Saturday, December 28, 2013
Friday, December 27, 2013
Kath-3-Preya and Shreya
Kath-3-Preya and ShreyaTwo Paths-Preya and Shreya
Yam said - "Nachiketaa, Tell me who you really are? There are five layers of consciousness which cover the 'Self' - Aatmaa; and each layer must be reached through meditation. But meditation alone is not enough. As you reach each layer, you get new insights and those insights must be implemented first into your daily behavior before you proceed to another deeper layer. This journey, through meditation, through getting new insights, and then to implement them in one's life makes one's life transformed.
The outermost or first layer is physical - the level of body consciousness. Below this layer, lie three layers which make up a kind of mental body. These layers are senses (see Indriyaan), emotions and intellect. And the last one which is clung to Self is ego - the individual sense of "I". Few can penetrate it, let alone go beyond it. Still in every age, some do manage to discover that they are neither body, nor mind, nor ego, but the Self only who lives in the body and mind as their real operator.
But one has to make this discovery by himself only, I cannot do this for you. Of course, I can instruct you and I will always be with you as your guide. With my blessings you shall reach your goal." Nachiketaa is ready to take instructions. Who could be better teacher than Death himself.
Yam continues - "Nachiketaa, You are born as a human being and thus you can make choices. No other creature has this ability and no human being can avoid this. Every moment, whether you see it or not, you have to make a choice between the two alternatives in what you do, what you think, what you say.
These two alternatives are named as Preya and Shreya in Sanskrit language. Preya is what is pleasant; and Shreya is what is useful or beneficial. Preya is that which pleases us and tickles our Ego. Shreya, on the other hand, is neither pleasing nor displeasing - it is simply beneficial to us - maybe it improves our health or gives us peace of mind.
Preya gives immediate pleasure, immediate gratification, immediate satisfaction and usually it delivers what it promises. But the problem with it is that it does not and cannot last long. All too soon it is past and we again find ourselves standing on a fork road. Thus Preya lives only for today, or maybe for now only. Shreya, on the other hand, is often, not always, unpleasant at the beginning, for example, a fitness program is unpleasant in the beginning but after some time one starts feeling the difference.
Thus Preya and Shreya are like sales people who will enter your house unsolicited. Even if you hide in caves, they will find you there too. Sometimes, though rarely, they sell the same things, because what is pleasant may also be beneficial, or what is beneficial may also be very pleasant; but otherwise both are normally opposite to each other.
Preya is attractively dressed. The moment you catch a sight of him, you cannot take your eyes off him; while Shreya wears an unassuming personality. Even if she is standing right in front of you, you do not notice her. When she tries to persuade you, she uses such words which you do not understand.
Preya is an excellent salesman and knows what to offer and to whom. He makes his appeal directly to your senses or your Ego. In a way both, Preya and Shreya, offer the same thing, satisfaction; but the difference is, that one you get immediately and it comes and goes; while the other one requires effort, but its benefits stay longer. For example, eating something may be both Preya and Shreya while exercising is certainly only Shreya. In fact Preya can be quite daring; while Shreya has a hard time to convince you. Most of us do not even want to listen to Shreya.
The Chariot and the Rider
Nachiketaa says - "But there are times when in spite of knowing everything, we choose the path on which we shouldn't go. Why?" Yam says - "You are right, Nachiketaa. Preya and Shreya paths run in opposite directions. Every moment we stand at a fork point from where two roads lead us in two different directions. One leads to the light of wisdom, and another leads to the darkness of ignorance. One road is stony, bumpy and uninviting; while the other one is smooth, shiny and flat. This is human nature that one goes for the outer look and thus chooses the smooth, shiny and flat road which leads to the darkness of ignorance.
One uses a vehicle, a chariot, to go on these roads. O Nachiketaa, Your body is the chariot. There are five powerful horses yoked in it - these five horses are your five senses (see Indriyaan). These horses travel not so much through space as time does. They gallop from birth to death pursuing the objects of their desire.
Now who is the driver of this chariot? He is your discriminating intellect (Buddhi in Sanskrit). His reins are your mind, your emotions and your desires; and you yourself are the rider of that chariot. This is an image with implications --
1. There is a purpose to the mind;
2. There is a reason why we have an intellect;
3. The job of the intellect is to see clearly;
4. The job of mind is to act as reins; and
5. When everything works in harmony, we, the Self, make all decisions.
2. There is a reason why we have an intellect;
3. The job of the intellect is to see clearly;
4. The job of mind is to act as reins; and
5. When everything works in harmony, we, the Self, make all decisions.
The intellect conveys these decisions to the mind - that is to our desires - and all the senses obey the mind. But when your senses (horses) are uncontrolled through reins of mind, they immediately take the road they like the most - that is of personal satisfaction which is mostly pleasure (Preya). At that time we are not making the decisions, the horses are. [But theoretically this is wrong, as the driver should make the decisions according to the will of the traveler that on which road he wants to go, maneuvering the horses through reins.]
When the horses are not in control, they go wild. And as they become wild, they can take you anywhere from Heaven to Hell with their immense power. But when they are under control, they are as responsive as the show horses. They would do anything you want them to do. Imagine strong powerful sensitive senses with a clear discriminating intellect holding the reins. This is called expert driving and perfect living. When the horses are trained, you can go anywhere you want, and never lose the ability to choose.
Is this your true image when you describe yourself as - "I am five feet five inches tall, black eyes, fair complexion, black hair etc etc?" No, this is not your image, This is your chariot's image and you are not your chariot. What about your other statements - 'I am in hurry', or 'I am in a bad mood today', or 'I am depressed' etc? When you are talking like this, you are still talking about your chariot or your driver, not about yourself. 'I' in these sentences confuses others, because you have forgotten who you really are. You are happy when your driver, or horses are happy; you are sad when they are sad.
Just imagine that you can't be happy or depressed. It is only your mind which is happy or depressed, and your mind is a part of the chariot. You are the rider who is the traveler, who is paying for the trip over this chariot. You are the master who should be telling the driver where to go, not that he should take you to wherever he wants.
There is one way to solve this problem. When our horses (senses) want something Preya, we should consider it as if horses are wanting that thing, NOT 'I' (the traveler); and better get them trained so that they should not ask for rubbish things. Most of us have our horses strong and in the best of their condition, but our driver (Buddhi or intellect) is either weak, or incapable to control those strong horses, or is taking a nap. And inside, the rider 'I', pure and untouched, that is the real "Self", is sitting at the mercy of the driver."
Nachiketaa is listening to all this. Now he can see why people spend their life so backwardly, as nobody has the reins (mind).
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Monday, December 23, 2013
The Srutis
The Srutis
The Srutis
The Srutis are called the Vedas, or the Amnaya. The Hindus have received their religion through revelation, the Vedas. These are direct intuitional revelations and are held to be Apaurusheya or entirely superhuman, without any author in particular. The Veda is the glorious pride of the Hindus, nay, of the whole world!
The term Veda comes from the root Vid, to know. The word Veda means knowledge. When it is applied to scripture, it signifies a book of knowledge. The Vedas are the foundational scriptures of the Hindus. The Veda is the source of the other five sets of scriptures, why, even of the secular and the materialistic. The Veda is the storehouse of Indian wisdom and is a memorable glory which man can never forget till eternity.
REVEALED TRUTHS WITHOUT BEGINNING OR END
The Vedas are the eternal truths revealed by God to the great ancient Rishis of India. The word Rishi means a seer from dris, to see. He is the Mantra-Drashta, a seer of Mantra or thought. The thought was not his own. The Rishis saw the truths or heard them. Therefore, the Vedas are what are heard (Sruti). The Rishi did not write. He did not create it out of his mind. He was the seer of thought which existed already. He was only the spiritual discoverer of the thought. He is not the inventor of the Veda.
The Vedas represent the spiritual experiences of the Rishis of yore. The Rishi is only a medium or an agent to transmit to people the intuitional experiences which he received. The truths of the Vedas are revelations. All the other religions of the world claim their authority as being delivered by special messengers of God to certain persons, but the Vedas do not owe their authority to any one. They are themselves the authority as they are eternal, as they are the Knowledge of the Lord.
Lord Brahma, the Creator, imparted the divine knowledge to the Rishis or seers. The Rishis disseminated the knowledge. The Vedic Rishis were great realised persons who had direct intuitive perception of Brahman or the Truth. They were inspired writers. They built a simple, grand and perfect system of religion and philosophy from which the founders and teachers of all other religions have drawn their inspiration.
The Vedas are the oldest books in the library of man. The truths contained in all religions are derived from the Vedas and are ultimately traceable to the Vedas. The Vedas are the fountain-head of religion. The Vedas are the ultimate source to which all religious knowledge can be traced. Religion is of divine origin. It was revealed by God to man in the earliest times. It is embodied in the Vedas.
The Vedas are eternal. They are without beginning and end. An ignorant man may say how a book can be without beginning or end. By the Vedas, no books are meant. Vedas came out of the breath of the Lord. They are the words of God. The Vedas are not the utterances of persons. They are not the composition of any human mind. They were never written, never created. They are eternal and impersonal. The date of the Vedas has never been fixed. It can never be fixed. Vedas are eternal spiritual truths. Vedas are an embodiment of divine knowledge. The books may be destroyed, but the knowledge cannot be destroyed. Knowledge is eternal. In that sense, the Vedas are eternal.
THE FOUR VEDAS AND THEIR SUB DIVISIONS
The Veda is divided into four great books: the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda. The Yajur-Veda is again divided into two parts, the Sukla and the Krishna. The Krishna or the Taittiriya is the older book and the Sukla or the Vajasaneya is a later revelation to sage Yajnavalkya from the resplendent Sun-God.
The Rig-Veda is divided into twenty-one sections, the Yajur-Veda into one hundred and nine sections, the Sama-Veda into one thousand sections and the Atharva-Veda into fifty sections. In all, the whole Veda is thus divided into one thousand one hundred and eighty recensions.
Each Veda consists of four parts: the Mantra-Samhitas or hymns, the Brahmanas or explanations of Mantras or rituals, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads. The division of the Vedas into four parts is to suit the four stages in a man's life.
The Mantra-Samhitas are hymns in praise of the Vedic God for attaining material prosperity here and happiness hereafter. They are metrical poems comprising prayers, hymns and incantations addressed to various deities, both subjective and objective. The Mantra portion of the Vedas is useful for the Brahmacharins.
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 householders.
The Aranyakas are the forest books, the mystical sylvan texts which give philosophical interpretations of the rituals. The Aranyakas are intended for the Vanaprasthas or hermits who prepare themselves for taking Sannyasa.
The Upanishads are the most important portion of the Vedas. The Upanishads contain the essence or the knowledge portion of the Vedas. The philosophy of the Upanishads is sublime, profound, lofty and soul-stirring. 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 useful for the Sannyasins.
The subject matter of the whole Veda is divided into Karma-Kanda, Upasana-Kanda and Jnana-Kanda. The Karma-Kanda or Ritualistic Section deals with various sacrifices and rituals. The Upasana-Kanda or Worship-Section deals with various kinds of worship or meditation. The Jnana-Kanda or Knowledge-Section deals with the highest knowledge of Nirguna Brahman. The Mantras and the Brahmanas constitute Karma-Kanda; the Aranyakas Upasana-Kanda; and the Upanishads Jnana-Kanda.
THE MANTRA-SAMHITAS
The Rig-Veda Samhita is the grandest book of the Hindus, the oldest and the best. It is the Great Indian Bible, which no Hindu would forget to adore from the core of his heart. Its style, the language and the tone are most beautiful and mysterious. Its immortal Mantras embody the greatest truths of existence, and it is perhaps the greatest treasure in all the scriptural literature of the world. Its priest is called the Hotri.
The Yajur-Veda Samhita is mostly in prose and is meant to be used by the Adhvaryu, the Yajur-Vedic priest, for superfluous explanations of the rites in sacrifices, supplementing the Rig-Vedic Mantras.
The Sama-Veda Samhita is mostly borrowed from the Rig-Vedic Samhita and is meant to be sung by the Udgatri, the Sama-Vedic priest, in sacrifices.
The Atharva-Veda Samhita is meant to be used by the Brahma, the Atharva-Vedic priest, to correct the mispronunciations and wrong performances that may accidentally be committed by the other three priests of the sacrifice.
THE BRAHMANAS AND THE ARANYAKAS
There are two Brahmanas to the Rig-Veda-the Aitareya and the Sankhayana. "The Rig-Veda," says Max Muller, "is the most ancient book of the world. The sacred hymns of the Brahmanas stand unparalleled in the literature of the whole world; and their preservation might well be called miraculous."(HISTORY OF ANCIENT SANSKRIT LITERATURE)
The Satapatha Brahmana belongs to the Sukla Yajur-Veda. The Krishna-Yajur-Veda has the Taittiriya and the Maitrayana Brahmanas. The Tandya or Panchavimsa, the Shadvimsa, the Chhandogya, the Adbhuta, the Arsheya and the Upanishad Brahmanas belong to the Sama-Veda. The Brahmana of the Atharva-Veda is called the Gopatha. Each of the Brahmanas has got an Aranyaka.
THE UPANISHADS
The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas or the end of the Vedas. The teaching based on them is called Vedanta. The Upanishads are the gist and the goal of the Vedas. They form the very foundation of Hinduism.
There are as many Upanishads to each Veda as there are Sakhas, branches or recensions, i.e., 21, 109, 1000 and 50 respectively to the four Vedas, the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda.
The different philosophers of India belonging to different schools, such as Monism, Qualified Monism, Dualism, Pure Monism, Difference-cum-non-difference, etc., have acknowledged the supreme authority of the Upanishads. They have given their own interpretations, but they have obeyed the authority. They have built their philosophy on the foundation of the Upanishads.
Even the Western scholars have paid their tribute to the seers of the Upanishads. At a time when the Westerners were clad in barks and were sunk in deep ignorance, the Upanishadic seers were enjoying the eternal bliss of the Absolute, and had the highest culture and civilisation.
The most important Upanishads are Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Aitareya, Taittiriya, Chhandogya, Brihadaranyaka, Kaushitaki and Svetasvatara and Maitrayani. These are supremely authoritative.
May the fundamental truths of the Vedas be revealed unto you all, like the Amalaka fruit in the palm of your hand. May Gayatri, the blessed Mother of the Vedas, impart to you the milk of Knowledge, the ancient wisdom of the Upanishads.
THE UPA-VEDAS
There are four Upa-Vedas or subsidiary Vedas, viz., the Ayurveda, the Dhanurveda, the Gandharva Veda and the Arthasastra, forming auxiliaries to the four Vedas, which mean, respectively, the science of health, the science of war, the science of music and the science of polity.
THE VEDANGAS
There are six Angas or explanatory limbs, to the Vedas: the Siksha and Vyakarana of Panini, the Chhandas of Pingalacharya, the Nirukta of Yaska, the Jyotisha of Garga, and the Kalpas (Srauta, Grihya, Dharma and Sulba) belonging to the authorship of various Rishis.
Siksha is a knowledge of phonetics. Siksha deals with pronunciation and accent. The text of the Vedas is arranged in various forms or Pathas. The Pada-patha gives each word its separate form. The Krama-patha connects the word in pairs.
Vyakarana is Sanskrit grammar. Panini's books are most famous. Without knowledge of Vyakarana, you cannot understand the Vedas.
Chhandas is metre dealing with prosody.
Nirukta is philology or etymology.
Jyotisha is astronomy and astrology. It deals with the movements of the heavenly bodies, planets, etc., and their influence in human affairs.
Kalpa is the method of ritual. The Srauta Sutras which explain the ritual of sacrifices belong to Kalpa. The sulba Sutras, which treat of the measurements which are necessary for laying out the sacrificial areas, also belong to Kalpa. The Grihya Sutras which concern domestic life, and the Dharma Sutras which deal with ethics, customs and laws, also belong to Kalpa.
The Pratishakhyas, Padapathas, Kramapathas, Upalekhas, Anukramanis, Daivatsamhitas, Parishishtas, Prayogas, Paddhatis, Karikas, Khilas and Vyuhas are further elaborations in the rituals of the Kalpa Sutras.
Among the Kalpa Sutras, the Asvalayana, Sankhyana and the Sambhavya belong to the Rig-Veda. The Mashaka, Latyayana, Drahyayana, Gobhila and Khadira belong to the Sama-Veda. The Katyayana and Paraskara belong to the Sukla Yajur-Veda. The Apastamba, Hiranyakesi, Bodhayana, Bharadvaja, Manava, Vaikhanasa and the Kathaka belong to the Krishna Yajur-Veda. The Vaitana and the Kaushika belong to the Atharva-Veda.
The term Veda comes from the root Vid, to know. The word Veda means knowledge. When it is applied to scripture, it signifies a book of knowledge. The Vedas are the foundational scriptures of the Hindus. The Veda is the source of the other five sets of scriptures, why, even of the secular and the materialistic. The Veda is the storehouse of Indian wisdom and is a memorable glory which man can never forget till eternity.
REVEALED TRUTHS WITHOUT BEGINNING OR END
The Vedas are the eternal truths revealed by God to the great ancient Rishis of India. The word Rishi means a seer from dris, to see. He is the Mantra-Drashta, a seer of Mantra or thought. The thought was not his own. The Rishis saw the truths or heard them. Therefore, the Vedas are what are heard (Sruti). The Rishi did not write. He did not create it out of his mind. He was the seer of thought which existed already. He was only the spiritual discoverer of the thought. He is not the inventor of the Veda.
The Vedas represent the spiritual experiences of the Rishis of yore. The Rishi is only a medium or an agent to transmit to people the intuitional experiences which he received. The truths of the Vedas are revelations. All the other religions of the world claim their authority as being delivered by special messengers of God to certain persons, but the Vedas do not owe their authority to any one. They are themselves the authority as they are eternal, as they are the Knowledge of the Lord.
Lord Brahma, the Creator, imparted the divine knowledge to the Rishis or seers. The Rishis disseminated the knowledge. The Vedic Rishis were great realised persons who had direct intuitive perception of Brahman or the Truth. They were inspired writers. They built a simple, grand and perfect system of religion and philosophy from which the founders and teachers of all other religions have drawn their inspiration.
The Vedas are the oldest books in the library of man. The truths contained in all religions are derived from the Vedas and are ultimately traceable to the Vedas. The Vedas are the fountain-head of religion. The Vedas are the ultimate source to which all religious knowledge can be traced. Religion is of divine origin. It was revealed by God to man in the earliest times. It is embodied in the Vedas.
The Vedas are eternal. They are without beginning and end. An ignorant man may say how a book can be without beginning or end. By the Vedas, no books are meant. Vedas came out of the breath of the Lord. They are the words of God. The Vedas are not the utterances of persons. They are not the composition of any human mind. They were never written, never created. They are eternal and impersonal. The date of the Vedas has never been fixed. It can never be fixed. Vedas are eternal spiritual truths. Vedas are an embodiment of divine knowledge. The books may be destroyed, but the knowledge cannot be destroyed. Knowledge is eternal. In that sense, the Vedas are eternal.
THE FOUR VEDAS AND THEIR SUB DIVISIONS
The Veda is divided into four great books: the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda. The Yajur-Veda is again divided into two parts, the Sukla and the Krishna. The Krishna or the Taittiriya is the older book and the Sukla or the Vajasaneya is a later revelation to sage Yajnavalkya from the resplendent Sun-God.
The Rig-Veda is divided into twenty-one sections, the Yajur-Veda into one hundred and nine sections, the Sama-Veda into one thousand sections and the Atharva-Veda into fifty sections. In all, the whole Veda is thus divided into one thousand one hundred and eighty recensions.
Each Veda consists of four parts: the Mantra-Samhitas or hymns, the Brahmanas or explanations of Mantras or rituals, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads. The division of the Vedas into four parts is to suit the four stages in a man's life.
The Mantra-Samhitas are hymns in praise of the Vedic God for attaining material prosperity here and happiness hereafter. They are metrical poems comprising prayers, hymns and incantations addressed to various deities, both subjective and objective. The Mantra portion of the Vedas is useful for the Brahmacharins.
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 householders.
The Aranyakas are the forest books, the mystical sylvan texts which give philosophical interpretations of the rituals. The Aranyakas are intended for the Vanaprasthas or hermits who prepare themselves for taking Sannyasa.
The Upanishads are the most important portion of the Vedas. The Upanishads contain the essence or the knowledge portion of the Vedas. The philosophy of the Upanishads is sublime, profound, lofty and soul-stirring. 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 useful for the Sannyasins.
The subject matter of the whole Veda is divided into Karma-Kanda, Upasana-Kanda and Jnana-Kanda. The Karma-Kanda or Ritualistic Section deals with various sacrifices and rituals. The Upasana-Kanda or Worship-Section deals with various kinds of worship or meditation. The Jnana-Kanda or Knowledge-Section deals with the highest knowledge of Nirguna Brahman. The Mantras and the Brahmanas constitute Karma-Kanda; the Aranyakas Upasana-Kanda; and the Upanishads Jnana-Kanda.
THE MANTRA-SAMHITAS
The Rig-Veda Samhita is the grandest book of the Hindus, the oldest and the best. It is the Great Indian Bible, which no Hindu would forget to adore from the core of his heart. Its style, the language and the tone are most beautiful and mysterious. Its immortal Mantras embody the greatest truths of existence, and it is perhaps the greatest treasure in all the scriptural literature of the world. Its priest is called the Hotri.
The Yajur-Veda Samhita is mostly in prose and is meant to be used by the Adhvaryu, the Yajur-Vedic priest, for superfluous explanations of the rites in sacrifices, supplementing the Rig-Vedic Mantras.
The Sama-Veda Samhita is mostly borrowed from the Rig-Vedic Samhita and is meant to be sung by the Udgatri, the Sama-Vedic priest, in sacrifices.
The Atharva-Veda Samhita is meant to be used by the Brahma, the Atharva-Vedic priest, to correct the mispronunciations and wrong performances that may accidentally be committed by the other three priests of the sacrifice.
THE BRAHMANAS AND THE ARANYAKAS
There are two Brahmanas to the Rig-Veda-the Aitareya and the Sankhayana. "The Rig-Veda," says Max Muller, "is the most ancient book of the world. The sacred hymns of the Brahmanas stand unparalleled in the literature of the whole world; and their preservation might well be called miraculous."(HISTORY OF ANCIENT SANSKRIT LITERATURE)
The Satapatha Brahmana belongs to the Sukla Yajur-Veda. The Krishna-Yajur-Veda has the Taittiriya and the Maitrayana Brahmanas. The Tandya or Panchavimsa, the Shadvimsa, the Chhandogya, the Adbhuta, the Arsheya and the Upanishad Brahmanas belong to the Sama-Veda. The Brahmana of the Atharva-Veda is called the Gopatha. Each of the Brahmanas has got an Aranyaka.
THE UPANISHADS
The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas or the end of the Vedas. The teaching based on them is called Vedanta. The Upanishads are the gist and the goal of the Vedas. They form the very foundation of Hinduism.
There are as many Upanishads to each Veda as there are Sakhas, branches or recensions, i.e., 21, 109, 1000 and 50 respectively to the four Vedas, the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda.
The different philosophers of India belonging to different schools, such as Monism, Qualified Monism, Dualism, Pure Monism, Difference-cum-non-difference, etc., have acknowledged the supreme authority of the Upanishads. They have given their own interpretations, but they have obeyed the authority. They have built their philosophy on the foundation of the Upanishads.
Even the Western scholars have paid their tribute to the seers of the Upanishads. At a time when the Westerners were clad in barks and were sunk in deep ignorance, the Upanishadic seers were enjoying the eternal bliss of the Absolute, and had the highest culture and civilisation.
The most important Upanishads are Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Aitareya, Taittiriya, Chhandogya, Brihadaranyaka, Kaushitaki and Svetasvatara and Maitrayani. These are supremely authoritative.
May the fundamental truths of the Vedas be revealed unto you all, like the Amalaka fruit in the palm of your hand. May Gayatri, the blessed Mother of the Vedas, impart to you the milk of Knowledge, the ancient wisdom of the Upanishads.
THE UPA-VEDAS
There are four Upa-Vedas or subsidiary Vedas, viz., the Ayurveda, the Dhanurveda, the Gandharva Veda and the Arthasastra, forming auxiliaries to the four Vedas, which mean, respectively, the science of health, the science of war, the science of music and the science of polity.
THE VEDANGAS
There are six Angas or explanatory limbs, to the Vedas: the Siksha and Vyakarana of Panini, the Chhandas of Pingalacharya, the Nirukta of Yaska, the Jyotisha of Garga, and the Kalpas (Srauta, Grihya, Dharma and Sulba) belonging to the authorship of various Rishis.
Siksha is a knowledge of phonetics. Siksha deals with pronunciation and accent. The text of the Vedas is arranged in various forms or Pathas. The Pada-patha gives each word its separate form. The Krama-patha connects the word in pairs.
Vyakarana is Sanskrit grammar. Panini's books are most famous. Without knowledge of Vyakarana, you cannot understand the Vedas.
Chhandas is metre dealing with prosody.
Nirukta is philology or etymology.
Jyotisha is astronomy and astrology. It deals with the movements of the heavenly bodies, planets, etc., and their influence in human affairs.
Kalpa is the method of ritual. The Srauta Sutras which explain the ritual of sacrifices belong to Kalpa. The sulba Sutras, which treat of the measurements which are necessary for laying out the sacrificial areas, also belong to Kalpa. The Grihya Sutras which concern domestic life, and the Dharma Sutras which deal with ethics, customs and laws, also belong to Kalpa.
The Pratishakhyas, Padapathas, Kramapathas, Upalekhas, Anukramanis, Daivatsamhitas, Parishishtas, Prayogas, Paddhatis, Karikas, Khilas and Vyuhas are further elaborations in the rituals of the Kalpa Sutras.
Among the Kalpa Sutras, the Asvalayana, Sankhyana and the Sambhavya belong to the Rig-Veda. The Mashaka, Latyayana, Drahyayana, Gobhila and Khadira belong to the Sama-Veda. The Katyayana and Paraskara belong to the Sukla Yajur-Veda. The Apastamba, Hiranyakesi, Bodhayana, Bharadvaja, Manava, Vaikhanasa and the Kathaka belong to the Krishna Yajur-Veda. The Vaitana and the Kaushika belong to the Atharva-Veda.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Sri Rama’s Virtues – the traits of an ideal king (of the Treta Yuga) | Ancient Indians - Satya Samhita
Sri Rama’s Virtues – the traits of an ideal king (of the Treta Yuga) | Ancient Indians - Satya Samhita
Rama was most handsome and brave. In virtues, he excelled his father Dasaratha. There was no son like him on the earth. Serene and gentle, he would respond even to harsh words in the softest manner. He remembered even the smallest of favours and forgave hundreds of errors.
Sri Rama’s Virtues – the traits of an ideal king (of the Treta Yuga)
Valmiki teaches us how an ideal crown prince should be, even as he describes Sri Rama’s virtues and qualifications to be the crown prince. This style differes from Chanakya‘s style in the Arthasastra where he merely lists the traits out. This is one of the qualities of the Ramayanam that make it an itihasamand not just a sastram or itivrutti.
Valmiki Ramayanam Ayodhya Kanda (This Version) 1st sarga
Bharata left for his maternal uncle’s house (kekeya – pakisthan) taking with him the sinless and powerfulSatrughna. He was treated with love by his grandfather Ashvapati and his uncle Yudhajit. They thought of their father Dasaratha everyday. The illustrious (Mahateja) Dasaratha also thought of Bharata and Satrughna who were comparable toIndra and Varuna.
Since Valmiki lived in the Vedic period, we observe here and everywhere else that Rama, his father and his brothers are always compared to Indra, Varuna, Brhaspati and Vishnu. This reiterates our observed view that Indra was a standard of comparision in Valmiki’s time.
While Dasaratha loved all his sons, he always liked Rama the best. Rama was like Swayambhu (the self-born). Vishnu himself was born as Rama in order to kill Ravana. Rama of the limitless brilliance (Amita – Tejas), with his mother Kausalya (the princess of Kosala ), looked like the best of theDevas, Indra, the Vajrapani (who holds the Vajra in his hand) with his mother Aditi. (Vajra can mean, diamond, lightening-bolt, or a hard weapon made of bone. Indra destroyed Vrittra with the Vajrayudha).
Rama was most handsome and brave. In virtues, he excelled his father Dasaratha. There was no son like him on the earth. Serene and gentle, he would respond even to harsh words in the softest manner. He remembered even the smallest of favours and forgave hundreds of errors.(While I am using the past tense, in writing about Sri Rama, Valmiki always described Rama in the present tense, because they were contemporaries.)
In the intervals between his weapons practice he spoke to those good people who had grown in Character (शील), Knowledge (ज्ञान) and Age (वयो). Though powerful, he was not proud, he was the first to address others with affectionate and sweet words and was an intellectual (बुद्धिमान्). He never spoke an untruth (अनृत), was knowledgeable, and loved his people, as they loved him.
He was never angry, having controlled his anger. He was a Dharmagnya (one who knows Dharma, Ethics, Righteousness, Duty..) and respectedbrahmins. He was self-controlled and pure.
His thoughts were worth of his kula (dynasty), he held his क्षात्रं धर्मं, Kshatra Dharma (the code of the warriors and princes) in high regard. He considered the fruits of valour – the rewards of heaven.
In debates, he was an orator like Vachaspati (the husband/lord of speech - this can mean Brahma (husband of Saraswati the goddess of speech) or Brhaspati (Jupiter). ) He was not interested in frivolous conversations or activities.
He was young and healthy. He knew what people were like and the time and place for speech and action. He was a sage. The people loved him as if he were their very breath, that was outside their bodies. Better than his father at archery, he knew theVedas and the allied sciences and had graduated in all branches of learning. (सम्यग्विद्याव्रतस्नातो यथावत्साङ्गवेदवित्). He was high minded and knew the essence of Dharma, Artha and Kama. With brilliance and excellent memory, he was skilled and worldly wise and acted in accordance with the time (Samayachara).
He had good friends and secret counsel. He never revealed his feelings publicly. He was not given to excessive anger and joy. He knew his faults as well as the faults of others. He was firm in devotion and of steady consciousness (Sthitha Pragnya). He was watchful, never lazy, and never accepted that which was not good (asat). He was skilled in assessing people and knew who should be graced and who should be ignored. He knew the right way of raising money and spending it (for the welfare of the people). He sought pleasure only after duty and learning. He knew about sculpture and art forms for pleasure.
He could mount horses and elephants and control them. He was an अतिरथ, atiratha (expert chariot warrior) and a master in archery. He was an expert commander. (This is further detailed in his campaign strategies against Lanka and Mathura. Every minute detail was planned and executed perfectly).
This prince who was of excellent qualities was equal to mother earth in forbearance, to Indra, the husband of Saci, in valour and to Brhaspati in Buddhi (Intellect). The earth desired this wonderful, virtuous and powerful Rama as her husband. (A king is called Bhupati – the lord/husband of the earth. This sentence means that the earth (the people), wanted Rama to become the king.)
Authorship and Copyright Notice : All Rights Reserved : Satya Sarada Kandula
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Practical Sanskrit: human or animal, what is the difference? आहार-निद्रा-भय-मैथुनं
Practical Sanskrit: human or animal, what is the difference? आहार-निद्रा-भय-मैथुनं
food, sleep, fear and mating, these acts of humans are similar to animals' |
of them (humans), dharma (right conduct) is the only special thing, without dharma humans are also animals ||
AhAra-nidrA-bhaya-maithunam cha
samAnam_etat_pashubhir_narANAm |
dharmo hi teShAm adhiko visheSho
dharmeNa hInAH pashubhiH samAnAH||
आहार-निद्रा-भय-मैथुनं च समानमेतत्पशुभिर्नराणाम् ।
धर्मो हि तेषामधिको विशेषो धर्मेण हीनाः पशुभिः समानाः ॥
the king sudarshana, in the preface of hitopadeshaH, out on a stroll had heard two shlokas that set him thinking about the foolish, young, wealthy and powerful sons. after all he had to leave the kingdom to them one day! (see previous posts.)
then he thinks this shloka, also attributed to chANakya where he uses 'vidyA' (knowledge) instead of dharma (right conduct). both are appropriate, since without being aware of right conduct, proper way to use the knowledge, it is mere collection of facts.
incarnation theory says that since life principle is same in all living forms, a soul can travel in various physical forms. human body is the epitome of life perfection. why? how? we see that we can NOT run faster, smell better, bite harder, swim deeper, hear better than animals. nothing! left alone in the forest, we won't survive for long.
or would we?
that is how we evolved, progressed in survival.
so how did we manage to beat the odds against us, beat every life form and even nature at its own game? oh, yeah, we beat the heck out of everybody and everything.
we have the brain. that can help us make things that make us powerful. even without fur, we can survive the winter, without sonar we can see in night, without claws we can kill wild beasts, without wings we can fly far distances... with great power comes great responsibility. this same brain allows us to think of future consequences of present or past actions. the development of complex language has allowed us to transmit knowledge across generations and time.
but all these are tools, of progress, communication etc.
the biggest difference between us and animals is the ability to think forward and think for the good for others! and also bad for others. (for good and bad are two sides of the same coin.) at scales not possible for animals. feudal or family revenge can destroy empires! such long term planning out of hatred. or entire religions can be formed, changing the face of mankind forever for the betterment of all. we, if we want, can choose between the right and wrong actions based on our own free will.
animals don't have that. they usually work on their 'animal instincts' - eat/hunt when hungry, kill only what is needed and when it is needed. sleep with the diurnal clock - mostly sleep in night or if nocturnal then sleep in day time. you never find animals sick due to lack of sleep or oversleep! scared of natural powers beyond their control, we too were scared in the beginning, and even now if it is at the scale of hurricane katrina, haiti earthquake, or indian ocean tsunami. animals procreate, only when it is the season. in a way they are less distracted all the other time. most of their actions are guided by short term, instinctive motivations.
we on the other hand, may endure heavy pains for the great good - gandhi, wolfe, martin luther, joan of ark ... why do we do that? for the dharma, for what is right. or give heavy pains for the greater evil.
THAT, makes us special, more than the animals, working at more than the material or body level. more than the mUlAdhAra chakra! forget about kuNDalini awakening, some people haven't moved above the mUlAdhAra chakra, they are still living at the animal level - selfish, survival, short sighted thinking and actions.
the wise bhartRihari calls such people as - bi-ped animals, and says the animal kingdom thanks them that at least they don't eat grass, else even animals would curse them for food shortage.
so, be human. think beyond the consumption, ignorance, fear and entertainment.
see the modern market and politics. consumption galore - fast food, carbonated drinks, alcoholic drinks, tobacco products make almost all of visible economy (money wise)! everywhere advertisements - telling you to buy something or the other. creating a product and then a need for it is the basic principle of today's market.
politics is filled with fear tactics all over the world. diversion tactics. be it osama, saddam or H1N1 swine flu.
life today revolves around entertainment only. how often do we hear 'i am bored.' everyone wants to be entertained. i say, 'only boring people get bored.' we have started to forget being creative. we just want to sit back and consume. that is total 'tamas', inertia, pulling and keeping us down. how many channels are there on cable TV?
and everything has to be entertainment - be it culture to kids! even hanuman has to be a comic character to appeal to children! people want to be entertained, not enlightened. not even slightly enlightened. nope. if there is no entertainment, i am not going there! and what to talk of the sexual tension in our lives. everything revolves around that weakness. all ads somehow find a reason to have a smiling, beautiful woman covering 80% of the ad space - be it ad for a pen, car, rice, alcohol, diapers, vacation spot, airlines, or life insurance.
market is out of control. gives you no help in deciding what is the greater good. it only cares for the lesser self-gratification. but as vidur warns, we need to sacrifice the smaller selfish interests for the greater social interests.
so? be human. think beyond the consumption, ignorance, fear and entertainment.
for we started weak and slow, but now we are strong and fast. we can destroy things, and destroy them fast - be it our waistelines or the world's resources or the fragile ecosystems of the oceans, or the rain forsts! we have already succeeded in destroying many things, in our animal like ignorance, but humanly unique greed and avarice.
it is better to be a four legged animal than a two legged one.
awaken! arise! be human, humane and of right conduct. you are the epitome of creation. behave like one.
like it? then become a fan of the blog. please rate the post as well. simple translation help? tattoos?
how can this site be made more interesting, useful? share your comments, use the comment link or the comment box below
and now the language aspects of the shloka -
AhAra = food, act of eating
nidrA = sleep
bhaya = fear
maithunam = mating
cha = and
samAnam = equal
etat = this
pashubhir = pashubhiH = [as] by animals
pashu = animal. it has a very interesting etymology.
pAsha = net. pashu = that which is in the pAsha [of illusion and attached to the matter]
hence one who is not aware of the spirit is a pashu, be it walking on four or two legs.
narANAm = of humans
i.e. these acts of humans is same as by animals.
dharmo = dharmaH = right conduct
hi = only
teShAm = of them (humans)
adhiko = adhikaH = excess, more
visheSho = visheShaH = special
dharmeNa hInAH = without dharma
pashubhiH = [as] by animals
samAnAH = similar, like,
like it? then become a fan of the blog. please rate the post as well. simple translation help? tattoos?
how can this site be made more interesting, useful? share your comments, use the comment link or the comment box below
(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Practical Sanskrit. All rights reserved.
http://practicalsanskrit.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Practical-Sanskrit/94744542422
Saturday, January 23, 2010
human or animal, what is the difference? आहार-निद्रा-भय-मैथुनं
of them (humans), dharma (right conduct) is the only special thing, without dharma humans are also animals ||
AhAra-nidrA-bhaya-maithunam cha
samAnam_etat_pashubhir_narANAm |
dharmo hi teShAm adhiko visheSho
dharmeNa hInAH pashubhiH samAnAH||
आहार-निद्रा-भय-मैथुनं च समानमेतत्पशुभिर्नराणाम् ।
धर्मो हि तेषामधिको विशेषो धर्मेण हीनाः पशुभिः समानाः ॥
the king sudarshana, in the preface of hitopadeshaH, out on a stroll had heard two shlokas that set him thinking about the foolish, young, wealthy and powerful sons. after all he had to leave the kingdom to them one day! (see previous posts.)
then he thinks this shloka, also attributed to chANakya where he uses 'vidyA' (knowledge) instead of dharma (right conduct). both are appropriate, since without being aware of right conduct, proper way to use the knowledge, it is mere collection of facts.
incarnation theory says that since life principle is same in all living forms, a soul can travel in various physical forms. human body is the epitome of life perfection. why? how? we see that we can NOT run faster, smell better, bite harder, swim deeper, hear better than animals. nothing! left alone in the forest, we won't survive for long.
or would we?
that is how we evolved, progressed in survival.
so how did we manage to beat the odds against us, beat every life form and even nature at its own game? oh, yeah, we beat the heck out of everybody and everything.
we have the brain. that can help us make things that make us powerful. even without fur, we can survive the winter, without sonar we can see in night, without claws we can kill wild beasts, without wings we can fly far distances... with great power comes great responsibility. this same brain allows us to think of future consequences of present or past actions. the development of complex language has allowed us to transmit knowledge across generations and time.
but all these are tools, of progress, communication etc.
the biggest difference between us and animals is the ability to think forward and think for the good for others! and also bad for others. (for good and bad are two sides of the same coin.) at scales not possible for animals. feudal or family revenge can destroy empires! such long term planning out of hatred. or entire religions can be formed, changing the face of mankind forever for the betterment of all. we, if we want, can choose between the right and wrong actions based on our own free will.
animals don't have that. they usually work on their 'animal instincts' - eat/hunt when hungry, kill only what is needed and when it is needed. sleep with the diurnal clock - mostly sleep in night or if nocturnal then sleep in day time. you never find animals sick due to lack of sleep or oversleep! scared of natural powers beyond their control, we too were scared in the beginning, and even now if it is at the scale of hurricane katrina, haiti earthquake, or indian ocean tsunami. animals procreate, only when it is the season. in a way they are less distracted all the other time. most of their actions are guided by short term, instinctive motivations.we on the other hand, may endure heavy pains for the great good - gandhi, wolfe, martin luther, joan of ark ... why do we do that? for the dharma, for what is right. or give heavy pains for the greater evil.
THAT, makes us special, more than the animals, working at more than the material or body level. more than the mUlAdhAra chakra! forget about kuNDalini awakening, some people haven't moved above the mUlAdhAra chakra, they are still living at the animal level - selfish, survival, short sighted thinking and actions.
the wise bhartRihari calls such people as - bi-ped animals, and says the animal kingdom thanks them that at least they don't eat grass, else even animals would curse them for food shortage.
so, be human. think beyond the consumption, ignorance, fear and entertainment.
see the modern market and politics. consumption galore - fast food, carbonated drinks, alcoholic drinks, tobacco products make almost all of visible economy (money wise)! everywhere advertisements - telling you to buy something or the other. creating a product and then a need for it is the basic principle of today's market.
politics is filled with fear tactics all over the world. diversion tactics. be it osama, saddam or H1N1 swine flu.
life today revolves around entertainment only. how often do we hear 'i am bored.' everyone wants to be entertained. i say, 'only boring people get bored.' we have started to forget being creative. we just want to sit back and consume. that is total 'tamas', inertia, pulling and keeping us down. how many channels are there on cable TV?
and everything has to be entertainment - be it culture to kids! even hanuman has to be a comic character to appeal to children! people want to be entertained, not enlightened. not even slightly enlightened. nope. if there is no entertainment, i am not going there! and what to talk of the sexual tension in our lives. everything revolves around that weakness. all ads somehow find a reason to have a smiling, beautiful woman covering 80% of the ad space - be it ad for a pen, car, rice, alcohol, diapers, vacation spot, airlines, or life insurance.
market is out of control. gives you no help in deciding what is the greater good. it only cares for the lesser self-gratification. but as vidur warns, we need to sacrifice the smaller selfish interests for the greater social interests.
so? be human. think beyond the consumption, ignorance, fear and entertainment.
for we started weak and slow, but now we are strong and fast. we can destroy things, and destroy them fast - be it our waistelines or the world's resources or the fragile ecosystems of the oceans, or the rain forsts! we have already succeeded in destroying many things, in our animal like ignorance, but humanly unique greed and avarice.
it is better to be a four legged animal than a two legged one.
awaken! arise! be human, humane and of right conduct. you are the epitome of creation. behave like one.
like it? then become a fan of the blog. please rate the post as well. simple translation help? tattoos?
how can this site be made more interesting, useful? share your comments, use the comment link or the comment box below
and now the language aspects of the shloka -
AhAra = food, act of eating
nidrA = sleep
bhaya = fear
maithunam = mating
cha = and
samAnam = equal
etat = this
pashubhir = pashubhiH = [as] by animals
pashu = animal. it has a very interesting etymology.
pAsha = net. pashu = that which is in the pAsha [of illusion and attached to the matter]
hence one who is not aware of the spirit is a pashu, be it walking on four or two legs.
narANAm = of humans
i.e. these acts of humans is same as by animals.
dharmo = dharmaH = right conduct
hi = only
teShAm = of them (humans)
adhiko = adhikaH = excess, more
visheSho = visheShaH = special
dharmeNa hInAH = without dharma
pashubhiH = [as] by animals
samAnAH = similar, like,
like it? then become a fan of the blog. please rate the post as well. simple translation help? tattoos?
how can this site be made more interesting, useful? share your comments, use the comment link or the comment box below
(c) shashikant joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
Practical Sanskrit. All rights reserved.
http://practicalsanskrit.blogspot.com/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Practical-Sanskrit/94744542422
Back To Godhead | Search for Happiness - Part-1 | Back To Godhead
Back To Godhead | Search for Happiness - Part-1 | Back To GodheadSimilarities between humans and animals
To explore higher and deeper levels of happiness, we need to understand that humans are a very special species in God’s creation, and they are capable of experiencing a much more satisfying and purposeful life. Let us first examine the similarities and differences between humans and animals.
The Mahabharata, an ancient Indian scripture, highlights the similarities that form the acronym SEED:
ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca
samanyam etat pasubhir naranam
dharmo hi tesam adhiko viseso
dharmena hinah pasubhih samanah
samanyam etat pasubhir naranam
dharmo hi tesam adhiko viseso
dharmena hinah pasubhih samanah
Nidra means “sleeping,” ahara refers to “eating,”maithuna is “sex life or enjoyment,” and “bhaya” is “defending.” (Thus the acronym SEED is indicative of these four similarities between animals and humans) We can examine each of these four more elaborately.
The SEED of Humans and Animals
While animals eat raw, uncooked food, without complaint, humans thrive on a variety of foodstuffs. And they can get fussy about it too. Yet we observe that the propensity and experience of eating is similar to both. However it is the humans who have degraded to lower than animals in their eating propensities. While on one hand we have a rich inter-continental cuisine, on the other hand humans also experiment with foods that are unnatural to the human body. A friend of mine in Singapore had a Chinese lady secretary who sipped on monkey blood during her office breaks. She also feasted on roasted snakes as her favorite delicacy. Multinational companies spend millions of dollars on research to improve the nutrient content of chocolates, potato wafers or corn flakes all in pursuance of the glorious activity of eating.
Sleeping isn’t a problem for animals. They sleep anywhere without an alarm to wake them. Sleeping isn’t a problem for the animals. Humans have plush apartments and expensive bedrooms, and even special water beds have been designed to help them experience a sound sleep. Once we are fast asleep, it doesn’t matter if we are lying on the road or resting on an attractive bed. The experience of sleeping, theMahabharata declares, is the same for a human and an animal.
Humans, however, spend a great amount of energy, time and money figuring out how to get good, undisturbed sleep. Special alarm clocks have been designed that compel even the most die-hard sleeper to wake up. One such chicken-shaped alarm clock rings, making the eggs fall off the clock. The loud noise of the alarm is accompanied by the scattering of eggs. One has to collect all the eggs and put them back inside the clock to stop its ringing. The rationale behind it is that by the time one finishes the task, his sleepiness has gone. Another alarm clock is shaped like a fan. The moment it goes off, it also flies all over the room. One has to wake up and catch the fan with great endeavor. This amounts to a good workout until one finally manages to turn it off. By then, one fully awake.
German scientists have created a special bed that is super-programmed through latest software technology. For example, if one plans to wake up at three in the afternoon but desires to experience a sunrise, this bed will create a pleasing sound of bird song and a fragrance of early morning flowers. The bed guarantees to wake up a sound sleeper with water aimed at the eyes of the sleeper. If one still doesn’t get up, the bed has an eject system that will throw the person out, thus ensuring that he is fully awake.
Human intellect has also discovered sleep-enhancers and drugs that induce sleep; even a diehard insomniac can take those medications and experience sound sleep. It’s amazing how animals on the other hand can sleep anywhere at any time. Thus we see that the precious human intelligence has been channeled to experience pleasures that are easily met by the animals.
Enjoyment primarily refers to sex life. Animals do it on the street. Humans have a sophisticated set up of courtship and they go through a lot of struggle and emotional complexities as they seek to fulfil gross carnal pleasures.
Defending is the fourth similarity between humans and animals. While animals defend with their claws, humans have metal detectors, special locks, bank insurances, security men, buzzer alarms, and enormous defense expenditures.
Thus we can see humans and animals pursue similar goals. However intuitively we know humans are special. What makes humans special vis-a-vis the animals? The answer to this question will help us discover newer and richer happiness.
To be continued…. How are Humans special?
Vraja Vihari Dasa holds a master’s degree in International Finance and Management (MBA). He serves as a full-time resident devotee at ISKCON Chowpatty and teaches Krsna consciousness to students at universities. He also conducts devotional seminars and training programs for the temple’s congregation members.
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