Sadhana Panchakam - Post 5

Dear All,

We are continuing on the first instruction 

Veda is comprehensive Wisdom and not aggregate of words, therefore, one will not be enlightened by acquiring Knowledge about Brahman unless one is wise in Wisdom of Brahman. 

Vedas are distributed in the following three sequences

Karma Kanda

Upasana Kanda and

Jnana Kanda

 

Swami says,

“Just as the body is subject to ills arising from vaatha, pitta and sleshma, the mind also is liable to ailments from three sources: mala, vikshepa and aavarana.

It is because of these ailments that man is unable to develop his spiritual nature and acquire knowledge of the Atma. On account of ignorance of his spiritual nature, he regards his mundane existence as the only reality. 

Mala is known by the term Avidya, meaning ignorance. Ignorance can be removed by karmas (prescribed actions). 

Aavarana can be removed by Upasana (worship).

Vikshepa (delusion) is removed by developing the power of discrimination. 

Hence, to deal with the maladies of mala, aavarana and vikshepa, you need karma, upasana and jnana. 

These three paths have been laid down by the Vedas.

Through Karma (prescribed duties) purity of mind is achieved. 

Through Upasana (devotional worship) one-pointed concentration of mind is promoted. 

And through Jnana, moksha (liberation) is attained.”

(Divine discourse, 4/10/1989) 

Let us try to understand how Vedas are distributed or sequenced, in the light of above revelation by Swami.

The contents of the Vedas are in the form of a collection of mantras. The word Mantra means ‘that which protects when repeated and reflected upon’. The Rig Veda mantras are called ‘Rik’ meaning hymns or stanzas of verses metrically set to convey definite meaning. The Sama Veda mantras are called ‘Saman’ meaning chants while Yajur Veda mantras are called ‘Yajus’ meaning sacrificial sentences.

These collections are called Samhitas. They bring out the purport of a Veda in the shape of mantras, methodically arranged. Samhita means that which is collected and arranged.

Each Veda is also divided into Samhita and Brahmana. The Brahmana includes within itself Aranyaka and Upanishad. Thus the division of the Vedas into these four categories suitable to the four stages of human life is as under:

DIVISIONS OF THE VEDAS
Samhita	Brahmana	Aranyaka	Upanishad

Samhita

It is the name given to the collection of mantras or hymns and prayers in praise of Deities for attaining prosperity here and happiness hereafter. Samhita portion is considered as the principal text of a Veda. This portion is mainly meant for Brahmacharis, those who are in the first stage of their lives.

Brahmana

This portion of a Veda guides people in the performance of Vedic Karmas or sacrificial rituals; they are the prose explanations of the method of using the mantras in the Yajnas and other rituals. Brahmana is suitable for the householders, those belonging to the second stage in life.

Aranyaka

When one seeks the solitude of the forests (Aranya) for further concentration, the physical performance of Yajnas will be impracticable for various reasons more so due to old age. 

The Aranyaka portion is addressed to the people of that category offering a substitute for rituals. They teach methods of meditation based upon symbolical interpretations of sacrificial rites. It is a process of performing Yajnas and sacrifices at the mental level. 

For example Brihadaranyaka Upanishad starts with such analytical mental performance of Aswamedha Yajna. The Aranyakas are intended for the Vanaprasthas or people who prepare themselves for the last stage in life i.e. Sanyasa. Aranyakas form the transition link between the ritual of the Brahmanas and the philosophy of the Upanishads.

Upanishads

The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas which discuss philosophical issues. They speak about the identity of the Supreme Eternal Soul, the Brahman, the individual soul, the Atman, their mutual relationship, the Universe (Jagat) and man’s place in it. In short they deal with Jiva, Jagat and Easwara.

 

Dr. Radhakrishnan said,  

“While the hymns or Samhitas are the creation of the poets, the Brahmanas are the work of the priests; the Upanishads are the meditations of the philosophers. The flow of thought from the Samhitas to Brahmanas to Aranyakas to Upanishads is the indication of the process of evolution of Hindu religion over the centuries.”

Thus we have in the Vedas portions dealing with the action or performance of rituals - Karma Kanda, portions dealing with the method of worship and meditation - Upasana Kanda and lastly the portion dealing with the Highest knowledge, the knowledge of Brahman - Jnana Kanda. 

Roughly speaking, the Samhitas and Brahmanas constitute Karma Kanda, the Aranyakas the Upasana Kanda and the Upanishads the Jnana Kanda.

 

Continued…..

Love.