Veda The Privelage Of Humanity
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Transcript of Veda The Privelage Of Humanity
The VedasThe Privilege of Humanity
““Regulated activities are Regulated activities are prescribed in the Vedas, prescribed in the Vedas, and the Vedas are directly and the Vedas are directly manifested from the manifested from the Supreme Personality of Supreme Personality of Godhead. Consequently Godhead. Consequently the all-pervading the all-pervading Transcendence is eternally Transcendence is eternally situated in acts of situated in acts of sacrifice.” BG 3.15sacrifice.” BG 3.15
What are the Vedas?What are the Vedas?
Veda means knowledge. The Vedic Veda means knowledge. The Vedic literature is a vast body of knowledge literature is a vast body of knowledge comprising of about a hundred billion comprising of about a hundred billion Sanskrit verses.Sanskrit verses.
The Vedas are The Vedas are compared to a compared to a desire tree desire tree because they because they contain all things contain all things knowable by knowable by man.man.
They deal with mundane necessities as They deal with mundane necessities as well as spiritual realization.well as spiritual realization.
The Vedas contain regulated principles of The Vedas contain regulated principles of knowledge covering social, political, religious, knowledge covering social, political, religious, economic, military, medicinal, chemical physical, economic, military, medicinal, chemical physical, metaphysical, and other subject matter and above metaphysical, and other subject matter and above all specific directs for spiritual realization.all specific directs for spiritual realization.
rg-yajuh-samatharvas ca bharatam pa–ca-ratrakamrg-yajuh-samatharvas ca bharatam pa–ca-ratrakammula-ramayanam caiva veda ity eva sabditahmula-ramayanam caiva veda ity eva sabditah
puranani ca yaniha vaisnavani vido viduhpuranani ca yaniha vaisnavani vido viduhsvatah-pramanyam etesam natra ki–cid vicaryatesvatah-pramanyam etesam natra ki–cid vicaryate
““The Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva The Rg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, Atharva Veda, Mahabharata, Pa–caratra and original Veda, Mahabharata, Pa–caratra and original
Ramayana are all considered by authorities to be Ramayana are all considered by authorities to be veda. The knowers also know those Puranas veda. The knowers also know those Puranas
dedicated to Lord Visnu to enjoy the same status. dedicated to Lord Visnu to enjoy the same status. These literatures are self-evident, and there is These literatures are self-evident, and there is nothing in them to speculate about.” –Bhavisya nothing in them to speculate about.” –Bhavisya
PuranaPurana
There are There are eighteen major eighteen major puranas. Of all puranas. Of all the puranas, the the puranas, the Bhagavata Bhagavata Purana (Srimad-Purana (Srimad-Bhagavatam) is Bhagavatam) is considered the considered the most important.most important.
Karma-kanda: elevation to heavenly Karma-kanda: elevation to heavenly planets or achieving material benefits planets or achieving material benefits through performance of yajna (sacrifices) through performance of yajna (sacrifices) for demigods, dana (charity), tapa for demigods, dana (charity), tapa (penance). This is call pravriti marg.(penance). This is call pravriti marg.
Vedas three departments of activities:
Jnana-Kanda: Jnana-Kanda: Decreasing material Decreasing material involvement and involvement and understanding the understanding the Supreme Truth Supreme Truth through speculative through speculative knowledge. This is knowledge. This is called nivritti marg.called nivritti marg.
Vedas three departments of activities:
Upasana-Kanda: Upasana-Kanda: Decreasing material Decreasing material involvement through involvement through worship of the worship of the Supreme.Supreme.
Vedas three departments of activities:
Amongst all types of upasana or worship, The worship of the Supreme Personality ofGodhead, Vasudeva, or Krishna, is Considered the topmost and is vividly Described in the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
The four material aspects of the Vedas, called Purusarthas The four material aspects of the Vedas, called Purusarthas are prescribed to elevate human beings to the are prescribed to elevate human beings to the transcendental platform while allow them to fulfill their transcendental platform while allow them to fulfill their material desires with the Vedic guidelines.material desires with the Vedic guidelines.– Dharma-religiosity gaining good karma to become Dharma-religiosity gaining good karma to become
eligible for…eligible for…
– Artha-economic development for a comfortable life. Then Artha-economic development for a comfortable life. Then one gains opportunities for…one gains opportunities for…
– Kama-sense gratification; having enjoyed enough sense Kama-sense gratification; having enjoyed enough sense gratification after having gone through all the purifying gratification after having gone through all the purifying processes of the Vedas, one may start to desire…processes of the Vedas, one may start to desire…
– Moksa-liberation. From this platform one can more easily Moksa-liberation. From this platform one can more easily approach the transcendental subject mattersapproach the transcendental subject matters
Four material aspects of the Vedas:
The Vedic Tree of Knowledge:
Branches-karma KandaJnana-kanda, Upasana-Kanda
Flowers: dharma, artha,kama
Unriped Fruit: Upanishads,Vedanta-Sutra
Ripened Fruit: Srimad-Bhagavatam
Three-fold revelation of the Vedas:
ShrutiShruti
(aurally (aurally received)received)
4 Vedas, 108 4 Vedas, 108 UpanisadsUpanisads
Knowledge is Knowledge is revealed in the revealed in the heart by hear heart by hear and accepting.and accepting.
Nyaya (logic)Nyaya (logic) Vedanta SutraVedanta Sutra Knowledge that Knowledge that can manifest in can manifest in the heart the heart through logicthrough logic
Smrti (that Smrti (that which is which is remembered)remembered)
Puranas, Puranas, Itihasas, Itihasas, MahabharataMahabharata
Histories about Histories about realized souls realized souls whose example whose example we can followwe can follow
Sambandha: Relationship: Who am I? Sambandha: Relationship: Who am I? Who is God? What is my relation to God?Who is God? What is my relation to God?
Abhideya: The process for elevation, Abhideya: The process for elevation, bhakti, devotional service.bhakti, devotional service.
Prayojana: The supreme goal of life, Prayojana: The supreme goal of life, prema, love of God.prema, love of God.
The Three Spiritual Aspects of the Vedas
The Origin of the VedasThe Origin of the Vedas
Krishna first Krishna first reveals the reveals the Vedic Vedic Knowledge to Knowledge to Brahma, the first Brahma, the first manifested living manifested living entity in the entity in the material world.material world.
How the Vedas came to be written:
Krishna first expands himself as the Maha-Vishnu for the Krishna first expands himself as the Maha-Vishnu for the performance of creation. From his exhalation, unlimited performance of creation. From his exhalation, unlimited universes expand from his pores. The Maha-Vishnu then universes expand from his pores. The Maha-Vishnu then expans himself and enters each individual universe as the expans himself and enters each individual universe as the Gabhodakasayi Vishnu.Gabhodakasayi Vishnu.
The Garbhodakasayi Vishnu then fills half the The Garbhodakasayi Vishnu then fills half the universe with the water born of his on universe with the water born of his on perspiration (Gabha ocean) and lies down on the perspiration (Gabha ocean) and lies down on the bed of Ananta-sesa. Thereafter, a lotus flower is bed of Ananta-sesa. Thereafter, a lotus flower is born from his navel.born from his navel.
Lord Brahma is born from this lotus flower. Lord Brahma is born from this lotus flower. He climbs down the lotus stem in search He climbs down the lotus stem in search of his origin and is instructed (from within of his origin and is instructed (from within the heart) to perform penance.the heart) to perform penance.
Krishna reveal to Lord Brahma his Krishna reveal to Lord Brahma his transcendental realm. Lord Brahma inquires transcendental realm. Lord Brahma inquires from Krishna and Krishna reveals the answers.from Krishna and Krishna reveals the answers.
Brahma passes the Vedas to Narada…Brahma passes the Vedas to Narada…
and Narada passes the Vedas to Vyasadevaand Narada passes the Vedas to Vyasadeva
“The great sage, who was fully equipped in knowledge, could see, through his transcendental vision, the deterioration of everything material, due to the influence of the age. He could also see that the faithless people in general would be reduced in duration of life and would be impatient due to lack of goodness. Thus he contemplated for the welfare of men in all statuses and orders of life.” SB 1.4.17-18
Bhautikanam ca bhavanam / sakti-hrasam ca tat-krtamAsraddadhanan nihsattvam / durmedhan hrastitayusah
Durbhagams ca janan viksya / munir divyena caksusaSarva varnasramanam yad / dadhyau hitam amogha-drk
Veda
Rg Veda Same Veda Yajur Veda Atharva Veda
Upanisads
MahabharataRamayana18 Purana
Srimad-Bhagavatam Maha-Purana
Vedanta-Suta
Vyasa, divides the Vedas into four parts, including the 108Upanisads (philosophical discourses on parts of the Vedas), The fifth Veda, which included Mahabharata (containing the Bhagavad-Gita) and the 18 Puranas, containing the cream ofAll Vedic literature, the Srimad-Bhagavatam.
Who Recorded the Vedas?Who Recorded the Vedas?““in this iron age of in this iron age of Kali men have but Kali men have but short lives. They are short lives. They are quarrelsome, lazy, quarrelsome, lazy, misguided, unlucky misguided, unlucky and, above all, and, above all, always disturbed.” always disturbed.” SB 1.1.10; for this SB 1.1.10; for this reason Vyasadeva reason Vyasadeva compiles the Vedic compiles the Vedic literature a little over literature a little over 5000 years ago.5000 years ago.
Vedas: Manual for MankindVedas: Manual for MankindThe Vedas are directly the The Vedas are directly the word of God revealed at word of God revealed at the time of manifest the time of manifest creation. Just as one’s creation. Just as one’s computer comes with a computer comes with a manual explaining how to manual explaining how to use it, so also, creation use it, so also, creation comes with a manuscript comes with a manuscript explaining what is the explaining what is the creation and it purpose creation and it purpose and how to accept and how to accept responsibility in fulfilling responsibility in fulfilling that purpose.that purpose.
Can we put our faith in the Vedas?Can we put our faith in the Vedas?Faith is an inseparable part of one’s Faith is an inseparable part of one’s existence. (BG 17.3)existence. (BG 17.3)Intelligent placement of faith takes place with Intelligent placement of faith takes place with that which is most authoritative. that which is most authoritative. – It should be infallible (never disproved)It should be infallible (never disproved)– It should have stood the test of timeIt should have stood the test of time
Science and philosophy is not authoritative Science and philosophy is not authoritative because of constant paradigm shifts.because of constant paradigm shifts.Person who represent modern day paradigm Person who represent modern day paradigm lack qualities. Can we really place our faith lack qualities. Can we really place our faith in them.in them.
Disciplic Sucession-The Guru Disciplic Sucession-The Guru Parampara / SampradayaParampara / Sampradaya
““This supreme science was This supreme science was thus received through the thus received through the chain of disciplic chain of disciplic succession…” BG 4.2succession…” BG 4.2
Knowledge and realization Knowledge and realization transferred through transferred through relationshiprelationship
““If one is not actually If one is not actually connected with a bona-fide connected with a bona-fide disciplic succession, whatever disciplic succession, whatever mantras he chants will not mantras he chants will not bring the desired result”-bring the desired result”-Padma PuranaPadma Purana
Inductive and Deductive Approach Inductive and Deductive Approach to Know the Truthto Know the Truth
Inductive / Ascending method: means not accepting any Inductive / Ascending method: means not accepting any authority and trying to find the truth by one’s own authority and trying to find the truth by one’s own endeavor or speculationendeavor or speculation
Inductive ex: If you want to find out by yourself who your Inductive ex: If you want to find out by yourself who your father is, you may have to test every man on earth. father is, you may have to test every man on earth.
Everyone says man is mortal. If you want to research to Everyone says man is mortal. If you want to research to find out rather man is mortal or not, one would have to find out rather man is mortal or not, one would have to study each and every man on earth; and still there may study each and every man on earth; and still there may be one who was “undiscovered” who actually doesn’t die.be one who was “undiscovered” who actually doesn’t die.
Deductive / descending method: refers to that Deductive / descending method: refers to that knowledge that is acquired by hearing. It is not knowledge that is acquired by hearing. It is not experimental knowledge.experimental knowledge.
““For example, if you want to know who your father is, who For example, if you want to know who your father is, who can answer you? Your mother. If the mother says, "Here is can answer you? Your mother. If the mother says, "Here is your father," you have to accept it…If you want to know your father," you have to accept it…If you want to know who your father is and if you accept your mother as the who your father is and if you accept your mother as the authority, then whatever she says can be accepted without authority, then whatever she says can be accepted without argument…”argument…”
““Similarly, if you want to know something beyond your Similarly, if you want to know something beyond your experience, beyond your experimental knowledge, beyond experience, beyond your experimental knowledge, beyond the activities of the senses, then you have to accept the the activities of the senses, then you have to accept the Vedas. There is no question of experimenting. It has Vedas. There is no question of experimenting. It has already been experimented. It is already settled. The already been experimented. It is already settled. The version of the mother, for instance, has to be accepted as version of the mother, for instance, has to be accepted as truth. There is no other way.”truth. There is no other way.”
Communicate Don’t SpeculateCommunicate Don’t SpeculateThe Vedic Process of LearningThe Vedic Process of Learning
Ch. 1 BG, Arjuna spends his time speculating to Ch. 1 BG, Arjuna spends his time speculating to understand truth, only to be led to utter frustration. understand truth, only to be led to utter frustration. When he decides to communicate with Krishna on When he decides to communicate with Krishna on Krishna’s terms (parampara, submissive inquiry of Krishna’s terms (parampara, submissive inquiry of guru), he meets with great success.guru), he meets with great success.