During dhyāna, it is not syllables that are important, neither are sound or meaning. Feeling is paramount. The syllable is a means to bring the right feeling to the mind. Mūrtis and pictures of deities, worship with incense sticks and lamps are also the means to bring to mind the emotion associated with the divine. Therefore, the mind should be made to focus on the meaning of the syllable — the feeling associated with the icon. This is dhyāna-yoga.
ಸಾನೆಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಸಂವಾದಿಯಾಗುವಂತೆ ಕಾಣುವ ಸೀಸಪದ್ಯದ ಈ ಗುಣ ನಮ್ಮವರ ರೂಪಣವೇನಲ್ಲ. ಸಾವಿರ ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಗೂ ಮುನ್ನವೇ ತೆಲುಗಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಆ ಬಂಧಕ್ಕೆ ಇಂಥ ಕಟ್ಟಡ ಒದಗಿತ್ತು. ಇದಕ್ಕೆ ನನ್ನಯ, ತಿಕ್ಕನ ಮುಂತಾದ ಮಹಾಕವಿಗಳ ರಚನೆಗಳೇ ಸಾಕ್ಷಿ:
ಧರ್ಮತತ್ತ್ವಜ್ಞುಲು ಧರ್ಮಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಂಬನಿ
ಯಧ್ಯಾತ್ಮವಿದುಲು ವೇದಾಂತಮನಿಯು
ನೀತಿವಿಚಕ್ಷಣುಲ್ ನೀತಿಶಾಸ್ತ್ರಂಬನಿ
• Just as a person has a mother tongue that lends itself for his natural expression, a certain pitch is natural for a singer. This sahaja-śruti, i.e., natural pitch is usually comfortable for the singer and he can bring out the best of his creativity and melody. Singing is an art – mere vocal acrobatics including speed, leaps and jumps are unaesthetic. Acrobatics may help an artiste show off his strength but are certainly not artistic.
The literature related to the Great Epic is legion – be it commentary, translation, adaptation, or literary criticism. We give but a tiny sample here—largely English works—in addition to the primary sources, which are in Sanskrit. Mahābhārata scholars differ in their view on several topics. Needless to say, we do not subscribe to all the opinions presented in the treatises and essays given below. We have enumerated them simply because they are worthwhile references.
The flames of fire always go up. With the breeze it might tilt slightly but still goes upwards. Whether someone is good or bad, if he doesn’t change his conduct and is consistent, this nyāya can be used to describe that person. Also people who keep achieving higher and higher positions, who encounter only rise but never fall, this can be used to describe them too.
Brahmavadeṃ jīvavadeṃ ।
Karmavadeṃ bhautadaivayajñaṃgaḻadeṃ ॥
Gamyavadeṃ dhyeyamadeṃ ।
Samyagbodhanéyanintu pārthaṃ beḍal ॥
What is Brahma? What is the jīva?
What is karma? What are the bhauta, daiva and yajñas?
What should the destination be? What should the goal be?
Asked thus Pārtha, for guidance full.
ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಸೀಸಪದ್ಯ ಎಂಬ ಛಂದಃಪ್ರಕಾರ ಬೆಳೆದುಬಂದ ಬಗೆಯನ್ನು ಈಗಾಗಲೇ ವಿದ್ವಾಂಸರು ವ್ಯಾಪಕವಾಗಿ ಚರ್ಚಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.[1] ಇದೇ ರೀತಿ ಕನ್ನಡಕ್ಕೆ ಸಾನೆಟ್ ಬಂದ ಬಗೆಯನ್ನೂ ವಿಪುಲವಾಗಿ ವಿಶ್ಲೇಷಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.[2] ಇವುಗಳ ಪುನರಾಲೋಕನ ಅನವಶ್ಯ ಮಾತ್ರವಲ್ಲ, ಸದ್ಯದ ವಿವೇಚನೆಗೆ ಬಹಿರ್ಭೂತವೂ ಹೌದು. ಹೀಗಾಗಿ ಈ ಎರಡು ಛಂದೋಬಂಧಗಳ ಪದ್ಯಶಿಲ್ಪದ ಸಂತುಲನ ಮಾತ್ರವೇ ಸದ್ಯದ ಬರೆಹದ ಉದ್ದೇಶ. ಈ ಕಾರಣದಿಂದಲೇ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಛಂದಸ್ಸೌಂದರ್ಯದ ಮೀಮಾಂಸೆ ಮುನ್ನೆಲೆಗೆ ಬಂದಿದೆ.
When my wife was fast asleep, I slowly transferred my ring onto her finger. Then, telling myself ‘Let me see how clever and refined she turns out to be,’ I left for Ujjayinī the same night, without even informing her. When she woke up the next morning, she realised that I was not there. Then she saw my ring on her finger and thought, ‘He has left me just like he had sworn he would. Now I must fulfil my oath. I see the name ‘Mūladeva’ engraved on this ring. Surely then, my husband is none other than that infamous tramp who goes by the very name. People say that he lives in Ujjayinī.