Vedas are Sri Krishna's Statements

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Hare Krishna. Pranam to all Vaishnavas,

Vedas are Sri Krishna's Statements

With the deep knowledge gained by mastering the Supreme Godhead’s (Bhagavan Sri Krishna) divine revelations and combining it with their self- introspection, sages and saints have left for the benefit of humanity, valuable guidelines for leading a regulated and an integrated life. Sometimes, different interpretations are possible for their opinions, but they have been systematised by scholars of subsequent periods. The source from which all of them derived their intelligence was the commands of Godhead , collectively called the Vedas. The religion (Sanatana Dharma) that was being practised was based on these statements of the Bhagavan .

The Vedas contained four divisions, each in turn made of two parts. The ``Mantras'' are instruments of conveying thoughts, made of prayers and praise embodied in metrical hymns. The other, known as ``Brahmanas'' (not to be confused with Brahmins), written in prose, are full of liturgical and ritualistic glosses, explanations and applications of hymns illustrated by numerous legends.

The Rig Veda spells out prayers in poetical form and thus provides an idea of God. Yajur Veda deals with rituals. Sama Veda contains songs connected with celestials. These three stand as one unit but present a Vedic religion in its complete sense. Atharva Veda is humanistic in its approach, helping people to develop mentally and physically. The chief feature of the Vedas is their manner of approach to enable people to benefit here while living and hereafter (after death). They deal with social, political and economic thoughts. In the earlier days, worship of God was essentially concerned with elements

of Nature, gradually giving importance to rituals. Then developed the significance of social life, attention being paid to morality, ethics, discipline, control and spiritual values. To adhere to ethical way of life, the holy texts were of immense use as the episodes therein point out how man's conduct here should be.

In social life, there may be inequality among men but while discharging their obligations and carrying out their duties honestly, the rewards obtained are alike. For instance, in doing their respective duties, a sweeper's role can be equated with that of a Vedic scholar. By following the discipline, both could get the same type of merits in heaven.

Srimad Bhagavatam clarifies about the relevance of Vedas and Puranas , in Canto 1, Chapter 4 :

TEXT 15

sa kadäcit sarasvatyä

upaspåçya jalaà çuciù

vivikta eka äséna

udite ravi-maëòale

(Once upon a time he [sage Vyasadeva], as the sun rose, took his morning ablution in the waters of the Sarasvati and sat alone to concentrate.)

TEXT 16

parävara-jïaù sa åñiù

kälenävyakta-raàhasä

yuga-dharma-vyatikaraà

präptaà bhuvi yuge yuge

(The great sage Vyasadeva saw anomalies in the duties of the millennium. This happens on the earth in different ages, due to unseen forces in the course of time.)

TEXTS 17–18

bhautikänäà ca bhävänäà

çakti-hräsaà ca tat-kåtam

açraddadhänän niùsattvän

durmedhän hrasitäyuñaù

durbhagäàç ca janän vékñya

munir divyena cakñuñä

sarva-varëäçramäëäà yad

dadhyau hitam amogha-dåk

(The great sage, who was fully equipped in knowledge, could see, through his transcendental vision, the deterioration of everything material, due to the influence of the age. He could also see that the faithless people in general would be reduced in duration of life and would be impatient due to lack of goodness. Thus he contemplated for the welfare of men in all statuses and orders of life.)

TEXT 19

cätur-hotraà karma çuddhaà

prajänäà vékñya vaidikam

vyadadhäd yajïa-santatyai

vedam ekaà catur-vidham

(He saw that the sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas were means by which the people’s occupations could be purified. And to simplify the process he divided the one Veda into four, in order to expand them among men.)

TEXT 20

åg-yajuù-sämätharväkhyä

vedäç catvära uddhåtäù

itihäsa-puräëaà ca

païcamo veda ucyate

(The four divisions of the original sources of knowledge [the Vedas] were made separately. But the historical facts and authentic stories mentioned in the Puranas are called the fifth Veda.)

TEXT 21

tatrarg-veda-dharaù pailaù

sämago jaiminiù kaviù

vaiçampäyana evaiko

niñëäto yajuñäm uta

( After the Vedas were divided into four divisions, Sage Paila became the professor of the Rig Veda, Jaimini the professor of the Sama Veda, and Vaisampayana alone became glorified by the Yajur Veda. )

TEXT 22

atharväìgirasäm äsét

sumantur däruëo muniù

itihäsa-puräëänäà

pitä me romaharñaëaù

( The Sumantu Muni Aìgirä, who was very devotedly engaged, was entrusted with the Atharva Veda. And Romaharnaea, was entrusted with the Puranas and historical record )

TEXT 23

ta eta åñayo vedaà

svaà svaà vyasyann anekadhä

çiñyaiù praçiñyais tac-chiñyair

vedäs te çäkhino ’bhavan

( All these learned scholars, in their turn, rendered their entrusted Vedas unto their many disciples, grand-disciples and great grand-disciples, and thus the respective branches of the followers of the Vedas came into being. )

TEXT 24

ta eva vedä durmedhair

dhäryante puruñair yathä

evaà cakära bhagavän

vyäsaù kåpaëa-vatsalaù

( Thus the great sage Vyasadeva, who is very kind to the ignorant masses, edited the Vedas so they might be assimilated by less intellectual men.)

TEXT 25

stré-çüdra-dvijabandhünäà

trayé na çruti-gocarä

karma-çreyasi müòhänäà

çreya evaà bhaved iha

iti bhäratam äkhyänaà

kåpayä muninä kåtam

( Out of compassion, the great sage thought it wise that this would enable men to achieve the ultimate goal of life. Thus he compiled the great historical narration called the Mahabharata for women, laborers and friends of the twice-born.)

OM NAMO BHAGAVATE VASUDEVAYA !!!

 

SriKrishnaDasa Rajeev

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