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Vyasa-mushti Salagrams

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What is the meaning of "vyAsa-muSTi"?

 

I'm working on an article about Vyasadev and Madhvacharya. The Madhva

followers refer to 8 salagram-silas that they say were given to Madhva

by Vyas. They call these silas, "vyAsa-muSTi." I'm familiar with the

word, "muSTi", which has several meanings, the most appropriate here

would seem to be: "a handful" (Monier Williams). Can anyone say if

that is the correct meaning in this case? And if so, what would a

proper translation be: "Vyasa's handful"?

 

I would greatly appreciate any comments from this august assembly.

Thank you.

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The most obvious meaning would be 'Vyasa's fist'. Does it refer to

their shape?

 

Valerie J Roebuck

 

At 11:12 am +0000 20/9/06, madhava64108 wrote:

>What is the meaning of "vyAsa-muSTi"?

>

>I'm working on an article about Vyasadev and Madhvacharya. The Madhva

>followers refer to 8 salagram-silas that they say were given to Madhva

>by Vyas. They call these silas, "vyAsa-muSTi." I'm familiar with the

>word, "muSTi", which has several meanings, the most appropriate here

>would seem to be: "a handful" (Monier Williams). Can anyone say if

>that is the correct meaning in this case? And if so, what would a

>proper translation be: "Vyasa's handful"?

>

>I would greatly appreciate any comments from this august assembly.

>Thank you.

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I haven't come across any description of the silas that would give any indication if there were referring to Vyasa's fist.

Some persons call them "aSTamUrti". That meaning is obvious, but I have some doubts about the title, as I have only come across it in one or two books that were not from the Madhva line. Of course "vyAsa-muSTi" might also be a typo or some kind of mistake. However, I've come across that phrase on several Madhva sampradaya websites, so I have a little more faith in it.

Valerie J Roebuck <vjroebuck (AT) macunlimited (DOT) net> wrote: The most obvious meaning would be 'Vyasa's fist'. Does it refer to

their shape?

Valerie J Roebuck

At 11:12 am +0000 20/9/06, madhava64108 wrote:

>What is the meaning of "vyAsa-muSTi"?

>

>I'm working on an article about Vyasadev and Madhvacharya. The Madhva

>followers refer to 8 salagram-silas that they say were given to Madhva

>by Vyas. They call these silas, "vyAsa-muSTi." I'm familiar with the

>word, "muSTi", which has several meanings, the most appropriate here

>would seem to be: "a handful" (Monier Williams). Can anyone say if

>that is the correct meaning in this case? And if so, what would a

>proper translation be: "Vyasa's handful"?

>

>I would greatly appreciate any comments from this august assembly.

>Thank you.

 

 

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It is difficult to be sure about the meaning of a word, especially the

non-literal meaning, without knowing the entire context in the original

language. However, pl consider this:

 

vyaas-mu.s.ti could be parallel to aacaarya-mu.s.ti (Pali aacariya-mu.t.thi)

in its formation and connotation ('the ultimate message/teaching that a

teacher keeps to himself, a secret or most valuable teaching not to be

divulged lightly'). With this connotation, the implication would be that

Madhva received from Vyaasa that doctrine which no other teacher (especially

no other Vedaanta teacher) could receive -- Madhva understood Vyaasa

thoroughly and most accurately; in other words, a claim of supremacy.

 

As I recall, in the 1970's there was a discussion about the meaning of

mu.s.ti between Prof. T. Venkatacharya and Prof. K. Kunjunni Raja in the

issues of Brahmavidya or Adyar Library Bulletin, prompted by the former's

discussion of the expression mu.s.ti.mdhaya. This may or may not be useful

in the present context.

 

ashok aklujkar

 

 

On 9/24/06 12:45 AM, "Valerie J Roebuck" <vjroebuck (AT) macunlimited (DOT) net> wrote:

 

> The most obvious meaning would be 'Vyasa's fist'. Does it refer to

> their shape?

>

> Valerie J Roebuck

>

> At 11:12 am +0000 20/9/06, madhava64108 wrote:

>> What is the meaning of "vyAsa-muSTi"?

>>

>> I'm working on an article about Vyasadev and Madhvacharya. The Madhva

>> followers refer to 8 salagram-silas that they say were given to Madhva

>> by Vyas. They call these silas, "vyAsa-muSTi." I'm familiar with the

>> word, "muSTi", which has several meanings, the most appropriate here

>> would seem to be: "a handful" (Monier Williams). Can anyone say if

>> that is the correct meaning in this case? And if so, what would a

>> proper translation be: "Vyasa's handful"?

>>

>> I would greatly appreciate any comments from this august assembly.

>> Thank you.

>

>

>

>

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In the tradition of Salagrama worship, the Salagrama-s

which come within the size of a 'mu.s.ti' (fist) are

worshiped in the houses. The bigger ones are generally

worshiped in the temples, but never kept for worship

in the homes.

 

It is better to ask the pundits of the Madhva

tradition for appropriate answer.

 

Prof. Aklujkar's cross reference is interesting.

 

- R.Chandrashekar

--- Ashok Aklujkar <aklujkar (AT) INTERCHANGE (DOT) UBC.CA>

wrote:

 

> It is difficult to be sure about the meaning of a

> word, especially the

> non-literal meaning, without knowing the entire

> context in the original

> language. However, pl consider this:

>

> vyaas-mu.s.ti could be parallel to aacaarya-mu.s.ti

> (Pali aacariya-mu.t.thi)

> in its formation and connotation ('the ultimate

> message/teaching that a

> teacher keeps to himself, a secret or most valuable

> teaching not to be

> divulged lightly'). With this connotation, the

> implication would be that

> Madhva received from Vyaasa that doctrine which no

> other teacher (especially

> no other Vedaanta teacher) could receive -- Madhva

> understood Vyaasa

> thoroughly and most accurately; in other words, a

> claim of supremacy.

>

> As I recall, in the 1970's there was a discussion

> about the meaning of

> mu.s.ti between Prof. T. Venkatacharya and Prof. K.

> Kunjunni Raja in the

> issues of Brahmavidya or Adyar Library Bulletin,

> prompted by the former's

> discussion of the expression mu.s.ti.mdhaya. This

> may or may not be useful

> in the present context.

>

> ashok aklujkar

>

>

> On 9/24/06 12:45 AM, "Valerie J Roebuck"

> <vjroebuck (AT) macunlimited (DOT) net> wrote:

>

> > The most obvious meaning would be 'Vyasa's fist'.

> Does it refer to

> > their shape?

> >

> > Valerie J Roebuck

> >

> > At 11:12 am +0000 20/9/06, madhava64108 wrote:

> >> What is the meaning of "vyAsa-muSTi"?

> >>

> >> I'm working on an article about Vyasadev and

> Madhvacharya. The Madhva

> >> followers refer to 8 salagram-silas that they say

> were given to Madhva

> >> by Vyas. They call these silas, "vyAsa-muSTi."

> I'm familiar with the

> >> word, "muSTi", which has several meanings, the

> most appropriate here

> >> would seem to be: "a handful" (Monier Williams).

> Can anyone say if

> >> that is the correct meaning in this case? And if

> so, what would a

> >> proper translation be: "Vyasa's handful"?

> >>

> >> I would greatly appreciate any comments from this

> august assembly.

> >> Thank you.

> >

> >

> >

> >

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I have seen many of these Salagramas in Sri Venkateswara temples for daily worship. I think they were always about 1 inch in diameter or smaller...usually several of them in a small bowl... a "substitute" for dialy abhishekam of the main vigraha.

 

This seems to me to much smaller than a "fist"."

 

 

 

chandra r <chandrashekhara26 >

INDOLOGY

Sunday, September 24, 2006 1:00:08 PM

Re: [Y-Indology] Vyasa-mushti Salagrams

 

 

In the tradition of Salagrama worship, the Salagrama-s

which come within the size of a 'mu.s.ti' (fist) are

worshiped in the houses. The bigger ones are generally

worshiped in the temples, but never kept for worship

in the homes.

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  • 2 weeks later...

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