Aryan , Sanskrit and the Universal Religion .

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Hare Krishna ! . Dandavat Pranam to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and all Vaishnavas, ARYAN In Sanskrit language , the term Aryan means "noble" as it applied within the context of Vedic Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) . The word Aryan is derived from ‘Arya’ which meant "exalted" or "noble one" . Arya appears in the ancient Vedic texts known as the Rigveda . Ancient India is also referred to as Aryavarta , which means "Abode of the Aryans". Indo-Aryan speaking people form majority of the population of northern India . "Arya" can also be spelled in the form of any of the following Sanskrit words : Arya is related to the Indo-European word "Aristocracy" and was used in the same context in Vedic tradition, as a designation for moral and spiritual heroes. Later this term came to signify anyone of good and noble character. · aryá- or aryà- is an adjective meaning "kind", "favorable", or "devoted" . · aryáḥ or

áryaḥ is a noun meaning "master" or "Lord". · ā´rya- is an adjective derived from the second of the above meaning "respectable", "honorable", or "noble"; also "belonging to the Brahmana, Ksatriya or Vaisya varṇas . · ā´ryaḥ is a noun corresponding to the adjective

above, meaning "an honorable or respectable man", "a master", "an owner", "a member of the three highest varṇas" (named above). The important Sanskrit lexicon Amarakosa (ca. 450 AD) defines ārya thus : "An ārya is one who hails from a noble family, of gentle behavior and demeanor, good-natured and of righteous conduct. (mahākula kulinārya sabhya sajjana sadhavah.)" The concept of ārya developed various forms such as ariya, ayya, ajja, and aje . The last of these gave rise to the honorific term -ji, which is used following a proper name, for example in Gandhiji . In Sanskrit and related Indic languages, ārya is in general either a term of approbation or refers to one's standing in the varṇa system : an arya is a free man and not a member of a lower varna or a slave . A particular region (northern and central India ; the Indus and Ganges plains) was called Āryāvarta meaning "abode of the noble people (Aryas) ". Swamy Vivekananda remarked : "...It is the Hindus who have all along called themselves Aryas . Whether of pure or mixed blood, the Hindus are Aryas ; there it rests." (Vivekananda, Complete Works vol.5) Uses In the Vedas The term Arya is used 36 times in 34 hymns in the Rig Veda . According to Talageri (2000, The Rig Veda-A historical analysis) "the particular Vedic Aryans of the Rigveda were one section among these Purus, who called themselves Bharatas." In the Epics ‘Arya’ and ‘Anarya’ are primarily used in the moral sense in the Hindu Epics . People are usually called ‘Arya’ or ‘Anarya’ based on their behaviour . Ramayana In the Ramayana, the term ‘Arya’ can also apply to Raksasas or to Ravana, if their behaviour was "Aryan". In several instances, the Vanaras and Raksasas called themselves ‘Arya’ . The Vanara king Surgriva is called an ‘Arya’ (Ram : 505102712) and he also speaks of his brother Valin as an ‘Arya’ (Ram: 402402434) . In another instance in the Ramayana, Ravana regards himself and his ministers as Aryas (Ram: 600600512) . In the Ramayana (202901512) Rama describes a Suta as ‘Arya’ and the Raksasa Indrajit tries to demoralize Lord Rama by calling Him an ‘Anarya’ (Ramayana: 607502112) . The Ramayana

describes Rama as : arya sarva samascaiva sadaiva priyadarsanah, meaning " Arya, who worked for the equality of all and was dear to everyone." Mahabharata In the Mahabharata, the terms ‘Arya’ or ‘Anarya’ are often applied to people according to their behaviour. Dusasana, who tried to disrobe Draupadi in the Kaurava court, is called an "Anarya" (Mbh:0020600253).

Vidura , the son of a Dasi born from Sage Vyasa , was the only person in the assembly whose behaviour is called "Arya", because he was the only one who openly protested when Draupadi was being disrobed by Dushasana. The Pandavas called themselves "Anarya" in the Mahabharata (0071670471) when they killed Drona through deception. According to the Mahabharata a person's behaviour (not wealth or learning) determines if he can be called an ‘Arya’ . Modern uses in Hinduism According to Swami Vivekananda, "A child materially born is not an ‘Aryan’ ; the child born in spirituality is an ‘Aryan’ .” He further elaborated, referring to the Manu Smriti: "Says our great law-giver, Manu, giving the definition of an ‘Aryan’ , "He is the ‘Aryan’, who is born through

prayer". Every child not born through prayer is illegitimate, according to the great law-giver: "The child must be prayed for. Those children that come with curses, that slip into the world, just in a moment of inadvertence, because that could not be prevented - what can we expect of such progeny?..."(Swami Vivekananda, Complete Works vol.8) . SANSKRIT The adjective saṃskṛta- means "refined, consecrated, sanctified". The

language referred to as saṃskṛtā vāk "the refined language" has by definition always been

a 'high' language, used for religious and learned discourse and contrasted with the languages spoken by the people. It is also called deva-bhāshā meaning "language of the Gods". When the term arose in India, "Sanskrit" was not thought of as a specific language set apart from other languages, but rather as a particularly refined or perfected manner of speaking. Knowledge of Sanskrit was a marker of social class and educational attainment and was taught mainly to the Vedic students through close analysis of Sanskrit grammarians such as Pāṇini. Sanskrit as the learned language of Ancient India thus existed alongside the Prakrits (vernaculars), which evolved into the modern Indo-Aryan languages (Hindi / Bengali etc.) . Most of the Dravidian languages of India, despite being a separate linguistic family by their own right, are highly influenced by Sanskrit, especially in terms of loanwords. Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam have the highest

incidence of loans while Tamil has the lowest . This influence of Sanskrit on these languages is recognized by the notions of Tat Sama (equivalent) and Tat Bhava (rooted in). Classical Sanskrit can be considered a seamless evolution of the earlier Vedic language. Vedic Sanskrit is the language of the Vedas, a large collection of hymns, incantations, and religio-philosophical discussions which form the earliest religious texts in the Vedic religion .

Sanskrit , the language of the Vedas is eternal and revealed in its wording and word order . Evidence for this belief is found in the Vedas itself, where in the Upanishads they are described as the very "breath of God" (niḥśvāsitam brahma). The Vedas are therefore considered "the language of reality", so to speak, and are unauthored, even by God, the Rishis or Seers ascribed to them being merely individuals gifted with a special insight into reality with the power of perceiving these eternal sounds. At the beginning of every cycle of creation, God himself "remembers" the order of the Vedic words and propagates them through the Rishis . This belief is of significant consequence in Indian

religious history, as the very sacredness and eternality of the language encouraged exact memorization and transmission and discouraged textual learning via written propagation (see: Apaurusheyatva). Each word is believed to have innate and eternal meaning and, when properly pronounced, mystic expressive power . Erroneous learning of repetition of the Veda was considered a grave sin with potentially immediate negative consequences. Consequently, Vedic learning by rote was encouraged and prized, particularly among the Brahmanas, where learning of one's own Vedic texts was a mandated duty. Roma and

Sinti The closely related Roma and Sinti people, also known as "Gypsies", are believed to have left India in about 1000 AD and to have passed through what is now Afghanistan , Persia , Armenia , and Turkey . People recognizable by other Roma as Roma still live as far east as Iran, including some who made the migration to Europe and returned. By the 14th century, the Roma had reached the Balkans , by the 15th century they appeared in Western Europe , and by the 16th century, they had reached Scotland and Sweden . People with some similarity to the Roma still exist in India, in particular in the desert

state of Rajasthan . Roma immigration to the United States began in colonial times, and larger scale immigration began in the 1860s with groups from Britain . The largest number of immigrants came over in the early 1900s. A large number also moved to Latin America . The Universal Religion ( Based on the teachings of Paramacharya Chandrasekharendra Saraswati ). In the dim past what we call Hinduism today was prevalent all over the world. Archaeological studies reveal the existence of relics of our Vedic religion in many countries. For instance, excavations have brought up the text of a treaty between Rameses II and the Hittites dating back to the 14th century B. C. In this, the Vedic Gods Mitra and Varuna are mentioned as witnesses to the pact. There is a connection between the name of Ramesses and that of our Rama. About 75 per cent of the names of places in Madagascar have a Sanskritic origin. In the Western Hemisphere too there is evidence of Hinduism having once flourished there. In Mexico a festival is celebrated at the same time as our Navaratri ; it is called "Rama-Sita". Wherever the earth is dug up images of Ganapati are discovered here. The Aztecs had inhabited Mexico before the Spaniards conquered that land. "Aztecs " must be a distorted form of "Astikas". In Peru, during the time of the holy equinox [vernal? ] worship was

conducted in the sun temple. The people of this land were called Incas : "Ina" is one of the Sanskrit names of the sun god. Don't we call Rama Inakula-tilaka ? . There is book containing photographs of the aborigines of Australia dancing in the nude (The Native Tribes of Central Australia, by Spencer Killan, pages 128 & 129). A close look at the pictures, captioned "Siva Dance", shows that the dancers have a third eye drawn on the forehead. In a virgin forest in Borneo which, it is said, had not been penetrated by any human being until recently, explorers have found a sacrificial post with an inscription in a script akin to our Granthas characters. Historians know it as the inscription of Mulavarman of Kotei. Mention is

made in it of a sacrifice, the king who performed it, the place where the ‘yupas’ was installed. That the king gave away ‘kalpavrksass’ as a gift to Brahmins is also stated in this inscription. All such details were discovered by Europeans, the very people who ridicule our religion. Now something occurs to me in this context, something that you may find amusing. You know that the Sagaras went on digging the earth down to the

nether world in search of their sacrificial horse. An ocean came into being in this way and it was called ‘sagara’ after the king Sagara. The Sagaras, at last found the horse near the hermitage of Kapila Maharsi. Thinking that he must be the man who had stolen the animal and hidden it in the nether world they laid violent hands on him. Whereupon the sage reduced them to ashes with a mere glance of his

eye. Such is the story according to the Ramayana. America, which is at the antipodes, may be taken to Patala or the nether world. Kapilaranya(the forest in which Kapila had his hermitage), we may further take it, was situated there. It is likely that Kapilaranya changed to California in the same manner as Madurai

is something altered to "Marudai". Also noteworthy is the fact that there is a Horse Island near California as well as an Ash Island. Another idea occurs to me about Sagara and sagara. Geologists believe that ages ago the Sahara desert was an ocean. It seems to me that Sahara is derived from sagara. Some historians try to explain the evidence pointing to the worldwide prevalence of our religion in the past to the exchange of cultural and religious ideas between India and other countries established through travels. I myself believe that there was one common religion or dharma throughout and that the signs and symbols that we find of this today are the creation of the original inhabitants of the lands

concerned. The view put forward by some students of history about the discovery of the remnants of our religion in other countries- these relating to what is considered the historical period of the past two or three thousand years- is that Indians went to these lands, destroyed the old native civilizations there and imposed Hindu culture in their place. Alternatively, they claim, Indians thrust their culture into the native ways of life in such a way that it became totally absorbed in

them. The fact, however, is that evidence is to be found in many countries of their Vedic connection dating back to 4, 000 years or more. That is, with the dawn of civilization itself, aspects of the Vedic dharama existed in these lands. It was only subsequently that the inhabitants of these regions came to have a religion of their own. Greece had an ancient religion and had big temples where various deities were worshipped. The Hellenic religion had Vedic elements in it. The same was the case with the Semitic religions of the pre- Christian era in the region associated with Jesus. The aborigines of Mexico had a religion of their

own. They shared the Vedic view of the divine in the forces of nature and worshipped them as deities. There was a good deal of ritual in all such religions. Now none of these religions, including that of Greece, survives. The Greek civilization had once attained to the

heights of glory. Now Christianity flourishes in Greece. Buddhism has spread in Central Asia and in East Asia up to Japan. According to anthropologists, religions in their original form exist only in areas like the forests of Africa. But even these ancient faiths contain Vedic elements. Religious and philosophical truths are often explained through parables, stories, so that ignorant people can understand them easily. Since metaphysical concepts are difficult to grasp, either they have to be told in the form of a story or they have to be given the form of a ritual, that is they must find expression as religious acts. For the common people the performance of a rite is a means of finding the truth present in it in the form of a symbol. I do not, however, agree with the view that all rituals are nothing but symbolic in their significance and that there is no need to perform them so long as their inner meaning is understood. Ritual as ritual has its own place and efficacy. Similarly, I would not say that stories from the Puranas are nothing but illustrations or explanations of certain truths or doctrines. As stories they are of a high order and I believe that they really happened. But, at the same time, they demonstrate the meaning of certain truths. As for rites, their performance brings up benefits. But in due course, as we learn to appreciate their inner meaning we shall become purified in mind. This is the stage when we shall no more yearn for any benefits from their performance and will be rewarded with supreme well-being (that is, liberation). It is likely, though, that, with the passage of time, some stories or rites will become far removed from their inner meaning. Or, it may be, the inner meaning will be altogether forgotten. So it must be that, when new religions took shape abroad, after the lapse of thousands of years-religions not connected with the Vedic faith that is the root-the original Vedic concepts become transformed or distorted.

You must be familiar with the story of Adam and Eve which belongs to the Hebrew tradition. It occurs in the Genesis of the Old Testament and speaks of the tree of knowledge and God's commandment that its fruit shall not be eaten. Adam at first did not eat it but Eve did. After that Adam too ate the forbidden fruit. Here an Upanisadic concept has taken the form of a biblical story. But because of the change in the time and place the original idea has become distorted-or even obliterated. The Upanisadic story speaks of two birds perched on the branch of a ‘pippala’ tree. One eats the fruit

of tree while the order merely watches its companion without eating. The ‘pippala’ tree stands for the body. The first bird represents a being that regards himself as the ‘jivatman’ or individual self and the fruit it eats signifies sensual pleasure. In the same body (symbolized by the tree) the second bird is to be understood as the ‘Paramatman’. He is the support of all beings but he does not know sensual pleasure. Since he does not eat the fruit he naturally does not have the same experience as the ‘jivatman’ (the first). The Upanisad speaks with poetic beauty of the two birds. He who eats the fruit is the individual self, ‘jiva’, and he who does not eat is the

Supreme Reality, the one who knows Himself to be the Atman. It is this ‘jiva’ that has come to be called Eve in the Hebrew religious tradition. "Ji" changes to "i" according to a rule of grammar and "ja" to "ya". We

have the example of "Yamuna" becoming "Jamuna" or of "Yogindra" being changed to "Joginder ". In the biblical story "jiva" is "Eve" and "Atma" (or "Atman") is "Adam". "Pippala" has in the same way changed to "apple". The Tree of Knowledge is our "bodhi-vrksa". "Bodha" means "knowledge". It is well known that the Budhha attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree. But the pipal (pippala) was known as the bodhi

tree even before his time. The Upanisadic ideas transplanted into a distant land underwent a change after the lapse of centuries. Thus we see in the biblical story that the Atman (Adam) that can never be subject to sensual pleasure also eats the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. While our bodhi tree stands for enlightenment, the enlightenment that banishes all sensual pleasure, the biblical tree affords worldly pleasure. These differences notwithstanding there is sufficient evidence here that, once upon a time, Vedic religion was prevalent in the land of the Hebrews. Let me give the another example to strengthen the view that however much a custom or a concept changes with the passage of time and with its acceptance by people of another land, it will still retain elements pointing to its original source. Our TiruppavaiT and TiruvembavaiT are not as ancient as the Vedas. Scholars ascribe them to an age not later than 1, 500 years ago. However it be, the authors of these Tamil hymns, AndalT and ManikkavacakarT, belong to an age much later than that of the Vedas and epics. After their time Hindu empires arose across the seas. Even the Chola kings extended their sway beyond the shores of the country. More worthy of note than our naval expeditions was the great expansion in our sea trade and the increase with it of our foreign contacts. As a result, people abroad were drawn to the Hindu religion and culture. Among the regions that developed such contacts, South-East Asia was the most important. Islands like Bali in the Indonesian archipelago became wholly Hindu. People in Siam (Thailand), Indochina and the

Philippines came under the influence of Hindu culture. ‘Srivijaya’ was one of the great empires of South-East Asia. [Here the Paramaguru briefly touches upon the stages representing the emergence of various religions]. In primeval times the Vedic religion was prevalent everywhere : this was the first stage. In the second stage new religions emerged in various parts of the world. In the third stage these decayed and their place was taken by Buddhism, Christianity or Islam. In the subsequent stage the Hindu civilization became a living force outside the shores of India also, particularly in South-East Asia. This was the period during which great temples reminding us of those of Tamil Nadu arose with the spread of our religion and culture: Angkor-vat in Cambodia; Borobudur in Java, Indonesia; Prambanan, also in Java. Now it was

that our Tiruppavai and Tiruvembavai made their passage to Thailand. Even today a big festival is held in Thailand in December- January, corresponding to the Tamil Margazhi, the same month during which we read the Tiruppavai

and Tiruvembavai with devotion. As part of the celebrations a ‘dolotsava’ (swing festival) is held. A remarkable feature of this is that, in the ceremony meant for Visnu, a man with the make-up of Siva is seated on the swing. This seems to be in keeping with the fact that the Tiruppavai and Tiruvembavai contribute to the unification of Vaisnavism and Saivism. If you ask the people of Thailand about the Pavai poems, they will not be able to speak about them. It might seem then that there is no basis for connecting the that festival with the Pavai works merely

because it is held in the month corresponding to the Tamil Murgazhi. But the point to note is that the people of that country themselves call it "Triyampavai- Trippavai". Those who read the Bible today are likely to be ignorant about the Upanisads, but they are sure to know the story that can be traced back to them, that of Adam and Eve. The Thais now must be likewise ignorant about the Pavis but, all the same, they hold in the month of Dhanus every year a celebration

called "Triyampavai - Trippavai. " As part of it they also have a swing festival for Visnu. Also during this period the Thais have forgotten the Pavis but, significantly enough, they still conduct a festival named after them. Keeping these before you, take mind back to three thousand years ago and imagine how a religion or a culture would have changed after its passage to foreign lands. It is in this context that you must consider the Vedic tradition.

For all the changes and distortions that it has undergone in other countries during the past millennia its presence there is still proclaimed through elements to be found in the religions that supplanted it. How are we to understand the presence of Hindu ideas or concepts in the religious beliefs of people said to belong to prehistoric times? It does not seem right to claim that in the distant past our religion or culture was propagated in other countries through an armed invasion or through trade, that is at a time when civilization itself has not taken shape

there. That is why I feel that there is no question of anything having been taken from this land and introduced into another country. The fact according to me, is that in the beginning the Vedic religion was prevalent all over the world. Later, over the countries, it must have gone through a process of change and taken different forms. These forms came to be called the original religions of these various lands which in the subsequent period- during historical times- came under Buddhism, Christianity or Islam as the case may be.

Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!!! SriKrishnaDasa Rajeev. --------------Monique Cardell <monica_romana wrote: I am so sorry about the word "cult". I did not mean it the way you do. I am a Latin teacher and I see the word

totally differently. In Latin, you see, it is the word for culture like cultivating the grain, the fields, etc... but it is also the word for "honoring the Divinity". That is how I feel it. Sorry. As for Sanskrit, the "perfect" language, how is it then that it is still related to Latin and Greek so closely? And again, about my question: what about the Aryans? If there were no invasion, where did they come from, and who were they? MoniqueDeeps <deeps20274 (AT) (DOT) co.in> wrote: Correction. It is not Vedic CULT. It is civilization. It is a religion. It is the words of God for followers. A religion cannot pass of as cult. A cult by definition has its own beliefs and practices which are alienated

from the mainstream religion. Vedic system or Sanathan Dharma is no cult. Sanskrit is not a new language. According to Vedic scriptures it is the language of Gods and has been around from time immemorial.

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Hari Om! Hare Krishna! Thank you so much, dear Sri KrishnaDasa Rajeev, This is exactly what I needed as an answer. This is satisfying to my mind. To my heart too. May we all rejoice at the lotus feet of our Lord! Hare Krishna! Monique SriKrishnaDasa Rajeev <srikrishnadasa_rajeev wrote: Hare Krishna ! . Dandavat Pranam to Bhagavan Sri Krishna and all Vaishnavas, ARYAN In Sanskrit language , the term Aryan means "noble" as it applied within the context of Vedic Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) . The word Aryan is derived from

‘Arya’ which meant "exalted" or "noble one" . Arya appears in the ancient Vedic texts known as the Rigveda . Ancient India is also referred to as Aryavarta , which means "Abode of the Aryans". Indo-Aryan speaking people form majority of the population of northern India . "Arya" can also be spelled in the form of any of the following Sanskrit words : Arya is related to the Indo-European word "Aristocracy" and was used in the same context in Vedic tradition, as a designation for moral and spiritual heroes. Later this term came to signify anyone of good and noble character. · aryá- or aryà- is an adjective meaning "kind", "favorable", or "devoted" . · aryáḥ or áryaḥ is a noun meaning "master" or "Lord". · ā´rya- is an adjective derived from the second of the above meaning "respectable", "honorable", or "noble"; also "belonging to the Brahmana, Ksatriya or Vaisya varṇas . · ā´ryaḥ is a noun corresponding to the adjective above, meaning "an honorable or respectable man", "a master", "an owner", "a member of the three highest varṇas" (named above). The

important Sanskrit lexicon Amarakosa (ca. 450 AD) defines ārya thus : "An ārya is one who hails from a noble family, of gentle behavior and demeanor, good-natured and of righteous conduct. (mahākula kulinārya sabhya sajjana sadhavah.)" The concept of ārya developed various forms such as ariya, ayya, ajja, and aje . The last of these gave rise to the honorific term -ji, which is used following a proper name, for example in Gandhiji . In Sanskrit and related Indic languages, ārya is in general either a term of approbation or refers to one's standing in the varṇa system : an arya is a free man and not a member of a lower varna or a slave . A particular region (northern and central India ; the

Indus and Ganges plains) was called Āryāvarta meaning "abode of the noble people (Aryas) ". Swamy Vivekananda remarked : "...It is the Hindus who have all along called themselves Aryas . Whether of pure or mixed blood, the Hindus are Aryas ; there it rests." (Vivekananda, Complete Works vol.5) Uses In the Vedas The term Arya is used 36 times in 34 hymns in the Rig Veda . According to Talageri (2000, The Rig Veda-A historical analysis) "the particular Vedic Aryans of the Rigveda were one section among these Purus, who called themselves Bharatas." In the Epics ‘Arya’ and ‘Anarya’ are primarily used in the moral sense in the Hindu Epics . People are usually called ‘Arya’ or ‘Anarya’ based on their behaviour . Ramayana In the Ramayana, the term ‘Arya’ can also apply to Raksasas or to Ravana, if their behaviour was "Aryan". In several instances, the Vanaras and Raksasas called themselves ‘Arya’ . The Vanara king Surgriva

is called an ‘Arya’ (Ram : 505102712) and he also speaks of his brother Valin as an ‘Arya’ (Ram: 402402434) . In another instance in the Ramayana, Ravana regards himself and his ministers as Aryas (Ram: 600600512) . In the Ramayana (202901512) Rama describes a Suta as ‘Arya’ and the Raksasa Indrajit tries to demoralize Lord Rama by calling Him an ‘Anarya’ (Ramayana: 607502112) . The Ramayana describes Rama as : arya sarva samascaiva sadaiva priyadarsanah, meaning " Arya, who worked for the equality of all and was dear to

everyone." Mahabharata In the Mahabharata, the terms ‘Arya’ or ‘Anarya’ are often applied to people according to their behaviour. Dusasana, who tried to disrobe Draupadi in the Kaurava court, is called an "Anarya" (Mbh:0020600253). Vidura , the son of a Dasi born from Sage Vyasa , was the only person in the assembly whose behaviour is called "Arya", because he was the only one who openly protested when Draupadi was being disrobed by Dushasana. The Pandavas called themselves "Anarya" in the Mahabharata (0071670471) when they killed Drona through deception. According to the Mahabharata a person's behaviour (not wealth or learning) determines if he can be called an ‘Arya’ . Modern uses in Hinduism According to Swami Vivekananda, "A child materially born is not an ‘Aryan’ ; the child born in spirituality is an ‘Aryan’ .” He further elaborated, referring to the Manu Smriti: "Says our great law-giver, Manu, giving the definition of an ‘Aryan’ , "He is the ‘Aryan’, who is born through

prayer". Every child not born through prayer is illegitimate, according to the great law-giver: "The child must be prayed for. Those children that come with curses, that slip into the world, just in a moment of inadvertence, because that could not be prevented - what can we expect of such progeny?..."(Swami Vivekananda, Complete Works vol.8) . SANSKRIT The adjective saṃskṛta- means "refined, consecrated, sanctified". The language referred to as saṃskṛtā vāk "the refined language" has by

definition always been a 'high' language, used for religious and learned discourse and contrasted with the languages spoken by the people. It is also called deva-bhāshā meaning "language of the Gods". When the term arose in India, "Sanskrit" was not thought of as a specific language set apart from other languages, but rather as a particularly refined or perfected manner of speaking. Knowledge of Sanskrit was a marker of social class and educational attainment and was taught mainly to the Vedic students through close analysis of Sanskrit grammarians such as Pāṇini. Sanskrit as the learned language of Ancient India thus existed alongside the Prakrits (vernaculars), which evolved into the modern Indo-Aryan languages (Hindi / Bengali etc.) . Most of the Dravidian languages of India, despite being a separate linguistic family by their own right, are highly influenced by Sanskrit, especially in terms of loanwords. Kannada, Telugu and Malayalam have the highest incidence of loans while Tamil has the lowest . This influence of Sanskrit on these languages is recognized by the notions of Tat Sama (equivalent) and Tat Bhava (rooted in). Classical Sanskrit can be considered a seamless evolution of the earlier Vedic language. Vedic Sanskrit is the language of the Vedas, a large collection of hymns, incantations, and religio-philosophical discussions which form the earliest religious texts in the Vedic religion . Sanskrit , the language of the Vedas is eternal and revealed in its wording and word order . Evidence for this belief is found in the Vedas itself, where in the Upanishads they are described as the very "breath of God" (niḥśvāsitam brahma). The Vedas are therefore considered "the language of reality", so to speak, and are unauthored, even by God, the Rishis or Seers ascribed to them being merely individuals gifted with a special insight into reality with the power of perceiving these eternal sounds. At the beginning of every cycle of creation, God himself "remembers" the order of the Vedic words and propagates them through the Rishis . This belief is of significant consequence in Indian religious history, as the very sacredness and eternality of the language encouraged exact memorization and transmission and

discouraged textual learning via written propagation (see: Apaurusheyatva). Each word is believed to have innate and eternal meaning and, when properly pronounced, mystic expressive power . Erroneous learning of repetition of the Veda was considered a grave sin with potentially immediate negative consequences. Consequently, Vedic learning by rote was encouraged and prized, particularly among the Brahmanas, where learning of one's own Vedic texts was a mandated duty. Roma and Sinti The closely related Roma and Sinti people, also known as "Gypsies", are believed to have left India in about 1000 AD and to have passed through what is now Afghanistan , Persia , Armenia , and

Turkey . People recognizable by other Roma as Roma still live as far east as Iran, including some who made the migration to Europe and returned. By the 14th century, the Roma had reached the Balkans , by the 15th century they appeared in Western Europe , and by the 16th century, they had reached Scotland and Sweden . People with some similarity to the Roma still exist in India, in particular in the desert state of Rajasthan . Roma immigration to the United States began in colonial times, and larger scale immigration began in the 1860s with groups from Britain . The largest number of immigrants came over in the early 1900s. A large number also moved to Latin America . The Universal Religion ( Based on the teachings of Paramacharya Chandrasekharendra Saraswati ). In the dim past what we call Hinduism today was prevalent all over the world. Archaeological studies reveal the existence of relics of our Vedic religion in many countries. For instance, excavations have

brought up the text of a treaty between Rameses II and the Hittites dating back to the 14th century B. C. In this, the Vedic Gods Mitra and Varuna are mentioned as witnesses to the pact. There is a connection between the name of Ramesses and that of our Rama. About 75 per cent of the names of places in Madagascar have a Sanskritic origin. In the Western Hemisphere too there is evidence of

Hinduism having once flourished there. In Mexico a festival is celebrated at the same time as our Navaratri ; it is called "Rama-Sita". Wherever the earth is dug up images of Ganapati are discovered here. The Aztecs had inhabited Mexico before the Spaniards conquered that land. "Aztecs " must be a distorted form of "Astikas". In Peru, during the time of the holy equinox [vernal? ] worship was conducted in the sun temple. The

people of this land were called Incas : "Ina" is one of the Sanskrit names of the sun god. Don't we call Rama Inakula-tilaka ? . There is book containing photographs of the aborigines of Australia dancing in the nude (The Native Tribes of Central Australia, by Spencer Killan, pages 128 & 129). A close look at the pictures, captioned "Siva Dance", shows that the dancers have a third eye drawn on the forehead. In a virgin

forest in Borneo which, it is said, had not been penetrated by any human being until recently, explorers have found a sacrificial post with an inscription in a script akin to our Granthas characters. Historians know it as the inscription of Mulavarman of Kotei. Mention is made in it of a sacrifice, the king who performed it, the place where the ‘yupas’ was installed. That the king gave away ‘kalpavrksass’ as a gift to Brahmins is also stated in this inscription. All such details were discovered by Europeans, the very people who ridicule our religion. Now

something occurs to me in this context, something that you may find amusing. You know that the Sagaras went on digging the earth down to the nether world in search of their sacrificial horse. An ocean came into being in this way and it was called ‘sagara’ after the king Sagara. The Sagaras, at last found the horse near the hermitage of Kapila Maharsi. Thinking that he must be the man who had stolen the animal and hidden it in the nether world they laid violent hands on him. Whereupon the sage reduced them to ashes with a mere glance of his eye. Such is the story according to the Ramayana. America, which is at the antipodes, may be taken to Patala or the nether world. Kapilaranya(the forest in which Kapila had his hermitage), we may further take it, was situated there. It is likely that Kapilaranya changed to California in the same manner as Madurai is something altered to "Marudai". Also noteworthy is the fact that there is a Horse Island near California as well as an Ash Island. Another idea occurs to me about Sagara and sagara. Geologists believe that ages ago the Sahara desert was an ocean.

It seems to me that Sahara is derived from sagara. Some historians try to explain the evidence pointing to the worldwide prevalence of our religion in the past to the exchange of cultural and religious ideas between India and other countries established through travels. I myself believe that there was one common religion or dharma throughout and that the signs and symbols that we find of this today are the creation of the original inhabitants of the lands

concerned. The view put forward by some students of history about the discovery of the remnants of our religion in other countries- these relating to what is considered the historical period of the past two or three thousand years- is that Indians went to these lands, destroyed the old native civilizations there and imposed Hindu culture in their place. Alternatively, they claim, Indians thrust their culture into the native ways of life in such a way that it became totally absorbed in them. The fact, however, is that evidence is to be found in many countries of their Vedic connection dating back to 4, 000 years or more. That is, with the dawn of civilization itself, aspects of the Vedic dharama existed in these lands. It was only subsequently that the inhabitants of these regions came to have a religion of their own. Greece had an ancient religion and had big temples where various deities were worshipped. The Hellenic religion had Vedic elements in it. The same was the case with the Semitic religions of the pre- Christian era in the region associated with Jesus. The aborigines of

Mexico had a religion of their own. They shared the Vedic view of the divine in the forces of nature and worshipped them as deities. There was a good deal of ritual in all such religions. Now none of these religions, including that of Greece, survives. The Greek civilization had once attained to the heights of glory. Now Christianity flourishes in Greece. Buddhism has spread in Central Asia and in East Asia up to Japan. According to anthropologists, religions in their original form exist only in areas like the forests of Africa. But even these ancient

faiths contain Vedic elements. Religious and philosophical truths are often explained through parables, stories, so that ignorant people can understand them easily. Since metaphysical concepts are difficult to grasp, either they have to be told in the form of a story or they have to be given the form of a ritual, that is they must find expression as religious acts. For the common people the performance of a rite is a means of finding the truth present in it in the form of a symbol. I do not, however, agree with the view that all rituals are nothing but symbolic in their significance and that there is no need to perform them so long as their inner meaning is understood. Ritual as ritual has its own place and efficacy. Similarly, I would not say that stories from the Puranas are nothing but illustrations or explanations of certain truths or doctrines. As stories they are of a high order and I believe that they really happened. But, at the same time, they demonstrate the meaning of certain truths. As for rites, their performance brings up benefits. But in due course, as we learn to appreciate their inner meaning we shall become purified in mind. This is the stage when we shall no more yearn for any benefits from their performance and will be rewarded with supreme well-being (that is, liberation). It is likely, though, that, with the passage of time, some stories or rites will become far removed from their inner meaning. Or, it may be, the inner meaning will be altogether forgotten. So it must be that, when new religions took shape abroad, after the lapse of thousands of years-religions not connected with the Vedic faith that is the root-the original Vedic concepts become transformed or distorted. You must be familiar with the story of Adam and Eve which belongs to the Hebrew tradition. It occurs in the Genesis of the Old Testament and speaks

of the tree of knowledge and God's commandment that its fruit shall not be eaten. Adam at first did not eat it but Eve did. After that Adam too ate the forbidden fruit. Here an Upanisadic concept has taken the form of a biblical story. But because of the change in the time and place the original idea has become distorted-or even obliterated. The Upanisadic story speaks of two birds perched on the branch of a ‘pippala’ tree. One

eats the fruit of tree while the order merely watches its companion without eating. The ‘pippala’ tree stands for the body. The first bird represents a being that regards himself as the ‘jivatman’ or individual self and the fruit it eats signifies sensual pleasure. In the same body (symbolized by the tree) the second bird is to be understood as the ‘Paramatman’. He is the support of all beings but he does not know sensual pleasure. Since he does not eat the fruit he naturally does not have the same experience as the ‘jivatman’ (the first). The Upanisad speaks with poetic beauty of the two birds. He who eats the fruit is the individual self, ‘jiva’, and he who does not eat is the Supreme Reality, the one who knows Himself to be the Atman. It is this ‘jiva’ that has come to be called Eve in the Hebrew religious tradition. "Ji" changes to "i" according to a rule of grammar and "ja" to "ya". We have the example of "Yamuna" becoming "Jamuna" or of "Yogindra" being changed to "Joginder ". In the biblical story "jiva" is "Eve" and "Atma" (or "Atman") is "Adam". "Pippala" has in the same way changed to "apple". The Tree of Knowledge is our "bodhi-vrksa". "Bodha" means "knowledge". It is well known that the Budhha attained enlightenment under the bodhi tree. But the pipal (pippala) was known as the bodhi tree even before his time. The Upanisadic ideas transplanted into a distant land underwent a change after the lapse of centuries. Thus we see in the biblical story that the Atman (Adam) that can never be subject to sensual pleasure also eats the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge. While our bodhi tree stands for enlightenment, the enlightenment that banishes all sensual pleasure, the biblical tree affords worldly pleasure. These differences notwithstanding there is sufficient evidence here that, once upon a time, Vedic religion was prevalent in the land of the Hebrews. Let me give the another example to strengthen the view that however much a

custom or a concept changes with the passage of time and with its acceptance by people of another land, it will still retain elements pointing to its original source. Our TiruppavaiT and TiruvembavaiT are not as ancient as the Vedas. Scholars ascribe them to an age not later than 1, 500 years ago. However it be, the authors of these Tamil hymns, AndalT and ManikkavacakarT, belong to an age much later than that of the Vedas and epics. After their time Hindu empires arose across the seas. Even the Chola kings extended their sway beyond the shores of the country. More worthy of note than our naval expeditions was the great expansion in our sea trade and the increase with it of our foreign contacts. As a result, people abroad were drawn to the Hindu religion and culture. Among the regions that developed such contacts, South-East Asia was the most important. Islands like Bali in the Indonesian archipelago became wholly Hindu. People in Siam (Thailand), Indochina and the Philippines came under the influence of Hindu culture. ‘Srivijaya’ was one of the great

empires of South-East Asia. [Here the Paramaguru briefly touches upon the stages representing the emergence of various religions]. In primeval times the Vedic religion was prevalent everywhere : this was the first stage. In the second stage new religions emerged in various parts of the world. In the third stage these decayed and their place was taken by Buddhism, Christianity or Islam. In the subsequent stage the Hindu civilization became a living force outside the shores of India also, particularly in South-East Asia. This was the period during which great temples reminding us of those of Tamil Nadu arose with the spread of our religion and culture: Angkor-vat in Cambodia; Borobudur in Java, Indonesia; Prambanan, also in Java. Now it was that our Tiruppavai and Tiruvembavai made their passage to Thailand. Even today a big festival is held in Thailand in December- January, corresponding to the Tamil Margazhi, the same month during which we read the Tiruppavai and Tiruvembavai with devotion. As part of the celebrations a ‘dolotsava’ (swing festival) is held. A remarkable feature of this is that, in the ceremony meant for Visnu, a

man with the make-up of Siva is seated on the swing. This seems to be in keeping with the fact that the Tiruppavai and Tiruvembavai contribute to the unification of Vaisnavism and Saivism. If you ask the people of Thailand about the Pavai poems, they will not be able to speak about them. It might seem then that there is no basis for connecting the that festival with the Pavai works merely because it is held in the month corresponding to the Tamil Murgazhi. But the point to note is that the people of that country themselves call it "Triyampavai- Trippavai". Those who read the Bible today are likely to be ignorant about the Upanisads, but they are sure to know the story that can be traced back to them, that of Adam and Eve. The Thais now must be likewise ignorant about the Pavis but, all the same, they hold in the month of Dhanus every year a celebration called "Triyampavai - Trippavai. " As part of it they also have a swing festival for Visnu. Also during this period the Thais have forgotten the Pavis but, significantly enough, they still conduct a festival named after them. Keeping these before you, take mind back to three thousand years ago and imagine how a religion or a culture would have changed after its passage to foreign lands. It is in this context that you must consider the Vedic tradition. For all the changes and distortions that it has undergone in other countries during the past millennia its presence there is still proclaimed through elements to be found in the religions that supplanted it. How are we to understand the presence of Hindu ideas or concepts in the religious beliefs of people said to belong to prehistoric times? It does not seem right to claim that in the distant past our religion or culture was propagated in other countries through an armed invasion or through trade, that is at a time when civilization itself has not taken shape there. That is why I feel that there is no question of anything having been taken from this

land and introduced into another country. The fact according to me, is that in the beginning the Vedic religion was prevalent all over the world. Later, over the countries, it must have gone through a process of change and taken different forms. These forms came to be called the original religions of these various lands which in the subsequent period- during historical times- came under Buddhism, Christianity or Islam as the case may be. Om Namo Bhagavate Vasudevaya!!!

SriKrishnaDasa Rajeev. --------------Monique Cardell

<monica_romana > wrote: I am so sorry about the word "cult". I did not mean it the way you do. I am a Latin teacher and I see the word totally differently. In Latin, you see, it is the word for culture like cultivating the grain, the fields, etc... but it is also the word for "honoring the Divinity". That is how I feel it. Sorry. As for Sanskrit, the "perfect" language, how is it then that it is still related to Latin and Greek so closely? And again, about my question: what about the Aryans? If there were no invasion, where did they come from, and who were they? MoniqueDeeps <deeps20274 (AT) (DOT) co.in> wrote: Correction. It is not Vedic CULT. It is civilization. It is a religion. It is the words of God for followers. A religion cannot pass of as cult. A cult by definition has its own beliefs and practices which are alienated from the mainstream religion. Vedic system or Sanathan Dharma is no cult. Sanskrit is not a new language. According to Vedic scriptures it is the language of Gods and has been around from time immemorial. Find out what India is talking about on - Answers India Send FREE SMS to your friend's mobile from Messenger Version 8. Get it NOW

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