Post No. 13,757
Date uploaded in London – 7 October 2024
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There are more passages on stars from Shakespeare’s plays. Let me compare with them with the Tamil quotes.
Then I defy you, stars!
Romeo and Juliet
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My stars shine darkly over me!
Twelfth night
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I find my zenith doth depend upon
A most auspicious star
Tempest
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Oh god one might read the book of fate
And see the revolution of times
Henry IV
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Not a whit. We defy augury
Hamlet
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All the above quotes will be understood by the Hindus better than any other community. The statements are like that of Hindus. Christian commentators of Shakespeare could not support these things because they are against 20th century Christianity. They have interpreted STARS incorrectly saying it is fate. They are only partly correct. Hindus believe that though they are written by Brahma, God of Creation, on our head, one can see what is going to come by studying the movements of planets. To know that one must know his birth star on which the horoscope is done. When Hindus go to the temple or do the Puja, the priest announces loudly a Sankalpa (Vow or Intention). That includes the name of the person, his birth star, his clan etc.
This is what Shakespeare also meant. 16th century Christians believed in all these things. 21st century interpretations go against all the old European beliefs .
I will give below how the modern commentators, who came 400 years after Shakespeare, interpret it.
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In Romeo and Juliet, Romeo says, “I defy you, stars” in Act 5, Scene 1 after learning that Juliet is dead. This line is a declaration of rebellion against fate, which Romeo believes is written in the stars. The phrase is paradoxical because stars are inevitable, but it reveals Romeo’s persistence
Tirumular, Adi Shankara and other Hindu saints say one can defy stars or nullify the effects of fate if one does a sever penance. Even Tamil Veda author Tiru Valluvar says,
Kural 620, 1023
Who strive with undismayed, unfaltering mind,
At length shall leave opposing fate behind.–620
Couplet Explanation:
They who labour on, without fear and without fainting will see even fate (put) behind their back.
ஊழையும் உப்பக்கம் காண்பர் உலைவின்றித்
தாழாது உஞற்று பவர்.-620
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‘I’ll make my race renowned,’ if man shall say,
With vest succinct the goddess leads the way.
Couplet Explanation:
Even gods will gird up their loins to share the toll of those who raise the fortune of their family or community.
குடிசெய்வல் என்னும் ஒருவற்குத் தெய்வம்
மடிதற்றுத் தான்முந் துறும்.-1023
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Tirumular says in Tirumanthiram
2611: Tattva Jnanis Crush Karma
The Tattva Jnanis realize the Self;
The Gordian knot of Karma Past
They cut asunder;
Future Karmas they seize and crush,
By Grace of Siva,
Whom they hold,
High on their heads.
தன்னை அறிந்திடும் தத்துவ ஞானிகள்
முன்னை வினையின் முடிச்சை அவிழ்ப்பர்கள்
பின்னை வினையைப் பிடித்துப் பிசைவர்கள்
சென்னியில் வைத்த சிவன் அருளாலன்றே
— திருமந்திரத்தில் திருமூலர்
Adi Shankara also says it in his Viveka Chudamani.
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“My stars shine darkly over me” is a line from Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare, spoken by the character Sebastian. It means that Sebastian believes he is experiencing a period of bad luck.
Sebastian says this line in Act 2, Scene 1, to explain why he doesn’t want Antonio to go with him. He believes that he is cursed with bad luck, and doesn’t want his friend to be affected by it. Sebastian’s bad luck includes a shipwreck and the loss of his twin sister.
In Tamil we have many proverbs and verses about bad period and bad luck
12. அகப்பட்டவனுக்கு அஷ்டமத்துச் சனி, ஓடிப்போனவனுக்கு ஒன்பதாம் இடத்து ராஜா.
He who was caught under the influence of Saturn in the eighth sign, and he who escaped, did so, under the influence of Saturn in the ninth.
Saturn situated in the eighth sign from that of one’s birth is supposed to exercise a most malignant influence. This opinion of the Hindus appears in many of their Proverbs.
Hindu Astronomy is made the foundation of a vast system of Astrology. The real movements and the relative positions of the planets are wrought into a systematic connection with a great variety of arbitrary divisions of the signs of the Zodiac, and of the twenty-seven Lunar Mansions.
The Astrological principles of India have an important bearing on all the domestic arrangements and practices of the people. They extend to a great variety of popular beliefs which run out into every department of life. This is seen in the lucky and unlucky months, days and other divisions of time, in the horoscope, which has a powerful controlling influence in marriage, and in other matters relating to the settlement of families and in the more general prognostics for the year as given in the Hindu Calendar. Astrology in its popular developments exerts a powerful influence on all classes of Hindu Society.
1685. எனக்கு அட்டமத்துச் சனி.
With me Saturn is in the eighth sign.
1628. எல்லாருக்கும் சனி துரும்பு போல, எனக்குச் சனி மலைபோல.
Saturn who is a more straw to all other men, to me is as a mountain.
Shakespeare’s belief in Astrology 2
ராமேஸ்வரம் போனாலும் சனீஸ்வரன் விடாது
Even if I go to Rameswaram Saturn wont leave me
(Meaning is even if I go to a holy place like Rameswaram, Saturn will harm me according to my fate)
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From Tempest
And by my prescienceI find my zenith doth depend upon
whose influence now I court not but omit, my fortunes
Will ever after droop. Here cease more questions.
Thou art inclined to sleep. ‘Tis a good dullness,
And give it way. I know thou canst not choose.
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Commentator’s translation
The translator is very dodgy about A most auspicious star. Since Christians don’t believe in Hindu astrology ,star is translated as fortune. Shakespeare really meant Raja Yoga due to heavenly planets.
And by my magic senses, I can tell that my opportunity for good fortune depends on this lucky circumstance. And if I do not act but instead do nothing, then I will never again have such an opportunity. No more questions now. You are sleepy. It’s a good time for sleepiness, so give in to it. I know you have no choice.
Tamils believed in auspicious and inauspicious stars from Vedic days. Gnana Sambandar, the Boy Wonder of Tamil Nadu even listed all the inauspicious stars in Kolaru Tiruppathikam in 600 CE. He got all these things from Sanskrit astrology books.
The miracle boy says even the bad stars among the 27 stars will do only good things to the devotees of Lord Siva. He gives the number starting from Asvini as No.1 star.
கோளறு திருப்பதிகம்
பாடல் எண் : 02
என்பொடு கொம்பொடு ஆமை இவை மார்பு இலங்க எருது ஏறி ஏழை உடனே
பொன்பொதி மத்தமாலை புனல்சூடி வந்து என் உளமே புகுந்த அதனால்
ஒன்பதொடு ஒன்றொடு ஏழு பதினெட்டொடு ஆறும் உடன் ஆய நாள்கள் அவைதாம்
அன்பொடு நல்ல நல்ல அவை நல்ல நல்ல அடியார் அவர்க்கு மிகவே.
பொருள் விளக்கம் :
ஊமத்தை மலர்மாலை, கங்கை ஆகியனவற்றை முடிமேல் சூடி உமையம்மையாரோடு எருதேறி வந்து என் உளம் புகுந்து எழுந்தருளியிருத் தலால், அசுவினி முதலாக உள்ள நாள்களில் ஆகாதனவாகிய ஒன்பது, பத்து, பதினாறு, பதினெட்டு, ஆறு ஆகிய எண்ணிக்கையில் வருவனவும் பிறவுமான நட்சத்திரங்கள் அன்போடு மிக நல்லனவே செய்யும். அடியவர்கட்கும் மிக நல்லனவே செய்யும்.
We have to interpret Shakespeare on the basis of Hindu astrology.
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Not a whit. We defy augury
Hamlet
Augury was the ancient Roman practice of divination through birds, and it’s where we get the words “auspicious,” “inauspicious” and “inauguration.” In this quote, Hamlet rejects the notion that the will of the gods or fate can be divined and avoided, and asserts that everything unfolds according to an immutable plan. Ariikuri is corrupted as Augury.
Augury is a Tamil word borrowed by the European languages அறிகுறி/ சகுனம்; குறி சொல்லுதல்
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There are many more Shakesperean quotes on OMENS that are similar to Hindu beliefs. I will compare them in another article.
To be continued……………………………….
–Subham—
Tags- Shakespeare’s belief , in Astrology, Part 2, augury, auspicious star,Hindu Astrology
Tamil and Vedas 