What is ‘Shastra’ ?
What is 'Shastra' ? It is often translated as 'Hindu Scripture'. But actually….Shastra = Shas+tra. Shas = by teaching, & tra = it protects. So 'Shastra' is that which protects you by its teaching. Protects you from what ? Suffering, pain, unhappiness, emotional turmoil. Great, so there is something that can protect me from all that just by teaching me something ? Yes, by teaching you how to live a fulfilled dharmic life and think clearly to discover an inner peace.
Ok, so what does Shastra consist of ? The great rishi, Yajnavalkya, answers this question by dividing the Shastra into '14 abodes of knowledge' = 4 Vedas + 6 Vedangas + 4 Upangas. Ok…lets break this down:
4 Vedas = Rg Veda + Yajur Veda + Saama Veda + Atharvana Veda. These Vedas are considered the source of all knowledge. They are in the form of sounds (Shabdha pramana) from Bhagvan, and were heard by the Rishis. They contain knowledge on 2 main topics: Action & Self-Knowledge. Action (Karma Kanda) relates to how we should live in the world and what values we should follow to be happy, plus which pujas to perform. Self Knowledge is discussed in the Upanishads, which are a part of the Veda. These reveal the nature of the who you really are, and what this universe really is.
6 Vedangas (Limbs of Veda) = Shiksha (phonetics) + Vyakarana (grammar) + Chandas (Prosody) + Nirukta (Etymology) + Jyotisha (Astrology/Astronomy) + Kalpa (know how of rituals). These 'limbs' (anga) of the Veda, support the Veda and are useful for the main body to function – just like you actual limbs support your body. By knowing these, they directly help you understand and implement the advice given in Veda. Each one is a huge discipline of knowledge in itself – people spend lifetimes specialising in each one.
4 Upangas = Purana + Nyaya (Logic) + Mimamsa (Linguistic Analysis) + Dharma Shastra (Morals, Ethics, Norms). Purana includes the famous epic hostorical stories – Mahabharata, Ramayana, plus 19 Maha Puranas depicting the lives of the Devas (Shiva Purana, Vishnu Purana, Bhagavatam,etc). Logic is a very important discipline to learn for all, to help us understand whether a particular view is logically sound or not. 'Tarka Sangraha' is basic text on Logic studied by beginners. Mimamsa is all about analysing the meaning of a sentance in order to understand the authors intended meaning. Why ? Because the whole Veda is in the forms of words and sentences. So in order to correctly understand what it is trying to say, we need a method of 'interpreting' the Veda correctly. How ? For example, 1 method is to look at the context of a particular sentence. Can't take a sentence out of context as it will change the meaning. Just like a tabloid newspaper does – it quotes people out of context and changes the whole meaning ! Some Mimamsa is required on tabloids to know what the true meaning is. Vedanta is a type of Mimamsa (called Uttara Mimamsa). Finally Dharma Shastra expands on the values and advice given in Veda, detailing in clear terms how we should behave in society. Deals with 4 stages of life, 4 dispositions of mind, etiquette, rituals, behaviors,etc. This is very important to know so we can follow Dharma in our everyday lives. Manu Smrti & Yajnavalya Smriti are examples.
This makes 14. In addition we have another '4 Upavedas' = Ayurveda (medicine) + Dhanurveda (warfare) + Gandharva Veda (Music & Dance) + Artha Shastra (Politics & Governance). Each of the above are huge and detailed disciplines of knowledge in themselves. There are many texts and teachers associated with each discipline. All these 18 are collectively called 'Shastra'. This covers virtually all Hindu scripture/literature. However, of the 18 – there is one which is key. One which is the most important. One which is not authored by a person (apaursheya). One which is considered like a 6th sense (Pramana). One which every single Hindu school of thought regards as true. One which defines what a Hindu is. One which is the basis of all Shastra. Which One ? The Veda. Ok, they are divided into 4 – but really they are only one body of knowledge which are the source of all wisdom in our tradition. All 4 talk about the same thing. Hence, we look upon the Veda with great respect, affection and trust. The great Advaita teacher, Adi Shankara, beautifully describes Veda like '1000 mothers' looking out for your welfare with love and care, by teaching you what is good for you. This should be our attitude to 'Mother Veda'. What an amazing Shastra !
Om Tat Sat
Aditya (adig_85@yahoo.com)
