In the previous episode we saw the significance of learning each sect of the Vedas (Rig, Yajur & Saama) to attain different qualities for delivering an excellent oration. In today’s episode we’ll see yet another important quality – The art of delivering an address without flaws.
Rama continues in praise of Hanuman:
“Noonam vyaakarnam krisnam anena bahudaashritam!
Bahuvyaakartaanena nakinchit abashabdvitam!!”
This is a very important sloka (verse). Rama says to Lakshmana “I’ve been keenly watching Hanuman talk for the past fifteen minutes or so. However I couldn’t find even one mistake in the words he used and also in the way he formed his sentences. Some people would speak four words continuously with one mistake in the middle, whereas some people would speak ten words with two or three mistakes in the middle. But for the past fifteen minutes of Hanuman’s speech, I failed to deduct even one mistake in whatever he spoke!
Rama continues, “The way he combines the usage of words to form a sentence suggests to me that he has learnt the “Vyaakarnam” (Grammar of the Sanskrit language), “Tarka Shaastra” (The expertise of using the apt words for the apt context) and “Bhimaamsa” (The expertise of explaining a highly thought-provoking research material) thoroughly.
It is to be noted that Hanuman is also called as “Nava-Vyaakarna Pandit” which means that he has mastered all the nine chapters of the Sanskrit grammar. It’s common that the modern-day human being takes minimum twelve years to learn one chapter of “Vyaakarnam” and even this is too difficult for us in the current day. But there are supposed to be nine chapters of Vyaakarnam that exists in the Sanskrit language. It is said that Hanuman, when he was a kid, has learnt all the nine chapters (Vyaakarnam krisnam) from Soorya Bhagavan (The Sun God) within just nine days (One chapter per day, from dawn till dusk).
When Rama says “Nakinchit abashabdvitam” in the last part of the verse, he means that Hanuman has that great and a unique skill of being “perfectly precise” in whatever content he conveys.
Here we can learn the importance of putting the apt words to suit the apt context. In a speech, it’s not acceptable if a person uses too many words/phrases that are not apt for that particular context. In any language, if a person has to combine words in the fashion that conveys the exact meaning precisely, he should be an expert in the grammar (Vyaakarnam) of that language. If one has to make sure that he conveys exactly what he wants to convey, he should be an expert in “Tharkka Shaastra” and whatever has to be conveyed, has to be a high-end research content that is thought-provoking and a thought-triggering. For this, one should be an expert in “Bhimaamsa”.
So, Rama says that Hanuman has the expertise on all the above said things and that’s why he’s delivering such an impressive speech.
What are the other important qualities required for delivering a brilliant speech/lecture? Let’s wait till the next episode to find out!!
The Indian Dharma 