Vedas, Vedangas, Kalpa-sutras and Agamas

[Guest guest]

This article is a brief introduction to key components of Vedic

knowledge and I believe will be helpful for those who are not exposed to

these concepts. The book, "The Vedas" (by Sri Chandrasekarendra

Saraswathi - Paramacharya of Kanchi, published by Bharathiya Vidya

Bhavan) contains a wealth of knowledge on Vedas and Vedanta. This book

can be obtained through Amazon.com or other internet book stores.

 

--

Ram Chandran

Burke, VA

 

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There are three different sources of vedic knowledge, called

prasthana-traya. The Upanisads are known as sruti-prasthana. Vedangas

(six branches of vedic knowledge), Mahabharata, Bhagavad-gita, and

Puranas are known as smrti- prasthana and Vedanta-sutras which present

the vedic knowledge on the basis of logic and arguments is known as

nyaya-prasthana. All scientific knowledge of transcendence must be

supported by sruti, smrti and a sound logical basis (nyaya ). Smrti and

nyaya always confirm that which is said in the sruti.

 

Vedic injunctions are known as sruti. From the original Veda Samhitas up

to the Upanisads are classified as sruti. The additional supplementary

presentations of these principles as given by the great sages are known

as smrti. They are considered as evidence for vedic principles.

Understanding the ultimate goal of life is ascertained in the

Vedanta-sutras by legitimate logic and argument concerning cause and

effect.

 

There are six aspects of knowledge in the Vedas known as Vedangas:

Siksa - phonetic science

Vyakarana - grammar

Nirukti - context (conclusive meaning)

Candas - meter

Jyotis - time science (astronomy & astrology)

Kalpa - rituals

 

The seers who have realized these aspects of knowledge from the Vedas,

have composed sutras (short but potent phrases which convey a lot of

meanings) on each Vedanga. They are called Kalpa-sutras.

 

Kalpa-sutras are of four categories:

srouta - collective sacrifices

grhya - family rituals,

dharma - occupational duties and

sulba - building of sacrificial fireplaces, altars etc.

 

According to the different levels of conditioned consciousness there are

instructions in the Vedas for worship of different controllers, with the

aim of reaching different destinations and enjoying different standards

of sense enjoyment. They are known as Agamas.

 

Agamas (emanated scriptures) are books which are classified into five

for this purpose:

energy - Sakti - Sakta Agamas

visible source (Sun) - Surya - Soura Agamas

controller - Ganapati - Ganapatya Agamas

destroyer - Siva - Saiva Agamas

ultimate source - Visnu - Vaikhanasa Agamas

>From the point of view of common human activities sense gratification is

the basis of material life. To cater to this aim, there are three paths

mentioned in the Vedas:

 

The karma-kanda path involves fruitier activities to gain promotion to

better planets. Using the methodology from the first five Vedangas, the

Kalpa-sutras explain this path.

 

Upasana-kanda involves worshiping different controllers for promotion to

their planets. The Agamas explain this path.

 

Jnana-kanda involves realizing the Absolute truth in impersonal feature

for the purpose of becoming one . The Upanisads explain this path.

 

Though these paths are all from the Vedas, and the Vedas do explain

them, one should not think that that is all the Vedas have. The real

purpose of the Vedas is to gradually push one in the path of self

realization to the point of surrender in devotional service to the

Supreme Grace.

[Guest guest]

Ram Chandranji has rightly drawn our attention to the Paramacharya's

lectures on The Vedas published by BVB. I wish every aspiring seeker along

the Hindu tradition reads it.Ram Chandranji's posting is a providential

coincidence with what I have been doing for the past one week. I have just

finished adding a chart (and its associated links) on the Ancient

Scriptures of Hinduism to my website on 'GEMS ...'. It can be directly

accessed from the page

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/scriptures.html

The matter I have posted is elementary, of course, but it may be of

interest to those who are not exposed to these things already.

 

Among the links to the above page, you will find a page on 'A crisis of

Intellect' where there is likely to be a difference of opinion. I would

appreciate it if I am told in what ways my thought process on that page

could be wrong. The page I am referring to is:

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/smrtipage2.html

 

Regards and praNAms to all advaitins.

profvk

 

 

 

 

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Prof. V. Krishnamurthy

The URL of my website has been simplified as

http://www.geocities.com/profvk/

You can access both my books from there.