Sanskrit teacher

Courtesy: Sri.AVMV

 

Shanbogue (perhaps from Belgaum) taught us Sanskrit in school. His attire spoke volumes about his simBlicity.He wore a Nehru-jacket, over a kurta. The Panchagaccham well worn was akin to what a Maharashtrian Saraswat brahmin would wrap around. The black cap hid a tell-ta(i)l(e) tuft of few strands struggling to free themselves from his bald head. A chandanakkuri on his forehead too was prominent.
 
      He never brought his own textbook but would demand at random from any of the students in the class before he commenced his teaching. That was to make sure that we all brought our texts without fail. But thereby hangs a tale!Shanbougue walked into the class; settled himself; and said looking at the last bench:," Nair, bring your text here please". There was an eerie silence. I too had forgotten my book that day. Shanbogue turned towards the black board and wrote the subject matter for discussion that day. " Vibhakthi " (this will form Part 2 next ).from Bhandarkar's grammar book.(Bhaandarakaropaabhidena Gopaalasuununaa Ramakrishnena virachitaa, 
Karnaataka mudraayantraalaye mudritaa).
 
       Nair meanwhile had moved in a flash which 20 odd pairs of eyes saw and with book in hand he walked majestically towards Shanbogue and handed over to him for his reference. Only thing was that it wasn't his book. But we knew what Nair did. He had simBly picked from the adjacent bench the text belonging to Mary Phillip ( a girl from Mahim ) instead.
 
       "All of you open pp 34", addressed Shanbogue. Then the earth gave way. One more long silence....for on pp 34 staring on to Shanbogue was a huge smudgy oily mark perhaps ( which we learnt later ) from the prawn pickles which Mary had brought with her along with biriyani for the day's lunch.
 
       What could a teacher say to a 17/18 year old man? So Shanbogue made the most of the situation and related a 2 line verse ( pleading on behalf of the book as they do so often ) addressing tersely Nair in particular:
 
तैलाद् रक्षेत् जलाद् रक्षेत् रक्षेत् शिथिल बंधनात |
मूर्ख हस्ते न दातव्यं एवं वदति पुस्तकम् ||
 
( Tailaad rakshet jalaad rakshet rakshet sithila bandanaat
Moorkha haste na daatavyam evam vadati pustakam )
 
       A book pleads: Protect me from oil (Oily products which leave a mark on the page); Protect me from water; Also protect me from the loose binding; And after doing all this please do not hand me over to a ' Murkha ' (unintelligent) person!!
 
   PS: A standing joke those days went something like this:

 
Mother: I am at my wit's end. I quite do not know what to do and how to hide these rupee notes from Shyam. They keep missing no matter where I keep.
 
Father: Why? Simple! Just put the notes between the pages of his 'Bhandarkar's Sanskrit grammar book"