Da Da Da

[poliphilo]

 So what exactly did the thunder say?

I've been reading and thinking about The Wasteland all my adult life but I've never thought to ask this fundamental question.

Eliot does tell us- but he tells us in Sanscrit- and then translates it in one of his not very helpful footnotes- and, well, I should have paid closer attention but I didn't. My bad.....

Anyway, the thunder woke me up this morning. Da, Da, Da! And one thing led to another and I wound up looking for the source of the Da, Da, Da- and found it in The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad- a Hindu Scripture dating from c.700 BCE- and in the following fable.

(I read it in translation, of course, on infoplease- and this is my adaption of that text)

The children of Pragapati- gods, men and demons- came to Pagapati- who is the Source of all things- and asked him for a word of wisdom.

The gods said. "Tell us something." And Pagapati said "Da.".

And they understood Pragapati to have said "Damyata" which means "Exercise self-control"

Then the men said "Tell us something" And Pragapati said "Da"

And they understood him to have said "Datta" which means "Give".

Finally the demons said, "Tell us something" And Pragpati said "Da"

And they understood him to have said "Dayadharn- which means "Show compassion".

And Pagapati said to each group in turn. "Yes. you have understood."

So whenever you hear the thunder going "Da, Da, Da" remember that what it's saying is, "Exercise self-control, give, be compassionate."

Comments

[cmcmck]

We live among hills and a river valley where it happens an awful lot! :o)