THE ART FORMS OF KONKAN 2:

Vaishakhi – The last day of Buddha’s life

Gautham Buddha lived for 80 years 480 BCE to 400 BCE – I have brought this work Vaishakhi under the Art Forms of Konkan for three very special reasons. Firstly literature is an art form. Secondly this book Vaishakhi was originally authored in Kannad language by a Konkani personality Manjeshwar Govind Pai who lived for 80 years like Buddha (1883-1963) and third very important reason is that this book was superbly translated in to Konkani by another ‘Buddha’ Mandarke Madhav Pai who lived for 90 years (1931-2021) and was an authority on origin of Konkani language and its relationship with Samskrit and Praakrit. The ancestors of both these Pais lived in the heart land of Konkan Gomanthak or Goa and migrated to the coastal Karnataka as seen in the forenames of both Manjeshwar and Mandarke. All the three were apostles of peace and tranquility as their Dharma.

Buddha was born on the full moon day of the month of Vaishakh (Vaishakh Poornima) and died on the full moon day of month of Vaishakh (Vaishakh Poornima) 80 years later. In 2023 Vaishakh Poornima is on May 5^th. The book is on the conversation between Buddha and his students and what he taught them on the last day of his life. The Konkani translation by Mandarke Madhav Pai is a proof of the potency of Konkani language and authority of the translator on Konkani. A sample is given here:

वैशाखी – भगवान बुद्धचो अंतिम दिवस – मंदर्के माधव पै – विश्व कोंकणी केंद्र 2013

  तेंच उत्तम मंगळ, योग्य देशांत वास करन                     180 (page 8)

     उरल्यार जोडिल्लें पुण्य तें जवळ आसल्यार मन

  सन्मार्गाचेर रावल्यार तें पळय उत्तम मंगळ

       विध्या, शील, विनय शिकल्यार चल्यार बरें

  चाल चलणूकान, केल्यार समयोचित भाशण

       तें उत्तम मंगळ, सेवा आवय - बापयची