"Do not ever think
that you and God are separate. Think always, "God is with me; He is inside
me; He is around me. All there is, Is God. I myself am God. I am the Infinite,
the Eternal. I am not two; I am one, only one. There is no one else besides me.
I and God are one and the same." To realize this Unity, the first step is
to develop Self-confidence. It comes when you realize that God is not outside
of you."
- Sri Sathya Sai Baba
The four goals of human life
Activity (karma) and spiritual wisdom (jnana) are related as cause and effect,
so the sections of the texts and laws that emphasized activity led to the
discovery of new facets of truth and rendered the ideas of a transcendent God
clearer and nearer. So too, the discovery of clearer concepts of God through
spiritual inquiry along the path of wisdom fed “activity” with better meaning
and higher purpose. The benefit of activity was proportionate to the faith, and
the faith in activity was proportionate to the awareness of God won through
wisdom.
For involving oneself in
good activities, spiritual wisdom is an essential prerequisite. That wisdom has
ultimately to be derived from the Vedas; it is based on the teachings of the
Vedas.
Dharma: the cornerstone of spiritual life
Activity (karma) is, really speaking, the practice
of dharma. The Upanishads give us guidance on what has to be done and what has
to be avoided on the spiritual journey. They direct us to revere the mother as
God, revere the father as God, revere the preceptor as God, and revere the
guest as God. They also warn us that truth and dharma should not be neglected.
So, there are both positive and negative instructions — follow these counsels,
not others. Whatever conduces to your progress in goodness, accept; avoid other
counsels. Thus do the Upanishads instruct.
Fostering the Vedas
meant fostering the Vedic scholars and practitioners. At the present time,
encouragement is afforded and scholarship is honoured in other branches of
learning. Vedic scholars are not given similar encouragement and emoluments.
This important aspect has to be attended to.
Dharma protects those
who protect it (Dharmo rakshati rakshitah),
says the scripture. If people come forward to foster the sources of dharma,
that good act, by itself, will help foster those who do it. Save the ageless
Vedic culture!
The study of the Vedas
has become today the task of the economically weak. People have reconciled
themselves to this situation. They associate the study with such a sad and
pitiable picture. Vedic studies have come down to this deplorable pass.
The very pundits who
have attained scholarship in the Vedas are using it as a commercial item that
can be sold. They do not demonstrate the value of Vedic study in the peace and
harmony of their lives and thus win reverence for the Vedas by personal
example.
The Vedas are being
misused by them for earning a pittance, rather than for liberation and peace.
This is why dharma is receiving a setback and anxiety and fear are spreading
among people. The world can win back peace and harmony only when such people
are persuaded to practise the ideals laid down in the Vedas and thereby serve
as beacon lights to guide mankind aright. Otherwise, downfall is inevitable.
The Indian (Bharathiya) spiritual stream has, until
the present times, fertilized Vedic learning and practice. Its message has
always been, “Journey forward along the Vedic path.” One may dilate on Vedanta
and Vedas, but unless one holds forth the value of these ideals on the basis of
one’s own experience and practice, it is a waste.
This truth has been
forgotten by these people. Let them awake in time and save the traditions and
values of the ageless Vedic culture.
Love.
PS - Since these posts
are self-explanatory, further essence has not been given for the same.
Chapter XI
Values in Vedas
Knowing, knowledge, is Veda (Vetthi ithi Vedah). That is, from the
Vedas, one can know the code of right activity and the body of right knowledge.
The Vedas teach one’s duties from birth to death.
Rig Veda
Of the Vedas, the first is the Rigveda. It is generally considered to
be composed of ten sections. In the first nine sections, hymns in praise of God
under the names Agni, Indra, Maruth,
etc. are found. Historians and re- searchers have suggested certain theories to
explain how these hymns of praise arose. People in those days realized that
fire (agni), air (vayu), wind (maruth), etc. were far more powerful than them, so they described
their divine qualities and propitiated them.
Yajur veda
The second Veda, the Yajur-veda, has two recensions
(reviews): the Krishna (black) Yajur-veda
and Sukla (white) Yajur-veda. This Veda refers to the
river Ganga (Ganges) and its region. It is the source of the later (uttara) Mimamsa school of thought and
interpretation. The people had by then demarcated the forest areas from the
cultivable areas around the villages and had taken to habitation in the
villages.
A prominent reason prompted the
separation of certain portions of the Veda into the Yajur-veda. The Yajur-veda
had seven sections called forest texts (aranyakas),
indicating by that very name that they referred more to disciplines and
spiritual exercises that can be practised only in the seclusion and silence of
the forest.
Sama veda
The third Veda is the Sama-veda. Many of the hymns (riks) of the Rigveda are repeated in it, but with additional musical notes so
that they may be sung during Vedic rituals and ceremonies. So the Sama-veda is mainly musical
notation.
The Sama-veda
is also referred to as the Bell Veda (Ghana-veda)
in order to highlight its musical nature. All musical schools are derivatives
of the styles that are marked out by the Sama-veda.
All tones and notes are embedded in that Veda.
Atharva veda
The fourth is the Athar-vana or Atharvaveda.
It has been described in many diverse ways. Some have even denied it the status
of a Veda. Others say that it is made up of what remained after the collation
of the rest.
In the other Vedas, the might and
mystery of the Gods are described. But this Veda mentions the possibility of
acquiring certain powers and mysteries by one’s own effort and exercises. This
is its speciality. Hatha-yoga (the yoga of postures), the skill of rendering
oneself invisible by repeating certain mantras, the eight parts of yoga or communion
(ashtanga-yoga) —these are made
available for humanity only in this Veda. Of course, by winning the grace of
God, one can acquire even skills that are otherwise impossible to attain.
In short, it must be realized that the
Vedas are very important and that they cover the entire range of knowledge.
They are the source and spring of Indian (Bharathiya)
culture. They are the recordings of visions and divine experiences; their
source is not someone definite person.
They were revealed by God Himself, of
His own innate mercy. The Vedic inheritance has been preserved pure and
unsullied even to this day, because it was handed down from master to disciple
in regular succession. Since it is timeless and author less, it is worthy of
acceptance. No one can afford to neglect or deny its value.
Love.
