MAyA in the RgVeda: Introduction

[Guest guest]

Namaste all,

Here is the an effort to set the scene:

 

MAyA in the RgVeda: Introduction

"As from a fire kindled with wet fuel various kinds of

smoke issue forth, even so, my dear, the RigVeda, the

YajurVeda, the SamaVeda, the Atharvangirasa, history

(itihasa), mythology (purana), the arts (vidya), the

Upanishads, verses (slokas), aphorisms (sutras),

elucidations (anuvyakhyanas) and explanations

(vyakhyanas) are like the breath of this infinite

Reality. From this Supreme Self are all these, indeed,

breathed forth.’ Br.Up. 2.4.10 See Brahma Sutras 1.1.3

Where Shankara refers to this verse in his commentary.

 

And now for something completely different: ‘This is

the advaitin site, Jim, but not as we know it.’ The

pupil that hides in the corner has been invited to

present the monthly topic to the company of the wise

and approaches with the request that the wise erase

the errors that will inevitably occur.

If any understanding of value emerges from my

contribution to this study it is through the grace of

Sri Anandamayi Ma and Dr. Gopinath Kaviraj who were

met on one blessed day in Varanasi some 40 years ago.

They both died many years back and although we never

met again, physically that is, somehow they have

subtly influenced my erratic efforts to understand the

wisdom of India.

Sunderji gave the topic of ‘Maya in the Vedas’. Some

may wonder how this topic appears on the advaitin site

but a non-dual vision pervades the Vedas even if the

term ‘advaita’ had yet to be used. Since the title was

given there have been several threads pertinent to

this topic as well as many new members joining us. May

I recommend that the latter have a look through the

recent archives although I will be repeating some of

those postings in my own way. May I also suggest that

although I will be posting transliterated Sanskrit

texts, please do not be put off by these if you have

yet to learn Sanskrit. The intention is that these

postings will be of use to everyone while giving those

with specialist knowledge the chance to present that

knowledge once more.

 

An important request: The study of 'mAyA in advaita'

has been frequently discussed on this site. Please can

we put all recent discussion aside and enter this

month’s topic afresh. Next month we will return to the

development of the teaching on mAyA but this present

study is intended to search for the original vision

and use of the word in its context in the RgVeda

mainly and also in the other Vedas.

 

Firstly, a little personal background before

presenting some initial thoughts on such a study. It

is only in the last year or so that I have felt able

to begin a study of Rgvedic hymns. The obscure and

confusing language of such English translations as are

generally available, those by Griffith and Wilson for

example, does not attract us to the hymns at first.

However, occasionally a verse will sparkle with

meaning and encourage us to use whatever skills we

have to proceed with our enquiry.

Initially, we may wonder if the full meaning in the

visionary experience of the original rishis, whose

physical and traditional context is possibly out of

reach of our 21st century-Westernised environments,

could be discerned from the available translations. To

clear as much superimposition out of the way as may be

possible, a study of the Rgveda demands a respectful

and faithful approach requiring an attempt to

understand the environment in which the hymns were

first chanted and then ‘penned’ before the

interpretations began. The Vedas will ‘hear’ such a

respectful approach and respond with great generosity.

They are waiting to be heard.

 

As the hymns are related to rituals, another primary

question was, ‘Is it possible to isolate the

philosophical teachings of the RgVeda from their

expression in ritual processes and not lose their

meaning?’ As I have no opportunity to participate in

any relevant rituals I had to proceed with this

question unanswered while its importance was to be

respected. It is hoped that those on this site who

have the practice and experience of rituals will fill

the gaps.

 

In English we call the revealed Word ‘Scripture’ which

means that it has been written down, as by a scribe.

In the so-called ‘literate world’ we have become

obsessed with the written word and parents are

delighted when their children first learn to read.

However, many of those same parents pay little heed to

teaching their children to listen; to ‘learn by

heart’. We need to appreciate the importance of the

South Asian designation of the revealed Word as

‘Sruti’, ‘that which is heard’, if we are to begin a

study as a spiritual discipline. The Vedas are an

oral tradition and are not tuned to analysis through

the written word although such a practice has some

initial value.

 

The rishis of old were called RshirdarShanAt, ‘one who

has the vision’,……for they see with the ‘mind and

heart’. This special vision will be discussed in a

later posting.

The literate child, trained in the use of a critical,

logical approach to knowledge, (a dualistic approach

not in harmony with the non-dual enquiries in which

our present study is addressed), may be veiled from

the supreme knowledge directly experienced via mind

and heart. Picking up on Benjamin's earlier posting

today, this quote is from Radhakrishnan's lecture on

'The Spirit in Man':

'The intuition which is an activity of the whole being

cannot be gained by mere intellectual effort, though

it is equally true that it cannot be gained without

it. Intellectual inaction seems to be the prelude to

the intuitive flash. To allow the non-intellectual and

yet rational part of our mind to play on the object,

relaxation is necessary.' p.179 'An Idealist View of

Life.'

Intellectual inaction requires patient listening in

order to see.

 

Through their spiritual practices and austerities,

certain of our ancestors realised that supreme

knowledge: Rshati prApnoti sarvAn mantran. This

visualisation itself is a mystical form of speech that

is not available to one who cannot listen, or rather,

‘be in listening and seeing’. They then had to present

that knowledge in a form suitable for those prepared

to attend to their teaching. Hence arise the mantras

of the Vedas.

 

Therefore, although I had to use the habitual skills

when reading the Rgveda, it was more important to find

some way to hear the hymns. The audio files available

on the Web provided an opportunity, but much better

would be to sit at the feet of a true teacher. (see

the Books and Audio files posting in this series which

I will post tomorrow morning)

 

I have some knowledge of Sanskrit but I am self-taught

through an initial desire to get closer to the meaning

of the Bhagavad Gita. This meagre knowledge is

insufficient for the task ahead so I beg the

Sanskritists on this site to help me out as we

proceed. Also the archaic form of Sanskrit of the

Vedas is not the same as the classical Sanskrit used

in later times.

Finally, in this introduction that is partly intended

to explain my limitations as a player on the stage of

our discussions of such limitless and wonderful

teachings, please understand that I have only a

minimum of academic skills. I have entered the world

of academic research purely to try to get South Asian

philosophy a renewed voice in the UK universities…my

website is www.nonameorform.co.uk

 

In my own private study I like to adhere to the words

of the Sruti and I am usually left way behind in group

discussions. While everyone else is sprinting off

towards some distant finishing line I am left

savouring the sweetness of a particular word or

phrase; a tortoise amongst hares Also, I am more

happy on the sports field than in a debating chamber.

My only real claims to fame in South Asian matters are

that I have played in the same cricket match as Kapil

Dev while the nearest I have come to being a

‘grammarian’ was in the temple-complex at Chidambaram.

There, while playing cricket with a group of local

youngsters, I hit the ball on top of the Hall of a

Thousand Pillars in which the great Grammarian

Patanjali could once be heard teaching.

That was a moment of great unity as I was immediately

engulfed by youngsters demanding rupees for a new

ball, their unity of purpose was clear even if the

sight of offered rupees would dissemble that unity in

a flash.

To end this post as we began with the words of the

wise:

RgVeda, Mandala X. 191.

‘1. Thou, mighty Agni, gatherest up all that is

precious for thy friend.

Bring us all treasures as thou art enkindled in

libation's place

2 Assemble, speak together: let your minds be all of

one accord,

As ancient Gods unanimous sit down to their appointed

share.

3 The place is common, common the assembly, common the

mind, so be their thought united.

A common purpose do I lay before you, and worship with

your general oblation.

4 One and the same be your resolve, and be your minds

of one accord.

United be the thoughts of all that all may happily

agree.’

 

 

‘From this Supreme Self are all these, indeed,

breathed forth.’

 

 

 

=====

‘From this Supreme Self are all these, indeed, breathed forth.’

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

advaitin, ken knight <anirvacaniya>

wrote:

> Namaste all,

> Here is the an effort to set the scene:

>

> MAyA in the RgVeda: Introduction

>> To end this post as we began with the words of the

> wise:

> RgVeda, Mandala X. 191.

> `1. Thou, mighty Agni, gatherest up all that is

> precious for thy friend.

> Bring us all treasures as thou art enkindled in

> libation's place

> 2 Assemble, speak together: let your minds be all of

> one accord,

> As ancient Gods unanimous sit down to their appointed

> share.

> 3 The place is common, common the assembly, common the

> mind, so be their thought united.

> A common purpose do I lay before you, and worship with

> your general oblation.

> 4 One and the same be your resolve, and be your minds

> of one accord.

> United be the thoughts of all that all may happily

> agree.'

>

>

> `From this Supreme Self are all these, indeed,

> breathed forth.'

 

Namaste, Ken-ji and all

 

What a glorious beginning! I shall look forward very eagerly to each

one of your posts on Rgveda. Incidentally, when I wanted to get the

Sanskrit originals of your translated passages, I found that the

Sanskrit documents site was not very useful, but the following was

very easy and more organised:

http://www.intratext.com/ixt/SAN0010/_index.htm

 

I am sure you are aware of this site, but I thought I should share

this information with the others in the group.

Thanks for beginning what promises to be an enlightening venture.

 

PraNAms to all students of Rgveda.

profvk