Guruma speaks at the end of week 1... :) - Page 5

Originally posted by: why3

Misti,

Chanakya is also my favorite character and I just got his original Arthshastra from Lucknow. Haven't read it yet, but skimmed it a little. It was very impressive as it was explaining about division of a country in states, districts, councils etc and talking about how taxes should be collected and the duties and responsibiities of Kings. Very advanced for its time.

Forgot the name of the guy who played Chanakya, but he was the one who also produced "Pinjar" which was based on Amrita Pritam's (Panjabi author) book. I was looking forward to his "Legend of Kunal" movie based on Ashok, his wife Tishyarakshita and son Kunal. I don't know what happened to the movie, but Ashok and Kunal's story is one of my favorite story as his considerable younger and beautiful wife fell for Kunal who rejected her advances. Out of revenge, she svhemed so that Kunal who was going to inherit Ashoka's kingdom ended up being blind. The characters in that story are very complex and the movie was supposed to have Tabu as Ashoka's wife with Amitabh playing the role of old Ashoka.

Angie its Chadraprakash Diwedi himself, the maker of this show who acted as Chanakya.........another interesting fact is that he was most probably the Head of programming, Zee Tv in1990's. I have seen Pinjar and liked it.....it was very true to life and very humane story. Stories regarding partition of Punjab and Bengal have always interested me.............most probably because my mothers side of the family are originally from Dhaka and they had to leave behind everything and come to Kolkata during partition .....so I have grown up listening to stories regarding what happened during that period in Indian history. I will like to read Arthshastra.........whatever I have heard about that book it is very interesting and can be applied to current state of affairs.

Ashoka and Kunals story is like Hamlet in reverse.........there the father gets killed and here the son is harmed.....with Lady Macbeth being thrown in.😃......The characters have to be complex to carry this story forward.

Originally posted by: gardes

Shloks in the first episode.......

The first episode starts with the shloks recited by young Dev and Radhika in tandem at the ghaat by the Jamuna river in the early hours of the morning. These are known as Pratah Smaran.

What is Pratah Smaran?

Pratah Smaran is early morning prayers or recitations of shloks. It includes the purification shlok which clears the mind, body and soul of untoward thoughts and acts. Then it moves on to invocation of the pantheon of Gods in Hinduism.

What are shloks?

Shloks are rhyming verses in Sanskrit, generally written as couplets.

The first recitation was a purification shlok - purification of mind, body and spirit.

Om Apavitra Pavitro Va, Sarvavastham Gato 'Pi Va
Yah Smareth Pundarikaksham, Sa Bahyabhyantara Shuchih

The next shlok invokes Ganesha, the elephant God, when initiating vidya - education, vivah - marriage, entering or exiting any place or during war or calamity.

Vidyarambhe Vivahe Cha Prabeshe Nirgame Tatha
Sangrame Sankate Chaiba Bighnastashya Na Jayate

Anyatha Sharanam Nasti, Twameva Sharanam Mamah
Tasmat Karunya Bhaven, Raksha Raksha Parmeshwar

There is no refuge for me other than you, oh Lord, and I seek refuge in you alone. Supreme God, please show compassion and protect me.

Sthirairangaistushtuvaamsastanoobhih
Vyashema Devahitam Yadaayuh

Swasti Na Indro Vridhashravaah
Swasti Nah Pooshaa Vishwavedaah

Swasti Nastaarkshyo Arishtanemih
Swasti No Brihaspatir Dadhaatu.

Swasti Hi Bhavatu (3)

Om Shantih, Shantih, Shantih!

Meaning:

O worshipful ones, may our ears hear what is good and auspicious! May we see what is auspicious! May we sing your praise, live our allotted span of life in perfect health and strength! May Indra (who is) extolled in the scriptures, Pushan, the all-knowing Trakshya, who saves from all harm, and Brihaspati who protects our spiritual lustre, vouchsafe prosperity in our study of the scriptures and the practice of the truths contained therein!

Om peace, peace, peace!

Sarva Mangal Mangalye, Shive Sarvarth Sadhike
Sharanye Tryambake Gauri, Narayani Namostute

Salutations to the auspicious one who blesses us by fulfilling all our desires, who is worthy of seeking refuge, who is 3 eyed-goddess Gauri and Narayani (consort of Shiva).

Mangalam Bhagavan Vishnu, Mangalam Garudadhwajah
Mangalam Pundareekaksham, Mangalayatano Harih

All auspiciousness to God Vishnu
All auspiciousness to One who has Garuda as His flag
All auspiciousness to One who has eyes like the lotus flowers
And auspiciousness to Hari

Namami Yamuna Maham, Sakal Siddhi Hetum Muda,
Murari Padpankaj Sfuradamand, Renootkatam,
Tatastha Nav Kanana, Prakat Mod Pushpambunaa,
Suraa Sursu Poojitaha, Smara Pituh Shri yambibhrateem.

This is the first verse from the Yamunashtak (Yamuna + 8 verses), an 8-shlok poetry describing the beauty of Jamuna/Yamuna river. Alka Yagnik and Ashit Desai have individually sung this very beautifully and can be heard on-line. The first verse describes the physical attributes of the river and its banks, comparing it to the physical beauty of Lord Krishna, who grew up on the banks of the river.

.....gardes u have done awesome job..👍🏼.i am a mix of 2 religions...one of them is hindu..but i dont grow up as a hindu ..for this reason i am not that much aware or know about this religion..i love those sholks always..but never didnot know the meanings...no one help ed me to understand..but from you i have known the meannings.. thank you so much from the bottom of my heart...God bless you my dear...😊

Originally posted by: gardes

Why, between you and Mishti, I am convinced that the serial needs to be watched and soon.

We had a society in place when the humans in other parts of the world were still living in caves, if they had evolved that far! 😉😃😆😆

Originally posted by: gardes

Mishti, I was kidding about the Hindi. I think I understood most of it or at least the context, but still 8 volumes is very daunting. I DO want to watch the serial.

Ah, so you sought the company of your Godson and got down to the basics. Seems like you both enjoy each other's company. 😆😉

Good.........You were making me very worried mommy that you could not understand this hindi.😉....ok ok........take your time while watching Chanakya.😃😛

Yes I did have a very nice time in the company of my Godson........he helps me to see things the right way.😉

Kinara, thanks so much for your post. It was heartwarming to read.

Why, Bharat Ek Khoj was a serial I was looking for for a while because it was made by Shyam Benegal, who makes good movies. I finally got our library to order the series and I have first dibs on watching it. It is also a 5 volume serial and daunting, but supposedly good.

Originally posted by: gardes

Kinara, thanks so much for your post. It was heartwarming to read.

Shame on me that I grew up as a Hindu Brahmin and married someone from another religious background, but never bothered to understand or was curious about either religions, until recently.

If my sparse knowledge helped someone, I feel it was worth the effort and I am very happy about it.

u are welcome ...my dear.. i know about so many religion but not exactly the hiduism...this is one of my interest to know other religion ..but somehow no one exactly can explain to me what i really want to know... but you did.. thank you again...

Originally posted by: misti73

Angie its Chadraprakash Diwedi himself, the maker of this show who acted as Chanakya.........another interesting fact is that he was most probably the Head of programming, Zee Tv in1990's. I have seen Pinjar and liked it.....it was very true to life and very humane story. Stories regarding partition of Punjab and Bengal have always interested me.............most probably because my mothers side of the family are originally from Dhaka and they had to leave behind everything and come to Kolkata during partition .....so I have grown up listening to stories regarding what happened during that period in Indian history. I will like to read Arthshastra.........whatever I have heard about that book it is very interesting and can be applied to current state of affairs.

Ashoka and Kunals story is like Hamlet in reverse.........there the father gets killed and here the son is harmed.....with Lady Macbeth being thrown in.😃......The characters have to be complex to carry this story forward.

Good to know about religion through this post ,thanks.

Originally posted by: why3

Misti, thanks for the name. I think he is highly educated and has a doctorate in Sanskrit or some language. I also like partition stories. Actually, I read Pinjar after watching the movie and this was one of the movies that I found was better than the book. Namesake by Mira Nair was another where I found the movie to be more interesting than the original book by Jhumpa Lahiri.

Actually, there was a movie too by JP Dutta starring Farah (Tabu's sister) and Sunny Deol that dealt with this issue. Sunny Deol was a son of dacoit who was brought up by a police inspector played by Kulbhusan Kharbanda. His daughter was Farah who falls for Sunny Deol's character while her stepmother also lusts after Sunny too as she is considerably younger than her husband. The person who played the stepmother was a good actress. Her role was the most interesting one and the movie was also very good.

Sunny Deol was an adopted son who respected Farha's father but was not able to really love him. It was a very good interaction of five characters - Sunny Deol's character (very complex), Farha's (simple, innocent yet strong person), stepmother (grey and sort of dissatisfied character), father (upright but somewhat weak at times) and finally Danny (totally selfish and evil character). Despite the whole Bollywood type fighting and melodrama , it was a good movie.

Angie I don't know whether he has a doctorate in sanskrit or not ..... have read somewhere that he was a medical doctor. It reminds me of Mohan Agashe..... a well known actor and theatre personality who is actually a psychiatrist and Sreeram Lagoo, another well known actor who is a surgeon by profession. Who says that science, art and literature does not mix well together? 😉

Can you tell me the name of the movie that you have described? I would like to watch it.....sounds interesting. It sounds like an interesting combination of good characterisation, screenplay and bollywood melodrama and massala. Chunnu Munnu I hope you are reading this and thinking that melodrama can be used in the right way and proportion.......I mean keeping CB2 in mind.

As for namesake, regarding characterisation I actually found both the movie and the book interesting. The book was written by Jhumpa Lahiri so it was from Gogols (the son) point of view, while the movie was made by Mira Nair, so it was from Gogols mothers point of view. I went to see the movie with a friend who is Australian and who has interest in Indian movies and culture. She saw the movie and her first comment was that why is the son so self centered.........I gave her the book to read and she came back to me saying that she is taking back her words because after reading the book she understood where the son was coming from. As for writing is concerned I personally don't find Namesake as one of Jhumpa Lahiris best books. Actually this is a good example of why POVs of the characters are needed to get a complete picture of the story..........CB2 needs that and hopefully the creatives will be able to deliver it this time.