Friday, July 26, 2019

av

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=af663e1d81&attid=0.1&permmsgid=msg-f:1640187051339901940&th=16c31d6ee04f6bf4&view=att&disp=safe

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=af663e1d81&attid=0.3&permmsgid=msg-f:1640187051339901940&th=16c31d6ee04f6bf4&view=att&disp=safe

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=af663e1d81&attid=0.5&permmsgid=msg-f:1640187051339901940&th=16c31d6ee04f6bf4&view=att&disp=safe

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=af663e1d81&attid=0.7&permmsgid=msg-f:1640187051339901940&th=16c31d6ee04f6bf4&view=att&disp=safe

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=af663e1d81&attid=0.9&permmsgid=msg-f:1640187051339901940&th=16c31d6ee04f6bf4&view=att&disp=safe

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0?ui=2&ik=af663e1d81&attid=0.11&permmsgid=msg-f:1640187051339901940&th=16c31d6ee04f6bf4&view=att&disp=safe


Monday, July 22, 2019

Sunday, July 21, 2019

Hindutva.

Paul Brunton (1898 -1981) was a British philosopher, mystic, traveler and author of A Hermit in the HimalayasA Message from Arunachala and The Orient: Legacy to the West.  A Search in Secret India is one of the great classics of spiritual travel writing. With a keen eye for detail, Paul Brunton describes taking a circular journey round India: living amongst yogis, mystics and gurus, seeking the one who would give him the peace and tranquility that come with self-knowledge. His vividly told search ends at Arunachala, with Sri Ramana Maharshi. He has observed:
"We are witnessing in the West the appearance of an at present thin but slowly deepening current of interest in those very thoughts and ideas which the young men of India are today doing their best to reject as inadequate to their needs and which constitute the faith and religious traditions of their forefathers."
"For Indian culture is fruitful in the domain of psychology, philosophy, and religion, so fruitful that there are few doctrines which appeared out of original Western sources that have not already been anticipated and developed...in India. "
The Bhagavad Gita contains the mental quintessence and successful synthesis of the various systems of religion and philosophy, it offers a unique epitome of the high culture of prehistoric India. The following sentences from the Bhagavad Gita unite in making the same declaration of an unseen Reality and Unity which dwells behind nature.
“My self is the bearer of all existence.”
“All this world is pervaded by Me in My unmanifested form.” 
This doctrine is the keystone in the entire arch of the earliest Indian philosophy. 
This idea appealed to several “wise men” of our Western world - philosophers and scientists, living so many centuries later, including Tennyson, Thomas Carlyle, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Alfred Lord Tennyson, (1809-1892) one time Poet Laureate of England sings: 
“The sun, the moon, the stars, the hills and the plains,
Are not these, O Soul, the vision of Him who reigns?
The ear of man cannot hear, and the eye of man cannot see;
But if we could see and hear this vision – were it not He?”

"Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882), whose Transcendentalism earned him the appellation of "the Boston Brahmin."  Reading through his writings and essays we find several passages which insists, as the Hindu texts on the subordinate character of the visible material creation."
The work of physicists like Currie, Rutherford, Fermi, Cockcroft, Chadwick, Anderson and Millikan has brought us to the practical and proven scientific principle that the inner structure of matter is reducible to a single fundamental substance, an essential and immortal energy which is the "life" of the myriad forms that make up the universe. Modern development in the laboratory will vindicate the theory of a single element underlying all the visible and different manifestations of material Nature, we shall have to grant that the assertions of the Hindu philosophers, made thousands of years ago....are but results of the insight practiced by keenly perceptive and concentrated minds."
"The ancient Hindus took their philosophic statements in the nature of a revelation from on high, as issuing forth from their seers as a result of a personal self-experience in the spiritual domain. Our Western scientists have no such experience, and if they are approaching similar conclusions, it is because they are working their way from the profoundest depths of this material world up to its farthest frontier where the ions elude them and vanish into mystery……the wisest men of the ancient East and the modern West…are beginning to arrive at precisely the same conclusions."
This Indian doctrine declares human cognition of the entire manifold universe to be illusionary in character. The vast multitude of tangible objects and tangible creatures which we so plainly witness around us were said to be the product of the constructive imagination of the One Hidden Self. Man and his material environments were but finite dreams passing through the mind of the Infinite Dreamer. Consequently all that we know of the world is nothing more or less than a series of idea held in our consciousness. Thus we arrive at a completely idealistic metaphysics which, because of its very nature, must apparently remain for ever purely speculative and beyond the scope of the finest instruments which can be devised to prove or disprove. Nevertheless the strangeness and unfamiliarity of the doctrine fascinated the Indian mind to an amazing extent. That this early foreshadowing of modern idealistic philosophy was not merely a worthless superstition is evidenced by the fact that some brilliant minds of the West have been equally fascinated and perplexed. "
One of the greatest 19th century scientists was Thomas Henry Huxley (1825-1895), his work, Collected Essays vol. VI, serve to show how much ancient Indian philosophy anticipated modern Western thought.

William Cooke Taylor (1800-1849) author of several books including A popular history of British India, commercial intercourse with China, and the insular possessions of England in the eastern seas. He spoke glowingly of Sanskrit literature:
"It was an astounding discovery that Hindustan possessed, in spite of the changes of realms and chances of time, a language of unrivalled richness and variety; a language, the parent of all those dialects that Europe has fondly called classical - the source alike of Greek flexibility and Roman strength. A philosophy, compared with which, in point of age, the lessons of Pythagoras are but of yesterday, and in point of daring speculation Plato's boldest efforts are tame and commonplace. A poetry more purely intellectual than any of those which we had before any conception; and systems of science whose antiquity baffled all power of astronomical calculation.This literature, with all its colossal proportions, which can scarcely be described without the semblance of bombast and exaggeration claimed of course a place for itself - it stood alone, and it was able to stand alone."
"To acquire the mastery of this language is almost the labor of life; its literature seems exhaustless. The utmost stretch of imagination can scarcely comprehend its boundless mythology. Its philosophy has touched upon every metaphysical difficulty; its legislation is as varied as the castes for which it was designed."

Gertrude Emerson Sen  (   - 1982) historian and journalist and Asia specialist.  Author of several books including The Story of Early Indian Civilization. She married a Bengali - Basiswar Sen and  in her Voiceless India, she learned to love the deep-rooted Indian view of life, Indian ways of thought and Indian ideals. 
She considered Hinduism a priceless heritage of India. The vast archaic literature been handed down, and which faithfully preserves the ideas and ideals of those far-off times. It establishes the wonderful continuity and depth of Indian civilization.
"As the Indian sages pondered on the problem of good and evil, they were confronted with the apparent injustices and cruelties of the world around them, and this state of affairs was finally reconciled with their idea of Brahman by the conception of a universal ethical law applying to all life. This law as proclaimed as the law of karma. In the words of the Upanishads, "As is a man's desire so is his will, and as is his will so is his deed, and whatever deed he does that he will reap."
"India held a strange and irresistible attraction for the whole of Asia in the first millennium. People in the most primitive stage of development as well as the Chinese with a civilization as ancient and illustrious as India's own, acknowledged India as first in the supreme realm of spiritual perception. Yet the civilization of India, transplanted abroad, did not have a deadening effect of suppressing or stifling native genius, as the imposition of a foreign culture often does. On the contrary, it called out the best that others had to give. As a result of India's fertilizing influence, new and distinctive types of culture everywhere arose, and each new colony was able to create and contribute fresh treasure, to be added to the great Asiatic heritage. How Indian religions and Indian culture blossomed anew in foreign environments and endured for many centuries is a fascinating and little appreciated chapter of Indian history."
The Indian colonies which began to grow up all along the periphery of the motherland were essentially cultural and religious, rather than political or racial. Yet they were subject to strong Indian influences. These swept outward like tidal waves. They passed south to Sri Lanka and beyond to the remote islands of the Pacific. They inundated Burma, Malaya, Siam and Indo-China. They overwhelmed Nepal and Tibet. From Afghanistan, they passed along to central Asia and China. They lapped at the far shores of Korea and Japan. Indian religious ideas and literature, Indian conventions of art and architecture, Indian legal codes and social practices...all took root in these outer territories." "For a long time Indians seem to have held the monopoly of maritime commerce in both the southern and eastern seas of Asia. They possessed large ocean-going vessels, in which they first ventured to Sri Lanka, Burma, Malaya and gradually they extended their journeys to Java and Sumatra and then to southern China.'

Swami Rama Tirtha (1873-1906) renounced his career as a Mathematician in order to practice and preach Vedanta.
"Sanatana means Eternal. In its purest form, this religion is Sanatana, because it is based on Truth. Truth is immortal and is never annihilated. It remains the same yesterday, today and forever. Therefore our true Sanatana Dharma, in its purest form, cam never be exterminated. It, however, does not follow that we should relax into inaction, in the belief that our religion is the best or that it can never be destroyed. No, no. This idle thinking is the result of our indolent minds. It is, therefore, absolutely essential for the followers of Sanatana Dharma to keep it safe from the evil and aggressive designs of the non-Hindus, who are generally ever ready to malign us."
Truth is not only Eternal but also unlimited and infinite. It is all-embracing. It is the religion for all, irrespective of their caste, creed or nationality. In fact, it is great and glaring, and never sectarian. It is liberal. Other religions have all been founded by individuals. But this Sanatana Dharma is not based on the teachings of any one single person. Much before Rama, Krishna, Buddha, Christ, Mohammed, Shankarcharya and others, the germs of the fundamental principles of Sanatana Dharma were present. 
Sanatana Dharma is very simple and natural because it is based on the Laws of Nature. The man whose life is molded according to these Laws, irrespective of their being physical, mental and spiritual, is in the real sense, a Sanatani. Santana Dharma is a grand and all-embracing religion. There should be no narrow mindedness in a Sanatani. He should feel His presene in the Chandala, in the thief, the lowest beings, the sinners, the foreigners and in all. He should worship God in all, especially in the hungry, the needy and the downtrodden with selfless service and liberality. This is in real sense, the true worship of and devotion to God."

"The result is the profound Philosophy of Vedanta to which more and more men and women from all parts of the world are flocking today for light, solace and fulfillment. So in India, Philosophy is not a hobby or an escape, but an intense search for Truth after having found from experience that mundane achievements only complicate our lives and takes us farther from our real goal. In fact Rishis of yore did not make a distinction between Science on the one side, and Religion and Philosophy on the other. The Science of the Upa-Vedas and the Vedanagas, and the Philosophies are the Vedas-Vedangas, all culminating in the Vedanata – the end of the Vedas. 
"Sanatana Dharma" the most ancient of all the living religions of today, a non-prophetic religion popularly known as "Hinduism" since the last few centuries, based on all-embracing universal love, the eternal values of life and human endeavor, time-tested knowledge and wisdom, and all-comprehensive in its vision, has a permanent message enshrined in it, for the entire humanity irrespective of time, place and circumstances.

 Andrew Harvey (1952 -  ) has devoted hi life to studying the world's mystical traditions. He is the author of several books including The Direct Path creating a journey to the divine through the world's mystical traditions.
"The Sanatana Dharma is a gallimaufry of the most extravagantly varied faiths, rituals, customs, beliefs; Hinduism has no single dogmatic authority and, until very recently in its history, no "missionary zeal" to convert others, sine it has never seen itself as the one true religion or the only hope of salvation.
"While there is no one 'exclusive' dogmatic Hindu tradition, then, there is a very definitely, a spirit of inquiry and of revelation that is so consistent with the greatest of modern Hindu mystics, Ramana Maharshi...down the Upanishads more than two thousand years before him. It is this consistency that gives the Hindu mystical tradition its timeless purity, weight, and grandeur. "
"What, then, is the core truth of the Hindu tradition? It is the truth of the mystery of a Spirit that pervades, creates, and transcends all things and of each soul's conscious identity with it beyond space and time. In the Upanishads, this all-pervading, all-creating, all-transcending Spirit is named Brahman. For the Upanishads and all the later teachings rooted in them, every human being is naturally one with Brahman in his or her Atman, his or her "soul" or "indwelling core of divine consciousness." The aim of human life and the source of liberation from all the chains of life and death is to know, from inmost experience, the Atman's identity with Brahman and to live the calm, fearless, selflessly loving life that radiates from this knowledge."
"It is its sublime ancient tolerance, that was the true proof of the wisdom and mature dignity of the Hindu tradition. While there is no one "exclusive" dogmatic Hindu tradition, then, there is very definitely, a spirit of inquiry and of revelation that is so consistent that we find one of the greatest of modern Hindu mystics, Raman Maharishi, speaking in ways and with images that echo exactly the terminology of the anonymous seers who wrote down the Upanishads more than two thousand years before him. It is this consistency that gives the Hindu mystical tradition its timeless purity, weight, and grandeur. It is as if one eternal voice is speaking in and through a myriad different voice tirelessly exploring different registers of its own majestic range, as if all the tradition's poems and meditations and philosophical texts are, in Zaehner words, "different-shaped peaks in one vast, grand, interconnected mountain chain, like the Himalayas."
"The Hindu tradition provides exquisite, firm guidance toward this attunement because it has always recognized that different temperaments take different paths into the Sacred Marriage. It has not only recognized the validity of other religions, but has also acknowledged within itself a variety of paths." No other mystical tradition has had so broad and wise and all-embracing a vision of the different aspects and faces of the path. As Robin Zaehner used to say, "If anyone feels excluded from the Hindu embrace it is by his or her own perverse choice."
"Perhaps the supreme gift of Hinduism to the world is that its Tantric traditions have kept the truth of the splendor, majesty and power of the Bride vibrant and alive in all her unbridled fullness. Worshipping Her as Devi, Ambika, Durga, Lakshmi or Kali, the Hindu Tantric mystics have known how to adore Her both as Queen of Transcendence and Earth Mother, and love Her both in Her terrifying, life-devouring aspects and as infinitely benign and tender."

 General Joseph Davey Cunningham (1812-1851) 
"Mathematical science was so perfect and astronomical observations so complete that the paths of the sun and the moon were accurately measured. The philosophy of the learned few was perhaps for the first time, firmly allied with the theology of the believing many, and Brahmanism laid down as articles of faith the unity of God, the creation of the world, the immortality of the soul, and the responsibility of man. The remote dwellers upon the Ganga distinctly made known that future life about which Moses is silent or obscure, and that unity and Omnipotence of the Creator which were unknown to the polytheism of the Greek and Roman multitude, and to the dualism of Mithraic legislators, while Vyasaperhaps surpassed Plato in keeping the people tremblingly alive to the punishment which awaited evil deeds."

 Dhan Gopal Mukerji (1890 -1936) was the first South Asian immigrant to the United States to carve out a successful literary career, publishing more than twenty books Caste and Outcast was the first book on India written by an Indian that was widely read in America. As an interpreter of Indian thought and spirituality, Mukerji's influence on American literary circles was considerable. Among his long-time literary associates were the eminent critic Van Wyck Brooks and the historians Will and Ariel Durant. Mukerji's opus was an integral part of a far-flung intellectual effort in the early twentieth century that seriously studied Indian civilization and drew upon it for inspiration and direction. Those involved included such figures as T. S. Eliot, Theodore Dreiser, Eugene O'Neill, Lewis Mumford, Luther Burbank and A. J. Liebling.
The book won high critical acclaim: Saturday Evening Post reviewed it as "the most important and inspiring book that has appeared in America since the war." Its theme is the contrast between Hinduism's pervasive spirituality and tolerance and the Western world's materialism and religious dogmas. Mukerji proposes that the West should learn "repose and meditation" from India, and India should learn the value of "activity and science" from the West. In Caste and Outcast, Mukerji depicts India as a tolerant Hindu civilization. 

He illustrates Hinduism's tolerance with numerous narratives. An example: As a child, Mukerji brings home a picture of Christ given to him by his Christian teacher in the missionary school with the admonition to get rid of false Hindu gods and instead worship the only true god, Christ. Mukerji's mother places the picture of Christ next to Vishnu's and says, "God is one. We have given him many names. Why should we quarrel about names?" She burns incense and meditates before the images of Christ and Vishnu."

He talks about the role of Art in Hinduism. "According to the Shilpa Sastras, in which the symbolic art of India has been thoroughly explained, certain rules have been laid down for the guidance of artists. One of these is that the novice should not be taught the technique for the asking. He must meditate, and find within himself a vision that clamors for expression, and only then may his masters instruct him in technique. 
In India, all our art is ritualistic, especially the art of the temples and the caves. When I went to the cave temples, to Elephanta or Ellora, I found mountains hollowed out, and temples built underneath them. The columns supporting the roof resembled elephant legs, and the ceilings and the walls were gorgeously decorated with the sculptured forms of human beings and of gods. About 200 B.C, or earlier, a groups of monks went to meditate under the rocks of Ajanta. In meditation they experienced ecstasy, and having experienced it, they carved it on the wall. The story of all the gods of India is carved on these walls, and the youngest of them all is Buddha. Seven hundred years of Indian history is written out in these caves covering vastness with terrific forms. 
I shall never forget my first visit to Ellora, reached after two days tramp from the nearest town. When the sages of southern India wanted to create an image of the universe, they went to Ellora. They worked for one hundred and fifty years and used up generations of artists. They carved a mountain into galleries, and as these rose higher and higher, they gradually attained the summit, and the whole mountain was covered as the Himalayas are covered with strange life."  
The "Outcast" in the title refers primarily to Mukerji's experience in America as a newly arrived, penniless Indian student at the University of California, Berkeley, where he suffered from racial discrimination - theIndian students were routinely refused service in the campus restaurants.

Sardar Kavalam Madhava Panikkar (1896-1963) Indian scholar, journalist, historian from Kerala, administrator, diplomat, Minister in Patiala Bikaner and Ambassador to China, Egypt and France. Cambridge historian Arthur Hassall (1853 - 1930) wrote that in his “long career as tutor of history at Christ Church ” he had “never had a more brilliant student”.
Author of several books, including Asia and Western Dominance, India Through the ages and India and the Indian Ocean.  
He has succinctly summed up the basic tenets of Hinduism, which show that the Divine for the Hindu is a family phenomenon and not a distant Truth.
He says:
"The Hindu believe in one God, conceived as the universal soul or Paramatma, the absolute and eternal, beyond the categories of thought and expression, and embracing the entire universe. The text - there is only One, the learned speak of it in many ways. Though the Paramatma is impersonal or without qualities in itself in relation to the world expressed in terms of the relative, it is personal and man's mind conceives it as having qualities and form. This leads to the doctrine of Ishta Devata, or God, as conceived according to one's preference, as father, mother, guru, lover or even friend. The One Supreme thus assumes for the devotee the qualities and form in which he likes to worship. Many who worship the Supreme as Krishna think of him as a playful child, others as the great guru. In the same way, God is conceived by others as the Divine Mother. It is this doctrine of Ishta Devata, the freedom given to every one to worship God with the attributes of his own choice, never however forgetting that the Supreme has no qualities, that has led to the misconception that Hinduism is polytheistic. In a sense, it is true that there can be as many forms of Godhead in Hinduism as there are believers, for each one can conceive God only as the limitations of his own mind permit him."
Joseph Needham (1900-1995) is famous mainly for the formidable magnitude and scholarship of his work on science in China. He  impressed by the achievements of India in the field of knowledge and learning. 
He comments on the Indian fascination with perpetual motion, 'to seek the ultimate origin or predisposition of the Indian conviction in the profoundly Hindu world view of endless cyclical change, kalpa and mahakalpas succeeding one another in self-sufficient and unwearying round. For Hindus as well as Taoists, the universe itself was a perpetual motion machine."
In his lecture to the students of Cambridge University in 1963 he gave full compliments to India's intellectual heritage. He said, 'it is good to remember, therefore, that our own pious founders were not the only men, and that Christendom was not the only culture, to set on foot great and noble institutions of learning where successive generations of students assembled to get the benefits of education and research. When the men of Alexander the Great came to Taxila in India in the fourth century BC they found a university the like of which had not then been seen in Greece… and was still existing when the Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hsien went there about AD 400.

....Indian culture in all probability excelled in systematic thought about Nature (as for example in the Samkhya atomic theories of Kshana, bhutadim paramanu,etc.), including also biological speculations...When the balance comes to be made up, it will be found I believe, that Indian scientific history holds as many brilliant surprises....."

Stephen Knapp (Sri Nandanandana Dasa) ( ? ) American born author of several books including The Secret Teachings of the Vedas : The Eastern Answers to the Mysteries of Life and Proof of Vedic Culture's Global Existence
He has observed the following about the total freedom in Hinduism:
"One of the unique things about Vedic philosophy is that within the many texts it contains, it deals with all varieties of viewpoints, from impersonalistic atheism, outright materialism, to loving devotion to God. And you have room to discover and realize the knowledge at your own rate, whether it be many months, many years, or even lifetimes. In other words, you may at first be an impersonalist persuasion and believe that the Supreme is only a great unembodied force. Or you might believe that God is a person. Or you may worship Durga, Ganesh, Shiva, Vishnu or Krishna, and still be considered on the Vedic path, though on different parts of the path. But this is the sort of freedom and opportunity you have in the Vedic philosophy for your growth and development. However, we find that in other religions, such as Christianity and Islam, if you question or doubt the local scriptures or authorities, or argue different points of view, or look for answers from another religion, your faith will be questioned, you may be called a heretic, and you may even be excommunicated from the Church, which is supposed to equate with eternal damnation. This is obviously a very closed minded discipline to work in compared to the freedom of Vedic system. After all, what kind of God would make a system in which you have only one life to live and only one chance to discover how to attain Him, and then follow all the scriptural demands and requirements or face eternal damnation? 



"In fact, history shows that the three traditions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have, in their monotheistic theology developed patterns and traits of prejudice, intolerance, violence and war against all other religions and cultures. In fact, the history of these three religions show that they have spread primarily because of political intolerance for other religions, militant zeal, and through fear of persecution, rather than by spiritual purity. Hinduism, on the other hand, has not spread on the basis of fear, whether that fear be of political persecution or fear of a wrathful God. "
"The Vedic philosophy contains the oldest spiritual texts of any religion in the world, and its more advanced concepts can be difficult for event the greatest scholars of the West to fathom." 

Hinduism- Huston Smith

What do People Want?

Throughout life we want different things at different stages. According to Hinduism, there are 4 main things people want.
The first two are titled the Path of Desire.
The first is pleasure. When we begin our life, we take care of ourselves and avoid harm. We seek pleasure and immediate happiness. Hinduism says to go after this and seek what we want. We should follow our desires as long as they don't harm ourselves or others. After we have filled our lives with pleasure, we will find it is too trivial and essentially a private goal. We will want more in our lives.
The second thing we want is worldly success. This is defined as wealth, fame and power. Worldly success is more satisfying to us than immediate pleasure because it is social. The satisfaction from this is much longer than immediate pleasure as well. We need success to support a family and perform our civic duties. Worldly success also supports dignity and self-respect.
Both these wants are acceptable in Hinduism because they are necessary to our deeper understanding of the world. However, they have limitations. Success has the following 4:
1. It does not multiply when shared. Wealth, fame and power must be split, and lessened when shared. However, spirituality multiplies when shared.
2. The drive for success is insatiable. When we have a desire for success or a certain want, we become obsessed with it. Finally, instead of being satisfied when we achieve what we were working for, we become more obsessed with having more.
3. It centers meaning in the self. One person is not big enough for an extensive amount of happiness.
4. Achievements are ephemeral. Our worldly happiness ends when we die. It is not everlasting like spirituality with the soul.

The next two wants are titled the Path of Renunciation.

Renunciation. Renunciation stems from disillusionment and despair. The first meaning of renunciation is that something is not worthwhile to exert one's energy upon, and sacrifice is made. Finally we will begin our search for meaning and value in our lives. This leads to the second meaning of renunciation, which is that of duty.
Duty. In life, we discover that pleasure for just ourselves is not enough. We have a duty to fulfill in society, and to help others. As Huston Smith puts it, we transfer,"the will-to-get into the will-to-give...(19)" We receive longer lasting pleasure from sharing our happiness with others, and extending our pleasure to a larger audience. It brings respect and gratitude from our peers.


What do People Really Want?

The previous wants stated are the desires of all people, however, they will eventually grow tired of these pleasures because they are finite, and last only during this lifetime. We want something on a deeper level. So the question arises, what do we really want?
According to Hinduism, the first thing we really want is being. We want to live so we can experience all life has to offer. We do not want to give up our future and future possibilities.
The second thing we really want is to know. Humans are curious creatures by nature. We always want to know more, and answer all our questions.
The third thing we really want is joy. This is the opposite of despair and sadness, and we seek that which makes us happy.
Overall, what humans really want is liberation from the finite. In Hinduism, the belief is that we want all three of these things infinitely, and we can have them and do have them. This is possible because humans are made of three things: a body, a personality and an Atman-Brahman (infinite soul).

Everything humans want, we can have infinitely through our Atman



Friday, July 19, 2019

Aranyaka

ARANYAKAS

Aranyakas are generally the concluding portions of the several Brahmanas, but on account of their distinct character, contents and language deserve to be reckoned as a distinct category of literature. They are partly included in the Brahmanas themselves, but partly they are recognized as independent works. Aranyaka literature is rather small as compared to the Brahmanas. Whereas the Brahmanas deal with the huge bulk of sacrificial paraphernalia which represents Karma-Kanda, the Aranyakas and Upanishads, on the other hand, chiefly deal with the philosophical and theosophical speculations which represent Jnana-Kanda.

1. Meaning of the Term ‘Aranyaka’

The term Aranyaka is derived from the word ‘Aranya‘ meaning ‘forest’. The Aranyaka texts are so-called because ‘they were works to be read in the forest’ in contradistinction to the regular Brahmanas, which were to be read in the village. Sayana in the Taittiriya Aranyaka explains-
Aranyadhyayanad-etad –aranyakam-itiryate.
Yajna and other rituals are prescribed only for those who live in homes and lead the life of house-holders. But it has to be understood that Vedic rituals are intended to confer not only material benefits but also mental purity by constant discipline. Having obtained purity, one must seek the solitude of forests for further concentration and meditation. The Brahmanas advocating the actual observances of the sacrifices are meant for Grihastha and the Aranyakas containing explanations of the rituals and allegorical speculations thereon are meant for Vanprasthas, who renounce family life residing in the forests for tapas and other religious activities. Winternitz calls them as ‘’forest texts’’ to be studied by forest-hermits.
Or the reason might be that these texts were propounded by the Rishis who resided in the forests and thought upon the secrets of the Yajnas. Aranyakas describe the actions of life and also acquisition of knowledge. These works form the basis of the Rahasya or secrets discussed in the Upanishads, therefore, another name of the Aranyakas was ‘Rahasya‘ as well. This name is mentioned in the Gopatha Brahmana and Manusmriti.

2. Contents of the Aranyakas

The major contents of the Aranyakas are theosophy (Brahmavidya), meditation (Upasana) and knowledge of breath (Pranavidya). They describe the secret meaning of the sacrifice and the concept of Brahma as well. The creation of the universe, the power of the Almighty, Om, the soul and the cycle of birth and death are explained in Brihadaranyaka in a simple manner. No nation, no country, no culture in this age of science has been able to produce such great truths related to the knowledge of the Self and the Almighty as are mentioned in this Aranyaka. In this reference dialogue between Maitreyi and Yajnavalkya is often quoted. Aranyakas are generally regarded as a link between the Brahmanas and the Upanishads. The oldest Upanishads are in part included in these texts Taittiriya Aranyaka is only a continuation of the Taittiriya Brahmana. Brihadaranyaka found in the Shatapatha Brahmana, is the greatest of all Upanishads; it is regarded the Brihadaranyaka-Upanishad also.
Aranyakas play the role of the middle path and help to bridge the gulf between the Karma- kanda and Jnana-kanda. In the Aranyakas we find certain important geographical, historical, social and cultural points also. All this makes their study more significant.

3. Classification of the Aranyakas

Today only seven Aranyakas are available. There is no Aranyaka which belongs to the Atharvaveda.
(A) Aranyakas of the Rigveda:
  1. Aitareya Aranyaka
  2. Kaushitaki/ Shankhayana Aranyaka
(B) Aranyakas of the Samaveda:
  1. Talavakara or Jaiminiya-Upanshad Aranyaka
  2. Chandogya- Aranyaka
(C) Aranyaka of Shukla Yajurveda:
  1. Brihadaranyaka
(D) Aranyakas of Krishna Yajurveda:
  1. Taittiriya Aranyaka
  2. Maitrayaniya Aranyaka
Among them Aitareya Aranyaka, Shatapatha Aranyaka and Taittiriya Aranyaka are most important for study. 

vedangas

The Vedangas are the last treatises of the Vedic Literature. Paniniya Shiksha (41-42) narrates two verses on the importance of the Vedangas which describe Veda as a Purusha having six limbs as six Vedangas: Chandas are His two feet, Kalpa are His two arms, Jyotisha are His eyes, Nirukta is His ears, Shiksha is His nose and Vyakarana is His mouth.The oldest record of their names occurs in the Mundaka Upanishad (1.1.5) where they are named as:
  1. Shiksha or phonetics or pronunciation
  2. Kalpa or ritual
  3. Vyakarana or grammar
  4. Nirukta or etymology
  5. Chandas or meter
  6. Jyotisha or astronomy
Now we shall briefly study about them in the order, given in the Mundaka Upanishad.

1. Shiksha

Shiksha really means instruction: then in particular ‘instruction in reciting’ i.e., in correct pronunciation, accentuation etc. of the Samhita texts. Later, it was a name given to works containing rules regarding the proper pronunciation of Vedic texts. Thus, the Shiksha-Sutras are treatises on phonetics. They are related to the Samhita and, therefore, are almost as old as the Kalpa-Sutras.
Shiksha lays down the rules of phonetics – sounds of syllables, of pronunciation. The function of the Shiksha is thus to fix the parameters of Vedic words. Phonetics is most important in the case of the Vedic language, because we see that change in sound leads to change in results and effect. Hence, Shiksha which is Vedic Phonetics has been regarded as the most important of the six Angas (organs) of the Veda Purusha.Some important Pratishakhyas are:
(1) Rigveda-Pratishakhya of Rigved
(2)Taittiriya-Pratishakhya of Krishna Yajurveda
(3) Vajasaneyi Pratishakhya of Shukla Yajurveda
(4) Atharvaveda-Pratishakhya of Atharvaveda

2. Kalpa

The second Vedanga is Kalpa (ritual) which is called the arms of the Veda Purusha. It is especially intended for the proper application of the Vedic texts. The oldest Kalpasutras are those which in their contents are directly connected with the Brahmanas and Aranyakas. It was the ritual (Kalpa), the chief contents of the Brahmanas, which first received systematic treatment in the manuals called the Kalpasutras. They contain the rules in the Sutra style, referring to sacrifices, with the omission of all things which are not immediately connected with the ceremonial. They are more practical than the Brahmanas which for the most part are taken up with mystical, historical, mythological, etymological and theological discussions. They are also considered significant for the study of Vedic culture and society.
There are four types of the Kalpasutras:
(1) Shrauta-sutras,dealing with Shrauta sacrifices
(2) Grihya-sutras, dealing with the domestic ceremonies
(3) Dharma-sutras, dealing with the religious and social laws
(4) Shulba-sutras, dealing with the rules of measurement of the fire-altars etc.

3. Vyakarana

The third Vedanga is Vyakarana or grammar, which is necessary for the understanding of the Veda. It is called the mouth of the Veda Purusha. The old Vedanga-texts on Vyakarana are entirely lost today. In the Aranyakas, we find some technical terms of grammar. The only representative of this Vedanga is the Ashtadhyayi of Panini, which belongs to a later period. It is indeed the most celebrated text-book of grammar. It is not associated with any Vedic school. Due to its great merits, this may be assumed that Panini superseded all his predecessors, whose works have consequently perished.
Formation of the word is the main subject of grammar. It discusses root (Prakriti) and suffix (Pratyaya) of a word to study its meaning. Panini’s Vyakarana is in the form of sutras or aphorisms. The fourteen Sutras are referred to here, as Maheswara Sutras. They were originated from Nataraja’s damuru sound. They are considered the foundation of grammar. Vararuci has written an elaborate commentary or Vartika. Sage Patanjali wrote commentary or Bhashya on it.

4. Nirukta

Nirukta Vedanga is called the ears of the Veda Purusha. ‘Nirukta’ means ‘etymology’ and it explains the reason why a particular word has been used i.e., the meaning of usage. The only work which has survived as a specimen of this Vedanga ‘etymology’ is the Nirukta of Yaska. It is a commentary on Nighantu which is ‘list of words’ found in the Vedas. Tradition ascribes the Nighantu also to Yaska. The Nighantus are five lists of words, which are again divided into three sections. The first section consists of three lists, in which Vedic words are collected under certain main ideas. The second section contains a list of ambiguous and particularly difficult words of the Veda, while the third section gives a classification of the deities according to the three regions, earth, sky and heaven. Yaska explained these lists in the twelve books followed. The most interesting portion of the Nirukta is the discussion which covers the whole of the first book and a part of the second, as well as the seventh book, which was as an admirable introduction to the study of the Veda.
Yaska has mentioned a considerable number of important grammarians as his predecessors in the Nirukta such as Galava, Shakapuni, Katthakya.
Niruka is very important for several reasons. Firstly, it represents the type of the earliest classical style and in this respect stands by itself. Secondly, it is the oldest known attempt in the field of Vedic etymology. As regards the importance of the etymology Yaska himself says that without it the precise meanings of the Vedic stanzas cannot be understood

5. Chandas

Chandas Vedanga is regarded as the feet of the Veda Purusha. The body of the Vedas rests on the Chandas which are in the nature of feet. Each Mantra of the Veda has a special Chandas, just as it has a presiding Devata.
According to Nirukta the term Chandas is derived from the root Chad (to cover). Meter is called Chandas because it covers the sense of the Mantra. The Chandas is designed for the purpose of securing the proper reading and reciting of Vedic texts. The literature comprising this Vedanga on metrics is equally small.
The texts, dealing with Vedic meters, are as follows:
1. Rikpratishakhya 2. Shankhayana Shrauta-sutra 3. Nidana-sutra of Samaveda
4. Chandas-sutras of Pingala
Each of them contains a section varying slightly from each other on Vedic meters.

6. Jyotisha

The last Vedanga Jyotisha is called eye – the organ of sight, of the Veda Purusha. The object of Jyotisha Vedanga is not to teach astronomy, but to convey such knowledge of the heavenly bodies as is necessary for fixing the days and hours of the Vedic sacrifices. It gives some rules for calculating and fixing time for sacrifices. In the Brahmanas and Aranyakas, we find frequent allusions to astronomical subjects, and even in the hymns we find traces which indicate a certain advance in the observation of the moon.
It is unfortunate that there is no work available at present dealing with ancient Vedic astronomy (Jyotisha) in the Sutra style. Only we have a small text-book called Jyotisha of Vedic astronomy in verses in two recessions. Generally, Maharshi Lagadha is regarded author of this Vedanga Jyotisha. This is a very difficult text and, therefore, is not clear on several points to scholars even today. Later, we find many Sanskrit treatises on astronomy and mathematical calculations. Bhaskaracharya, Varahamihira and Aryabhatta are known ancient scholars conversant with these scientific subjects. The principles established by them are in use in the modern world.

samhita

RIGVEDA SAMHITA

A. Nature and Importance:

The Rigveda is the oldest compilation of human wisdom. This Samhita (Collection) is unique in its nature. In fact, it is not a book, but a compilation composed of several books which can be individually distinguished from each other. The present from of this Samhita clearly indicates that the collection is not a single work, but consists of older and later elements. Various indications of language, style and ideas prove this point. Different hymns of this Samhita were composed long before they were systematically arranged. Being a compilation of different stages, there is something which stamps the Rigveda with an individuality of its own. It is much more natural in character and form than other Samhitas.
The Rigveda represents the earliest sacred book of India. It is oldest and biggest amongst all the four Vedas. All the features of Classical Sanskrit poetry can be traced to the Rigveda. In it we find the seeds of India’s religious and philosophical development. Thus, both for its poetry and its religious and philosophical importance, the Rigveda should be studied by one who wants to understand Indian literature and spiritual culture. The value of the Rigveda today is not confined to India, for its well-preserved language and mythology have helped a better understanding of languages, literatures and cultures of a whole world.

B. Form and Division:

The whole of the Rigveda-Samhita is in form of verses, known as Rik, from the root rc “to praise”.  ‘Rik‘ is the name given to those Mantras which are meant for the praise of the deities. Thus the collection (Samhita) of Riks is known as Rigveda-Samhita. Only one recession or school (Shakha) of the Rigveda is commonly available today and it is the Shaakala. The Rigveda Samhita contains about 10552Mantras, classified into ten books called Mandalas. Each Mandala is divided into several sections called Anuvakas. Each Anuvaka consists of a number of hymns called Suktas and each Sukta is made up of a number of verses called riks. This division of the Rigveda is most popular and systematic, is also the Astaka system, dividing the contents of the Rigveda, but today that is uncommon among the students of the Veda.
Sukta is a group of Mantras. The number of Mantras in a Sukta is not fixed. Some Suktashave a small number of Mantras while others have a large number of Mantras. It is important to note that every Rc has a seer i.e. Rishi, a deity i.e. Devata and a metre i.e. Chandas . Often this is common to an entire Sukta. The Samhita of the Rigveda comprises 10 Mandalas, 85 Anuvakas, 1028 Suktas and 10552 Mantras. Usually Anuvaka is not mentioned for the reference of a Mantra of the Rigveda. For example RV 3.16.7 simply means the seventh Mantra of the  sixteenth Sukta of the third Mandala of the Rigveda.
Through this chart we can know the division of Mandalas, number of Suktas in each Mandalaand name of Rishis of some Mandalas.

C. Some Important Hymns:

Among 1028 Suktas of the Rigveda Samhita some suktas are very popular and frequently referred by the readers of Vedas. Some of them are:
1. Purusha Sukta
2. Hiranya-garbha Sukta
3. Dhana-anna-dana Sukta
4. Aksha Sukta
5. Nasadiya Sukta
6. Duhsvapna-nashna Sukta
7. Yama-yami-samvada Sukta
Besides this, there are Suktas offered to different deities, such as, Indra, Marut, Varuna, Ushas, Surya, Bhumi, Soma, Agni etc.
Thus we can briefly say about the contents of Rigveda that it has various subjects, which are narrated by Vedic seers poetically, philosophically or religiously.

YAJURVEDA – SAMHITA

A. Nature and Importance:

In its character Yajurveda is quite different from the Rigveda & Samaveda Samhitas. It is principally in prose form. The word ‘Yajush‘ in the Yajurveda is explained variously. But one of its definitions says –
Gadyatmako yajuh‘.
A ‘Yajuh’ is that which is in prose form’. Another definition – ‘Yajur Yajateh’ talks about its relation with the sacrifice (Yajna) because both the terms are derived from the root. ‘Yaj ‘.
The Yajurveda is more pronouncedly a ritual Veda for it is essentially a guide-book for the Adhvaryu priest who had to do practically all ritualistic works in a sacrifice. His works vary from the selection of a plot of land for the sacrificial altar down to offering oblations to the sacred fires. Just as the Samaveda-Samhita is the song-book of the Udgata priest, so the Yajurveda-Samhitas are the prayer-books for the Adhvaryu priest. It is solely meant for the purposes of sacrificial rituals.
The Yajurveda is also important for its presentation of philosophical doctrines. It preaches the concept of Prana and Manas also. Many times, it is quoted for depicting religious and social life of the Vedic people. It is also known for giving certain geographical data.

B. Division and Samhitas:

The Yajurveda is two-fold-
1. The Shukla Yajurveda
2. The Krishna  Yajurveda
The Krishna Yajurveda is characterised by mixture of mantra and brahmana whereas the Shukla Yajurveda maintains the clear separation of the two.
The Shukla Yajurveda is related with the Aditya-school and the Krishna Yajurveda is related with the Brahma-school. In the beginning of his commentary on the Shukla-Yajurveda Samhita, a story is given by Mahidhara, about the two-fold division of the Yajurveda. Rishi Vaishampayana taught the Yajurveda to Rishi Yajnavalkya and other pupils. Once Vaishampayana got angry with Yajyavalkya and asked him to give up what he had learnt. Then Yajyavalkya prayed to the Sun, who came to him in the form of a horse i.e. Vaji) and preached him the Veda. Hence this Yajurveda was named Vajasaneyi.
Sukla Yajurveda has two Samhita available today:
1. Madhyandina Samhita
2. Kanva Samhtia
Krishna Yajurveda has four Sanhitas available today:
1.Taittiriya Samhita
2. Kathaka Samhita
3. Kapishthala Samhita
4. Maitrayani Samhita

C. Contents :

We find detailed description of sacrifices in the Samhita of Yajurveda. The Vajasaneyi-Samhita gives a vivid description of many important sacrifices such as – Darsha-purnamasa, Agnihotra, Somayaga, Chaturmasya, Agnihotra, Vajapeya, Ashvamedha, Sarva-medha, Brahma-yajya, Pitrimedha, Sautramani, and so on. For a general idea the contents can be divided into three sections. The first section comprises the Darshapurnamasa, the second section deals with the Somayaga and the third section comprises the Agnicayanas. The last section of the Vajasaneyi-Samhita contains the popular Ishavasya-Upanishad. It is important to know that the first eighteen Adhyayas of the Vajasaneyi- Samhita are completely given, word for word, and explained in the Shatapatha Brahmana of the white Yajurveda. On the basis of this point few scholars think that the last sections of this Samhita are of a later date.

SAMAVEDA – SAMHITA

A. Nature and Importance:

The Samaveda is shortest of all the four Vedas. It is closely connected with the Rigveda. It is important to note that the Samhita of the Samaveda is an independent collection (Samhita), yet it has taken many verses, a large number indeed, from the Samhita of Rigveda. These verses are chiefly derived from the eighth and the ninth Mandalas of the Rigveda. The Samaveda is compiled exclusively for ritual application, for its verses are all meant to be chanted at the ceremonies of the Soma-sacrifice and procedures derived from it. The Samaveda is, therefore, specially intended for the Udagatr priest. Its stanzas assume their proper character of musical samans or chants only in the various song-books called Ganas. According to the Jaiminiya Sutra – ‘Melody is called Saman.’
Traditional the Vedas are spoken as‘Trayi‘, because thay are composed of three kinds in mantras- Rcs or verses, Yajus or prose, Saman or chants.
Among the four Vedas, the Samaveda is regarded as the foremost. In the Bhagavadgata, where Lord Krishna has declared “Among the Vedas I am Samaveda”-Vedanama Samavedosmi (Gita, 10.22). Here Indra, Agni and Soma deities are mainly invoked and praised but most of the time these prayers seem to be the invocations for the Supreme Being. In the spiritual sense Soma represents All-pervading, Glorious Lord and Brahman, who is attainable only through devotion and musical chanting. Thus major theme of the Samaveda can be regarded as worship and devotion (Upasana).

B. Form and Division:

The term Saman means a ‘chant’ or ‘melody’ and it signifies the entire Samaveda-Samhita, because it is metrical composition set to music. According to the Jaiminiya Sutra – ‘Melody is called Saman.’
Gitishu saamakhya.
The Samaveda is the Veda of songs and chanting based on Riks. Element of melody is an essential feature of the Samaveda. Yaska has given the etymology of the word ‘Saman‘ as SamMa, meaning’measuring harmoniously with a Rik‘.According to the ancient tradition, told by Patanjali, the Samaveda had 1000 recessions (Shakhas). But at present there are only three recessions. These are – (1) Kauthuma, (2) Jaiminiya, (3) Ranayaniya. But today, Kauthuma Shakha is known more prominently. The Samaveda- Samhita of Kauthumas, consists of two parts – the Purvarcika, and the Uttararcika. First part contains four parts:1. Agneya – 114 verses for Agni2. Aindra – 352 verses for Indra3. Pavamana – 119 verses for Soma Pavamana4. Aranya – 55 verses for Indra, Agni, Soma etc. (And Mahanamni Mantras -10)This part consists of 650 verses.The Uttararcika, the second part of the Samaveda-Samhita, consists total number of 1225 verses. So the total number of verses in the Samaveda-Samhit is 1875. Amongst these 1771 Verses are from the Rigveda Only 99 verses of this Samhita are not found in the Rigveda- Samhita and thus are generally regarded to be of Samveda itself.

ATHARVAVEDA – SAMHITA

A. Nature and Importance:

The Veda of the Atharvanis the Atharvaveda. Atharvan denotes directions and mantras especially in connection to ward off evil and hardship and also contains philosophical thoughts. ‘Atharvan‘ originally means ‘priest’ and the Mantras in the Atharvaveda-Samhita were brought to light by Rishi Atharva.
According to the etymology of the Nirukta, Atharvan is the name given to a stable-minded person who is immovably firm i.e., Yogi. The oldest name, however, by which this Veda is known in Indian literature is ‘Atharvangirasa-Veda’, that is the ‘Veda of the Atharvans and the Angiras’. Angiras too were a group of schools and priests.
According to Patanjali, Atharvaveda had nine Shakhas, but the Samhita of the Atharvaveda is today available only in two rescensions – the Shaunaka and the Paippalada. It is the Shaunaka-Samhita that is frequently meant when the Atharvaveda is mentioned in ancient and modern literature. It is a collection of 730 hymns containing 5987 Mantras, divided into 20 books (Kandas). Some 1200 verses are derived from the Rigveda. About one sixth of the text of the Atharvaveda including two entire books (15 and 16) is written in prose, similar in style and language to the Brahmanas, the rest of the text is in poetic verses.
Some traditions prescribe that this Veda should be known as Brahma Ritvik who used to supervise the process of Yaga or sacrifice. In sacrificial ceremonies he was supposed to know all the three Vedas, but usually he used to represent the Atharvaveda. Due to his association, the Atharvaveda is also named ‘Brahmaveda‘, the Veda of Brahma priest.
The Atharvaveda is the oldest literary monument of Indian medicine. It is believed to be the origin of Ayurveda, the Indian science of medicine. There are a series of Mantras related to cure various physical and mental diseases. Another class of hymns includes prayers for protection from the bite of snakes or injurious insects. We find mention and application of medicines and medicinal herbs. This feature distinguishes the Atharvaveda from the rest of the Vedas.
Philosophical portions of this Samhita present a fairly high development of metaphysical thought. The chief ideas of the Upanishads, the conception of a highest god as creator and preserver of the world (Prajapati), and even the ideas of an impersonal creative principle, besides a number of philosophical terms such as Brahman, Tapas, Asat, Prana, Manas must have been the common property of large circles – at the time when these hymns originated. Therefore, the study of the philosophical ideas, revealed in the Atharvaveda, is important to understand the development of Indian Philosophical thought.
Atharvaveda is the only Veda which is related to both worldly happiness and spiritual knowledge. Vedic commentator Sayana has praised this for fulfilling both ends – this world and the other world. Thus, it appears to be an interesting text for a general reader of the Vedic literature.

B. Contents:

The Atharvaveda is looked upon as the Veda of varied knowledge. It contains numerous Mantras, which according to their subject-matter, can be broadly divided into three categories: 1. Related to the cure of diseases and destruction of adverse forces. 2. Related to establish peace, protection, health, wealth, friendship and long life. 3. Related to the nature of Supreme Reality, time, death and immortality.
Bloomfield has divided the subject of Atharvaveda into many categories, such as Bhashijya, Paushtika, Prayashctta, Rajakarma, Strikarma,Darshana, Kuntapa etc. Here some Important and famous Suktas of Atharvaveda are listed to have a general view its subject:
1. Bhumi-Sukta (12.1)
2. Brahmacarya-Sukta (11.5)
3. Kala-Suktas (11.53, 54)
4. Vivaha-Sukta (14th Kanda)
5. Madhuvidya-Sukta (9.1)
6. Samanasya-Sukta (3.30)
7. Rohita-Sukta (13.1-9)
8. Skambha-Sukla (10.7)
So, the Atharvaveda is an encyclopedia of many subjects. It reflects the life of the Vedic people. Their thoughts related to philosophical, social, educational, political, agricultural, scientific and medical matters are found in this Samhita.
Finally, we can say that the Samhita literature of Veda is considered important for its nature, form and contents. This is the main part of Vedic literature consisting five famous Samhitas.