Why Veda mantrams are chanted in Sanskrit only?

*Sri T Sadagopan Iyengar is a genius. Studied Physics at IIT and retired from IIT.* I admire him for his simplicity and complex knowledge. *Sharing a recent post of his–*

Interesting response.

I am a firm believer that science and reality are not different.

I will do a little research whenever I get the chance to confirm it.

Recently I attended a Srarddham ceremony at a relative’s house. That relative has some revolutionary thoughts (he thinks). He was translating all the mantras recited by the Shastri into Tamil meaning….instead of repeating them in Sanskrit like below.

‘After wearing the sacrament, I sat on the darba and took one, two, three, four spoons of ghee’. Etc.

And instead of Sanskrit, he told it in Tamil meaning.

Shastri did not like this much. He told him ‘Don’t say that in Tamil. It can only be said in Sanskrit. ‘

‘Why? Doesn’t God understand other languages like Tamil? ’provokingly Laughed Puratchi (revolutionary)

I had to open my mouth as I was idle for so long like Vikraman who broke his silence while doing Betalam Provoke.

‘What you are talking about is only audible to the person sitting opposite to you. On a radio or TV station, your speech can be heard thousands of kilometers away. Why? ‘

‘Electro Magnetic Waves’

‘So what it means?’ I asked

‘Changing to Specific frequency…he replied

Well .. there are some frequencies to listen to, some are annoying, some may even cause ear damage, and some ragas have the ability to prove the healing properties of the disease. What’s so significant about these? ”

‘what does it mean?’

‘The effects vary depending on what kind of sound waves we make. Is that right? ‘

Yes’

Say ‘Darbe Swasinaha’ with a mic in an oscilloscope. Then say ‘I sat on the bench’. Will Wave Form be the same for both? ‘

‘Will not be.

‘Sanskrit mantras are set up knowing what kind of vibrations in the atmosphere in a particular case will create a worthy mood and corresponding effect’

‘Well, what do you say now?’

Mantras uttered are not for translation or Communication. Set for specific sound waves.

‘Is it not possible in Tamil?’

‘Yes, but not by its literal translation as it is. You have to form words that would mean and also produce the same waves as Sanskrit when you form another sentence ‘

‘So?’

‘Merely translating mantras is like the sun drawn on paper. No matter how beautiful and realistic it is, we can’t get light or heat from that sun on the paper.

A simple translation of Sanskrit Mantrams is just like the Sun drawn on paper. Nothing more.

Hope now we understand the underlying message.

Hari Om

Mantras are different from shlokas, dohas etc. what’s being said here is about such Mantras. Srimad Bagavad Gita, Srimad Ramayan and Srimad Bagavatha are all shlokas in the meters of Anushtup and drushtup. They don’t include any tonal modulations called as Svaras. They are great works giving out the essence of all the Vedas either in prose or poetic form in order to convey the Vedic vision. Hence any number of translations in any number of languages will carry the same value and efficacy as the original Sanskrit and indeed such translations do a great help for many to know about them. These scriptures are called as Pourusheya Sastras (written by men) and are looked upon to understand the vision of Vedas.

Here the discussion is about the Mantras from the Vedas and Vedas are called as Apourusheya Sastras (not written by humans). They all are chanted with Svaras (intonations -voice modulation) in order to derive the declared benefit of such mantras. Why is it so? It’s because they are all arrangements of sound forms invoking the necessary forces from nature in order to bless the person chanting them by granting him that wish. Mantras are called mantras because “ mananath Traayathe iti mantra:”. That which protects by repetition is called Mantra.

Hence the efficacy of mantras lies in such chanting and as they are originally arranged in Sanskrit it’s recommended not to tamper with that tradition and practice.

Pranams