Stray thoughts: IU: Part 1

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri Balagopalji,

Namaste.

 

I edited the subject of this post to make it more precise.

 

As you suggested, let me go into the said things before I go any

further (though I have posted the Part 2 before seeing your post)

 

 

> Namaste Victor - ji,

> As Sastriji said - it's a good post. Can we better it by shedding more light

on the following:

> 1. " tapasaa kalmasham hanti " - qualifications for 'tapas', if any .

> 2. 'karmasu aviniyuktaaH'

> 3. major & subordinate karma?

> 4.Viniyojaka vidhi - relationship?

> Regards

> Balagopal

 

 

First let me start with #4. Viniyojaka vidhi. This by itself will

answer #2. karmasu aviniyuktaaH and #3 major and subordinate karma.

 

#4: Vedic statements are classified under five headings, according to

Arthasangraha (of Laugaksi Bhaskara)

These are:

 

1) Vidhi or injunction, which direct a person to perform certain karma.

2) Mantra or Mystical word symbols used in Karma

3) Naamadheya or name (for which there is not much description in arthasangraha)

4) Nishedha or prohibitive injunctions

5) Arthavaada or General explanatory passages, praises etc.

 

I am leaving out 2 to 5 as they are not relevant here.

 

1) Now, Vidhi itself is classified into four types.

 

a) They are Utpatti vidhi, which indicates in general, the nature of

the karma or rite. For example, agnihotram juhoti (he offers

Agnihotram). In the above sentence, there is nothing to know more

than what we explicitly learn. It is more general than delineating

the process of the rite.

 

b) Viniyoga vidhi: Suppose that there is one particular rite and that

as a part of that rite, curd is to be offered into the fire. dadhnaa

juhoti ( " He sacrifices with curd " )

The above statement connects the sacrifice / right with curd. Curd is

called anga or part and Sacrifice is called pradhaana or main. The

connection or relation between anga and pradhaana is indicated by

viniyoga vidhi. (anga-pradhaana-sambandha-bodhako vidhih

viniyogavidhiH)

 

Always, viniyoga vidhi has the 3rd case. In the given example dadhnaa

(With Curd) is in the 3rd case. It is also called tR^itiiya (3rd)

Shruti.

 

#3: Anga is subordinate to the pradhaana karma. Therefore, Anga is

part of pradhaana.

 

c) Adhikaara vidhi: This one designates to whom the fruit of the rite

/ sacrifice goes to. That is it determines the ejamaanaH (the Master)

of the rite or the enjoyer / bhokta of the karmaphala

 

d) Prayoga vidhi: It is injunction on how to perform the rite. I am

not much aware of this. So, I shall leave this here.

 

 

#2: Karmasu aviniyuktaaH:

 

aviniyuktaaH = It is not a viniyoga vidhi

 

Therefore, IU is not a viniyoga vidhi (which is subordinate to any

pradhaana rite). That one which is subordinate shares the property of

the pradhaana. Pradhaana is karma or rite. Its subordinate also,

therefore, is a karma. By saying " not a viniyoga vidhi "

(aviniyuktaah), Sri Shankara says that IU is not subordinate to any

karma. Therefore, as per Him, IU does not talk about Karma. The

subject matter for IU, therefore is to be determined.

 

With regards,

Tanya

[Guest guest]

Namaste Tanyaji,Thanks for the detailed exposition. In a way it gives a pin - hole view of the 'earlier' part of the vedas. As you rightly said more than just knowing them for the sake of knowing there isn't any practical use of them in contemporary times; or rather after the arrival of the 'later' part.Still those rites awes one with their mathematical precisiveness on dos & don'ts.RegardsBalagopal

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