Various names of Teachers in Sanskrit - Are these definitions in accordance to Sanskrit sources? - A clarification
Introduction
We see a whatsapp message doing rounds presenting
various 'definitions of teachers' in Sanskrit - authored by one Suresh
Jindal.
I was asked by one my
friends whether these are correct and can be circulated. I replied in
detail to my friend. i present that reply in this post.
The six terms that were mentioned in that whatsapp forward were - Upadhyaya and Adhyapka,Acharya, Pandita - Dhrishta <?> and Guru
Part 1
Let us take up the first two words that are connected with each other - Upadhyaya and Adhyapka. The views in the message being circulated can be seen as image below.
Now, What does Sanskrit sources say -
अध्यापकः - Adhyapaka - is considered a synonym of उपाध्याय - Upadhyaya in Amarakosha उपाध्यायोऽध्यापकोऽथ - 2.7.7.12.
Regarding the meaning of उपाध्याय - Upadhyaya - manusmriti states that -
Upadhyaya is the one who uses teaching for a livelihood
उपाध्याय - योऽध्यापयति वृत्त्यर्थमुपाध्यायः स उच्यते - manusmriti 2.141.
So traditionally, both Upadhyaya are Adhyapaka are teachers who consider teaching as profession.
Where is information and knowledge here ?
Part 2
Now let us come to the second word Acharya -
For आचार्य - Acharya there are various definitions -
Amarakosha states - the teacher who explains the meanings of the mantras is Acharya- मन्त्रव्याख्याकृदाचार्य amarakosha 2.7.7.12.
Manusmriti states that - the one who officiates the Upanaya ceremony of the student and also teaches him the Vedas, the kalpas for the practice of the Vedas and also the Upanishads is Acarya -
उपनीय तु यः शिष्यम् वेदमध्यापयेद् द्विजः ।
सकल्पं सरहस्यं च तमाचार्यं प्रचक्षते Manusmriti - 2.14
There is another definition for Acarya quoted in the apte Sanskrit dictionary -
आचिनोति च शास्त्रार्थम् आचारे स्थापयत्यपि ।
स्वयमाचरते यस्तु स आचार्य इति स्मृतः ॥ -
the one who teachers the shastras, helps the students to practice while himself practicing is Acarya.
When such is the glorious meaning of the term Acarya - where doe this mere "imparting skill comes"!
In a way we have to thank the one who wrote the msg and also those who circulated - this gives an opportunity to place the views from the source.
Also read detailed write up of Abhinav Aprameya Kadambi -
https://satyavijayi.com/who-is-an-acarya/…
on the topic for more details.
Pandita - Dhrishta <?> and Guru
Pandita is a scholar. Shabda kalpadruma <https://archive.org/details/ShabdaKalpadrumaComplete/…/n1341> gives interesting definitions and descriptions of the term - पण्डा वेदोज्ज्वला तत्त्वविषयिणी वा बुद्धिः । सा जाता अस्य
Panda means a mind ignited by the Vedas or by the realization of the truth. The one who posses such a mind is Pandita.
Another definition of the term in Shabda Kalpadurma is
पण्ड्यते तत्त्वज्ञानं प्राप्यतेऽस्मात्
the one from who the real knowledge or knowledge about the reality is attained is Pandita. <going by this definition Pandita may be called as the teacher>
Sri Shankaracharya gives a special definition to the word pandita in Gitabhashya he states - पण्डा आत्मविषया बुद्धिः येषां ते हि पण्डिताः BG 2.11 - Panda means those intellect that is focused on the knowledge of the self. Those who are endowed with such intellect are पण्डिताः
<sI hope you would agree that such depth of meaning presented by the Samskrita sources presents a telling contrast to the simplisitic interpretation of the term given in the image>
द्रष्टा - Drashta this term is given three meanings in the respected Vacaspatyam dictionary <https://archive.org/details/vacaspatyam05tarkuoft/page/338> it says - दर्शक - the one who shows साक्षात्कारक - the one who has realized and प्रकाशकः - in one whose light we see (the atman).
this term is not used in Samskrita literature to indicate a teacher.
Guru - Finally, it seems the the writer has something partially correct related to the term Guru. Certain texts like Guru gita provide the meaning of Guru - remover of darkness.
According to lexicons and traditional sources here are the descriptions and definitions of Guru - निषेकादिकृद्गुरुः - the one who officiates Samskaras like vivaha, upanayana etc - this is based on amarakosha 2.7.7.13.
Guru is also defined as - गृणाति उपदिशति वेदादिशास्त्राणि - the one who gives upadesha of the Vedas and Shastras is Guru. This definition is according to the sanskrit dictionary Shabda-kalpa-druma <https://archive.org/deta…/ShabdaKalpadrumaComplete/page/n709>.
It is to be noted that - The term Deshika is used as a synonym for Guru and it is very respected term indicating a teacher.
For more than anyone else, this exercise has been most beneficial for me - by helping me to learn the meanings of the terms under discussion in Samskrita sources and strengthened my belief regarding the depth that originals have to offer.
Further, with regard to the various terms used for a teacher we now can factually take pride about the depth of Samskritam. #Factualsamskritam
Now, What does Sanskrit sources say -
अध्यापकः - Adhyapaka - is considered a synonym of उपाध्याय - Upadhyaya in Amarakosha उपाध्यायोऽध्यापकोऽथ - 2.7.7.12.
Regarding the meaning of उपाध्याय - Upadhyaya - manusmriti states that -
Upadhyaya is the one who uses teaching for a livelihood
उपाध्याय - योऽध्यापयति वृत्त्यर्थमुपाध्यायः स उच्यते - manusmriti 2.141.
So traditionally, both Upadhyaya are Adhyapaka are teachers who consider teaching as profession.
Where is information and knowledge here ?
Part 2
Now let us come to the second word Acharya -
For आचार्य - Acharya there are various definitions -
Amarakosha states - the teacher who explains the meanings of the mantras is Acharya- मन्त्रव्याख्याकृदाचार्य amarakosha 2.7.7.12.
Manusmriti states that - the one who officiates the Upanaya ceremony of the student and also teaches him the Vedas, the kalpas for the practice of the Vedas and also the Upanishads is Acarya -
उपनीय तु यः शिष्यम् वेदमध्यापयेद् द्विजः ।
सकल्पं सरहस्यं च तमाचार्यं प्रचक्षते Manusmriti - 2.14
There is another definition for Acarya quoted in the apte Sanskrit dictionary -
आचिनोति च शास्त्रार्थम् आचारे स्थापयत्यपि ।
स्वयमाचरते यस्तु स आचार्य इति स्मृतः ॥ -
the one who teachers the shastras, helps the students to practice while himself practicing is Acarya.
When such is the glorious meaning of the term Acarya - where doe this mere "imparting skill comes"!
In a way we have to thank the one who wrote the msg and also those who circulated - this gives an opportunity to place the views from the source.
Also read detailed write up of Abhinav Aprameya Kadambi -
https://satyavijayi.com/who-is-an-acarya/…
on the topic for more details.
Part 3
The Last three Terms -Pandita - Dhrishta <?> and Guru
Pandita is a scholar. Shabda kalpadruma <https://archive.org/details/ShabdaKalpadrumaComplete/…/n1341> gives interesting definitions and descriptions of the term - पण्डा वेदोज्ज्वला तत्त्वविषयिणी वा बुद्धिः । सा जाता अस्य
Panda means a mind ignited by the Vedas or by the realization of the truth. The one who posses such a mind is Pandita.
Another definition of the term in Shabda Kalpadurma is
पण्ड्यते तत्त्वज्ञानं प्राप्यतेऽस्मात्
the one from who the real knowledge or knowledge about the reality is attained is Pandita. <going by this definition Pandita may be called as the teacher>
Sri Shankaracharya gives a special definition to the word pandita in Gitabhashya he states - पण्डा आत्मविषया बुद्धिः येषां ते हि पण्डिताः BG 2.11 - Panda means those intellect that is focused on the knowledge of the self. Those who are endowed with such intellect are पण्डिताः
<sI hope you would agree that such depth of meaning presented by the Samskrita sources presents a telling contrast to the simplisitic interpretation of the term given in the image>
द्रष्टा - Drashta this term is given three meanings in the respected Vacaspatyam dictionary <https://archive.org/details/vacaspatyam05tarkuoft/page/338> it says - दर्शक - the one who shows साक्षात्कारक - the one who has realized and प्रकाशकः - in one whose light we see (the atman).
this term is not used in Samskrita literature to indicate a teacher.
Guru - Finally, it seems the the writer has something partially correct related to the term Guru. Certain texts like Guru gita provide the meaning of Guru - remover of darkness.
According to lexicons and traditional sources here are the descriptions and definitions of Guru - निषेकादिकृद्गुरुः - the one who officiates Samskaras like vivaha, upanayana etc - this is based on amarakosha 2.7.7.13.
Guru is also defined as - गृणाति उपदिशति वेदादिशास्त्राणि - the one who gives upadesha of the Vedas and Shastras is Guru. This definition is according to the sanskrit dictionary Shabda-kalpa-druma <https://archive.org/deta…/ShabdaKalpadrumaComplete/page/n709>.
It is to be noted that - The term Deshika is used as a synonym for Guru and it is very respected term indicating a teacher.
For more than anyone else, this exercise has been most beneficial for me - by helping me to learn the meanings of the terms under discussion in Samskrita sources and strengthened my belief regarding the depth that originals have to offer.
Further, with regard to the various terms used for a teacher we now can factually take pride about the depth of Samskritam. #Factualsamskritam
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