Importance of Identity – a Translation of Karamzin

In his book, История Государства Российского (History of the Russian State), the great Russian historian, Nikolai Karamzin, speaks on the importance of identity.  Given the series on ethnic hatred which Saswati Sarkar, Dikgaj & I have been writing, I thought it prudent to translate this piece of Karamzin, which emphasises the importance of identity.

This piece is taken from the introduction to История Государства Российского.

История в некотором смысле есть священная книга народов: главная, необходимая; зерцало их бытия и деятельности; скрижаль откровений и правил; завет предков к потомству; дополнение, изъяснение настоящего и пример будущего.

History is, in some sense, the sacred book of the people: the most important and necessary thing; a mirror to their existence and activity; a tablet of revelations and laws; the testament of the ancestors to the offsprings; in addition, it is an explanation of the present and an example for the future.

Правители, Законодатели действуют по указаниям Истории и смотрят на ее листы, как мореплаватели на чертежи морей. Мудрость человеческаяимеет нужду в опытах, а жизнь кратковременна. Должно знать, как искони мятежные страсти волновали гражданское общество и какими способами благотворная власть ума обуздывала их бурное стремление, чтобы учредить порядок, согласить выгоды людей и даровать им возможное на земле счастие.

Rulers and law makers are acting upon the directions of history and look on her pages, as the mariners look on the sea charts. Human wisdom has a need for experiments, and life is short. It is necessary to know how the rebellious passions had inflamed the civil society and how benevolent power of reason restrained their desire to uproot existing order, in order to agree on the advantages and give them the possible state of earthly happiness.

Но и простой гражданин должен читать Историю. Она мирит его с несовершенством видимого порядка вещей, как с обыкновенным явлением во всех веках; утешает в государственных бедствиях, свидетельствуя, что и прежде бывали подобные, бывали еще ужаснейшие, и Государство не разрушалось; она питает нравственное чувство и праведным судом своим располагает душу к справедливости, которая утверждает наше благо и согласие общества.

But a common citizen should also read history. History brings him peace with the imperfections in the visible order of things, pointing them out from the common occurrences in all ages; history helps a citizen take solace in disasters of state affairs, recollecting that there were formerly such, even more terrible events, but the state did not collapse; history also nourishes a sense of morality and by its correct judgement, encourages the soul of a person to the path of rightful justice, which lays the foundation to our prosperity and agreement in society.

Вот польза: сколько же удовольствий для сердца и разума! Любопытство сродно человеку, и просвещенному и дикому. На славных играх Олимпийских умолкал шум, и толпы безмолвствовали вокруг Геродота, читающего предания веков. Еще не зная употребления букв, народы уже любят Историю: старец указывает юноше на высокую могилу и повествует о делах лежащего в ней Героя. Первые опыты наших предков в искусстве грамоты были посвящены Вере и Дееписанию; омраченный густой сению невежества, народ с жадностию внимал сказаниям Летописцев. И вымыслы нравятся; но для полного удовольствия должно обманывать себя и думать, что они истина. История, отверзая гробы, поднимая мертвых, влагая им жизнь в сердце и слово в уста, из тления вновь созидая Царства и представляя воображению ряд веков с их отличными страстями, нравами, деяниями, расширяет пределы нашего собственного бытия; ее творческою силою мы живем с людьми всех времен, видим и слышим их, любим и ненавидим; еще не думая о пользе, уже наслаждаемся созерцанием многообразных случаев и характеров, которые занимают ум или питают чувствительность.

Here is the goodness (for the reader): how many pleasures it yields for the heart and the intellect! Curiosity is natural to a person, both the unlearned and the enlightened. During the glorious Olympic games, noise reduced and the crowds around fell silent as Herodotus read the traditions of centuries. Even as people knew nothing of the art of letters, they already love history; the elders point the youth to the high mound of the grave and narrate the deeds of the hero within. The first experiments by our ancestors in the art of writing were devoted to religion and deeds of the state. Even as they were shaded under the deep clouds of illiteracy, the populace listened avidly to the legends of the Chroniclers. Often time fantasies are pleasant, but for the full pleasure, one needs to deceive oneself that the stories were true. History, by opening coffins, raising the dead, putting life once more in their hearts and words in their mouths, recreates their kingdom from decay, raises in the mind a number of centuries with their glorious passions, customs, and actions, and expands the limits of our own being. Its creative power causes us to live with the people of the older times; we see and hear them, we love and hate, still not thinking of the benefits, we already enjoy the contemplation of the affairs and characters, which occupy the mind and nourish the senses.

Если всякая История, даже и неискусно писанная, бывает приятна, как говорит Плиний: тем более отечественная. Истинный Космополит есть существо метафизическое или столь необыкновенное явление, что нет нужды говорить об нем, ни хвалить, ни осуждать его. Мы все граждане, в Европе и в Индии, в Мексике и в Абиссинии; личность каждого тесно связана с отечеством: любим его, ибо любим себя. Пусть Греки, Римляне пленяют воображение: они принадлежат к семейству рода человеческого и нам не чужие по своим добродетелям и слабостям, славе и бедствиям; но имя Русское имеет для нас особенную прелесть: сердце мое еще сильнее бьется за Пожарского, нежели за Фемистокла или Сципиона. Всемирная История великими воспоминаниями украшает мир для ума, а Российская украшает отечество, где живем и чувствуем. Сколь привлекательны берега Волхова, Днепра, Дона, когда знаем, что в глубокой древности на них происходило! Не только Новгород, Киев, Владимир, но и хижины Ельца, Козельска, Галича делаются любопытными памятниками и немые предметы – красноречивыми. Тени минувших столетий везде рисуют картины перед нами.

If any kind of history, even written by the inexperienced, is pleasant as Pliny says, then the more so is domestic history. A true cosmopolitan is a metaphysical being, or so extraordinary, that there is no need to talk about it, either to praise or condemn such a being. We are all citizens, in Europe or in India, in Mexico or in Abyssinia; the identity of each is closely bound with that of the fatherland. We love it, as we love ourselves. Let the Greeks and the Romans captivate the imagination; they also belong to the human race and we are no strangers in their virtues and weaknesses, glories and disasters. But the Russian name has a special charm for us. My heart beats more for Pozharovsky than for Themistocles or Scipio. World history with great memories adorns the world for our mind, but the Russian one decorates the fatherland, where we live and feel. How attractive the shores of the Volga, Dnepr and the Don seem, when we know what happened there in ancient times. Not only the great cities of Novgorod, Kiev and Vladimir, but also the humble huts of Yelets, Kozelsk and Galich become interesting monuments and mute objects eloquent. Everywhere, the shadows of past centuries draw pictures before us.

List of Sanskrit E-Magazines, Newspapers & Journals

This is a list of all Sanskrit E-Magazines & Journals.  There are only two criteria that are followed to be called a Sanskrit E-Magazine/Journal.

1. The magazine, newspaper or journal must have an electronic version (it may or may not have a print version) and must be tailored for a generic audience (not specialised research or subject based magazines).  The electronic version may be subscriber based or may be free.  I have not made any preferences on this score.
2. The journal/magazine/newspaper must be totally in Sanskrit.  I am not minded to list those magazines/journals that also print articles in Sanskrit, alongside those in other languages (a separate version in other languages is fine).  This may be part of a future project, but for now, I am listing only those magazines/journals/newspapers that publish fully in Sanskrit.

The following information is included in each journal, magazine or newspaper.  Anyone wishing to submit a journal for consideration must submit the following information

a) Name of the newspaper/magazine/journal b) its webpage c) contact information regarding the editor/magazine d) Duration between two publications.

The latter is to enable any writers to contact the editors of the magazine with their articles.  Additional information regarding the kind of articles welcome in the magazines are also vital, if available.  Where the location is available, it has also been added, so that regionally interesting articles may be sent to magazines working in/from the respective locations.

1. Journal: जाह्नवी, Website: http://www.sarasvatniketanam.org/JSEJ/index.html , Type: Monthly, Contact:  jahnavisanskritjournal@gmail.com , Location: Editors in various places, but principal editor located in Darbhanga, Bihar.
2. Journal: शारदा, Website: http://www.esharada.com/ . Type: Weekly, Contact: esharada@gmail.com , Location: Pune, Maharashtra.
3. Journal: सम्भाषण-संदेशः, Website: http://www.sambhashanasandesha.in/ , Type: Monthly, Contact: samskritam@gmail.com , Location: Bangalore, Karnataka.
4. Newspaper: सुधर्मा, Website: http://sudharma.epapertoday.com/ , Type: Daily, Contact: sudharma.sanskritdaily@gmail.com , Location: Mysore, Karnataka.

 

Oath Taking in Sanskrit in the 16th Lok Sabha

षोडशायाम् लोकसभायाम् संस्कृतभाषायाम् प्रमाणवचनस्वीकारः

नवनिर्वाचितलोकसभायाम् चतुस्त्रिंशत् सदस्याः संस्कृतभाषायाम् प्रमाणवचनानि स्व्यकुर्वन्। एषः संदेशः भारतीयेभ्यः हर्षं ददाति। संस्कृतभाषैका भारतीयान् एकीकर्तुम् समर्था वर्तते। त्रिसहस्रवर्षात् भारतदेशे संस्कृतभाषा सर्वप्रदेशेषु अविकृता अस्ति। सा भाषा भारतदेशे सर्वथा व्याकरणोच्यारणानि अविकृतम् असम्भरत। सर्वराज्यानां जनाः तथा संसत्सदस्याः तां भाषां व्यत्ययरहिताम् उपयोक्तुम् साध्यम्। ततः एतस्याम् निजभारतीयराष्ट्रभाषायां लोकसभासदस्यानां प्रमाणवचनस्वीकारः हर्षस्य गर्वस्य च विषयः।

In the new Lok Sabha, thirty four members took their oaths in Sanskrit. This matter is one of delight for all the Indians. Sanskrit is the only language that can unite all Indians. From three thousand years, Sanskrit has remained unchanged. This language has not changed form, grammar or intonation, or developed regional variations anywhere in India, and has remained the same throughout the country, and people and members can use the same language all over. Consequently, Lok Sabha members taking oath in this true national language is a matter of pride and joy for all Indians.

अस्यां लोकसभायां मध्यप्रदेशात् श्रीमती सुष्मा स्वराज्, सुश्री उमा भारती, श्री राकेश सिंह, श्रीमती सुमित्रा महाजन, दिल्ली उपराज्यात् डा. हर्षवर्धन, श्रीमती मीनाक्षी लेखि, श्री पार्वेश वर्मा, श्री महेश गिरि, हिमाचल प्रदेशात् श्री शान्त कुमार, श्री वीरेन्द्र कश्यप, कर्नाटक राज्यात् अनन्त कुमार हेग्गडे, झार्खंड राज्यात् श्री सुनिल् कुमार सिंह, उत्तर प्रदेशात् डा. मुरली मनोहर जोशि, श्री शरद् त्रिपाठी, श्री सत्यपाल सिंह, श्री साक्षी महाराज, श्री राजेश पान्डे, डा. महेन्द्रनाथ पान्डे, श्री छोटे लाल, श्री महेश शर्मा, श्री राजेन्द्र अगर्वाल, श्री जगदंबिका पाल, श्री वीरेन्द्र सिंह, बिहार राज्यात् श्री अश्विनी कुमार चौबे, श्री ॐ प्रकाश यादव, गुजरात् राज्यात् देवुसिंह चौहाण, महाराष्ट्र राज्यात् श्री दिलीप गांधि, राजास्थान राज्यात् श्री रामचरण बोहार, श्री चंद्रप्रकाश जोशि, श्री गजेन्द्रसिंह शिखावत् उत्तरखंड राज्यात् भगत् कोशियारि, तथा पश्चिम बंगाल राज्यात् श्री अहलुवालिया नवलोकसभायां संस्कृतभाषायां प्रमाणवचनं स्व्यकुर्वन्। तेभ्यः सदस्येभ्यः अहं वन्दानानि अभिनन्दनानि च प्रेषितुमिच्छामि। भारतीय जनतापक्षः तस्य सदस्यान् संस्कृतभाषायाम् प्रमाणवचनानि स्वीकर्तुम् उत्तेजयति स्म। तं दृष्ट्वा अहं संतुष्टः अस्मि तथा भारतीय जनतापक्षायापि मम वन्दनानि अभिनन्दनानि प्रेषयामि।

In the new Lok Sabha, Smt. Sushma Swaraj, Su.Shree. Uma Bharati, Shree. Rakesh Singh, and Smt. Sumitra Mahajan from Madhya Pradesh, Dr. Harshvardhan, Smt. Meenakshi Lekhi, Shree Parvesh Verma, and Shree Mahesh Giri from Delhi, Shree Shanta Kumar, and Shree Veerendra Kashyap from Himachal Pradesh, Shree Anant Kumar Hegde from Karnataka, Shree Sunil Kumar Singh from Jharkhand, Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi, Shree Sharad Tripathi, Shree Satyapal Singh, Shree Sakshi Maharaj, Shree Rajesh Pandey, Dr. Mahendranath Pandey, Shree Chhote Lal, Shree Mahesh Sharma, Shree Jagadambika Pal, Shree Rajendra Agarwal, and Shree Veerendra Singh from Uttar Pradesh, Shree Ashwini Kumar Chaubey and Shree Om Prakash Yadav from Bihar, Shree Devusingh Chauhan from Gujarat, Shree Dileep Gandhi from Maharashtra, Shree Ramcharan Bohara, Shree Chandraprakash Joshi and Shree Gajendra Singh Shekhawat from Rajasthan, Shree Bhagat Koshiyari from Uttarakhand, and Shree Ahluwalia from West Bengal took their oaths in Sanskrit. I wish to convery my respectful regards and congratulations to these members.The BJP has been encouraging its members to take their oaths in Sanskrit. I am delighed at the development and wish to salute and congratulate the BJP as well.

तदपरं, नवीयस्, संसदि तथा राज्याणां सभास्वपि सदस्याः संस्कृत भाषायां प्रमाणवचनानि स्वीकुर्वन्ति। एषु दिनेषु, कर्नाटकराज्यस्य विधानपरिषद्यपि श्री भानुप्रकाशः संस्कृतभाषायां प्रमाणवचनं अशपत। एतत् सर्वं भारतीयेभ्यः संस्कृतभाषायाः गुरुतां दर्शयति। अहम् आगामिदिनेषु संस्कृतभाषां संसदि सदस्याः तेषाम् भाषणेषु प्रश्नेषु उपयुज्यन्तेति आशंसे।

Apart from that, recently, in both Parliament and State Assemblies, members have been taking their oaths in Sanskrit. Recently, Shree Bhanu Prakash took his oath in the Karnataka Legislative Council in Sanskrit. All these show the importance of Sanskrit to Indians. I hope that, in the coming days, the Members of Parliament will employ Sanskrit in their speeches and questions.

काश्चित् सदस्याः प्रमाणवचनस्वीकारकाले तासाम् प्रमाणवचनानि अन्यलिङ्गे अशपन्त। सर्वाणि प्रमाणवचनानि भारतीय जनतापक्षस्य प्रमुखः तथा राज्यसभासदस्यः च तरुण विजयस्य प्रमाणवचनम् अनुसरन्तीत्यहम् शङ्के। ततः संस्कृतभाषायां प्रमाणवचनं पुल्लिङ्गे वर्तते। तदर्थं स्त्रीसदस्याः तत् प्रमाणवचनं स्वलिङ्गे परिवृत्य प्रमाणवचनं स्वीकुर्वन्तु इत्यहं नम्रतया साकम् प्रार्थये। तत् परिवर्तनम् उचितं भविष्यतीत्यहम् मन्ये।

Some members took their oaths in the wrong gender. I suspect that all the oaths were based on the oath taken by senior BJP leader and Rajya Sabha member, Shree Tarun Vijay. Consequently, all oaths were in masculine gender. Therefore, I humbly request that all the female members change the oaths into feminine form. The feminine form of the oath would be ideal for the female members, in my opinion.

पुल्लिङ्गे प्रमाणवचनं एतस्मिन् प्रकारे वर्तते।

अहं, <नामधेयं अत्र>, लोकसभायाः सदस्यत्वेन निर्वाचितः, निश्चये परमेश्वरस्य नाम्ना शपे यत् अहं विधिना स्थापितं भारतस्य संविधानं प्रति सत्यं श्रद्धां निष्ठां च धारयिष्ये। ततः भारतस्य संपूर्णप्रभुत्वसंपन्नताम् अखण्डतां च अक्षुण्णां रक्षिष्यामि। तथा यत् पदं गृहीतुम् उद्यतः अस्मि, अहं तस्य कर्तव्यानि श्रद्धापूर्वकं निर्वक्ष्यामि।

The masculine form of the oath reads as follows:

I <insert name here>, elected to the Lok Sabha, swear in the name of Ishwara that I shall bear true, single-minded allegiance to the Constitution of the country. I shall strive to protect the sovereignity and integrity of the country. And I shall discharge my duties with the utmost dedication and sincerity.

तथा प्रमाणवचने सदस्याः `सत्याम् श्रद्धाम्‘ इत्यवदन्। तत् वाक्यम् `सत्यम् श्रद्धाम्‘ स्यात् इत्यहं शङ्के। सत्यं नपुंसकलिङ्गपदमित्यहं मन्ये।

Some members, in their oath statements’ used the words `सत्याम् श्रद्धाम्‘. The statement should read as `सत्यम् श्रद्धाम्‘, I think. The word `सत्यम्‘ is in neuter gender in Sanskrit, I think.

स्त्रीलिङ्गे प्रमाणवचनं एतस्मिन् प्रकारे परिवर्तते

अहं, <नामधेया अत्र>, लोकसभायाः सदस्यत्वेन निर्वाचिता, निश्चये परमेश्वरस्य नाम्ना शपे यत् अहं विधिना स्थापितं भारतस्य संविधानं प्रति सत्यं श्रद्धां निष्ठां च धारयिष्ये। ततः भारतस्य संपूर्णप्रभुत्वसंपन्नताम् अखण्डतां च अक्षुण्णां रक्षिष्यामि। तथा यत् पदं गृहीतुम् उद्यता अस्मि, अहं तस्य कर्तव्यानि श्रद्धापूर्वकं निर्वक्ष्यामि।

The feminine form of the oath statement should read as below

(In English, there is no change between the masculine and feminine forms, so the oath has not been repeated in English)

PS:  If I have missed out any names, please do correct me and I shall add the names.  The English translation for each paragraph in Sanskrit is below it.  All comments and criticisms are welcome.