[INDOLOGY] mAtAjI

[Patrick Olivelle]

I have seen and translated this or similar verse, but cannot put my finger on it. The issue, however, is NOT about speaking about about "seeing"  -- that is regarding. In the verse I have seen the locatives are given as accusatives: mātṛvat paradārañ ca etc. Also the last pāda, as I remember it runs: yaḥ paśyati sa paśyati -- one who sees (this way), truly sees.

Patrick



On May 22, 2013, at 4:04 PM, Howard Resnick wrote:

> Do we know the history of the Hindu custom of addressing women as  mAtA or mAtAji?
> 
> Some Hindu traditions quote CANakya/KauTilya as follows: 
> 
> mAtRvat para-dAreSu, para-dravyeSu loSTravat, Atmavat sarva-bhUteSu, yaH paZyati sa paNDitaH
> 
> "A pandita is he who sees others' wives as mother, others' property as dirt, all beings as oneself."
> 
> Yet typically itihasa-purana texts do not show men addressing others' wives, and certainly not women in general, as "mother."
> 
> Any help with this is sincerely appreciated.
> 
> Best,
> Howard Resnick
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