My Journey In Samskṛtam Studies
By Marcelo de Aquino Vicente
Founder, Nāda Brahman International, Teacher of Nada Yoga, La Plata, Argentina
Foreword by Venkat
In this candid narration, Marcelo Ji shares his interesting story of the deep search in his yogic studies and the culmination towards learning Samskṛtam. His real life experience and discovery brings to light the deep connection of Samskrtam, sound and yoga. Truly amazing. He has worked for years with the yoga of sound and runs a yoga school, Nāda Brahman International in Argentina (his native country). He is a man of varied interests including Vedanta and plays the Rudra veena.
Enjoy this amazing recollection from Marcelo Ji of his journey in Samskṛtam!
I am Marcelo de Aquino Vicente, Yoga Teacher and Dhrupad Student played with Rudra Veena based at La Plata, Argentina. For the past 20 years I have been conducting Yoga Courses and doing research on the Yoga of Sound. Learning is my passion. I am full time teacher on Nāda Brahman International, the School of Yoga I run in my city. I love studying Samskrtam, yoga and Indian music, and do my humble effort to help people live a more meaningful life.
My Journey In Samskṛtam Studies
15 years ago while doing research on the yoga of sound in India I had a revelation in a dream. I felt I had reached a limit in my research, which I was not able to cross. All the books on the subject I used to read, teachers I would consult or places I would go, made me face the same limit. That was the situation where the revelation came up. It spoke to me in a non-verbal language. It was shown to me that for deepening my understanding on the subject or even discover the truth behind the appearances, the key was to study Samskṛtam.
After that event, I started to think where I could begin this studies. Being in India, it was not that difficult to find a place to learn it. At that time, I used to spend my days in a school of India Music located in Varanasi, near Assi Ghat. Every day some boys gathered there and one of them was studying Samskṛtam in BHU (Banaras Hindu University). I requested him to teach me and we started. Somehow, after a few classes, we stopped. I was feeling this was not what I was searching for.
Once back in Argentina, I contacted Swāminī Vilasanada ji, whom I had met sometime before when participating with my sitar playing in a Pūjā she was doing. I requested Swāminī ji to teach me Samskṛtam and she answered she would teach it but to study the scriptures. Being a spiritual seeker, I loved the idea. That was my first real contact with Vedānta and Ārṣa Vidya, which has not stopped for more than 15 years and led to several Ashrams including Pujya Swāmī ji’s in Coimbatore.
Classes with Swamini ji stopped due to the distance and lack of time to travel. I made other attempts with different teachers but failed to continue. For many years I tried to study Samskṛtam in a regular form but somehow, I could not make it. Last year, after receiving an invitation in an email from Purna Vidya team, I decided to begin this wonderful and long wished journey. It seems that everything that happened and not happened in the past was necessary for this opportunity to come across. I feel blessed and grateful for having the privilege to be learning with such immense teachers like Swāmī ji and Amma ji, and discovering the answers I searched for long time.
I know this knowledge is infinite. If I can get a tiny glimpse of it and share it for the benefit of humanity, my work in this world will be done.
By Marcelo de Aquino Vicente
I marvel at your tenacity to learn Samskritam, a foreign language and have been able to make some progress under the guidance of ‘Purna vidya’. Congratulations. Wish you Godspeed.
Hari Om respected C.I. Sivasubramanian ji. I deeply appreciate your encouraging words and your blessings. Your message is inspiring. May the lord grant me the possibility to make some progress in this path for the benefit of others.