The first sentence taught in Sanskrit by the Chair of World Sanskrit Conference (2021)
The Chair of the World Sanskrit Conference (2021), Professor McComas Taylor, can be heard saying the following in this podcast (between ~15:14 and ~16:00):
"...the demon in the form of a deer. And this is a very very famous incident wherever you are, all the way throughout the Indic world you will see images of this golden deer passing by the hut. It is very famous image. So, the golden deer passes the hut. Sītā, of course, sees the deer. And do you know how in French, the first sentence you learn is, is the pen of my aunt is on the table. In Sanskrit, the first sentence I teach is सीता मिरगं इचति[1]. Sītā desires the deer. We always say that. We always start with it. Nice easy sentence. You can say this: सीता मिरगं इचति. Everyone please: सीता मिरगं इचति (laughter). Really good."
[1] It is my guess that what was intended was perhaps सीता मृगं इच्छति
Quick points:
1. I could not find either सीता मिरगं इचति or सीता मृगं इच्छति in अरण्यकाण्ड of श्रीमद वाल्मीकि रामायण. If anyone is aware of such an occurrence and would be kind enough to share the reference, that would be appreciated. To be clear: I am not saying Dr. Taylor has claimed that this occurs in the text. At the same time, he has not said it does not either and has gone on to say this is "the first sentence" he teaches in Sanskrit.
2. Does anyone else start teaching Sanskrit with the above line?
3. How about also teaching lines actually from the text? These lines might not suit Prof. Taylor's opinions but here they are, in a song-format: Sanskrit song 'That which Śri Rāma said about Devī Sītā
4. For more context, read 'A response to some views expressed by the Chair of the World Sanskrit Conference (2021) about श्री राम (śrī rāma)'
PS: The 2021 in the title is so because this post went live before May 4 2020, the day on which the following notification was seen:
From: McComas Taylor via INDOLOGY <indology@list.indology.info>
Date: Mon, May 4, 2020, 9:04 AM
Subject: [INDOLOGY] World Sanskrit Conference postponed until 17-21 January 2022
To: indology <indology@list.indology.info>
3. How about also teaching lines actually from the text? These lines might not suit Prof. Taylor's opinions but here they are, in a song-format: Sanskrit song 'That which Śri Rāma said about Devī Sītā
4. For more context, read 'A response to some views expressed by the Chair of the World Sanskrit Conference (2021) about श्री राम (śrī rāma)'
PS: The 2021 in the title is so because this post went live before May 4 2020, the day on which the following notification was seen:
From: McComas Taylor via INDOLOGY <indology@list.indology.info>
Date: Mon, May 4, 2020, 9:04 AM
Subject: [INDOLOGY] World Sanskrit Conference postponed until 17-21 January 2022
To: indology <indology@list.indology.info>
Comments
Post a Comment