3 qualities are essential in a जिज्ञासुः to understand the hidden तात्पर्यम् of Vedic passages. - Part 1.
3 qualities are essential in a जिज्ञासुः to understand the hidden तात्पर्यम् of Vedic passages. - Part 1.
The word Taatparyam is not purport - because purport is purpose (prayojanam) driven. It is not Conception because conception is concept (abhipraaya /matam) driven. It is also not Signification - because signification is signifier (kritimatvam) driven. So lets not try to translate the word तात्पर्यम् and use it as it is.
प्रज्ञा, विवेकः, श्रद्धा - these three are also not translatables in English.
Now how to get these three. Why these 3 - the shastra gives these three as important qualities (among others) for a जिज्ञासुः (the one with the quest to know the ultimate)
यस्य नास्ति स्वयं प्रज्ञा शास्त्रं तस्य करोति किम् (for the one who doesn't have a self intuition, what is the use of shastra to him/her
वैराग्यादपि विवेकः बलीयः (sagaciousness is more important than steadfastness - these are free flowing translated words and don't exactly match the meaning of the original words)
श्रद्धावान् लभते ज्ञानम् (the one with a deep conviction will know the ultimate) - here the word ज्ञानम् refers to पारमार्थिकम् (spiritual - I am using this word due to lack of a suitable word in English) वैषयिकम् (knowledge)
- follows in Part 2
The word Taatparyam is not purport - because purport is purpose (prayojanam) driven. It is not Conception because conception is concept (abhipraaya /matam) driven. It is also not Signification - because signification is signifier (kritimatvam) driven. So lets not try to translate the word तात्पर्यम् and use it as it is.
प्रज्ञा, विवेकः, श्रद्धा - these three are also not translatables in English.
Now how to get these three. Why these 3 - the shastra gives these three as important qualities (among others) for a जिज्ञासुः (the one with the quest to know the ultimate)
यस्य नास्ति स्वयं प्रज्ञा शास्त्रं तस्य करोति किम् (for the one who doesn't have a self intuition, what is the use of shastra to him/her
वैराग्यादपि विवेकः बलीयः (sagaciousness is more important than steadfastness - these are free flowing translated words and don't exactly match the meaning of the original words)
श्रद्धावान् लभते ज्ञानम् (the one with a deep conviction will know the ultimate) - here the word ज्ञानम् refers to पारमार्थिकम् (spiritual - I am using this word due to lack of a suitable word in English) वैषयिकम् (knowledge)
- follows in Part 2
Thanks for putting us readers on guard concerning तात्पर्यम्, which I used to translate as 'purport.' I agree that तात्पर्यम् should be left untranslated. Would it be correct to explain तात्पर्यम् as that which leads to 'tat' (as in the famous mahavakya--'tat tvam asi'?
ReplyDeleteयत् परः तत् तस्य तात्पर्यम् | तत्परस्य भावः तातपर्यम् । This word is a Taddhita compound. Generally bhaava vaachi Taddhita compounds have 3 same meaning Vritti. Eg. तत्परत्वम्, तत्परता, तात्पर्यम् । Sameway धीरः and his भावः is धीरता, धीरत्वं, धैर्यम् । Translation of the word तात्पर्यम् is again depends on the context. If I ask "Did you understand the तात्पर्यम् of what I said" - in this context the word तात्पर्यम् means conception, because I am explaining a concept (concept focused) Similarly when something is signifier focused then the word तात्पर्यम् means "signification" (this word itself comes from the Word sign). When it is purpose focused then it is "purport".
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