Jyotiṣārṇava

In a certain kingdom, there resided a brāhmaṇa who possessed extensive knowledge of the śāstras. One day, while he was engaged in performing a puja at a temple, the king summoned him to the palace. The brāhmaṇa was unable to arrive punctually due to his engagement in rituals that must be completed without interruption. This delay incited the king's wrath, leading him to publicly insult the esteemed brāhmaṇa in front of the entire court. The brāhmaṇa resolved to depart from the kingdom, pledging to return solely upon the king's removal from power. In the ensuing years, the king, driven by the apprehension of potential threats, continued to extend his dominion by conquering the smaller kingdoms. Unbeknownst to him, his enemies were within his palace. One night, as the king slept, he and his family were thrown into the dungeons by his own commander. Usurped from his throne, the king's own words led to his tragic downfall. Once spoken, words cannot be retracted. In the era of s...

Can Translations Be Done Using AI? Complexities & Problems In Using AI. Artificial Intelligence has become exceptionally popular today because of the many benefits it offers. It performs tasks within seconds, saving a significant amount of time, and is capable of scanning vast amounts of information on the internet to provide detailed insights; something that would take an ordinary person several days to accomplish. Although AI can mimic certain human actions and reasoning patterns, it remains artificial intelligence. It is not entirely error-free and carries several limitations that must be considered before relying on it. For instance, while translating Sanskrit texts into English, AI often makes mistakes in sandhi-vigraha and samāsa-vigraha, which are crucial for producing accurate translations. Even a small error in vigraha can alter the meaning of a sentence, leading to incorrect interpretations. Moreover, Sanskrit grammar is vast, and its literature is like an endless ocean f...

Bhartṛharī's Nītiśatakam. Part 2. बोद्धारो मत्सरग्रस्ताः प्रभवः स्मयदूषिताः । अबोधोपहताश्चान्ये जीर्णमङ्गे सुभाषितम् ॥ boddhāro matsaragrastāḥ prabhavaḥ smayadūṣitāḥ | abodhopahatāścānye jīrṇamaṅge subhāṣitam || [The knowledgeable are afflicted by envy; the rulers are spoiled by arrogance; and others are stricken by ignorance. Therefore, the beautiful saying is dissolved within the body itself.] The knowledgeable people (scholars) are afflicted by envy. The rulers (those in power) have become arrogant. Other common people are afflicted by ignorance. In such a situation, who should one tell this to? With this helpless thought, the beautiful saying that had reached the lips of the poet, dissolved within the body itself (just where it was). Mahāraja Bhartṛharī began the Vāgyajña (literary sacrifice) of narrating beautiful sayings in the form of the Nītiśatakam. But, whom should he tell this to? There are three types of people in society: the knowledgeable, the rulers, and the common p...

दिक्कालाद्यनवच्छिन्नानन्तचिन्मात्रमूर्तये । स्वानुभूत्येकनामाय नमः शान्ताय तेजसे ॥ Dikkālādyanavacchinnānantacinmātramūrtaye | Svānubhūtyekamānāya namaḥ śāntāya tejase || [Salutations to the peaceful, radiant, Supreme Brahman, whose form is unlimited, indivisible, and pure consciousness; who is not confined by directions, time, or other limits; and for whom self-realization is the only measure (proof).] {Nītiśatakam Verse 1} This verse serves as the traditional Maṅgaḷācaraṇa at the beginning of the Nītīśatakam authored by Mahākavī Bhartṛharī. He offers this salutation to the Supreme Brahman (Parabrahma) and elaborates on its nature through various adjectives: 🍁 Dikkālādya-navacchinna: It is not limited by directions, time (past, present, future), or other things (like place, age, measure, virtue, or vice). We are bound by time: we take birth on a particular day, and a day will inevitably come when we must depart. But the Supreme Brahman transcends time altogether, untouche...