Essence of the Vedas


CHENNAI NOV.15 . God has manifested countless times in
order to establish the Law of Virtue by precept and
practice. It is obvious that He need not rule us with
an iron sceptre. The injunction against sinning (since
it can only bring misery to the perpetrator) should be
enough. Holy edicts also emphasise the need to carry
out one's duty as a means to good conduct. Men of high
intellect, already in tune with the Supreme Being,
embrace a singular way of life wherein their thoughts,
words and deeds are focussed entirely on being
virtuous, qualifying them to act as apostles. The
average man, steeped in worldly affairs, can grasp
higher things far better when the concepts are
explained with the help of parables. Here the Lord's
appearances lend them to edification.

In a discourse, Sri P.M. Vijayaraghava Sastrigal said
that often misguided people demotivate, hinder or
irritate in numerous ways those involved in God's
work. Neither injury nor physical ailment can deter an
avowed man of religion. One example was Narayana
Bhattathri, who despite being plagued by chronic
ailment composed the Narayaneeyam. When a destructive
personality commands a powerful position, God Himself
will appear to vanquish him so that he may stop being
a source of nuisance to others and also that he may
get cleansed by reaching Him. As always, the mission
is to establish virtue. Ironically when the Lord
incarnated, those deviating from virtue failed to see
and know Him, as it happened in the case of Sisupala
and Duryodhana. On the other hand, Bheeshma, by virtue
of his stellar qualities, was able to attract the
Supreme Being's presence even when he was in his
deathbed.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says: "I too have
many (re)births and you Arjuna do not know what
tomorrow brings. So pay heed to what I say." In all
His visitations He has directly discoursed only on two
occasions, once to Arjuna and another to Vidhura.
Falling back on scriptures, His principal devotees
have been able to carry His message to people spread
far and wide. Scriptural texts are one of the tools
used since they highlight the desirable conduct and
means to attaining salvation. The Bhagavatam is one
such work where Krishna's sports are extolled and the
exemplary lives of Prahlada, Gajendra and other
devotees are narrated. In effect this work is the
essence of the Vedas, which are the basic trees
sustaining the world. Since the Bhagavatam is the
handiwork of a sage it is even more precious to a
devotee.

Copy Right: The HIndu-daily





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The essence of vedanta/vedas etc. is only understood by this one line put forth by Sriman Gauranga Mahaprabhu:
"Shastra veda kahe sambandha abhidheya prayojana: Krisna,Krsna Bhakti,Prem..ye teen mahadhon."

In the vedas,only three things are to be understood.
the relationship of the living entity with Sri krsna/bhramn.
The process of attaining Bhramn/sri krsna: bhakti.
And the super excellent fruit of sadhana bhakti : Prema Bhakti.

Besides these three,everything else is not useful for the supreme well being of a jeevatma.

Do not deviate your thoughts to the Advaitins. They will never accept your point of view. Advaita is more a scientific concept. Your concepts are only based on story books. Not even Vedanta. You call those storybooks as pramana. You forget about your own conscience when you search for pramana outside you. Know yourself first. Your quotations like ' He said this, he said that, so this is that and that is this is not convincing'. You can convince others only when you stop quoting, start thinking, writing whatever you feel. One day you would have found it. What is it? The truth.

Oh yes, Einstein actually was a advaitan.Einstein actually devised Theory of relativity from advaitan concepts

Just because Einstein didn't subscribe to a theory doesn't make it un- or anti-scientific.
He meant it was more scientific in that it points to an energy that pervades nature, making it a more scientific philosophy, rather than just the worship of a specific deity, which is more of a religious philosophy.

Originally Posted by deathless:
making it a more scientific philosophy ???
just the worship of a specific deity ???

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
The science of yoga is scientific. Do you agree?

Originally Posted by srikanthdk71:
You forget about your own conscience when you search for pramana outside you. Know yourself first.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Is this not the mind-set of those who spread terror in Mumbai?

It is the mind set of brainwashed followers of charismatic cult leaders.

.................................................. ..

A) The Founders of the Laws of Democracy --followed the letter of the law [manga carta, etc].

B) The conquistadors sought gold.

Which is seeking inward rewards?

Energy and the fact that it can be neither created nor destroyed is proven by science. Advaita revolves around this concept.
Science hasn't proven that deity exists, which makes the worship of deities an unscientific matter. It is a spiritual matter, not a scientific one. That doesn't make it a bad thing. It's just more spiritual than scientific, in my opinion.
It's spiritual. I wouldn't necessarily consider all paths of yoga scientific.

That doesnt make advaitha true in all aspects when scientific rigor is applied

Science didnt prove that god exists either.

Spirituality of advaitan kind(of any kind,for that matter) is also not recognized by science.

There is also no evidence that yoga is a product of scientific rigor, nevertheless people derive benefit from it.Science is validating some measurable benefits of yoga,though.

So YOU do not give any regards to the Mahabharata & Gita?

So YOU do not give any regards to this statement? YES or NO?:

" . . . It is said in the Mahabharata, Adi-parva (20) that 640,000,000 men were killed in the eighteen days of the Battle of Kuruksetra, and some hundreds of thousands were missing. Practically this was the greatest battle in the world within five thousand years. . . . "


YES or NO --do you give any regards to this statement??

If you give no regards to this statement, and think it FALSE??

No war? No Krishna's discussion with Arjuna? No Bharata-vamsa?

Well, I didn't say that, now did I? I just said that it was more scientific in some aspects.
Deity=god. You're just kind of restating my point.
Yes. As I said, it is more scientific in some areas. I didn't say it was totally scientific and that it has scientific backing in every, single thing. I just said that it was slightly more scientific in some areas as opposed to dualistic thought.
I know. I didn't say that Yoga was bad and that we shouldn't try to achieve Yoga (union) with God because it's not based in science. All that I said was that Yoga (as well as all other spiritual paths, like you've said) is not necessarily scientific. It's more spiritual.

Chaitanya, who you believe in, said that, as a Gaudiya, you should not speak with followers of Advaita Vedanta - or, as he so lovingly put it, 'mayavadi' : 'teachers of illusion'.

"Mayavadi-bhasya sunile haya sarva-nasa"
Which basically means:
"Be wise and don't speak with the teachers of illusion or all [your bhakti] will be destroyed."

My question is, why are you even speaking in this thread, which is about Advaita Vedanta, if you aren't supposed to be talking to Advaita Vedantists?

In What aspects advaita is considered scientific by scientific community.Can you Explain in scientific terms.Did any group of scientists conduct experiments to validate advaitan philosphy??.Did any scientist publish an article in reputed scientific journals advocating advaitan theiry.

Also explain your statement Deity=god.

Feel free to open a seperate thread .

Till now you had a jolly good time commenting and condemning hinduism; now give others opportunity to dissect your thought.

Totakashtakam
(A hymn of eight verses by
Totakacharya - disciple of Adi Sankara)

viditAkhilasAstrasudhAjaladhE
mahitOpanishatkathitArthanidhE |
hridayE kalayE vimalam charaNam
bhava sankara dEsika mE saraNam ||

Oh, Thou, the knower of the entire ocean of milk of scriptures, He Who teaches the truths found in the great treasure chest of the Upanishads ! I meditate on Thy faultless feet. Be Thou my refuge, Oh, Master Sankara. (1.)

karuNAvaruNAlaya pAlaya mAm
bhavasAgara dukhkha vidUnahridam |
rachayAkhiladarsanatattvavidam
bhava sankara dEsika mE saraNam ||

Oh, Thou Ocean of compassion ! Save me whose heart is tormented by the misery of the sea of birth. Make me understand the truths of all schools of philosophy ! Be Thou my refuge, Master Sankara ! (2.)

bhavatA janatA suhitA bhavitA
nijabOdhavichAraNa chArumatE |
kalyEsvara jIvavivEkavidam
bhava sankara dEsika mE saraNam ||

By Thee the masses have been made happy, Oh, Thou of noble intellect, skilled in the quest of Self-Knowledge ! Enable me to understand the wisdom relating to God and the Soul. Be Thou my refuge, Oh, Master Sankara! (3)

bhava Eva bhavA niti mE nitarAm
samajAyata chEtasi kowtukitA |
mama vAraya mOhamahAjaladhim
bhava sankara dEsika mE saranam ||

Knowing that Thou art verily the Supreme Lord, overwhelming bliss arises in my heart. Protect me from the vast ocean of delusion. Be Thou my refuge, Oh, Master Sankara!(4)

sukritE(a)dhikritE bahudhA bhavatO
bhavitA samadarsanalAlasatA |
atidInamimam paripAlaya mAm
bhava sankara dEsika mE saraNam ||

Desire for the insight in unity through Thy Grace will grow only when virtuous deeds are in abundance - and in all directions. Protect this extremely helpless person. Be Thou my refuge, Master Sankara ! (5)

jagatImavitum kalitAkritayO
vicharanti mahAmahasachalata: |
ahimAmsurivAtra vibhAsi gurO
bhavasankara dEsika mE saraNam ||

Oh Teacher ! For the purpose of saving the world the Great Ones take various forms and wander in disguise. Of these great Ones, You shine like the sun ! Be Thou my refuge, Oh, Master Sankara! (6)

guru pungava pungava kEtanatE
samatAmayatAm nahi kOpi sudhIhi |
saraNAgatavatsala tattvanidhE
bhavasankara dEsikamE saraNam ||

Oh, Best of Teachers ! Supreme Lord Who has the sacred bull as His banner ! None of the wise Ones is equal to Thee! Thou are compassionate to those who take refuge in Thee! Thou treasure chest of Truth! Be Thou my refuge, Oh, Master Sankara! (7)

viditA na mayA visadaikakalA
na cha kinchana kAnchana masti gurO |
drutamEva vidhEhi krupAm sahajAm
bhava sankara dEsika mE saraNam||

I do not understand correctly even a single "branch of knowledge". I do not possess even the least bit of wealth, Oh Teacher, quickly bestow on me Thy Grace. Be Thou my refuge, Oh, Master Sankara! (8)