I am working on some very smart things to say here. Really. Meanwhile, there's 
A post at Sowmya's blog caught my attention. The point being discussed there about reciting vedas is (I'll paraphrase), Can we use our vocal chords to increase our virility? Sounds like the vedic equivalent of viagra. I can already see many readers turning red with "blasphemy" written all over their red face. Well, I stand by the question. It is correct in its essentials.
This is not a complicated scientific question to answer. IMHO, a basic knowledge of physiology and voice production can provide the broader answers to this question. Vocal chords cannot be used to increase physical virility. It can of course be used to increase your chances of mating if you are a bird, a frog or suchlike.
I have encountered the assertion that reciting poems written in sanskrit (a.k.a vedas) has physical effects. That's unscientiic gibberish. Sanskrit, contrary to what many would like you to believe, is a language with its roots in the same domain as all other languages. It evolved with the people among whom it originated. (For those who believe it is a language with divine roots, my answer is, "Great. Can I move on now? Thank you." ) Wonderfully brilliant minds that used it enriched the language with fabulous literature. It is intellectually unsatisfying and dishonest to take historical texts literally and out of their times. Besides, using poetry recital to exclude women is such a lame excuse that lacks balls.
Comments
Yes, welcome. I'm enjoying your debunking tone already. Also, more arguments should be described as lacking balls.
Posted by: quitter | August 14, 2006 6:45 PM
Great to see you on Scienceblogs! Will update my blogroll shortly.
You might enjoy reading an old post on Sanskrit I'd written a year or so ago. One of my better posts (though I say so myself).
Posted by: Sunil | August 14, 2006 7:49 PM
Nice seeing your blog here!! BTW I should've just said that 'veda recitation increases testosterone' is crap. It would've saved me a lot of time!
Posted by: Sowmya | August 14, 2006 8:50 PM
thank you, quitter.
Sunil, fabulous post. Thanks for doing all the heavy lifting. The link didn't get through I think. Giving it here for others: http://balancinglife.blogspot.com/2005/06/of-languages-and-tongues.html
Sowmya, the issue of sanskrit being used as a vehicle for exclusion and domination has some history - particularly within tamilnadu. I wasn't aware of the testosterone properties earlier. Quite a surprise to me, this one.
Posted by: Selva | August 14, 2006 9:01 PM