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:
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)
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