Mistranslation : Dasbodh - Spiritual Instructions for Servants

[Anand Ghurye]

​Height of Mistranslation

This is english translation of Dasbodh by Swami Ramdas . Dasbodh has been translated as Spiritual Instruction for Servants ! Phew , never thought that this kind of faulty translation would ever be found .

The right translation would be Realisations of a Devotee . Swami Ramdas is noting down his realisations in spiritual path , and calls himself as humble servant of God .

Surprisingly the translators of the original book are Indians. ​

​

http://www.amazon.com/Dasbodh-Saint-Shri-Samartha-Ramdas/dp/0615373275​

Regards ,

Anand Ghúryé

*Training*Development*Synectics
Space Page : 9820489416

[Arvind_Kolhatkar]

This is hilarious.

Ramdas Swami, whose given name was Narayan Thosar, took the name of 'Ramdas' to express the though that he was a Das of Rama or slave-like devotee of Rama.  Your translator has rendered the name of his book, Dasbodh, as 'Instruction for Servants'.  Dasbodh is actually the teachings of Ramdas to his followers.and not 'Instruction for Servants.

Such machine-like word-for-word translation, without reference to context behind the use of the word, results into funny situations.  The other day in this Group the following query appeared:

My sentence to convert is "there, at the 13th nation..."

If i say, तत्र त्रयोदशे वर्षे, is it correct?

Does it mean 'there, at the 13th nation?"

The querist was obviously under the impression that वर्ष means 'Country/Nation' because भारतवर्ष means 'the country of Bharat'.

Arvind Kolhatkar.

[Anand Ghurye]

Dear Kolhatkarji , 

Thanks for your reply .

I believe the word Das does not  translate as slave . Das is a very mild term . Sharma , Varma , Lal , and Das I believe the order was in earlier days of Brahmanas , Kshatriyas , Vaishyas , and Shudras . Shudras were not slaves . They provided services . All the varnas were providing services of different kind and were interdependent . 

So in this parlance of Ramdas Swami , he called himself as Swami ( Master of self ) and Das of Ram . It would be a true devotee . 

Regards ,

Anand Ghúryé

*Training*Development*Synectics
Space Page : 9820489416

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[Hnbhat B.R.]

On 13-Apr-2016 12:34 pm, "Anand Ghurye" <anand....@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Dear Kolhatkarji , 
>
> Thanks for your reply .
>
> I believe the word Das does not  translate as slave . Das is a very mild term . Sharma , Varma , Lal , and Das I believe the order was in earlier days of Brahmanas , Kshatriyas , Vaishyas , and Shudras . Shudras were not slaves . They provided services . All the varnas were providing services of different kind and were interdependent . 
>
> So in this parlance of Ramdas Swami , he called himself as Swami ( Master of self ) and Das of Ram . It would be a true devotee . 

Just like the word 'dasa' is interpreted diferently out of context, the English word 'servant' taken outside the context would mean differently, male servant or maid servant only, but not the servant of God as the context needs. It may be servant of Rama or Krishna!

I don't think Ramadas himself called as swamy, which his followers used to call him and he himself being a humble servant of Rama. Or himself do not claim himself as master himself. It is not the way dasa-s behave, claiming themselves.

The servant of God would be correction that was   needed to understand the compound दास-बोध if translated out of context would mean 'service code of conduct to the servants' which at all suitable in the context. दास्य is one of nine kinds of Bhakti

श्रवणं कीर्तनं विष्णोः स्मरणं पादसेवनम्।
अर्चनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मनिवेदनम् ॥
इति पुंसार्पिता विष्णौ भक्तिश्चेन् नवलक्षणा
क्रियेत भगवत्यद्धा तन् मन्येऽधीतमुत्तमम्।।
— श्रीमद्भागवतम् ७-५-२३

and दास is one who is devoted to His service and not any maid or male servant intended in the compound. दास-बोध means in the context "the instruction of (conduct) to the दास - the servant (of God)" and not the instruction of conduct any slave towards his master/mistress.

[Mandar Mali]

मान्यवराः 

दासबोधः नाम दास्य भक्तिः | दासबोधे भक्तस्य संपूर्णजीवनं कथं यापनीयं तस्य विषये विवरणं अस्ति | यथा वयं विध्यर्थं वदामः | अत्र दासः नाम भक्तः एव |  किं करणीयं किं च न करणीयं | लक्षणानां अनुसृत्य वर्तनीयं अपेक्षितम् | 

It is the higher stage of nanvavidha bhakti. I think it should not be take in the reference of category of any kind of class. 

 Mandar