WTA Tour/Non-India Fed Cup

[jayakris]

Interesting. I guess in Bengali, it got broadened to mean "weapon" generally, irrespective of whether it flies. I would call a sword an "astra" (pronounced astrow in Bengali). So, the senses got changed a bit when it went from Samskrt to Bengali.

I don't believe "asTRa" is used to refer to all weapons in samskRtam. A sword is certainly not called an "astRa". There is no reference in Mahabharata or Ramayana of any weapon of that kind being called an astRam. All the words like "brahmAstRa", "pASupatAstRa", "nAgAstra", etc, are all for launched weapons. They are all "kinetic" in nature and are not held in hand during the fight. I believe "varuNAstra" sends some torrential rain/flood, "nAgAstra" sends something that becomes a snake when it strikes, "AgnEyAstra" sends fire, and so on. Typically, they all needed the right mental-software for a correct launch and strike, and the software were the proper mantRAs (that help the mental focus on the physics equations that defined the associated properties - which was basically called a "God" later - bramha, varuNa, agni, etc).

In fact, if I am not mistaken, a weapon that does not leave the fighter's possession or hands is called a "SastRa" (short first syllable; not "SAstRa" which is "science"). That is why the word "astRa-SastRa" is used to refer to weapons in their totality. A sword or knife is a "SastRa". That is also why surgery is called "SastRa-kRiya"....

Speaking of weapon-launch software... now, if only we could figure out a proper mantRa for a "phedereRAstra" that sends the most effective serves across the net using mental focus on the proper kinetics coming from the God "phedereR"..... No "isnErAstRa" or "grOthAstRa" please. They are speedier but not always as effective. "sAmpRaSAstra" would be good too.

[sanjay5goel]

In fact, if I am not mistaken, a weapon that does not leave the fighter's possession or hands is called a "SastRa" (short first syllable; not "SAstRa" which is "science"). That is why the word "astRa-SastRa" is used to refer to weapons in their totality. A sword or knife is a "SastRa". That is also why surgery is called "SastRa-kRiya"....

If I remember what I heard / learned from my spiritual master correctly is that the words SastRa, SAstRa, SiSya, SAsan etc are all derived from the verbal root (dhAtu) called "Sas" dhAtu which means to rule over or control. Generally the human society is expected to follow the rules and regulations given in the SAstra - and when they do not do that, then they need to be controlled or made to follow the rules (or ruled over) (SAsan) by use of SastRa. Same goes for word SiSya - he is to be ruled over by the codes of SAstRa under the instructions of the spiritual master.

Also - if I can remember right surgery is called "Salya-kriya" - not "SastRa-kRiya".

Hare Krishna!

[jayakris]

Also - if I can remember right surgery is called "Salya-kriya" - not "SastRa-kRiya".

SalyakRiya is also surgery. "Salya" is a pointed weapon, like a spear or an arrow. Maybe those were also used in surgery in India. This word seems to be more used in Hindi.

"Sastra" is more a of cutting weapon, like a sword, knife, dagger, etc. That is why "SastrakRiya" is surgery. This word is used mostly in Malayalam (and I believe in Marathi etc too?).

I just checked. samskRtam dictionaries give both words for surgery. In fact, Monier-Williams gives "SalyakRiya" another meaning as "extraction of thorns or other extraneous substances lodged in the body". That explains it. There probably were people who were experts in using pointed weapons for such things. They became surgeons too. Thus "SalyakRiya" as a word for surgery. I sill believe though, that "Sastrakriya" is perhaps the more correct word, as knifes and scalpels are used more in surgery.

And what does all this have to do with women's tennis?? .... Nothing at all, except we now know that "astra" is a great name for a tennis player. We are great at digressing! Especially me...

[Varma]

@Jay...I agree that "Sastra" is used while referring to hand-held weapons, and astra" for "launch" weapons. However, I have seen "astra" used loosely in a broader sense to refer to any weapon. I will look for specific examples, but for now check the dictionary entries below...

Sanskrit Dictionary

- Varma

[jayakris]

As per the dictionary, astRas are pretty much ballistic and missile type weapons. Not knifes and swords. It got used in words for things like arsenal and armory, because they are typically filled with launched weapons (because you lose them when you use, while only much fewer hand-held weapons are made and stored). You can actually see the word "astRaSastRa" that I mentioned above, in the dictionary! They give the meaning - "all sorts of arms". That means hand-held and launched. There is no other type, right? ("fake news" etc weren't considered weapons those days! )

But I suppose "astRa" does get used to refer to just "weapon". Just that in its precise meaning, it a is a launched (kinetic) weapon.

[prasen9]

I am making no claims to knowing Samskrt. I did not take it formally. Having said that, the summary of the discussion above seems to be that astra originally and strictly means launched weapon but later became loosely used as weapon and that sense was what came into Bengali (and most possibly other languages too).

Fake news is as old as dirt. FN in Ramayana

[PKBasu]

Sad end for Venus Williams at the AO. She fell in a close 2-setter to Belinda Bencic, clearly in good form after the Hopman Cup.

Sloane Stephens is out too. She has been woeful since her US Open triumph last year.

[prasen9]

Incredible match going on between Lauren Davis and Simona Halep. 11-11 in the last set. Davis makes a lot of unforced errors and hits some gorgeous shots. Even though I do not hate Halep, go Davis!

[prasen9]

On the women's side, it looks like Halep/Pliskova, Kerber v Garcia/Keys, Svitolina, and Wozniacki if seeds hold.

[PKBasu]

Su-wei Hsieh had a terrific AO in singles this year, and came perilously close to beating Angelique Kerber too -- having already beaten the Wimbledon champion, Garbine Muguruza, in the second round. In the fourth round, Hsieh took the first set 6-4, and had her chances in the second set before Kerber won it 7-5, and took the final set 6-2.

Hsieh showed quite emphatically how doubles skills can be useful in singles too.

[prasen9]

Seems quite probable we will have a new GS(-tournament) winner in the women's side. Only Kerber left from the old champions. After 2014, 2017 was another year where there were 4 different winners at the GS tournaments. Once Serena is out and Sharapova is not fully back (and Venus is too old), the women's side seems wide open. None of Kvitova, Kerber, and Muguruza have really asserted themselves. Kvitova obviously had her Seles moment.

[prasen9]

So now, we will have a new champion. Two of the world #1s who have been weak in the head now will banish the curse.

[arjun2761]

Only one of them will!! However, kudos to both to fighting back from several matchpoints to get to the final....

[prasen9]

Of course I meant to say one of the two will banish ...

[PKBasu]

Wosniacki is notoriously poor at finishing matches she is about to win. She sort of overcame that at the WTA Finals last year in Singapore, winning the final against Venus quite comfortably (despite a spirited fightback from Venus in the second set).