© The Divine Life Trust Society
ISBN
81-7052-047-9
Published By
THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY
P.O. Shivanandanagar—249 192
Distt. Tehri-Garhwal, Uttaranchal,
Himalayas, India.
DEDICATED
TO
ALL THOSE
WHO LOVE
HINDUISM
AND ITS
SUBLIME PHILOSOPHY
AND PRACTISE
ITS TEACHINGS
CONTENTS
PUBLISHERS’
NOTE
Hinduism is veritably the fountain-head of all religions. It contains
within itself the seeds of all religions. It includes all religions
and excludes none.
It is but natural that people all over the world should show increasing
interest in a religion with so universal an appeal.
“ALL ABOUT HINDUISM” is intended to meet the needs of those
who want to be introduced to the various facets of the crystal that
is Hinduism. The book, which was first published in 1947, has now been
rearranged in a more convenient form, with useful additions here and
there, and is now released in its fifth edition.
We do hope that all serious students of Hindu Religion and Philosophy
will find the book useful and interesting.
—THE DIVINE LIFE SOCIETY.
THE
UNIVERSAL PRAYERS
I
O Adorable Lord of Mercy and Love!
Salutations and prostrations unto Thee.
Thou art Existence-Consciousness-Bliss Absolute.
Thou art Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient.
Thou art the Indweller of all beings.
Grant us an understanding heart,
Equal vision, balanced mind,
Faith, devotion and wisdom.
Grant us inner spiritual strength
To resist temptations and to control the mind.
Free us from egoism, lust, greed, hatred, anger and jealousy.
Fill our hearts with divine virtues.
Let us behold Thee in till these names and forms.
Let us serve Thee in all these names and forms.
Let us ever remember Thee.
Let us ever sing Thy glories.
Let Thy Name be ever on our lips.
Let us abide in Thee for ever and ever.
—Swami Sivananda
II
O Thou Invisible One! O Adorable One! O Supreme! Thou permeatest and
penetratest this vast universe from the unlimited space down to the
tiny blade of grass at my feet. Thou art the basis for all these names
and forms. Thou art the apple of my eye, the Prema of my heart, the
very Life of my life, the very Soul of my soul, the Illuminator of my
intellect and senses, the sweet Anahata music of my heart, and the substance
of my physical, mental and causal frames.
I recognise Thee alone as the mighty Ruler of this universe and the
Inner Controller (Antaryamin) of my three bodies. I prostrate again
and again before Thee, my Lord! Thou art my sole refuge! I trust Thee
alone, O ocean of mercy and love! Elevate, enlighten, guide and protect
me. Remove obstacles from my spiritual path. Lift the veil of ignorance.
O Thou Jagadguru! I cannot bear any longer, even for a second, the miseries
of this body, this life and this Samsara. Give Darsana quickly. O Prabho!
I am pining. I am melting. Listen, listen to my fervent, Antarika prayer.
Do not be cruel, my Lord. Thou art Dinabandhu. Thou art Adhama-Uddharaka.
Thou art Patita-Pavana (Purifier of the fallen).
Om Santi Santi Santih!
III
Sarvesham Svasti Bhavatu
Sarvesham Santir Bhavatu
Sarvesham Purnam Bhavatu
Sarvesham Mangalam Bhavatu
May auspiciousness be unto all;
May peace be unto all;
May fullness be unto all;
May prosperity be unto all.
Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah
Sarve Santu Niramayah
Sarve Bhadrani Pasyantu
Ma Kaschid-Duhkha-Bhag-Bhavet
May all be happy;
May all be free from disabilities;
May all behold what is auspicious;
May none suffer from sorrow.
Asato Ma Sadgamaya
Tamaso Ma Jyotir-Gamaya
Mrityor-Ma Amritam Gamaya
Om Santi Santi Santih!
Lead me from the unreal to the Real;
Lead me from darkness to the Light;
Lead me from mortality to Immortality.
Om Peace! Peace! Peace!
CHAPTER 1
Silent adorations to Satchidananda Para-Brahman, Who is the
silent Witness of all minds, Who is the Indweller in all beings, Who
has projected this world for His own Lila or sport, Who is the
support for this world, body and mind and all movements, and Who is
the foundation for all societies and their activities.
The word Religion comes from the Latin word religio which consists
of two words, viz., re (back) and ligare (to bring or
bind). That which binds the soul back to God is religion. Religion shows
the way for the attainment of God-realisation.
Religion satisfies the deep inward craving in man who is not always
content with leading merely an animal existence and wants spiritual
consolation, solace and peace. Man cannot live by bread alone. A time
comes in the life of many of us when mere worldly prosperity does not
satisfy us and we hanker after something more. In the case of many more,
trials and tribulations of life turn their attention to spiritual solace.
A Revealed Religion
Hinduism is the religion of the Hindus, a name given to the Universal
Religion which hailed supreme in India. It is the oldest of all living
religions. This is not founded by any prophet. Buddhism, Christianity
and Mohammedanism owe their origin to the prophets. Their dates are
fixed. But no such date can be fixed for Hinduism. Hinduism is not born
of the teachings of particular prophets. It is not based on a set of
dogmas preached by a particular set of teachers. It is free from religious
fanaticism.
Hinduism is also known by the names Sanatana-Dharma and Vaidika-Dharma.
Sanatana-Dharma means eternal religion. Hinduism is as old as the world
itself. Hinduism is the mother of all religions. Hindu scriptures are
the oldest in the world, Sanatana-Dharma is so called, not only because
it is eternal, but also because it is protected by God and because it
can make us eternal.
Vaidika-Dharma means the religion of the Vedas. The Vedas are the foundational
scriptures of Hinduism. The ancient Rishis and sages of India have expressed
their intuitive spiritual experiences (Aparoksha-Anubhuti) in
the Upanishads. These experiences are direct and infallible. Hinduism
regards the spiritual experiences of the Rishis of yore as its authority.
The priceless truths that have been discovered by the Hindu Rishis and
sages through millennia constitute the glory of Hinduism. Therefore,
Hinduism is a revealed religion.
A Religion Of Freedom
Hinduism, unlike other religions, does not dogmatically assert that
the final emancipation is possible only through its means and not through
any other. It is only a means to an end and all means which will ultimately
lead to the end are equally approved.
Hinduism allows absolute freedom to the rational mind of man. Hinduism
never demands any undue restraint upon the freedom of human reason,
the freedom of thought, feeling and will of man. It allows the widest
freedom in matters of faith and worship. Hinduism is a religion of freedom.
It allows absolute freedom to the human reason and heart with regard
to questions such as nature of God, soul, creation, form of worship
and the goal of life. Hinduism does not lie in the acceptance of any
particular doctrine, nor in the observance of some particular rituals
or form of worship. It does not force anybody to accept particular dogmas
or forms of worship. It allows everybody to reflect, investigate, enquire
and cogitate. Hence, all sorts of religious faiths, various forms of
worship or Sadhana, and diverse kinds of rituals and customs, have found
their honourable places side by side within Hinduism and are cultured
and developed in harmonious relationship with one another.
Hinduism does not condemn those who deny God as the creator and ruler
of the world, who do not accept the existence of an eternal soul and
the state of Moksha or state of liberation. Hinduism does not render
the upholders of such views unfit to be recognised as pious and honourable
members of the Hindu religious society.
The religious hospitality of Hinduism is proverbial. Hinduism is extremely
catholic and liberal. This is the fundamental feature of Hinduism. Hinduism
pays respects to all religions. It does not revile any other religion.
It accepts and honours truth—wherever it may come from and whatever
garb it may put on.
There are considerable numbers of the followers of other religions
in India. And yet, the Hindus live in perfect harmony, peace and friendship
with all of them. Their tolerance and fellow-feeling towards the followers
of other religions is remarkable.
Despite all the differences of metaphysical doctrines, modes of religious
discipline and forms of ritualistic practices and social habits prevalent
in the Hindu society, there is an essential uniformity in the conception
of religion and in the outlook on life and the world, among all sections
of Hindus.
Vedanta, or the philosophy of the Upanishads, is lofty, sublime and
unique. The Western philosophers have paid their tribute to the ancient
seers of the Upanishads. They have been amazed at the lofty heights
scaled by them. Schopenhauer studied the Upanishads and meditated on
the thoughts of the Upanishads just before going to bed. He said: “The
Upanishads are the solace of my life and they will be solace to me after
my death also.”
The Raja-Yoga system of Hinduism is also splendid and unique. The lessons
are immensely practical and highly instructive. No system of physical
exercise on the surface of the earth can compete with Hatha-Yoga. Kundalini-Yoga
is wonderful. Hence the Americans and Europeans are in search of Hindu
Sannyasins and Yogins. They visit the Himalayas frequently in quest
of Yoga teachers. Some are living under Hindu Yogins as disciples and
are practising Yoga. Many Europeans and Americans are even now Hindus
by faith and practice, though they are born Christians. They practise
Raja-Yoga and Vedanta.
Hinduism provides spiritual food and Yoga Sadhana for all sorts of
people to suit their temperaments, capacities, tastes, stages of spiritual
development and conditions of life. It prescribes Yoga Sadhana even
for a scavenger or a cobbler to attain God-realisation, while doing
his ordinary avocation in the world. Hindu Yoga and Vedanta teachers
lay great stress on self-restraint, Tapas, renunciation and practical
Sadhana which is best calculated to control the mind and the senses
and unfold the divinity or attain Self-realisation. Hinduism is not
a religion of mere theories. It is eminently practical. In no religion
you will find such a variety of practical Yoga practised and such sublime
unique philosophy expounded. That is the reason why India is the only
glorious land of sages, Rishis, Yogins and saints.
Religion is practical aspect of philosophy. Philosophy is rational
aspect of religion. The philosophy of Hinduism is not arm-chair philosophy.
It is not meant for intellectual curiosity and vain discussion. Hindu
philosophy is a way of life. The philosopher of Hinduism seriously reflects
after hearing the Srutis, does Atma-Vichara, constantly meditates, and
then attains Self-realisation or Atma-Sakshatkara. Moksha is his goal.
He attempts to attain Jivanmukti now and here.
Religion is spiritualisation of human life for a Hindu. Religious culture
is really the culture of freedom for him. Religion governs all the departments
of Hindu life. He must realise the freedom of the soul in every department
of life. Religion affords the greatest scope for him for the culture
of true freedom. Religion is the only way to him for the realisation
of perfect freedom in life.
It is in India alone that every man knows something of philosophy.
The cowherd who tends the cattle, the peasant who ploughs the fields,
the boat-man who pulls at his oar, sing songs replete with philosophical
truths. Even the barber repeats OM NAMAH SIVAYA, SIVOHAM before he takes
up the razor. The Paramahamsa Sannyasins, the itinerant monks of Hinduism,
have disseminated the highest of Vedanta from door to door. In exchange
for a handful of rice, they have distributed from door to door, through
religious songs, the priceless gems of Hindu religion and philosophy.
In a meeting of the Sanatana Dharma Sabha, Lokamanya Tilak said: “A
Hindu is he who believes that the Vedas contain self-evident and axiomatic
truths.”
The Hindu Maha Sabha has given another definition: “A Hindu is
one who believes in a religion which has originated in India.”
“Those who burn the dead are Hindus.” This is another definition
given by some.
“He who protects the cows and the Brahmins is a Hindu.” This
is another definition given by some.
Some define: “A Hindu is one who regards India as his motherland
and the most sacred spot on earth.”
Some others define: “He who calls and considers himself a Hindu
is a Hindu.”
Some define: “He who accepts the Vedas, the Smritis, the Puranas
and the Tantras as the basis of religion and of the rule of conduct,
and believes in one Supreme God (Brahman), in the Law of Karma or retributive
justice, and in reincarnation (Punarjanma), is a Hindu.”
“He who follows the Vedic or Sanatana-Dharma is a Hindu.”
This is the definition by some.
“He who is a follower of the Vedanta is a Hindu.” This is
another definition given by some others.
“He who has perfect faith in the Law of Karma, the law of reincarnation
Avatara, ancestor worship, Varnashrama Dharma, Vedas and
existence of God, he who practises the instructions given in the Vedas
with faith and earnestness, he who does Sandhya, Sraaddha, Pitri-Tarpana
and the Pancha-Maha-Yajnas, he who follows the Varnashrama
Dharmas, he who worships the Avataras and studies the Vedas, is a Hindu.”
This is the definition given by some highly cultured men. This is the
only correct and complete definition.
That part of the great Aryan race which migrated from Central Asia,
through the mountain passes into India, settled first in the districts
near the river Sindhu, now called the Indus, on the other side of the
river. The Persians pronounced the word Sindhu as Hindu, and named their
Aryan brethren Hindus. Hindu is only a corrupt form of Sindhu.
The Hindu Aryans spread themselves over the plains of the Ganga. Then
the Persians gave the name Hindusthan, or abode of the Hindus, to the
whole of those districts between Punjab and Benaras.(Latest historical
researches have now proved that the Aryans did not come from outside
India, but were the original inhabitants of India.)
The classical name for India which is used in Sanskrit literature is
Bharata-Varsha or Bharata-Khanda, after the name of Bharata
who ruled over a large extent of territory in days of yore. Manu’s
name for the whole central region between the Himalayas and the Vindhya
mountains is Aryavarta, Abode of the Aryans. Another name for
the whole of India is Jambu-Dvipa. The Greeks gave the name Indu
to the whole of this country. It was on account of this India became
popular as the name of this country throughout Europe.
Hindu is not a mere name. This name Hindu is not only
of geographical, but also of national and racial importance. The whole
history of our nation from the very beginning is bound up with it. All
our ideas and ideals are so intimately connected with it that it is
difficult to give a simple definition of it. Poets, prophets and Avataras
came to sing the praises and glory of this name. Rishis, sages and saints
took their birth to compile the Sastras and Darsanas for
this nation. Heroes and warriors have fought for its honour and laid
down their very lives for it. Piety, nobility, generosity, philosophy,
religious bent of mind, Yoga, religious tolerance, wisdom, devotion,
renunciation, Self-realisation. Ahimsa, Satya and purity are associated
with the name ‘Hindu’.
India is the sacred land which has given birth to countless sages,
Rishis, Yogins, saints and prophets. India is the land that has produced
many Acharyas or spiritual preceptors like Sri Sankara and Sri Ramanuja;
many saints like Kabir, Ramdas, Tukaram and Gauranga Mahaprabhu; many
Yogins like Jnana Dev, Dattatreya and Sadasiva Brahman; and many prophets
like Buddha and Nanak. Buddha is our flesh and blood.
India is proud of Guru Govind Singh and Sivaji. India is proud of king
Bhoja and Vikramaditya. India is proud of Sankara and Kabir. India is
proud of Valmiki and Kalidasa. Krishna, Rama and all Avataras were born
in India. How sacred is India! How sublime is India! The dust of Brindavan
and Ayodhya, the land trodden by the sacred feet of Krishna and Rama,
still purifies the heart of countless people. Even Jesus, during the
missing period of His life, lived in Kashmir and learnt Yoga from the
Indian Yogins. Glory to Mother India!
India is a spiritual country. India never conquered territories or
annexed dominions. Military conquest is not her ambition. She wants
her children to have Atma-Svarajya or Absolute Independence.
She does not call upon them to rule over others. She wants them to have
conquest over internal and external nature. She wants them to possess
brilliant divine virtues, moral stamina and inner spiritual strength
born of wisdom of the soul. Ahimsa is her weapon to have the spiritual
conquest and the conquest of the minds of others.
People of India have Self-realisation as their goal. They do not, generally,
bestow too much attention on material prosperity and advancement. They
want Yoga or communion with the Supreme Being. They practise Ahimsa,
Satya and Brahmacharya. They wish to enjoy the eternal bliss of the
Absolute. They are always ready to renounce worldly possessions in order
to possess or realise the inner Atman or Brahman. They will sacrifice
anything and everything in order to attain the immortal Atman. They
are always spiritual-minded.
India is the sacred land with several holy rivers and powerful spiritual
vibrations. The hoary Himalayas attract the people of the whole world.
It is a land peculiarly suitable for divine contemplation and Yogic
practices. Every country has its own special attractive features. India
is the land of Yogins and sages. This is the special attractive feature
of India. This is the reason why people from America, England and all
parts of the world come to India for the practice of Yoga.
India is the most tolerant country in the world. She has a very expansive
heart. She includes all nations in the embrace of her love.
The Western nations are the descendents of the original Hindus or Aryans.
They might have forgotten their old connections with the Aryans and
Hindu culture. They might have forgotten all about their ancestors.
But this cannot be effaced from the annals of history. Mother India,
the repository of Hindu culture, cannot forget her children beyond the
seas. They are always dear to her.
Hindu culture and Hindu civilisation were at their zenith in the days
of yore. Greeks and Romans imitated the Hindus and absorbed Hindu thoughts.
Even now Hindu culture and Hindu civilisation stand foremost in the
world. No religion has produced so many great saints, sages, Yogins,
Rishis, Maharshis, prophets, Acharyas, benefactors, heroes, poets, statesmen
and kings as Hinduism. Each and every province of the country has produced
intellectual giants, poets and saints. Even now India abounds in Rishis,
philosophers, saints and high intellectuals. Even now she abounds in
sages and great souls.
The Hindus had to undergo severe hardships and tortures. They had to
face fierce battles and cruelties and yet they live today. Some mysterious
power has preserved them. Some invisible force has protected them. That
power will protect them for ever.
Hinduism is neither asceticism nor illusionism, neither polytheism
nor pantheism. It is the synthesis of all types of religious experiences.
It is a whole and complete view of life. It is characterised by wide
toleration, deep humanity and high spiritual purpose. It is free from
fanaticism. That is the reason why it has survived the attacks of the
followers of some of the other great religions of the world.
No religion is so very elastic and tolerant like Hinduism. Hinduism
is very stern and rigid regarding the fundamentals. It is very elastic
in readjusting to the externals and non-essentials. That is the reason
why it has succeeded in living through millennia.
The foundation of Hinduism has been laid on the bedrock of spiritual
truths. The entire structure of Hindu life is built on eternal truths,
the findings of the Hindu Rishis or seers. That is the reason why this
structure has lasted through scores of centuries.
The glory of Hinduism is ineffable. It has within it all the features
of a universal religion. Its Dharmas are universal. Its doctrines are
sublime. Its philosophy is grand. Its ethics is soul-elevating. Its
scriptures are wonderful. Its Sadhanas or Yoga-Vedantic practices are
unique. Glorious has been the past of this religion; still more glorious
is its future. It has a message to give to a world rent asunder by hatred,
dissension and war—the message of cosmic love, truth and non-violence,
the gospel of unity of Self or Upanishadic oneness.
The more you know of India and Hinduism, the more will you come to
regard and love it and the more grateful to the Lord will you be in
that you have got a taste for practising Yoga and that you are imbibing
the teachings and spirit of Hinduism.
Glory to India! Glory to Hinduism! Glory, glory to the Rishis and the
seers who have kept burning the flame of Hinduism with its extreme effulgence
and splendour!
CHAPTER 2
Sanskrit literature can be classified under six orthodox heads and
four secular heads. The six orthodox sections form the authoritative
scriptures of the Hindus. The four secular sections embody the later
developments in classical Sanskrit literature.
The six scriptures are: (i) Srutis, (ii) Smritis, (iii) Itihasas, (iv)
Puranas, (v) Agamas and (vi) Darsanas.
The four secular writings are: (i) Subhashitas, (ii) Kavyas, (iii)
Natakas and (iv) Alankaras.
The Srutis
The Srutis are called the Vedas, or the Amnaya. The
Hindus have received their religion through revelation, the Vedas. These
are direct intuitional revelations and are held to be Apaurusheya
or entirely superhuman, without any author in particular. The Veda
is the glorious pride of the Hindus, nay, of the whole world!
The term Veda comes from the root Vid, to know. The word
Veda means knowledge. When it is applied to scripture, it signifies
a book of knowledge. The Vedas are the foundational scriptures of the
Hindus. The Veda is the source of the other five sets of scriptures,
why, even of the secular and the materialistic. The Veda is the storehouse
of Indian wisdom and is a memorable glory which man can never forget
till eternity.
Revealed Truths Without Beginning or End
The Vedas are the eternal truths revealed by God to the great ancient
Rishis of India. The word Rishi means a seer from dris, to
see. He is the Mantra-Drashta, a seer of Mantra or thought. The
thought was not his own. The Rishis saw the truths or heard them. Therefore,
the Vedas are what are heard (Sruti). The Rishi did not write. He did
not create it out of his mind. He was the seer of thought which existed
already. He was only the spiritual discoverer of the thought. He is
not the inventor of the Veda.
The Vedas represent the spiritual experiences of the Rishis of yore.
The Rishi is only a medium or an agent to transmit to people the intuitional
experiences which he received. The truths of the Vedas are revelations.
All the other religions of the world claim their authority as being
delivered by special messengers of God to certain persons, but the Vedas
do not owe their authority to any one. They are themselves the authority
as they are eternal, as they are the Knowledge of the Lord.
Lord Brahma, the Creator, imparted the divine knowledge to the Rishis
or seers. The Rishis disseminated the knowledge. The Vedic Rishis were
great realised persons who had direct intuitive perception of Brahman
or the Truth. They were inspired writers. They built a simple, grand
and perfect system of religion and philosophy from which the founders
and teachers of all other religions have drawn their inspiration.
The Vedas are the oldest books in the library of man. The truths contained
in all religions are derived from the Vedas and are ultimately traceable
to the Vedas. The Vedas are the fountain-head of religion. The Vedas
are the ultimate source to which all religious knowledge can be traced.
Religion is of divine origin. It was revealed by God to man in the earliest
times. It is embodied in the Vedas.
The Vedas are eternal. They are without beginning and end. An ignorant
man may say how a book can be without
beginning or end. By the Vedas, no books are meant. Vedas came out
of the breath of the Lord. They are the words of God. The Vedas are
not the utterances of persons. They are not the composition of any human
mind. They were never written, never created. They are eternal and impersonal.
The date of the Vedas has never been fixed. It can never be fixed. Vedas
are eternal spiritual truths. Vedas are an embodiment of divine knowledge.
The books may be destroyed, but the knowledge cannot be destroyed. Knowledge
is eternal. In that sense, the Vedas are eternal.
The Four Vedas and Their Sub Divisions
The Veda is divided into four great books: the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda,
the Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda. The Yajur-Veda is again divided
into two parts, the Sukla and the Krishna. The Krishna or the Taittiriya
is the older book and the Sukla or the Vajasaneya is a later revelation
to sage Yajnavalkya from the resplendent Sun-God.
The Rig-Veda is divided into twenty-one sections, the Yajur-Veda into
one hundred and nine sections, the Sama-Veda into one thousand sections
and the Atharva-Veda into fifty sections. In all, the whole Veda is
thus divided into one thousand one hundred and eighty recensions.
Each Veda consists of four parts: the Mantra-Samhitas or hymns, the
Brahmanas or explanations of Mantras or rituals, the Aranyakas and the
Upanishads. The division of the Vedas into four parts is to suit the
four stages in a man’s life.
The Mantra-Samhitas are hymns in praise of the Vedic God for attaining
material prosperity here and happiness hereafter. They are metrical
poems comprising prayers, hymns and incantations addressed to various
deities, both subjective and objective. The Mantra portion of the Vedas
is useful for the Brahmacharins.
The Brahmana portions guide people to perform sacrificial rites. They
are prose explanations of the method of using the Mantras in the Yajna
or the sacrifice. The Brahmana portion is suitable for the householders.
The Aranyakas are the forest books, the mystical sylvan texts which
give philosophical interpretations of the rituals. The Aranyakas are
intended for the Vanaprasthas or hermits who prepare themselves for
taking Sannyasa.
The Upanishads are the most important portion of the Vedas. The Upanishads
contain the essence or the knowledge portion of the Vedas. The philosophy
of the Upanishads is sublime, profound, lofty and soul-stirring. The
Upanishads speak of the identity of the individual soul and the Supreme
Soul. They reveal the most subtle and deep spiritual truths. The Upanishads
are useful for the Sannyasins.
The subject matter of the whole Veda is divided into Karma-Kanda,
Upasana-Kanda and Jnana-Kanda. The Karma-Kanda or Ritualistic
Section deals with various sacrifices and rituals. The Upasana-Kanda
or Worship-Section deals with various kinds of worship or meditation.
The Jnana-Kanda or Knowledge-Section deals with the highest knowledge
of Nirguna Brahman. The Mantras and the Brahmanas constitute Karma-Kanda;
the Aranyakas Upasana-Kanda; and the Upanishads Jnana-Kanda.
The Mantra-Samhitas
The Rig-Veda Samhita is the grandest book of the Hindus, the oldest
and the best. It is the Great Indian Bible, which no Hindu would forget
to adore from the core of his heart. Its style, the language and the
tone are most beautiful and mysterious. Its immortal Mantras embody
the greatest truths of existence, and it is perhaps the greatest treasure
in all the scriptural literature of the world. Its priest is called
the Hotri.
The Yajur-Veda Samhita is mostly in prose and is meant to be used by
the Adhvaryu, the Yajur-Vedic priest, for superfluous explanations of
the rites in sacrifices, supplementing the Rig-Vedic Mantras.
The Sama-Veda Samhita is mostly borrowed from the Rig-Vedic Samhita
and is meant to be sung by the Udgatri, the Sama-Vedic priest, in sacrifices.
The Atharva-Veda Samhita is meant to be used by the Brahma, the Atharva-Vedic
priest, to correct the mispronunciations and wrong performances that
may accidentally be committed by the other three priests of the sacrifice.
The Brahmanas and the Aranyakas
There are two Brahmanas to the Rig-Veda—the Aitareya and the Sankhayana.
“The Rig-Veda,” says Max Muller, “is the most ancient
book of the world. The sacred hymns of the Brahmanas stand unparalleled
in the literature of the whole world; and their preservation might well
be called miraculous.” (HISTORY OF ANCIENT SANSKRIT LITERATURE)
The Satapatha Brahmana belongs to the Sukla Yajur-Veda. The Krishna-Yajur-Veda
has the Taittiriya and the Maitrayana Brahmanas. The Tandya or Panchavimsa,
the Shadvimsa, the Chhandogya, the Adbhuta, the Arsheya and the Upanishad
Brahmanas belong to the Sama-Veda. The Brahmana of the Atharva-Veda
is called the Gopatha. Each of the Brahmanas has got an Aranyaka.
The Upanishads
The Upanishads are the concluding portions of the Vedas or the end
of the Vedas. The teaching based on them is called Vedanta. The Upanishads
are the gist and the goal of the Vedas. They form the very foundation
of Hinduism.
There are as many Upanishads to each Veda as there are Sakhas, branches
or recensions, i.e., 21, 109, 1000 and 50 respectively to the four Vedas,
the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda.
The different philosophers of India belonging to different schools,
such as Monism, Qualified Monism, Dualism, Pure Monism, Difference-cum-non-difference,
etc., have acknowledged the supreme authority of the Upanishads. They
have given their own interpretations, but they have obeyed the authority.
They have built their philosophy on the foundation of the Upanishads.
Even the Western scholars have paid their tribute to the seers of the
Upanishads. At a time when the Westerners were clad in barks and were
sunk in deep ignorance, the Upanishadic seers were enjoying the eternal
bliss of the Absolute, and had the highest culture and civilisation.
The most important Upanishads are Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka,
Mandukya, Aitareya, Taittiriya, Chhandogya, Brihadaranyaka, Kaushitaki
and Svetasvatara and Maitrayani. These are supremely authoritative.
May the fundamental truths of the Vedas be revealed unto you all, like
the Amalaka fruit in the palm of your hand. May Gayatri, the blessed
Mother of the Vedas, impart to you the milk of Knowledge, the ancient
wisdom of the Upanishads.
The Upa-Vedas
There are four Upa-Vedas or subsidiary Vedas, viz., the Ayurveda,
the Dhanurveda, the Gandharva Veda and the Arthasastra, forming auxiliaries
to the four Vedas, which mean, respectively, the science of health,
the science of war, the science of music and the science of polity.
The Vedangas
There are six Angas or explanatory limbs, to the Vedas: the
Siksha and Vyakarana of Panini, the Chhandas of
Pingalacharya, the Nirukta of Yaska, the Jyotisha of Garga,
and the Kalpas (Srauta, Grihya, Dharma and Sulba) belonging to
the authorship of various Rishis.
Siksha is a knowledge of phonetics. Siksha deals with pronunciation
and accent. The text of the Vedas is arranged in various forms or Pathas.
The Pada-patha gives each word its separate form. The Krama-patha
connects the word in pairs.
Vyakarana is Sanskrit grammar. Panini’s books are most famous.
Without knowledge of Vyakarana, you cannot understand the Vedas.
Chhandas is metre dealing with prosody.
Nirukta is philology or etymology.
Jyotisha is astronomy and astrology. It deals with the movements of
the heavenly bodies, planets, etc., and their influence in human affairs.
Kalpa is the method of ritual. The Srauta Sutras which explain the
ritual of sacrifices belong to Kalpa. The sulba Sutras, which treat
of the measurements which are necessary for laying out the sacrificial
areas, also belong to Kalpa. The Grihya Sutras which concern domestic
life, and the Dharma Sutras which deal with ethics, customs and laws,
also belong to Kalpa.
The Pratishakhyas, Padapathas, Kramapathas, Upalekhas, Anukramanis,
Daivatsamhitas, Parishishtas, Prayogas, Paddhatis, Karikas, Khilas and
Vyuhas are further elaborations in the rituals of the Kalpa Sutras.
Among the Kalpa Sutras, the Asvalayana, Sankhyana and the Sambhavya
belong to the Rig-Veda. The Mashaka, Latyayana, Drahyayana, Gobhila
and Khadira belong to the Sama-Veda. The Katyayana and Paraskara belong
to the Sukla Yajur-Veda. The Apastamba, Hiranyakesi, Bodhayana, Bharadvaja,
Manava, Vaikhanasa and the Kathaka belong to the Krishna Yajur-Veda.
The Vaitana and the Kaushika belong to the Atharva-Veda.
The Smritis
Next in importance to the Sruti are the Smritis or secondary scriptures.
These are the ancient sacred law-codes of the Hindus dealing with the
Sanatana-Varnasrama-Dharma. They supplement and explain the ritualistic
injunctions called Vidhis in the Vedas. The Smriti Sastra is
founded on the Sruti. The Smritis are based on the teachings of the
Vedas. The Smriti stands next in authority to the Sruti. It explains
and develops Dharma. It lays down the laws which regulate Hindu national,
social, family and individual obligations.
The works which are expressly called Smritis are the law books, Dharma
Sastras. Smriti, in a broader sense, covers all Hindu Sastras save the
Vedas.
The laws for regulating Hindu society from time to time are codified
in the Smritis. The Smritis have laid down definite rules and laws to
guide the individuals and communities in their daily conduct and to
regulate their manners and customs. The Smritis have given detailed
instructions, according to the conditions of the time, to all classes
of men regarding their duties in life.
The Hindu learns how he has to spend his whole life from these Smritis.
The duties of Varnasrama and all ceremonies are clearly given in these
books. The Smritis prescribe certain acts and prohibit some others for
a Hindu, according to his birth and stage of life. The object of the
Smritis is to purify the heart of man and take him gradually to the
supreme abode of immortality and make him perfect and free.
These Smritis have varied from time to time. The injunctions and prohibitions
of the Smritis are related to the particular social surroundings. As
these surroundings and essential conditions of the Hindu society changed
from time to time, new Smritis had to be compiled by the sages of different
ages and different parts of India.
The Celebrated Hindu Law-Givers
From time to time, a great law-giver would take his birth. He would
codify the existing laws and remove those which had become obsolete.
He would make some alterations, adaptations, readjustments, additions
and subtractions, to suit the needs of the time and see that the way
of living of the people would be in accordance with the teachings of
the Veda. Of such law-givers, Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara are the
most celebrated persons. Hindu society is founded on, and governed by,
the laws made by these three great sages. The Smritis are named after
them. We have Manu Smriti or Manava Dharma-Sastra (the Laws of Manu
or the Institutes of Manu), Yajnavalkya Smriti and Parasara Smriti.
Manu is the greatest law-giver of the race. He is the oldest law-giver
as well. The Yajnavalkya Smriti follows the same general lines as the
Manu Smriti and is next in importance to it. Manu Smriti and Yajnavalkya
Smriti are universally accepted at the present time as authoritative
works all over India. Yajnavalkya Smriti is chiefly consulted in all
matters of Hindu Law. Even the Government of India are applying some
of these laws.
There are eighteen main Smritis or Dharma Sastras. The most important
are those of Manu, Yajnavalkya and Parasara. The other fifteen are those
of Vishnu, Daksha, Samvarta, Vyasa, Harita, Satatapa, Vasishtha, Yama,
Apastamba, Gautama, Devala, Sankha-Likhita, Usana, Atri and Saunaka.
The laws of Manu are intended for the Satya Yuga, those of Yajnavalkya
are for the Treta Yuga; those of Sankha and Likhita are for the Dvapara
Yuga; and those of Parasara are for the Kali Yuga.
The laws and rules which are based entirely upon our social positions,
time and clime, must change with the changes in society and changing
conditions of time and clime. Then only the progress of the Hindu society
can be ensured.
Need for a New Law-Code
It is not possible to follow some of the laws of Manu at the present
time. We can follow their spirit and not the letter. Society is advancing.
When it advances, it outgrows certain laws which were valid and helpful
at a particular stage of its growth. Many new things which were not
thought out by the old law-givers have come into existence now. It is
no use insisting people to follow now those old laws which have become
obsolete.
Our present society has considerably changed. A new Smriti to suit
the requirements of this age is very necessary. Another sage will place
before the Hindus of our days a new suitable code of laws. Time is ripe
for a new Smriti. Cordial greetings to this age.
The Inner Voice of Dharma
He who is endowed with a pure heart through protracted Tapas, Japa,
Kirtana, meditation and service of Guru and who has a very clear conscience,
can be guided by the inner voice in matters of Dharma or duty or moral
action. The inner voice that proceeds from a clean heart filled with
Sattva is, indeed, the voice of God or Soul or Antaryamin or Inner Ruler.
This voice is more than Smriti. It is Smriti of Smritis. Purify your
heart and train yourself to hear this inner voice. Keep your ear in
tune with the ‘voice’.
The Sruti and the Smriti
The Sruti and the Smriti are the two authoritative sources of Hinduism.
Sruti literally means what is heard, and Smriti means
what is remembered. Sruti is revelation and Smriti is tradition. Upanishad
is a Sruti. Bhagavad-Gita is a Smriti.
Sruti is direct experience. Great Rishis heard the eternal truths of
religion and left a record of them for the benefit of posterity. These
records constitute the Vedas. Hence, Sruti is primary authority. Smriti
is a recollection of that experience. Hence, it is secondary authority.
The Smritis or Dharma Sastras also are books written by sages, but they
are not the final authority. If there is anything in a Smriti which
contradicts the Sruti, the Smriti is to be rejected.
The Itihasas
The Friendly Treatises and the Commanding Treatises
There are four books under this heading: The Valmiki-Ramayana, the
Yogavasishtha, The Mahabharata and the Harivamsa. These embody all that
is in the Vedas, but only in a simpler manner. These are called the
Suhrit-Samhitas or the Friendly Treatises, while the Vedas are called
the Prabhu-Samhitas or the Commanding Treatises with great authority.
These works explain the great universal truths in the form of historical
narratives, stories and dialogues. These are very interesting volumes
and are liked by all, from the inquisitive child to the intellectual
scholar.
The Itihasas give us beautiful stories of absorbing interest and importance,
through which all the fundamental teachings of Hinduism are indelibly
impressed on one’s mind. The laws of Smritis and the principles
of the Vedas are stamped firmly on the minds of the Hindus through the
noble and marvellous deeds of their great national heroes. We get a
clear idea of Hinduism from these sublime stories.
The common man cannot comprehend the high abstract philosophy of the
Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras. Hence, the compassionate sages Valmiki
and Vyasa wrote the Itihasas for the benefit of common people. The same
philosophy is presented with analogies and parables in a tasteful form
to the common run of mankind.
The two well-known Itihasas (histories) are the epics (Mahakavyas),
Ramayana and Mahabharata. They are two very popular and
useful Sastras of the Hindus. The Ramayana was written by the sage Valmiki,
and the Mahabharata by Vyasa.
The Ramayana
The Ramayana, the Adi-Kavya or the first epic poem, relates the story
of Sri Rama, the ideal man. It is the history of the family of the solar
race descended from Ikshvaku, in which was born Sri Ramachandra, the
Avatara of Lord Vishnu, and his three brothers. The ideal characters
like Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Bharata and Sri Hanuman that we find in
Ramayana firmly establish Hindu Dharma in our minds. The story of the
birth of Rama and his brothers, their education and marriages, the exile
of Sri Rama, the carrying off and recovery of Sita, his wife, the destruction
of Ravana, the Rakshasa King of Lanka, and the reign of Sri Rama, are
described in detail in Ramayana. How a man should behave towards his
superiors, equals and inferiors, how a king ought to rule his kingdom,
how a man should lead his life in this world, how he can obtain his
release, freedom and perfection, may be learnt from this excellent epic.
The Ramayana gives a vivid picture of Indian life. Even today our domestic,
social and national ideals are copied from the noble characters in the
Ramayana and the Mahabharata. The great national heroes stand even today
as beacon-lights to guide and inspire the people of the whole world.
The lives of Rama, Bharata and Lakshmana provide a model of fraternal
affection and mutual service. Sri Hanuman stands as an ideal unique
Karma Yogin. The life of Sita is regarded as the most perfect example
of womanly fidelity, chastity and sweetness. The Ramayana is written
in twenty-four thousand verses by Sri Valmiki.
The Mahabharata
The Mahabharata is the history of the Pandavas and the Kauravas. It
gives a description of the great war, the Battle of Kurukshetra, which
broke out between the Kauravas and the Pandavas who were cousins and
descendants of the lunar race. The Mahabharata is an encyclopaedia of
Hindu Dharma. It is rightly called the fifth Veda. There is really no
theme in religion, philosophy, mysticism and polity which this great
epic does not touch and expound. It contains very noble moral teachings,
useful lessons of all kinds, many beautiful stories and episodes, discourses,
sermons, parables and dialogues which set forth the principles of morals
and metaphysics. The Pandavas obtained victory through the grace of
Lord Krishna. The Mahabharata is written in one hundred thousand verses
by Sri Krishnadvaipayana Vyasa.
The Bhagavad-Gita
The most important part of the Mahabharata is the Bhagavad-Gita.
It is a marvellous dialogue between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the
battle-field, before the commencement of the great war. Bhagavan Sri
Krishna became the charioteer of Arjuna. Sri Krishna explained the essentials
of Hindu religion to Arjuna. Just as the Upanishads contain the cream
of the Vedas, so does the Gita contain the cream of the Upanishads.
The Upanishads are the cows. Lord Krishna is the cowherd. Arjuna is
the calf. The Gita is the milk. The wise men are those who drink the
milk of the Gita.
The Gita is the most precious jewel of Hindu literature. It is a universal
gospel. The Gita teaches the Yoga of Synthesis. It ranks high in the
religious literature of the world.
Arjuna saw before him his dear relatives and teachers in the battle-field.
He fainted and refused to fight against them. Then Lord Krishna imparted
knowledge of the Self to Arjuna and convinced him that it was his duty
to fight regardless of consequences. Afterwards Arjuna gave up his Moha,
or delusion. All his doubts were cleared. He fought against the
Kauravas and achieved victory.
Knowledge of Ancient Indian History and Culture
The Mahabharata contains also the immortal discourse of Bhishma on
Dharma, which he gave to Yudhishthira, when he was lying on the bed
of arrows. The whole Mahabharata forms an encyclopaedia of history,
morals and religion unsurpassed by any other epic in the world.
The Ramayana and the Mahabharata speak to us clearly about the ancient
India, about her people, her customs, her ways of living, her arts,
her civilisation and culture, her manufactures, etc. If you read these
two books, you will come to know how great India once was, and you will
be inspired to make her great once more. No other country has produced
so many great men, great teachers, great Yogins, great Rishis, great
prophets, great Acharyas, great kings, great heroes, great statesmen,
great patriots and great benefactors, as India. The more you know of
India and Hinduism, the more you will honour and love it and the more
thankful to the Lord you will be that you were born in India as a Hindu.
Glory to India! Glory to Hinduism! Glory to the seers of the Upanishads!
Glory, glory to Lord Krishna, the author of the Song Divine!
The Puranas
The Puranas are of the same class as the Itihasas. They have five characteristics
(Pancha-Lakshana) viz., history, cosmology (with various symbolical
illustrations of philosophical principles), secondary creation, genealogy
of kings and of Manvantaras. All the Puranas belong to the class of
Suhrit-Samhitas.
Vyasa is the compiler of the Puranas from age to age; and for this
age, he is Krishnadvaipayana, the son of Parasara.
The Puranas were written to popularise the religion of the Vedas. They
contain the essence of the Vedas. The aim of the Puranas is to impress
on the minds of the masses the teachings of the Vedas and to generate
in them devotion to God, through concrete examples, myths, stories,
legends, lives of saints, kings and great men, allegories and chronicles
of great historical events. The sages made use of these things to illustrate
the eternal principles of religion. The Puranas were meant, not for
the scholars, but for the ordinary people who could not understand high
philosophy and who could not study the Vedas.
The Darsanas are very stiff. They are meant only for the learned few.
The Puranas are meant for the masses with inferior intellect. Religion
is taught in a very easy and interesting way through these Puranas.
Even to this day, the Puranas are popular. The Puranas contain the history
of remote times. They also give a description of the regions of the
universe not visible to the ordinary physical eye. They are very interesting
to read and are full of information of all kinds. Children hear the
stories from their grandmothers. Pundits and Purohits hold Kathas in
temples, on banks of rivers and in other important places. Agriculturists,
labourers and bazaar people hear the stories.
The Eighteen Puranas
There are eighteen main Puranas and an equal number of subsidiary Puranas
or Upa-Puranas. The main Puranas are: Vishnu Purana, Naradiya Purana,
Srimad Bhagavata Purana, Garuda (Suparna) Purana, Padma Purana, Varaha
Purana, Brahma Purana, Brahmanda Purana, Brahma Vaivarta Purana, Markandeya
Purana, Bhavishya Purana, Vamana Purana, Matsya Purana, Kurma Purana,
Linga Purana, Siva Purana, Skanda Purana and Agni Purana. Of these,
six are Sattvic Puranas and glorify Vishnu; six are Rajasic and glorify
Brahma; six are Tamasic and they glorify Siva.
Neophytes or beginners in the spiritual Path are puzzled when they
go through Siva Purana and Vishnu Purana. In Siva Purana, Lord Siva
is highly eulogised and an inferior position is given to Lord Vishnu.
Sometimes Vishnu is belittled. In Vishnu Purana, Lord Hari is highly
eulogised and an inferior status is given to Lord Siva. Sometimes Lord
Siva is belittled. This is only to increase the faith of the devotees
in their particular Ishta-Devata. Lord Siva and Lord Vishnu are one.
The best among the Puranas are the Srimad Bhagavata and the Vishnu
Purana. The most popular is the Srimad Bhagavata Purana. Next comes
Vishnu Purana. A portion of the Markandeya Purana is well known to all
Hindus as Chandi, or Devimahatmya. Worship of God as the Divine
Mother is its theme. Chandi is read widely by the Hindus on sacred days
and Navaratri (Durga Puja) days.
The Srimad Bhagavata Purana and the Ten Avataras
The Srimad Bhagavata Purana is a chronicle of the various Avataras
of Lord Vishnu. There are ten Avataras of Vishnu. The aim of every Avatara
is to save the world from some great danger, to destroy the wicked and
protect the virtuous. The ten Avataras are: Matsya (The Fish), Kurma
(The Tortoise), Varaha (The Boar), Narasimha (The Man-Lion), Vamana
(The Dwarf), Parasurama (Rama with the axe, the destroyer of the Kshatriya
race), Ramachandra (The hero of Ramayana—the son of Dasaratha),
who destroyed Ravana, Sri Krishna, The teacher of the Gita, Buddha (The
prince-ascetic, founder of Buddhism) and Kalki (The hero riding on a
white horse, who is to come at the end of the Kali-Yuga).
The object of the Matsya Avatara was to save Vaivasvata Manu from destruction
by a deluge. The object of Kurma Avatara was to enable the world to
recover some precious things which were lost in the deluge. The Kurma
gave its back for keeping the churning rod when the Gods and the Asuras
churned the ocean of milk. The purpose of Varaha Avatara was to rescue,
from the waters, the earth which had been dragged down by a demon named
Hiranyaksha. The purpose of Narasimha Avatara, half-lion and half-man,
was to free the world from the oppression of Hiranyakasipu, a demon,
the father of Bhakta Prahlada. The object of Vamana Avatara was to restore
the power of the gods which had been eclipsed by the penance and devotion
of King Bali. The object of Parasurama Avatara was to deliver the country
from the oppression of the Kshatriya rulers. Parasurama destroyed the
Kshatriya race twenty-one times. The object of Rama was to destroy the
wicked Ravana. The object of Sri Krishna Avatara was to destroy Kamsa
and other demons, to deliver His wonderful message of the Gita in the
Mahabharata war, and to become the centre of the Bhakti schools of India.
The object of Buddha Avatara was to prohibit animal sacrifices and teach
piety. The object of the Kalki Avatara is the destruction of the wicked
and the re-establishment of virtue.
The Tamil Puranas
Lord Siva incarnated himself in the form of Dakshinamurti to impart
knowledge to the four Kumaras. He took human form to initiate Sambandhar,
Manikkavasagar, Pattinathar. He appeared in flesh and blood to help
his devotees and relieve their sufferings. The divine Lilas of Lord
Siva are recorded in the Tamil Puranas like Siva Purana, Periya Purana,
Siva Parakramam and Tiruvilayadal Purana.
The Upa-Puranas
The eighteen Upa-Puranas are: Sanatkumara, Narasimha, Brihannaradiya,
Sivarahasya, Durvasa, Kapila, Vamana, Bhargava, Varuna, Kalika, Samba,
Nandi, Surya, Parasara, Vasishtha, Devi-Bhagavata, Ganesa and Hamsa.
Utility of the Puranas
Study of the Puranas, listening to sacred recitals of scriptures, describing
and expounding of the transcendent Lilas of the Blessed Lord—these
form an important part of Sadhana of the Lord’s devotees. It is
most pleasing to the Lord. Sravana is a part of Navavidha-Bhakti.
Kathas and Upanyasas open the springs of devotion in the
hearts of hearers and develop Prema-Bhakti which confers immortality
on the Jiva.
The language of the Vedas is archaic, and the subtle philosophy of
Vedanta and the Upanishads is extremely difficult to grasp and assimilate.
Hence, the Puranas are of special value as they present philosophical
truths and precious teachings in an easier manner. They give ready access
to the mysteries of life and the key to bliss. Imbibe their teachings.
Start a new life of Dharma-Nishtha and Adhyatmic Sadhana from this very
day.
The Agamas
Another class of popular scriptures are the Agamas. The Agamas are
theological treatises and practical manuals of divine worship. The Agamas
include the Tantras, Mantras and Yantras. These are treatises explaining
the external worship of God, in idols, temples, etc. All the Agamas
treat of (i) Jnana or Knowledge, (ii) Yoga or Concentration,
(iii) Kriya or Esoteric Ritual and (iv) Charya or Exoteric
Worship. They also give elaborate details about ontology and cosmology,
liberation, devotion, meditation, philosophy of Mantras, mystic
diagrams, charms and spells, temple-building, image-making, domestic
observances, social rules, public festivals, etc.
The Agamas are divided into three sections: The Vaishnava, the
Saiva and the Sakta. The three chief sects of Hinduism,
viz., Vaishnavism, Saivism and Saktism, base their doctrines and dogmas
on their respective Agamas. The Vaishnava Agamas or Pancharatra Agamas
glorify God as Vishnu. The Saiva Agamas glorify God as Siva and have
given rise to an important school of philosophy known as Saiva-Siddhanta,
which prevails in South India, particularly in the districts of Tirunelveli
and Madurai. The Sakta Agamas or Tantras glorify God as the Mother of
the Universe, under one of the many names of Devi.
The Agamas do not derive their authority from the Vedas, but are not
antagonistic to them. They are all Vedic in spirit and character. That
is the reason why they are regarded as authoritative.
The Vaishnava Agamas
The Vaishnava Agamas are of four kinds: the Vaikhanasa, Pancharatra,
Pratishthasara and Vijnanalalita. The Brahma, Saiva Kaumara, Vasishtha,
Kapila, Gautamiya and the Naradiya are the seven groups of the Pancharatras.
The Naradiya section of the Santi-Parva of the Mahabharata is the earliest
source of information about the Pancharatras.
Vishnu is the Supreme Lord in the Pancharatra Agamas. The Vaishnavas
regard the Pancharatra Agamas to be the most authoritative. They believe
that these Agamas were revealed by Lord Vishnu Himself. Narada-Pancharatra
says: “Everything from Brahma to a blade of grass is Lord Krishna.”
This corresponds to the Upanishadic declaration: “All this is,
verily, Brahman—Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma.”
There are two hundred and fifteen of these Vaishnava texts. Isvara,
Ahirbudhnya, Paushkara, Parama, Sattvata, Brihad-Brahma and Jnanamritasara
Samhitas are the important ones.
The Saiva Agamas
The Saivas recognise twenty-eight Agamas, of which the chief is Kamika.
The Agamas are also the basis of Kashmir Saivism which is called the
Pratyabhijna system. The latter works of Pratyabhijna system show a
distinct leaning to Advaitism. The Southern Saivism, i.e., Saiva Siddhanta
and the Kashmir Saivism, regard these Agamas as their authority, besides
the Vedas. Each Agama has Upa-Agamas. Of these, only fragmentary texts
of twenty are extant. Lord Siva is the central God in the Saiva Agamas.
They are suitable to this age, Kali Yoga. They are open to all castes
and both the sexes.
The Sakta Agamas
There is another group of scriptures known as the Tantras. They
belong to the Sakta cult. They glorify Sakti as the World-Mother. They
dwell on the Sakti (energy) aspect of God and prescribe numerous courses
of ritualistic worship of the Divine Mother in various forms. There
are seventy-seven Agamas. These are very much like the Puranas in some
respects. The texts are usually in the form of dialogues between Siva
and Parvati. In some of these, Siva answers the questions put by Parvati,
and in others, Parvati answers, Siva questioning. Mahanirvana, Kularnava,
Kulasara, Prapanchasara, Tantraraja, Rudra-Yamala, Brahma-Yamala, Vishnu-Yamala
and Todala Tantra are the important works. The Agamas teach several
occult practices some of which confer powers, while the others bestow
knowledge and freedom. Sakti is the creative power of Lord Siva. Saktism
is really a supplement to Saivism.
Among the existing books on the Agamas, the most famous are the Isvara-Samhita,
Ahirbudhnya-Samhita, Sanatkumara-Samhita, Narada-Pancharatra, Spanda-Pradipika
and the Mahanirvana-Tantra.
The Six Darsanas
These are the intellectual section of the Hindu writings, while the
first four are intuitional, and the fifth inspirational and emotional.
Darsanas are schools of philosophy based on the Vedas. The Agamas are
theological. The Darsana literature is philosophical. The Darsanas are
meant for the erudite scholars who are endowed with acute acumen, good
understanding, power of reasoning and subtle intellect. The Itihasas,
Puranas and Agamas are meant for the masses. The Darsanas appeal to
the intellect, while the Itihasas, Puranas, etc., appeal to the heart.
Philosophy has six divisions—Shad-darsana—the six
Darsanas or ways of seeing things, usually called the six systems or
six different schools of thought. The six schools of philosophy are
the six instruments of true teaching or the six demonstrations of Truth.
Each school has developed, systematised and correlated the various parts
of the Veda in its own way. Each system has its Sutrakara, i.e.,
the one great Rishi who systematised the doctrines of the school and
put them in short aphorisms or Sutras.
The Sutras are terse and laconic. The Rishis have condensed their thoughts
in the aphorisms. It is very difficult to understand them without the
help of commentaries by great sages or Rishis. Hence, there arose many
commentators or Bhashyakaras. There are glosses, notes and, later,
commentaries on the original commentaries.
The Shad-Darsanas (the six schools of philosophy) or the Shat-Sastras
are: the NYAYA, founded by Gautama Rishi, the VAISESHIKA by Kanada Rishi,
the SANKHYA by Kapila Muni, the YOGA by Patanjali Maharshi, the PURVA
MIMAMSA by Jaimini, and the UTTARA MIMAMSA or VEDANTA by Badarayana
or Vyasa. The Darsanas are divided into three pairs of aphoristic compositions
which explain the philosophy of the Vedas in a rationalistic method
of approach. They are: the Nyaya and the Vaiseshika, the Sankhya and
the Yoga, and the Mimamsa and the Vedanta. Each set of Sutras has got
its Bhashya, Vritti, Varttika, Vyakhyana or Tika and Tippani.
Sutra
Svalpaksharam-asandigdham
Saravad-visvatomukham
Astobham-anavadyam cha
Sutram sutravido viduh
A Sutra or an aphorism is a short formula with the least possible number
of letters, without any ambiguity or doubtful assertion, containing
the very essence, embracing all meanings, without any stop or obstruction
and absolutely faultless in nature.
The Sutrakara or the composer of the aphorisms is said to be as happy
as one would be while getting the first male child, if he is but able
to reduce one letter in his abstruse Sutra of far-fetched words and
ideas. The best example of the greatest, the tersest and the most perfect
of Sutra literature is the series of aphorisms called the Ashtadhyayi
composed by Panini. Panini is the father of all Sutrakaras from
whom all others seem to have borrowed the method of composition. The
Sutras are meant to explain a big volume of knowledge in short assertions
suitable to be kept in memory at all times. The six Vedangas and the
six systems of Hindu philosophy form the twelve sets of Sutra literature
of the world. In addition to these, there are later compositions like
the Narada-Bhakti Sutras, the Sandilya-Bhakti Sutras, etc., which also
wish to assume an equal form with the famous Sutras mentioned above.
Bhashya
Sutrartho varnyate yatra
Padaih sutranusaribhih
Svapadani cha varnyante
Bhashyam bhashyavido viduh
A Bhashya is an elaborate exposition, a commentary on the Sutras, with
word by word meaning of the aphoristic precepts, their running translation,
together with the individual views of the commentator or the Bhashyakara.
The best and the exemplary Bhashya in Sanskrit literature is the one
written by Patanjali on the Vyakarana Sutras of Panini. This Bhashya
is so very famous and important that it is called the MAHABHASHYA and
its celebrated author is specially called the BHASHYAKARA. Patanjali
is the father of Bhashyakaras. The next important Bhashya is the one
on the Mimamsa Sutras written by Sabara-Swamin who learnt the art from
Patanjali’s commentary. The third important Bhashya was written
by Sankara on the Brahma Sutras, in close following with the Sabara-Bhashya.
The Bhashyas on the six sets of aphorisms dealing with Indian philosophy
were written by Vatsyayana, Prasastapada, Vijnanabhikshu, Vyasa, Sabara
and Sankara. On the Vedanta or Brahma Sutras, there are about sixteen
Bhashyas, like those of Ramanuja, Madhva, Vallabha, Nimbarka, etc.
Vritti
Sadvrittih sannibandhana
A Vritti is a short gloss explaining the aphorisms in a more elaborate
way, but not as extensively as a Bhashya. An example is Bodhayana’s
Vritti on the Brahma Sutras.
Varttika
Uktanuktaduruktanam
Chinta yatra pravartate
Tam grantham varttikam prahuh
Varttikajnavichakshanah
A Varttika is a work where a critical study is made of that which is
said and left unsaid or imperfectly said in a Bhashya, and the ways
of making it perfect by supplying the omissions therein, are given.
Examples are the Varttikas of Katyayana on Panini’s Sutras, of
Suresvara on Sankara’s Upanishad-Bhashyas, and of Kumarila Bhatta
on the Sabara-Bhashya on the Karma-Mimamsa.
Vyakhyana or Tika
A Vyakhyana is a running explanation in an easier language of what
is said in the original, with little elucidations here and there. A
Vyakhyana, particularly of a Kavya, deals with eight different modes
of dissection of the Sloka, like Pada-Chheda, Vigraha, Sandhi, Alankara,
Anuvada, etc. This forms an important aspect in the study of Sanskrit
Sahitya Sastra. An Anu-Vyakhyana—like the one written by Sri Madhva—is
a repetition of what is already written, but in greater detail. An Anuvada
is merely a running translation or statement of an abstruse text of
the original. Tika is only another name for Vyakhyana. The best Vyakhyanas
are of Vachaspati Misra on the Darsanas, especially on Sankara’s
Brahmasutra-Bhashya.
Tippani
Tippani is just like a Vritti, but is less orthodox than the Vritti.
It is an explanation of difficult words or phrases occurring in the
original. Examples are Kaiyata’s gloss on the Mahabhashya of Patanjali,
Nagojibhatta’s gloss on Kaiyata’s gloss, or Appayya’s
gloss on Amalananda’s gloss on the Bhamati of Vachaspati Misra.
Other Scriptures
The Tevaram and the Tiruvachakam which are the hymns of the Saiva saints
of South India, the Divya-Prabandham of the Alvar saints of South India,
the songs of Kabir, the Abhangas of Tukaram and the Ramayana of Tulasi
Das—all of which are the outpourings of great realised souls—are
wonderful scriptures. They contain the essence of the Vedas.
The Subhashitas
The Subhashitas are wise sayings, instructions and stories, either
in poetry or in prose. Examples are Bhartrihari’s three centuries
of verses, the Subhashita-Ratna-Bhandagara and Somadeva Bhatta’s
Katha-Sarit-Sagara or Kshemendra’s Brihat-Katha-Manjari. The Panchatantra
and the Hitopadesa also belong to this category.
The Kavyas
These are highly scholarly compositions in poetry, prose or both. The
greatest of poetical Kavyas are those of Kalidas (The Raghuvamsa
and Kumarasambhava), Bharavi (The Kiratarjuniya), Magha
(The Sisupalavadha), Sri Harsha (The Naishadha). The best
prose Kavyas in the whole of Sanskrit literature were written by Bhattabana
(The Kadambari and Harshacharita), the great genius in
classical Sanskrit. Among those containing both poetry and prose, the
Champu-Ramayana and the Champu-Bharata are most famous. These are all
wonderful masterpieces which will ever remain to glorify India’s
literary calibre.
The Natakas
These are marvellously scholastic dramas embodying the Rasas of
Sringara, Vira, Karuna, Adbhuta, Hasya, Bhayanaka, Bibhatsa and Raudra.
It is told that none can write on the ninth Rasa, viz., Santi. It is
attainable only on final Liberation. The best dramas are written by
Kalidasa (Sakuntala), Bhavabhuti (Uttara-Rama-Charita), and
Visakhadatta (Mudrarakshasa).
The Alankaras
These are grand rhetorical texts, treating of the science of perfection
and beauty of ornamental language and of effective composition with
elegance and force, both in poetry and in prose. These are the fundamentals
of Sanskrit Sahitya, even superior to the Kavyas and the Natakas. The
best Alankara-Granthas are those of Mammata (Kavyaprakasa) and
Jagannatha (Rasagangadhara).
These constitute the entirety of Sanskrit literature—sacred and
secular. The Sruti is the root; the Smritis, Itihasas and Puranas are
the trunk; the Agamas and Darsanas are the branches; and the Subhashitas,
Kavyas, Natakas and Alankaras are the flowers of the tree of India’s
Culture.
The Smritis, the Itihasas, the Puranas, the Agamas and the Darsanas
are only developments of the Veda. Their ultimate source is the Veda.
Their one common aim is to enable man to annihilate his ignorance and
attain perfection, freedom, immortality and eternal bliss through knowledge
of God or the Eternal. Their purpose is to make man like God and one
with Him.
CHAPTER 3
Silent adorations to the Lord, the Embodiment of Dharma, the Controller
and Protector of Dharma and the Fountain-head of Dharma.
What is Dharma? Dharma is so called, because it holds; Dharma
alone holds the people, etc. The word Dharma is derived from
the root Dhr—to hold—and its etymological meaning is
‘that which holds’ this world, or the people of the world,
or the whole creation from the microcosm to the macrocosm. It is the
eternal Divine Law of the Lord. The entire creation is held together
and sustained by the All-powerful Law of God. Practice of Dharma, therefore,
means recognition of this Law and abidance by it.
That which brings well-being to man is Dharma. Dharma supports this
world. The people are upheld by Dharma. That which secures preservation
of beings is Dharma. Dharma leads to eternal happiness and immortality.
That which is Dharma is verily the Truth. Therefore, whosoever speaks
the truth is said to speak Dharma, and whosoever speaks Dharma is said
to speak the truth. One and the same thing becomes both.
Dharma includes all external deeds, as well as thoughts and other mental
practices which tend to elevate the character of man. Dharma comes from
the Divine and leads you to the Divine.
No language is perfect. There is no proper equivalent word in English
for the Sanskrit term Dharma. It is very difficult to define
Dharma.
Dharma is generally defined as ‘righteousness’ or ‘duty.’
Dharma is the principle of righteousness. It is the principle of holiness.
It is also the principle of unity. Bhishma says in his instructions
to Yudhishthira that whatever creates conflict is Adharma, and whatever
puts an end to conflict and brings about unity and harmony is Dharma.
Anything that helps to unite all and develop pure divine love and universal
brotherhood, is Dharma. Anything that creates discord, split and disharmony
and foments hatred, is Adharma. Dharma is the cementer and sustainer
of social life. The rules of Dharma have been laid down for regulating
the worldly affairs of men. Dharma brings as its consequence happiness,
both in this world and in the next. Dharma is the means of preserving
one’s self. If you transgress it, it will kill you. If you protect
it, it will protect you. It is your sole companion after death. It is
the sole refuge of humanity.
That which elevates one is Dharma. This is another definition. Dharma
is that which leads you to the path of perfection and glory. Dharma
is that which helps you to have direct communion with the Lord. Dharma
is that which makes you divine. Dharma is the ascending stairway unto
God. Self-realisation is the highest Dharma. Dharma is the heart of
Hindu ethics. God is the centre of Dharma.
Dharma means Achara or the regulation of daily life. Achara
is the supreme Dharma. It is the basis of Tapas or austerity. It leads
to wealth, beauty, longevity and continuity of lineage. Evil conduct
and immorality will lead to ill-fame, sorrow, disease and premature
death. Dharma has its root in morality and the controller of Dharma
is God Himself.
Maharshi Jaimini defines Dharma as that which is enjoined by the Vedas
and is not ultimately productive of suffering.
Rishi Kanada, founder of the Vaiseshika system of philosophy, has given
the best definition of Dharma, in his Vaiseshika Sutras: “Yato-bhyudayanihsreyasa-siddhih
sa dharmah.” “That which leads to the attainment of Abhyudaya
(prosperity in this world) and Nihsreyasa (total cessation
of pain and attainment of eternal bliss hereafter) is Dharma.”
The four Vedas, the Smriti texts, the behaviour of those who have entered
into their spirit and act according to their injunctions, the conduct
of holy men and satisfaction of one’s own self—these are the
bases of Dharma, according to Manu.
In the matter of Dharma, the Vedas are the ultimate authority. You
cannot know the truth about Dharma through any source of knowledge other
than the Vedas. Reason cannot be the authority in the matter of Dharma.
Among the scriptures of the world, the Vedas are the oldest. This is
supported by all leading scholars and antiquarians of the entire civilised
world. They all declare with one voice, that of all books so far written
in any human language, the Rig-Veda Samhita is undoubtedly the oldest.
No antiquarian has been able to fix the date when the Rig-Veda Samhita
was composed or came to light.
Just as a doctor prescribes different medicines for different people
according to their constitution and the nature of their disease, so
also Hinduism prescribes different duties for different people. Rules
for women are different from the rules for men. The rules for different
Varnas and Asramas vary. But, non-violence, truth, non-stealing, cleanliness
and control of the senses, are the duties common to all men.
Dharma depends upon time, circumstances, age, degree of evolution and
the community to which one belongs. The Dharma of this century is different
from that of the tenth century.
There are conditions under which Dharma may change its usual course.
Apad-Dharma is such a deviation from the usual practice. This is allowed
only in times of extreme distress or calamity.
What is Dharma in one set of circumstances becomes Adharma in another
set of circumstances. That is the reason why it is said that the secret
of Dharma is extremely profound and subtle. Lord Krishna says in the
Gita: “Let the scriptures be the authority in determining what
ought to be done and what ought not to be done” (Ch. XVI, 24).
The truth of Dharma lies hidden. Srutis and Smritis are many. The way
of Dharma open to all is that which a great realised soul has traversed.
All other religions also lay stress on Dharma. Buddhism, Jainism, Christianity,
Sikhism, Zoroastrianism, Islam are all remarkably alive to its value.
Plato, Socrates, Aristotle, Kant, Swedenborg and Spinoza are all striking
examples in the interesting history of Western philosophy for the high
pedestal on which they have placed morality, duty and righteousness,
and adored them all as the only means to the attainment of the goal
of life. Each religion lays greater stress on certain aspects of Dharma.
Of the four grand objects of human aspiration—Purusharthas—viz.,
Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha, Dharma is given the foremost
rank in the scriptures. Dharma alone is the gateway to Moksha, to immortality,
infinite bliss, supreme peace and highest knowledge. Dharma alone is
the primary Purushartha. Dharma is the first and foremost Purushartha.
Through the practice of Dharma alone can you ever hope to achieve the
crowning glory of all human endeavours, viz., Moksha which is the best
and the highest of all desirable things.
Practice of Dharma leads to the perfect realisation of essential unity
or the final end, the highest good, namely, Moksha. The practitioner
experiences peace, joy, strength and tranquillity within himself. His
life becomes thoroughly disciplined. His powers and capacities are exceedingly
intensified. He realises that there is one underlying homogeneous essence,
a living truth, behind these names and forms. He is transmuted into
divinity. His whole nature gets transformed. He becomes one with the
Eternal. He beholds Brahman above, Brahman below, Brahman to the right,
Brahman to the left, Brahman in front, Brahman at the back, Brahman
within, Brahman without and Brahman pervading the whole world.
Dharma can be classified under two heads: (i) Samanya or the
general, universal Dharma and (ii) Visesha or the specific, personal
Dharma. Contentment, forgiveness, self-restraint, non-stealing, purity,
control of senses, discrimination between right and wrong, between the
real and the unreal, spiritual knowledge, truthfulness and absence of
anger come under the general or universal Dharma. The rules of the castes
and orders of life are specific Dharmas. These are the tenfold characteristics
of Dharma according to Manu.
Dharma assumes various kinds: Sanatana Dharma (Eternal Law), Samanya
Dharma (general duty), Visesha Dharma (special duty), Varnasrama Dharma
(duties of Caste and Order), Svadharma (one’s own duty), Yuga Dharma
(duty of the Age), Kula Dharma (duty of family), Manava Dharma (duty
of man), Purusha Dharma (duty of male), Stri Dharma (duty of female),
Raja Dharma (duty of king), Praja Dharma (duty of subjects), Pravritti
Dharma (duty in worldly life) and Nivritti Dharma (duty in spiritual
life).
Sanatana Dharma means the Eternal Religion, the Ancient Law. This is
based on the Vedas. This is the oldest of living religions. Hinduism
is known by the name Sanatana Dharma. What the Vedas alone declare to
be the means of attaining the summum bonum or the final emancipation,
is the Sanatana Dharma or Hindu Dharma.
The foundation of Sanatana Dharma is Sruti; Smritis are the walls;
the Itihasas and Purnas are the buttresses or supports. In ancient times,
the Srutis were learnt by heart. The teacher sang them to his pupils
and the pupils sang them after him. They were not written in book form.
All the sects, all the philosophical systems, appeal to the Sruti as
the final authority. The Smriti stands next in authority to the Sruti.
Hinduism stands unrivalled in the depth and grandeur of its philosophy.
Its ethical teachings are lofty, unique and sublime. It is highly flexible
and adapted to every human need. It is a perfect religion by itself.
It is not in need of anything from any other religion. No other religion
has produced so many great saints, great patriots, great warriors and
great Pativratas. The more you know of it, the more you will honour
and love it. The more you study it, the more it will enlighten you and
satisfy your heart.
India—The Home Of Religions
The religious history of the world tells us that from time immemorial,
India has been the home of great sages, seers and Rishis. All the grand
religious ideals that have moulded the character of men, the loftiest
of ethics and morality that have raised human beings to magnanimous
heights of divine splendour and all the sublime truths of spirituality
that have made men divine and have moulded the spiritual ideals of nations
and saviours of mankind, first arose in India. The spiritual horizon
of India has always been illumined with the glory of the self-effulgent
sun of wisdom of the Upanishads. Whenever there was any upheaval in
any part of the world, the origin of this could be traced to the wave
of spirituality caused by the birth of a great soul—a special manifestation
of Divinity—in some part of India.
Hindus have had a culture, civilisation and religion millennia older
than those of any other country or people. God did speak to the world
through India’s Rishis, Yogins, Mahatmas, Alvars, prophets, Acharyas,
Sannyasins and saints. Their teachings and Puranas are really inspired.
God is the one Light and Truth from whom emanate the teachings of all
faiths.
India is the home and abode of religions. It occupies the proud first
place in religious devotion and godliness. It is famous for its Yogins
and saints. The goal of India is Self-realisation or attainment of God-consciousness,
through renunciation. The history of India is a history of religion.
Its social code and regulations are founded upon religion. Minus its
Yoga, religion and its regulations, India will not be what it has been
for millennia. Some Hindus are still not aware of the distinguishing
features of Sanatana Dharma. If every Hindu knew and understood what
Hinduism is, the Hindus of today would all be gods on this earth.
May you all be endowed with the knowledge of Sanatana Dharma! May you
all endeavour to protect the Eternal Dharma! May the secrets of Sanatana
Dharma be revealed unto you all, like a fruit in the palm of your hand,
through the Grace of the Lord! May the blessings of Rishis be upon you
all! Glory to the Vedas and Sanatana Dharma! Glory to Brahman, the source
for all Vedas and Sanatana Dharma!
Every religion has a generic form or Samanya-Rupa and a specific
form or Visesha-Rupa. The general form remains eternally the
same. It is never changed by any circumstance whatsoever. It is not
affected at all by changes of time, place, surroundings and individual
differences. This aspect of religion is called Sanatana or eternal.
That which changes according to the change of time, place and surrounding
circumstances is the external aspect or ritual, of Dharma.
Samanya Dharma is the general Dharma or law for all men. Varnasrama
Dharmas are special Dharmas which are to be practised by particular
castes and by men in particular stages of life. The Samanya Dharmas
must be practised by all, irrespective of distinctions of Varna and
Asrama, creed or colour. Goodness is not the property of any one class,
creed, sect or community. Every man should possess this virtue.
Fundamentals Of Dharma
THE VISHNU SAMHITA enumerates forgiveness, truthfulness, control of
the mind, purity, practice of charity, control of the senses, non-violence,
service of the Guru, visiting places of pilgrimage, compassion, simplicity,
absence of greed, worship of the gods and the Brahmanas, and absence
of malice as the ingredients of Samanya Dharma, the general law for
all men.
THE MAHABHARATA enumerates the performance of Sraaddha or offering
oblations to the forefathers, religious austerity, truth, restraint
of anger, satisfaction with one’s own wife, purity, learning, absence
of envy, knowledge of the Self and forbearance as the fundamentals of
Dharma.
It is said in PADMA PURANA that Dharma proceeds from continence, truthfulness,
austerity, charity, self-control, forbearance, purity, non-violence,
serenity and non-thieving and that one should recognise Dharma by these
ten factors. According to this Purana, bestowing gifts on deserving
persons, fixing one’s thoughts on Lord Krishna, adoration of one’s
parents, offering a portion of the daily meal to all creatures and giving
a morsel of food to a cow are the characteristics of Dharma.
According to MATSYA PURANA, freedom from malice, absence of covetousnes
