daring to learn Samskritam, now comes the pièce de résistance
The author reveals the true nature, locus and praxis of the देवभाषा.
So, aFter 3 paragraphs of spittle flying in all directions against the impudent subalterns daring to learn Samskritam, now comes the pièce de résistance
The author reveals the true nature, locus and praxis of the देवभाषा.
12/n
The आग्ङ्ग्लमहानुभावः reveals that it’s actually within the ‘subversive subtexts of the Mahabharata’ or in the questioning of the ‘pile-up-debt-drink-ghee lokayata crowds’ or even in the ‘iconoclastic Bhasa’ that all of us can find the one-true-god of संस्कृतम्।
The आग्ङ्ग्लमहानुभावः reveals that it’s actually within the ‘subversive subtexts of the Mahabharata’ or in the questioning of the ‘pile-up-debt-drink-ghee lokayata crowds’ or even in the ‘iconoclastic Bhasa’ that all of us can find the one-true-god of संस्कृतम्।
13/n
हा बत!
How we were all misled for 1000 years!
हा बत!
How we were all misled for 1000 years!
14/n
Yes, the very iconoclast who starts off कर्णभारम् thusly
May Vishnu, the bearer of Lakshmi, bestow upon you wealth🙏🏼😁
नरमृगपतिवर्षमालोकनभ्रान्तनारी
नरदनुजसुपर्वव्रातपाताललोकः।
करजकुलिशपाली भिन्नदैत्येन्द्रवक्षाः
सुररिपु बलहन्ता श्रीधरोऽस्तु श्रिये वः ।
Yes, the very iconoclast who starts off कर्णभारम् thusly
May Vishnu, the bearer of Lakshmi, bestow upon you wealth🙏🏼😁
नरमृगपतिवर्षमालोकनभ्रान्तनारी
नरदनुजसुपर्वव्रातपाताललोकः।
करजकुलिशपाली भिन्नदैत्येन्द्रवक्षाः
सुररिपु बलहन्ता श्रीधरोऽस्तु श्रिये वः ।
15/n
So, the author claims संस्कृतपाण्डित्यम् within the context of Kutiyattam
Propounds his views on how संस्कृतम् should be regulated
BUT
grudges others the freedom to explore for themselves and find out the truth the भारतीय way - स्वाध्यायः।
So, the author claims संस्कृतपाण्डित्यम् within the context of Kutiyattam
Propounds his views on how संस्कृतम् should be regulated
BUT
grudges others the freedom to explore for themselves and find out the truth the भारतीय way - स्वाध्यायः।
16/n
Reminds me of something good ol’ Shakespeare would’ve probably written in this context
“After all he came to praise संस्कृतम्, not to bury it “😂
शुभमस्तु। 🙏🏼
Reminds me of something good ol’ Shakespeare would’ve probably written in this context
“After all he came to praise संस्कृतम्, not to bury it “😂
शुभमस्तु। 🙏🏼
