Vagish Shastri

Infobox Person
name = Dr. Vagish Shastri


image_size = 170px
caption =
birth_date = Birth date and age|1934|7|24|mf=y
birth_place = Khurai, Sagar, India
occupation = Sanskrit grammarian, linguist, yogi.
spouse = Late Rekha Tripathi

Vagish Shastri (also known as B P T Vagish Shastri) is an international Sanskrit grammarian, eminent linguist, Tantric and yogi. He was born at a village of Khurai, Sagar district, Madhya Pradesh in 1934. His primary education was in Khurai, followed by his education in Vrindavan and Banares. He started his teaching career as a lecturer of Sanskrit at Tikmani Sanskrit College, Varanasi in 1959 and soon he became the Director and Professor of the Research Institute at Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, Varanasi in the year 1970. [Danielle Tramard, A Le royaume de la connaissance, Beneras ville sainte retour aux sources dela tradition sanscrite, Le Monde, 28 Oct, 1995, Paris] He served this prestigious academic post for about three decades. He received his Master degree Vyākaraņa Āchārya (1959); Ph.D. Vidyāvāridhi in Grammar and Historical Linguistics (1964) and D.Litt. Vāchaspati (1969) from Sampurnanand Sanskrit University.

Contribution

Dr. Vagish Shastri started to write essays at the age of 19. His more than 200 essays and Research papers published in different journals nationally and internationally.He was Secretary President of one section in fifth world Sanskrit conference. Being chief editor of many series such as Sarasvati Bhavana Granthamala he edited more than 300 manuscripts which took form of books. He also had been chief editor of famous Sanskrit journal Sarasvati Susama.He has written books on different subjects which includes grammatical and philological research work, drama, story, poetry, satire, historical research work and metaphysical writings.

Honors and awards

* Senior Research fellowship, University Grants Commission, 1964-67.
* Kālidasa Award, Highest literary Award, Uttar Pradesh, 1966-67.
* Honored 6 times by Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Academy, 1968, 1971, 1981, 1985, 1995, 1996.
* Mahāmahopādhyāya, Śri Kashi Pandit Parishad, 1982.
* Bāņa Bhatţţ Award, Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Academy, 1990.
* Veda-Vedānga Award, Rajasthan Sanskrit Academy, 1994.
* Anusansdhan Puraskāra (Research Award), Utkal Pāti trust, 1995
* Swami Vishnu Tirth Sammāna (Spiritual writing Award), Indore, 2002
* Special Award, Govt. of Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Sansthan, 2005.

Books authored

Whitney's principal target in accusing Panini and Paniniyas of unreliability was the Dhatupatha. He set forth his views that of nearly 2000 roots of Dhatupatha published by Westergaard and Bohtlingk more than half of these are not attested in literature. The most ambitious work in the direction in the direction noted is "Pāniniya Dhātupātha Samikşhā"(1965) wherein the author gives an alphabetically arranged catalogue of roots found in different Dhatupathas together with attestation - verbal and nominal forms - in Sanskrit, Pali, Apabhramsa and other Prakrits. BPT Vagish Shastri professed aim is to refute Whitney's Claim. [George Cardona, PANINI, A survey of Research, Mouton & Co. B.V. Publisher, 1976] [Sanskrit Pratibha, Sahitya Academy, New Delhi, Vol. 8, No.2, 1970, pp. 106.] [R.N. Dandekar, Vedic Bibliography, Vol. III, Govt. Oriental Series No.10, Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, Poona, 1973.]

The radio drama "Krişakānām Nāgpāshah" is a symbolic play with the tone and tenor of patriotism which aims at common harmony, pride in one's own nation, and sacrifice for one's motherland which is highly relevant. This is a creative work from the vibrant pen of BPT Vagish Shastri. [S. Ranganath, "Studies in Rigveda and modern Sanskrit literature",Eastern Book Linkers, Delhi.]

Grammatical and philological research work

# "Pāniniya Dhātupātha Samikşhā", Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, 1965
# "Taddhitantah Kechana Sabdah", Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1967.
# "Anusandhana Paddhatih", Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, 1969 (Presently this book is being translated into Telugu, by Sanskrit Department, Waltair University [ Lajja Shukla, Arvachin Sanskrit Sahitya mein Vagish Shastri, Unpublished Ph.D. Thesis, 2002, Indore University, Indore] )
# "Dhātvartha-Vijnanam", Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, 1980, This is the most ambitious work in the semantics of verbal roots [George Cardona, Recent research in Paninian Studies, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, 1999.]
# "Sabda Nirvachana aur Sabdartha", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2004.
# "Gypsy language and Grammar", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2005.
# "Upsahityam", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2007.

Creative writing in Sanskrit, Hindi and English

His creative writing of drama, story , poetry, satire is present in his books [Sanskrit Vangmay ka Brihad Itihas, Vol. II (Eds) Baldev Upadhayay, O.P. Pandey, U.P. Sanskrit Academy, Lucknow, 1997]

# "Krişakānām Nāgpāshah": A drama concerned with National Awakening, Chaukhamba Vidya Bhavan, Varanasi, 1958.
# "Katha Samvartika", (Original Sanskrit Stories), Chaukhamba Vidya Bhavan, Varanasi, 1959.
# "Tolstoy Kathasaptakam", (Translation in Sanskrit), Chaukhamba Vidya Bhavan, Varanasi, 1970. (In Sampurnanand Sanskrit University curriculum).
# "Bharat Mein Sanskrit ki Anivaryata Kyon", Choukhamba Vidya Bhavan, Varanasi, 1977.
# "Sri Ganga Stavana Chayanika", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 1987.
# "Sri Siva Stavana Chayanika", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 1989.
# "Narma-Saptasati" : verse-satires, Education ministry, Uttar Pradesh Sanskrit Academy, 1994.
# "Sanskrit Vangmaya Manthanam", Financial support by Ministry of Education, Govt of India, 1990.
# "Atankavada Satakam" : Verse critique on Terrorism, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 1992.
# "Sasvata Kavya ki Atma", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2000.
# "Jagatika Prema aur Sasvta Ananda", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2004.
# "Humour in Ancient India", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2004.

Historical research work

# "Bundelkhand Ki Prachinata" , Self Publication, 1965. This book describes an etymological identification of the mystries 'pulindas' mentioned in later Vedic, Epic, pauranika and inscriptional literature.
# "Gypsy Bhasa" : An historical and grammatical study, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 1986.
# "Mahakunmbh evam Sangama Snanana" : Ek Vaijnanika Vivechana, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 1988.
# "Nadiya Ek Ghat Bahutere", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2001.
# "Migration of Aryans from India", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2007.
# Autobiography of the Vagyogi, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2003.

Metaphysical writing

# 'Parachetana ki Yatra" (Journey to Superconsciousness), Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2000. He trained more than 1000 students from all over the world in Kundalini Meditation, Tantra, Yoga and Philosophy. [Vastoshpati Shastri, John Hall, Susane Trubel, Vagyoga : Kundalini Meditation, Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2003.]
# "Sakti, Siva and Yoga", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2000.
# "Yogachudamani Upnishad", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2004.
# "Samvit Prakasa", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2006
# "Trayambakam Yajamahe", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2006.

New Sanskrit grammar

Dr. B P T Vagish Shastri has published three books on his invented Sanskrit Grammar “Vagyoga Technique”.
# "Sanskrit Sikahne ki Saral aur Vaijnanika Vidhi", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 1990.
# "Vagyoga : Mnemonic Sasnkrit Technique", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2000.
# "Vagyoga : Conversational Sanskrit", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, 2001.

Dictionary

# "Vamana-Purana Visayanukrama Sabdakosa", Sampurnanand Sanskrit University, 1996.
# "Etymological Bundeli Dictionary", Yogic Voice Consciousness Institute, Varanasi, (In Press).

Research papers

More than 200 research papers are published [Sanskrit Vangmay ka Brihad Itihas (Vyakarna), Vol VII (Ed) Baldev Upadhyay, Jagannath Pathak, U.P. Sanskrit Academy, Lucknow, 2000.]
# Rakshnadyastadasharthakah : Root Av, All India Oriental Conference, Vol. XXVII, Kurukshetra University, 1975
# The Science of Abbreviation in Ancient India, Third World Sanskrit Conference, Paris, 1977.
# Some Paninian roots used only in Persian and European languages, V world Sanskrit Conference, Weimar, 1979.
# Padma Purana and Raghuvamsa, Ganganath Jha Research Journal, Vol. XXXViii, Jan 1982, Allahabad.

upervision

Being Director, Research Institute, Sampurnanand Sanskrit University he has guided students for Ph.D. And D.Litt degree in different subjects.

Vagyoga: natural law and mnemonic technique

Dr. Vagish Shastri has invented a unique technique of teaching Sanskrit grammar called 'Vagyoga' [Sanskrit without tears, Life positive, Vol. 4, No.3, June, 1993, p.17] . This is a mnemonic method to enter in the soul of words, it is based upon natural law, which does not requires learning by heart any sutras. [Fr. Sadanand D'souza, Miraculous vagyoga mnemonic method of learning Sanskrit based on Para Vidya, Mystic India, Occult foundation, Vol. 2, No.3, March 1996, p.125-127] This is a mathematical way of learning Sanskrit Grammar. [Cinzia Periccini, Dandin Inieu Principi, Paideia Editrice, 1986] Many scholars from all over the world learned Sanskrit in very short time and they made translation of Sanskrit texts in their own language. [Freedom Tobias Cole, Science of light, An Introduction of Vedic Astrology, Print Media Books, CA, USA, ISBN 0-9788447-8-5]

Taught Pronunciation to Madonna

Pop singer Madonna sang Yoga Taravali; Dr. Vagish Shastri found mistakes in her singing. [Madonna's Mantra, Editorial, 16 Oct, 1998, The Times of India] [Madonna song was not musical to the Pundit's ears, Statesman, New Delhi, 11 May 1998] Madonna came in touch of Dr. Shastri through BBC radio and learned pronunciation. [Madonna's Ray of light : Pandit suggest a touch up, Indian Express, 10 May 1998.]

External links

* [http://www.vagyoga.co.in: Official Site]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-C-ZZKbZ_w: Video]
* [http://www.VAGISHSHASTRI.COM: Photos of Vagish Shastri in Banares, Feb. 1996]
* [http://www.bagchee.com/books.php?id=32364 "Vagyoga: Kundalini Meditation: Spiritual Experiences of Meditators" by Vagish Shastri (in English)]
* [http://www.bagchee.com/books.php?id=41299 "Shakti, Shiva and Yoga" by Vagish Shastri (in English)]
* [http://www.vagyoga.com/en/thevagyogi.htm Vagyoga Association Europe]

References