Wednesday 30 January 2013

TAWANTINSUYO, THE INCAN EMPIRE - SANSKRIT CONNECTION

In the Incan tradition the cult of the Sun is portrayed as supreme. The chief temple in Cusco region, the Coricancha, is dedicated to the Sun and the Incan rulers prided themselves on being the descendants of the Sun God. 

But where did the name Coricancha come from. Though it is said that in the Quechua language Quri means gold and Cancha means enclosure, Coricancha is not the original name. The temple had an earlier name and was also known as Intiwasi. Inti is of course Quechua for sun, wasi means 'house'. That is exactly what it means in Sanskrit - vasa is house, residence, habitation.


 or   Thease are variations of an even earlier nme to which meanings have been attributed.


In Sanskrit, Korit-Kanchan (कोरित- काञ्चन) means 'scraped out gold' or 'sculpted gold'. Kanchan (काञ्चन) means gold

That is exactly the same meaning that the Incans gave to Coricancha. Says William Prescott in his " History of the Conquest of Peru" Vol I page 99, "But the most renowned of the Peruvian temples, the pride of the capital, and the wonder of the empire, was at Cuzco, where, under the munificence of successive sovereigns, it had become so enriched that it received the name of Coricancha or ‘The Place of Gold.”

Describing the interior of the temple, writes Prescott, "The interior of the temple was the most worthy of admiration. It was literally a mine of gold. On the western wall was emblazoned a representation of the. deity, consisting of a human countenance looking forth from amidst innumerable rays of light, which emanated from it in every direction, in the same manner as the sun is often personified with us. The figure was engraved on a massive plate of gold of enormous dimensions, thickly powdered with emeralds and precious stones. It was so situated in front of the great eastern portal that the rays of the morning sun fell directly upon it at its rising, lighting up the whole apartment."








Tawantinsuyo is often translated as 'Four Quarters or Four Regions' from the native Quenchua language. But, if the fact that the Incans were worshippers of the Sun-God be kept in mind, one may decode the word 'Tawantinsuyo' differently, with the aid of Sanskrit.

The first syllable may be 'Tapan' and not 'Tawan'. Tapan, (तपन) which means 'Sun', 'warmth' or 'heat' also has to do with 'meditation', 'penance' and 'austerity'. 'Ati' (अति) means 'beyond', 'surpass', 'extreme' - 'One who surpasses the brilliance or warmth' of the Sun'. 'Sut' (सुत) means 'born of' or 'offspring'. 'Tapan-ati-suta would translate roughly as 'Born of the Great Sun' or its equivalent. Interestingly, 'sUt' (सूत) also means 'Sun'. 'Tawantinsuyo' could be a distortion of any of these words and still combine to make perfect sense.

In the Vedic tradition, Lord Indra himself is also known as 'Tapastaksha' (तपस्तक्ष) . 'Viracocha', (वीरकोच) one of the Gods followed by the Incans, is often equated with the Vedic God, Indra. For more details on the Sanskrit Connection to the name 'Viracocha' click here.


In India, the name 'Tapansuta' (तपनसुता) is another name of the River Yamuna, which is regarded as 'Daughter of Sun God'.


Suggested Links:


Wednesday 23 January 2013

THE 'RANN' OF 'KUTCH' - THE SANSKRIT CONNECTION

Lets get straight to the point! What does the 'Rann' of 'Kutch' mean. 

The Rigveda and Mahabharata attest to the existence of 'Irina' in the Gujarat area. 'Irina' (ईरिण) is one of the words for 'desert' or 'salty barren ground' in Sanskrit.

The word 'Rann' is derived from 'Irina'. In Sanskrit 'Kutch' (कच्छ) means 'marshy wet ground'. 


That is exactly what 'Rann of Kutch' is. A white, salty, marshy ground that is a desert in part, and wet grassland enriched by a river in the other. It is a unique haven for desert adapted wildlife.

'Dholavira' in Kutch is also one of the sites were Indus Valley Civilization developed and flourished.

OF STRINGS & SUTRAS - THE SANSKRIT CONNECT

The word 'string' meaning 'thread or cord', is said to have originated from Proto Indo European word 'strenk' which means 'tight, narrow, or twist'. However, it is more likely that the word 'string' is derived from Sanskrit 'sutra' (सूत्र) and 'tantu' (तन्तु),  both meaning 'thread'. The Sanskrit combination word 'SutraTantu' (सूत्रतन्तु) also means String. 

Some other Sanskrit words which mean 'string' include 'tantri' (तन्त्री) and 'syu' ( स्यू). In fact, the word 'sutra' itself derives from the Sanskrit root 'siv' (सिव्) which means to 'sew'. It is from the Sanskrit 'siv' (सिव्), that English words 'sew' and 'suture' are derived.

In Sanskrit, apart from 'string', Sutra (सूत्र) has other meanings including 'line', 'formula', and 'short sentence'. In this sense, the word sutra' is directly absorbed into the English language and means 'rule'.

Of course, western scholars site Proto Indo European (PIE) as the source of these words, but PIE never existed. 


PIE as a theory, was propounded by Sir William Jones who had this to say about Sanskrit. "The Sanscrit language, whatever be its antiquity, is of a wonderful structure; more perfect than Greek, more copious than Latin, and more exquisitely refined than either, yet bearing to both of them a strong affinity, both in the roots of verbs and the forms of grammar, than could possibly have been produced by accident.  So strong indeed (is the affinity), that no philologer* could examine the three, without believing them to have sprung from some common source, which, perhaps, no longer exists; ...."
* One who studies the history of linguistics 


Sir William Jones could not bring himself to give credit to Sanskrit as the mother of all languages. Instead he propounded the theory that a 'western' language must have existed, because he believed only a western language could have been the mother of Sanskrit.


There is not an iota of evidence that PIE ever existed. There are no PIE scriptures, texts, manuscripts, epics, poems, treatises, plays, hymns, Strotrams, Sutras.... 

Tuesday 15 January 2013

OF 'STARS AND THE UNIVERSE' - THE SANSKRIT CONNECT

As per English dictionaries the word 'star' is derived from Proto Germanic 'sterron', originally from Proto Indo European (PIE) 'ster'. But the PIE 'ster' is the same word as the Sanskrit 'str' (स्तृ) which of course means 'star'.

The word 'str' (स्तृ) went into ancient Greek as 'aster' (singular) and 'astron' (plural). In Old Greek, 'aster' meant 'star' and 'astron' meant 'stars'.

The word 'Universe' literally means 'One Verse'. Universe is derived from Latin 'unus' that is 'one' and 'versus', the past participle of 'vertere', which means 'to turn'. 'Vertere' is said to derive from PIE ' wer' which again means 'to turn'. And here in lies the Sanskrit connection. 'Wer' is the same as the Sanskrit 'vara' (वार) which means 'to turn'.

In Sanskrit and in the ancient Sanskrit texts of India, the word 'var' has been used in many contexts including 'the turn of the day', 'anything enclosed in space or time', 'day of the week' and 'moment'.
 
The 'Uni' in Universe meaning 'one', and originates from Latin 'unis', which is derived from Old Persian 'aivam'; ultimately traced to Sanskrit 'eva' (एव) with the same meaning.

Sunday 13 January 2013

THE WORD 'SKY' IS DISTORTED SANSKRIT

The word 'sky' is said to be derived from Proto Germanic 'skeujam' which means 'cloud cover', itself said to be derived from Proto Indo European 'skeu' which means 'to cover, wrap or conceal'.Reference link: Dictionary

But then 'sku' (स्कु) is Sanskrit for 'cover'.

Proto Indo European (PIE), which is an engineered language seems to be a direct copy of Sanskrit.

Any language name with a prefix 'Proto' (inculding proto Germanic mentioned above) is a reconstructed language. For example, Proto Indo European (PIE) is a compilation of words. PIE means, that had the Indo-European Languages ever had a common ancestor, the compilation of words would probably have been the likely list of words or vocabulary of that common ancestor language. It is reverse engineered.

There are at least 25 words for 'sky' in the Sanskrit language, which include 'Aakash' (आकाश), Ambar (अम्बर), Gagan (गगन), Vrijan (वृजन), Divya (दिव्य), Antariksha (अन्तरिक्ष), Bahul (बहुल), Go (गो), Sairika (सैरिक), Paru (परु), Suma (सूम), Uma (ऊम), Dyu (द्य), Viha (विह), Nabh (नभ) etc. 

Friday 11 January 2013

'NABTA' PLAYA MEGALITHIC SITE, EGYPT - THE SANSKRIT CONNECTION

The stonehenge of Nabta Playa, located about 800 km south of Cairo in Egypt, is a calender and a stone observatory from where the sky can be mapped. The stones are aligned with the rising and setting sun, the Orion constellation can be easily traced, and, the Summer and Winter solstice can be tracked. Researchers say that the correspondence between the ground and sky is self evident. The site is dated up to about 10,000 years old.

The Megaliths of  Nabta Playa in Egypt

So what about the name 'Nabta'. As per known history, the site has always been known as 'Nabta'. Here is a look at the name 'Nabta' through the Sanskrit lens.

'Nabh' (नभ) means 'sky'. 'Nabh Atah' (नभ अतः) would mean 'the sky from here'. NabhI (नाभी) means 'centre point' or 'focus'.

The name of the site 'Nabta' seems to be definitely related to 'sky'. The megalithic stones at Nabta track celestial events. The stones are arranged in straight lines radiating from a 'centre point'. Six of the megalithic stones at Nabta Playa align with six important stars in the Orion constellation. One of the megalithic alignments is aligned to the rising point of Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Another is aligned to the fifth brightest star in the sky, Vega. This indicates that Nabta was an observatory.

Another megalithic site, Nevali Cori in Turkey has a similar name. Sanskrit Nibhal (निभाल), 'perceive' or see, may be the root word for Nevali, and may be associated with the study of the sky.

What Nabta's exact ancient name was is difficult to trace. Though 'Nabta' means 'growth' in Arabic, it is much more likely that given the antiquity of the site and the 'astronomy related' nature of the site, the name is likely to be a distortion of a word that is from a language older than Arabic.

Egypt has had ancient Vedic connections. In fact, the name of the Sun Temple of 'Karnak' in Egypt too has a connection to Sanskrit. In the Vedic tradition in India, the word 'Konark' refers to temples dedicated to the Sun god, Surya. 'Karnak' is therefore just a distortion of the word 'Konark' . In Sanskrit 'Kona' (कोण) means angle, and 'arka' (अर्क) means 'sun'.

Interestingly, the English word 'arc' which was initially used only to describe 'the sun's apparent motion in the sky' is also derived from the Sanskrit word for sun, that is 'arka' (अर्क).

The famous Megalithic Site in Brittany in France too goes by the name 'Carnac', probably a distortion again of 'Konark'. And, yes, the stones of Carnac are also aligned to the sun and moon in a special way.

For more details of the astronomy related to Nabta Playa, and ancient sites in Egypt refer to the following suggested links:


1. The Astronomers of Nabta Playa
2. Carnac Megalithic Site, Egypt: The Sanskrit Connection
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'Playa' is an English word which means 'the sandy, salty, or mud-caked flat floor of a desert basin having interior drainage.' Reference: www.dictionary.com
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Thursday 10 January 2013

NEBULA - THE SANSKRIT CONNECTION

In Sanskrit 'Nabh' (नभ) means 'sky', 'atmosphere' or 'cloud'. 'Nabhas' (नभस्) means 'sun', 'mist', 'sky' and 'ether' ('ether' as the 5th element of nature, the other four being air, fire, earth and water)*.

It is said that the English 'nebula' derives from the Latin 'nebula' which means 'mist, fog, smoke, or vapour'. The Latin 'nebula' is said to be derived from Proto-Indo-European 'nebh' meaning cloud. But, then 'nebh' is just a distorted version of the Sanskrit 'nabh' (नभ).


Nebulae are enormous clouds of dust and gas occupying the space

And, there are many derivatives of 'nabh' (नभ) in Sanskrit. For example, 'nabhas' (नभस्) means 'sun'. 'Nabhya' (नभ्य) means 'cloudy'. And 'nAbh' (नाभ्) means 'spring'.


Apart from 'nabh', there are at least 25 other words for 'sky' in the Sanskrit language, which include 'Aakash' (आकाश), Ambar (अम्बर), Gagan (गगन), Vrijan (वृजन), Divya (दिव्य), Antariksha (अन्तरिक्ष), Bahul (बहुल), Go (गो), Sairika (सैरिक), Paru (परु), Suma (सूम), Uma (ऊम), Dyu (द्य), Viha (विह), etc.


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*Air, Fire, Water, Earth and Ether are the Vedic 'Pancha-tatva' (Five Essentials)- a concept that was introduced into Western thought from the Vedic texts by Aristotle and later emerged as the word 'Quintessence' ('Quinta' meaning 'five' and 'essence' meaning 'crux').
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Wednesday 9 January 2013

THE HABIT GRABS YOU! THE SANSKRIT CONNECTION

The habit grabs you by its hand!

In Sanskrit 'gabhasti' (गभस्ति) means 'arm' or 'hand'. And 'graabh' (ग्राभ) means 'to grab'.

The English word 'grab' is said to be derived from the PIE (Proto Indo European) 'ghrebh' which means to ' seize'. But that is the exact same word as the Sanskrit 'graabh' (ग्राभ) which, as mentioned above, means to 'grab'! 


Not only did English emerge from Sanskrit, Proto Indo European IS Sanskrit. In other words, there never was a Proto Indo European other than Sanskrit which is the mother of all Indo-European languages!!

Now a look at the word 'habit'. It is said to be derived from the Latin 'habitus' which means 'condition'. The Latin 'habitus' it is believed derives from the Proto Indo European 'ghabh', meaning 'to take hold', but then 'ghabh' is just a shortened version of the Sanskrit (गभस्ति) meaning 'hand'.

The Sanskrit 'grab' (ग्रभ) (not 'graab') also means 'appropriation' (of funds). It is from here that the Hindi word 
'gaban' (गबन) is derived. Remember, Munshi Premchand's famous novel 'Gaban' which was the story about misappropriation and embezzlement of funds by a young man!

Then there is Lithuanian where 'gabenti' means 'to remove' and Irish where 'gabal' means 'to take'.

Tuesday 8 January 2013

'SOUP OF THE DAY - MULLIGATAWNY' -THE SANSKRIT - TAMIL CONNECTION

The English word 'soup' is taken directly from Sanskrit! That's right !!

The Sanskrit word 'soup' (सूप) has many meanings including 'broth', 'sauce', 'pot', 'vessel' and 'cook'. 'Supya' (सूप्य) means 'food consisting of soup'. 'Supika' (सूपिक) means 'sauce'.

The word 'Mulligatawny' comes from the Tamil. 'Milagu' meaning pepper and 'tanni', which means water. Literally translated Milagutanni means 'pepper water'.

A word on the source of English word 'cook' (noun). It originates from the Sanskrit 'pakuk' (पाकुक) which has the same meaning. The verb 'cook' is traced to Sanskrit 'pakva' (पक्व) via Latin 'coquus'. A Proto Indo European word 'pekw' has been created to explain the origin of the Latin 'coquus'. But 'pekw' is the exact same Sanskrit word 'pakva' 
(पक्व) mentioned above!

Enjoy!!

Monday 7 January 2013

'SUPER AND HYPER' - THE SANSKRIT CONNECTION

'Upa' (उप) is a versatile word and has many meanings in Sanskrit, including 'up, near, at the time, in, on, with and high'. The prefix 'su' ( सु- ) means good, positive or high. For example the combination word 'sapar' (सपर) in Sanskrit means 'high number'. And that leads us to the English 'super'.

'Super' is said to have been derived from the Latin 'super' which means 'above, over, beyond and besides. Exactly as what it means in Sanskrit.

The other derivatives of the Sanskrit 'upa' are upari (उपरि) meaning  'above' or 'upper', 'upam' (उपम) meaning 'uppermost' & 'uppamam' (उपमाम्) meaning 'in the highest degree'.

Latin 'super' appeared as 'hyper' in Greek, and, found its way back into English, this time as 'hyper'! 


Saturday 5 January 2013

OF 'SUGAR AND CREAM & MILK AND HONEY' - THE SANSKRIT CONNECTION

Alexander the Great and his army had not seen sugar till they invaded India, and marveled at the "honey without bees"! It is obvious there was no sugar in Greece until 327 BC.

The origin of the word 'sugar' is traced to Old French 'sucre', and Latin 'succarum', from Arabic 'sukkar', from Persian 'shakar' originally from Sanskrit 'sharkara' (शर्कर). The word today appears in Italian as 'zucchero' and in Spanish as 'azucar'.

That brings us to 'cream'. The origins of the word has been traced to a blend of the Latin 'chrisma' which means 'ointment' and 'cramum' which means 'cream'. Both words originate from Sanskrit 'kshir' (क्षीर) which means both 'milk' and 'cream'. It is also from the Sanskrit 'kshir' (क्षीर) that the Hindi 'kheer' (खीर) is derived.

'Honey' is derived from Old English 'hunig'. Hunig is traced to the reconstructed language PIE word 'keneko' which means 'golden'. But then 'keneko' is a cognate, perhaps a direct lift, of the Sanskrit 'kanaka' (कानक) which of course means 'golden'!

Thursday 3 January 2013

THE SANSKRIT CONNECTION TO THE WORD 'QUEEN'

The 'Queen's language' indeed has many, many words absorbed from Sanskrit! Here's a look at the word 'Queen' itself!!

'Queen' is derived from the Old English 'cwen' which means 'female ruler of a state'. Western scholars have of course engineered the Proto Indo-European (PIE) word 'gwen' which has been given the meanings of  both 'woman' or 'wife'. It is from 'gwen' that the Greek 'gyne' and Slovenic 'zena' arises.

'Gwen' is a cognate of the Sanskrit 'jani' (जनि) which means 'mother', 'wife', 'birth' and 'life'. The Sanskrit 'gna' (ग्ना) means 'Goddess'.

The Sanskrit 'jani' is the source of many words in other languages such as Avestan 'jainish' which means 'wife' or the Armenian 'kin' which means 'woman', Gothic 'qino' which means 'woman' and the Gothic 'qens' which means 'queen'.There are many such examples in various other languages.

Hindi speakers are of course familiar with words like 'jananI' (जननी) which means 'mother' and 'janani' (जननि) which means 'birth'.

And the Sanskrit root word for all of the above words in any of the above mentioned languages including PIE is the Sanskrit 'jana' (जन). In Sanskrit words related to 'birth, race, mother, people, tribe, origin etc' all originate from 'jana' 
(जन)

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