The Upanishads

[Wannabe Yogi]

What about mokṣa?

At one time in my like I loved the Idea of mokhsa. Today if I am really honest, I don't even know what it is. So here are my goals:

-Be a good citizen.
-Raise my son with the best example of Dharma I can muster. ( I am a single parent)
-Send as much time in the deepest communion with God as I can. Accept gratefully any level of communion that SHE offers.
-Keep my house running as an active Hindu Temple.
-Not get evolved in any type of romantic relationship.
-Make enough wealth to send my son to the college of His choice.
-Prepare for retirement from the world.
-Serve my Teachers,friends, poor and those who are discriminated against.

 

[Wannabe Yogi]

This makes me think of something. I have a little book called Nitya Paaraayana Manjaree It has Sanskrit, English and the meanings of stotra like Shree Ganaesha Stotraani, Shiva Stotraani, Saraswatee Stutihi, Mahaalakshmi Ashtakam, Mahaavishnu Praarthanaa, Durgaa Saptashlokee, Krushna Stotraani (the publisher's transliterations) and many more. I'd like to start chanting these, because they are the deities I feel close to, but my Sanskrit really sucks. The chanting would consist of haltingly stumbling over the pronunciations as I practice. There is a prayer at the end asking Lord Narayana forgiveness for errors, and for blessing for the effort. Should I start?

Well I think it is a good idea. I like to see my self as a child of God. An underachieving spoiled child at that. Still I believe that God excepts our mispronunciations. We can only do our best. Sankara says that if you say Hari OM Tat Sat at the end text you chant your vulgarities of Sanskrit will be forgiven. Tantrics say ksamsaya at the end. I say both to have all bases covered.

 

[Jainarayan]

Well I think it is a good idea. I like to see my self as a child of God. An underachieving spoiled child at that. Still I believe that God excepts our mispronunciations. We can only do our best. Sankara says that if you say Hari OM Tat Sat at the end text you chant your vulgarities of Sanskrit will be forgiven. Tantrics say ksamsaya at the end. I say both to have all bases covered.

Thanks. Now I just have to develop the time and discipline to start, and include time for japa. I didn't know about the Hari OM Tat Sat at the end to forgive the mispronunciations. I know how and what people believe about the mystical qualities of Sanskrit, but I also believe that God accepts prayers in any language.

I think we're asking forgiveness for being sloppy and not concentrating. I know I do. I was in temple tonight, at the sanctum of Sri Radha-Krishna, trying to chant the Maha Mantra. With the hub-bub going on (despite the "Silence Please" signs), I mangled it so badly I had to take a deep breath, ask forgiveness and start again. Then I was able to do a little bit of japa with it.

I had a rather heated discussion with someone about pronunciations and accents. No two people, even native speakers, speak the same way. No two native speakers of Sanskrit speak the same way. Vocal tract, physiological, anatomical and biomechanical differences. Not to mention that it is much harder for adults to become fluent in another language than for pre-teens. Especially a language as highly nuanced as Sanskrit. He couldn't grasp that.

Btw, is that ksamsaaya, and what does it mean?

I just read the prayer, and it has "kshamyataam" and "kshamasva". Maybe inflections of the same word as ksamsaya

 

[Shântoham]

Um... I just read up on him Michael Roach - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and he is not the most [uncontroversial] character. I do believe it may be one of those "Buddhist/ Hindu concoctions that are very fashionable at the moment", as you so poetically and probably accurately put it. Geshe is a title bestowed on Gelugpa monks.

It was the only one on the shelf at the B&N store. I may very well order a different one, even to compare, and/or just give mine to the library. These are just two of the many editions.

BARNES & NOBLE | The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Sri Swami Satchidananda, Integral Yoga Publications | Paperback or
BARNES & NOBLE | Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Mukunda Stiles, Red Wheel/Weiser | NOOK Book (eBook), Paperback

It raises a point that every Tom, Dick and Harry does an edition of ancient texts, some better than others, and some downright abominable. The edition by Swami Vivekananda is a NOOK version. I don't own a NOOK or Kindle, nor do I want one.

pranām Jaynarayan

It makes two of us. All this gadgetry is getting way out of hand. I like my books to be made of paper. (…I guess I am old school…).
The Yoga-Sūtra of Patañjali with the commentary of Svāmi Satcidāananda is adequate – simple and to the point. Svāmiji is a direct disciple of Svāmi Śivānanda. That lineage produce books that are very accessible to all. Svāmi Śivānanda alone wrote 300 books on all aspects of Hinduism. If you ever want to read the commentaries of all the major Scriptures – prasthānatraya – choose his. They are affordable and relatively easy to get (from India).

 

[Shântoham]

At one time in my like I loved the Idea of mokhsa. Today if I am really honest, I don't even know what it is. So here are my goals:

-Be a good citizen.
-Raise my son with the best example of Dharma I can muster. ( I am a single parent)
-Send as much time in the deepest communion with God as I can. Accept gratefully any level of communion that SHE offers.
-Keep my house running as an active Hindu Temple.
-Not get evolved in any type of romantic relationship.
-Make enough wealth to send my son to the college of His choice.
-Prepare for retirement from the world.
-Serve my Teachers,friends, poor and those who are discriminated against.

pranām WBY

I will stop pestering you with my questions. My opinion has little or no value but I would say that your endeavor to lead a religious and ethical life is the best gift you can give your son and the community you live in.
If you ever need the address of a traditional teacher of Sanskrit and Vedānta let me know. In the Bay Area there are two very competent ones.
These are not commercial enterprises. They both teach – for many years – as dakṣiṇā to their Guru – which is the same for both of them. Therefore not for their glory but for the sake of the Teaching itself.

 

[Shântoham]

Btw, is that ksamsaaya, and what does it mean?

I just read the prayer, and it has "kshamyataam" and "kshamasva". Maybe inflections of the same word as ksamsaya

pranām Jaynarayan

They are all requests for forgiveness.
What WBY suggested is correct. You can make it a little bit fancier by adding paṇamastu. For example: hariḥ om tat sat śrīkṛṣṇārpaṇamastu. Or hariḥ om tat sat brahmārpaṇamastu.

 

[Jainarayan]

The Yoga-Sūtra of Patañjali with the commentary of Svāmi Satcidāananda is adequate – simple and to the point. Svāmiji is a direct disciple of Svāmi Śivānanda. That lineage produce books that are very accessible to all. Svāmi Śivānanda alone wrote 300 books on all aspects of Hinduism. If you ever want to read the commentaries of all the major Scriptures – prasthānatraya – choose his. They are affordable and relatively easy to get (from India).

Excellent, thanks. Swami Sivananda is one of my "go-tos" to read. I have downloaded some .pdf files from the DLS site and had them bound. I saw that Swami Satchidananda was Swami Sivananda's disciple. Mayeb the copy I have is not all that bad, but now I wish I had done a little more research instead of just grabbing something off the shelf.