Re. GosvAmi

[Ven. Tantra]

Some interesting feedback.

1. Mr. Ganesan, regarding �Tamil origins,� says that
these types of statements are found in Tamil Sri
Vaishnava literature. In fact, some acharyas ask, �Who
is man here? Only Krishna is.�

**Of course, Goswami would be found in Tamil
literature, because Tamil has adopted countless
Sanskrit words in a country where everything�s as old
as the hills. I�m sure he has deeper intent of
inquiry. Yet, let me please point out that the
translation of "cow-master" is given in the Oxford
U.P. Hindi dictionary. Naturally, "cow-master" cannot
be taken too literally � any term including the "cow"
simply denotes something exalted, holy.

2. Subhash Kak states that "cow-master" is popular but
the wrong meaning, citing Yaska's _Nirukta_ [?] having
the following meanings for "gauh":

<<The planet earth
The animal cow>>

**Yes, in old paintings, the cow would sometimes be
depicted as carrying the whole world in its womb.
Depictions like these were even common in Siam during
the Ayutthaya period.

<<Bow-string
The sun
Rays of light>>

**Probably the same as above. Thus, the meaning to
take here is "ray of light," making Gosvami "master of
wisdom." But, again, the above interpretations seem a
bit foot-loose to me. In a similar way that you get
interpretations of the word "guru", lit. more like
"heavy," to mean "from darkness" (gu) "to light" (ru)
� while others have it �remover of darkness.�
Sanskrit, being very dependent on interpretation, the
very same word can be used in many different ways,
depending on context; and to some minds, things have
an all-too-avid tendency to get bent and stretched so
far and often that they magically become whatever one
wants them to be.

3. Vishal Agarwal remarks, with regard to the word
Goswami and the related Gosain (prefixed to numerous
saints like Tulasidasa), that it is understood
traditionally in Hindi to mean "he who has
mastered/controlled his senses" because the word 'go'
also means 'indiriyas'.

**Yes, the senses, but also the genitals. Again:
translation by very liberal extension and at the same
time subjective interpretation. But of course, a
Goswami would certainly be credited with having his or
her senses fully liberated.

In general, with Indophiles, �we� very often
hyperbole, exaggerate, and claim a deeper context and
meaning to things that may not be there at all. This
is quite pronounced and we expose ourselves to a great
deal of ridicule for it. Don�t you find India itself a
very sort of "conspiracy theory" country? It�s like
everything is cloaked as having some profound ulterior
purpose, scheme or meaning behind it, even when there
may be none.

Finally, in another uniquely sub-continental vein, I
have found many Indians to truly relish others taking
forceful punches at their culture. Even from within.
What else can account for the rapt attention that the
likes of a UG Krishnamurti commands in contemporary
Hindustan?

Thanking my friends,

VT

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