Rudri - 2 - The scoop on the Vedas

[Guest guest]

Om Gam Ganapataye Namah

Om Shri Gurave Namah

Om Namah Shivaya

 

Dear All,

Thank you to all esp Karen , Linda, Shashi and Vasantha for your

interest and excitement in wanting to learn the Rudri along with me.

 

OK, here we go to the second installment in the series ....

 

=================

 

There are four Vedas, each consisting of four sections. The great

compiler of the Vedas was Vyasa Krishna Dwaipayana (aka Veda Vyasa).

He was said to be the twenty-eighth of the Vyasas or compilers of

Vedic knowledge.

Here is how Swamiji describes each Veda, in his introduction to the Rudrashtadhyayi…

“Rig Veda – the wisdom of hymns.

Yajur Veda – the wisdom of the sacrifice of egotistical attachment.

Sama Veda – the wisdom of song

Atharva Veda – the wisdom of how to apply spiritual knowledge to our daily lives.”

 

There are four sections to each Veda…

The samhitas which are primary portions of the Veda and constitute of

mantras or prayers in metrical hymns.

To this were added the brahmanas, the aranyakas and

the Upanishads.

The hymn sections are the oldest. The others were added at a later

date and each explains some aspect of the hymns or follows one line

of interpreting them.

 

The division of the Vedas into four parts is to suit the four stages in a man’s life.

 

The Mantra/Samhita portion of the Vedas is useful for the

Brahmacharins (one who lives in purity and studies the Veda;

traditionally the first 25 years of life)

 

The Brahmana portions guide people to perform sacrificial rites. They

are prose explanations of the method of using the Mantras in the

Yajna or the sacrifice. The Brahmana portion is suitable for the

householder (Grihastha; one who belongs to the second of the four

Asramas or orders of life; traditionally from 25 to 50 years of age).

 

The Aranyakas give philosophical interpretations of the Rituals. The

Aranyakas are intended for the Vanaprasthas or hermits who prepare

themselves for taking Sannyasa. (Vanaprastha = one who leads the

third stage of life; traditionally from 50 to 75 years of age).

 

Upanishad means the inner or mystic teaching. The term Upanishad is

derived from upa (near), ni (down) and s(h)ad (to sit), i.e., sitting

down near. Groups of pupils sit near the teacher to learn from him the

secret doctrine. The Upanishads contain the essence or the knowledge

portion of the Vedas. The Upanishads speak of the identity of the

individual soul and the Supreme Soul. They reveal the most subtle and

deep spiritual truths. The Upanishads are intended for seekers of

truth, or for those established in truth (Sannyas) . (Sannyasi or

Sannyasin = a monk; one who has embraced the life of complete

renunciation ; one belonging to the fourth or the highest stage of

life; traditionally from 75 to 100 years of age).

 

Next we will give examples of each of the terms we discussed today …

 

JAI SHIVA

Nanda

 

 

FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.

[Guest guest]

The division of the Vedas into four parts is to suit the four stages in a man’s life.

 

FareChase - Search multiple travel sites in one click.