>>>>>>>Why would someone, Indian or not, want to learn Sanskrit online?
>>>>>>>>There's nearly an infinite amount of knowledge in the world. And each of us has a finite amount of time. Why not is not an answer.
You can apply that flawed reasoning to pretty much everything. It would've been a perfectly valid question if you had said "Why would I want to learn Sanskrit?". Please don't universalize your opinion by saying things like why would anyone want to learn Sanskrit online or offline.
I maintain that very few people have a reason to learn Sanskrit. It is a dead/dying language that will add zero value besides the esoteric joy of knowing a language for the sake of knowing it.
If you feel that is not the case, please elucidate your reasons. I'll be happy to be proven wrong.
And very few people have reason to learn LISP or programming languages, for that matter. (If we are generalizing, we might as well go the full length and include the entire world population)
You seem to be mistaken that folks would learn a language for just the sake of knowing it. Far from it. Language is just a tool for communication of ideas. There have been some brilliant treatises, thoughts, ideas, and philosophies expressed in Sanskrit. Folks are more interested in accessing the thoughts and works in Sanskrit as opposed being infatuated with the technical aspects of the language.
As someone whose comparative religion BA was mostly spent comparing flavors of Indian religions, it was very helpful to have a basic understanding of Sanskrit. I don't "use" it now, but knowing it during the research phase of my life sure made the learning process smoother.
You haven't mentioned the complete sentence => "98% of Indian Population have not even heard the word "Github" in their entire life, yet everyone acts like they know this stuff".
The problem is "They try to act" like they know about software industry, meanwhile when you try to explain them that you are working on some open source project, they refuse to respect your opinion.
Read the previous paragraph in the article. The point was that "everyone" assumed they understood how well he was doing, while being unable to evaluate that. (E.g. never heard of github.)
I guess he means for the people who commented on things he did, ie: his relatives. They did not know of his experience/the projects he had worked on - they did not know his "Github" work, and only recognized bigger brands & universities names.
LOL! You do realize it's from a book titled "Vedic Mathematics", and not from the Vedas itself? Do you? Did you actually check link at the top of the article linked by OP[1]?
And, why do think it's bullshit? I don't see anything wrong in the "Vedic Mathematics" book. They are a bunch of mental calculation techniques and tricks. I'd suggest to keep this propaganda propaganda to yourself.
The verse 'gopi bhagya' basically follows Katapayadi system[0]. Earliest known usage of Katapayadi system was in 683 AD. That verse is from a 1965 book called "Vedic Mathematics" by Bharati Krishna Tirtha Maharaja[1].
The Quora blog you linked has issues with terminologies and timelines of this specific "Vedic Mathematics" book - such as calling these mental calculation techniques and tricks as Vedic even though there are no references to them in Vedas[2]. This is more of a political matter ;) And, it's already pointed out in the article linked by OP[3]. I'm quoting it here:
It must be pointed out that these sutras given by Tirtha Maharaja are created by the author himself, as stated in the introduction to his book, "Vedic Mathematics" (published posthumously) and are therefore not actually Vedic.
These mathematical sutras are Vedic only in the sense that they are inspired by the Vedas in the mind of one dedicated to the Vedas. Thus the title "Vedic Mathematics" is not correct.
That site also has collections about works of legit ancient Indian mathematicians, Vedas etc. So, you are going to disregard them because they're Hindus?
If somebody mentions about these things, then they're said to be peddling this so called Hindu propaganda. Now, THAT'S a real propaganda.
It is really pathetic to see how people try to defend their fundamental beliefs without any substance. People are brainwashed to believe that vedic scriptures are full of knowledge (I was a victim too. I used to recite some parts of the scriptures like purusha suktam). In reality, the scriptures are filled with filth like procedures of sacrificial, bestiality and orgy rituals, calls upon gods to slaughter their enemies (who have stolen their herds), etc.
Nothing. And no one here is claiming that all parts of these texts are to be taken as absolute fact with empirical proof. Most of it, as you mention, is riddled with imaginary stories probably because scientific discovery was being carried out by religious philosophers of that time.
However, there are parts of these texts that are legitimately impressive, philosophically or scientifically - and a blanket denial of that would be just as unjust as the 'filth'.
But the site says:
... [sages] wrote Vedas - the manual of vibrations. Following this many field of science evolved ...
I have provided references to show that the basic 4 vedas are tribal in nature and there is no basis to claim them as the origin of other scientific oriented texts. I am not denying all of the texts as bad.
It is really pathetic to see how people are quick to snub off anyone or anything that's related to Hinduism, ancient Hindu works, scriptures etc as propaganda, brainwash etc. Is it some kind of reverse propaganda??
>>>You can also see that the site claims that Jyotish is astronomy but it actually means astrology.
Where? They do mention it as "astrology".
>>>In reality, the scriptures are filled with filth like procedures of sacrificial, bestiality and orgy rituals, calls upon gods to slaughter their enemies (who have stolen their herds), etc.
>>>29. [Saturn] has an emaciated and long physique, has tawny eyes, is windy in temperament, has big teeth, is indolent and lame and has coarse hair.
What is legit or scientific about it?
Have you heard of mythology, euhemerism, and personification? Out of all those stuff on that site, you zeroed-in on sacrificial rituals, description of Saturn, and dismissed everything as "filth"? Then, what is your say on Ganit Shastra, Kaam Shastra, Khagol Shastra to name a few?
Based on that logic, all these below must be filth and their sole purpose is to brainwash people:
>Where? They do mention it as "astrology".
//Astronomy - Rig Veda (2000 BC) refers to astronomy. Astronomy is called Jyotish.//
The site claims Jyotish as astronomy. I'm saying it is just Astrology and showed an example from the text to indicate that it is not talking astronomy. There is no problem in treating and considering the text as myth. The problem is they are claimed as science.
Astronomy was the same as astrology until 1700 or so. Kelsey, who discovered the law of planetary motion, was an astrologer. Copernicus was an astrologer. After Newton formulated in universal gravitation, went into occult studies.
Astrology is different from astronomy in the present day, but not in the past.
In general, when talking about pre-Islamic India to an Indian audience the word Hindu is not always used explicitly since Hindu culture was the dominant culture in that period and there is no need to distinguish it from any competing culture except in special circumstances. The claims of greatness of culture spread though out the site refer to a period such as this.
USA should make do with one gas-guzzling truck less per person, instead of bullshitting their pseudo-intellectual "green" preaching on India and China.
...developing country's perspective it looks like developed nations used cheap energy to get ahead. Now they want to curb usage of cheap energy in developing nations because:
1. Suddenly, they're affected by climate change, or claim to be.
2. It's just a ploy to increase energy costs for developing nations and keep them behind.
YouTube comments were already a cesspool. Now, with added "shared via Google+", it has become unbearable. I added this rule in AdBlockPlus to block YouTube comments:
