"Atharva Veda" - Chant Prayers in Mother Tongue

Author - Virarajendra

The Sanskrit "Atharva Veda" says Chant Prayers to God in Mother Tongue

I was reading through a small booklet titled the "Atharva Veda" written in English by Mr Bibek Debroy & Mr Dipavali Debroy, and published from New Delhi. In this booklet the authors have selected few sections of interest from each of the twenty kandas of the "Atharva Veda", and has presented the English Translation of these sections from the "original Sanskrit"

Among the sections given in this booklet, one is from the seventh kanda of the "Atharva Veda" titled as "mother tongue" (page 49), and reads as follows.

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"Mother Tongue"......

.......Let us not turn away from our "mother tongue". May we always look upon our "mother tongue" with favour.

Those who are desirous of pleasing the Gods - "chant prayers" to them in the "mother tongue". It is the "mother tongue" which performs the function of purification.

Each word of the "mother tongue" is bound to us with ties of blood. Clarified butter flows through each word of the "mother tongue".

All the "Sacred Arts" find expression in our "mother tongue". May we use our "mother tongue" to describe the "glory of the Gods"
(Sacred Arts = Music & Dance)

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The above references in the "Atharva Veda" falls inline with the strong views of many of the "present day Tamil Nadu", that "All Poosai Valipaaduhal" in the Saivite & Vaishnavite Temples in Tamil Nadu & elsewhere patronised by Tamils, should be conducted by Temple Priests - with Sacred Hyms recited in "Tamil" - "a language understood by all Tamils", instead of Sanskrit.

This could be done by they reciting - the "Thiruth Thaandaham" Pathikams of the Tamil Saiva Saint Thirunaavukkarasu Naayanaar and the Pathikams from the Tamil Thirumuraikal of the other principal Tamil Saiva Saints (Naayanaars) - ending with the word "Poattri", and also by reciting the appropriate Pathikams from the Tamil Naalaayira Thivya Pirapantham of the Tamil Vaishnava Saints (Aalvaars) - within the Sanctum Sanctorium of the Siva and Vishnu Temples - during their Poosai Valipaaduhal.

Among the 63 - Tamil Saiva Saints and 12 - Tamil Vaishnava Saints of the pre-medieval and medieval period Tamil Nadu, those who composed "poems of praise and prayers" to God Siva & God Vishnu did so in beautiful Tamil, which are classifed as 11 - Thirumurais and Naalaayira Thivya Pirapantham.

The Tamil - Saiva and Vaishnava Saints found it a great pride to sing their "poems of praise and prayers" to God Siva and God Vishnu in Tamil. This is confirmed from their own references in their poems, some of which are as follows:

"......Thamilodu esai paadal maranthu ariyen......"

Saiva Saint Thirunaavukarasa Naayanaar, 4th Thirumurai

".......Thamilin virakan uraiththa Thamil maalai......."

Saiva Saint Thirugnanasampantha Naayanaar, 1st Thirumurai

".......In Thamilaal Navaluran sol padalhal......."

Saiva Saint Sundaramurththi Naayanaar, 7th Thirumurai

".......irunth Thamil nan maalai inaiyadikke sonnen
perunth Thamil nallen perithu......"

Vaishnava Saint Poothathaalvaar, 2nd Thiruvanthaathi

".......Puthuvai Pattan uraiththa Thamil innisai maalaihal....."

Vaishnava Saint Periyaalvaar, Thirumoli

"........Puthuvaiyar koan vittu Siththan Kothai
viruppudai yin Thamil maalai....."

Vaishnava Saint Aandaal, Naachchiyaar Thirumoli

".......koalamaam Kulasekaran sonna nallisaiththa Thamil maalai.....'

Vaishnava Saint Kulasekaraalvaar (Kulasekara Perumal), Thirumoli

The Sacred Hyms recited and the Divine Expressions spelt by the Priests in all the 'other' religious rituals both within the temples (such as Kumba Abishekams = Kudamulukku Peru Vilaa) and in the households, should also be in Tamil selected from the Tamil Thirumurais and the Tamil Naalaayira Thivya Pirapantham, and not in Sanskrit a language not understood by almost 95% of the World Tamil population.

Let the above references in the "Atharva Veda" together with the new thinking of many in the "present day Tamil Nadu", forge a re-awakening in the use of Tamil, "in all forms of worship and rituals" in the Religious Life of the "Tamil - Saivites and Vaishnavites" of Tamil Nadu, and elsewhere in the world.

As the first step in the "use of Tamil" in Temples patronised by Tamils in Tamil Nadu and other countries, the name Devasthanam in Sanskrit for temples should be changed into Thirukkoyil or Koyil in Tamil. This name for the Temple has been in use in Tamil Nadu for nearly 2000 years as seen in the Tamil epics Silappathikaaram & Manimekalai and many other Tamil Literary works through ages. Also many Tamil inscriptions in the Temples of Tamil Nadu too refer to them as "Thirukkoyil or Koyil" - especially in the medieval Chola Temples.

Video with following URL relevent to the foregoing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=ZlaIvwuPDqg

Edited

Agreed...what would help is really a reader friendly translation of their essential works..if they were widely available and taught, it'll be so cool..

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.

.
What is the PURPOSE of Manthras.?


CHANTING GOSPELS.?--- Divine Expressions,


--such as OHM, KLEEM, HREEM and the like.!


For WHOM to Understand.?


Chanter Devotee or the Deity.?


What the Languages have got to do in this Case.?


Should the Tamilians become TAMIL-FANATICs.?




Dear Vira-rajendra,

Your Stand and Claim are FUNNY.!

Especially on ATHARVANA-VEDA--- which almost comprises of various Manthras,

--especially of highest standard of Soul- spirit.!

Not only for the so called Hindus, but also for any God-believer devotee of any Religion, what the Language has to do?

All the Christians--- irrespective of their varied Mother-Tongue--- chant AMEN at the church, on the close of their Prayers. That is the Holy Biblical word in Hebrew, which Language most of the Christians do not know.

Can it be superseded or substituted by any other Language, simply because some Christians do not know its meaning ---

---and simply because Hebrew is NOT THEIR MOTHER TONGUE.!

So is the case of Muslims Prayer too.!

Muslims pray : “Allah Ho Akbar” in the Holy Koran Gospel Language Arab.

Can any Non-Arab European, say an Englishman, Chant in his known Language Mother Tongue,


-- English, named and claimed as the -- Holy AENJLISH,


---in the Mosque as “Oh God You are Great.!...


--- Substituting the Holy Koran Chantings.?


No doubt the True Meaning and sense of the Prayer chanting “Allah Ho Akbar.” ?

Only Sri-Vaishnavites the followers of Azhwars have given the highest seat of HONOURABLE THRONE OF GLORY for Tamil

--- Establishing and Practicing that

---TAMIL also as ANOTHER GOSPEL LANGUAGE.!


But even those ardent Tamil Language patrons do not Chant in Tamil--

---Superseding the Adhi Vedic Chantings in the Original GOSPEL LANGUAGE Sanskrit like---


--- Harihi Ohm NAARAAYANAAYA NAMAHA.!!!---

Ohm Saanthi Saanthi.! Saanthihi!!!.


It is primarily for the God to understand the Devotees Prayer and Mind-Culture.!

Not Vice versa, mainly.!

But, No doubt, it is better to pray with the true basic knowledge on the sense of the Manthras also, while chanting. Which approach renders the Best Results.

And in addition to chanting Manthras, the devotee can pray through ones own Mother-tongue or Thoughts also,

--but PRIVATELY, confined to ones own. in a Public place of Worship,

--Common for varied sorts of devotees.

However in any case it cannot and OUGHT NOT to supersede over the Gospels.!

-- irrespective of LANGUAGE QUALIFICATION.!!!

.

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as per Sudhama's comment - we pray in God's language for him to understand. I don't buy in to this fact.

Human idea of God is a is Omnipotent, Omnipresent etc - which means he should understand all languages - if I have to speak in a particular language then it would mean he doesn't know my Language which means the God doesn't fit in the above framework we defined.

I would reject a God a my God, if he cannot understand my Language, eat my food and accept my way of life.

The statements of Sudhaama, makes god as a humble person who knows not more than one language, eats just one kind of food always etc - this is a very primitive thinking of god Aborginals had. We need to look beyond the boundaries/ limitations for the definition of God....

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Chappani

I would reject a God a my God, if he cannot understand my Language, eat my food and accept my way of life.

---

You cannot reject your computer CPU Processors as it cannot understand other than 0 and 1
You cannot reject your Broadband Modem as it does modulation and demodulation (that's why it is called as modem) of the message/voice/video being sent/received by you over Internet

Why only reject the GOD? Why this Kola Very, Sir? :)

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Hi Samraj,
What is this comparison between God and Computer. "Vucha talaikum, Vullan Kaalukum Mudhicha!!!".

A Super Human being - who understands everything, every action on this world is dictated by him, Who is a Mother at heart etc and a Dumb Machine like Computer/ Modem ???

Come out with better arguments buddy !!

Mr. Sudhaama,

We indians practice dharma, which represents the first and the foremost worship of god for more than 4 era,
Now we read India through the prism of our ancestors, That is why india is a better human being than lunatics found in some religion born foreign countries.

OM is the pranava mantra, that is the first mantra born in this universe. Hence every Indian who practices dharmam knows it and precedes every mantra.

what you practice is not important, but the outcome of practice is important. Our ancestors had foreseen every aspect of this earth and made sure that indians do not end up as aborigines in the hands of christians, as was done in australia, canada, america, africa. That is why we indians like a better life because of the preaching of vedhas.
Please don't get confused with the foreign noble religion who has declared itself of the saviour and converted its religious book and calling it as VEDHAS.

The vedhas I am speaking about is the original one born in the womb of my mother, Because of its preachings only every religion which has been threatened finds shelter in the shade of my mother.

As for as computers not reading other than 0 and 1, Please read computer science and then argue, computer understands only 0 and 1 and not any other thing, you draw a diagram or a full length conversation, everything is converted into 0 and 1, and it is processed, please open the hard disk in your computer and see all the data is in the form of 0 and 1.

regards
bharat

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sudhaama

.

.
What is the PURPOSE of Manthras.?


CHANTING GOSPELS.?--- Divine Expressions,


--such as OHM, KLEEM, HREEM and the like.!


For WHOM to Understand.?


Chanter Devotee or the Deity.?


What the Languages have got to do in this Case.?


Should the Tamilians become TAMIL-FANATICs.?




Dear Vira-rajendra,

Your Stand and Claim are FUNNY.!

Especially on ATHARVANA-VEDA--- which almost comprises of various Manthras,

--especially of highest standard of Soul- spirit.!

Not only for the so called Hindus, but also for any God-believer devotee of any Religion, what the Language has to do?

All the Christians--- irrespective of their varied Mother-Tongue--- chant AMEN at the church, on the close of their Prayers. That is the Holy Biblical word in Hebrew, which Language most of the Christians do not know.

Can it be superseded or substituted by any other Language, simply because some Christians do not know its meaning ---

---and simply because Hebrew is NOT THEIR MOTHER TONGUE.!

So is the case of Muslims Prayer too.!

Muslims pray : “Allah Ho Akbar” in the Holy Koran Gospel Language Arab.

Can any Non-Arab European, say an Englishman, Chant in his known Language Mother Tongue,


-- English, named and claimed as the -- Holy AENJLISH,


---in the Mosque as “Oh God You are Great.!...


--- Substituting the Holy Koran Chantings.?


No doubt the True Meaning and sense of the Prayer chanting “Allah Ho Akbar.” ?

Only Sri-Vaishnavites the followers of Azhwars have given the highest seat of HONOURABLE THRONE OF GLORY for Tamil

--- Establishing and Practicing that

---TAMIL also as ANOTHER GOSPEL LANGUAGE.!


But even those ardent Tamil Language patrons do not Chant in Tamil--

---Superseding the Adhi Vedic Chantings in the Original GOSPEL LANGUAGE Sanskrit like---


--- Harihi Ohm NAARAAYANAAYA NAMAHA.!!!---

Ohm Saanthi Saanthi.! Saanthihi!!!.


It is primarily for the God to understand the Devotees Prayer and Mind-Culture.!

Not Vice versa, mainly.!

But, No doubt, it is better to pray with the true basic knowledge on the sense of the Manthras also, while chanting. Which approach renders the Best Results.

And in addition to chanting Manthras, the devotee can pray through ones own Mother-tongue or Thoughts also,

--but PRIVATELY, confined to ones own. in a Public place of Worship,

--Common for varied sorts of devotees.

However in any case it cannot and OUGHT NOT to supersede over the Gospels.!

-- irrespective of LANGUAGE QUALIFICATION.!!!

.

---

brought forward