Define the terms datta, damyata, and dayadvam in The Waste Land

When India was in a great crisis, men, gods and demons approached Projapati and prayed to him for guidance. Projapati spoke in thunder only one word thrice, Da Da, Da, which was understood by each group by its own way.

The gods thought it was the word Datta, which in Sanskrit means to give. It does not imply charity or money for the relief of the poor. It means giving oneself to a spiritual way of life or to surrender to a higher purpose. It is only by such dedication, by such giving itself over to some noble cause, that humanity has progressed. 

However, those who martyr themselves for some noble cause are not often remembered in obituaries, or in epitaphs covered with spider's webs, or in the will of the rich and the great. Such martyrs are now rare, for they are not honoured in the modern waste land. Such martyrs may not get earthly name and fame, wealth and prosperity, but it is only such dedication that can cause spiritual rebirth. 

When India was in a great crisis, men, gods and demons approached Projapati and prayed to him for guidance. Projapati spoke in thunder only one word thrice, Da Da, Da. The second Da is Dayadhavam which means to sympathize. It is an emotional bond of union between individuals or between the individual and the society. 

“Sympathy” means going over to others or spiritual harmony with others, and this is essential for spiritual salvation. Modern humanity is self-centred, each living within a limited world of his or her own, in complete isolation from others. We must come out of the prison of self, symbolized by the turning of the key, and realize our oneness with others. It is only in the night during sleep, when our conscious self is sleep, that we hear for a moment “ethereal whispers” i.e. the voice of God speaking to us.

However, we can achieve our spiritual salvation only if we regain our sense of community. Modern man is likened to ‘Coriolanus’, the proud and self-centred Roman leader, heart broken and despairing, but he can be redeemed through ‘sympathy’ and harmony with others. When Coriolanus' mother pleads with him not to destroy his own city, he feels sympathy for his fellow citizens. So, the second remedy for the survival of civilization is the spirit of brotherhood and fellow feeling.

When India was in a great crisis, men, gods and demons approached Projapati and prayed to him for guidance. Projapati spoke in thunder only one word thrice, Da Da, Da. The third Da is Damyata meaning “self-control” and discipline. Discipline does not mean loss of freedom, rather it makes the journey of life easier and more smooth. The poet compares this control to the movement of a boat under and expert captain. The boat of life must sail without fear of wind but with the guidance of an expert controlling hand.

A disciplined heart is like a boat that sails easily and smoothly under expert guidance on a calm sea. Spiritual discipline implies control over sensuous desires; then life becomes a gay adventure. Thus. controlling one's passions and desires, one can achieve spiritual salvation.