Taking a gander at the name of this blog...and more

I have been thinking about the name of this blog (If you want to know more about the name..read this [Introduction]....isn't it too "Sanskritish...".

Yeah it is...what can I do? I like the language :))

It is one of the most interesting and intriguing lanugages on earth today. Actually if the writter is good, one can make any language interesting and intriguing. The real fun lies in the ability of the language to allow varied expressions, via very simple word formations. And Sanskrit for one, is replete with examples of this ability.

Before we go on to examples of this ability...consider this:

Sanskrit Grammar has a certain mathematical certainity to it. Things either manifest, or they don't! The user cannot keep "if..ing" about what to say and write.

Second, its truly WYS-I-WYS (What You Speak - Is - What You Scribble) and the other way round also :)).

Third, Its probably also the most phonetically anal languages in existence. And its almost anal about this, though by the very nature of thye flow of sounds it allows.
For example: In a word formation, a long vowel (badi maatraa for you Hindi knowers), is almost always followed by a short vowel (do i need to say again what this means:)) ), and the other way round. This makes it easier to speak in nice and rich tones. Also the language allows words to be amalgamated based on different attributes of the words, the most simple being vowel based amalgamation. This amalgamation is called a "Sandhi" meaning "Joining", (this is where the word "Sandhya" comes...the time when the Day meets the Night). The amalgamation based on sounds (in effect vowels) is called "Swara Sandhi", and that based on consonants is known as "Vyanjan Sandhi"..and there are few more types.

Here's an example of consonant based "sandhi" in American English:
Want-To => Wanna,
Going-To => Gonna

As Ilearn more about it...it amazes me as to how rich the entire design of this system of lingual communication is. For example: In most Sanskrit verses or rather collection of verses called "Stotra", a certain metre of words is followed. This meter in Sanskrit is known as a "Chhand" (read Chh as you would read it in Chhotaa-Badaa). Under the Panini's grammar, there are 8 such allowed...

The most common one is the Anushtup Chhand, which allows you a total of 32 syllables in every sentence.

I am planning to study more of this language...hopefully someday it would be possible me to talk to someone else in Sanskrit just like its possible in Hindi or English today...

Here are some interesting links:
Sanskrit on Wikipedia

Sanskritam Bharati

Sanskrit Documents List

About "Thanksgiving"

Its Thanksgiving again...The day of "Giving Thanks" to the almighty for all the good things that we have had in the last year.

When I first came to the US, I would often wonder whether this is a Christian holiday or an American holiday. Only recently I learned that it is not so. Infact is started in the US as a good gesture that early pilgrims did towards native americans (red indians as you might know them) Its one of those harvest festivals that almost every agricultural society on earth celebrates in some or the other form.

For me and for most of my friends, this has been the best time to purchase cheap and good electronic goods..since Thanksgiving sale is the biggest in the US. The stores (Circuit City, Best Buy, Walmart etc) open at 5:00am in the morning...and believe it or not, there are hundreds of people lined up in front of these stores to get the chance of getting in first. The year I went there for first time, I could not believe my eyes...I had always thought that free stuff is loved only by students :) ..but heck, everyone loves cheap and good things. Though I had not expected them to line up in hundreds.

Today was no different...we also went there arround 4:00am. Its real fun if you are in a group. Standing in the cold, chatting with friends, having hot coffee and doughnuts served by the store people etc etc. And ofcourse you get good deals too.

This is only one side of Thanksgiving though. The more philosophical side is the one that attracts me. Every one of us should take time out atleast once a year, to Thank the almighty for what ever we have recieved in the year. I personaly prefer to do this once a month...but you know once a year is not too bad :)

The "Jain" tradition has a day (Khshamavani Parva) where a person asks for forgiveness from all people arround, for any mistakes done over the year.

As a global society (at least India is) we should definitely include these two days in our daily lives. Once a year, Thank the almighty (and everyone else) for all the good that you have recieved. Once a year, ask pardon for all faults or mistakes committed knowingly or unknowingly.

More info here:
Thanksgiving on Wikipedia

Khshamavani

Introduction

Hi,
The title of the blog "Saara-Asaara Vichaar" literally means "Thought that considers everything".

This space is going to be used for scribing all kinds of thoughts.

I am sure I am going to enjoy doing this, and hope you will enjoy reading it, and return for more !

Enjoy!
Vishal