Atma Shatakam - Chidanand roopah shivoham shivoham

In this post my aim is to explain Atma shatakam, a poem summarizing the concept of Advaita Vedanta, written by Sri Adi Shankaracharya. To do that I will first explain about the Advaita philosophy and then I’ll put up the explanation of Atma shatakam sholkas. The content of this post is mainly aggregated from Wikipedia, My earlier post, ‘Hindu Philosophy’ by Theos Bernard and the exposition of Atma shatakam by C.V Reddy published on Sri Ramakrishna math’s website.

Vedanta: The Vedanta is one of the six schools of Hindu Philosophy (Darshana). The others being Nyaya, Vaisesika, Smakhya & Yoga. A more elaborate description I have posted here. The Vedanta is technically classified as Uttaramimamsa. ‘Uttara’ means last; ‘mimamsa’ means “investigation, examination, discussion or consideration”; therefore, the last consideration of Vedas. This system of thoughts is commonly referred to as Vedanta, composed of Veda and Anta, “end’; literally, “the end of the Vedas”. Because the central topic is the Universal Spirit; called ‘Brahma’, the name Brahmasutra and Brahmamimamsa are frequently used. Another title is Sarirakamimamsa, an enquiry into embodied spirit.

Tradition attributes the Vedanta sutra to Badarayana whose actual date is quite unknown. The dates range from 500 B.C. to as late as 200 A.D. Some scholars contend that Badarayana is the alias for Vyasa the sage who wrote ‘Mahabharata’. The central theme of Vedantasutra is the philosophical teachings of Upanishads concerning the nature and relationship of the three principles, that is, God, the world, and the soul, this also includes relationship between Universal soul and individual soul.

Three schools have developed from the interpretation of the Vedantasutra. They are: The Advaita (non dualism); Visistadvaita (qualified non dualism) and Dvaita (dualism) propounded respectively by Shankaracharya (8th century), Ramanujacharya (11th century) and Madhavacharya (12th century). The Advaita school contends that all phenomenal existence is an illusion called maya, and that only the Ultimate Principle (Brahma) is real, the Visistadvaita system maintains that there is only one Reality, but that in the objective world it manifests itself as duality; the Dwaita schools treats the evolutionary scheme in the same way as Samkhya. Its only contribution is the way in which it deals with the supreme Deity.

Shri Adi Shankaracharya and Advaita Vedanta: Adi Shankaracharya consolidated the Advaita Vedanta treaties. In his ‘Vivekachudamani ‘, a famous work that expounds Advaita Vedanta philosophy, he succinctly summarizes this philosophy as:

‘Brahma satyam jagat mithyā, jīvo brahmaiva nāparah’

(Brahma is the only truth, the world is illusion, and there is ultimately no difference between Brahman and individual self)

According to Adi Shankara, God, the Supreme Cosmic Spirit or Brahman, nominative singular Brahma, is the One, the whole and the only reality. Other than Brahman, everything else, including the universe, material objects and individuals, are false. Brahman is at best described as that infinite, omnipresent, omnipotent, incorporeal, impersonal, transcendent reality that is the divine ground of all Being. Brahman is often described as ‘neti neti’ meaning "not this, not this" because Brahman cannot be correctly described as this or that. 'It' (grammatically neutral, but exceptionally treated as masculine) is the origin of this and that, the origin of forces, substances, all of existence, the undefined, the basis of all, unborn, the essential truth, unchanging, eternal, the absolute. How can it be properly described as something in the material world when it is the basis of reality? Brahman is also beyond the senses, it would be akin a blind man trying to correctly describe color. It, though not necessarily a form of physical matter, is the substrate of the material world, which in turn is its illusory transformation. Brahman is not the effect of the world. Brahman is said to be the purest knowledge itself, and is illuminant like a source of infinite light.

Due to ignorance (avidyā), the Brahman is visible as the material world and its objects. The actual Brahman is attributeless and formless (Nirguna Brahman). It is the Self-existent, the Absolute and the Imperishable. Brahman is actually indescribable. It is at best "Satchidananda" (merging "Sat" + "Chit" + "Ananda", i.e., Infinite Truth, Infinite Consciousness and Infinite Bliss). Also, Brahman is free from any kind of differences or differentiation. It does not have any sajātīya (homogeneous) differentiation because there is no second Brahman. It does not have any vijātīya (heterogeneous) differentiation because there is nobody in reality existing other than Brahman. It has neither svagata (internal) differences, because Brahman is itself homogeneous. In Islamic parlance the verse ‘wahdahu la sharika lahu’ (GOD is one and he has no partner) is what Advaita philosophy is about.

According to Adi Shankara, Māyā is the complex illusionary power of Brahman which causes the Brahman to be seen as the material world of separate forms. Maya has two main functions — one is to "hide" Brahman from ordinary human perception, and the other is to present the material world in its (Brahmam) place. Māyā is also said to be indescribable, though it may be said that all sense data entering ones awareness via the five senses are Māyā, since the fundamental reality underlying sensory perception is completely hidden. It is also said that Māyā is neither completely real nor completely unreal, hence it is indescribable. Its shelter is Brahman, but Brahman itself is untouched by the illusion of Māyā, just like a magician is not tricked by his own magic. Māyā is temporary and is transcended with "true knowledge," or perception of the more fundamental reality which permeates Māyā.

Since according to the Upanishads only Brahman is real, and yet the material world is seen as real, Adi Shankara explained the anomaly by the concept of this illusionary power of Māyā.

According to Advaita Vedanta, when man tries to know the attributeless Brahman with his mind, under the influence of Maya, Brahman becomes the Lord. Ishvara is Brahman with Maya — the manifested form of Brahman. Adi Shankara uses a metaphor that when the "reflection" of the Cosmic Spirit falls upon the mirror of Maya, it appears as the Ishvara or Supreme Lord. The Ishvara is true only in the pragmatic level. God's actual form in the transcendental level is the Cosmic Spirit.

Ishvara can be described as Saguna Brahman or Brahman with attributes that may be regarded to have a personality with human and Godly attributes. This concept of Ishvara is also used to visualize and worship in anthropomorphic form deities such as Shiva, Vishnu or Devi by the Dvaitins which leads to immense confusion in the understanding of a monistic concept of God apart from polytheistic worship of Vishnu, Shiva and Shakti in Hinduism .

To think that there is no place for a personal God (Ishvara) in Advaita Vedanta is not a misunderstanding of the philosophy. Ishvara is, in an ultimate sense, described as "false" because Brahman appears as Ishvara only due to the curtain of Maya. However, just as the world is true in the pragmatic level, similarly, Ishvara is also pragmatically true. Just as the world is not absolutely false, Ishvara is also not absolutely false. He is the distributor of the fruits of one's Karma.

The soul or the self (Ataman) is identical with Brahman. It is not a part of Brahman that ultimately dissolves into Brahman, but the whole Brahman itself. Now the arguers ask how the individual soul, which is limited and one in each body, can be the same as Brahman? Adi Shankara explains that the Self is not an individual concept. Atman is only one and unique. Indeed Atman alone is {Ekaatma Vaadam}. It is a false concept that there are several Atmans {Anekaatma Vaadam}. Adi Shankara says that just as the same moon appears as several moons on its reflections on the surface of water covered with bubbles, the one Atman appears as multiple atmans in our bodies because of Maya. Atman is self-proven, however, some proofs are discussed—e.g., a person says "I am blind", "I am happy", "I am fat" etc. The common and constant factor, which permeates all these statements is the "I" which is but the Immutable Consciousness. When the blindness, happiness, fatness are inquired and negated, "I" the common factor which, indeed, alone exists in all three states of consciousness and in all three periods of time, shines forth. This proves the existence of Atman, and that Consciousness, Reality and Bliss are its characteristics. Atman, being the silent witness of all the modifications, is free and beyond sin and merit. It does not experience happiness or pain because it is beyond the triad of Experiencer, Experienced and Experiencing. It does not do any Karma because it is Aaptakaama. It is incorporeal and independent.

When the reflection of atman falls on Avidya (ignorance), atman becomes jīva — a living being with a body and senses. Each jiva feels as if he has his own, unique and distinct Atman, called jivatman. The concept of jiva is true only in the pragmatic level. In the transcendental level, only the one Atman, equal to Brahman, is true.

Atma Shatakam or Nirvana shatakam: Nirvana shatakam, attributed to Adi Shankaracharya. It is a hymn popular with all those who feel drawn to the practice of Vedantic spiritual practices. It is also recited on important occasions in Hindu temples, prayers meetings, and satsangs. As this is a dhyana stotra, a hymn for meditation, it is of special significance and importance.  

The word shatakam means six and the word nirvana means freedom or liberation. It is thus a hymn of six verses on liberation, each of which is like a jewel in the garland of Vedanta. It is also called as atma shatakam or six verses on the nature of the Self. The first three lines in each of the first five verses negate all that is not Atman, while the last line in each verse strongly affirms what atman is.

मनोबुद्धिअहन्कार्चित्तनि नाहं  न च श्रोताजिह्वे  न च घ्राणनेत्रे

न च व्योम्भुमिर्ण  तेजो  न  वायु चिदानंदरूपः शिवोहं  शिवोहं 

manobuddhy-ahamkara chittani naham na cha shrotra jihve na cha ghrana netre

na cha vyomabhumirna tejo na vayuh chidananda rupah shivoham shivoham

manah mind buddhih intellect ahamkarah ego (I-consciousness) chittani memory na not aham I na not cha and shrotra ear (organ of hearing) jihve tongue na not; cha and ghrana nose (organ of smell) netre eyes; na not cha and vyomah space bhumih earth na not tejah fire (light) na not vayuh air chidananda rupah nature of pure consciousness shiva Shiva aham I shiva Shiva aham I

1. I am not the mind, intellect, ego, or memory; nor the ear or tongue; nor the nose nor eye; nor the space, earth, fire, or air (and water), I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva.

Notes: Mind (manah), intellect (buddhih), ego (ahamkara), and memory (chittani) together are referred to by the technical term antah karana or internal instrument. Ear, tongue, nose, eyes, and skin together are the five jnana indriyas. Space, earth, fire, air, and water are the five elements (pancha bhutas).

न  च  प्रानसंगयो  न  वै पंचावायु  न  वा सप्ताधतुर्ना  वा  पंचाकोशः 

न  वाक्पानिपादम   न  चोपस्थापायु  चिदानंदरूपः  शिवोहं   शिवोहं

na cha prana-samjno na vai panchavayuh na va saptadhaturna va panchakosah

na vakpanipadam na chopasthapayu chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

na not cha and pranah life-breath samjnah sign na vai neither pancha vayuh five vital airs na not va or sapta dhatuh seven basic elements (of the body) na not va or panchakoshah five sheaths na not vak organ of speech pani hand padam foot (or leg) na not cha and upasthapayuh generative and excretory organs chidananda rupah nature of pure consciousness shivo Shiva (the auspicious one) aham shivo shiva aham I

2. I am not indicated by prana, nor the five-fold vital airs nor the seven elements (sapta dhatuh) of the body, nor the five sheaths; nor the organs of speech, nor hand, nor leg; and not generative or excretory organs, I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva. 

Notes: Five vital airs are : Prana (controls respiratory system), Apana (controls excretory system), Vyana (controls circulatory system); Samana (controls digestive system), and Udana (controls ejection of the prana from the physical body). Seven basic elements (sapta dhatuh) consist of: skin, flesh, fat, bone, blood, bone marrow, and semen. Five sheaths (pancha kosha) are believed to veil our understanding of the atman include, in order from

gross (outer most) to the subtle (inner most): annamaya kosha (food sheath); pranamaya kosha (vital air sheath);

manomaya kosha (mind sheath); vijnanamaya kosha (intellectual sheath); and anandamaya kosha (bliss sheath).

न  में  द्वेषरागौ  न  में  लोभमोहौ  मदों  नैव  में  नैव  मात्सर्यभावः

न  धर्मो  न चार्थो  न  कामो  न  मोक्षः   चिदानंदरूपः  शिवोहं  शिवोहं

na me dvesha-ragau na me lobha mohau mado naiva me naiva matsaryabhavah

na dharmo nacha-artho na kamo na mokshah chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

na not me to me dvesah hatred (aversion) ragah attachment na not me to me lobhah greed mohah delusion madah arrogance na not eva only me na eva not to me matsarya bhavah feeling of jealousy na not dharmah dharma na not cha and arthah wealth (money) na not kamah desire  na not mokshah liberation chidananda rupah nature of pure consciousness shiva Shiva aham I shiva Shiva aham I

3. I have neither aversion nor attachment, neither greed nor delusion; I have neither arrogance nor jealousy; I have no duty (to perform) nor any wealth (to acquire); neither desire nor liberation; I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva

Notes: Greed, delusion, pride and jealousy together with lust and anger constitute shad ripu (also called ari shad varga), the six-fold internal enemies of a human being. Dharma (righteousness), artha (wealth), kama (desire), and moksha (liberation) are together known as purusharthas, the four objectives of a human being.

न  पुण्यं  न  पापं  न  सौख्यं  न दुखं  न  मंत्रो  न  तीर्थं  न  वेदा  न  यज्ञं

अहम्  भोजनं  नैव  भोज्यं  न  भोक्ता  चिदानंदरूपः  शिवोहं  शिवोहं 

na punyam na papam na saukhyam na duhkham na mantro na tirtham na veda na yajnah

aham bhojanam naiva bhojyam na bhokta chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

na punyam not virtue na papam not sin na saukhyam not pleasure (material happiness) na duhkham not sorrow (pain) na mantrah not a sacred chant; na tirtham not a holy place of pilgrimage na veda not Vedas (not scriptures) na yajnah not sacrificial fire rituals aham I bhojanam na eva not the act of enjoying bhojyam (nor) the object of enjoyment na bhokta not the enjoyer chidananda rupah nature of pure consciousness shiva Shiva aham I shiva Shiva aham I

4. Neither virtue (punyam) nor sin (papam) nor happiness nor sorrow; nor a holy chant nor a holy place of pilgrimage nor Veda nor sacrifice; I am neither enjoyment, nor enjoyable object, nor the enjoyer; I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva.

न  में  मृत्युशंका  न  में  जाति  भेदः  पिता  नैव  में  नैव  माता  न  जन्मः   

न  बंधुर्ना  मित्रं  गुरुर्नैवा  शिष्यः  चिदानंदरूपः  शिवोहं  शिवोहं

na me mrityushanka na me jati bhedah pita naiva me naiva mata na janma

na bandhurna mitram gururnaiva shishyah chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

na me not to me mrityuh shanka fear of death na me not to me jati caste (and creed) bhedah distinction pita father na eva not either me to me na eva mata nor mother na janma not (even) birth na bandhuh nor relation na mitram nor a friend guruh guru na eva not either shishyah a disciple chidananda rupah nature of pure consciousness; shiva Shiva aham I shiva Shiva aham I

5. I have no apprehension of death; neither do I have any distinction of caste (or creed); I have neither father, nor mother, nor (even) birth; neither friend nor kith and kin; neither teacher (guru) nor disciple; I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva.

अहम्  निर्विकल्पो  निराकार्रुपो   विभुर्व्याप्य  सर्वत्र  सर्वेंद्रियानाम  

सदा  में  समत्वं  न  मुक्तिर्न  बन्धः  चिदानंदरूपः  शिवोहं  शिवोहं

aham nirvikalpo nirakararupo vibhurvyapya sarvatra sarvendriyanam

sada me samatvam na muktirna bandhah chidanandarupah shivoham shivoham

aham I nirvikalpah without dualities nirakara rupah without a form; vibhuh omnipresent; vyapya pervading (spread out) sarvatra everywhere sarva all indriyanam sense organs sada always; me samatvam I am equanimous na muktih neither liberation na bandha not bondage chidananda rupah nature of pure consciousness; shiva Shiva aham I shiva Shiva aham I

6. I have neither dualities nor shape or form; I am present everywhere (omnipresent) and pervade all the senses; I am always equanimous; I am neither liberation nor bondage; I am of the nature of Pure Consciousness-Bliss-Absolute, I am Shiva, I am (verily) Shiva.

Empedocles

Empedocles lived around 440 BC in Acreages’, on the south coast of Sicily. He was a younger contemporary of Parmenides, though his doctrines were somehow akin to Heraclitus.

In most Greek cities, including Sicily, there was a constant conflict between democracy and tyranny. The leader of whichever party was defeated was executed or exiled. Those exiled seldom scrupled to enter into negotiation with the enemies of Greece-Persia in the east and Carthage in the west. Empedocles who was a democrat didn’t choose any of them after his banishment and rather preferred a life of sage.

Empedocles was a queer mixture of a scientist, a philosopher and a heretic.

Science: His most important contribution to science was his discovery of air as a separate substance. This he proved by the observation that when a bucket or any similar vessel is put upside down into water, the water does not enter into the bucket. He also discovered an example of centrifugal force: that if a cup of water is whirled round at the end of a string, the water does not come out. He had his own theory for evolution and the survival of the fittest. He also believed that moon and sun shines from the reflected light.

Cosmology: He established that the earth, air, fire and water are four basic elements. Each of these is ever lasting and every other thing in this world is a compound of these basic elements. These substances are combined by Love and Strife. Love and Strife are also basic substances along with the four. Period of dominance of love and strife keeps changing. Every compound substance is temporary; only the elements together with love and strife are everlasting.

Empedocles held that the material world is a sphere; that in golden age strife was outside the sphere and love inside and then gradually strife starts entering the sphere and displacing love at worst completely outing it. The process then reverses.

Religion: He had an orphic/Pythagorean view of religion. At times he speaks himself exuberantly as God and at other as a great sinner undergoing expiation for his impiety. It is said that he jumped into the crater of Mount Etna to prove that he is God.

Tanam farsooda jaa paara

A Qawwali is a sufi devotional song. A Qawwali can be classified into several categories:

• Hamd: A song in praise of Allah. Traditionally a Qawwali begins with a Hamd.
• Naat: A song in praise of Prophet Muhammad. A Hamd is followed by a Naat.
• Manqabat : A song in praise of Imam Ali.
• Marsiya: An elegy sung as lamentation over the death of much of Imam Husayn's family in the Battle of Karbala

I am writing down one of the most popular naats. The language is Persian. 

marhawa salle alla hastam sana khaane rasool

sad salaaam-e-man bazisne paak per jaane rasool

aye saba be pe ke mustaaka badar gaahe nabi

wo salaam dast basta peshe haiwanee rasool

(I am unable to find the meaning of above verses. I'll be grateful if anyone explains it to me.)

This naat is wriiten by Moulana Abd-ar-rahmaan Jaami.  Listen to Ustaad NFAK singing this naat.

 

Tanam Farsooda jaa para

Ze Hijra Ya Rasulullah

Dillam Paz Murda Aawara

Ze Isyaa. Ya Rasulullah!

( My body is dissolving in your separation

And my soul is breaking into pieces.

Due to my sins, My heart is weak and becoming enticed. Ya Rasulullah! )

Choon Soo’e Mun Guzar Aari

Manne Miskeen Zanaa Daari

Fida-E-Naqsh-E-Nalainat

Kunam Ja. Ya Rasulullah!

( When you pass by me

Then even in my immense poverty, ecstatically,

I must sacrifice my soul on your blessed sandal. Ya Rasulullah! ) 

Ze Jaame Hubb To Mustam

Ba Zanjeere To Dil Bustam

Nu’mi Goyam Ke Mun Bustum

Sukun Daa. Ya Rasulullah!

( I am drowned in the taste of your love

And the chain of your love binds my heart.

Yet I don’t say that I know this language (of love). Ya Rasulullah! )

Ze Kharda Khaish Hairaanam

Siyaa Shud Roze Isyaanam

Pashemaanam, Pashemaanam, Pashemaanam. Ya Rasulullah!  

( I am worried due to my misdeeds;

And I feel that my sins have blackened my heart.

I am in distress! I am in distress! I am in distress! Ya Rasulullah!)

Choon Baazoo’e Shafaa’at Raa

Khushaa’I Bar Gunaagara

Makun Mahruume Jaami Raa

Daraa Aan. Ya Rasulullah!

( When you spread your hands

to intercede for the sinners,

Then do not deprive Jaami of your

exalted intercession. Ya Rasulullah! )

(The transaltion is taken from net.)

Parmenides

Parmenides was native of Elea, in southern Italy. His date is uncertain but it is said that young Socrates met him when Parmenides was 65 years of age. This makes his birth around 515 BCE. He was the founder of the Eleatic school of philosophy.The southern Italian & Sicilian philosophy was more related to mysticism unlike the Ionian philosophy which was scientific and skeptical in nature. Mathematics, under the influence of Pythagoras, flourished in Magna Gracie in southern Italy and was entangled with mysticism and was not scientific as it is today.

Parmenides was influenced by Pythagoras but the extent to this influence is conjectural. Parmenides is historically important as he is considered to be inventor of Logic but what he really invented was metaphysics based on Logic.

His doctrine is divided into two parts “the way of truth” and the “the way of opinion”. The Way of Truth discusses that which is real, which contrasts in some way with the argument of the Way of Opinion, which discusses that which is illusory. In his poem ‘In Nature’ he illustrates his doctrine .He considered the senses deceptive, and condemned the multitude of sensible things as mere illusion. The only true being is “the One” which is infinite and indivisible. It is not, as in Heraclitus, a union of opposites, since there are no opposites. He apparently thought for instance, “Cold” means only “not Hot”, and “Dark” means only “not light”. “The One” of Parmenides is different from “The God” we conceive because Parmenides considered the one as a material and extended, for he speaks of it as a sphere present everywhere, encompassing everything hence indivisible and indestructible. Heraclitus maintained that everything changes; Parmenides retorted that nothing changes. The essentials of his teaching as follow:

“Thou canst not know what is not-that is impossible-nor utter it; for it is the same thing that can be thought and that can be”

“How, then, can what is be going to be in future? Or how could it come into being? If it came into being, it is not, nor is it if it is going to be in the future. Thus is becoming extinguished and passing away not to be heard of."

"The thing that can be thought and that for the sake of which the thought exists is the same; for you cannot find thought without something that is, as to which it is uttered.”

Bertrand Russell explains this argument as:

“When you think you think of something; when you use a name, it must be the name of something. Therefore both thought and language requires objects outside themselves. And since you can think of a thing or speak of it at one time as well as at another, whatever can be thought of or spoken of must exist at all the time. Consequently there can be no change, since change consists in things coming into being or ceasing to be”

Parmenides contends that, since we know what is commonly regarded as past, it cannot be really be past, but must, in some sense , exist now. Hence he infers that there is no such thing as change.

jahaaz ka panchi

मर कर भी मुझको कहाँ चैन आया,

पंछी हूं जहाज़ का वापस जहाज़ पे आया

गोश-ए-मुहब्बत ना सुने तल्खियाँ ज़माने की

दर पे संगदिल के फिर से लौट कर आया

[गोश-ए-मुहब्बत = deaf love; तल्खियाँ = bitterness]

इश्क-ओ-दर्द को लफ़्ज़ों में बयाँ रखा है  

पर  ख़त भेजूं  कैसे  कासिद आज नहीं आया

[इश्क-ओ-दर्द = love and pain; कासिद = messenger]

बड़ी उम्मीद से माँगा था खुदा से मैंने तुम्हे

रुसवाई के सिवा कुछ और ना हाथ आया

तलाशती है निगाहें मेरी तुम्हें इस शहर में

दहर में मुझे बस बियांबां ही  नज़र आया

[दहर = life; बियांबां = vacuum/emptiness]

 तंग-ए-दिल से कोई जीस्त गुरेज़ हुआ है आज

इस  हादसे से 'मुज़्तरिब' तू बहुत याद आया 

[तंग-ए-दिल =  troubled heart, जीस्त गुरेज़ = escape from life]

'मुज़्तरिब'

Xenophanes & Heraclitus

Xenophanes’ date is uncertain between c 570 - 475 BCE. He was from Colophon, a city in the region of Lydia, but lived most of his life in southern Italy. He lived in between the times of Pythagoras and Heraclitus. This is concurred as he alludes to Pythagoras and Heraclitus alludes to him.

Xenophanes philosophy shows a streak of skepticism. He satirized the polytheistic beliefs of the Greeks. He believed in one God and considered it as formless. He argued that if Horses and Cows could paint they would paint God as themselves just like Humans give a humanly form to god. The Ethiopian God is black and the Thracian god is blue eyed with red hairs. Xenophanes is often seen as one of the first monotheists, in the Western philosophy of religion.

His epistemology held that there exists a truth of reality, but that humans as mortals are unable to know it. Therefore, it is possible to act only on the basis of working hypotheses - we may act as if we knew the truth, as long as we know that this is extremely unlikely. This aspect of Xenophanes is the basis of Critical rationalism. Xenophanes can be considered the first amongst the rationalists.

Xenophanes ridiculed Pythagoras’ theory of transmigration. Xenophanes considered that all things are made up of earth and water.

Heraclitus flourished around 500 B.C. He was citizen of Ephesus in Ionia. Though an Ionian, he didn’t belong to the scientific schools of Miletus. From the solitary and melancholic life he led, and still more from the riddling nature of his philosophy and his contempt for humankind in general, he was called "The Obscure," and the "Weeping Philosopher." He was a mystic of different type. He regarded fire as the primordial substance. He is famous for his doctrine of flux and doctrine of strife.

Doctrine of Flux: The doctrine that everything is in the state of flux is most famous of Heraclitus.

“This world, which is same for all, no one of gods or men has made; but it was ever, is now, and ever shall be an ever living fire, with measures kindling and measures going out. The transformed fire are , first of all, sea, and half of the sea is earth, half whirlwind.”

Such a world, Heraclitus believed, is always in a state of flux.

“You cannot step twice into the same river ; for fresh waters are ever flowing in upon you.”

Doctrine of Strife: This doctrine is about mingling of opposites to create harmony. “Men do not know”, he says, “how what is at variance agrees with itself. It is and attunement of opposite tensions, like that of bow and lyre”. His belief in strife is connected with this theory, for in strife opposite combines to produce motion which is in harmony. There is unity in the world, but it is unity resulting from diversity. This doctrine contains the germ of Hegel’s Philosophy, which proceeds by synthesizing of opposites. The metaphysics of Heraclitus, like that of ‘Anaximander’ is dominated by a conception of cosmic justice, which prevents the strife of opposite from ever issuing in the complete victory of either.

Heraclitus’s ethics is a kind of proud asceticism, very similar to Nietzsche’s. He regards the soul as a mixture of fire and water, the fire being the noble and the water being ignoble. The soul that has most fire he calls “dry”. “The dry soul is the wisest and the best”. It is pleasure to soul to become moist. It is death to soul to become water.

shab-o-roz tumhari yaad aayi

शब्-ओ-रोज़ तुम्हारी  याद आयी

माह-ओ-साल तुम्हारी याद  आयी

[शब्-ओ-रोज़ = days and nights; माह-ओ-साल = months and years]

आब-ए-अब्र-ए-दैजूर में भींग कर

मुझे तुम्हारी नम आँखें याद आयी

[आब = water; अब्र = cloud; दैजूर = pitch dark; आब-ए-अब्र-ए-दैजूर =rains from dark cloud]

अटखेलती अल्हर दरिया के साहील पे

मुझे तुम्हारी पेच-ओ-ख़म बातें  याद आयी 

[दरिया = river; साहील = riverside; पेच-ओ-ख़म =  twist n turn]

नीम स्याह  रातों के साए में

मुझे तुम्हारी सर-ए-काकुल की याद आयी

[नीम स्याह = dark black; सर-ए-काकुल = curls of hair]

तिफ्ल-ए-शाद के कहकहे सुन

मुझे तुम्हारी मासूमियत  याद आयी

[तिफ्ल-ए-शाद = happy child; कहकहे = laughter]

नूर-ए-माह-ए-कामिल को देखा तो

मुझे तुम्हारी रुख-ए-रौशन  की याद आयी

[नूर = light; माह-ए-कामिल = full moon; रुख-ए-रौशन = bright face]

शम्स-ए-नीमरोज़ की ताब से

मुझे तुम्हारी सर्गारानियाँ याद आयी

[शम्स-ए-नीमरोज़ = midday sun; ताब = heat; सर्गारानियाँ = anger]

पहली बारिश की भीगी हवाओं में

मुझे तुम्हारी खद-ए-मुस्क्बार की याद आयी

[खद-ए-मुस्क्बार = body smelling like musk]

माना की है मजाज़ी ,पर 'मुज़्तरिब' को

जानेमन हर पल तुम्हारी बहुत याद आयी

[मजाज़ी = illusioned; ]

'मुज़्तरिब'

Pythagoras

In 6th century BC, Island of Samos was a commercial rival to Miletus. Polycrates became the tyrant of Samos in around 535 BC. Polycrates was not a man with moral scruples. Since the rival Miletus was destroyed by Persia, Polycrates used his navy primarily for Piracy. To stop the westward expansion of Cambyses, the Persian King, Polycrates aligned himself with Amasis, the king of Egypt. When Cambyses devoted all his energy against Amasis, Polycrates realized that he was part of losing side. Such an unscrupulous man he was, he sent his navy against Egypt. The Navy mutinied and returned to attack Polycrates but mutiny was suppressed. Eventually his avarice got rid of him. He was captured at the Persian Satrap at Sardes and was executed. Despite all his covetousness he was a patron of art and learning. He modernized Samos with public works.

Pythagoras was a citizen of Samos during the time of Polycrates. Pythagoras did not like Polycrates and might have left to Egypt where it is supposed that he learned Egyptian wisdom. But what is certain that Pythagoras established himself at Croton, an important city in southern Italy. At Croton Pythagoras founded a society of disciples, which was influential in the city but eventually the citizen turned against him and he had to move to another southern Italian city of Metapontion, where he died.

Pythagoras is the one of the most interesting and puzzling men in history. He founded a religion whose main tenet was transmigration of soul. He advocated the control of state by religion and rules of saints. Some taboo from Pythagorean religion are listed below:

1) Not to eat from beans
2) Not to pick up what has fallen
3) Not to touch a white cock

4) Not to break bread

5) Not to step over a crossbar

6) Not to stir the fine with iron
7) Not to eat with whole loaf
8) Not to pluck a garland
9) Not to sit on a quart measure
10) Not to eat the heart
11) Not to walk on highway
12) Not to let swallows share one’s roof
13) When the pot is taken of the fire, not to leave the mark of it in the ashes, but to stir them together
14) Do not look in the mirror beside a light
15) When you rise from the bedclothes, roll them together and smooth out the impression of body

Cornford in his book “From Religion to Philosophy” says that
‘ The school of Pythagoras represents the main current of that mystical tradition which we have set in contrast with the scientific tendency”

Conford regards Parmenides, whom he calls “the discoverer of Logic” as “an off shoot of Pythagoreanism”. Pyathgoreanism was a movement to reform Orphism as Orphism was a movement to reform the worship of Dionysus.

Pythagoras believed that the soul is immortal and is transmigrated from one being to another . In a Pythagorean society men and women were admitted on equal terms, property was held in common and there was a common way of life, even the scientific and mathematical discoveries were deemed collective.

When Pythagoras said “all things are numbers”, what he might have intended is that the numbers are there in all aspects of life. He discovered numbers in music, shape, size, everywhere. He presumably thought world as atomic and of bodies as built up of molecules composed of atoms in various shapes. The greatest discovery of Pythagoras was that the sum of square sides of a right angled triangle is equal to the square of hypotenuse (3^2 + 4^2 = 5^2). But unfortunately this led to the discovery of incommensurable. For e.g. in an isosceles right angled triangle of sides 1 inch each let the length of hypotenuse be m/n where there is no common factor between m & n. That means one of them is odd and one even. But m^2/n^2 = 2 or m^2 = 2 n^2. This shows that neither m can be odd or n can be odd. So no fraction m/n will measure hypotenuse. This is a contra hypothesis. But with the help of geometry Euclid explained this proposition of incommensurable. This convinced the Greek mathematicians that geometry must be established independent of Mathematics and geometry remained superior to mathematics till the time of Rene Descartes. 

The influence of geometry upon philosophy and scientific method has been profound. Geometry starts with axioms which are self evident, and proceeds by deductive reasoning, to arrive at theorems that are very far from self evident. It thus appeared to be possible to discover things about the actual world by first noticing what is self evident, and then using deductive reasoning to prove complex phenomena. Theology, in its exact scholastic forms, takes it style from this source. The combination of mathematics and theology which began with Pythagoras characterized religious philosophy in Greece, in middle ages, and in modern time to Kant.

Dil mera aap hee jale jaaye hai

Prashant Dheeraj, if literally translated, means infinitely patient. With lots of hope and expectations, that I will stand true to my name, my parents chose this name for me over other names. Alas I didn’t turn out to be like that. Sadly I am the opposite of my name; I am perpetually impatient. So I thought it’s time for amendment, time to correct the mistake my parents did. I have decided to take a 'pen name' of 'Muztarib' which means impatient or agitated. Prashant 'Muztarib'; the infinitely impatient. And if it makes my makhtas more poetic then I would not mind having it even with its negative connotation. From now on I'll use my pen name in my makhtas: 'Muztarib' .

आप  ही मुज़्तरिब हुए  जाए है 

दिल मेरा यूँ ही जले  जाए है
[मुज़्तरिब = impatient]

तगाफुल तुम ना मेरी कर सकते

ये इश्क मेरा तुझे मगरूर किये जाए है
[तगाफुल = ignore; मगरूर = proud/conceited]

खामा-ए-इश्क तुम क्यूँ कहते हों  ?

जीस्त पीरी की तरफ बढे जाए है
[खामा-ए-इश्क = immature love, जीस्त = life, पीरी = old age]

ना देख रकीब को तू इस हसरत से 

ये कांटे मेरे दिल में चुभे जाए है  
[रकीब = enemy]

  

दैर की तरफ जब उठे  हैं कदम मेरे

क्यूँ रंगत तेरे चेहरे की उड़े जाए है
[दैर = temple]

वो रिवाएतें जहां की, ये शिकाएतें  तेरी

 तमाशे  'मुज़्तरिब' अब और ना देखे जाए है
[रिवाएतें = traditions]

प्रशांत  'मुज़्तरिब' 

Na Saagar hai Na Saaki hai...

न सागर है न साकी है

लब पे तशना अभी बाकी है

[सागर = wine cup; साकी  = lady who serves wine, तशना= thirst]

अजल आये पहले या के तुलू आये

कौन जाने के यह रात अभी बाकी है

[अजल = death; तुलू = dawn ]

बहुत हुई तेरी इल्तफ़ात, जाना

बस इक कज़ा तेरे हाथ से बाकी है

[इल्तफ़ात = benovelance/mercy; जाना = beloved; कज़ा = death]

महशर का क्यूँ है इंतज़ार 'प्रशांत'

तल्खिओं से भरी ये जीस्त अभी बाकी है

[महशर = day of judgement; तल्खिओं = bitterness]

'प्रशांत'

On a lighter and optimistic note:

क्यूँ जाता है इंटरवल में 'प्रशांत' ?

दोस्त मेरे यह पिक्चर अभी बाकी है

The Milesian School

Greek philosophy started in Miletus in Asia Minor (present day Turkey) with Thales. Miletus like other commercial cities of Ionia underwent tumultuous economic and political development in the 6th and 7th century BC. Initially power was in the hands of landowners. They were replaced by plutocracy of merchants who in turn were replaced by the Tyrants who achieved power with the help of democratic parties.

Thales together with Anaximander and Anaximene formed the Milesian school of thought. The Milesian philosophy was scientific and rationalistic.

Thales successfully predicted the solar eclipse which had taken place in 585 BC and that is why historians put him at that time in the chronological map. Thales got the knowledge of Astronomy from Lydia which had cultural contacts with the Babylonians. Babylonian astronomers have discovered that eclipse occurred in a cycle of 19 years. Thales was supposed to have travelled to Egypt and thence got the knowledge of geometry to Greece. Thales believed that the primal substance of this universe is water. Everything is made of water and eventually decomposes in it. He believed that magnets have soul as it attract iron. Today Thales philosophy and science might seem to be crude but it was a big stimulus to thought and observation and was empirical.

 Anaximander the second philosopher from Mellitus who was 64 years of age in 546 BC agreed with Thales that all things originated from single primal substance but that is not water as Thales believed. Anaximander believed that the primary substance is infinite, eternal and ageless. It encompasses the entire world and every thing is derivative of it. He makes an important and remarkable statement:

“Into that from which things take rise they pass away once more, as is ordained, for they make reparation and satisfaction to one another for their injustice according to the ordering of time”

Anaximander reasoned that the primal substance cannot be water or any other element. If that would be the case it would subjugate all other elements (fire, air, earth etc.) and would be the only element left and others would cease to exist. So he concluded that all other elements are modified form of primal substance.

Anaximander, though not as respected in antiquity as the other two philosophers, has earned reverence of modern day philosopher for his prescient thoughts.

Anaximene the third proponent of Milesian school must have lived before 496 BC as that year Miletus was destroyed by the Persian in the course of suppression of Ionian revolt. Anaximene said that the primal substance is air and all other elements are modified from it. Water is condensed air, earth is con densed water, stone is condensed earth and the soul is rarified air.

The Milesian school is very important, not for what they have achieved, but what they have attempted. It was untouched by the religious movement connected with Bacchus and Orpheus. The speculation of Thales, Anaximander & Anaximene are to be regarded as the scientific hypothesis and seldom show any intrusion of anthromorphic desires and moral ideas which prevailed in Greece at that time. 

Gulon mein rang bhare..

कोई मेरे दिल से पूछे तेरे तीर-ए-नीमकश को

ये खलिश कहाँ से होती जो जिगर के पार होता

[तीर-ए-नीमकश = deep pierced arrow, खलिश = pain]

'ग़ालिब'

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

हुआ जो तीर-ए-नज़र नीमकश तो क्या हासिल

मज़ा तो तब है जब सीने के आर पार चले

तालिब 'बागपती'

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

गुलों में रंग भरे, बाद-ए-नौबहार चले

चले भी आओ की गुलशन का कारोबार चले

[बाद-ए-नौबहार = wind of new spring]

क़फ़स उदास है यारों सबा से कुछ तो कहो

कहीं तो बहर-ए-खुदा आज ज़िक्र-ए-यार चले

[क़फ़स = cage; सबा = breeze; बहर = ocean; ]

कभी तो सुब्ह तेरे कुञ्ज-ए-लब से हों आगाज़

कभी तो शब् सर-ए-काकुल से मुश्कबार चले

[कुञ्ज-ए-लब = corner of your lips, आगाज़ = start, शब् = night,

सर-ए-काकुल = curls of hair, मुश्कबार = fragrant]

बड़ा है दिल का रिश्ता, यह दिल गरीब सही

तुम्हारे नाम पे आयेंगे गमगुसार सही

[गमगुसार = sympathisers]

जो हम पे गुज़री है सो गुज़री मगर शब्-ए-हिज्राँ

हमारे अश्क तेरी आकबत संवार चले

[शब्-ए-हिज्राँ = night of seperation, अश्क = tears, आकबत = future]

हुजूर-ए-यार हुई दफ्तर-ए-जुनून की तलब

गिरह में ले के गरेबान का तार तार चले

[तलब = desire,गिरह = measurement of cloth, knot, गरेबान = collor]

मकाम 'फैज़' कोई राह में जचा ही नहीं

जो कू-ए-यार से निकले तो सू-ए-दार चले

[मकाम = destination; कू-ए-यार  = lane of beloved, सू-ए-दार = towards gallow]

फैज़ अहमद 'फैज़'

Putting my own makhta to this beautiful ghazal

संगदिल गुदाज़ न हो गर्मी-ए-अश्क से 'प्रशांत'
दर पे उसके हम रो के जार जार चले
[संगदिल = stone heart; गुदाज़ = melt; गर्मी-ए-अश्क = heat of tears]

ik arsa guzar gaya...

दिल को शगुफ्ता हुए इक अरसा गुज़र गया,

दर्द से  चस्म-ए-नम हुए इक अरसा गुज़र गया

[शगुफ्ता = happy, चस्म-ए-नम = moist eyes, अरसा = long time ]

अबस चल रहा हूं मुस्तकिल राह पे,

कोई मकाम आये हुए इक अरसा गुज़र गया

[अबस = without reason, मुस्तकिल = never ending/continuous]

वक़्त गुज़रता जाता है पैहम पैहम

ज़िंदगी जिए हुए इक अरसा गुज़र गया

[पैहम पैहम = slowly/continuous]

शब्-ए-इज़्तिराब में मुन्तज़िर है आँखें

नींद आये हुए मुझे इक अरसा गुज़र गया

[शब्-ए-इज़्तिराब = Restless nights, मुन्तजिर = awaiting]

तशनालबी से मेरे साकी है घबराए

बोसे मय को दिए हुए इक अरसा गुज़र गया

[तशनालबी = thirst; बोसे = kiss, मए = wine]

दिल-ए-फिगार को है हिकमत की हाजत

दिल की चारागरी को इक अरसा गुज़र गया

[दिल-ए-फिगार = wounded heart, हिकमत = healing, हाजत = need,  चारागरी = medication]

तर्क कर जीस्त को अब चलो 'प्रशांत'

पड़े हुए यहाँ तुम्हे इक अरसा गुज़र गया

'प्रशांत'

arsh se idhar hota kaash ke makaan apna !!

Putting down this beautiful ghazal by Ghaalib..

ज़िक्र उस परीवश का, और फिर बयाँ अपना

बन गया रक़ीब आखिर था जो राजदां अपना

[ परीवश = like fairy, बयाँ = recount; रक़ीब = competitor/enemy, राजदां = one with whom you share secrets/friend]

मय वो क्यो बहुत पीते बज़्म-ए-गैर मे या रब

आज ही हुआ मंज़ूर उन को इम्तिहा अपना

[मय = wine; बज़्म-ए-गैर = congregation of strangers]

मंज़र इक बलंदी पे और हम बना सकते

अर्श से इधर होता काश के मकान अपना #

[ मंज़र = destination, बलंदी = great heights, अर्श = heaven]

दे वो जिस क़दर ज़िल्लत हम हसीं में टालेंगे

बारे आशना निकाला उनका पासबां अपना

[ज़िल्लत = humiliation, बारे = atlast; आशना = friend; पासबां = guardian/watchdog]

दर्द-ए-दिल लिखूं कब तक? जाउन उन को दिखला दूं

उंगलियाँ फिगार अपनी खामाखूँ चकन अपना

[फिगार = wounded, खामाखूँ = young blood, चकन = dripping]

घीसते घीसते मिट जाता आप ने अबस बदला

नंग-ए-सजदा से मेरे संग-ए-आस्तां अपना

[अबस = without reason, नंग-ए-सजदा = prostration in shame, संग-ए-आस्तां = brick of your house]

ता करे ना गमाज़ी, कर लिया है दुश्मन को

दोस्त की शिकायत मे हम ने हम-ज़बान अपना

[गमाज़ी = inform, हम-ज़बान = who speak same language/friend]

हम कहाँ के दाना थे किस हुनर में यकता थे

बे_सबब हुआ गालिब दुश्मन आसमाँ अपना

[दाना = learned/wise, हुनर = talent, यकता = unique, बे_सबब = without reason]

'Mirza Ghaalib'

# To all those people who are drowned in their success,giving all the credit to their "hard work" and "vision" , completley discounting the luck facor  and looking down upon the left behinds, this sher might help them to become more humble. 

Here is my attempt at translation of this ghazal:

Tale about that fairy and I being the raconteur

I made an enemy out of one who was my friend once 

O lord, why does she enjoys other’s company so much

I think she has decided to test my love today

I too could have achieved great heights

Had my house been slightly below the heaven

Whatever humiliation she bestows me I'll bear gleefully

At last I have befriended one who is her guardian

how long shall I compose about the pain my heart is undergoing?

I should show her the fresh blood dripping from my fingers

Unnecessarily you changed the brick of your house

Any ways it would have got rubbed by my continuous prostration

I hope my enemy doesn’t go and tell her about my backbiting

As I have made him my friend by complaining about her

I am not a wise man nor am I unique in any talent

Then why 'Ghaalib', God has taken umbrage of you.*

* That time there was this belief that god , in order to test the resolve, gives great difficulty to people who are learned and wise

The Origin of Greek Philosophy

A philosopher’s thought is influenced by the surrounding in which he lives. Just like a particular type of soil supports particular plants, the culture and conditions of a place give rise to particular ideas or philosophies. It’s not a matter of chance that Buddha happened to be in India or Mohammad in Arabia, it was the conditions prevalent in the 6th century BCE India that gave rise to Buddhism and 7th Century AD Arabia that gave rise to Islam. Therefore before I delve into the origin of Greek philosophy which is believed to begin with Thales (6th century BCE), let me outline the origin of Greek civilization and its theology. What we know today distinctly as the School of science and School of Philosophy was a common school in around 6th century BC at the times of Thales. The Greek acquired this knowledge from the Egyptians and the Sumerians (Mesopotamia)

Influence of Egypt and Mesopotamia on Greece

The oldest of civilizations developed in Egypt around river Nile and in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) around river Tigris and river Euphrates around 5th millennium BC.

Though contemporary and proximate both the civilizations were marked different in their theology. The Egyptian believed that after death soul descends into the underworld where it is judged by Osiris based on the life on the Earth and eventually it will return to the body. This belief led to the mummification of body and construction of tomb. About 1800 B.C Egypt was conquered by Semites known as Hykos. In their two centuries of rule the Hykos must have spread the Egyptian civilization in current day Syria and Palestine (Phoenicia).

In Mesopotamia Sumerians were the rulers. They invented cuneiform writing. Later Semites conquered the Mesopotamia and learned the cuneiform from Sumerian. Initially there were many independent cities but eventually city of Babylon became supreme and every other city became its subordinate and the God of Babylon ‘Marduk’ become the supreme god. Babylonian culture unlike the Egyptian was more concerned with happiness in this life rather than in after life. It was more scientific. The division of circle in 360 degrees, days in 24 hours, prediction of lunar eclipse were discovered by the Babylonians.

The civilization of Egypt and Mesopotamia and was agricultural. The surrounding cultures were primarily pastoral. Gradually maritime trade developed. In commerce the island of Crete seems to have been pioneers. For about eleven century i.e. from 2500 BC to 1400 BC Minoan culture is believed to be existent in Crete. Minoans were artistically advanced culture. The Minoan were in close touch with Egyptians and also had proximity with Syria and Asia Minor. They worshipped goddesses and most prominent was the ‘mistress of animals’ who was a huntress and probably source of Artemis (The Greek goddess of hunting). Before the destruction of Minoan culture; it spread about 1600 BC to mainland Greece.

The Greek Civilization

In mainland Greece the civilization that existed is called the Mycenaean. The origin of Mycenaean is uncertain but it can be conjectured with a lot of certainty is that at least the aristocracy consisted of fair haired invaders from north, who brought Greek language with them. The Mycenaean came to Greece in three successive waves, first the Ionians, then the Achaeans and last the Dorians.

The Ionians were the first to conquer Greece and they adapted the Minoan culture, but subsequently were overthrown by Achaeans who also embraced Minoan culture. But the last of the conquerors the Dorians were who retained their Indo-European religion of their ancestors. During the later part of Mycenaean culture some of the inhabitants became agriculturist while some settled into the island of Asia Minor and then into Sicily and southern Italy where they founded cities which lived by maritime commerce.

In mainland Greece the land is mountainous and largely infertile but there are patches of fertile valleys with easy access to sea. These valleys later became independent city states. Greece was divided into large number of independent states. Notable among them were Sparta for its martial superiority, Athens for its cultural superiority, Corinth was rich, prosperous and a great commercial center, Arcadia was primarily agricultural. As the resources in these cities became constraint they started colonializing other cities. In administration there was a general development, first from monarchy to aristocracy, and then alternation of tyranny and democracy.

The Greek Literature

The Greek learned the art of writing from Phoenicians (present day Syria and Palestine) , who like other inhabitants of Syria were exposed to both Egyptian and Babylonian Influences. Phoenicians were the maritime superpower till the rise of Greek cities of Ionian, Italy and Sicily.

The Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey was first notable literary contribution of Hellenic civilization. It is believed that Home was not one person but a series of poets from 750 to 550 BC. In both the epic the leading family is house of Pelops. A brief outline is given below (from ‘Primitive culture in Greece’, H.J. Rose)

“Tantalos, the Asiatic founder of the dynasty, began its career by direct offence against the Gods; some said, by trying to cheat them into eating human flesh, that of his own son Pelops. Pelops, having been miraculously restored to life, offended in his turn. He won his famous charioteer race against Oinomaos, King of Pisa, by connivance of latter’s charioteer, Myrtilos, and then got rid of his confederate, whom he had promised to reward, by flinging him into the sea. The curse descended to his son, Atreus and Thyestes, in the form of what the Greeks called Ate, a strong if not irresistible impulse to crime. Thyestes corrupted his brother’s wife and thereby managed to steal the ‘luck’ of the family, the famous golden-fleeced ram. Atreus’s son Agamemnon, who offended Artemis by killing a sacred stag, sacrificed his own daughter Iphigenia to appease the goddess and obtain a safe passage to Troy for his fleet, and was in turn murdered by his faithless wife Klytaimnestra and her paramour Agisthos, a surviving son of Thyestes. Orestes, Agamemnon’s son , in turn avenged his father by killing his mother and Aigisthos.”

Iliad and Odyssey were the products of Ionia i.e. part of Hellenic Asia Minor and Adjacent Island.

Greek Mythology and its impact on Philosophy

Among the multitude of gods that Greeks worshipped one was ‘Dionysus’ or ‘Bacchus’ the disreputable god of wine and drunkenness. Out of his worship arose profound mysticism, which greatly influenced many of the philosophers. Anybody who wished to study the development of Greek thought it is imperative to understand the evolution of Dionysus.

(Dionysus)

Dionysus or Bacchus was a Thracian god. Thrace was an agricultural state and culturally inferior to Greece. Like primitive agriculturalist Thrace had a fertility cult and worshipped a god who improved fertility. His name was Bacchus. When Thracian learned making beer and wine and got intoxicated they found it divine and attributed it to Bacchus. Thus his function of promoting fertility got associated with wine and intoxication.

The cult of Bacchus passed from Thrace to Greece where it was vehemently opposed by the Orthodox. The cult of Bacchus contained many barbaric acts like tearing wild animals to pieces and eating the whole of them raw. Adherents would spent the whole night on the bare hills in dance which stimulated ecstasy and in an intoxication perhaps partly alcoholic but mainly mystical. The worship of Bacchus in its original form was savage and in many way repulsive. It was not in this form that it influenced the philosopher, but in spiritualized form attributed to Orpheus, which was ascetic and substituted mental for physical intoxication.

Orpheus origin is uncertain. He can be an actual person or a God. Like Bacchus he came from Thrace but it seems probable that the movement associated with his name came from Crete. This is because the orphic doctrine contain much that seems to have provenance in Egypt and it is chiefly through Crete that Egypt would have influenced Greece. Orpheus would said to have been a reformer who was torn to pieces by frenzied Maenads actuated by Bacchic orthodox. Though less is known about Orpheus his teachings are well known. The Orphic believed in transmigration of souls; they thought that soul hereafter might achieve eternal bliss or suffer eternal or temporary torment according to its way of life on earth. They aimed at becoming pure partly by ceremonies of purification, partly by avoiding certain kinds of contamination.

The Orphic were an ascetic sect; wine to them, was only a symbol. The intoxication that they sought was that of “enthusiasm” of union with the god. They believed in acquiring mystic knowledge unattainable by ordinary means. This mystical element entered into Greek philosophy with Pythagoras, who was reformer of Orphism. From Pythagoras Orphic elements entered into the Philosophy of Plato, and from Plato into most later philosophy that was in any degree religious.

A precursor to History of Western Philosophy

It happens with me and I presume it must be happening with others too. When I talk to someone and while conversing I discover that he has same ideologies, belives and perceptions as mine then it gives me a vicarious pleasure; not because someone thinks like me but because someone else also is correct (everyone thinks that he is right and I am no different). And then think what a wonderful feeling it must be when your believes and ideologies which are contrarian to the normal gets corroborated in a book that is in vogue (as people are buying it; I am not sure about reading) and written by someone very esteemed. And then you feel that the only thing that is different between you and the author is the book; it’s just that who wrote it first and I know (i.e. my superego in Freudian lingo) that there is a great intellectual and epistemic chasm between me and the author but then feeling of epistemic equality comes from that part of me (the ID in Freudian term) which is not under my control. Last week I was reading 'The Black Swan' by Nassim Nicholas Taleb.

When I was reading the book I was happy and I was worried. Happy you know why; worried because I had the familiarity with the subjects of the book but I have forgotten their relevance. The Skeptics, the Rationalist, Algazel , Avveroes, Hume all these were was familiar to me but I have forgotten what they stood for except for the meanings of the adjectives like a skeptics is one who doubts , rationalist is one who beliefs in logic. My past endeavor of reading philosophy has completely gone down the drain. Whether Hume was a rationalist I could not remember. Philosophers whom I remember are Spinoza and Kant and the reason is that I have written a post on each of them. So I have decided the subjects like philosophy where I am getting initiated needs more dedication and time and hence I am going to write a blog on important topics. So I have again picked up the history of western Philosophy by 'Bertrand Russell' after six months and I am planning to blog what I feel is salient and needs to be remembered.

Om Shanti

सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः, सर्वे संतु निरामयः

सर्वे भद्राणि पश्यंतु , माँ कश्चित् दुःख भाग भवेत्

ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः

(May all be happy,may all be healthy

may all look for goodness in other, may none be in distress) 

'Shri Adi Shankaracharya'

द्यो शांतिः

अंतरिक्ष शांतिः

पृथिवी शांतिः

आपः शांतिः

औषधयः शांतिः

वन्ष्पत्यः शांतिः

विश्वेदेवाः शांतिः

कामः शांतिः

क्रोधः शांतिः

ब्रम्हः  शांतिः

सर्वे शांतिः

शांति रेवः  शांतिः

शा माः शांतिः रेधि

ॐ शांतिः शांतिः शांतिः

(4-42-5 - Taittiriya - Aranyaka)

'Ayur Veda'

'Peace unto sky

peace unto heaven

peace unto earth

peace unto water

peace unto medicines

peace unto plants

peace unto gods

peace unto desire

peace unto anger

peace unto almighty

peace unto all

peace begets peace

may peace be in all element

Ab kya bataun main tere milne se kya mila..

As I promised the anonymous reader of my blog, I am putting this beautiful Ghazal by Seemab Akbarabaadi.  Aashiq Husain whose takhallus was 'Seemab' Akbarabadi, was born in 1880 in Agra, India. He was a disciple of Daag Dehlvi. The ghazal goes as:

अब क्या बताऊँ मैंने तेरे मिलने से क्या मिला,

इरफ़ान-ए-गम हुआ मुझे दिल का पता मिला

[इरफ़ान = knowledge]

जब दूर तक न कोई फ़कीर-आशना मिला

तेरा नियाज़मंद तेरे दर से जा  मिला

[नियाज़मंद = needy]

मंजिल मिली मुराद मिली मुद्दा मिला

सब कुछ मुझे मिला जो तेरा नक्श-ए-पा मिला

[नक्श-ए-पा = footprints]

या ज़ख्म-ए-दिल को चीर के सीने से फेंक दे

या ऐतराफ कर के निशान-ए-वफ़ा मिला

[ऐतराफ = admit]

'सीमाब' को शगुफ्ता न देखा तमाम उम्र

कमबख्त जब मिला हमें कम-आशना मिला

[शगुफ्ता = happy, कमबख्त = unfortunate, आशना=friend]

'सीमाब' अकबराबादी

Listen to this version of ghazal by K.L Sehgal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQa9mf9NtEM

Teri baatein hee sunaane aaye...

 I am not sure about the first two shers but the rest is by Ahmad 'Faraz'. This ghazal is beautifully sung by Gulaam Ali. 

न उड़ा यूँ ठोकरों से मेरी ख़ाक-ए-कब्र ज़ालिम,

यही एक राह गयी है मेरे प्यार की निशानी

कभी इल्तिफात-ए-पैहम कभी मुझसे बदगुमानी

तेरी वो भी मेहरबानी तेरी ये भी मेहरबानी

[इल्तिफात-ए-पैहम = continuous mercy/favour; बदगुमानी = suspicion]

The Ghazal starts from here

तेरी बातें ही सुनाने आये

दोस्त भी दिल दुखाने आये

फूल खिलते हैं तो हम सोचते हैं

तेरे आने के ज़माने आये

ऐसी कुछ चुप सी लगी है जैसे

हम तुझे हाल सुनाने आये

इश्क तनहा है सर-ए-मंजिल-ए-गम

कौन ये बोझ उठाने आये

अजनबी दोस्त मुझे देख, की हम

कुछ तुझे याद दिलाने आये

अब तो रोने से भी दिल दुखता है

शायद अब होश ठिकाने आये

क्या कहीं फिर कोई बस्ती उजड़ी

लोग क्यूँ जस्न मनाने आये

सो रहो मौत के पहलु में 'फ़राज़'

नींद किस वक़्त न जाने आये

अहमद 'फ़राज़'

tere shahar mein maine kya dekha hai?

तेरे शहर में तरदीद-ए-रवां देखा है,

हुजूम में मैंने बियाबां देखा है

[तरदीद = contradictions; रवां = continuous ; हुजूम = crowd ; बियाबां = emptiness]

In your city, I see never ending contradictions

I find the crowd empty

शोर-ए-पैहम से गोश बर-आवाज़ है

खलकत-ए-शहर को निहां देखा है

[शोर-ए-पैहम = never ending noise; गोश = ear; बर-आवाज़ = without sound; खलकत-ए-शहर = denizens of the city;निहां = hidden ]

My ears are unable to hear the continuous noise

and I cannot see the denizens of this city

इमारतें बड़ी हैं तेरे शहर में

और सड़कों पे नादारों का मकाँ देखा है

[नादारों = poors, मकाँ = house]

Your city has tall buildings,

but I find poors living on the roads

रोज़ तमाज़त-ए-कार जलाती है

रातों में फ़िक्र-ए-धुंआ देखा है

[रोज़ = daily; तमाज़त-ए-कार = heat of work; फ़िक्र-ए- धुंआ = smoke of worry]

every day the work burns

and every  night is engulfed in worries

मुफलिसों का मजमा लगा है यहाँ  

और उमारा का भी कारवां देखा है

[मुफलिसों = poors; मजमा = gathering; उमारा = rich ; कारवां = caravan]

Here there is a gathering of poors

but also I see caravan of mammons

मुख़्तसर फासला है लोगों के बीच

फिर भी सहरा  उनके दरमियां देखा है

[मुख़्तसर = small ; फासला = distance; सहरा= desert ; दरमियां = inbetween]

There is a small distances between people

but I see a big chasm between them

पर जब से मैंने तुम्हें देखा है,

मैंने दोज़ख में इरम का फजां देखा है

[दोज़ख = hell ; इरम = heaven ; फजां = weather]

but ever since I have seen you

I feel a heaven in this hell

'प्रशांत' 

tamasha-e-ahal-e-karam dekhtein hain....

A heartfelt thanks to the anonymous person whose comment on my blog led me to search for this beautiful ghazal by Ghaalib. It goes as:

जहाँ तेरा नक्श-ए-कदम देखतें हैं,

खियाबां खियाबां इरम देखतें हैं

[नक्श-ए-कदम = footprints; खियाबां = flower beds; इरम = paradise]

तेरे सर्व कामत से एक कद-ए-आदम ,

क़यामत के फितने को कम देखतें हैं

[ सर्व = tall; कामत = stature; क़यामत  = judgement day; फितने=mischiefs]

तमाशा कर ऐ महव-ए-आइनादारी,

तुझे किस तमन्ना से हम देखतें हैं

[ महव-ए-आइनादारी = engrossed in admiring herself in mirror]

सुराग-ए- तफ-ए- नाला ले दाग-ए-दिल से,
के शबरौ का नक़्श-ए-क़दम देखते हैं
[सुराग = sign; नाला = wail,lament]

बना कर फकीरा का हम भेस  'ग़ालिब'

तमाशा-ए-अहल-ए-करम देखतें हैं

[अहल-ए-करम =charitable person ]

'ग़ालिब' 

adding my own makhta to it..

न की  हालात-ए-दिल-ए-बयाँ हमने 'प्रशांत'
दूर से गाफिल के सितम देखतें हैं
[ हालात-ए-दिल-ए-बयाँ = speak about condition of heart, गाफिल = ignorant, सितम  =torture]

Ab Ke hum bichde...

Today as I am ending my association with the company where I have spent about two years , this ghazal by 'Faraz' comes to my mind:

अब के हम बिछड़े तो शायद कभी ख्वाबों  में मिलें,

जिस तरह सूखे हुए फूल  किताबों में मिलें

तू खुदा है, न मेरा इश्क फरिश्तों जैसा,

दोनों इंसान है तो क्यूँ इतने हिजाबों में मिलें

[हिजाबों = veil]

गम-ए-दुनिया भी गम-ए-यार में शामिल कर लो,

नशा बढ़ता है जब शराबें जो शराबों में मिलें

ढूंढ उजड़े हुए लोगों में वफ़ा के मोती

यह खजाने तुझे मुमकिन है खराबों में मिलें

आज हम दार पे खेचे गए जिन बातों पर

क्या अजब कल वो ज़माने को निसाबों में मिलें

[दार = gallow; निसाबों = curriculam]

Ahmed 'Faraz'

The translation is by Mr. Kuldeep Salil

Like withered flowers in books, it seems

If seperated now, we might meet only in dreams

Neither is my love like tahat of an angel, nor do you partake of divinity

We are both humans so why meet secretly?

Let the sorrows of world and sorrow of love combine

A cocktail is certainly more intoxicating than a single wine

Look for pearls of fidelity only in the people run aground

only in the ruins these treasures can be found

The things for which I am condemned to die

Who knows tommorow they me found in world's syllabi

Bose diye zameen ko hamne...

बोसे दिए ज़मीं को हमने पड़े पाँव तुम्हारे जिधर को,
आई चाप जिस जानिब तुम्हारी सजदे किये उधर को
[बोसे = kiss; ज़मीं = ground; चाप = sound ; जानिब = direction; सजदे = prostration]

दिल-ए-बिस्मिल की है गुजारिश तुझसे ऐ नावक-अंदाज़
कर नीम नेजा-ए-नज़र की करूँ गर्द दिल-ओ-जिगर को
[दिल-ए-बिस्मिल = wounded heart; गुजारिश = request; नावक-अंदाज़ = archer; नीम=deep; नेजा-ए-नज़र = spear like eyes ; गर्द = dust]

फुरकत-गज़ीदा रहे हम उरूज़-ए-हिज्र में तुम्हारी
आ तमाम कर मुझको या के अपने शाक कहर को
[ फुरकत = seperation; गज़ीदा = struck/beaten; उरूज़-ए-हिज्र = highest point of seperation; तमाम = end; शाक = unbearable; कहर = calamity/punishment]

हसरत-ए-वस्ल-ए-दीदा-ए-जाना ले के हम मर गए
अब क्यूँ वो नज़र गुरेज़ हैं जब तर्क दिया हमने दहर को?
[हसरत-ए-वस्ल-ए-दीदा-ए-जाना = desire of meeting the eyes of beloved, नज़र गुरेज़ = evading eyes, तर्क = renounce; दहर = life]

माना की थे हाजतमंद पर ऐसी भी क्या बेताबी थी,
गए क्यूँ थे उस गली में हुए बेजाँ कई एक नज़र को ?
[हाजतमंद = needy ; बेजाँ = lifeless]

किये आप ही जब मुह्हबत, हुए आप ही जो रुसवा ,
फिर क्यूँ कु-बा-कु कहे 'प्रशांत' , न दो दिल किसी हजर को
[रुसवा = disgrace ; कु-बा-कु = lane to lane; हजर = stone]
'प्रशांत'

Wo saal jo ab guzar gaya

I wanted to post this poem on 31st of 2009 but couldn't do that. Better late than never. My adios to 2009.

टूट के लम्हा बिखर गया

पल पल दिन में सिमट गया

दिन रात मे मिल के ओझल हुआ

और ऐसे ही माह निकल गया

सब चले गये हैं साथ उसके

जो साल अभी गुज़र गया

एक तारा था जो टूट गया

कोई प्यारा था वो रूठ गया

एक आस थी जो बिखर गयी

और साथ किस का छूट गया

सब चले गये है साथ उसके

जो साल अभी गुज़र गया

दे कर मुझको अल्फ़ाज़ गया

उलफत मुझ पे वो वार गया

सपनो को दे कर आकार गया

एक नई उर्जा को संचार गया

नये साल का तोहफा देकर

एक साल था जो अब गुज़र गया

[ अल्फ़ाज़ = words; उलफत =love]

'प्रशांत'

Dhoondh ujde hue logon mein wafa ke moti, yeh khazaane to mumkin hai kharaabon mein milen

A work entailed me to be in Delhi. I was to return the next day. My train was in the evening and I had a whole day to spend. Gaurav who was with me took me to CP as he had some work there. There I entered in a book shop. It was an old bookshop and a cursory glance on the shelves I could make out that they had good collections of book. It was 1.30 in the noon and I had 2 hours before I had to leave CP for New Delhi railway station. I didn’t want to bore Gaurav who he is not very fond of books so thought of just asking for books I was looking for instead of going through the shelves. I asked the sales person there whether he has any book on Baba Bulle Shah. He said that I should go to the Masjid in corner where a Maulavi saab sells books on Baba Farid , Bulle Shah etc. Without any further ado I came to the corner where there was a very small masjid. Outside the entrance there were some books arranged in a stall. Nobody was there to attend a customer. I looked at the books and my eyes gleamed. It was a treasure. Bulle shah’s Kaafias, Baba Farid, Sufism, Islam , Ahmed Faraz all that that enthused me were there. I was excited and impatient; excited because never ever I had come across such a good collection of books and impatient because I was running short of time. On top of it I could sense that very soon Gaurav would become irritated because of all this. Moreover knowing me her sister has warned me not to bore her brother by taking him into old bookshops. I wanted 5-6 hrs to go through all the books. I had just about 30 minutes. I asked the Paanwaala near by about the Maulavi saab. He said that Maluavi saab has gone to his village but I can take any book I want and pay him. I asked him whether these are the only books available. He said that there are some more books. He told that his brother is looking after the shop and will come at 2.0. I asked him to request Maulavi saab’s brother to be there. It was still 20 min to 2.O clock. I thought that I should be with Gaurav so that these 20 minutes doesn’t add to my quota of book hunting. I went with him around the inner circle. Gaurav was excited by the offers in the shops and I nodded in agreement. He wanted to buy Aawala juice from Khadi Bhandar. He went there and I came back to the Maulavi saab's shop. But still nobody was there. It was 15 minutes pass 2. I thought let me pick whatever is displayed. Anyways I would not be able to buy whatever I like because of monetary constrain. A person came out from the Masjid. He was about 24-25 year frail looking man with a beard and a white cap. He was shy. As he came near me I asked him whether he looks after the shop. He said that Maulavi saab is his brother and has gone home for a month. I asked him if he has books other than those displayed. He hesitated a bit and then asked me to follow him inside the Masjid. I removed my shoes and followed him. Inside there were few people offering Nawaz. We circumvented them and came in front of a small wooden door. He opened the door and went inside the room. I followed him. It was a very small room probably 7x7 sqft. It was damp and dim. The bedding on the floor on which he and I were standing occupied most of the space. The leftover was occupied by a stove, few plates, a pitcher and a cooking pan. There was a small rack in the wall which was covered by a curtain which I presume was made up of a worn out sari. He removed the curtain. There were 5 columns of books. The books were kept widthwise to fit more books in that limited space on the rack. This made the cover and name of the book hidden. He went out and brought a chair and placed it on his bed. He stood on the chair and took out books in bunches and showed it to me. All were good books. I acknowledged this to him. I was excited. I wanted to spend some time with each one of it but I was running short of time. I told him that all are good books and I have to come again. Meanwhile I got two calls from Gaurav. I asked him to give me 15 minutes. He seemed a bit irritated. I glanced through some of the books cover. I picked up books on Sufism and poetry. We came out of the room. While locking the room he said that Bhai Saab (Maulavi Saab) has duties toward his family too, that’s why he has been to village. I nodded. I could make out that he was feeling apologetic because of his limited knowledge on books and thought that Maulavi saab was well aware about each of his books and could have engaged me better. We came out of the Masjid. In front of his stall I picked up Ahmed Faraz. He took out a yellowish slip. He wrote the book names in Urdu and prices in English. It came out to Rs 750. He told he would give me for 650. I said its more. He paused for a while and then said that because I showed so much interest he would make it 600 for me. He was not a salesman and I knew he was not pitching. I agreed and gave him 600 bucks. I could not have got these books in any bookshop in Mumbai. These were my priced finds from Delhi. I couldn’t wait to catch the train. I wanted to go through the books. Faraz verily said once:

ढूंढ उजड़े हुए लोगों में वफ़ा के मोती,

ये ख़ज़ाने तो मुमकिन है खराबों में मिले 

[seek solace in people who are distraught, its probable to find a treasure in the scum]