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How did the Rishis obtain the knowledge of the Vedas?
- Thread starter Terese
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Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
If you say anything else, the crowd here may be after you.
But yes, I can say what I consider to be true. Spiritual environment around the people who wrote it in Gurukuls. They were discussing these things all the time as we do it in this forum. Right from the time they were born and in the family. And, of course, when you have a drink of Soma, poetry flows easily out of the mouth. Tradition gives us the names of people who wrote the RigVedic verses. These are known as 'anukramanis' (sort of index). (now let me check if we have this information about other Vedas)
http://www.bharatvani.org/books/rig/ch1.htm
Yes, there are anukramanis of the other Vedas as well.
https://books.google.co.in/books?id=udv7AQAAQBAJ&pg=PA208&lpg=PA208&dq=Yajurveda+anukramani&source=bl&ots=Y2lssPSxDX&sig=V6QWbapOkp0QGpFtUU1B_yAhEmQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwikwMzux5rKAhUOwo4KHSsiBMYQ6AEIMDAE#v=onepage&q=Yajurveda anukramani&f=false
http://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q...-shukla-yajur-veda-been-published-in-any-form
But yes, I can say what I consider to be true. Spiritual environment around the people who wrote it in Gurukuls. They were discussing these things all the time as we do it in this forum. Right from the time they were born and in the family. And, of course, when you have a drink of Soma, poetry flows easily out of the mouth. Tradition gives us the names of people who wrote the RigVedic verses. These are known as 'anukramanis' (sort of index). (now let me check if we have this information about other Vedas)
http://www.bharatvani.org/books/rig/ch1.htm
Yes, there are anukramanis of the other Vedas as well.
https://books.google.co.in/books?id=udv7AQAAQBAJ&pg=PA208&lpg=PA208&dq=Yajurveda+anukramani&source=bl&ots=Y2lssPSxDX&sig=V6QWbapOkp0QGpFtUU1B_yAhEmQ&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwikwMzux5rKAhUOwo4KHSsiBMYQ6AEIMDAE#v=onepage&q=Yajurveda anukramani&f=false
http://hinduism.stackexchange.com/q...-shukla-yajur-veda-been-published-in-any-form
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निताइ dasa
Nitai's servant's servant
The message of the Vedas (spiritual knowledge pertaining to the soul) is first spoken by Lord Sri Hari to Brahma in the beginning of creation (in the form of Chatur Shloki Bhagavatam). This divine knowledge is then passed unto Brahma's sons (like Narada etc). Like this the spiritual knowledge of the Vedas descends in the Teacher-Student relationship beginning with Lord Narayan Himself (as Adi-Guru). Later this divine knowledge was lost, and so 7 sages, in samadhi (trance) saw the absolute truth of the Vedas in 7 ways (called the Sat-Darshanas, or seven schools). This schools are Sankhya (by Kapila), Yoga (by Patanjali), Vaisesika(Kanada), Nyaya(Gautama), Mimamsa(Jaimini) and finally Vedanta (Srila Veda Vyasa). All religions within this world come from one of these 7 schools of thought.
Now, of these, Vedanta is accepted as topmost, because it was established by Bhagavan Vedavyasa who is considered by all Vedantic schools (and scripture) as an incarnation of the Supreme Lord Narayan Himself. Out of His infinite Mercy, Srila Veda Vyasa realized that the fallen souls of Kali yuga will not be able to understand the complex language and theories of the Vedas, and hence to aid them He composed the Puranas, Ithihasas and the Vedanta Sutra (also called the Brahma Sutras). These scriptures delineate the actual meaning of the Vedas.
The short answer to this question,is that though Vedic knowledge is found by Rishis in Samadhi (or trance) the topmost meanings of the Vedas are revealed by Sri Hari directly, either in incarnation form (as Veda Vyasa etc) or directly (as Sri Krsna speaking the Bhagavata Gita). The scriptures are divided into Sruti (those that are heard, and whose words never change) or Smrti (those which are remembered by realized personalities) Nitaai!
Now, of these, Vedanta is accepted as topmost, because it was established by Bhagavan Vedavyasa who is considered by all Vedantic schools (and scripture) as an incarnation of the Supreme Lord Narayan Himself. Out of His infinite Mercy, Srila Veda Vyasa realized that the fallen souls of Kali yuga will not be able to understand the complex language and theories of the Vedas, and hence to aid them He composed the Puranas, Ithihasas and the Vedanta Sutra (also called the Brahma Sutras). These scriptures delineate the actual meaning of the Vedas.
The short answer to this question,is that though Vedic knowledge is found by Rishis in Samadhi (or trance) the topmost meanings of the Vedas are revealed by Sri Hari directly, either in incarnation form (as Veda Vyasa etc) or directly (as Sri Krsna speaking the Bhagavata Gita). The scriptures are divided into Sruti (those that are heard, and whose words never change) or Smrti (those which are remembered by realized personalities) Nitaai!
rishis have something called 'sAdhya Bhakti', they do lots of sAdhana, what you call penance, they restrict the senses and slowly gain control over them and after they gain , they move further and intensify their level and when they are in deep states of meditation, they hear the transcendental sounds which are vedam. Vedam are the sounds, they are not scriptures written down by anyone and hence they are called ''apourusheya', no jIva has written them because they don't have a language to begin with,
sAdhya Bhakti means you have to do something or clutch onto some means like meditation to get the knowledge
siddha bhakti is in place of means, Sri Vishnu only becomes the means, this is for alwars in Sri Vaishnava sampradayam.........Alwars are considered greater than rishis because god selected them and he became the means to deliver them the knowledge of vedam
sAdhya Bhakti means you have to do something or clutch onto some means like meditation to get the knowledge
siddha bhakti is in place of means, Sri Vishnu only becomes the means, this is for alwars in Sri Vaishnava sampradayam.........Alwars are considered greater than rishis because god selected them and he became the means to deliver them the knowledge of vedam
Acintya_Ash
Bhakta
By Constantly meditating on Brahman with a severe thirst for liberation.
Knowledge of the vedas ie knowledge of the self is not obtained but is revealed. Vedic knowledge was passed down but some experienced it within themselves by forgetting themselves.
Lord Brahma is the answer and the ultimate Cause is formless Brahman whom many Vedantists address as Vishnu.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
My progenitor (Upamanyu Vasishtha) and his father (Vyaghrapada Vasishtha) have verses on Soma Pavamana - RigVeda, Book 9, Hymn 97; but I do not know what Soma is! How sad. Though I am not sure if I will partake it if I knew. It is a long hymn, so, I am not posting it here.
The tiger-footed Vyaghrapada and snake-footed Patanjali salute Nataraja.
"The legend states that Vyaghrapada was a rishi and he was entrusted with the task of picking up fresh flowers, untouched even by the honeybees, for offering to Shiva in his aspect as Nataraja in the temple complex of Chidambaram, located in the Indian state of Tamilnadu. While plucking the flowers, Vyaghrapada would get wounded on account of thorns and the rough surface. Shiva conferred on him feet of tigers and this ended the sage’s miseries. So armed with the tiger’s feet, the sage easily moved from place to place, including climbing rough trees to pluck fresh flowers untouched even by the honey bees."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyaghrapada#The_tradition
"The legend states that Vyaghrapada was a rishi and he was entrusted with the task of picking up fresh flowers, untouched even by the honeybees, for offering to Shiva in his aspect as Nataraja in the temple complex of Chidambaram, located in the Indian state of Tamilnadu. While plucking the flowers, Vyaghrapada would get wounded on account of thorns and the rough surface. Shiva conferred on him feet of tigers and this ended the sage’s miseries. So armed with the tiger’s feet, the sage easily moved from place to place, including climbing rough trees to pluck fresh flowers untouched even by the honey bees."
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vyaghrapada#The_tradition
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From Book 10 of Rig Veda
1. VASISTHA mastered the Rathantara, took it from radiant Dhatar, Savitar, and Visnu,
Oblation, portion of fourfold oblation, known by the names of Saprathas and Prathas.
2. These sages found what lay remote and hidden, the sacrifice's loftiest secret essence.
From radiant Dhatar, Savitar, and Visnu, from Agni, Bharadvaja brought the Brhat.
3 They found with mental eyes the earliest Yajus, a pathway to the Gods, that had descended.
From radiant Dhitar, Savitar, and Visnu, from Surya did these sages bring the Gharma.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Book X, HYMN CXIX. Indra.
कुवित्सोमस्यापामिति ll Kuvitsomasyāpāmiti ll
(Have I not drunk of Soma juice?)
1. THIS, even this was my resolve, to win a cow, to win a steed, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
2 Like violent gusts of wind the draughts that I have drunk have lifted me, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
3 The draughts I drank have borne me up, as fleet-foot horses draw a car, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
4 The hymn hath reached me, like a cow who lows to meet her darling calf, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
5 As a wright bends a chariot-seat so round my heart I bend the hymn, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
6 Not as a mote within the eye count the Five Tribes of men with me, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
7 The heavens and earth themselves have not grown equal to one half of me, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
8 I in my grandeur have surpassed the heavens and all this spacious earth, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
9 Aha! this spacious earth will I deposit either here or there, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
10 In one short moment will I smite the earth in fury here or there, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
11 One of my flanks is in the sky; I let the other trail below, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
12 I greatest of the Mighty Ones, am lifted to the firmament, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
13 I seek the worshiper's abode; oblation-bearer to the Gods, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
कुवित्सोमस्यापामिति ll Kuvitsomasyāpāmiti ll
(Have I not drunk of Soma juice?)
1. THIS, even this was my resolve, to win a cow, to win a steed, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
2 Like violent gusts of wind the draughts that I have drunk have lifted me, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
3 The draughts I drank have borne me up, as fleet-foot horses draw a car, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
4 The hymn hath reached me, like a cow who lows to meet her darling calf, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
5 As a wright bends a chariot-seat so round my heart I bend the hymn, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
6 Not as a mote within the eye count the Five Tribes of men with me, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
7 The heavens and earth themselves have not grown equal to one half of me, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
8 I in my grandeur have surpassed the heavens and all this spacious earth, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
9 Aha! this spacious earth will I deposit either here or there, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
10 In one short moment will I smite the earth in fury here or there, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
11 One of my flanks is in the sky; I let the other trail below, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
12 I greatest of the Mighty Ones, am lifted to the firmament, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
13 I seek the worshiper's abode; oblation-bearer to the Gods, Have I not drunk of Soma juice?
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Let me repeat post 13 to bring back focus to an answer from Rig Veda itself.
From Book 10 of Rig Veda
1. VASISTHA mastered the Rathantara, took it from radiant Dhatar, Savitar, and Visnu,
Oblation, portion of fourfold oblation, known by the names of Saprathas and Prathas.
2. These sages found what lay remote and hidden, the sacrifice's loftiest secret essence.
From radiant Dhatar, Savitar, and Visnu, from Agni, Bharadvaja brought the Brhat.
3 They found with mental eyes the earliest Yajus, a pathway to the Gods, that had descended.
From radiant Dhitar, Savitar, and Visnu, from Surya did these sages bring the Gharma.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
I already mentioned that. I do not know what Soma was. And I am not interested in any mind-altering thing. I do not want to babble like what Indra did in the RigVedic verse. Brahman is one without a second. So, theistic and Atheistic does not apply to it. That is dwandva (duality).
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Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Soma, the God and Soma, the drink are related. Vedic Gods and rishis certainly liked to imbibe Soma, the drink. There were detailed procedures to produce it, it was more or less a religious ceremony, soma was mixed with milk and sugar. And without having been invigorated by Soma, Indra would not have won his fight against the demon Vritra. Even Uchaishrava, his seven-headed horse, was invigorated with soma. Those who helped Indra in this enterprise at various times, Gods Soma and Ashwinis , and priests Atharvans and Angirsas, whom the Aryans called as their fathers, also did that only after having a drink of Soma.
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