Katho:panishad - I

[Guest guest]

Jeeyar Thiruvadigale: Sharanam

 

Jai Srimannaaraayana

 

Dear Bhagavathas,

 

Adiye:n's humble and respectful Pranamams. Jai Srimannaarayana.

 

By the nirhethuka krupa and blessings of our Acharya, adiye:n is starting the

Katho:panishad lectures. Utter helplessness and utter disqualification

characterize adiye:n fully. Yet, Acharya's Krupa is the only hope and shelter.

Praying to our Acharya's lotus feet, seeking the permission of all the

Vaishnavas, adiye:n is making a small effort to present our Swamiji's

Katho:panishad lectures as they are, very humbly.

 

This mail serves as introduction to Vedas, Upanishads and Katho:panishad.

 

VEDAS

 

******

 

If the Divya Prabandham of Mother Andal is the seed of the giant Vedic tree

with its multitude of branches and leaves, "Upanishad"s are very elevated

portions of it, like the main branches of the Vedic tree. As you know, Vedas

are "Apaurusheya:"s, meaning they were not composed by anybody; not even by God.

This is the uniqueness, extraordinary excellence and superiority of Vedic

literature. There is no other piece of work which is "Apaurushe:ya", in the

entire history of the Universe.

 

Generally, any piece of work composed by "purusha" will have 4 in-built

defects in it.

 

1) Bhrama (not Brahma): Perceiving something as it really is not.

 

2) Prama:da: Insufficient intelligence to clearly comprehend something.

 

3) Vipralambha: Biasedness, partiality in our compositions because of our

attachments. If a person is devoted to some devatha, he will glorify him to be

superior to any other God etc.

 

4) Ashakthatha: Inability to express everything we either know or experience.

For instance, you can't explain the taste of a substance just by your words.

 

Similarly you can't explain your feelings like hunger, thirst etc just with

words. So, Vedas are the ONLY authority for showing things as they are. They

are completely free from any kind of defects whatsoever. One more logic is also

given. How do you find who is your father? It is impossible to trace your father

out without the help of your mother. One may say, I will find on the basis of

genetic fingerprinting etc, but consider the possibility mathematically; even

with reasonable assumptions, it will take thousands of years for the person to

find his father on this basis and it is extremely complex and painstaking.

 

For a simple minded person, his father is , whomever his mother shows. IT

REALLY DOESN'T MATTER WHAT LAKHS OF PEOPLE OUT THERE ARE BELIEVING WHO MY FATHER

IS; MY MOTHER'S SINGLE OPINION IS FINAL AND OUTWEIGHS ALL OTHER OPINIONS. In

other words, mother is the ONLY authority for showing our father. That's all.

The only requirement is one's mother should be chaste and speak the truth. Vedas

are often referred to as "Veda Matha", for it directs us to the Supreme Father,

Srimannaarayana, without equivocation and duplicity. And Vedas are the only

authority in showing us our Father. Unfortunately we believe the words of

foolish people and think that every Tom, Dick and Harry is "Bhagavan". Or

sometimes, like that boy, we set out to experiment who the Lord is, on our own.

All those efforts are such a waste of time!

 

Vedas are for humans not for animals, as there is no further degradation in

animal bodies. They naturally follow what they are ordained to, unlike human

bodies which can be used for both improving or degrading our consciousness. So,

for anyone aspiring to improve his quality of life, an understanding of the

imports of Vedas is a pre-requisite.

 

DIVISION OF VEDAS

 

*******************

 

In olden days, many great people used to excel in their understanding of

the Veda. Hanuman, Bheeshma are examples for this. Foreseeing the complete

inability of the future generations, Veda Vyasa, so mercifully bifurcated the

Vedas into 4 broad categories besides an indivisible part called "Eka:yana".

 

Each of the 4 Vedas has two clearly defined portions in it.

 

Poorva Bhaga:

 

----------------

 

This part describes the methods of observing different Karma in a religious

way. It discloses the consequences of proper conduct, observance of actions and

improper conduct, improper observance of actions. How one should perform

different sacrifices, Karmas in this world in a Vedic, ethical and lofty manner

are described. Obviously, the knowledge disclosed in these portions doesn't go

beyond bodily platform. It only shows how to fulfill our bodily necessities and

desires in a proper way.

 

Uthara Bhaga:

 

---------------

 

When one keeps on observing the actions in a religious manner for quite some

time, one definitely becomes inquisitive as to what might be the reason behind

all this manifestation? One ponders more and more about our existence, the

identity and nature of souls and their relationship with the Prakruthi, Devathas

and the Lord. Naturally, as his consciousness evolves, he becomes "Uth", higher,

more mature and wants to know about the "Thathva" that supervises the whole

Universe and its affairs. One wants to become detached and wants to experience

that continuous, pure, uncontaminated happiness ("Thara"). So, this part of the

Vedas are for "Uthara:s". Those who are more evolved in understanding and try to

become situated in their natural pure bliss position are fit to study this

portion of the Vedas.

 

So, Uthara Bhaga is also called Brahma Bhagam, as "Brahma" means that which

is full of happiness and that which can grant such bliss to all if they approach

it in a proper way.

 

In other words, if Poorva Bhagam gives an indirect, myopic view of the

Absolute Truth, Brahma Bhaga gives a more direct description of the Lord and the

secrets of His dealings with this world through the agency of the devathas. The

most confidential knowledge about Lord is accessible directly in this Uthara

Bhaga.

 

UPANISHADS

 

*************

 

Upanishads fall in the category of Brahma Bhaga. "Upa" means near,

"Nishanna",

means showing, disclosing. Upanishads bring Lord closer to our understanding by

describing Lord with different examples and beautiful analogies, hence the name.

 

Katho:panishad

 

------------------

 

Katho:panishad is identified as the third of the Upanishads, Isha, Kena being

the first two. So, for all those desirous of learning the most confidential

understandings of the Vedas, who really want to experience that eternal Anandam,

Katho:panishad study and meditation on its meaning is essential.

 

Under the brilliant guidance of the lotus feet of our Acharya, let us be

determined to learn this Upanishad step by step.

 

Kindly forgive adiye:n for adiye:n's ignorance and any lack of understanding.

 

Jai Srimannaarayana,

 

adiye:n.

 

REVIEW QUESTIONS (For adiye:n's own benefit, adiye:n wrote these. May be, they

will become useful to some of you.)

 

*******************

 

1) For Sri Vaishnavas, what is considered to be the seed of Vedas?

 

2) What are the 4 defects in the works of human beings? Can you think of an

example for each defect? Discuss how modern literature is hoax, in the light of

these 4 defects.

 

3) If that is the case (refer to Q.3), how Valmiki's Sri Ramayana, Parashara

Maharshi's Vishnu Purana etc are considered to be "Pramanas" for us? Were they

not penned by human beings? [Clue: Something can be called Pramana when it

doesn't say anything against what Vedas declare. Also, it should have been

accepted by our pu:rva Acharyas.]

 

4) Why there is no degradation of consciousness in animals? Is there

degradation of consciousness in devathas? What is the unique facility offerred

in human birth?

 

5) If somebody has to categorize something, there should be some basis for

such categorization. On what basis Vedas were classified and labelled by Veda

Vyasa?

 

6) Match the following:

 

(i) Uthara Bhagam 1. Deals with Yagnam, methods of

performing activites in a religious manner

 

(ii) Apaurusheya 2. Quantum Electro Dynamics

 

(iii) Upanishads 3. Belong to Brahma Bhagam of Vedas.

 

(iv) Paurusheya but Pramana 4. Also called Brahma Bhagam

 

(v) Poorva Bhagam 5. Vishnu Puranam

 

(vi) Not a pramanam at all 6. Should consult Uthara Bhagam

 

(vii) Intelligent Man 7. Vedas

 

(viii) "Purusha" 8. Should consult Poorva Bhagam

 

9. Male

 

10. Any soul living in the body

of nine gates.(Nava Dvaara Puri....)

 

11. Should simply waste his

life in earning money.

 

 

 

 

 

Send your FREE holiday greetings online at Greetings.