The bird’s eye view of Vedas – XIV

The bird’s eye view of Vedas – XIV

Know Vedas

(Copy right protected by Dr. G.S. Tripathy)

Brahman means prayer in its Primary sense. In the Vedas meant for prayer, it means the body of mantras. As books of prayer and wisdom, then the term implies Vedas only. The lord of prayer is a Deity who is Brahmanspti. For the mastery of the Vedas and Vedic knowledge, Brahmacharya means the discipline. As an impersonal Reality, the Divinity especially contemplated and then Brahma has stood for the object of Prayer.

Standing for the activities connected with the search for Reality and truth, the term Brahman is referred to above. The word Brahman has been derived from the religious –Philosophical spirit when one engaged in the search for Brahman which has mere specific sense in accordance with the seemed meaning mentioned as above. The text of the Veda or Brahman is meant by that only. In the whole ciltural history of the world it was a marvelous feat for the Indians to have preserved the Vedas by oral tradition. They take every care to maintain each syllable of the text unimpaired. That they understood the high value of the documents, it goes to the eternal credit of the Indians. To preserve them to the face of terrible upheavals they did everything possible that changed the whole structure of society, both internal and external. The human beings who carried Vedas in their heads deserved well of the society. They were immune from capital punishment as the traditional social law gave them a privileged position. To obstruct the oral tradition of a Veda carried on by him is to kill a Brahman would be, perhaps. While describing the whole benefit of Vedic studies the Satapatha, Brahaman speaks of the protection against capital punishment as one of them. The efficacy of the sound of the Vedic hymns (Mantras) have been spoken by Hindu theologians. In the whole poetical history of the world, that they are among the most wonderful of rhythmic creation whatever their theological significance cannot be denied.

Through the ages, that the Vedas could be handed down by oral tradition is due to some extent to the wonderful memorableness of the verses. The Vedic hymns would occupy a very high place in the estimation of the world, if as some think; memorableness is an essential quality of poetry, from this criterion alone, then.

Yagna:- On the sacrificial fire lighted on the alter yagna is the vedic ritual of offering libation or oblation. Offering of some Juice, was another ritual. The ritual was the same whatever the names of the Deities worshipped. Accompanied by chanting and singing the vedic ritual was picturesque and acting where SAMA Veda hymns were musically rendered. Held in open spaces and attended by vast numbers of people, there was the simple domestic sacrifice which is other wise known as Agnihotra. Attended by vast number of people there were also great seasonal sacrifices held in open spaces.

So the ritual by the institutions of Ashvamedha political colouring was given. This used to be preceded by a challenge to the neighbouring states for a tournament of arms. To detain homage from their vassals, the emperors were conducting Rajasuya yagna also.

The yagna, being a great public institution developed complicated rituals. This has added to the attractiveness of the ceremonial side of prayer. To carry on the ritual with the appropriate ceremony, it needed a class of experts from among Brahmans, in course of time.

The action past of the religion is known as karmakanda which is the formal part of the worship. The formal character of the yagna became very much pronounced, when in later times the vedic language became obsolete where the meaning could not be understood by the worshipper.

Having no relation to the spiritual or metaphysical questions, curiously enough, the whole of vedic texts came to be regarded as part of the Karmakanda. As distinguished from the metaphysical approach to the ultimate reality through thought and experience, the mastery of the four Vedas and accessory literature was considered to be sort of practical and material knowledge as per Manduka upanished.

In a society with freedom of thought and expression it is natural that there should be opposition to mere formalism. Standing for spiritualism to the total exclusion of formalism, the Manduka upanished says ----

“In the form of yogna, there are frail rafts

With eighteen members in them, the worth is of an interior type”

(Mun 1.2.7.)

In the Bhagavat Geeta, the attitude of Bhakti cult is well defined in which the divine grace is the only source of spiritual advancement. By memorizing Vedas, by studies, by charity, by Yagna, the direct experience of the Divine cannot be had not by action – nor by seven austerities or Tapas.

We find this idea in Rig Veda clearly. Please refer to (Rig.VIII.70.3)

By the adoption of five systems of great yagna, the conception of yagna was much widened.. The study and teaching of Vedas in addition to the usual Agnihotra service of guests, giving food to lower creatures, offering of oblation to Manes(Pitriyagne) were recognized as great yagna. In shorts words they are known as “Brahmayagne”, “Nriyagni”, “Bhutayagne”, “Pritriyagne” and “Mahayagni” respectively. In its own remarkable way, Geeta distinguished the spirit of Yagna from its forms. Related to fire, fuel and the oblation, may be taken not only literraly but also symbolically and figuratively if the spirit is accepted then the material part of the yagna. Yagna of tapas, (spiritual discipline) also their will be, in which the fire restraint is lighted and senses are the offering. Into the fire of self-control, there will be the yagna of yoga in which the vital functions will be the offering only. There will be yagna of sacred studies and the yagna of gnana in which the supreme Reality in which the Brahma is fire, fuel and oblation as well as sacrificer, for the men of spiritual discipline and self-dedication.

Then it must be admitted in the same wider sense if this wider meaning of yagna is taken as claimed by Karmakandis that the eaters of the Ambrosia of the remains of yagna go to the changeless eternal. As the central thing in the discipline for higher life, there should then not only be no opposition to yagna but yagna must be accepted.

In the figurative sense, even in the Vedas yagna is taken as it is found. The Indian system of thought is quite in keeping with the spiritualization of the concept of yagna. It had specialties of its own with the institution of yagna as ritual.

The realistic elements of the Vedic religion have been emphasized for one thing in contrast with the way of the ascetic which is austere and silent. The sage has his own way of expressing himself through Poetry, oratory and music in contrast with the non-ritualistic spiritual strivings of the yogi who seeks eternal through super sensual paths. The way of Karmakanda is different where colour, sound, fragrance have their full play with all other things of senses.

On the minds of the worshippers, there is a direct and purifying effect in the form of glorious luster of the blazing fire, the sweet perfume of the burnt ghee, the blades of grass, the cooked offering the crushed soma and all other materials of yagna.

This carried an immediacy of appeal which was of no smaller spiritual value taking into consideration the acting of the priests, the chanting & music & final offering.