Swami teaches... Elementary Knowledge about Vedas

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram

 

Light and Love

 

Elementary Knowledge about Vedas

 

Swami teaches... (27 January 2005)

 

Standing on the seashore, one can see only the waves on the surface and not

the pearls lying deep below. Only the brave one who can dive deep into the

ocean will be able to gather the pearls and not others. Likewise spiritual

knowledge is not easy to get. The Vedas are the guidelines for spiritual

seekers.

The Vedas are the recordings of sages to whom the mantras were revealed.

They proclaim the transcendental Truth which is not changed by time or

place.They indicate the means to prosperity and security for the denizens of

the three worlds. The Vedas have been declared to be infinite and hence

beyond the comprehension of commonpeople. In the beginning there was only one

Veda. To study it considerable time and effort wereneeded. Vyasa divided it

into different parts to enable people to study as well as practise theteachings

of the Veda. Out of the countless number of hymns, Vyasa gathered some Rks

(hymns) and compiled them in the Rg (Rig) Veda, collected some yajus to form

the Yajur Veda and some Samans to make up the Sama Veda. The Rg Veda is

mainly devoted to hymns in praise of various deities. The Rks of the Rig Veda

are ecstatic effusions from the spirit of man extolling the delight derived

while contemplating the orderliness and beauty of Nature outside them.

The Yajur Veda consists of mantras for worshipping the deities. It consists

of two divisions - Krishna Yajur Veda and Sukla Yajur Veda - which are based on

two traditional distinctions. Adherents of the Sukla Yajur Veda are largely

confined to North India, while Krishna Yajur Veda has its adherents mainly in

South India. The mantras of the Yajur Veda are used in the performance of yagas

and yajnas and in doing acts of charity.

The Sama Veda is the precious verbal treasure which enables to praise the

Creator and His Creation in song.

Each Veda has three sections: Brahmanas, Aranyakas and Upanishads.

The Vedic mantras were utilised in yagas and yajnas (ritual sacrifices) for

promoting the wellbeing of society and the world. The mantras which form part

of the Karma Kanda (the path of rituals), were regarded as conducive to the

promotion of general well-being and happiness.

The great sages who listened to these mantras as revelations from the Divine

found the key tothem in eight basic letters. All the Vedic mantras with their

musical rendering were rememberedby reflecting on the eight letters: "A, Ka,

Cha, Ta, Tha, Pa, Ya, Sa." The great seers fostered theVedas by the use of

these letters.

The Vedas developed under nine heads: Sruti, Anuswara,Trayee,

Aamnaayam,Samaamnayam, Chandas, Swaadhyayam, Gama and Aagama.

1. Sruti refers to the process of learning, the Vedas from a preceptor by

practising the precisemanner of chanting the mantras and thereby acquiring

proficiency in the recitation of the Vedas.The sounds have to be reproduced

exactly as taught by the preceptor by listening to him withintense earnestness.

The Vedic mantras are thus learnt entirely by listening.

2. Anuswara refers to the practice of repeating the mantras learnt from the

preceptor, contemplating on them and preserving them in their purity by

constant recitation. 3. Trayee. Originally only three Vedas-Rg, Yajur and

Sama Vedas were considered Apourusheya, without a human origin (that is,

emanating from the Divine). Because of their Divine origin, the first three

Vedas were called "Trayee" (the Triad).

4, 5. Aamnaaya refers to constant contemplation of the root syllable "Na."

Acquiring knowledge of the Vedas by this practice has been described as

Aamnaaya and Samaamnaaya. 6. One meaning of Chandas is that it is knowledge

which should be guarded in secret andpropagated with care. The Vedas are also

described as Chandas. The entire Sama Veda consistsof Chandas. 7.

Swaadhyaayam refers to the process by which the Vedas have come down from

generation to generation, through father to son, in genealogical succession.

Acquisition of Vedic knowledgewas not through books. It was transmitted from

preceptor to disciple over the years.

8, 9. Gama and Aagama are the names given to the inhaling and exhaling of

the Lord's breath which were the origin of the Vedas. All in all, the Vedas

represent the emanations from the breath of the Lord.

 

Each of the Vedas had several saakhas (branches) and upasaakhas

(sub-branches). Out of the 20 branches and 21 sub-branches of the Rg Veda, only

three have survived today. Likewise out of96 branches of Yajur Veda only two

have survived the ravages of time. Sama Veda, which had1000 branches, retains

today only three branches.

 

What is meant by Veda?

1. Eruka (awareness),

2. Thelivi (intelligence) and

3. Viveka (discrimination). Ones who wish to develop discrimination

should be deeply interested in the Vedas. The Vedas have emphasised that a

human being will be truly human only when he/she lives upto human values and

practises the life according to the eternal human values.

 

The Vedas have a universal outlook, embracing all that is noble and sacred.

They have taught the principle of samatwa (equality) in respect of everything.

They have proclaimed the concept ofoneness. They taught to face joy and sorrow

with equal serenity. The quintessence of the Vedas is the glorification of

sacrifice as the supreme virtue. (Sacrifice means something more than giving up

of wealth, gold and material objects. Evil qualities like hatred, jealousy,

wrath and malice which have become ingrained in person over many life-times

should be discarded). The highest knowledge is understanding the value of

sacrifice. It is the greatest means to realise the Divine.

 

The Vedas have been mainly concerned with the Pravritti Marga (the Path of

Action). All thedifferent branches of knowledge - physics, chemistry, botany,

economics, music, etc. arecovered by the Vedas. These are concerned with the

external world. Hence the Vedas have beenconsidered dualistic.

The Upanishads have taught the Nirvritti Marga (the Path of Knowledge) by

going within oneself. This means that, Upanishads have been concidered

non-dualistic.

The Upanishads declared that the nature of the Supreme can be grasped only

by the Path ofKnowledge. Knowledge is of two categories:

1. Para Vidya (the Higher, the Supreme Knowledge). Only Knowledge relating

to Moksha (Liberation) constitutes to this category.That knowledge is found in

Vedanta. The Upanishads come at the end of the Vedas.

2. Apara Vidya (the Lower Knowledge). All that is learnt by the educational

process today falls in this category. Knowledge relating to Dharma, Artha and

Kama comes too in this category.

 

It is only when you understand the essence of the Vedas as expounded in the

Upanishads and put into practice the message of the Vedanta, you will realise

the true meaning of Advaita (Nondualism). (Reet's compilation from: Sathya Sai

Speaks. Vol. 22. "Message of the Vedas," Chapter 29 and "Karma, Upasana and

Jnana," Chapter 30. Sathya Sai Baba. Vidya Vahini Chapter I, p. 2).

Related contributions:

Swami teaches... Principal Positions of Vedas (4 January 2005).

Swami teaches... Vedas and Vedanta - Sacred Light for Jnanis (20 january

2005).

 

Namaste - Reet

[Guest guest]

Sai Ram Sister Reet ,

 

Please accept my apology as I was corrected by Sister Mary that you are lady and

you are Dr Reet Priiman. I apologize profusely as I addressed you always as

Brother Reet.

 

Once again I apologize from bottom of my heart.

 

Namastee

 

Soumendra