User talk:Nsharma

Respected Mr.N.Sharma,

May I draw your attention to the following? I have posted the following entry on the discussion page of the 'sphinx' page of Wikipedia.

Purushamriga, human-beast or man-deer?
While doing my research on the purushamriga the issue of the meaning of the word mriga was part of the discussion. The translation 'human-beast' comes from A.B.Keith's translation of the Yajur Veda (1914), p.452. I am aware that in classical Sanskrit mriga generally means deer or antelope (etc). But for instance the scholar B.G.Tilak in his book "The Orion, or the researches into the anto the antiquity of the Vedas" mentions that in the Rig Veda the word mriga can also mean lion. I have therefore chosen to follow the translation of Keith, because it is obvious (see the photos in my website) the purushamriga is part lion, part human. It is also described as such in the tradition by various works and scholars.

There are a few instances where we find depictions of purushamriga, the Indian Sphinx, with deer hooves instead of claws. For instance in the examples from Thailand. And I have also found a few in South India. But this could have been the result of the artist understanding the word mriga to mean 'deer'. I am not sure of this. It is still under investigation.

In the meantime I prefer to use the term given by Keith, 'human-beast'.

Rajadeekshitar February 9, 2007, 13.48 (IST)

Thank you for your attention,

Raja Deekshitar