Parts of Human Body शरीरस्य अवयवाः

आधारः - अमरकोषः

Namasakara - saying it right

The word नमस्कारः or नमस्काराः is a very widely used in most of the Indian languages. In those languages, it is used like: नमस्कारः to you, नमस्काराः to you all. So, when we want to use such a common salutation in a Sanskrit sentence, it sounds straightforward and logical to form a sentence as सर्वेभ्यः नमस्काराः - because सर्वेभ्यः means “to all”.

However, the usage in Sanskrit does not go like that. The correct usage is सर्वेषां नमस्कारः. If that is translated word-to-word, it becomes “नमस्कारः of all” - which sounds weird. That is the reason, word-to-word translation (for any to any language) should not be relied upon.

In Sanskrit literature, this word नमस्कारः is almost always used in stand alone mode, not with any other word in a sentence. What that means is: in Sanskrit, think of the word नमस्कारः as a general statement, (literally meaning “the act of bowing”) and not directed to any particular person or group of people. So, it is better to say just नमस्कारः. But if you cannot resist adding “to all”, use it as सर्वेषां नमस्कारः.

Such use of नमस्कारः with another word in a sentence is extremely rare in Sanskrit. One example can be quoted from the drama वेणीसंहारम् (of भट्टनारायणकविः) - संजय, पित्रोर्नमस्कृतिं श्रावय - Here पित्रोः is used in षष्ठी विभक्तिः, same as that of सर्वेषाम्. Panini's grammar also supports the use of षष्ठी विभक्तिः in such cases. (Ref: कर्तृकर्मणोः कृति २.३.६५). Per that, सर्वेषां नमस्कारः (and also सर्वान् नमस्करोमि as a verb) is correct.

Bottom line:
It is better to use नमस्कारः or नमस्काराः as stand alone words. To address others, stick with नमः सर्वेभ्यः or नमस्ते.

The Haunting Car

Three years ago, I wrote a blog post “The Tale of a Car”. It was about the word “कारयानम्” and the need for a suitable word that has its roots in Sanskrit itself. And two years ago, another blog post "The Translation Mindset". There were a few interesting reactions and feedback on that topic both offline and online. Some said we should use the words like गन्त्री etc. I have even seen some actually using such alternate words. For some, कारयानम् (or कार् यानम् ) is the only word that can uniquely identify this class of vehicles. So, according to them, it is okay to introduce this as a new Sanskrit word so everyone can happily use it.

However, this kind of thought process throws up challenges on multiple fronts.

1. Question mark on the ability of the language: In this great language of Sanskrit, each word has a very strong etymological foundation. In fact, “sanskrit” means well-processed, well-formed. The language is said to be thetmother of a host of other languages in the world. Many languages borrowed the words from Sanskrit. Many languages, to a greater or smaller extent, developed their structure based on Sanskrit. For a common vocabulary in the Indian subcontinent, in parallel to many of the English words, Sanskrit words also came into use. For example जलसेचन विभाग, जीवन विमा निगम, ऊर्जा तैल मन्त्रालय, and so on. What about the recent technology words in the area of computers, mobile phones, artificial intelligence? No problem. I found Shrikant Jamagni's research work presenting thousands of words related to computer technology. The Sanskrit language has a very solid foundation of thousands of root words on which a word for any object or action that exists today, for those that existed in the past and those that are still not imagined, at least for the human consumption, can be derived. So, with such a strong foundation, structure and rich background, how is it possible that there can be no word for a class of vehicles?
2. United, we fall: This is a typical Indian scenario in many aspects. We easily agree to disagree. Or disagree to agree. If an Indian word was introduced long time back- like the examples given above, then perhaps that would have been in everyday use by now. Unfortunately, that did not happen. The Hindi word gaadi was there. But, with the English language taking over our mind, thoughts and life, we stuck with “car”. Now, if someone tries an indigenous word for car, others might frown upon. Just keep everyone happy using the word from another language.
3. Lack of originality: If we look at what people in other countries say for car, it tells us few things about those people and how they think. There are words for car in different languages listed on the website www.indifferentlanguages.com/words/car. A quick look up of meaning of those words in each language reveals that in most of the languages, that word means auto, automobile, a vehicle, something on wheels,something that moves. In fact, the word car in English is derived from "carre", meaning a wheeled vehicle (originally a chariot). Notably, the Indian languages listed there use "car". Why? Because, we did not take the help of Sanskrit to come  up with a word for it. People of different languages around the word, including English, look at that object as a wheeled vehicle. They do not call it “car”. Many times, Hebrew is quoted as an example for the need to revive the Sanskrit language. Even Hebrew does not use the word “car”. So, in Sanskrit, is there no word for a vehicle with wheels, or something that moves?
4. “Language should grow” thinking: For many, a language is considered “alive” if it imbibes new words from other languages and its dictionary size grows. That is true, if there is a real need and a word cannot be formed in that language. By that logic, we will end up using Sanskrit like how we are using our regional languages in India today. Most of the words for daily use have been replaced by English words. Words for numbers have disappeared. Words from the Indian languages have become obsolete and non-understandable by their own people. Everyone easily understands the words fridge, mixer, helicopter, police, apple, bus, train, table, stool, switch, ice cream, and so on. There would be no need for Sanskrit words for any of these commonly used words then.

Some ask me why I am so much freaked out for such a triviality, and harping on this one word. Well, “first impression is the last impression”, or at least it is hard to change. We need to be mindful of what is fed to new learners of the language. If we bring a word into use, it will be adopted. It is up to us.

Story of Savitri सावित्री-कथा

(महाभारते वनपर्वणि)

पुरा मद्रदेशे अश्वपतिः नाम राजा आसीत् । सः पुत्रप्राप्त्यर्थं महायागम् एकम् अकरोत् । यागस्य अन्ते देवी सावित्री प्रत्यक्षा अभवत् । राजा अश्वपतिः देवीं पुत्रभाग्यं ददातु इति प्रार्थयत । परन्तु देवी उक्तवती - “हे राजन्, ब्रह्मदेवस्य आज्ञया अहं तुभ्यं कन्याभाग्यं ददामि । सा कन्या तव कुलस्य कल्याणं करिष्यति” । इति उक्त्वा देवी सावित्री अदृश्या अभवत् । किञ्चित् कालानन्तरं अश्वपतिराजस्य कन्या जाता । सावित्रीदेव्याः वरप्रसादात् जाता इति कन्यायाः नामकरणम् अपि सावित्री इति अभवत् । सा अनुपमसुन्दरी तेजस्विनी आसीत् ।

यदा सावित्री युवती अभवत् तदा राजा अश्वपतिः तस्याः विवाहं कर्तुं चिन्तितवान् । परन्तु सावित्र्याः तेजःप्रकाशं दृष्ट्वा कश्चित् अपि युवकः विवाहार्थं सिद्धः न अभवत् । स्वयमेव योग्यवरस्य अन्वेषणं करोतु इति राजा पुत्रीम् उक्तवान् । सावित्री सचिवैः सह रथारूढा अनेकदेशान् अटितवती । यदा सा स्वनगरं प्रत्यागता तदा अश्वपतिराजस्य समीपे देवर्षिः नारदः आसीत् । पिता अश्वपतिः पृष्टवान् -

अश्वपतिः - पुत्रि सावित्रि, किं भवत्या योग्यवरः प्राप्तः?
सावित्री - आम् । शाल्वदेशस्य राजा आसीत् द्युमत्सेनः । केनचित् कारणेन सः अन्धः अभवत् । तस्य राज्यम् अपि नष्टम् । सः इदानीं वने पत्नीपुत्रसहितः निवसति । तस्य पुत्रस्य नाम सत्यवान् । सः धर्मपरायणः गुणवान् च । मम अनुरूपः वरः ।
अश्वपतिः - नारदमहर्षे, अस्मिन् विषये भवतः अभिप्रायः कः?
नारदः - महाराज, सत्यवान् गुणवान् धर्मतत्परः च । तस्य कुलम् अपि उत्तमम् । परन्तु एकः एव दोषः अस्ति । एकसंवत्सरानन्तरं तस्य मरणं भविष्यति ।
अश्वपतिः - पुत्रि सावित्रि, सत्यवान् अल्पायुः । अतः भवती अन्यवरस्य अन्वेषणं करोतु ।
सावित्री - दीर्घायुः भवतु वा अल्पायुः । सत्यवता सह मम मनसा वरणं जातम् । तं विहाय अन्येन सह अहं विवाहं न करोमि ।

अस्तु इति अश्वपतिः वनं गत्वा वैभवेन सत्यवता सह सावित्र्याः विवाहं कारितवान् । वने सावित्री श्रद्धया श्वशुरयोः पत्युः च सेवां कृतवती । यदा संवत्सरस्य समाप्तिकालः आगतः तदा सा कठिनव्रतस्य अनुष्ठानं कृतवती । संवत्सरस्य अन्तिमदिनम् आगतम्। सत्यवान् काष्ठफलादिसंग्रहार्थं वनं गतवान् । तेन सह सावित्री अपि गतः । परशुना वृक्षं छिन्दमानः सत्यवान् परिश्रान्तः । सः सावित्र्याः उत्सङ्के शिरः दत्त्वा निद्राम् अगच्छत् । तदा तत्र श्यामवर्णः रक्तनेत्रः पुरुषः प्रत्यक्षः अभवत् । तस्य हस्ते पाशः आसीत् । तदा

सावित्री - कः भवान्?
यमः - अहं यमः । तव पत्युः आयुः समाप्तम् । अतः तस्य प्राणहरणं करोमि ।
सावित्री - प्राणहरणार्थं यमदूताः आगच्छन्ति इति श्रुतम् । भवान् स्वयं कथम् आगतः?
यमः - सत्यवान् बहु धर्मपरायणः इति अहं स्वयम् एव आगतः ।

इति उक्त्वा यमः पाशेन सत्यवतः प्राणान् अपहृतवान् । यमः ततः स्वलोकं प्रति प्रयाणम् अकरोत् । सावित्री यमम् अनुसृत्य चलितुम् आरम्भं कृतवती । तदा

यमः - सावित्रि, भवती निर्गच्छतु । पत्युः अन्त्यसंस्कारं करोतु ।
सावित्री - यत्र मम पतिः गच्छति तत्र मया गन्तव्यम् । एषः एव सनातनधर्मः । व्रतस्य बलात् मम गमने निरोधः न भवति ।
यमः - तव वचनेन अहं सन्तुष्टः । वरम् एकं प्रार्थयतु ।
सावित्री - मम श्वशुरः अन्धः । सः राज्यभ्रष्टः । तस्य दृष्टिप्राप्तिः भवेत् ।
यमः - अस्तु । तथैव भवति । भवती निर्गच्छतु । वृथा परिश्रमः मास्तु ।
सावित्री - यत्र मम पतिः अस्ति तत्र मम कुतः परिश्रमः? सत्पुरुषाणां सङ्गतिः बहु उत्तमा । तैः सह मित्रत्वं फलदायकं भवति ।
यमः - तव वचनं बहु हितकरम् । सत्यवतः जीवनं विहाय अन्यं वरं प्रार्थय ।
सावित्री - मम श्वशुरः राज्यभ्रष्टः । तस्य पुनः राज्यप्राप्तिः भवेत् ।
यमः - अस्तु । तथैव भवति । भवती निर्गच्छतु । श्रमेण अलम् ।
सावित्री - अनुग्रहः दानं सर्वभूतेषु दया च सत्पुरुषाणां महाधर्मः ।
यमः - तव वचनम् अमृततुल्यम् । सत्यवतः जीवनं विहाय अन्यं वरं प्रार्थय ।
सावित्री - मम पितुः पुत्राः न सन्ति । तस्य शतं पुत्राः भवेयुः ।
यमः - अस्तु । तथैव भवति ।‌ भवती बहु दूरम् आगता ।‌ इतः निर्गच्छतु ।
सावित्री - यमदेव, भवान् सूर्यपुत्रः । भवान् धर्मराजः । सत्पुरुषेषु जनाः विशेषतः विश्वासं कुर्वन्ति ।
यमः - तव शुभवचनेन अहं प्रसन्नः । सत्यवतः जीवनं विहाय अन्यं वरं प्रार्थय ।
सावित्री - देव, मम तथा सत्यवतः शतं पुत्राः भवेयुः ।
यमः - तथैव भवति । इदानीं निर्गच्छतु ।
सावित्री - सत्पुरुषाः धर्ममार्गात् न स्खलन्ति । ते सत्यं न त्यजन्ति । तेषां प्रभावेण लोके उत्तमकार्याणि भवन्ति ।
यमः - तव वचनं धर्मयुक्तम् । पुनः एकं वरं प्रार्थय ।
सावित्री - देव, भवता दत्तः वरः सफलः भवतु । मम दाम्पत्येन शतं पुत्राः भवेयुः । तस्य कृते सत्यवान् जीवितः भवतु । तेन विना अहं किमपि सुखं न इच्छामि ।
यमः - तव वचनेन प्रसन्नः अहं सत्यवतः जीवनं पुनः ददामि । तव पतिः दीर्घायुः भवति । शतं पुत्राः भविष्यन्ति । ते सावित्राः इति प्रसिद्धाः भविष्यन्ति ।

इति उक्त्वा यमः स्वलोकं गतवान् । सत्यवान् पुनः जीवितः अभवत् । तस्य पिता द्युमत्सेनः दृष्टिं प्राप्य पुनः स्वराज्यं प्राप्तवान् । सावित्र्याः पिता राजा अश्वपतिः शतं पुत्रान् प्राप्तवान् । सावित्री सत्यवान् अपि शतं पुत्रान्  प्राप्य सुखेन निवासं कृतवन्तौ ।

English Translation:
(As in Mahabharatam - Vanaparva)

In olden days, in Madra kingdom, there was a king by the name Ashvapati. He did a great sacrificial ritual to obtain a son. At the end of the ritual, Goddess Savitri appeared. King Ashvapati prayed the goddess to provide him with a son. But the goddess said - “Hey king, by the order of God Brahma, I will give you a girl. That girl do good to your lineage”. Saying this, Goddess Savitri disappeared. After sometime, a girl was born to the king Ashvapati. Because she was born from the boon of Goddess Savitri, the girl was also named Savitri. She was extremely beautiful and radiant.

When Savitri turned young, the king Ashvapati thought of marrying her off. But seeing the brilliance of Savitri, no boy was ready the marriage. The king said the daughter to find a suitable boy for herself. Savitri roamed many countries in a chariot accompanied by ministers. When she returned to her city, the divine saint Narada was with the king Ashvapati. The father Ashvapati asked -

Ashvapati - Daughter Savitri, was a suitable groom found by you?
Savitri - Yes, Dyumatsena was the king of Shalva country. For some reason, he became blind. His kingdom was also lost. He now lives in a forest with his wife and son. His son’s name is Satyavan. He is noble and man of good characters. He is my suitable groom.
Ashvapati - Saint Narada, in this matter, what is your opinion?
Narada - King, Satyavan is noble and of character. His family is also good. But there is only one problem. After one year, his death will happen.
Ashvapati - Daughter Savitri, Satyavan has a short life. Therefore, you find a different groom.
Savitri - Let him be of long life or short life. With Satyavan, my mental marriage has taken place. Other than him, I won’t marry another boy.

Ashvapati said okay, went to the forest and grandly married off Savitri to Satyavan. In the forest, Savitri devotedly served the in-laws and the husband. When the end of the year came near, she observed a difficult vow. The last day of the year came. Satyavan went to the forest to fetch sticks and fruits. With him, Savitri also went. While cutting a tree with axe, Satyavan became tired. He rested his head on Savitri’s thigh and went to sleep. Then, there a dark-colored, red-eyed person appeared. He had a rope in his hand. Then

Savitri - Who are you?
Yama - I am Yama. Your husband’s lifetime is over. Therefore, I will take aways his soul.
Savitri - To take away the soul, it is heard that Yama’s representatives come. How come you came in person?
Yama - Satyavan is a very noble person, so I came in person.

Saying thus, Yama took away the soul of Satyavan with the rope. From there, Yama traveled towards his abode. Savitri started walking following Yama. Then

Yama - Savitri, you go back. Do the last rites of your husband.
Savitri - I should go where my husband goes. This is the right thing to do. Because of power of my vow, my movement is not restricted.
Yama - I am pleased by your talk. Ask for a boon.
Savitri - My father-in-law is blind. Let him get his ability to see.
Yama - Okay, it will be so. You go back. Let there be unnecessary exhaustion.
Savitri - Where there is my husband, how can I be exhausted? Company of good people is very nice. Friendship with them is useful.
Yama - Your talk is very good. Except for the life of Satyavan, ask some boon.
Savitri - My father-in-law has lost his kingdom. He should get his kingdom back.
Yama - Okay, it will happen. You go back to. Enough of your effort.
Savitri - Bestowing upon others, giving away and mercy are the great characters of good people.
Yama - Your words are great. Except for the life of Satyavan, ask for a boon.
Savitri - My father does not have sons. Let there be a hundred sons of him.
Yama - Okay. It will be so. You came a long way. Go away from here.
Savitri - O God Yama, you are the son of God Sun. You are the god of righteousness. People especially trust good people.
Yama - I am pleased with your nice words. Except for the life of Satyavan, ask for a boon.
Savitri - O God, let there be a hundred sons of me and Satyavan.
Yama - It will be so. Now, go away.
Savitri - Good people do not deviate from the path of righteousness. They do not abandon truth. Because of them, good work happens in this world.
Yama - Your words have virtue in them. Ask for a boon again.
Savitri - God, let the boon given by you come true. Out of my marriage, let there be a hundred sons. For that, let Satyavan live. Without him, I do not wish any kind of happiness.
Yama - Pleased by your words, I am giving back the life of Satyavan. Your husband will have long life. You will have a hundred sons. They will be famous as Savitras.

Saying thus, Yama went to his abode. Satyavan came back to life again. His father Dyumatsena gained his vision and obtained his kingdom again. Savitri’s father King Ashvapati obtained a hundred sons. Savitri and Satyavan also got a hundred sons and lived happily.

Army Sizes and Mahabharata Loss

The table below shows the army sizes as given in an Amarakosha commentary. Even if we assume about 40 million population in the Indian subcontinent 7000 years ago, a simple calculation shows about 15% of that population was wiped out due the Mahabharata war that lasted just 18 days.

	Soldiers on foot पदातयः	Horses अश्वाः	Chariots रथाः	Elephants गजाः	Total आहत्य
Patti पत्तिः	5	3	1	1	10
Senamukh सेनामुखम्	15	9	3	3	30
Gulma गुल्मः	45	27	9	9	90
Gana गणः	135	81	27	27	270
Vahini वाहिनी	405	243	81	81	810
PRtana पृतना	1225	729	243	243	2430
Chamoo चमूः	3645	2187	729	729	7290
Anikinee अनीकिनी	10935	6561	2187	2187	21,870
Akshohinee अक्षोहिणी	109,350	65,610	21,870	21,870	218,700
In Mahabharata war 18 Akshohinees	1,968,300	1,180,980	393,660	393,660	3,936,600
Minimum people in Mahabharata war not counting support staff	1,968,300	1,180,980	787,320	787,320	4,723,920
Minimum animals in Mahabharata war	-	1,180,980	787,320	393,660	2,361,960
Minimum total lives lost in Mahabharata war (about 3000 BCE)					7,085,880
Approx. population of India in 1900 CE (Source)					80,000,000