Another 28 days of forming one simple sentence in Sanskrit every day and posting it here on Notes.
This stretch held a lot: my 8-week grammar course came to an end, spring arrived in my garden, I came down with a virus, and my sentences slowly started getting more expressive (with a few more mistakes along the way). I’m still learning in public, and kind Sanskrit lovers here are still encouraging me one like, one comment, one correction at a time. Thank you for that 🪷
Here are all 28 sentences in one place.
I used AI tools to help pull the notes together into this essay. My own notes curated and made into an article by AI.
Day 29
A new beginning is simply me choosing my own way again, to create, to stop, to wander, to reinvent.
नवः आरम्भः नवानुभूतिं जनयति।
A new beginning creates a new experience.
Day 30
I wanted to use वक्तव्यं किमु, which works for stating the obvious. But when it’s a fact of the Lord, it is going to create some contradiction in the sentence 🪷 Why? Because:
रहस्यमयः सः वक्तव्यं किमु।
He is mysterious, what more need be said?
Day 31
Death is the silent certainty. If only our actions could remain mindful of it, holding firmly to love and forgiveness every step of the way.
मृत्युः एव अस्मिन् जगति सुनिश्चिततमः अस्ति।
Death alone is the most certain thing in this world.
Day 32
Today I came across a word I have not seen much: ग्लहं (the stake, what is put at risk). I thought this word made more sense in this day and age than any, so I decided to put it to use.
कार्यस्थानं नूतनप्रकल्पे विपुलं ग्लहं करोति।
The workplace makes a huge wager in the new project.
Day 33
Today I’ve been playing old Hindi songs, and I travelled back to my old room as a school kid: walls full of posters of celebrities, a school timetable neatly made into a chart, revision charts and so on. Kids these days are so much more aesthetic with their rooms ✨
अहं सर्वदा सङ्गीतेन सह कालगमनं करोमि।
I always time travel with music.
Day 34
I love gherkins, and lately I am a little obsessed with the sweet and sour version. So today I profess my love for these tiny, crunchy, sweet and tangy little fellows ❤️🥒
मह्यं मधुराः सन्धिताः कर्कट्यः रोचन्ते।
I like sweet pickled cucumbers.
The way I formed this is “to me, sweet pickled cucumbers are pleasing.”
Day 35
I have worked remotely for years now, and I got a puppy around the same time. Last year he slipped out of his fur body, and the house became mine again during the day. Slowly I built small new routines around my day, and they’ve made my own company feel steady. I kind of like this too now.
अहं स्वसङ्गं कामये।
I desire my own company.
Day 36
Today at the ashram, Swamiji asked me if I was writing a poem during the lunch break, seeing me bent over my notebook on the floor trying to form this sentence. He smiled when I said the Divine chose the word अक्षसूत्रं for today’s sentence, as we have been discussing japam a lot in class 🪷
अहं त्वाम् अन्विष्यमाणः तव पुरतः अक्षसूत्रहस्तः उपविशामि।
Seeking you, I sit before you with a japa mala in my hand.
P.S. There may be mistakes, as my sentences are getting more and more expressive each day. But I think it is still worth trying.
Day 37
I wish I had more time to read. At times I look at my calendar and think of blocking out days for reading. But there is always something that needs my attention, even on days I am off. Welcome to householder life 🫠
मह्यं पुस्तकानि पठितुं विरामः आवश्यकः अस्ति।
For me, a break to read books is necessary.
Day 38
Today I opened Instagram and was happy to see my feed filled with Sanskrit content, especially a group of kids making really funny videos in Sanskrit. I just loved it!
It made me realise I don’t speak this language I love so dearly in daily life.
अहं संस्कृते अधिकं वक्तुम् इच्छामि।
I wish to speak more in Sanskrit.
Day 39
The heaviness in the tech industry today made me want to pray for those who lost their jobs. No matter how used we are getting to all this, it still feels uneasy. Then it felt like the whole world could use a prayer, for anyone carrying something unseen, for anyone trying to stay steady in their own way 🙏🏽
सर्वेषां कल्याणाय प्रार्थये।
I pray for the welfare of all.
Day 40
What more should I say about how our world is going?
The blind leading the blind: this is what I had in mind to form the sentence, and a little book on Sanskrit helped.
अयं लोकः अन्धपरम्परान्यायेन चलति।
This world runs on the principle of the blind leading the blind.
Day 41
She hangs her japa māla on a small hook near the altar. She places a little tumbler of water for her Lord. The māla is placed close to the tumbler, so when she picks it up or hangs it back, it rings. Some days the sound is sharp, some days it is faint, and some days there is nothing. On the sharp days, she feels He is really happy with how she has carried herself that day. In this way they keep speaking daily, in their own way 🪷
मम भगवान् अहं च गुह्यैः मार्गैः वदावः।
My Lord and I speak in hidden ways.
Day 42
This evening we noticed many new buds and flowers in our garden, even on the weeds. Lots of brown butterflies and bees, all in full swing 🌿🌼
मम उद्याने वसन्तः पूर्णरूपेण विराजते।
In my garden, spring shines forth in full form.
One could also use वर्तते.
Day 43
Our 8-week grammar course came to an end. Towards the close of our call, I said this to express my gratitude to my teacher. She has been my grammar teacher since my Diploma days, and I have great love and respect for her. Always smiling, ever ready to help us: that’s her.
When I said this, she laughed, and I imagined her eyes twinkling with happiness ✨
हे महोदये, अहम् अतीव कृतज्ञा अस्मि।
Madam, I am deeply grateful.
Day 44
Today in our satsang we discussed a few verses that ended with “भेदः कुतः”. Naturally, my fragile attention pulled my hand to note down this phrase so I could form my sentence later in the evening.
ईश्वरस्य प्रेमः सर्वत्र समानः, तर्हि भेदः कुतः?
God’s love is the same everywhere, so where is the distinction?
This is a question I’d like to investigate 🕵🏽♀️ Perhaps it is a deeper conversation I need to have with myself. I do not doubt the source of Love 🪷 but maybe I need to contemplate more on how that Love is received, recognised, resisted or reflected through myself or another person.
Day 45
A virus attack is probably a sign to slow down, to catch up on sleep, rest and fluids 🤒 A restless mind is also a sign to slow down and remember God more than usual.
यथा रुग्णं शरीरं विश्रामम् अपेक्षते, तथा चञ्चलं मनः ईश्वरम् अपेक्षते।
Just as the sick body needs rest, so the restless mind needs God.
P.S. Using यथा…तथा instantly gives your sentence a glow-up, like the white truffle spray serum by d’Alba. Not sponsored ;)
Day 46
There is beauty in mystery. In a world where everyone knows everything everyone is doing, it’s hard to be mysterious. Yet there are parts of you that you can choose not to disclose, and that mystery is what keeps the fun alive. I think I learnt this from the Best 🪷🪈
तव रहस्यं मम मनः निमज्जयति।
Your mystery submerges my mind.
निमज्जयति is a fun word. Here the mystery makes the doer submerge, so the intensity is high. You could also form this sentence with निमज्जति, but then you form it gently with the locative रहस्ये (submerge in your mystery).
These nuances make this language feel like a puzzle every time I sit down to form a sentence.
Day 47
Thoughts are not always bad. We understand all this is not real. But without thoughts, I won’t even find you. Without your thoughts, I don’t exist at all. And that is the strange truth between us.
तव चिन्तासु मम अस्तिता, तासाम् अभावे मम नास्तिता।
In your thoughts is my existence; in their absence, my non-existence.
Day 48
In the early years of my career, I was told to speak at least once in every meeting, to offer something of value. Lately I feel your value should no longer be measured by one clever sentence in a meeting; it should be measured by your clarity. So I’ve been observing more and thinking less about performing. If a question needs asking, I ask it. If not, I listen.
अहं सभायां स्वेच्छया तूष्णीम् स्थितवती।
I remained silent in the meeting by my own will.
Day 49
Today I made some uthappams from leftover dosa batter, and they reminded me of my old man. He loves onion uthappams, so I told him my dinner menu, and he jokingly asked me to “Porter” it 😁 India is living in the future!
मम पितुः प्रियतमं प्रातराशभोजनम् उत्तप्पा अस्ति।
My father’s favourite breakfast is uthappam.
Day 50
I was thinking again about being an occasional Notes writer. I will continue my sentences, but maybe as a journal that I can occasionally publish as long-form content. I’ve noticed this pattern in myself on every social platform I am on. I get inspired easily, and then I feel the need to let go, because it may have started to take up more attention than other things that matter to me. Reading is addictive, and some authors here are just too good! Let’s see.
कदाचित् एवम् अपि स्यात्, अहं केवलम् अन्तर्धानम् इच्छामि।
Sometimes it may be so: I only want to disappear.
स्यात् helps with expressing wishful thinking.
The Sandhi lovers may be triggered here, but the purpose is to form sentences from the words I gather. Eventually I will lean into Sandhi 😊
Day 51
I love exploring the etymology of words, especially Sanskrit words. While watching a movie about a married couple today, my thoughts drifted to Shiva and Parvati, and then a word popped into my mind: पुरुषः. Why is there a visarga? What does it denote? Of course there is something esoteric… one thing led to another and I was reading Tantric notes online, so I knew I had to back off a bit. The research is incomplete for now. But don’t worry, the sentence is simple.
अहं शब्दमूलान्वेषणे बहुवारं निमग्ना भवामि।
I often become absorbed in searching for the origins of words.
Day 52
This evening I have been listening to Shyamameghame by K.J. Yesudas on repeat. Thanks for the suggestion, Hemant ji ✨
I thought about the yakṣa and looked up at the sky. It was already dark. My goal is to read the Meghadūta completely in Sanskrit one day and be lost in thought about it for days. If only daydreaming were a legit hobby!
श्यामः मेघः कुत्र अस्ति, येन मम श्यामं प्रियतमं प्रति सन्देशं प्रेषयामि?
Where is the dark cloud, by which I may send a message to my Dark Beloved?
Day 53
Today an essay here took me back to little Rabia. I have a confession to make: I hate cars. My favourite way to travel has always been my father’s scooter. Every time he stepped out, I would run to go with him. The wind in my hair (helmets weren’t mandatory then), the sights, the markets… ah, take me back. I annoyed him so much 😁
कृपया मां त्वया सह नय।
Please take me with you.
Day 54
Swathi Thirunal’s compositions pull the heart into a beautiful, love-struck longing that somehow feels deeply comforting. And then there is the presence of a sakhi, 24×7, to whom you can lovingly complain about your Beloved 🪷
हे सखी, सः कथं न पश्यति यत् तस्य उपेक्षया अहं विवर्णवदना जाता अस्मि?
Hey friend, how does He not see that I have grown pale-faced because of His neglect?
I didn’t want to use “neglect”; I meant something closer to inattentiveness. But I liked the strength of the complaint, the way you exaggerate things when you’re talking to a friend so she’ll take your side. And I have a feeling He might be her favourite too 🤨
Day 55
I have days when I feel like I’m living outside my own body. I interact with silhouettes instead of people. And I keep wondering what this thing called living really is: why experiences feel hollow at times, and why sometimes they feel whole.
जीवनं किम्? अनुभवानां परम्परा एव।
What is life? Only a series of experiences.
Day 56
A long weekend mostly means a long list of chores for a householder, and I’m not complaining 😊 Maybe I’ll finally finish a book I’ve been sipping slowly for a month.
दीर्घे सप्ताहान्ते बहूनां कार्याणां सूची अस्ति।
On the long weekend, there is a list of many chores.
If you’re a Sanskrit scholar or a fellow student, I’d love to hear which sentence you’d form differently. See you at Day 57 ✨
Day 37: Isn't अवकाशः a more suitable word than विरामः?
Learning Sanskrit -vow.
That is my dream too. But I don’t know where to begin or whether I will be able to live up to the demands of learning Sanskrit at this late life stage. Last studied in class 8th way back in early 1980. It is like different yug back then .