Chandipath

December 29, 2008

Dear Sir Narsimhaji,

There are two thinking for Chandipath chanting.

1. Every verse in Chandipath is a mantra and reading of Chandipath in Sanskrit is more meaningful to please Goddess and to get desired results. It is created in Sanskrit and whether we may follow the meaning of the verses or not, we should read in Sanskrit only if we can read Sanskrit fluently because every Verse has its vibrations with full of energy.

2. If we read in Sanskrit, we never involve ourselves in the 'Lila' of Durga nor we enjoy the story of Janma(Birth) of different Shakties narrated in Chandipath (This is only possible for those who are scholars in Sanskrit and can translate each and every verse immediately while reading. For others it is simply reading with faith and devotion.)- Better way is, it should be read in regional language with full involvement in the 'Lila'. Here we can enjoy the different roles of Shaktis, fully understand the differnet Births etc. This type of reading makes Chandipath more meaningful.

Dear Sir, I request your advice as what is the real way of chanting Sri Chandipath from these two?

Dr. Ashwin Rawal

December 29, 2008

Namaste Ashwin Bhai,

Though you question was to Narasimha, I would give my 2 cent here as

similar thinking has crossed my mind many times in the past.

- I have observed that Reciting in Sanskrit is what really gives

one 'rhythm'. Each Shloka gives you great feeling because it

generates a kind of rhythm combined with devotion. it generates

energy.

- It is very true that most people immediately will not know the

meaning of the verses. Take for instance my case. I can claim that i

am considerably fluent in reciting Sanskrit Shlokas (Devanagari

Script) but i hardly know grammar and many other things in the

language. During my initial recitation, the whole recitation was

just like reading with little or no understanding of the Story. Then

i got a book in which, on every page, Verses were given in the top

and at the bottom there was the Translation for the same verses.

What i did was that i started reciting one or two verses above and

then used to see the meaning given below in the same page. Thus over

a period of time, it became ease to understand the meaning of the

verses *immediately* while reciting because the meaning was already

registered in the back of the mind. i am continuing the same process.

Sanskrit is supposed to be the basis of all our Indian Languages. My

knowledge of Gujarati, Marathi & Hindi was handy to understand many

of the words of Sanskrit immediately and didn't need to struggle

much. Same way, for the people of India, there are many common

words, i suppose, between Sanskrit and any regional language.

The point i wish to make here is that it is best to recite in

Sanskrit verses, even if one doesn't understand the meaning. To

solve the issue of devotion and understanding of the story, one can

take a book which gives verses as well as translation. By practicing

to read verses as well as the translation of the same, over a period

of time, one will reach the point where the *literal* meaning of the

verses will be *instantly* known without need to fall back on

translation. Our memory and brain has such great faculties. One can

also go though the whole translation part in free time. The

repetition of which, will create understanding of literal meaning of

the verses.

but final aim should be recitation in Sanskrit and off-course

Devotion which should be the prime mover.

Hope i could really explain it effectively.

Spiritually yours,

Utpal

, " ashwinrawal " <ashwinrawal

wrote:

>

> Dear Sir Narsimhaji,

>

> There are two thinking for Chandipath chanting.

>

> 1. Every verse in Chandipath is a mantra and reading of Chandipath

in

> Sanskrit is more meaningful to please Goddess and to get desired

> results. It is created in Sanskrit and whether we may follow the

meaning

> of the verses or not, we should read in Sanskrit only if we can

read

> Sanskrit fluently because every Verse has its vibrations with full

of

> energy.

>

> 2. If we read in Sanskrit, we never involve ourselves in

the 'Lila' of

> Durga nor we enjoy the story of Janma(Birth) of different Shakties

> narrated in Chandipath (This is only possible for those who are

> scholars in Sanskrit and can translate each and every verse

immediately

> while reading. For others it is simply reading with faith and

> devotion.)- Better way is, it should be read in regional language

with

> full involvement in the 'Lila'. Here we can enjoy the different

roles of

> Shaktis, fully understand the differnet Births etc. This type of

reading

> makes Chandipath more meaningful.

>

> Dear Sir, I request your advice as what is the real way of

chanting Sri

> Chandipath from these two?

>

> Dr. Ashwin Rawal

>

December 31, 2008

Namaste,

Thinking of the stories of the Mother and contemplating on them can help one. However, there are a few other factors to consider:

(1) Mantras in Sanskrit have been meditated upon by many saints and yogis in the past and their effect on the mind is well-understood. A sequence of sounds, when repeated with full mental focus, creates a certain energy. Just thinking of the meaning may not create the same energy. For example, sounds without any meaning also produce specific energies in the mind when we focus on those sounds single-mindedly.

(2) The sadhana of so many saints and yogis who used the mantras before adds to the power of those Sanskrit mantras.

This is my opinion: Reading meanings of Chandipath is also good and creates positive thoughts. But repeating the Sanskrit mantras (even without understanding the meaning) is superior to that! It creates well-understood energy in the consciousness.

If one carrying a seed does not understand what it is for and makes a replica in gold, which in his opinion is better, one is losing the basic functionality of the seed. The golden seed may appeal to one as it does not get spoiled and looks better to one's senses, but it can never give rise to a plant. The original seed, on the other hand, can give rise to a plant when one figures out how to germinate it.

* * *

One or two years back, I wanted to translate Chandipath into Hindi or Telugu (my mother tongue) in poetic form or even prose form so that people speaking those languages can read it instead of Sanskrit verses and understand better what they are reading. But my guru (Manish) discouraged me. He said something written by a person like me with a dense ego would not have the same power as a Puranic verse. The Sanskrit verses of Chandipath were composed by someone with a highly effaced ego and in communion with divinity. The same could be said about several sacred writings in many religions in many languages. There is something special about words composed by saints, yogis and messiahs who were in a very elevated state of being, where the individual ego is effaced largely and the mind is filled with some divine energy (which is not possible when individual ego occupies the space of mind).

So Manish told me to wait till I was ready (if ever) for such a project. I realized the wisdom in his advice and removed the thought of this project from my mind.

When Jnaneshwar Maharaj composed Jnaneshwari (Marathi translation of Bhagavad Gita in poetic form), he was in a very purified state of consciousness. Hence there is divine power in his Marathi words and many saints experienced divinity by chanting his Marathi verses. Same with Ram Charit Manas by Sant Tulasidas. Those are inspired translations.

If one has access only to words spoken by a normal person in a language that one can understand, it is better to repeat words spoken by an elevated being instead, even if one does not understand the meaning.

Best regards,NarasimhaDo a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/homamDo Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAstrologer.org/tarpanaSpirituality: Free Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro.home.comcast.netFree Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAstrologer.orgSri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagannath.org

-

Dear Sir Narsimhaji,

There are two thinking for Chandipath chanting.

1. Every verse in Chandipath is a mantra and reading of Chandipath in Sanskrit is more meaningful to please Goddess and to get desired results. It is created in Sanskrit and whether we may follow the meaning of the verses or not, we should read in Sanskrit only if we can read Sanskrit fluently because every Verse has its vibrations with full of energy.

2. If we read in Sanskrit, we never involve ourselves in the 'Lila' of Durga nor we enjoy the story of Janma(Birth) of different Shakties narrated in Chandipath (This is only possible for those who are scholars in Sanskrit and can translate each and every verse immediately while reading. For others it is simply reading with faith and devotion.)- Better way is, it should be read in regional language with full involvement in the 'Lila'. Here we can enjoy the different roles of Shaktis, fully understand the differnet Births etc. This type of reading makes Chandipath more meaningful.

Dear Sir, I request your advice as what is the real way of chanting Sri Chandipath from these two?

Dr. Ashwin Rawal

December 31, 2008

Dear All,It seems that this issue of doing prayers in Sanskrit or any other regional languages seems to be a recurring theme...we had a similar discussion about this a few years back, regarding chanting of Vishnu Sahasranama...here is an excerpt from that discussion."Recently we had a discussion about correct pronounciation and also

about whether to chant in sanskrit or other languages. Here is a good

quote on that:

-----------------

"Some might say that they do not understand the meaning of the

Sanskrit words in the stotram and therefore do not feel comfortable

chanting it. Sri Chandrasekhara Saraswathi Swami has given us his

guidance on this issue in one of his discourses. He advises us that

learning the chanting of prayers even without knowing the meaning is a

worthwhile act, and can be compared to finding a box of treasure

without the key. As long as we have the box, we can open it whenever we

get the key of knowledge later, but the treasure will be already there.

Some could feel that they do not know the correct pronunciation, and

so do not want to chant incorrectly. H. J. Achar, in his book "Sri

Vishnu Sahasranama

- A Study", H.J. Achar, Sharada Press, Mangalore, 1972, has given the

analogy of a mother to whom a child goes and asks for an orange. The

child does not know how to pronounce the word "orange", and so asks for

"ange". The mother does not turn away the child and does not refuse to

give the child the orange just because the child does not know how to

pronounce the word. It is the spirit or bhava that matters, and so as

long as one chants the name of God

with sincerity, considerations such as not knowing the meaning, not

knowing the pronunciation, etc., do not matter, and God who is the

Mother of all of us will confer His blessings on us."

-----------------

The above quote is taken from the following website:

http://www.stephen-knapp.com/thousand_names_of_the_supreme.htmsincerely,Chandraprakash Narasimha P.V.R. Rao <pvr Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2008 4:49:00 PM Re: Chandipath

Namaste,

Thinking of the stories of the Mother and contemplating on them can help one. However, there are a few other factors to consider:

(1) Mantras in Sanskrit have been meditated upon by many saints and yogis in the past and their effect on the mind is well-understood. A sequence of sounds, when repeated with full mental focus, creates a certain energy. Just thinking of the meaning may not create the same energy. For example, sounds without any meaning also produce specific energies in the mind when we focus on those sounds single-mindedly.

(2) The sadhana of so many saints and yogis who used the mantras before adds to the power of those Sanskrit mantras.

This is my opinion: Reading meanings of Chandipath is also good and creates positive thoughts. But repeating the Sanskrit mantras (even without understanding the meaning) is superior to that! It creates well-understood energy in the consciousness.

If one carrying a seed does not understand what it is for and makes a replica in gold, which in his opinion is better, one is losing the basic functionality of the seed. The golden seed may appeal to one as it does not get spoiled and looks better to one's senses, but it can never give rise to a plant. The original seed, on the other hand, can give rise to a plant when one figures out how to germinate it.

* * *

One or two years back, I wanted to translate Chandipath into Hindi or Telugu (my mother tongue) in poetic form or even prose form so that people speaking those languages can read it instead of Sanskrit verses and understand better what they are reading. But my guru (Manish) discouraged me. He said something written by a person like me with a dense ego would not have the same power as a Puranic verse. The Sanskrit verses of Chandipath were composed by someone with a highly effaced ego and in communion with divinity. The same could be said about several sacred writings in many religions in many languages. There is something special about words composed by saints, yogis and messiahs who were in a very elevated state of being, where the individual ego is effaced largely and the mind is filled with some divine energy (which is not possible when individual ego occupies the space of mind).

So Manish told me to wait till I was ready (if ever) for such a project. I realized the wisdom in his advice and removed the thought of this project from my mind.

When Jnaneshwar Maharaj composed Jnaneshwari (Marathi translation of Bhagavad Gita in poetic form), he was in a very purified state of consciousness. Hence there is divine power in his Marathi words and many saints experienced divinity by chanting his Marathi verses. Same with Ram Charit Manas by Sant Tulasidas. Those are inspired translations.

If one has access only to words spoken by a normal person in a language that one can understand, it is better to repeat words spoken by an elevated being instead, even if one does not understand the meaning.

Best regards,Narasimha------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------Do a Short Homam Yourself: http://www.VedicAst rologer.org/ homamDo Pitri Tarpanas Yourself: http://www.VedicAst rologer.org/ tarpanaSpirituality: http://groups. / group/vedic- wisdomFree Jyotish lessons (MP3): http://vedicastro. home.comcast. netFree Jyotish software (Windows): http://www.VedicAst rologer.orgSri Jagannath Centre (SJC) website: http://www.SriJagan nath.org------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------

-

Dear Sir Narsimhaji,

There are two thinking for Chandipath chanting.

1. Every verse in Chandipath is a mantra and reading of Chandipath in Sanskrit is more meaningful to please Goddess and to get desired results. It is created in Sanskrit and whether we may follow the meaning of the verses or not, we should read in Sanskrit only if we can read Sanskrit fluently because every Verse has its vibrations with full of energy.

2. If we read in Sanskrit, we never involve ourselves in the 'Lila' of Durga nor we enjoy the story of Janma(Birth) of different Shakties narrated in Chandipath (This is only possible for those who are scholars in Sanskrit and can translate each and every verse immediately while reading. For others it is simply reading with faith and devotion.)- Better way is, it should be read in regional language with full involvement in the 'Lila'. Here we can enjoy the different roles of Shaktis, fully understand the differnet Births etc. This type of reading makes Chandipath more meaningful.

Dear Sir, I request your advice as what is the real way of chanting Sri Chandipath from these two?

Dr. Ashwin Rawal