Vedic Sanskrit Words for laughter, hand and elephant

Vedic Sanskrit Words for laughter, hand and elephant 

 (The words in italics are Sanskrit words in itrans version.)

 If you are a person with sanity, for no reason you will ever think that the three entities called 'laughter', 'hand' and 'elephant' could be closely related. However, if you consider the Sanskrit forms of  these words and their origin, you will find a strange relation is emerging. Here I have tried to present the same. It shows, how strange are divinity and things when transformed into other planes.
Corresponding to the English word 'laughter', the Sanskrit word  is 'haasya'.
Corresponding to the English word 'hand', the Sanskrit word  is 'hasta'.
Corresponding to the English word 'elephant', the Sanskrit word is 'hastI' or 'hastin'.

The word haasya (laughter), its origin and significance.

The root word of 'haasya' is 'has'. 'has' means 'to laugh'.
'has' also implies an 'exclamation of laughter or loud merriment'.

The alphabet ' ha ' is the thirty-third and the last consonant of Sanskrit language, and it also means 'end' or ' a state of  annihilation'. The connected words are 'han' meaning to kill or destroy and 'hanana' meaning destruction or killing. ( The english word 'hunt' is related to 'han'.) 

 In Vedic and Tantric texts, the sacred seed word (bIja mantra ) for the plane or state of annihilation or empty space (aakaasha) is ' haM '. It is the state where there is nothing or where all dimensions are killed and also from where 'everything' can come out with dimensions. Everything is created with dimensions from this state where all dimensions disappear. The expression 'haM'  is named as 'ananta bhuvanaa' meaning 'eternal universe' or the source or seed of 'eternal universe'. bhuvanaa is the female form of the word bhuvana meaning the world or the universe.

Now, coming back to the word for laughter or haasya , we find that it can be broken into two components, ha and aasya.  ha + aasya = haasya. 
The word aasya means 'face'.  Face is the place where our all sensory organs are situated and from where (mouth) our words or expressions are aired or materialized, articulated. The component 'as'  of  'aasya'  means 'to throw' or 'hurl'. It (mouth or face) is emanating or throwing out the senses and words. From the physical space also the 'radiations' are emanating.  aakaasha meaning sky or void is considered as the source of all 'sounds' or 'words' in Vedic and Tantric texts.
So, haasya (laughter) means the expressions or face (aasya) of this 'empty space' which is 'ha' and which is  apparently void or inane. This space is exposed as the void inside our mouth when we break out in laughter.

The root word 'has' is represented by the hissing sounds which we hear in the nature. One notable example is the hissing of a snake.A snake, which is otherwise calm would suddenly hiss if frightened or if it wants to frighten a predator. Another example is when a matchstick strikes a matchbox and the fire (agni) appears with hissing. This 'hissing' sound has a bearing with 'suddenness' and sometimes we feel it as a sudden sound. Strangely, the word for 'sudden' in Sanskrit is 'sahasaa'. 

( The sounds heard in the nature or existing in the nature are called praakRita. praakRita means which are natural and raw, not cultivated and not cultured. Sanskrit (saMskRita), means which is refined. The words picked up from the nature, from the wilderness of the universe and refined to create saMskRita words.)

(Followings are two references from the Internet---sound from matchstick burning----<https://www.salamisound.com/1052799-matchstick-ignite-and-burn>
Hissing sound of snake: <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT6qZpdGeIw> )

Face or aasya is also called the source of fire or agni who is the Consciousness by whom everything is expressed, who leads everyone, puts everyone in motion.  Thus in Upanishad, it is mentioned 'mukhad agniH ajaayata'---the fire was created from the mouth (of Universal Consciousness).
So this 'has' or 'hissing', means the expressions initiated from that state of Consciousness where all expressions cease to exist.
Thus this is haasya or laughter,  illuminated expression from the neutral state of Consciousness.

The word hasta (hand), its origin and significance.

The word 'hand' has a relationship with 'laughter' and we know that the sense of laughter can also be aroused by 'touch'. The word hasta in Sanskrit is the word for hand. The word 'hasta (hand) and haasya (laughter) are from the same root word 'has'. 

hasta (hand) means where 'has' or initiations of Consciousness are 'ta' or stationed i.e. the platform through which the intiations or expressions work.

hasta = has + ta. We have explained 'has'. The alphabet 'ta'  denotes a 'state of rest' , or a state in which something or some activity has been established or placed to function. 'ta'  with the alphabet 'sa'  together make 'sta'. This 'sta' is same as the alphabet-string 'sta' in the words  'station' , 'stability', 'stand'.

Similarly in Sanskrit 'nyasta' means 'cast, placed or put on', Thus, the word 'hasta' means where 'ha' or 'has' (actions or expressions of 'ha' ) is placed or established. Hands are those where all our actions are put on or set for function---actions, activities which are coming out of 'ha' or void or Consciousness in neutrality.
Thus whatever is 'haasya' , the radiations of the Consciousness, it is implemented in our actions in our 'hasta' or hands by which we work; hands are the implementers.

 In the human body, from the face and neck, the words are processed and articulated. (The seat of the goddess of word or vaak is the brain as stated in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad.) The sensitive areas of the body that cause laughter while tickling, include neck, torso, armpits and palms.  Just at the bottom of neck, the two shoulders extend into two hands, routing 'has' or hissing, radiating Consciousness in the hands or hasta.

The word hastI (elephant), its origin and significance.
The word in Sanskrit for elephant is hastI and also hastin. These words are having other meanings like , 'one with hand / hasta', 'one with trunk'. The trunk of an elephant is the organ that acts like a hand, and indeed it is a very powerful hand. It has enormous strength and very fascinating; so empowered with this power of hand in the kingdom of animal, an elephant is also called 'hastI' or 'hastin'. In fact, trunks of African elephants have two fingers and those of Asian elephant have one finger. The trunk, which is also nose, is used by elephants for grasping as well as for touching, embracing, caressing. 
Etymologically the word hastin or hastI can be considered as  'has + tIn' or 'has+ tI'---characterized by has or hasta (hand).

The divine smith visvakarman
The connection between the 'hand' and 'elephant', elicits the mystery of the vehicle of lord 'visvakarman'.
visvakarman seats on an elephant.
visva means the 'universe' and karman means 'work or performance'. He is the divine smith, divine architect and engineer, who is the final implementer, creating the rUpa or the shapes and figures in the universe. He is also called taShTRi in the Vedas who 'presses' the 'appearances or visibility'. 
Thus there is a hymn in Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, which is invoked, before a male and female act for conceiving:
viShnur yonim kalpayatu
(Let Vishnu conceive the yoni {field of origin})

taShtaa rUpaaNi piMshatu

(Let tashTRi press out the appearance)

aasi~nchantu prajaapati

(Let prajaapti sprinkle {place the soul to be reborn in the womb})

dhaataa garvaM dahaatu me
(Let the goddess dhaataa hold the entity {in my womb})

Thus, a part of the pray goes to tashTRi to press out the shape (naama and rUpa----name/ definition and appearance). The word 'piMshatu' in the above hymn is from the root verb piMsh (also pish) which means 'to press', 'to create a form by pressing' as it happens in a mechanical  'forming or pressing process' to change or create an appearance.


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Comments:
(i) I am not sure, why queen Draupadi of the kingdom named  'hastina-pura' was described in Mahabharata as  'the girl who smiled without having smile----vinaapi haasam hasaTiva kanya', when she first glanced at Arjuna as Arjuna hit the target to win Draupadi as his bride!

(ii)  I am not sure, why the word elephant, has the string 'han' in it!

(iii) I am not sure, why the Sanskrit word grIvaa which stands for neck, resembles the English word 'grip'. Is this because of the connection between neck and hands as described above? ) 
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debkumar.lahiri@gmail.com

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Links to a few publications in English available in Internet  are listed below:
1.Vaak, the Goddess of Words.

2. Five vital Airs, Five aspects of Praana.

3. Vedas, the Universal eye of Consciousness, Indra and the golden mother.

4. The Goddess Gayatri (gaayatrI) ---English translation of the Third Chapter of Chandogya Upanishad with original texts and meanings. (The Universal Consciousness and the Universe.)

5. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad—First Chapter, Second part (Second Brahmin) in English with original texts and meaning----mysteries of Ashvamedha Yajna (Horse Sacrifice), Expanding and collapsing Universe. Creation and Time.

6. The sacrifice of a celestial horse.
(Ahsvamedha)
(Brihadaaranyaka Upanishada, first chapter, first Brahmin---with original texts in English fonts and meanings.)















Location: Muscat, Oman

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