Sri Rama – Binding Bharat Through Times

Vandanamu Raghunandana,

Setubandhana Bhaktachandana, Rama!

Respects to the scion of Raghu

Builder of Setu (the bridge), Delight Of Devotees, Rama!

These are the opening verses of the song in praise of Sri Rama, composed by Sant Thyagarajaswami, an ardent Bhakta, devotee of Bhagawan Sri Rama. Sant Thyagarajaswami was born and lived in Tiruvaiyar in Tamil Nadu, singing paeans in Telugu on Sri Rama, His traits and His deeds.

The above song describes Sri Rama as the Builder of Setu.

Rama – A Builder Of Bridges – One Who Connects

Rama as a builder of Setu can be seen in more ways than, as one who bridged the shores of the island of Lanka and the shores of the Indian peninsula with a physical bridge, the Rama Setu / Nala Setu alone.

Rama also represents the invisible threads of sentiment, memories, traditions that have kept the people of Bharat connected and bound together, as a civilization that has been conducting itself by the values exemplified by Sri Rama Himself.

It will be interesting to note how the words bond, band share a phonetic as well as semantic connect with the Indian word “bandhan” which means to bridge, bind, bond. i.e to connect with a purpose to keep secure, intact. The act of Rakshabandhan is also akin to the Friendship Bands of present times.

Sri Rama has bound the geography of Bharat with

• Footprints from His visit to different places across Bharat,
• Blueprint of His journey showcased via the monuments built and re-built across Bharat, over millennia, to commemorate and preserve in memory, the incidents in their local region connected with Sri Rama
• Imprints of His values etched in memory and culture of the people of Bharat, through the historical epic Ramayana and tales of His moral values and conduct passed down across generations.

Each of these prints, corroborates the other, as they showcase a seamless flow of events of the Ramayana, across the length of Bharat, from the Himalayas in the Northern tip to the Ocean in the Southern tip bearing the Setu, bridge that He built.

Each place in this trail, has a tale to narrate about Sri Rama and His fellow companions.

Let us look at a few of these connecting and binding threads.

Geographical Footprints

Here are some of the geographical sites, which are popular and revered today as sites where the events of Ramayana unfolded.

They bear the same name as the places mentioned in the Ramayana text.

They also lie in the same direction as mentioned in the Ramayana text.

It is interesting to note that these sites are lined from North to South commemorating the events of Ramayana in a progressive manner in the same sequence as they unfolded in the Ramayana narrative too.

For instance, the Dandakaranya forest sites do not lie to the north of Ayodhya or to the south of Kishkinda or close to Rameshwaram. Or for that matter, sites connected with events at Kishkinda are not to be found in say, the hills of Girnar or Jharkhand.

It does not seem plausible that in those remote days, an author would have travelled far and wide to each of those remote places including dense forests and hills to concoct a geographically credible story and build it into local folklore at each of those remote places.

It is also not possible for people across the length of Bharat to have jointly planned to identify and arrange these geographical sites in the chronological order of Ramayana.

These sites have come to be so, since Sri Rama traversed this path.

Many of these names can be found to have continued through the Mahabharata and subsequent periods too, till date.

This tradition of names and locations of places in itself provides the proof for the historical and geographical nature of Sri Rama’s lifestory and connects all these places through this cohesive thread of timeline.

Temples As Blueprints

Many places visited by Sri Rama still retain memories of His life. They are still identifiable and have continuing traditions in the form of temples with legends or folklore to commemorate Rama’s visit or events of His lifetime.

These temples can be classified as:

1. Temples celebrating Sri Rama by commemorating specific events that happened there, such as
   • Temple at Ayodhya celebrating the birth of Sri Rama and His brothers
   • Rama Sita Vivaha Temple at Janakpur celebrating His marriage to Sita Devi
   • Temples for Sri Rama, Lakshmana and Sita Devi at Chitrakoot and Panchavati, Nasik, where they were together during most part of their 14years exile
   • Temple for Jatayu’s takeoff at Lepakshi in Andhra
   • Temple for Jatayu Dahan by Sri Rama in Tiruputkuzhi, near Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, which is south east of Lepakshi
   • Temple for Sri Rama alone at Tirupullani by the sea near Rameshwaram in Tamil Nadu, where He underwent Tapas without food, lying on a bed of Darbha/Kusha grass for 3 nights to find a way to cross the sea
   • Rameshwaram temple where Sri Rama with Sita Devi performed pooja for Shiva Linga after His victory over Ravana
   • Devaprayag in the Himalaya where Sri Rama atoned for having killed Ravana and many others in the battle at Lanka
   • Etc.
2. Temples celebrating Sri Rama by commemorating overall aspects of Sri Rama or some of the important events in His life such as His birth, His marriage, His coronation etc. including some that commemorate His walking into the Sarayu river at the end of His avatar. These are spread all over the land of Bharat.

We find a convergence of literature, geography, folklore, devotion and local tradition in these places.

Imprints on Memory and Culture

There are many great men with impeccable character across the history of the world – personages that one can call as Gunavaan. There are also many victorious Kings across the world who have won great battles.

Why does Sri Rama alone stand out amongst many the Divinities and the many Avatara, as a personage with the epithet Maryada Purushottam, the ultimate in respectfulness?

What has made Him stand out and be continuously revered even across 7 millennia?

However, this is not a question that has come up today. It is a similar question that was asked of Narada by Acharya Ratnakar i.e Maharishi Valmiki, over 7100 years ago too. His question was –

“Was there someone on earth who had exemplified all characteristics that any human can ever bear?”.

Out of this question emerged the answer that it was Sri Rama, who was living then, who possessed all such 16 possible Guna.

It is to bring out these 16 Guna that Acharya Ratnakar started penning the Ramayana as a Itihasa, history in a poetic form.

It is for this, that Acharya Ratnakar got the epithet Adi Kavi, meaning the early poet.

This shows that over 7 Millennia ago itself we have had a personage in Sri Rama, who brought out and showcased to the people, these 16 Guna, through His deeds.

It is this, which makes Him a civilizational hero, a civilization forebearer at a very early stage of our civilizational history and timeline.

This personage, who exemplified all these Guna, gave rich content for authors in every Indian language to bring forth His Guna in their local lands, for their people, in their languages, for their times.

This was not the case within India alone, but also has spread all over S.E.Asia and Asia too.

Sri Rama has been such a reservoir of content for this much narration and depiction due to the innate richness in His personality, the innate content in His life deeds and values in it for emulation too.

In a way, He has borne an apt name Rama too, which means one who radiates charm, one who draws everyone’s attention, one who is pleasing to all (ramya).

Authors, Artists and Storytellers have found content in Him and His life.

Audiences have found value in Him and His Guna. Each found atleast a Guna also to relate to – be it a King, a Rishi, a soldier, a householder.

Bharat has been fortunate to have had the presence of such a personage so early in its history, that it has propelled it in its upholding of being a Dharmic land.

Sri Rama – Role Model for Connecting Dharma and Guna

In Dharma, it is Guna that plays an important role.  Guna and Dharma are naturally intertwined.

This can be inferred from the very word “Dharma” which bears the root Dhara, meaning the nature to bear, to carry. And, that, which is most naturally and effortlessly carried or borne, is one’s own innate trait, Guna.

Dharma denotes the innate nature with which, one is expected to exist, behave or conduct oneself.

For instance, it is a Tiger’s Dharma to be carnivorous, kill and eat other animals and this is exhibited through its Guna of strength, speed and ferociousness besides its physical bodily attributes such as claws, teeth and strong legs.

Likewise, it is Sun’s Dharma to be a star and hold planets together, making them go around it as a Solar system and this is exhibited through its Guna of shining, radiating heat and being massive enough to exercise the pull of gravity over the planets.

With more evolved beings such as mankind, that have a more evolved mind (Mana), intellect (Buddhi) and sense of identity (Ahankara), Dharma or innate and expected conduct also takes on varied hues depending on context and relations.

Dharma therefore, manifests through the Guna that every entity can exhibit in reaction, in context to relations and responses to events. It is these reactions which go to shape the ultimate cause and effect chain, Karma that propels Creation, making it evolve every instant accordingly. This is the Dharma of Srishti, Creation too.

Dharma is thus the order in the Universe, from the Guna in the Universe, that makes the Universe behave and exist the way it does.

In Guna, there are 16 Guna that people aspire to live up to, work towards. But amongst all personages in history, there is only one personage to whom all these 16 Guna have been ascribed without doubt, without hesitation. That is Sri Rama and He has therefore been addressed as Maryada Purushottam.

Sri Rama, through His life has relied on and showcased each of these Guna, as He went about His Dharma in the various roles of a son, a brother, a student, a Prince, a husband, an exile, a warrior, a King, a father etc.  Without these Guna, He could not have adhered to His Dharma and behaved as such. 

Maryadha Purushottam Rama, the torchbearer of the 16 possible Guna that a human can conduct himself by, hence, also exemplifies the intertwined bridge between Dharma and Guna in each and every one of us.

It is this innate connect between Dharma and Guna, with Sri Rama as a role model for the same, which has connected Sri Rama to everyone across Bharat and across the world too. It has kept Sri Rama relevant to the people of Bharat even across millennia.

Another visual reminder of such an intertwined connect between Dharma and Guna can be seen in the 24 spoked Chakra at the centre of India’s national flag.

This wheel, called the Dharma Chakra, stands for the 24 Dos and Don’ts to be practiced, as one journeys through one’s life in alignment with Dharma.

It is this sublime aspect of Sri Rama showcasing a bridge between Dharma and Guna, which has provided inspiration and content to so many poets, Kavi and artists, to convey as the essence of good conduct and moral values for generations.

And, with each generation finding their own way to narrate and depict Sri Rama and His Ramayana, not only have they kept their bond with Sri Rama alive, they have also kept reemphasizing this connect between Dharma and the Guna with which we live.

Sri Rama and His Ramayana have thus been keeping Bharat connected through its Geography, History, Traditions, Values and Dharma for millennia.

The new temple at Ayodhya for Sri Rama will now ensure that this bandhan will continue for generations to come in future too!

New India is aspirational. It aspires as a nation for different aspects such as:

• Economical well being
• Good infrastructure
• Good Governance etc.

Apart from all this, one of the other aspirations at an individual level is also to ensure that each individual lives with good Guna, good character. The template, as well as role model for these aspirations comes in the form of Sri Rama with all His 16 Guna.

Sri Rama is truly an inspirational hero for inspirational India.

Sri Rama continues to show us how he has bridged lands across the seas, places across the land, people across generations and values across ages too!

Inauguration Of The Statue Of Oneness – Ekatmata Ki Pratima

There are 12 Lingam in Bharat which are revered as the 12 Jyotirlinga. These are called so, as they specifically denote the process of Creation of the Cosmos. They denote the emerging Cosmos as the infinite pillar of flame. The process of Creation was accompanied by the first primordial sound, which this civilization has revered as OM. Among the 12 Jyotirlingam, the Jyotirlingam at Omkareshwar as its name goes, denotes both this flame and the primordial sound OM.

This Jyotirlingam is nestled in Omkareshwar, in the valley between the flanks of the Vindhyas and the Satpura ranges, along the banks of the Narmada river. This place also gains significance as the place where Acharya Adi Shankara, who propagated Advaita was given Deeksha, initiation by His Guru, Acharya Govind Bhagavatpada.

Narmada river flowing between Vindhya and Satpura ranges

Acharya Shankara left His home in Kalady, Kerala at a tender age of 8, after coaxing His mother to permit Him to take up Sanyasa at that age. After that, in search of a Guru, He kept travelling northwards and eventually reached Amarkantak the source of the river Narmada, which is located in the Vindhya mountains. From there, he walked along the banks of the Narmada till He reached Omkareshwar.

There, on a small island hill called Mandhata Parvat, in the middle of the Narmada, He was drawn to a cave, where a saint was deep in meditation. The young, Bala Shankara saw that Narmada which was in spate then, was going to flood this cave. He held out His Kamandalam, pitcher into the river and calmed the waters of Narmada. Bala Shankara had prevented the cave from flooding.

The luminous saint meditating there, was Acharya Govinda Bhagavatpada. Bala Sankara had found His Guru. Acharya Govinda Bhagavatpada sensing the hallowed nature of Bala Sankara, too had found the disciple He had been waiting for. He gave Deeksha to Bala Shankara and asked Him to spread Advaita throughout the land.

This incident is depicted on the wall of the cave and can be seen even today.

Author D.K.Hari at the cave where Acharya Shankar had met his Guru, Acharya Govinda Bhagavatpada at Omkareshwar. Panel above Guru Govinda Bhagavatpada’s murti depicts the scene where Bala Shankara had calmed the rising Narmada with His Kamandalu, pitcher in front of this cave.

Shankara then started on His own mission with His journey to Kasi, arriving there as a Guru Himself – Acharya Shankara Bhagavatpada. Acharya Shankara went on to write Bhashya, commentaries to explain the essence of the Advaita philosophy. He initiated disciples and travelled all over Bharatavarsha, establishing Mathas to propagate Advaita.

In a short lifespan of just 32 years, He had put Advaita on a strong foothold.

It was decided by the Madhya Pradesh Government to install a statue for Acharya Shankara on the Mandhata hill to commemorate the significant event wherein He had met His Guru. Care was taken to depict Acharya Shankara as a young boy, Bala Shankara, that He had been, when He had set foot on this hill.

Bala Shankara is a 108 ft tall statue. Standing on a Lotus placed on a pedestal, the statue now towers over Omkareshwar at a height of 199 ft totally from the peak of the Mandhata hill. This statue is called the Statue of Oneness, Ekatmata ki Pratima.

This statue was inaugurated on 21st Sept 2023 after unprecedented floods in the Narmada.

It was a day when Omkareshwar was also flooded with a sea of saffron robes as thousands of Sanyasis had arrived there to attend the inauguration. We, too were fortunate to have been invited to witness this momentous event.

Sea of saffron robes at the event

Authors at the event

It is rare for so many Sanyasis of different Parampara from across the world to have gathered in one place. It had happened in Omkareshwar that day. The Statue of Adi Shankara was like a magnet, drawing so many people there even from the day of inauguration. Everyone was hosted, fed, transported and well looked after during the event which was an organizational achievement, given that, it was coming just days after major floods.

It is considered as an auspicious sign when it rains on important occasions. It did at Omkareshwar too on that day. Just as the Homa for the inauguration was nearing Purnahuti, completion and the Deva, Mitra and Varuna were being invoked to accept the offerings, it started to rain. A dark cloud stood still, persistently over the hill and showered a good rain on all – not a heavy downpour nor a light drizzle. Just right enough to drench everyone with the spirit of oneness.

All were equal there that day under the Sun and Rain as there was no cover for anyone – guests, dancers, singers, priests and dignitaries including the Murti of Acharya Shankar. For, a covering would have obstructed the view of Acharya Shankar. But neither the Rain nor the Sun seemed to bother anyone present there. Everyone was soaking in all the forms of showers – radiant rays of the morning Sun, followed by the cooling cascade of Rain, under the benign shower of Grace emanating from the Murti of Acharya Shankar.

Acharya Shankar as a young boy, standing tall at a height of 199ft, strong as metal, with clouds overhead and a hill underneath. A worker peering down highlights the height in comparison.

It is indeed a matter of coincidence to note that

1. Narmada had flooded when Bala Shankara had arrived in person 2500 years ago.
2. Narmada has flooded again when Bala Shankara came in the form of a Murti.

With this Murti, India now has 3 towering statues, with 2 of them along the Narmada itself.

We have,

1. Statue for Sardar Patel at Kevadia, along the Narmada in the state of Gujarat, called the Statue of Unity.
2. Statue for Saint Ramanuja who worked to propagate the Visishta Advaita philosophy. This statue at Muchintal near Bhagyanagar i.e. Hyderabad, is called the Statue of Equality.
3. Statue for Adi Shankara, the proponent of Advaita at Omkareshwar as the Statue of Oneness.

All 3 are standing tall with a common message – all are equal in the eyes of the Divine and bear the Divine within them.

The Statue of Oneness emphasizes it further, with the Advaita message of Acharya Shankar that, all are themselves the Divine too!

What is Sanatana Dharma?

What is Sanatana?

This word and idea come from

• Sana which means old, lasting from long
• Atana means that which keeps coming along, is transmitted, gets passed on, is continuously there.

Sanatana thus means that which is continuous, coming from long as it keeps getting passed on, across time, generation to generation.

What is Dharma?

Dharma means that which you bear, you hold – Dhara. Earth is called Dharti as it bears, holds everything.

What does one bear or hold?

One’s innate, true nature or character.

Simply put, Dharma is the innate nature of every being – living and non-living. It is the way that being/entity is meant to behave or be. Sun has its Dharma, Earth has its Dharma, Plants, Animals etc. have their Dharma. Man has a Dharma.

Dharma is thus the order in the Universe that makes the Universe behave and exists the way it does. 

Dharma thus, is the dynamic, contextual interactions the beings/entities undergo to be in tune with time, need, situation, context, relationship with each other. 

In short – to be in relevance for oneself and to each other.

Dharma by itself is eternal, as it exists as long as the Cosmos exists and is applicable for everything in the Cosmos, including the Cosmos itself.

Sanatana Dharma is that Dharma which is continuous, coming from long as it keeps getting passed on across time, generation to generation.

Sanatana Dharma is a continuum of knowledge based sustainable living practices, practiced with a sense of balance to ensure sustainability of self, family, society, civilization, mankind, Nature and the Cosmos itself. It is knowledge to live in synchronization with Prakrti, Nature and Vignana, Sciences.

Being a tradition of knowledge that has been passed on across generation of humans, it thus refers to the Dharma of people.

Bharat, which means a land where people relish knowledge, has been preserving this continuum of knowledge and Dharma based living and practices. Hence it calls its Dharma, the innate nature of the people of this civilization as Sanatana Dharma. 

In course of time, especially under the British, this Sanatana Dharma came to be identified with the practices of those people of the land of Bharat who could not be classified as Christians or Muslims, the religions known to Europe then and hence came to be largely clubbed, associated and known as a single religion called Hinduism.

Further down in time, the term Matha for religion was also replaced with the usage of the word Dharam in Hindi for religion.

Thus, Sanatana Dharma became associated with Hindu Dharam, Hinduism, Hindu religion. 

Neither Hindu Dharma nor Sanatana Dharma are religions founded based on a single book of tenets propounded by a prophet or saint or their followers. They are continuums of traditions and way of living.

Sanatana Dharma is thus eternal, as it is a continuum and will last as long as there are humans. For, it is the Dharma of humans to instinctively keep refining and evolving their practices to stay relevant and to ensure they sustain on earth. When a civilization consciously keeps such valuable knowledge of sustenance alive and passed on, it is practicing Sanatana Dharma.

Sanatana Dharma is thus ever young, ever new, ever fresh, ever evolving – in long and short, eternal.

It is like the echo – whose original sound is old but the latest resounding of the original sound which is heard as an echo is new and young.

The best example for such an echo is Omkara, the oldest sound that originated at the time of the Brahmanda Visfotak, the Big Bang that caused Creation, Srishti and continues to resonate through the Cosmos as an Echo which is known as the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR).

More on Sanatana and Hindu Dharma in our book Understanding Hindu Dharma at https://bharathgyan.com/mb-hindudharma/ .

Why Is Our Land Called Bharat?

If we ask the question – “Why is our land called Bharat?”, one of the most common answers will be that, it is named after the King Bharat, who was the son of Shakuntala and King Dushyant. King Bharat was the progenitor of the Bharata dynasty, a Lunar, Chandravamsa lineage in which came the Pandava and Kaurava, the battle between whom came to be called the Mahabharata.

If we probe further, we will get another reply that, this land is called Bharat after the great Rishi Bharatamuni, the composer of Natyasastra, the foundational work for dance, drama, music and other forms of fine art.

Go further and it will lead us to the story of the great sage Jada Bharata and before him, to the King Bharata who was the son of King Rishabh Dev, an Ikshvaku King. This king, Rishabh Dev is also revered as the first Tirthankar, Bhagavan Adinath in the Jain tradition. King Bharata took over the rule of Ayodhya when his father retired. He then went on to conquer the rest of the land and is described as one of the early Chakravartin of this land i.e. one who had ruled the land from one coast to the other. The land Bharat is hence said to have got its name after this king. In this Puranic legend and in the geography of Ayodhya, we see a beautiful twinning of early Puranic and Jain legends.

We also have had Prince Bharat, who was the brother of Raja Ram of Ayodhya during Ramayana times.

This land has thus had many illustrious personages who have been called Bharat.

All this raises the question, why were there so many great souls called Bharat, such that the name of this land can be attributed to them?

An Answer To Relish

To unravel this answer, one must try to understand the name “Bharat”.

The beauty of the names in this civilization are such that, they are laden with meanings.

“Bharat” is one such word which connotes several meanings from an etymological, literal, metaphorical, physical as well as factual perspectives.

An Etymological And Metaphorical Connect

Bha is a syllable that denotes light. It is the root in names such as Bhaskara for Sun, Bhanumati which is also connected with the Sun, Bhanu for its splendour, lustre etc.

Light is connected with knowledge and enlightenment.

It is apt that the words ignorance and knowledge are metaphorically described as darkness and light.

For, when it is dark, one cannot see anything. For all practical purposes, that thing does not exist or its existence is not known to us. We are ignorant about its existence. We are literally “in the dark” about its existence.

It is only when light falls on anything, can one see that thing. That is when, we being to see it and know of its existence. We begin to “see light” about it.

Hence light has an innate connotation of knowledge or enlightenment too.

If we look at the syllable Ra, it denotes that which isdesirable, charming, pleasing. That, which radiates charm and attracts attention.

From this, we get words and names such as Rama for one who is the charming one, Ramya for one who is pleasing, charming etc.

We also have Rati for one who is full of delight or delightful to the senses. Rati is the name that has been aptly given to the consort of Manmatha, Kama Deva, the divinity for Love and Desire.

Rati thus connotes that which is to be relished.

Bharat or Bharati therefore connotes one who is a connoisseur of knowledge, who relishes knowledge, seeks out knowledge.

This land is thus, one where people have been seekers and relishers of knowledge from time immemorial and this is why many great personages and Kings were named Bharat and the land continued to be called Bharat after them and upon the innate character of its people to seek and relish knowledge.

Bharat is a land where people are connoisseurs of knowledge.

A Factual and Physical Connect

If we notice, we will see that this land does indeed enjoy the physical Bha, theactual sunlight, in abundance too.

Hence Bharat also denotes that land in the world which enjoys sunlight and the bounty that the Sun has to offer.

This is bound to raise the question then, “what about other lands in the world?”. Do not other lands also enjoy the bounties from the Sun?

Even though there are many lands near the equator, this land of Bharat has the advantages

• of being a fairly big mass of land as against many of the islands along the equator
• of having topological features that aid good rains as well as flow of rivers crisscrossing the land
• of receiving seasonal and copious monsoons, as against brief daily rains like equatorial regions
• of receiving these rains, just after the scorching Summer so that there is both ample water and a cooler weather to cultivate good harvests.

This land, thus enjoys the right amount of sunshine, Bha, neither too hot for long nor too cold for long and just ideal for most of the year.

Many other lands in this tropical belt are either deserts, dense rainforests or smaller islands.

This civilization had learnt how to relish this Sunlight and the seasonal Rains that it ushers. They had mastered the art of responsibly harvesting these bounties to cultivate sustainably and produce sufficiently for their own consumption as well as for world trade. All of which, earned them sustained prosperity for millennia. For, they were sought after for their produce and were world leaders in manufacture and trade for millennia.

Even today, we are a leader in harnessing Solar energy in the world.

Bharat is also a land where people are experts and connoisseurs of harnessing Sunlight.

A Metallic Tone To The Name

Besides these perspectives to the name Bharat, there is yet another meaning that can be attributed to the name Bharat.

One of the aspects that this civilization has been known for, across millennia, is its prowess in metallurgy –

• for producing the world’s best quality, iron and high carbon steel
• for forging out high end steel products
• for smelting Zinc
• for high quality alloying – especially with Copper, Tin, Zinc to produce fine bronze, brass etc.
• for being able to cast, sculpt and forge these metals and alloys into beautiful artefacts, vessels, instruments, tools and weapons.
• for handling poisonous elements such as mercury, lead etc. and putting them to fruitful uses after detoxifying them etc.
• to name a few.

It was metallurgy, which was one of the most sought-after produces from this land and had earned this civilization much acclaim as well as wealth through trade from all across the land.

Metallurgy and Pottery in this land can be traced to one of the Rishi called Bhrgu. His very name with the syllable Bhr connotes the effulgence of fire as well as sound made by the wind of fire / flame. Flame needed to smelt and wind are closely connected with metallurgy through bellows, bastrika. It is from Bhrgu that we also get words and names such as Bhargo, Bhargav, Bhargavi which mean effulgence, radiance, brilliance. Friday, after Venus, the brightest planet as seen from Earth, is also called Bhrguvara.

Thus, the light, radiance of syllable Bha also connotes the effulgence, Bhr from the metallurgical prowess of this civilization.

Bharat is also a land where people are experts and connoisseurs of metallurgy.

Acknowledgement As A Land Of Knowledge

Anyone can say they are good. Is that sufficient to be taken as a credential?

Should not others echo the sentiment too, for it to be true?

Likewise, when a corroboration for this civilization being a land of knowledge, comes from different quarters, it vindicates our ancestors’ choice of the name “Bharat”, for our land and people.

A Chinese Corroboration

The Chinese had attributed different qualities to the major civilizations of the past. In their view, this land was the King of Wisdom. They called this land as Tianzhu meaning Heavenly Centre as they looked towards this land for various texts on Sciences and Buddhism. In Chinese language, India is still known as Tianzhu.

Persian and Arabic Corroborations Too

Such a view on this civilization can be found in the writings of many Persian and Arabic scholars of the 8^th CE too, such as

• Al Jahiz of Basra, Baghdad who lived between 716 to 815 CE
• Abu Umar Jahiz, Baghdad, an Arab philosopher in 868 CE
• Yaqubi an Arabic Historian and Geographer from Egypt in 897 CE
• Said Al Andalusi, an Arabic scholar from Andalusia, Spain (Iberia), 1068 CE.

All their writings show, how they had regarded the civilization of Bharat as a land of science, philosophy, medicine, astronomy, mathematics, fine arts, sculpture, metals, musical instruments and many more.

A Timeless Name

This name Bharat, can be found all the way back in the Veda and Purana.

Rishi Vishwamitra in the Rg Veda, on the civilization of his times, describes the people living in this land in verse no. 3.53.12 as, “Bharatham Janam”.

A Multi-dimensional Name

Thus, the name Bharat has stood for a land

• famed for its knowledge (Bha)
• nourished by its agriculture enriched by the Sun (Bha)
• rich due to its trade in metals and products forged by the flame (Bha).

Bharat is the name we had given our land and civilization based on our nature and aspirations.

Most countries are named after people or after their geographical or topological aspects.

It is rare to find a civilization which in time of yore itself had deemed it apt to give itself the name “Bharat” based on the Guna, character of its people – of seeking glow of knowledge, of leveraging glow of sunlight, of handling the glow of fire.

A Resounding and Resonating Name

The integrated, indigenous model which had sustained this civilization in the past, now being rejuvenated for the present, will be one that throws light, knowledge, Bha on the principles of Rata, relishing the bounties offered by Nature in a sustainable, prosperous manner.

Such a thought leadership and practical wisdom is what Bharat can offer and needs to offer to its own people and to the world community at large, to make this world a better place to live in!

Not only will Bharat denote the land where people relished knowledge, but the name “Bharat” will take on a wider meaning in Naya Bharat.

The name “Bharat” will become a brand and stand for a land where people relish the bounties of Nature in an enlightened manner, to achieve sustenance of both self and everything around.

All through the times, this civilization has stood for leadership in guiding people on

• how to understand this world of Science and Nature,
• how to strike a balance with Nature in day to day living and
• how to live Naturally.

It is time now, for taking a leaf out of our past, to learn, to put to practice and to propagate the good practices that had made it prosperous and made the world look up to it.

It is time now to gather whatever teachings our ancestors have left behind, in order to model ourselves after a proven model, even if it means daring to be different. Our assured success in becoming self-reliant, Atmanirbhar and Swavrtta, self-sustained, in a wholistic manner, is bound to inspire others to follow.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi says this in his own way as,

It has never been our nature to stay behind and follow others.

This civilization has been the leader in every sense of the word and has led the world by example.

Bharat is a name that reflects all this and more!

More on these aspects can be found in our books Brand Bharat and Breaking The Myths – About Identity from Bharath Gyan at www.bharathgyan.com/bookslist/ .

Saurashtra Tamilagam – Millennia of Connect

In this vast and diverse civilization of Bharat, each region has had a special connect with the others across the land. People from each of these regions have relished and cherished these connects – some consciously and many sub-consciously.

Some of these connects have been kept alive through millennia, by way of physical travel and underlying shared sentiments such as the connects between Kashi and Tamilagam. There are some others where the connect has been kept alive more because of the shared history, memories and ethos. One such is the Saurashtra Tamil Connect.

The connect between the Tamils and the land of Saurashtra has always existed. However, like the river Sarasvati, deeply connected with the land and people of Saurashtra and which flows underground now, this connect too between the Tamil land and Saurashtra has been alive all long but has not surfaced enough to become a talked about subject.

For the present generation, the presence of the Pattunoolkarars from Saurashtra in Tamil Nadu is a palpable and tangible handle to the connect.

But, we will see that the physical connect between the people of Saurashtra, with the land and people of Tamilagam, goes way back to 5 Millennia ago atleast. We see such connects flashing through the passage of time through local legends, inscriptions, murtis, coins, signages and ruins that silently reinforce the fact of those connects. These connects have also kept up a continuous stream of many high-level thoughts flowing between these 2 lands both ways. Distance does not seem to have been a barrier.

With the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam event of April 2023, this silent but strong underlying connect between Tamilagam and Saurashtra has been brought to the fore. This event is an opportunity to reflect back on the various types of bonds that have bound these 2 lands together over the millennia, straddling over various realms – right from Geology, to Geography, to Trade, to Religion, to Philosophy, to Ethos and more.

These bonds give a glimpse of what our civilization had been like, its history and its true nature.

Today, the regions of Bharat already seem connected

• digitally through technology,
• physically with modern transportation modes,
• visually through media and fashion and
• mentally through lifestyle.

But India and each of its regions has immense potential to nurture a spiritual and cultural connect too, which had actually made India an Ek Bharat Sreshta Bharat.

In Amrit Kal of New India, while the traditional connects have to be strengthened and revitalized, newer traditions need to be set in place too to revitalize the connects, as are needed for present times and can be cherished by the oncoming generations too. The periodic and continuously held Kumbh gatherings from yester millennia form part of one such living tradition.

Sangamam such as the Kashi Tamil Sangamam and Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam should be seen as precursors to a new tradition of the many Sangamam that this civilization can celebrate.

These Sangamams should be many in number, across the land and should also become annual feature of these regions to keep a people to people connect reinforced, generation after generation.

Our book Saurashtra Tamilagam – Millennia of Connect is our humble offering to the Saurashtra Tamil Sangamam for the people to unravel layers of this connect, celebrate it and relish it through the literature, the divinities, the languages, the practices, the arts and crafts, cuisine, travel and other myriad forms of intertwined connects.

It is to make it a much talked about people to people connect and a tradition for millennia to come.

This book contains a Benedictory Message for the readers from Pujya Sri Shankaracharya Swami of Sri Sharadapeetham, Dwaraka and a Felicitation Message from the Honourable Governor of Tamil Nadu, Shri.R.N.Ravi.

It also carries an introductory message from a renowned Tamil Saurashtrian scholar, Prof.T.R.Damodaran.

It has been published in 4 languages – English, Tamil, Hindi and Gujarati.

Story of Brand India

We are all aware of how certain nations are  held synonymous with certain products, ideas and brands.

Each nation, civilization has a reason for promoting these products as their brand and each of these nations has carefully cultivated these brands and promoted them successfully across the globe, so much so that these products or brands and the nations are synonymous with each other today.

Independent India is now 75 years old. 

It gained its independence from Britain 75 years ago after their colonial hold over India for around 300 years.

It was not merely the colonial rule of Britain that India has had to fight but she has also had to fight off exploitation by the other colonial powers that have drained India since the early 1500s.

But the moot point is why did not one but all colonial powers make a beeline for India?

Obviously, for all that India was a brand for, in the 1500s.

We will see that these had been the brands of India not just for a few decades or centuries but for millennia before that too.

It is important for us to know and recall these brands every now and then as it will tell us about the innate strengths of our civilization.

It is important for us to see how these have morphed into becoming the brands that India is known for today, as it will showcase to us the hand of time and history in shaping the future of a civilization too.

A brief overview of this story can be read here.

Here is our talk delivered at the Nations As A Brand summit organized by the International Advertising Association in September 2022.

More on the brands of India can be seen in our 5 volume series of books – Brand Bharat.

Brand Bharat – Vol 1 – Made in India – Of Products made and traded from India to make India a brand.

Brand Bharat – Vol 2 – Roots In India – Of Concepts rooted in India and adopted world over to make India a brand.

Brand Bharat – Vol 3 – Unique to India – Of Signs that can still be seen in India as a brand of India.

Brand Bharat – Vol 4 – Leads From India – Of how India had influenced world thought and was a brand leader for Knowledge.

Brand Bharat – Vol 5 – Future From India – Of Expectations from India for the Future, with a brand as a Giving Civilization.

Niyuddha Kala – Martial Arts In India

Niyuddha Kala as the name goes suggests that, which is a Yuddha but fought in close combat, like a duel. This is in contrast to Yuddha which is like a battle fought between two sides/armies using different modes of warfare.

The word Kala with Niyuddha suggests its practice as an art form. The line separating this practice as an art form from battle mode is very thin. As an art form the purpose can range from basic fitness to personal satisfaction to a spiritual experience.

India has been a centre not only for spiritual knowledge and practices but this knowledge had also shown the people how important it is to keep the body fit too. Fit not just to fight off illnesses but also to fight off threats to their society and civilization.

A lasting reminder of this fact is the presence of many Akahadas in India even today, where the sanyasis train in and practice martial arts besides spiritual practices.

A strong reminder of the timelessness of this art form is the presence of the picture of Hanuman, who is held as the divinity for Strength and Courage, Balam and Dhairyam, in many of these Akahadas.

A continuity of this aspect of Hanuman’s strength can be found in the tale of an encounter between Bhima and Hanuman during Mahabharata times, where Bhima and many others too were exponents of Martial Arts.

Martial Arts can be traced earlier to Parasurama. After creating the land of Malabar and Konkan, Parasurama established 108 centres of Martial Arts in this land.

Parasurama travelled all over the land of Bharata from South West India, in present day Kerala which is traditionally known as Parasurama Kshetra to different parts such as Ayodhya, Janakapuri etc. all the way upto the North Eastern part of India – eastern part of present-day Arunachal Pradesh, where we find the Parasurama Kund, the place where He did Dhayana during Sankranti Utsav in His times. To this day, Parasurama Bhakt go on Yatra to this Teerth on Sankranti.

Wherever Parasurama went, He set up centres of Martial Arts which have carried forward the tradition and training through the times.

Martial Arts was also popular and practiced during Mahabharata times as showcased by the duel between Mal Yuddha experts such as Bhima and Jarasandha and earlier between Krishna and Chanura as well as Balarama and Mushtika. Duryodhana was an exponent of martial arts too.

Today, people look upto China, Japan and Korea for Martial Arts. It was Bodhidharma, a Pallava prince from Kanchipuram in South India, who took this form of art to Vietnam and China from where it spread to Japan, Korea and other parts of S.E.Asia.

The very name Mamallapuram comes from the name Mamalla for its king, whose name means one who is an expert in Mal, wrestling form of Martial Arts.

Kerala even today has a temple dedicated for Martial Arts with a dedicated Devi called Kalari Amman in Kannur.

Mysore continues to host Martial Arts competitions and displays within its palace during the Dassera celebrations every year.

Thus, Martial Arts can be traced across the length and breadth of the land. While Kusthi, wrestling is the basic form of Martial art, there are local forms of martial arts with and without weapons, that have been practiced across the different regions of Bharat.

For instance,

1. in the North-West, we can see martial arts having flourished in the form of Gatka and Sastra / Shastar Vidya of Punjab
2. in the North-East, we can see it in Thang – Ta forms of armed and unarmed martial arts of Manipur. One can also see it in the ancient local wrestling form of Mukna in Manipur, which evolved to become Mukna Kangjei, the local form of ball and stick game, the precursor to the sport of hockey.
3. in the East, we can see it being practiced and performed in the Paika Akhadas of Odisha. One cannot forget that one of the early revolutions against the British, even prior to the 1857 freedom struggle was from Paika in Odisha. Bengal also has its very own Lathi-khela form of martial art while Bihar has Pari Khanda a form of sword fighting that was practiced by Rajputs. Khanda means sword. A popular form of Shiva in Maharashtra who carries a sword is called Khandoba. These martial arts can be seen reflected in the popular Chhau dance of eastern parts of India.
4. in the West, we have had the Marathas popularizing the Mardani Khel form of martial art and employing it successfully in their warfare against the Mughals and British
5. Western and Central India have also been honing their martial arts skills using the Mallakhamb or the wrestling pole
6. in North-India, the Kashmir region has its Sqay form of sword fighting martial art, while Varanasi has its own Mushti form of Kusthi
7. in South-India, Tamilagam has been using forms of Martial arts such as Silambam, Mal Yuddham, Kara Tandavam etc., while Kerala has its own form called Kalari Payattu, Cheramam and so on. Andhra has its Kathi Samu and Karnataka still continues to host competitions in Indian Martial Arts during Dassera in Mysore.

These are just few of the prominent ones among the numerous forms that can still be seen in these regions in the realm of display performance, sport as well as in dance or percussion performances too, today.

Kumbh congregations are incomplete without the presence of Akahadas which are schools for sanyasis who also train in martial arts. For, these Akahadas were formed to protect the Dharmic civilization from external onslaughts, which they did valiantly for a 1000 years. After the 1857 Freedom struggle, the British Government banned most of the Akhadas as they could be places of potential uprisings against their oppressive rule. This made it illegal to practice to martial arts in India.

Post-Independence in the modern era, these Martial Arts have become Olympic sports.

Haryana with their Akhadas have become a training centre now for practising the wrestling form of Martial arts and have been winning laurels for India in international competitions and Olympics.

The trail of Martial Arts can thus be traced both forward and backward in times until present day, going to show how this civilization has not forgotten this art form albeit its practice having been played down a little in the last century.

While today, many of these artforms are seen as art performances, these martial arts have quietly played their role in the many struggles and resistances that this civilization has put up against external invading forces, to keep itself alive.

Each mode of combat has its place, role and significance for all times.

Hence the need to not only preserve them but also to propagate them for the benefits of good health that they offer to the practitioner too.

It is a tradition that we should be justifiably proud of. For, on the whole, martial arts has been a hoary tradition of this land going back by over 7 Millennnia.

More on various aspects of Martial arts in our following book and films:

• Online Book on Bodhi Dharma – https://bharathgyan.com/mb-bodhidharma/
• Book on Brand Bharat Vol2 – Roots In India – Chapters Contact Sports & Stadium, Pp 331 to 345 – https://bharathgyan.com/book-brand-bharat-vol-2-roots-in-india/
• Short films –
  • Indian and Karate, Jujutsu and Martial Arts – https://youtu.be/hRMclXgFn18?list=PL9QLcyiVla34i-ZZbDoSWNPW1NmZBFXgG
  • Wrestling – https://youtu.be/zb0mAfCYBw8?list=PL9QLcyiVla34i-ZZbDoSWNPW1NmZBFXgG

Kasi-Tamilagam A Traditional Connect

Our book Kasi-Tamilagam A Traditional Connect in 3 languages, English, Tamil and Hindi, to commemorate the timeless bond between Tamilagam and Kasi, was released by the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri. Narendra Modi during the inauguration of the Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi on 19 Nov, 2022.

This book carries a Felicitation Message from the Honourable Governor of Tamil Nadu, Shri.R.N.Ravi.

This book also contains Benedictory Messages for the readers from Pujya Sri Vijayendra Saraswathi Shankaracharya Swami of Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham and from Sri la Sri Kasiwasi Muthukumaraswamy Thambiran Swamigal of Thiruppanandal Adheenam.

Why this book?

Each place has its glories. Similarly, Kasi and Tamilagam too glow with their respective glories.

The name Kasi itself means to Glow. The Glow of Kasi has spread all over the land. The Glow of Kasi spread to Tamilagam too many, many millennia ago.

This book, Kasi Tamilagam Connect, traces some of the glowing factors of Kasi that have reached Tamilagam and vice-versa.

This compilation on the connect between Kasi and Tamilagam, is not just about a set of data points to be connected.

It is an effort to present people with connections that will lift their thoughts to a higher plane, inspire them and elevate them to greater heights as a well-connected, well-rounded Indian, a true Bharati. 

This book is a tribute to the long lineage of noble people who have relished this connect and expressed it in their own ways.

Starting from Rishi Agasthya from time immemorial who came from Kashi to Tamilagam, to the Siddhars, Saints, Scholars, Philosophers, Mystics, Poets, Musicians from Tamil Nadu who have travelled to Kashi, this book traces the spiritual imprints left by them in both these regions and in the overall knowledge and heritage of this civilization.

It also showcases the similarities between these 2 lands, its people and their cultural practices.

It highlights as to why Kashi has been held significant by this civilization and its influence on the people of Tamilagam.

Our civilization is rooted in Parampara which is to share the knowledge and practices Paar –  Paar – Paar i.e beyond and beyond and beyond, across generations and across times.

This book is for coming generations to get a quick bird’s eye view of this timeless connect.

It has been authored by D.K.Hari and D.K.Hema Hari who are founders of Bharath Gyan, an endeavour in Indian Civilization Knowledge Studies.

The Kashi Tamil Sangamam is a significant step towards physically reviving the bond between the people of Kashi and Tamilagam. This book, Kasi-Tamilagam A Traditional Connect augments their journey by highlighting the antiquity, spirituality and vitality of this ageless connect.

Ek Bharat Sreshta Bharat – Connecting India Series

This land called India i.e Bharat is commemorating its 75th year of Independence. It is being celebrated all over the land as Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav.

Bharat has always looked at itself, as not just independent kingdoms or a political entity, but more from the perspective of a cultural entity and a civilizational unit. This civilizational aspect of Bharat goes back many millennia into hoary times. All through these times, the people of different kingdoms, regions, languages, traditions, parampara have always looked at themselves from a higher identity of upholding the Dharma of being Bharatiya.

It is this realization that has prompted the government of New India to come up with the slogan Ek Bharat Sreshta Bharat i.e Ore Bharatham Unnatha Bharatham in Tamil.

This slogan brings out the facet that not only are we one nation, one civilization, one culture, a Kalacharam but that, we also take justifiable pride in appreciating the qualities of Bharat, the achievements of Bharat, the accomplishments of the people of Bharat through the ages. These have been in the realms of the products that we have produced and traded with the world as well as the elevated thoughts that we have similarly shared with other civilizations of the world through the millennia.

This knowledge aptly urges us to coin the term Sreshta Bharat or Unnatha Bharatham which conveys that we were leaders in the world community, both in material wealth and knowledge wealth. Through the last millennia, when people of this land, our forefathers fought for this land and its freedom, they fought, not for its geographical area but equally importantly, probably more importantly – for the values, the ethos, the practices, traditions, festivals of this culture and the civilization.

Through Ek Bharat Sreshta Bharat i.e Ore Bharatham Unnatha Bharatham we can dwell on facets, aspects that our civilization can be rightfully proud of. Not only be proud of but more importantly, know of these aspects, its layers and the reasons behind the same. This knowledge and the sense of pride, Abhiman, about our culture, civilization and land, in turn will help us recognize how fortunate we are, to be born in this Sreshta Bharat / Unnatha Bharatham land.

At Bharath Gyan, for the last 25 years, we have been researching and compiling these wonderful facets of Bharat and have brought this out in a range of mediums such as multimedia presentations, over 500 short films and 500 articles. We have also documented all this in over 100 volumes under the title Autobiography of India.

During travels across India, one observes that the practices, traditions and sentiments of the people are common in different parts of India even though the languages they speak may be different, the food may taste different and the attire they wear may look different. The connecting cultural thread is strong, distinct and palpable.

This, is the reason, New India, in the new millennia is seeing a cultural Renaissance.

It is recognizing its strengths, its connects and expressing it to its own citizens through such programs of Ek Bharat Sreshta Bharat or Ore Bharatham Unnatha Bharatham. This Renaissance propels us to showcase ourselves to the world with a sense of identity and pride.

It is keeping this in mind that we have thought it fit to deliver talks as a series called Inaikkum Bharatham Thodar i.e Connecting India series, under the larger umbrella of Ek Bharat Sreshta Bharat or Ore Bharatham Unnatha Bharatham, through which one can get to learn of these rich, wonderful and common aspects that connects each one with the others in this country, nation, civilization and also with the rest of the globe.

The first of its kind was hosted by the Hon. Governor of Tamil Nadu, Shri. R.N.Ravi at the Raj Bhavan, Chennai between 9^th to 11^th October, 2022 for students, researchers and faculty from different Universities of Tamil Nadu. It is planned to conduct many more such sessions for the youth, to take these learnings to their friends and family back home so that, together they can relish, celebrate and bond with the spirit of this Unnatha Bharatham.

Bharath Gyan Founders, Dr.D.K.Hari and Dr.D.K.Hema Hari being felicitated by Hon. Governor of Tamil Nadu, Shri.R.N.Ravi, with Principal Secretary to Governor, Shri.Anandrao V Patil looking on, for delivering talks of the 6 sessions of the Ore Bharatham Unnatha Bharatham – Inaikkum Bharatham Thodar held at Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan, Chennai on 10^th and 11^th October, 2022

We have to get to know ourselves better. What makes each of us special? What are the great achievements of our forefathers which have gone to make Bharat a long standing, continuously living, sustainable civilization and culture?

This will help us decide what each of us has to do in our generation to keep this going for the future generations to come. So that they too will have Bharat as a place to belong to, a culture to take pride in and a civilization all around, to relate to.

2 Intertwined Ancient Languages Of India – Tamil And Samskrt

2 Wonderful Languages

One often wonders about the 2 most ancient languages of the Indian Civilization – Tamil / Tamizh and Samskrt.

Whether these two have a common source?

Whether these two have a connect?

Which of these came first?

We find that these 2 ancient languages of India – Tamil and Samskrt, have similar antiquity for, they both show that their origins have the same roots – in the senses and in life.

They are twin languages and this idea is intrinsic as documented in their respective primary texts. The way of documentation is also almost identical too.

Tamil and Samskrt are thus sibling languages of India and are not one before or after another.

The clue to this comes from an analysis of how the early grammarians of these 2 languages have documented the origins of these 2 languages in their independent works.

• Tolkappiyam by Tamil Grammarian Tolkappiyar
• Ashtadhyayi by Samskrt Grammarian Panini.

An Interesting Observation

The works of both Panini and Tolkappiyar contain direct and inferred pointers to the human senses and to life, in the evolution of their respective languages.

While Panini brings this out explicitly by calling it the Shiva Sutra, Tolkappiyam has an implicit connect.

A Sound Based Connect, A Sound Connect

Tracing The Origins

Both these works list the basic units of sounds in the language and discusses ways to use them by ordering them in certain specific patterns. Interestingly there is a similarity in this arrangement of sounds into vowels and consonants and how they are to be joined.

One can see a tracing

1. of these basic units of sounds, to their perception by the human senses (Indriyam) and
2. of the possibility of such a perception, only when the human is conscious and alive (Shivam). A dead corpse (Shavam) cannot perceive.

Thus, the overall trace of sounds goes back

• from the spoken language,
• to the perception of sounds through our senses, Indriyam
• to the living, conscious intellect which then discerns them and makes sense out of them, a Shivam.

A Deep Understanding Of Sound

We see a commonality in the understanding of the science of speaking sounds, listening to them and making sense out of them as a language. We also see a beautiful commonality in the combination of the sounds to form words that are adapted to local contexts and local factors such as topography, climate, hydrology, physical features, needs and such other natural aspects.

Such a commonality in understanding the origin of language is expressed by both these works through the similarity in the arrangement of the spoken sounds in these 2 languages. Both of them order the syllables as sets of vowels and consonants. Their ordering shows their deep understanding of the physics of sound and the physiology of humans. For, speech is emitted by the human body in accordance with the scientific principles of resonance and modulation in the air column, regulated by the throat and moderated by the tongue and buccal cavity.

The 3^rd chapter of Tolkappiyam, Pirappu Iyal, actually describes how the air moves along the human body and produces various sounds. This is very similar to the explanation of the science of producing human sounds in Samskrt too.

Common Expression of a Common Phenomenon

Only a sound understanding of human sounds can produce such a scientific organization of the basic syllables of a language. And such a scientific expression of a common phenomenon, can have only one natural way of ordering and expression. This is what we find common in both these languages.

Aindiram Nirainda – Fully Developed Senses

The implicit connect of these sounds with the senses and the aspect of human life and consciousness is seen in both the works as follows:

• Panini explicitly calls it as Shiva Sutra, revealed by Shiva
• Tolkappiyam on the other hand, has a Prologue by a poet called Panapaaranaar who refers to Tolkappiyar as “Aindiram Nirainda”, meaning one full of Aindiram.

Aindiram means that which is derived from Indra or as one whose 5 senses, Indriyam are fully developed.

Aindiram is also the name of a literary work of Maya / Mayan and is considered as one of the early Tamil grammar works that preceded even Tolkappiyam.

Even though Aindiram of Mayan is spoken of as a Grammar text, Tamil scholars especially from the field of Shilpa Shastra and Astronomy, which were the forte of Mayan give us a wider perspective of Aindiram.  Aindiram of Mayan is a work that describes the grammar by which the subtle elements and consciousness interact and get transformed into physical manifestations of spaces, beings, forms and their interactions.

Mayan lists out interplay of 5 such aspects and hence, Aindiram. Aindu is 5 in Tamil.

The reference to Tolkappiyar as “Aindiram niraindha” therefore portrays him as

• one who is well versed with the Aindiram work of Mayan and hence
• one where all the 5 senses are also exalted.

What is Grammar actually?

Grammar in reality, is a set of rules by which sounds of syllables as well as forms of letters, can combine and interact to form words and sentences to listen to as well as see in written form.

The English Translation of Maya’s Aindiram has a beautiful Foreword by the renowned Shilpi and Vaastu expert Shri. Ganapathy Sthapathy, which highlights the above aspect of Grammar.

It is about the process through which, what is perceived by the mind in the form of light or sound, can be brought out as concrete forms – be they scripts, designs, shapes, forms, structures and entities.

And such a manifestation cannot be possible without the ability / potential of the Cosmos to be able to manifest itself, which is what is auspiciousness i.e Shiva or Mangalam.

Expanding Our Scope of Understanding

When we are dealing with such antique and insightful works, we cannot limit our thinking to Lord Shiva or a Lord Indra as historic people who can pen works. Nor are they mythology. They are symbolisms of Natural and factual, Cosmic principles which are insights gained by our ancient Rishis / Seers.

Such Divinities are Tattva, cosmic principles and the human interface with them needs a careful, wholesome handling.

In Tolkappiyam, rather than a direct reference to Lord Shiva as a God by name, we rightfully find reference to the context of auspiciousness in the usage of the word “Shivaniya” in the preface.

Tolkappiyar is being credited with having searched out and discerned the naturally occurring letters, sounds and meanings from antique Prose and Poetry works in Ancient Tamil, which have been auspiciously produced by this Nature blessed land and having arranged these letters and sounds in an order, skillfully.

This is what Panini is also credited with, similarly.

North and South – An Intertwining

Same Author – Mayan/Maya

There are about 60 works of Mayan, authored in Tamil, which are available today. At the same time there are numerous works by Mayan in Samskrt too. Mayan is a historical personage and is credited with the Maya Sabha of the historic Mahabharatha events, which took place in Indraprasta in present day Delhi, i.e in North India.

So, where can one draw the line between Samskrt and Tamil?

Same OM

While, some of the words may be different in phonology, the thoughts, meanings and premise seem not.

OM seems to be at the base of the knowledge of both the grammarians.

Aindiram is based on the light and sound of OM and Tolkappiyar is eulogized as one who knows the Aindiram. OM, is also the root syllable associated with Muruga or Kartikeya, the Divinity for the Tamil Language itself.

A telling expression of such similarity, more in thought is seen by other words too.

Common Respect To Veda In Sangam Times

The preface to Tolkappiyam also describes a scene of King Nilam Tharu Thiruvin Pandiyan’s court. Here, Tolkappiyar is described as having expounded his Tolkappiyam in this king’s court, amidst those who spoke virtuous words and were rooted in wisdom of the 4 Veda / Marai in Tamil.

King Nilam Tharu Thiruvin Pandiyan is the one who leads the people from Kumari Kandam onto mainland India when the original Pandya kingdom is submerged in the 2^nd Sangam deluge.  This is the King who led and gave his people a new land i.e Nilam at present day Madurai.

The mention of Veda during Tolkappiyar’s times itself shows its prevalence in South India and a deep respect for Veda by this old Sangam Tamil king.

This reference also helps to fix the Tolkappiyam work around this ecological time period, dateable to the Tsunami that engulfed Dwaraka in the year 3031 BCE. Information with regard to this dating can be found in our books Triple Eclipse and Historical Krishna – Volumes 1 and 2.

Same Set of 5 – The Panchabhuta

The Veda speak of how the Universe gets manifested from the subtle, through a process called Panchikaranam, which is an interplay of 5 primordial elements. Aindiram, which is a precursor to Tolkappiyam, also touches upon a similar interplay of 5.

Mayan and Vishwakarma

If Veda contain Vishwakarma Sukta to describe this process of Creation, Aindiram is by Mayan who is also a Vishwakarma.

If during Rama’s times, Ravana took the help of Mayan to build his Lanka, during Krishna’s times, Krishna took the help of Vishwakarma to build His Dwaraka and the Pandava got Mayan to build their Mayasabha.

So, how does one differentiate one language from the other, except for the spoken sounds, when the meaning, theme, ethos are all similar?

For that matter, how can anyone ever indicate which came first or which influenced which?

The Visible Connection

What one can instead see is that, while they have independent phonology in some respects, which might show the 2 languages to be seemingly different, they have common ideology as far as Cosmology is concerned. Also, their basis for source of language goes back to the origins of the Universe from the subtle and the 5 elements as well as the rhythm, order and science in it.

Shiva and Indra, implied in both Ashtadhyayi and Tolkappiyam are to be understood in the light of Shiva being the Consciousness and Divinity for Panchabhuta which creates matter / manifestation, which in turn brings about Indriyam, the 5 senses, with Indra as their Divinity, which help us perceive the world and communicate with each other and Nature. The word Shiva for this Tattva, which is the potential to manifest, therefore means Mangalam or Auspiciousness.

That is the beauty of our age-old civilizational culture.

The beauty is in how across Samskrt and Tamil languages, the great grammarians have had a common view of how language comes to humans.

From all of this, we can see that Tamil and Samskrt are thus,

• similar in antiquity.
• similar in understanding the source of the language.
• similar in way of expressing their origin.

This convergence in thought and the elevated understanding of the subtle aspects of existence shows a far greater connect beyond words and etymology of the words in the languages themselves.

It far outweighs the fact that

• at times one can see a variance in the words used by the 2 languages for the same aspect and
• many a times, one can also see a commonality in many of the words used by the 2 languages for the same aspect.

This is Ek Bharat Sreshta Bharat – Ore Bharatham Unnatha Bharatham.

And it is a timeless connect.