Fw : Short story in Russian - query

[Guest guest]

-- In Indo-Eurasian_research , " naga_ganesan " <naa.ganesan wrote:Dear List,Let me ask the title of a short story in

Russian which George Hart told me oncewhen he stayed with us in Houston. Some poor Russian peasant women, toiling as serfs in farms, when they go to Russian Orthodox church, they hear the service in

classical Latin. They don't undertand a word - still the beautiful sounds sends chills and the women get excited & sing. Thetime may be winter too.Similar to Sanskrit chants in south Indian

temples which many don't understand. Does anyone here know the title and author (Chekov?) of the story? We need to translate and publish that story in Tamil. Thanks, N. Ganesan--- End forwarded message ---

[Guest guest]

(My reply to Ganesan, who seemed to be utterly biased in his statements. I invite comments from the group. Please mark a copy to Mr Ganean also - Kishore patnaik]On Thu, Dec 25, 2008 at 11:13 AM, kishore patnaik <kishorepatnaik09 wrote:

-- In Indo-Eurasian_research , " naga_ganesan " <naa.ganesan wrote:

Dear List,Let me ask the title of a short story in

Russian which George Hart told me oncewhen he stayed with us in Houston. Some poor Russian peasant women, toiling as serfs in farms, when they go to Russian Orthodox church, they hear the service in

classical Latin. They don't undertand a word - still the beautiful sounds sends chills and the women get excited & sing. Thetime may be winter too.Similar to Sanskrit chants in south Indian

temples which many don't understand. Does anyone here know the title and author (Chekov?) of the story? We need to translate and publish that story in Tamil. Thanks, N. Ganesan

--- End forwarded message ---

[Guest guest]

(My reply to Ganesan, who seemed to be utterly biased in his

statements. I invite comments from the group. Please mark a copy to Mr

Ganean also - Kishore patnaik] > Similar to Sanskrit chants in south Indian> temples which many don't understand. > Does anyone here know the title and > author (Chekov?) of the story?

> > We need to translate and publish that

> story in Tamil. > > Thanks, > N. GanesanDear Ganesan, I don't know where you are located and what your scholarly credentials are but you seem to be certainly wrong here.

Does your mail is supported by any survey that illiterate women in

South India get carried away by atmosphere in the temples of unknown

gods? Your statements are never supported by an unbiased survey(mark my

words: unbiased). If such a survey exists, please let me know.

I agree that even the most educated Hindus do not know the exact

meaning of what they are chanting but basically, most of the Hindus,

even the illiterate are brought up on the stories of Ramayan,

Mahabharat and Puranas, so they do know the general significance of

what they are praying to.

Essentially, in your story, the illiterate woman never knew the God

of the ritual she is attending but got carried away with the

atmosphere. In India, the Hindus do know the personal God they are

worshiping and may not understand the exact meanings of the words in

the Stotras etc they are chanting. Your story starts off with an

external atmosphere.Hindu worship starts off with something

internalized sentiments, often inherited from parents and lineage

rather than adopted from an external atmosphere. The difference is

very clear.

In such a context, Your mail is misleading and in fact,it smacks of

a hidden agenda. You seem to be arguing that Hindus, especially the

illiterate, are carried away by the temporal emotional theism rather

than the deeper inner feelings of Devotion and sentiments of a Personal

God.

Some of the scholars wanted to erroneously connect the higher

philosophy of Yoga with Shamanism, which is more ritualistic and

actually comparable to Tantra of India. Your mail seems to be a vested

effort in such path.

Hope you will understand that there is nothing personal here but I have no inhibitions in calling spade a spade. Your reply is most welcome, best regards, Kishore patnaik