VEDIC WORD

HOLY SPEECH

Vedic Word

Site launched: 25 Dec 2006

The Vedas are an oral timeless tradition.

Contribute to it by daily recitation and propagation.

I have created a site HolyVedas.info particularly

dedicated to the Vedas and their translation.

Gayatri Mantra

Sage Yaska in his work Nirukta, while discussing the four parts of

speech, calls the first two lines (i.e. om bhoor bhuvah svah)

as mystic chant of the Vedic Seers (Rishis).

Ago Quarterless [Whole] became all this! He filled all this with light (bliss).

Then becoming Four-quartered [awake, dream, sleep and Witness],

He became both the Bhogya (object of enjoyment or veneration)

**And, at the same time, the Enjoyer of all these objects (food)! ...21

So too, one earns great admiration and enjoys all obects too;

The one that meditates on this God Eternal (Sanātana) but ever succeeding! ...22

Him they call Eternal that keeps renewing every moment!

Day and night create the novelty, by merging into each other...23

Hundred, thousand, ten thousand, ten million ...

Rather countless is the measure of ecstatic bliss sourced in Him;

Glimpse of that (bliss) of the Supervisor indeed people happen to capture.

Thence this God interests people the most...24 [Atharva Veda X.8]**

Here is a check-list of holy life from The Taittiriya Upanishad (I.11)

After teaching the Veda to student, teacher (āchārya) exhorts him [before he passes out]:

Speak the truth (satya). [CAUTION: Most of us say ‘yoga is beneficial’ without either practising it or knowing what yoga is!]

Observe/practise the Divine Law (dharma). [Law is mandatory and not your choice. The Vedas form the Eternal Law.]

Never be careless in study of the Veda (svādhyāya).

After bringing acceptable sum for teacher, never break clan succession (i.e. do marry and procreate).

Do not neglect satya.

Do not neglect dharma.

Do not neglect svadhyaya.

Do not neglect personal welfare (kuśala = safety).

Do not neglect prosperity (bhūti).

Do not neglect study and teaching of the Veda. [1]

Do not neglect your duties to gods and ancestors.

Treat mother as god.

Treat father as god.

Treat teacher (acharya) as god.

Treat unanticipated guest (atithi) as god.

Whatever blameless deeds there are, those ought to be performed.

Not others.

Whatever right conduct of ours, that ought to be heeded. [2]

Not other.

Make Brāhmans (versed in the Veda; also written Brahmins) who are superior to us, comfortable with seat [support].

Give with faith (śraddhā).

Do not give without faith.

Give according to your status or prosperity (śrī).

Give with courtesy (modesty).

Give fearfully.

Give empathatically (or conscientiously).

Now, in case you face doubt about some act or conduct. [3]

Brāhmans who are: competent to counsel; committed in yoga (yukta); voluntarily committed (āyukta); not severe [even they should look right]; seekers of dharma. The way they conduct there. So you conduct there.

Now, in instances involving criticism or accusation.

This is mandate [and not your choice].

This is recommendation.

This is the secret doctrine (upanishad) of the Veda.

This is ruling.

Accordingly it should be adhered.

Like this indeed it should be adhered. [4]

Svadhyaya

(svādhyāya)

Why Vedic Study and Prayers!

Mantra is Godhead. (Sri Aurobindo)

Mantra is Vedic verse or quotation. The Vedas are four: Rik (Rig), Sāma, Yajur and Atharva. However, the commentaries and explanatory works like the Brahmans, the Aranyakas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, etc. too are revered as authorities.

The Vedas are eternal, uncreated knowledge (nitya and sanātana). Of course, they should not be interpreted historically. To the tradition, the Vedas are ‘absolute authority revealing fundamental and unassailable truth.’ (Encyclopaedia Britannica) It is meritorious to recite original mantra or, at least, remain close to the original intention of the Vedas. Tradition maintains their sanctity in such a way that even grammatical mistakes apparent in the mantra are not rectified, though commentators explains what the mantra intends.