Re: Oral vs. Written tradition
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~
svāgata (greetings)
The oral tradition...
We find this as standard practice for transferring the veda-s from father to son and/or from ācāryaḥ to śiṣyam ( teacher to student) over the ages.
Even the itihāsāḥ such as the mahābhārata were treated in the same manner. It is vaiśampāyana-ji we recognize as the narrator of the mahābhārata ( this is called out in the adi parvan); he was the śiṣyaḥ of vyāsya-ji. We know of others too that are called out in the adi parvan who have learned the initial 8,800 verses ... this was expanded to 24,000 then 600,000 . Some are known in the world of men and others in the world of the devata. I mention this because nāradaḥ¹ recited this work in the world of the deva-s (so says the mahābhārata);
The student learns at the vedapathaśala¹ ; some learn at the teacher’s home (gurukulam). From a vedic point-of-view this ~assignment~ lasts 12 years. The '12' is significant, but will leave it for another time.
When transferring knowledge from ācāryaḥ to śiṣyam more than just the words are offered. The śiṣyaḥ also learns the meter (chandas), speeds (vṛtti), dwelling on syllables (mātrā), etc. etc.
इतिशिवं
iti śivaṁ
terms
- vedapathaśala is the path, course ( patha) where the knowlege (veda) of brahmā (śala) is taught. Note too that śala is a writing instrument ( a quill ).
- It too can be looked at as ‘śila’ and the ‘gathering or gleening’ of this knowledge
- There is one more view... that of śala being = to dravaṇa-samartha ; this means the flowing (dravaṇa ) of forceful words (samartha) or words that have a suitable aim. This would be saṃhita ( joined or put side-by-side) pāda ( verses) we find in the veda-s.
- nāradá - a devarṣi, considered a messenger between the devata-s and men
- yadeṣāmanyo anyasya vācaṃ śāktasyeva vadati śikṣamāṇaḥ | rig veda 7.103.5 this loosely says, education is hearing and repeating another's speech
यतस्त्वं शिवसमोऽसि
yatastvaṁ śivasamo'si
because you are identical with śiva
_
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