Sanskrit follows a rigorous logic

In the previous issue I had explained about the significance of synonyms. There I had shown that the many words used for one object are not just different words to convey one single object but they are expressions of different experiences associated with that object. In this issue I will explain some similar feature of Sanskrit by giving few more examples. One of the very important and fascinating aspects of Sanskrit is that each and every word in Sanskrit is conscious of its origin and always refers back to the root from which it is derived. Therefore there is a perfect relationship between the word and the sense. Sanskrit, in fact, is constructed like geometry and follows a rigorous logic. It is theoretically possible to explain the meaning of the words according to the combined sense of the relative letters, syllables and roots. Therefore in Sanskrit the meaning of any word is not derived by chance or from any convention but from its own depth, the system of root-sounds, sound-ideas. It is because of this transparency of the system of root-sounds and clear semantics that Sanskrit has the ability to discover its own history. A proper investigation of many Sanskrit words shows that in Sanskrit a word is not a conventional symbol for an idea, but itself the parent and the creator of ideas. This transparent system of formation of words from the root-sounds follows a natural process and is one of the important factors that makes Sanskrit an ever creative language.
Let me give you few examples.

A letter in Sanskrit is called akshara (a + kshara) which literally means imperishable. This is not merely attributive but the term akshara reveals the whole secret of the speech process or the sound system. It says that the sound is eternal. It does not perish. Shabdo nityah. Nityaa vai vaak. Na vaak kshiiyate. It shows that the moment one makes a sound, it remains for ever and can be retrieved by special yogic power. This is how the Veda Mantras are revealed to the Risihis in their meditation. The letter is also called varna which originally means hue, colour. Thus every letter as a sound symbol is to be seen as a hue. At the highest level sound or word has no color. It is transparent. But when it descends down to the gross level for its manifestation it absorbs color or it becomes colored. Since the sound is seen as hue or color it is called varna. Hence, varnamala, the term used for alphabet, means a garland of colours or qualities or hues. The word vyakarana (vi + aa + kri + ana) is not limited simply to grammar. It shows the development and growth of speech from its undistinguished stage to the distinguished stage, and while doing so it leads to the Sound-force, the eternal shabdabrahman. The word darshana (from root drish to see) is not philosophy, but a seeing revelational; svaadhyaaya is not mere reading but going deep in self contemplation. The word sat-sanga is not merely a company of good people but a body of people who have come together (sanga) to ascertain reality (sat). The word chatra is not an umbrella but anything that covers. The word sukha is not just happiness but in its root sense it means moving from the relative narrowness to the vastness (kha) and feeling easy. Similarly, duhkha is not just suffering or misery but remaining in the relative narrowness and finding it difficult to move towards the vastness. The Sanskrit word for beauty is sushama. In its true sense it means superbly (su) equal (sama). This shows that true beauty is full of harmony. To remain svastha is not just to be healthy but to remain stable in one’s own state of being. When someone falls sick he becomes asvastha which means he has fallen from his own state of being. The word tara (derived from the root tri meaning ‘to traverse’) is not just ‘a star’ but that which traverses in spaces and acts as a guiding light. These are few examples showing not only the high connotative power of the Sanskrit words but also how Sanskrit has derived meanings of its words from their very depth. So the meaning of the word is inherent within the word itself. And it is always discoverable by going back to the root of the word.