A tribute to Kashmir of Bharatam Janam: Sharada Desha, poetry and saffron -- Bilhana
Source: http://www.siraurelstein.org.uk/legend.html This tribute to Aurel Stein is indeed a tribute to Bharatam Janam who produced Rajatarangini and a Himalayan presence in Kashmir linking Tin Road with the later-day Silk Road. It is the duty of every Bharatiya to follow the spectacular contributions made by Aurel Stein and complete his unfinished tasks. One major task left is to narrate the Itihasa of Bharatam Janam on the Tin Road from Hanoi to Haifa. Kalyanaraman February 6, 2015   "A portrait of a Sanskritist who showed that in the higher reaches of human spirit, there is neither East nor West, that humanity is one, beneath the trappings of custom and skin, that in a sense in quest of learning and knowledge, man is classless. A homage to his work, achievements and his relations with his adopted home and its natives. A journey into Sanskrit treasures and archaeology of old Kashmir through some new finds and lesser known facts." Legend and Literature on Kashmir 'The poetry and the saffron are the two beautiful creations of Sharada Desha i.e. Kashmir, which I never found elsewhere.' -- Bilhana 'It is a country where the sun shines mildly, being the place created by Kashyapa as if for his glory. High school-houes, the saffron, ice-water and grapes, which are rare in heaven, are common here. Kailasa is the best place in the three worlds, Himalaya the best part of Kailasa, and Kashmir, the best place in Himalaya.' -- Kalhana  Vitasta is Jhelam on this map. 'The righteous declare this terrestrial globe as the best of the triad of worlds (as in this one can practise penances and attain salvation) 'Of that too, the mountain (Himalaya) chosen by the Mother of the Three Worlds (Parati) to take birth in 'Of that too, the country of Kashmir - the abode of blessings free from all calamities. 'Through this country thou, O Vitasta, flowest, benefiting the people (and) I offer unto thee my salutation!' -- Vitasta Stotram 'For upward of two thousand years Kashmir has been a home of Sanskrit learning, and from this small valley have issued masterpieces of history, poetry, romance, fable and philosophy. Kashmiris are proud, and justly proud, of the literary glories of their land.' -- George Grierson  Shikaras on Dal Lake.'According to a tradition the drainer of this lake was ascetic named Kashyapa, hence the reclaimed land was called Kashyap-pur or Kash-yap-mar and later Kashmir. The ancient Greeks called it Kaaspeiria and in the classical literature Herodotus mentions it as Kaspatyros and Hekataios calls it by the name of Kaspalyros or Kaspapyros. It is called Shie-mi in the narrative of To Yeng and Sung Yan (578 CE). Heun Tslang who visited Kashmir in 631 CE calls it Kia-shi-mi-lo. Kashmir has further been shortened into Kashir by the Kashmiris in their own tongue. The Tibetans called it Khachal and Dards Kashrat.' -- PNK Bamzai The people. Pandits. Muslims.   Language and script         The Motif of Rajatarangini  Tributes to Sanskrit     Manuscript treasures: history   Aurel Stein's views on education       |