Lesson 11

Beginning Prayers:

• शुक्लाम्बरधरं विष्णुम् - shuklaambaradharaM viShNum
• सरस्वति नमस्तुभ्यम् - saraswati namastubhyam 
• गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णुः - gururbrahmaa gururviShNuH 

Topic Summary:

• Expansion of vocabulary via learning a riddle

Home Work:

• Practice the vocabulary words and use them on a day to day basis.

Topic Details:

A riddle is called a प्रहेलिका (prahelikaa).  A prahelikaa is generally a verse in the form of a couplet.  It gives hints towards the answer.  It is up to the reader to put it together!

In today's lesson, we shall improve our vocabulary, along with trying to solve the puzzle.   The prahelikaa is as follows -

न तस्यादिर्न तस्यान्तं मध्ये यस्तस्य तिष्ठति ।
तवाप्यस्ति ममाप्यस्ति यो जानाति स पण्डितः ॥
na tasyaadirna tasyaantaM madhye yastasya tiShThati |
tavaapyasti mamaapyasti yo jaanaati sa paNDitaH ||

After splitting the composite words (sandhis), it could be read as -
न तस्य अदिः न तस्य अन्तं मध्ये यः तस्य तिष्ठति ।
तव अपि अस्ति मम अपि अस्ति यः जानाति स पण्डितः ॥
na tasya adiH na tasya antaM madhye yaH tasya tiShThati |
tava api asti mama api asti yaH jaanaati sa paNDitaH ||

It means,
It has a 'न' in the beginning, 'न' in the end.  In between sits a 'य'.
You have it too, I have it too, he who know is a wise man (paNDita)!

If the clues are put together, the word comes out to be 'नयन'!  नयन means 'eye'.  It starts with a 'na' and ends with a 'na', has a 'ya' in between.  You have it and I have it too.  That would be an eye!  That is the answer!

Now for a run down of the words occurring in the verse, to improve the vocabulary -

तस्य	-	his/it's
अदिः	-	beginning
अन्तम्	-	end
मध्य	-	middle
तिष्ठति	-	sits/stays
तव	-	your
अपि	-	also
अस्ति	-	have/be/exist
मम	-	my
यः	-	he who
जानाति	-	knows
सः	-	he
पण्डितः	-	wise/learned
नयन	-	eye

Happy practicing!

Ending prayer:

•  ॐ पूर्णमदः पूर्णमिदम् - aum pUrNamadaH pUrNamidam

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