Guest guest Posted September 22, 1998 Report Share Posted September 22, 1998 Dear Bhakthas : A good friend of mine requested me to help him with some speaking points about Hindu Inheritance .I prepared this article quickly for him .This is asummary of a 64 page article dealing with the different aspects of the Four Vedas . You might also find the information interesting . Hence I am sharing this posting with You all. V.Sadagopan >OUR INHERITANCE :SANSKRIT AND VEDAS >************************************ > >The study of Sanskrit is a must to understand >our inheritance as Indians . It is not a luxury or >an eccentric or esoteric exercise ; it is however >a necessity to understand the ideas , the literary forms , >the roots of national behavior , the pattern of our thought >since the source of our culture is deeply embedded >in Sanskrit . > >This grand and noble language is a shared national >inheritance of India . From Kanyakumari in the lush >south to the austre Himalayas standing up as the measuring >rod of our Earth in the North , from Lord Krishna"s >Dwaraka in the West to the rain forests of Assam in >the East , we have been united by Sanskrit for centuries . > >Ancient Vedas and Vedic literature , Upanishads , >Astronomy , Astrology , Mathematics, Dharma Sasthras , >Ithihasas , Puranas , Philosophical systems , poetry , >Drama , Mantra sastras , Agamas , Tantras, >Historical tales , maha kavyas , Sangitham , Dance , >all of these have been deeply influenced by the majestic >and noble language of Sanskrit . The immaculate precision >of Sanskrit grammar , the greatness of its literature >have been emphasized by Indian leaders from Mahatma Ghandhi >(Bhagavadh Gita as the guiding light for his daily life), >Kulapathi K.M. Munshi ( the founder of Bharatiya Vidhya Bhavan ) , >Jawaharlal Nehru ( the author of Discovery of India ) and President >Sarvapalli Radhakrishanan ( the great philosopher). > >In this presentation , we will cover briefly , the multi-faceted >splendor of Sanskrit and its pervasive influence on >Indian culture from Vedic times to modern times . >We will start with the Vedas and Vedic literature . > >THE VEDAS >********* >They are four in number : Rig , Yajur, Sama and Atharva >Vedams . They house the earliest recorded poetry and prose >literature of the human race. To an orthodox Hindu , >the Veda is not a work of human beings , but it is >of Divine origin floating in the atmosphere of >eternal sound waves. The Vedas are considered the breath >of the Almighty and the repository of ALL knowledge . >The vedas consist of a body of texts dating back to >many centuries and are integral to the understanding of >the Vedic Culture. > >Rig -Veda consists of 10,589 mantras , which are grouped >under 1028 hymns and ten mandalas and 85 anuvakas . >Each of the hymns is known as the Sooktha and >the individual verse in these hymns is known as >the "Rk". The hymns themselves are set in differnet >kinds of meres ranging from 24 syllables (Gayathri Metre ) >to 104 syllables (utkruthi metre).There have been 21 >sakaas (branches ) of Rig Vedam according to different schools . >Today , we have only one branch of Rig Veda available to us. >This Vedam is used for Upasana . > >Yajur-Veda has a total of 1975 verses spread over 40 >chapters or adhyaayaas . The Yajur Veda samhitas are >two in number and are known as the White (sukla ) >and black (Krishna ) Yajur Veda samhitas .This Vedam >used for the performance of rituals . > >Sama Vedam is the Veda of holy songs .It has liturgiacal >importance and sanctity next only to Yajur Vedam . >The Udgathri priests sing the Sama veda at Soma Yagas >and other yajn~ams . The Sama Vedam is made largely >out of the assembly of detatched verses from the Rig Vedam >to meet the needs of the Soma Yaagams and other rituals . >The Sama veda contains in all 1,875 verses of which all but >75 are from Rig Vedam . > >Atharva Vedam is a collection of 5977 verses housed >in twenty books . This Vedam is largely in the form >of poetry with a small section in the form of prose. >These verses range from invocations for the cure from >diseases with the help of medicinal herbs , freedom >from the possession by spirits and lofty philosophical >concepts about Creation et al . > >All these Vedas have from time immemorial are learnt >by the oral tradition through face-to-face instruction >from the teacher to the student .This method of learning >has helped to preserve the proper pronunciation , svaras >(Vedic accents ) and an understanding of the proper places >in the body , where the particular sounds associated >with an akshara (letter ) originates.Vedas in general >including the Upanishads ( Veda Siras ) are referred >to as Sruthis (revelations ) in contrast to Smritis >( human tradition ) , which includes the six limbs of >Vedas with defenite human origin . > >THE SIX VEDANGAS >***************** > >These are closely associated with the Vedas and are >essential to learn to intrepret Vedas and to serve >as the custodian of a particular way of intrepretation >of the sacred text of the Vedas . These six Vedangas are: >(1) siksha ( phonetics),(2)Vyakarana (Grammar) , >(3) Jyothisha (astronomy and astrology) , >(4) Nirukta (etymology) , (5) Chandas( Prosody) >and (6) Kalpa (Methods for the practises of rituals). >Each of these six upangas are essentially in the form of >sutras or aphorisms . Lot of commentaries are available >and a thorough grounding in the six Vedangas are >essential for the reciting and intrepreting of >the Vedas . > >THE FOUR UPAVEDAS >***************** > >The four ancillary Vedas are Ayurveda or the science of >medicine and physiology , Dhanur Veda or the Science of >martial arts , Gandharva veda or the Science of Music and >dance and finally Artha saastra or the Science of Politics >and Economy . > >THE 108 UPANISHADS >****************** > >In contrast to the six Vedangas and the four Upavedas , >the Upanishads are an integral part of the Vedas .The >name Upanishad is given to these essential section of >the Vedas because their study leads us near the Supreme >Brahman.Some of the key Upanishads are Isavasya, Kena , Katha , >Prasna , Mundaka , Mandukya , Taittiriya , Aitareya , >Chandogya , Brahadaranyaka and Svetasvatara Upanishads . >Adi Sankara , Ramanujacharya and Madvaacharya have >invoked the above Upanishads to intrepret the Brahma >Sutrams of Vyasa Bhagavan to support their respective darsanams.Sri Bhasyam of AchArya Ramanuja is one of the four grantha chathushtyams for a Sri Vaishnava to learn thru kalakshepa mukham from a qualified Acharya . > >THE TWO GREAT EPICS >******************** > >Maha Bharata ( the great story of the war of >the Bharata clans) and Ramayanam (the deeds of >Rama ) are the two epics , which have helped to >preserve the way of righteousness among people >of India . The Maha Bharata has 90,000 slokas >housed in 18 books (parvas). It describes the >fight between dharma and adharma arising from >the rivalry between the 100 Kauravas and the five >Pandavas, the descendants of the King Bharata . >The moral tales told in this epic makes it >shine as an encyclpedia of Indian beliefs >about right and wrong. The celebrated >Bhagavdh Gita and Vishnu Sahasra naamam >are housed in this epic. > >Ramayanam has 24,000 slokams in seven cantos sung by >Adi kavi Valmiki dealing with an incarnation of >Sriman Narayanan as Rama , the prince of Ayodhya >and His noble wife , Sita . This oldest epic >is told and retold in all corners of India >to teach the ethical values to the populace . >Exquisite descriptions of nature, portrayal >of human emotions, state craft and the practise >of dharmam are covered by this epic and it has served >as a vital living force among the Indian people . > >THE EIGHTEEN PURANAS >********************* > >These Puranas are ancient , semi-historical >Sanskrit literature and are some what akin to >the two Epics regarding their impact .Vision of >the poet captures the high purpose of life and >of high morals for instructional purposes. >Sage Vyasa is the author of these 18 Puranas . >Some of the famous Puranas are: Vishnu Puranam , >Brahma puranam , Padma puranam ,Siva Puranam , >Bhagavata Puranam , Agni puranam et al. Ways >to conduct one's life is described through >stories and parables . There are also 18 upa- >puranas (ancillary puranas ) . > >THE DHARMA SASTRAS >******************* > >Towards the end of the Vedic period , the Hindu >norms of life were codified and set forth in sutras . >The code of Manu is the most well known among >the Dharma sastras .This and other dharma sastras >include civil and criminal law , the ways of >the kings, varanasrama dharmam and prayaschittams. > >THE SIX PHILOSOPHICAL DISCIPLINES >********************************** > >The samkhya , Yoga, Vaiseshika , Nyaya , >Mimamasa and Vedanta are the six main >streams of Indian philosophy . > >The SAMKHYA or the exposition in number is >off from orthodoxy in a Vedic sense , >although it claims a certain Vedic tradition . >Few scholars hold that this system >does not believe in the existence of a God and >associate it with the doctrines to Buddhism . > >The YOGA system is very similar to the samkhya >system except it accepts the concept of God as >the object of concentration .Patanjali's yoga sutras >are the source literature for the Yoga system >to attain the purity of mind , body and speech . > >The VAISESHIKA (discriminative exposition ) >system deals with visesha or specialty >among matter regarding their substance and action . >A natural view of the world with the emphasis on >the atomistic approach is the heart of this system >of philosophy .The seven categories of the Vaiseshika >system got intertwined with the Nyaya system during >its evolution . > >The NYAYA (logic) system is a rich one dealing >with logic and general epistemology .Early contribtors >were Buddhist and Jain scholars .Later works like >Nyasa Kusumanjali of Udayana distance themselves >from them and focus on perception , inference , analogy >and verbal tstimony from a metaphysical point of view . > >The purva MIMAMSA system established by sage Jaimini >arose from the desire to know the true meaning of >the Vedic injunctions and of the rules of >guidance and intrepretation of the Veda mantrams. >There is a great emphasis on human duty towards >the proper performance of Vedic sacrifices and >rituals .The supermacy of the Vedas as one of >the greatest authority is a core doctrine of this >system .Kumarila Bhatta was a great champion of >this system and a confirmed ritualist .He checked >the onslaught of Vedic religion by Buddhists. His >sishya was the famous Mandana Misra , who was >defeated by Adi Sankara in debate that lasted >over 18 days. After losing in the debate, >Mandana Misra accepted Adhi Sankara as his Acharya >and was iniitated into monkhood with the name >of Suresvara and became the first Acharya of >the Sringeri peetam . > >The VEDANTA or Uttara mimamamsa accepts Veda >as its authoritative source and is based on >Upanishidic revelations intrepreted in >aphoristic form by Sage Badarayana in >the form of Brahma sutras ,which accept >the supreme Brahman as the goal of one's >life.The purva mimamsa school explains the world >without an absolute power for its cause ; the >uttara mimamsa school in distinct contrast >categorically asserts the existence of >the Absolute Brahman as the cause of this Universe >and its functioning .There are 555 Brahma sutras. >which are terse and abstruse . The genius of >the three Acharyas, Sankara , Ramanuja and >Madhva , has led to their intrepretation in >original ways to establish their Vedantic systems. >The advaita , Visishtadvaitha and the Dvaitha >systems got established through their intellectual >power and rigor.It is not the purpose of this survey article to engage in an attempt at comparative evaluation of these three BhAshyAs . > >Advaita preaches that the mundane world is a myth >that appears real by maya or illusion . It recognizes >the non-dualism between Brahman and Jeevan .The central tenet of Advaitham is that Avidya >or ignorance of true knowledge conceals the supreme >one from the vision of man and the removal of that >avidya permits the man to see Brahman within himself and recognize their identity . > >In Visishtadvaitham , the Jeevans and the insentients >constitute the body of Isvaran ,the supreme Brahman , >which is the root cause of everything .The individual soul >is real and does not become one with the Brahman , >but remains in a state of bliss at a distance from >Brahman in Sri Vaikuntam after Moksham . > >Dvaitham founded by Ananda Thirtha recognises five types >of dualism btween the Jivan and the Brahman . Here, >the Brahman and the cognizable world are real and thoroughly >different from each other , while the individual soul >is subservient to Brahman . Devotion to Lord Vishnu >in the form of Krishna is central to this darsanam . > >MANTRA SASTRA, AGAMA AND TANTRAS >********************************* > >These three are closely allied to each other. >Atharva Veda is considered the source of all >mantras , which is made up of aksharas in a >particular order to be recited with a chandas ; >on proper recitation after initiation by an Acharya , >the mantras yield the fruits of spiritual >and temporal bliss to the reciter.Prapancha Saaram >of Adhi Sankara , Saradaatilakm , Mantra Mahodadhi >are the source books of most of the mantras . Anbil Swamy has posted an informative series of articles on manthrams& their significance most recently . > >Nigama(vedam) and Agama are considered the two >pillars of Hinduism as a religion . Agama and >Tantra are closely allied and are linked to >Nigama .There are a large number of Agama and >Tantra texts , which generally deal with the >worship of consecrated deities in temples, >the rules for temple construction , the making >of deities for worship ,repair and consecration >of temples , conductance of uthsavams , drawing >of Yanthras et al . > >Agamas and Tantras are broadly divided into >six main types: Saiva, Sakta , Viashnava , >Ganapatya , Saura and kaumara .They deal in >turn with the worship of Siva , Devi (sakthi) , >Vishnu , Ganapathy , Sun and Skanda .There are >28 Sivagamas, two Vaishnava agamas( paancharaatram >and Vykaanasam ) . The tantras also deal with >the modes and processes of worshipping the appropriate >Ishta Dhaivam .There are for instance 64 saakta tantras >to worship Devi. Saubhagya Ratnakara of Vidyananda >and the Kamakala Vilasa of Punyananda are recent >works of significance that elaborate the earlier >Tantric works. > >SUMMARY >******** > >Sanskrit is the thread on which all these >kula dhanams of ours like Vedams , Vedangams, >Upavedams , Ihtihaasams , Puranams , Dharma sastrams , >darsanams , kavyams , natakams, poetry , mantra >sastrams, Agamams and Tantra sastrams et al >are strung together as a beautiful garland . >They are like shining gems in a beautiful >necklace of our Vedic tradition . Even the works >in the vyavahara Bhaashas take their origin from >these illustrious source works in Sanskrit.It has >been pointed outthat one who knows Sanskrit >is a better Indian for he is in a position to >appreciate the common national inheritance >of India from time immemorial. > >Om Veda Purushaya nama; > >V.Sadagopan >September 21, 1998 > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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