Dr Radhakrishnan, 1966 - Stamp, First Day Cover

Bharat Ratna, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975) was the second President of India. A great philosopher of international repute, he has authored the following books which are translations of the Prasthānatraya, namely, the Bhagavadgīta, Upaniṣads and the Brahmasūtras. No Sanskrit work of his own is reported.

1. The Bhagavadgītā with an introductory essay, Sanskrit text, English tr. (1948)

2. The Principal Upanishads (1953), HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

3. The Brahmasūtra - The Philosophy of Spiritual Life (1960), English Tr., George Allen & Unwin Ltd

The Posts and Telegraphs issued a stamp in the denominational of 15P on 5.9.1967 along with a FDC and large sized brochure.

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, 1978 - Stamp, First Day Cover

On the birth centenary of Chakravarti Rajagopalachari a stamp in the denomination of 25P was released for the second time. FDC and brochures were also issued.

Details given in another post in this Blog.

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, 1973 - Stamp, First Day Cover

Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (1878-1972), was the last Governor General of India. An accomplished writer in English and Tamil, Rajaji, as he was affectionately called, has written more than 30 books.

He would often say that -- "My books on the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata are my greatest service to my people."

"There is no exaggeration in it. Their simple style is very attractive. By translating the Rāmāyaṇa and the Mahābhārata into simple and beautiful English, Rajaji has made it possible for the people of the western countries to read and enjoy these great epics of India. The Mahābhārata written in English by Rajaji is a textbook for Oriental Studies in five American Universities and more than three hundred thousand copies of it have already been sold. Two hundred thousand copies of the Rāmāyaṇa have been sold." (Karnatik)

Though not a Sanskritist, His abridgement of he Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata, the Bhgavadgītā and the Upaniṣads from Sanskrit still continue to be the best-sellers. 

                       

  

                                        A stamp in the denomi-nation of 20P and an FDC with brochure were released on his first death anniversary, on 5.12.1973.

Asian Productivity Year, 1970 - Stamp, First Day Cover

योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् 

yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam

"Excellence in action is yoga"

The stamp is shown here for the philatelic interest. The FDC alone carries the logo which has the above Sanskrit phrase. It forms part of the Bhagavad-gītā, 2.50. 

The full text --

बुद्धियुक्तो जहातीह उभे सुकृतदुष्कृते ।
तस्माद्योगाय युज्यस्व योगः कर्मसु कौशलम् ॥
buddhi-yukto jahātīha ubhe sukrta-duṣkṛte
tasmād yogāya yujyasva yogaḥ karmasu kauśalam

*One who is endowed with the samatva-buddhi, sameness of mind, gives up both puṇya and pāpa here, in this world. Therefore commit yourself to karma-yoga. Karma-yoga is discretion in action.

Saṅkara explains that samatva-buddhi that is talked about is with reference to karma-phala, fruits of action.

*Swami Dayananda's Bhagavad-gītā, Home-Study-Course (2001), p.316

Fourth International Policy Dialogue Forum, 2012 - Special Cover

During the Fourth International Policy Dialogue Forum held in Delhi, a special cover was brought out on 29.05.2012 which depicted Dr S. Radhakrishnan, the second President of India who was an outstanding Philosopher and author of books in the national and international level.

Details on his Sanskrit works are given elsewhere in this Blog.

Mahaprabhu Vallabhacharya, 1977 - Stamp, First Day Cover, Brochure

A stamp in the denomination of 100P, an FDC and brochure were released on 14.04.1977 to commemorate Mahaprabhu Sri Vallabhacarya. 

Śrī Vallabhācārya belonged to a Telugu Brāhmaṇa family of Andhra Pradesh. His ancestors, Yajñanārāyaṇa Bhaṭṭa and Gaṇapati Bhaṭṭa were Vedic scholars and Śrautins (performers of Somayāgas) of high repute. They had a prophetic vision that the Lord himself would take an avatāra (incarnation) in his family. Lakṣmaṇa Bhaṭṭa had completed performance of 100 Somayāgas and as a result, Vallabhācārya was born as the second son of Lakṣmaṇa Bhaṭṭa and Yallammagāru. He underwent Vedic and śāstraic studies according to the family traditions and became a full-fledged scholar and later founded the the Puṣtimārga (Bhāgavata Sampradāya) which is known as Śuddhādvaita-darśana.

Vallabhācārya composed a number of books in Sanskrit, some of which are listed below.

Anubhaṣya or Brahmasūtrānubhāṣya 
Tattvārthadīpa-nibandhaḥ 
Subodhinī-Commentary on Śrīmad-Bhāgavata-Mahāpurāṇam (Cantos 1, 2, 3 and 10 only are available)

Ṣodaśa-granthas:

Śrī-yamunāṣtakam
Bāla-bodhaḥ
Siddhānta-muktāvalī
Puṣti-pravāha-maryādā-bhedaḥ 
Siddhānta-rahasyaḥ
Navaratnaḥ
Antaḥ-karaṇaḥ-prabodhaḥ 
Viveka-dhairyāśrayaḥ
Śrīkṛṣṇāśrayaḥ
Catuḥślokī
Bhakti-vardhinī 
Jala-bhedaḥ
Pañca-padyāni
Sannyāsa-nirṇayaḥ
Nirodha-lakṣanam: 
Sevā-phalam

Pātrāvalambanam (?)
Madhurāṣtakam 
Gāyatrī-bhāṣyam, 
Puruṣottama-sahasranāma-stotram 

Swami Sivananda, 1986 - Stamp, First Day Cover, Brochure

*I am born

"Śrī Appaya Dīkṣitar, one of the greatest names in the annals of South India, is the reputed author of more than 104 works, embracing the various branches of knowledge in the Sanskrit language. The height of his intellectual eminence is evidenced by his works on Vedanta and all the Schools of Vedanta have drawn inspiration from his unique and unrivalled works. 

....... I was born to Śrīmatī Pārvati Ammāḷ and P. S. Veṇgu Iyer, as their third son, on Thursday the 8th September, 1887...... My father Śrī P. S. Veṇgu Iyer of Pattamaḍai, was descended from Śrī Appaya Dīkṣitar.

The Bhagavad Gītā (6.41-42) says:

“Having attained to the worlds of the pure doing and having dwelt there for immemorial years, he who fell from Yoga is reborn in a pure and blessed house. Or he may be born in a family of wise Yogins; but such a birth as that is most difficult to obtain in this world.” 

प्राप्य पुण्यकृतां लोकानुषित्वा शाश्वतीः समाः ।

शुचीनां श्रीमतां गेहे योगभ्रष्टोऽभिजायते ॥

prāpya puṇya-kṛtāmṃ lokān uṣitvā śāśvatīḥ samāḥ

śucīnāḿ śrīmatāḿ gehe yoga-bhraṣṭo’bhijāyate

अथवा योगिनामेव कुले भवति धीमताम् ।
एतद्धि दुर्लभतरं लोके जन्म यदीदृशम् ॥

athavā yōginām ēva kulē bhavati dhīmatām

ētadd hi durlabhataraṃ lōkē janma yadīdṛśam

Śrī Appaya Dīkṣitar was one such. I have had the privilege to be born in such a great saint’s family. Śrī Appaya Dīkṣitar was born in Adaiyapalam near Ārṇi, North Arcot District ....."

The Stamp, FDC and the brochure issued on 08.09.1986 on the occasion of the 101st birth anniversary of the towering saint of the Himalayas. The postmark carries the DLS logo with the symbol, AUM.

Śrī Svāmī Śivānanda was a prolific writer who has authored about 300 books. A few Sanskrit translations -- 

The Brahmasūtras with Text and tr.

The Ten Upaniṣads with Text and tr.

The Bhagavadgītā with Text and tr.

The Nārada-Bhaktisūtras with Text and tr.

The Mokṣa-Gītā with Text and tr.

Beauties of Rāmāyaṇa with Text and tr.

*From Sri Swami Sivananda's Autobiography: http://www.dlshq.org/download/autobio.htm#_VPID_23

DLS = Divine Life Society
tr. = translation

Sri Aurobindo, 1964 - Stamp, First Day Cover

Sri Aurobindo, though brought up in British culture, was an Indian nationalist, philosopher, yogi and poet. His subject of study was different but the Sanskrit language made a deep impression on him.

A commemorative stamp, an FDC and a brochure were issued by the Indian Posts & Telegraphs on 15.08.1964.

Śrī Aurobindo's original writings in Sanskrit are Bhavānī Bhāratī, Śrī-Aravindopaniṣad, Saptacatuṣtaya and Tāntrika-siddhi-prakaraṇam.

Translations and Commentaries Published by Śrī Aurobindo

Kena-Upaniṣad

Kaṭha-Upaniṣad

Muṇḍaka-Upaniṣad

Readings in the Taittirīya-Upaniṣad

Complete Translations (circa 1900–1902)

The Praśna-Upaniṣad of the Atharvaveda

The Māṇdūkya-Upaniṣad

The Aitareya-Upaniṣad

The Taittirīya-Upaniṣad

Incomplete Translations and Commentaries (circa 1902–1912)

Śvetāṣvatara-Upaniṣad

Chhāndogya-Upaniṣad

Notes on the Chhāndogya Upaniṣad

The Bṛhad-Āraṇyaka-Upaniṣad

The Great Āraṇyaka: A Commentary on the Brhad-Āraṇyaka-Upaniṣad

The Kaivalya-Upaniṣad

Nīla-Rudra-Upaniṣad

Vedāntic Texts (circa 1900–1902)

The Kārikas of Gaudapāda

Sadānanda’s Essence of Vedānta (Vedāntasāra)

Incomplete

Hymns to the Mystic Fire (Ṛg-verses)

The Rāmāyaṇa

The Mahābhārata

The Bhagavad-Gītā

Kālidāsa's works

125th Annual Adhiveshan of Akhil Bharatiya Bhargava Sabha, 2014 - Special Cover

महर्षीणां भृगुरहं

maharṣīṇāṁ bhṛgur ahaṁ

"I am Bhṛgu amongst the great seers."

The special cover brought out by the India Post on 15.11.2014 on the occasion of the 125th Annual Adhiveshan of the Akhil Bharatiya Bhargava Sabha, Udaipur carries their logo, which has the above Sanskrit phrase inscribed in it. The text is taken from the Bhagavad-gītā, 10.25. 

In this chapter, Vibhūtiyoga (the Yoga of Manifesttion), Bhagavān says that He is Bhṛgu amongst the great Ṛṣis. Lord Visṇu holds the mark of his foot on his chest because of the Ṛṣi's glory, wisdom and extreme devotion. Those who have descended from his clan are called the "Bhārgavas."

(Image courtesy: Ashwin Ramesh)

S. P. J. Sadhana School, Mumbai, 1998 - Special Cover

The Silver Jubilee of the S. P.J. Sadhana School for the Developmentally Handicapped, Mumbai was held on 19.06.1998. The emblem of the School which carries a Sanskrit phrase "Ūrdhvamūlaḥ" which is adapted from the verse of  the Bhagavad-gītā (15.1). The logo of the school also depicts an inverted tree which confirms the imagery presented in the śloka.

ऊर्ध्वमूलः

ūrdhva-mūlaḥ

"Roots are above"

The original text --

ऊर्ध्वमूलमधः शाखमश्वत्थं प्राहुरव्ययम्‌ ।

छन्दांसि यस्य पर्णानि यस्तं वेद स वेदवित्‌ ॥

ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham aśvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam

chandāṁsi yasya parṇāni yas taṃ veda sa veda-vit

shall continue later.

Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Kolkata, 2008 - Special Cover

On 12.01.2008, India Post released a special cover in order to celebrate the Youth Day organised by the Ramakrishna Mission Vidyalaya, Narendrapur, Kolkata.

The cover portrays Swami Vivekananda with his famous quotation on education. It contained the word "perfection" too. But see the perfection in the cancellation. A phrase as shown below in Sanskrit is engraved --

असतो मा सद्गमय

asato mā sadgamaya

"From the unreal lead me to the Real"

A phrase "From darkness lead to light" is shown beneath. the postmark. It is not the translation of the above quoted Sanskrit phrase. "tamaso mā jyotir gamaya" should have been given as the original phrase in Sanskrit.

The authorities may say:- we have two different mottos.

Anyway both these quotes are from the Bṛhadāraṇyaka-upaniṣad (1.3.28) of the Śukḷa-yajurveda (Vājasaneya-śākhā)

On top left corner of the cover the emblem of Sri Ramakrishna Mission is given in which also is quoted a Sanskrit motto. See Swami Vivekananda in this Blog. 

(Picture courtesy: Ashwin Ramesh)

Institute of Social and Cultural Studies, Kolkata, 2011 - Special Cover

A special cover was brought out by the India Post on 16.12.2011 on the occasion of the Seminar on Four Decades of Mukta Bangladesh and Indo-Bangladesh Relations.

It was organised by the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies. The special cover shows their logo with the Sanskrit phrase:

इमं च नो गवेषणं

imaṃ ca no gaveṣaṇaṁ

This phrase is culled out from the Ṛgveda 6.56.5. The full text is --

इमं च नो गवेषणं सातये सीषधो गणम् ।
आरात् पूषन्नसि श्रुतः ॥
imaṃ ca no gaveṣaṇaṃ sātaye sīṣadho gaṇam
ārāt pūṣannasi śrutaḥ 

"Lead on this company of ours, that longs for kine, to win the spoil:
Thou, Pūṣan, art renowned afar."

                                                             -- Rg-veda, tr. by Ralph T.H. Griffith, (1896)

(Picture courtesy: Ashwin Ramesh)

Chhatrapati Shri Shivaji Maharaj, 1961 - Brochure

Though Śrī Śivaji Mahārāj, the personality, stamp or FDC have no connections with Sanskrit, the front cover page of the brochure contains a verse in Sanskrit, as given below:

 

I have not yet been able to trace the source of this verse. On the brochure it is printed in the North Indian style of pronunciation. It is re-typed below with the correct grammatical form:

प्रतिपच्चन्द्ररेखेव वर्धिष्णुर्विश्ववन्दिता ।

शाहसूनोः शिवस्यैषा मुद्रा भद्राय राजते ॥

pratipachhandralekheva vardhiṣṇur viśvavanditā 

śāhasūnoḥ śivasyaiṣā mudrā bhadrāya rājate

This Royal Seal of Śiva, the son of Shāh, increasing in brilliance like the moon on the Pratipad - the first day after the New Moon - shall shine auspiciously command the homage of the entire world.

Here the SEAL (Mudra) is figuratively taken as Stamp, to suit the occasion.

The stamp was released on the 12th of April, 1961 along with an FDC.

Raja Rammohun Roy, 1964 - Stamp, First Day Cover

Rājā Rammohun Roy (1772-1833) was born in a Kulīn (Rārhi) Brāhmaṇa family and had studied Sanskrit along with other languages. He published the following translations.

Indian Posts & Telegraphs issued a diamond shaped stamp (India's first) in the denomination of 15nP on 27.09.1964 to commemorate Raja Rammohun Roy. As usual an FDC and a brochure too followed.

Vedāntasāra (1815) – Essay in Beṅgāḷi on selected aphorisms of the Brahmasūtrabhāṣya.

Īśa, Kena, Kaṭha and Muṇḍaka Upaniṣads – English and Beṅgāḷi commentaries.

There were criticisms about his translations and his opponents called him to the extent of an atheist, a "destroyer of religion," and a "sinful modern." 

Acharya Shanti Dev, 1988 - Stamp, First Day Cover

The follower of the Mādhyamika system of Ācārya Nāgārjuna, Ācārya Shanti Dev has authored the Bodhisattvacaryāvatāra and Sikṣāsamuccaya in Sanskrit. 

Indian Posts and Telegraphs issued a stamp in the denomination of 60P along with an FDC and brochure to commemorate Ācārya Shanti Dev.

Lions Club of Calcutta, 2007 - Special Cover

  

The Lions Club of Calcutta celebrated its 50th Anniversary. The special cover released on the occasion by the India Post on 27.05.2007 shows a symbolic eye highlighting their service project and campaign for a healthy vision. 

                       

तमसः परस्तात्

tamasaḥ parastāt

"Beyond all darkness"

The logo contains part of a Sanskrit verse which is taken from the oft-chanted sweet hymn, Puruṣa-sūkta of the Veda. It occurs in the Yajus (Taittirīya-Āraṇyaka, 3.12.7; 13.1), the Vājasaneyi-Saṃhitā (31.18), etc. It also appears in the Svetāsvatara-Upaniṣad, 3.8.  

The original text of the mantra is given below in full:

वेदाहमेतं पुरुषं महान्तम् ।
आदित्यवर्णं तमसः परस्तात् ॥ 
तमेवं विद्वानमृत इह भवति । 
नान्यः पन्था विद्यतेऽयनाय​ ॥
vedāhametaṁ puruṣaṁ mahāntam
ādityavarnaṁ tamasaḥ parastāt
tamevaṁ vidvān amṛṭa iha bhavati
nānyaḥ panthā vidyate'yanāya

"I have known that great Purusa (Universal Person) who is brilliant like the sun and who is beyond all darkness. He who knows Him thus becomes immortal even here. There is no other way for liberation than this."

(Photo courtesy: Ashwin Ramesh)

Walk of Hope, Padayatra, 2015 - Special Cover

Manav Ekta Mission conducted a padayatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and the occasion was highlighted by release of a special cover by the India Post on 17.01.2015.

The cancellation shows the symbol AUM in Sanskrit.

(Photo courtesy: Ashwin Ramesh)

Dr S. Radhakrishnan, 1989, Stamp, First Day Cover, Brochure

     

To mark the 101st birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna, Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975), India Post brought out a stamp, FDC and a brochure in his memory for the second time.

Further details are given along with the first stamp posted in this Blog.

Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram, 2015 - Special Cover

The Kendriya Vidyalaya, Pattom, Thrivananthapuram celebrated its Golden Jubilee on 28.01.2015. A special cover was released on the occasion. The emblem of the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan is printed on the cover. The logo of this institution as shown above has the following phrase beneath --

तत् त्वं पूषन् अपावृणु

tat tvam pūṣannapāvṛṇu

"Remove thou the covering (that the Seeker may see the Truth)"

This is part of a mantra from the Īśāvāsya-Upaniṣad, 15. This Upaniṣad belogs to the Śukḷa-yajurveda (Vājasaneya). Both of its versions, the Kāṇva and the Mādhyandina have this mantra. The full mantra is given below -- 

हिरण्मयेन पात्रेण सत्यस्यापिहितं मुखम् ।
तत्त्वम् पूषन्नपावृणु सत्यधर्माय दृष्टये ॥
hiraṅmayena pātreṅa satyasyāpihitaṃ mukham ।
tat tvam pūṣannapāvṛṇu satyadharmāya dṛṣtaye ॥

'The face of truth is hidden by a disc of gold (resplendent). O Puṣan (Sun), unveil it (the covering) so that I, who have been worshipping the truth, may see it.'

The cancellation on the special cover has come out in two versions. In one of it, the year is 2014 is shown in Hindi whereas in the other it is in Roman. Both are reproduced here for its philatelic value.

(Photo courtesy: Ashwin Ramesh)

Acharya Mahavir Prasad Dvivedi, 1966 - Stamp, First Day Cover, Brochure

Though Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi (1864–1938) is well known as a Hindi writer, he has to his credit three* translations of Sanskrit classics --

The Kumāra-sambhava of Kālidāsa 

The Raghu-vamśa of Kālidāsa and 

The Mahābhārata

The Indian Posts and Telegraphs Department brought out a special postage stamp on May15, 1966, to honour the memory of Acharya Mahavir Prsad Dvivedi, one of the outstanding men of letters of modern India.

*I welcome bibliographical information on these books, from the readers, as personally I have not seen them.