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The Vedas
- Thread starter Vinayaka
- Start date
I feel one step removed from the Vedas. I feel close to modern eastern/Indian/Hindu figures that speak the essence of the Vedas in today's modern language and logic. These figures I feel the absolute most reverence for.
I do love the Bhagavad Gita though and many have called it 'the cream of the Vedas'.
I do love the Bhagavad Gita though and many have called it 'the cream of the Vedas'.
Fireside_Hindu
Jai Lakshmi Maa
I honestly have not read them. I tried to, but the language was simply too difficult for me to understand. I did read a shortened version of the Upanishads which I gather is the philosophical center of the Vedas. Religious theory and practice are more easily picked up by going to temple and participating in pujas where I can, because the priest will often explain the meaning, which is the important part to me.
I haven't read the Vedas; only bits a pieces of them. I don't particularly trust the English translations. While I do think that they are important and relevant scripture, I personally find the most important to be the philosophical scriptures such as the Upanishads (which are part of Veda) and the Bhagavad Gita. I actually think that if I had only the BG that would be good enough.
Eh. They are important in that they are the scripture from which everything has descended but they are unimportant also; I am never going to read them, so why worry/bother about them? Let me read the devotional poetry of the saints.
Some Hindus - for unknown reasons in some cases - are naturally inclined towards being "subject matter experts" viz known as SMEs in the West to some particular "genre" or "fixation" within Hinduism (while being generalists in the broader spectrum).
For me, my forte is the Devatas and Devi, their histories, relations, to each other and to humans and certain Earth bound animals, the demons also, their many names, in my way, there are 330 million Gods, it is always considered a positive skill set to be able to remember the names of others and to put the name and their "A.K.A.'s" to a face - a highly valued skill in the business world, there are entire self-improvement courses on such matters - and, one day (after many lives I suppose) I plan on knowing the Names of all 330 million and to put a Face to each name and some have more than one name and know a bit about their family, relatives and their adventures, at least enough to engage in small chit chat with any of them at any special events and who knows, I may be able to make some good uppity connections to move up the latter in life, better to have them on your side and that includes some Rakshasas as well.
That is where the Vedas come into the picture for me. I am no way an avant-garde to sell the Vedas or even speak to them, but I do like the Yajur, and for esoteric reasons dive into the "black" (Krishna) Yajurveda and the "white" (Shukla) Yajurveda, also I am a fan of the Rik Ved. One part of this has to do with my flavor of Hinduism, East Bengal style as well as predominant roots to Varanasi, Saiva with strong Shakta temperament, and having been to many homas I can tell you they are very present among Devi priests, Swamis and such, lots of sacred fires, ghee, svahas, that is where the Vedas have a big presence.
So from this aspect and the Demigods and Gods, for me they do have a role.
Now there is also the "Secret Veda" which is called the Fifth Veda but this is not the traditional Fifth that in modern times we see refers to those scriptures such as Ramayana, the itihasa and MB and Gita et all, that is not what I am talking about.
This Fifth Veda is associated with Lord Brahma's Fifth Head, today we see Him with Four Heads and each was speaking one of the Four Vedas (prior to this there was only One, but it is a long story) and Brahma once had Five Heads but one was cut off by a manifestation of Shiva and this is the "secret veda" but some can hear it or know this Ved in Varanasi India and Bhairava carried the skull of this Fifth Head of Brahma as His bhikshu begging bowl until He arrived at Kashi Varanasi and there is a spot "Where The Skull Fell" (from His hand, the naked beggar) and here at Kashi some are preview to this Fifth Veda, also known in some of the outliners of that area, the jungles and up some mountains.
I am very interested in this Fifth Veda, which still speaks from "a skull". You see, carrying this skull was said by some to be the punishment for "killing a Brahman" (Lord Brahma who had his head - fifth head - cut off and silenced, Brahma is a Brahmin) - but if you think about it that is not really the case here BECAUSE BRAHMA DIDN'T DIE but lives today but only Four Heads. So Shiva manifestation did NOT kill a Brahmin but DID become a wandering mendicant bhikshu but a pretty powerful one begging here and there with a skull as his begging bowl and THERE IS ANOTHER REASON behind this but that is another story.
The point is... the Buddha. He was actually a Hindu who was taught by Jain Savants and was a Prince and he reformed the Vedas. He did not entirely END or GIVE TO PYRE the Vedas, but REFORMED aspects of his Hindu religion to put less emphasis on the svaha and homas and ritual and certainly to end animal sacrifices, he was very successful at that, for me taking out the animal sacrifices of the Vedic Way was a positive thing though I do go to Kali Temples in India where they chop off the heads of goats such as at the Kalighat Temple which is one of my "haunts" and there we see the Vedas in the aspect of mantra and ritual and homas lives on and is very DEEP in most Devi worship, thus as a devotee I do have a connection to Vedas but am no scholar if you will.
Some say I am not allowed to read the Vedas. But I do. More so than Upanishads but I have my favorites there as well yet not to let down Lord Buddha (Buddhi, "The Intellectual") I am attracted to the rituals and the Gods part of them but not very erudite as to philosophy.
But if you tell me I "cannot", as in "cannot read the Vedas", my nickname is Rascoula as in Rascal and Sweet, so being a rascal naturally I WILL read the Vedas. Which is easy in the Kali Yuga since they were written down in "hand writing" in modern times, before they were only spoken and not books. In fact, before there was only one, and before that it was living in ether.
For me, my forte is the Devatas and Devi, their histories, relations, to each other and to humans and certain Earth bound animals, the demons also, their many names, in my way, there are 330 million Gods, it is always considered a positive skill set to be able to remember the names of others and to put the name and their "A.K.A.'s" to a face - a highly valued skill in the business world, there are entire self-improvement courses on such matters - and, one day (after many lives I suppose) I plan on knowing the Names of all 330 million and to put a Face to each name and some have more than one name and know a bit about their family, relatives and their adventures, at least enough to engage in small chit chat with any of them at any special events and who knows, I may be able to make some good uppity connections to move up the latter in life, better to have them on your side and that includes some Rakshasas as well.
That is where the Vedas come into the picture for me. I am no way an avant-garde to sell the Vedas or even speak to them, but I do like the Yajur, and for esoteric reasons dive into the "black" (Krishna) Yajurveda and the "white" (Shukla) Yajurveda, also I am a fan of the Rik Ved. One part of this has to do with my flavor of Hinduism, East Bengal style as well as predominant roots to Varanasi, Saiva with strong Shakta temperament, and having been to many homas I can tell you they are very present among Devi priests, Swamis and such, lots of sacred fires, ghee, svahas, that is where the Vedas have a big presence.
So from this aspect and the Demigods and Gods, for me they do have a role.
Now there is also the "Secret Veda" which is called the Fifth Veda but this is not the traditional Fifth that in modern times we see refers to those scriptures such as Ramayana, the itihasa and MB and Gita et all, that is not what I am talking about.
This Fifth Veda is associated with Lord Brahma's Fifth Head, today we see Him with Four Heads and each was speaking one of the Four Vedas (prior to this there was only One, but it is a long story) and Brahma once had Five Heads but one was cut off by a manifestation of Shiva and this is the "secret veda" but some can hear it or know this Ved in Varanasi India and Bhairava carried the skull of this Fifth Head of Brahma as His bhikshu begging bowl until He arrived at Kashi Varanasi and there is a spot "Where The Skull Fell" (from His hand, the naked beggar) and here at Kashi some are preview to this Fifth Veda, also known in some of the outliners of that area, the jungles and up some mountains.
I am very interested in this Fifth Veda, which still speaks from "a skull". You see, carrying this skull was said by some to be the punishment for "killing a Brahman" (Lord Brahma who had his head - fifth head - cut off and silenced, Brahma is a Brahmin) - but if you think about it that is not really the case here BECAUSE BRAHMA DIDN'T DIE but lives today but only Four Heads. So Shiva manifestation did NOT kill a Brahmin but DID become a wandering mendicant bhikshu but a pretty powerful one begging here and there with a skull as his begging bowl and THERE IS ANOTHER REASON behind this but that is another story.
The point is... the Buddha. He was actually a Hindu who was taught by Jain Savants and was a Prince and he reformed the Vedas. He did not entirely END or GIVE TO PYRE the Vedas, but REFORMED aspects of his Hindu religion to put less emphasis on the svaha and homas and ritual and certainly to end animal sacrifices, he was very successful at that, for me taking out the animal sacrifices of the Vedic Way was a positive thing though I do go to Kali Temples in India where they chop off the heads of goats such as at the Kalighat Temple which is one of my "haunts" and there we see the Vedas in the aspect of mantra and ritual and homas lives on and is very DEEP in most Devi worship, thus as a devotee I do have a connection to Vedas but am no scholar if you will.
Some say I am not allowed to read the Vedas. But I do. More so than Upanishads but I have my favorites there as well yet not to let down Lord Buddha (Buddhi, "The Intellectual") I am attracted to the rituals and the Gods part of them but not very erudite as to philosophy.
But if you tell me I "cannot", as in "cannot read the Vedas", my nickname is Rascoula as in Rascal and Sweet, so being a rascal naturally I WILL read the Vedas. Which is easy in the Kali Yuga since they were written down in "hand writing" in modern times, before they were only spoken and not books. In fact, before there was only one, and before that it was living in ether.
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Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
Vedas are my heritage like that of all Hindus and the most important source of religion, history, geography and sociology of some migrants to India. I love RigVeda and find AtharvaVeda (in parts), hilarious.
I should not speak more than that in this topic.
I should not speak more than that in this topic.
I have never said or even insinuated that at any time. I find them absolutely the most interesting for academic reasons.
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I never said that you found them uninteresting.
I've never read them "cover to cover" and probably never will, but I've read bits and pieces. I'll occasionally run into references to some of the hymns, which I'll then explore. Many mantras and chants we use come from the Vedas.
When I was initiated, my diksha gurus were Yajur Vedis. Meaning that the meter they chant, what rites and rituals they do, and a lot of their general philosophy comes from the Yajur Veda.
As for me, aside from learning some slokas, rituals, and mantras, I've yet to actually read a significant portion from any of the Vedas themselves. Most of what I read is the Upanishads, the Gita, the Lakshmi Tantra, and devotional works and poems.
As for me, aside from learning some slokas, rituals, and mantras, I've yet to actually read a significant portion from any of the Vedas themselves. Most of what I read is the Upanishads, the Gita, the Lakshmi Tantra, and devotional works and poems.
Aupmanyav
Be your own guru
I have been studied RigVeda for a long time as also Tilak's book (it is more than 55 years since that time). My grandfather was translating Tilak's two books and I was a junior in college. It is a living record of Aryan history. Unless one takes it that way, the person can never correctly understand Vedas. That is my humble view. People, I request you to read Tilak's two books*. They are absolutely fascinating.
Arctic Home in Vedas, Orion or Researches in Antiquity of Vedas, both available for reading/download at Archives.org for free.
Arctic Home in Vedas, Orion or Researches in Antiquity of Vedas, both available for reading/download at Archives.org for free.
Satyamavejayanti
Well-Known Member
Namaste,
Having read the Samhitas in a couple of different translations, the first impact on me was that i learned a little bit of Sanskrit, and that is because i did not trust the translations, so i figured that i rather learn even the basics of some Sanskrit words in order to understand and clarify to my self what exactly a Mantra is saying. This lead me to read other related material from many authors, such as Upanishads, Gita, ect ect, which further morphed into some kind of realization that Dukha is made by us for our self's but blamed on the world outside, and to not be in Dukha is our ultimate goal.
To Me Veda is meant as a "friendly word", or "advise from a Friend", or "Guide to inspire". I take the Samhitas as the repository and beginnings of Hindu Dharmah, the discoveries and the inspiration of the Rishis are meant to inspire our own seeking in order for our own discoveries to take place within our self, once we have reached a "rishi state", we will know the method to alleviate our selfs from this Dhukha that we created.
Having being reading the Samhita and other Vadic/Dharmic texts i also have come to a realization that these are in infect ParaVidya, once I have exhausted my delving into Para, I will have to engage in the seeking of Apara.
In the past 5-6 years that i have been acquainted with the texts of my ancestors, i feel i have a matured understanding of "parmarthika", life, and am more content with my "Vyavharika", life.
The Samhita is not easy to comprehend for me, but i can see that every time i do Puja in my Home the words i use can all be traced to these 4 Books, every time i light a lamp or diya in the morning i am reminded of the vary first Mantra - Agnimile purohitam yajnasya devam rtvijam hotaram ratna dhatamam. The Veda stays with me like the light of the Lamp the entire day.
Actually in short, i really cant explain what the Veda means to me or how it has Impacted my life, but i just know it has.
Not just India, Aup. Corrupt politicians are all over. But that wasn't the point. The point was that if you have to take an oath, that act should reflect the multireligious population. Here it includes all, I think. The non-religious can just say, 'I swear to uphold the law' or whatever. Once upon a time over here the only choice was the Christian Bible.
Namaste,
Mostly it is understood that Veda is a written set of texts, this is true with the Samihtas, before this was the oral tradition, before the oral as contained in the texts Vach is preceded By Sabda or sound, to more subtle to more subtle, so Vedas gradually trace back to the original source. From the Vedic traditions we have so much wealth, ancient sciences, histories, philosophical works, poetry, maps of the Mind and universe, music, art, drama and so many customs and diverse cultures. How can 1 person know all this, but we can all take part if one is beginning or more advanced, there is something for everyone. The simple man, the scientist, the artists, the poet, the meditator, the devotee, the mystic, in one way or another, even if a little is tasted in the right way it can sooth the wounds of the earth.
Mostly it is understood that Veda is a written set of texts, this is true with the Samihtas, before this was the oral tradition, before the oral as contained in the texts Vach is preceded By Sabda or sound, to more subtle to more subtle, so Vedas gradually trace back to the original source. From the Vedic traditions we have so much wealth, ancient sciences, histories, philosophical works, poetry, maps of the Mind and universe, music, art, drama and so many customs and diverse cultures. How can 1 person know all this, but we can all take part if one is beginning or more advanced, there is something for everyone. The simple man, the scientist, the artists, the poet, the meditator, the devotee, the mystic, in one way or another, even if a little is tasted in the right way it can sooth the wounds of the earth.