||    Vedams & our Vidhika- SampradhAyam    ||

It is my deep pleasure and distinctprivelege to share some thoughts with you on the four Vedams and their six angAs, which are distilled in the four prabhandhams ( Tamizh MaRais ) of NammAzhwAr and the the six Veda angams that are considered to be close to the six prabhandhams of Thirumangai AzhwAr .

I am so glad that Sriman A. Krishnan of Srirangam and his fellow trustees of the Delhi Vedic Trust have painstakingly recorded the Shukla Yajur Vedam (KaNva and Madhyandina sAkhAs) , Rg Vedam (Shakala SaakhA) , Yajur Vedam ( Shukla and KrishNa samhithAs ), Sama Vedam (Ranayaniy, Jaimini and Kouthuma SakhAs) and Atharva Vedam (Saunaka SaakhA).

Sriman Mani Varadarajan has brought our attention to the availability of these high quality audio tapes from Sri A.Krishnan , a permanent resident of Srirangam and one of the trustees of the Delhi Vedic Trust, who will be in this country until June of this year. He can be reached by e-mail regarding the acquisition of these outstanding audio casettes and more than that the bringing in of the sacred Veda Dhvani that is enshrined there into your homes and temples.

All the members of the Bhakthi list with links to their local temples could perhaps render a great service to their communities by persuading the temple executives to purchase for their temple's use these tapes for use in the daily , seasonal pujA and special festivals . I am thinking here especailly of Sriman TatachAr of Cincinatti temple , Sriman M.G. prasad of Balaji Temple of Bridge water and links to MahA Ganapathi templeat Queens , NY , SriVijayaraghavan of Buffalo temple ,
Sriman Krishnamachari of Aurora temple , Sriman
Murali Rangaswamy of MahA Lakshmi temple ,
Sriman ParthA of Houston MeenAkshi Temple and
others .

As many of you know , there are special passages of VedAs recommended for EkAdasi ( achithram and AsvamEdham ) and other sacred days. These tapes could be an invaluable source and resource to help the children learn about the ancient and illustrious Vedic roots of our tradition .

This will be an one time investment that is not much for the temples. The Veda Dhvani can thus be enhanced in this country. In this context, Jaimini's Purva MeemAmsa SutrA (1.VI.11) says:

vruddhisccha karthrubhUmnAasya

( Meaning ) : Also because a multiplicity of persons uttering the WORD (veda manhtram) bring about an increased magnitude ( in the word Sound /Veda Dhvani ) .The auspicious effects of that dhvani and their sound vibrations have a profoundly purifying and calming effect on one's mind and body . This has been well studied .

The Sanskrit and the Tamil VedAs help us in Nithya SamyOgam with the Veda Purushan celebrated in the Purusha Sooktham , which is found in all the four VedAs .The skambha sooktham dealing with creation and the Ucchishta Brahmam (Atharva Vedam ) and many ohter passages are profound
reflections of these timeless tresaures passed onto us in the guru-sishya mode by aural means alone .

This ancient & sacred tradition of passing on the Vedic inheritance has been referred to by another Sutram of Purva MeemAmsam : Tulyamja sAmpradhAyikam ( 2nd PadA .first AdhikaraNam, sUtram 8) .

Why do we repeat the Veda mantrAs with purity of Svarams ? Why do we learn it at all ? Jaimini points out two reasons among many :

AakAlikEpsA (Purva Meemsa SoothrAs 1.2.14 )
and guNArhthEna puna: sruthi: ( SoothrA 1.2.41)

The first of the above two soothram says that one recites because there is a desire for immediate good ; the next one states that the repeated recitation is for the purposes of qualification . There is a major hint here about the purification of oneself for the two great journeys , which are referred to at the beginning of Jaimini's Purva MeemAmsa and
BaadarAyaNA's Uttara MeemAmsa SoothrAs :

athAthO Dharma jig~yAsA ( Jamini 1.1.1)
athAtho Brahma Jig~yAsA ( BaadharAyanA 1.1.1)

The first Soothram deals with the invitation towards the inquiry into the nature of our Duty. This one deals with the Karma KhAnda (work-portion) of the VedAs , which have been sometimes dismissed as ephemeral and limited .

Therefore , the first of the Brahma Soothrams shifts gear and invites us to the inquiry about the knowledge of Brahman , who is eternal and infinite .

After preparation from the study of VedAs ( SvAdhyAyaa ), one starts with the inquiry into Brahman to realize eternal and unlimited fruits (i-e) Moksham . The study of VedAs thru a Guru ( AchArya mukhEna ) is a prerequisite for the inquiry into Brahman .

The connection between Dharmam and Vedam ( Vaidhika Dharmam ) as well as between Dharmam and Brahman as the complimentary step is pointed out by Sage Jaimini in his MeemAmsa Soothram 1.3.1:

dharmasya sabdhamUlathvAth asabdham
anapEksham syAth

( Meaning ) : DharmA having the VedAs for its sole basis , that which is not VedA should be disregarded . The sole authority of the VedAs over all else including sruthis is indicated here. Although Smrithi has its basis in the VedAs , it should be discared , if it has any discrepancy with the VedAs according to Sage Jaimini and his intrepreters , KumArila BhattA , PrabhAkarA et al .

The relation between Dharmam and Brahman is saluted by NigamAntha MahA Desikan in his DasAvathAra Slokam associated with Sri RamachandrA as the embodiment of Dharmam :

" sarvAvastha sakruth prapanna-
janathA samrakshaNika vrathee
DHARMO VIGRAHAVAAN adharma-
viratheem dhanvee sa tanveetha na:"

The Lord is Dharnma SvarUpee; He has the avowed dheekshA to protect any one , who has sought His refuge/protection even once . That is His Dharmaam and Swami VedAntha Desikan prays to this embodiment of Dharmam to give us the strength not to lapse into Adharmam , anything discarded by the VedAs . The samyOgam (connection) of the VedAs and Dharmam is thus indissolvable.

In the third adhyAyaa , first paadham , Jaimini starts with Sesha -Seshee relations.In the first sUthram , he decalres the subject matter of the adhyAyam : AthAtha: sEsha LakshaNam . sEshA stands for anga and aasrithA and a subsidiary of the primordial, the principal , the Ucchishta Brahmam . Jaimini goes onto say in the next Soothram : " sEsha: ParArhtathvAth ". He defines "sEsha" to mean a subsidiary thing,
which exists because of the principal , the nithya vasthu , the nigamAntha vasthu . The Sesha-sEshi relationship has been elaborated at great length for our benefit by the Foundation-thinker of Sri VisishTaadhvaitham , AchArya RaamAnujA and his successors .

Veda manthrAs are thus very important for us . They are the root of the tree of DharmA . These manthrAs have been classified under three heads: Rg , Yajus and Saama . Atharva VedA has its own place for the approach of the Brahman thru tantrA and other rituals . Rg vedam thru prayer and intellectual pursuits; Yajur Vedam thru invocation of Agni for transprting the message enshrined in hymns to the Sureme . Saama Vedam thru rendering of those hyms of Rg and Yajur vedams in music or singing.

I will conclude this posting with Jaimini's defenition of the three VedAs and their characteristics this way :

thEshAm Rg YathrArthavasEna pAdhavyasthA (JS :1.12.35)

(Meaning): The name Rg (rik) is applied to those manthrAs that are divided into paadhAs ( feet ) , that is , certain well defined parts , each of which consists of a definite number of syllables ; and are called on that account by such prosodial names (chandas) like GayathrI(24 syllables), Trishtup (44) , Bruhathi (36) ,Anushtup (32) Asthi (64) , Jagathi (48 ) et al .

Saama Vedam is defined as the one given to music , where the mantrAs are sung in different styles of music like RathantarA , Brihath and the like . These different methods of singing are followed precisely . Bruhath sAman is sung for instance with force and loudly in contrast to RathAnthara saaman ( geethishu SamAkhyA : JS 1.12.36).

Yajur Veda mantrAs are defined as those not having metres (paadhams) or associated with singing ( sEshu yaju: sabdha: ). If there are any metrical portion in Yajur vedam , they are considered by some under the above strict definition as comparitively modern .

The two kinds of hymns are further dividable across the four vEdAs as SthOthrAs and SaasthrAs :

sthuthasasrayOasthu samskArE
yAjyaAvadhyEvatA abhidhAnathvAth - Js: 1.5.13

SthOthrAs and SaasthrA hymns bring about santification like YaajyA hymns , because they distinctly signify deities ( which are sEshAs to the SEshi ) .

SthOthrAs are the name of those hymns that consist of manthrAs capable of being set to music and sung ,- as distinct form the SaasthrA hymns consisting of manthrAs not sung .

I will conclude this posting about Bhagavdh SvarUpam of the VedAs with the famous Bhagavadha SlOkam the Lord , who is Sarva manthra SvarUpi,sarvAntharyAmi an din the form of Sarva Krathus ( Yaj~nams ). He is present in the form to be worshipped with Bhakthi and Detatchment
( VairAgyam ) by PrapannAs . May my Salutations be to this Dharma Vigraha , Veda Moorthy , Yaj~na VarAhan with the four rthviks at his feet ( ChathurhOthArangrou ).

namO namasthE akhila manthra devathA
dravyAya sarvakrathavE kriyAthmanE I
vairAgya bhakthyAthmajayAnubhAvitha
Jn~Aya VidhyA guravE NamO Nama: II
---Srimadh Bhagavatham : 3.13.39

Sri Veda PurushAya nama:
Sri Jn~Ana GuravE nama:

DaasAnu Daasan
Oppiliappan koil VaradAchAri SadagOpan


 

         Home      Back