Pranam to all
few days back, in th amidst of us, a discussion arose; why do we have
to do all the poojas, sradhas, bhajans and so many every one daily doing in
some forms or other, when the BG says all are ultimately useless? Brahma
sutra says "Let us desire to learn Gnana; Vedantha says," even to desire
seeing GOD is a desire to be let off . ANANARULAL AVAN THAAL VANANGI IS THE
VERSE; ARUL IS OUT OF THE DESIRE TO WORSHIP. பற்றுக பற்றற்றான் பற்றினை
அப்பற்றைப்பற்றுக பற்று விடற்கு. (௩௱௫௰ - 350) Patruka Patratraan Patrinai
Appatraip Patruka Patru Vitarku — (Transliteration) Cling to the one who
clings to nothing; And so clinging, cease to cling. Tamil (தமிழ்) பற்று
இல்லாதவனான இறைவனது பற்றினை மட்டுமே பற்றுக; உலகப் பற்றுகளை விடுவதற்காக,
அதனையே எப்போதும் விடாமல் பற்றிக் கொள்க Tiruvalluvar uses the word patru to
catch; patru atraan=desireless; patrinai=desire to be held with HIM only;
apatraip (that feet) patruga(*hold) patru(catch with the desire).
Tirumular says,"To be dissociated from the 5 groups of tattvas (from the
pruthivi to prakruti) which constitute the body, from the 6 tattvas (which,
along with others make the subtle body), from the 5 tattvas belonging to
the pure realm and from the inexhaustible maya which serves as the
container and source of those tattvas; to be free from the other bonds such
as the karmic fruits and to annihilate completely the darkening power of
mala which, like a cataract, has been shrouding the soul right from its
unembodied state (kevala avastha) and to firmly establish himself in his
own pure state — these are the essential disciplines belonging to Siddhanta
Saivism. Thus even small desire by way of bhakthi is also a kind of
attachment, where the duality still persist. The the answer was given
whether we need all these from the book HINDU DHARMA (ENGLISH IS ALSO
AVAILABLE IN EVRY BOOK SHOP BY KANCHI MAHA PERIYAVE) :
*(Hindu Dharma: General)*
The Vedas speak of a variety of matters. So how are we to accept the view
that their most important teaching is the concept of Self-realisation
expounded in the Upanishads constituting the Vedanta? They mention a number
of sacrifices like agnihotra, somayaga, sattra and isti and other rituals
in addition. Why should it not be maintained that it is these that form
their chief purpose?
What are the rites to be performed at a marriage? Or at a funeral? How best
is a kingdom (or any country) governed? How must we conduct ourselves in an
assembly? You will find answers to many such questions in the Vedas. Which
of these then is the main objective of our scripture?
The Vedas tell you about the conduct of sacrifices, ways of worship,
methods of meditation. How is the body inspired by the Self? What happens
to it (the body) in the end? And how does the self-imbue the body again? We
find an answer to such questions in these sacred texts. Also, we learn from
methods to keep the body healthy, the rites to protect ourselves from enemy
attacks. What then is the goal of the Vedas?
The Upanishads proclaim that all the Vedas together point to a single Truth
(Kathopanishad, 2. 15
<https://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/referp5b.htm#KATHOPANISAD-3>)What
is that Truth? "The Vedas speak in one voice of a Supreme Entity revealing
itself as the meaning of Omkara. "
There was a judge called Sadasiva Ayyar. He had a brother, Paramasiva
Ayyar, who lived in Mysore. "The Vedas deal with geology, "so wrote
Paramasiva Ayyar. "In those early times, people in India looked upon the
sun and the moon with wonder, " some Westerners remark. "it was an age when
science had not made much advance. People then regarded natural phenomena
according to their different mental attitudes. Not all are capable of
turning their thoughts into song. But some have the talent for the same. The
songs sing by people in the form of mantras constitute the Vedas. "( west
thoughts)
Though the Upanisads declare that the Vedas speak of the One reality, there
is an impression that they speak of a variety of entities. There is a
well-known stanza on the Ramayana:
वेद वेद्ये परे पुंसि जाते दशरथात्मजे ।
वेदःप्रचेतसादासीद् साक्षाद् रामायणात्मना ॥
*Vedavedye pare pumsi jate Dasarathatmaje*
*Vedah Pracetasadasitssaksadramayanatmana*
"Vedavedye"=one who is to be known by the Vedas. Who is he? "Pare
pumsi"=the Supreme Being. The Supreme being to be known by the Vedas
descended to earth as Rama. When he was born the son of Dasaratha, the
Vedas took the form of Valmiki's child Ramayana. According to this stanza,
the goal of the Vedas is the Supreme Being or Omkara, the One Truth. Just
as the kathopanisad speaks of "sarve Vedah", the lord says in the
Gita:"Vedaisca sarvair ahameva vedyah"(I am indeed to be known by the Vedas
<https://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/referp5b.htm#....KNOWN%20BY%20ALL%20THE%20VEDAS>
)
Considering all this, we realise that, although the Vedas deal with many
matters, all of them together speak of one goal, the One reality. But the
question arises why they concern themselves with different entities also
when their purpose is only the One entity?
It is through the various entities, through knowledge of a multiplicity of
subjects, that we may know of this One Object. Yoga, meditation,
austerities, sacrifices and other rites, ceremonies like marriage, state
affairs, social life, poetry: what is the goal of all these? It is the One
Reality. And that is the goal of the Vedas also. All objects and all
entities other than this true Object are subject to change. They are like
stories remembered and later forgotten. (In our ignorance) we do not
perceive the One object behind the manifoldness of the world. The Vedas
take us to the One Reality through the multifarious objects that we do know.
To attain this One reality we need to discipline our mind in various
ways. Performing
sacrifices, practising austerities, doing the duties of one's own dharma,
building gopurams, digging ponds for the public, involving ourselves in
social work, samskaras like marriage, all these go to purify our
consciousness and, finally to still the mind that is always agitated.
(cittavrtti-nirodha). The purpose of different works is to help us in
our efforts
to attain the Brahman.
"Ved"[from"vid"] means to know. The Upanisads proclaim:" The Atman is that
by knowing which all can be known. " The goal of the Vedas is to shed light
on this Atman. The rituals enjoined on us in their first part and the jnana
expounded in the second have the same goal-knowing Iswara, the Brahman or
the Atman. The beginning of the beginning and the end of the end of our
scripture have the same ultimate aim. During the "mantrapuspa" ceremony at
the time of welcoming a great man this mantra is chanted:"Yo Veda dau
svarah prokto Vedante ca prathisthitah. " These words are proof of the
words mentioned above. The mantra means :" What is established in the
beginning of the Vedas as well as their end is the One Truth, the Reality
of Isvara. " The works associated with the beginning and the jnana
associated with the end-there is no difference between the goals of the two.
For the rituals that are divided in a thousand different ways and for the
knowledge(jnana) that is but one, the subject is common. That is the Vedas
have a common subject. The senses are incapable of perceiving the Self.
They are aware only of outward objects and keep chasing them. This is
mentioned in the kathopanisad(4.1)
<https://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/referp5b.htm#KATHOPANISAD-4>.when
one's attention is diverted from the object in hand we say "parakku
parppadu"[in Tami] Our object is the Self. To be diverted from it and to
look around-or look away-is to be "paramukha"-it is the same as "parakku
parppadu". It is this idea that is expressed by the kathopanisad. But the
mind does not easily remain fixed on our goal. So, it is only by performing
outward functions that we will gain the wisdom and maturity to turn our
look inward. We will develop such inner vision only by refusing to be
dragged down by the mind and the senses, and for this we must perform Vedic
works.
After learning about, or knowing all other matters by inquiring into them
and by making an assessment of them, we are enabled to grasp that by
knowing which we will know everything. That is the reason why the Vedas
deal with so many branches of learning, so many types of worship, so many
different works and so many arts and so many social duties. By applying the
body in various rites we lose consciousness of that very body. By directing
our thoughts to various branches of learning, by examining various
philosophical systems and by worshipping various deities the mind and the
intellect will in due course be dissolved.
We are more conscious when we are engaged in evil actions than otherwise.
By thinking about evil matters, the mind becomes coarser. Instead, if we
perform Vedic sacraments and worship and chant Vedic mantras for the
well-being of the world, the desires of the body and the mind will wilt.
Eventually, we will develop the maturity and the wisdom to gain inner
vision. In this way we will obtain release here itself("ihaiva") Release
from what? From samsara, from the cycle of birth and death. When we realise
that the body and the mind are not “we" and when we become free from
them-as mentioned in the Upanishads- we are liberated from worldly
existence.
The purpose of the Vedas is achieving liberation in this world itself. And
that is their glory. Other religions promise a man salvation after his
departure for another world. But we cannot have any idea of that type of
deliverance. Those who have attained will not return to this world to tell
us about it. So we may have doubts about it or may not believe it at all.
But the Vedas hold out the ideals of liberation here itself if we renounce
all desire and keep meditating on the Self. Moksa then will be within our
grasp at once. there is no room for doubt in this
<https://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/referp5b.htm#.......DOUBT%20IN%20THIS>
.
Other paths give temporary relief like quinine administered to a person
suffering from malaria. If malarial fever is never to be contracted by the
patient again the root cause of the disease must be found and eradicated.
The Vedic religion goes deep into the root of life and cuts away that which
separates it from the supreme being the freedom realised in this manner is
eternal and not "temporary relief"(from the pains and sorrows of worldly
existence)
The karma-Kanda of the Vedas deals with matters that give only such
temporary relief. However, it must be realised that a man racked by
difficulties cannot at once be placed in a position where he would all the
time delighting in his Self. Through the " Temporary relief" gained from
performing Vedic rites, his consciousness is freed from impurities and he
becomes "qualified" for everlasting peace. Sacrifices, vows, philanthropic
work, and so on, do not take us to the final goal but they are necessarily
to reduce ourselves physically, to cleanse our consciousness and make our
mind one-pointed in our effort to reach our final goal.
A variety of subjects are spoken in detail in the Vedas but all of them
have the one purpose of leading us to the Vedantic enquiry into Truth and
jnana. The concluding portion of a work, speech, article etc, is usually
the most significant. If we want to find what so-and-so has said in a
speech or in an article, we do not have to read all of it. We glance
through the first para and, skipping through, come to the last. Here we get
the message of the speech or article. We are able to decide on the content
of either by going through the first and concluding passages. The first and
last parts alike of the Vedas speak of the Paramatman; so that can be said
to be the "subject" of the Vedas.
The government enacts many laws. But, later in the course of their
enforcement, doubts arise with regard to their intention. Then another law
is enacted to settle its meaning: it is called the law of interpretation.
In this way Mimamsa has come into being as the law of interpretation for
the Vedas which constitute the eternal law of the Lord. I will speak to you
<https://www.kamakoti.org/hindudharma/part5/referp5b.htm#SPEAK%20TO%20YOU> in
detail about Mimamsa which is one of the fourteen branches of the Vedic
lore. But one aspect of it I should like to mention here itself.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx15 6 23 KR (to be contd)
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