Aditya, Monday, June 20, 2016 11:03 pm

The Vedas

The original source of the entire Hindu Shastra (teachings) are ‘The Vedas’.  The word ‘Veda’ comes from the root ‘Vid’ = to know. Hence, Veda literally means knowledge. And that is what Veda essentially is – knowledge about how to live a happy, healthy and fulfilled life. Leading us to the ultimate goal of freedom (Moksha). Let’s do some quick fire Question & Answer on Veda:

  1. What is the Veda?

    Veda is a ‘body of knowledge’, divided into 4 for ease of understanding: Rg, Yajur, Saama, Atharva Veda. The Vedas are a ‘means of knowledge’ (Pramana). Just like your eyes are a ‘means of knowledge’ for colour. E.g. Through your eyes, you see the colour red. You gain ‘knowledge’ of the colour red. When you see ‘red-ness’ via your eyes, there is no doubt. When you say ‘the blood is red’, is it a belief? No. Is it your opinion? No. The ‘red-ness’ of blood is directly seen and clearly experienced by you – how? Via your eyes. The means of knowledge (Pramana). So a Pramana is that which gives you clear, doubt free knowledge. In a sense, it can give you direct experience. Ok…now think about this: Veda ITSELF is considered a ‘Pramana’. This is VERY significant. A huge statement with big implications. Why? Think about it….i'll let you work it out

  2. What does the Veda teach us?

    There are two main topics in discussed in Veda : (a) Karma Kanda- How to act in the world to achieve what I want. Human values; (b) Jnana Kanda – Who am I? What is Bhagavan? What is this World? The Veda (i.e. the Upanishad sections of the Veda) answers these deeper questions about life with the goal of leading you to Moksha (absolute happiness) via knowledge of the truth. (a) prepares the mind for (b).

  3. Who wrote the Veda?

    Bhagavan. Isvara. The Veda itself tells us this (Bhr Up: “Nishvasitam”) – the Vedas are described as the very ‘breath’ of Bhagavan. Can you live without breathing? No. So as long as you are alive, your breath will be there. Similarly, here, if Veda is described as the very ‘breath’ of Bhagavan, it means as long as Bhagavan is alive, his breath (the Vedas) is there. And Bhagavan is always ‘alive’, so the Vedas are always there. It’s poetic, but you get the point: The Veda is from Bhagavan.

  4. How old are the Vedas?

    Answer implied in (4). They are as old as Bhagavan. So really the question is: How old is Bhagavan ? 1000 years? A million years old ? 15 Billion Years (big bang) ? No. Even older !  Veda says it is ‘beginningless’ (Anaadi).

  5. Are Vedas written down?

    No. Vedas are in the form of sound (Shabdha Pramana). These sounds form words and sentences. These are the mantras of the Veda which are chanted. Veda was never written down originally; hence it is called ‘Shruti’ (that which is heard). The teacher would chant the Veda, the student would hear the words and repeat. Hence the teacher taught his student, who taught his student…etc. The written script (Devanagari, Brahmi, etc) has come later – it’s not original. The sound of Veda is Sanskrit, hence Sanskrit is not a ordinary language, it is a ‘deva bhasha’ (language of the Gods) which has its own power.

  6. But didn’t the Rishi’s create the Veda?

    No. This is a common misconception. The word ‘Rishi’ literally means a ‘seer’. It does NOT mean a ‘creator’. There is a big difference…..Imagine this: Do you see the 30 storey building over there? Yes. Does that mean you CREATED that 30 storey building? No. So you SEE it, doesn’t mean you CREATE it! The 30 storey building was created by the engineer who designed the building, and his team who constructed it. So the Rishi’s were seers (Mantra Drsta), not makers (Mantra Karta), of the Veda. They ‘heard’ the Vedas in the form of sounds during their deep meditations. The sounds were and are already there from Bhagavan. You only need a calm mind to be able to ‘tune in’ to them. Just like a radio. A radio ‘tunes in’ to a radio channel and music is suddenly heard on the radio! But where did the music come from ? Does the radio ‘create’ the music ? No. The radio is just a MEDIUM by which the music (created by the musician, being transmitted in the form of a radio wave from the radio station) is heard. So the Rishi’s were mediums by which the sounds of the Veda have been heard and passed down to us in the form of mantras. The Rishi’s were simply people like you or I, but obviously very pure minded and great people who lived highly Dharmic lives. Hence they had that ability to ‘tune in’, which most of us don’t have.  Hence we are greatful to the Rishi’s for allowing us the opportunity to gain this great Knowledge that is Veda.

    Om Tat Sat.

Aditya, London

(adig_85@yahoo.com)

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