Triveni is a journal dedicated to ancient Indian culture, history, philosophy, art, spirituality, music and all sorts of literature. Triveni was founded at Madras in 1927 and since that time various authors have donated their creativity in the form of articles, covering many aspects of public life....
The concept of Vedas with the Vedic age gives most of us an archaic ring and a connotation of their irrelevance to modern times. Most of us place them on a high reverential pedestal and do away with them. These have been reduced to mere symbols of erudition and respectability. Only a few of us give them the due consideration of their timeless value, uplifting man’s life from the dross to higher levels of nobility. These, doubtless have a significance to the daily life of man, helping him by giving support and strength at times of despair and feelings of desolation. It is, as though, these lead man by his hand from the horns of dilemma to the coveted goals of peace, progress and harmony.
Let me within the space limits explain a few vedic texts which offer ennobling effects to man engrossed as he is, with the mundane problems of daily life. It is in this context Vedas figure in modern times too. Strangely, it may be noted that Vedas do not indulge in thematic, or spiritual issues, as some believe. They consist mainly of invocations to the five elements of nature, the sun, the water, the wind, the fire, the air, deifying them, or they deal in giving directions to man to help him in longevity, in his betterment of personal and community life. It is this latter part we are now concerned about.
The MahaMantraGayatri: This mantra has two important indications for us to contemplate, apart from its spiritual side.
1. “Om tat savitur varenyam, bhargo devasya dheemahi”
“I pray to the glorious effulgent Sunlight of Bhargava’. It should be noted here that it is mainly Sun worship. It is addressed to Sun God, being the centre of the zodiac system. That is an eternal truth. Sun is the giver of life to the otherwise lifeless earth. Hence Sun is called by various names Aditya, Bhargava, Bhaskara, Mitra, Surya etc., Veda says 'Asou Aditya Brahma'. This very (asou) Sun is god (Brahma). So, the vedic prayer originally envisages a living, apparent, life giving God, the Sun.
It may be noted here that when Sri Rama fell into momentary depression, and hesitation on seeing the prowess of the demon KingRavana, the sage Agastya descended and initiated him into the prayer of ‘Aditya Hridayam’. And chanting it three times Sri Rama regained his spur and killed Ravana in the battle.
2. “Dhiyo yo nah prachodayat”
May the Sun help us blossom our minds. It should be noted that the word ‘naaha’
indicates the plural number as pronoun. The prayer is recited not for one’s own benefit, but for the common cause of the community. Hence whenever this mantra is chanted, it will have, by its mystic powers of ‘Beejakshara’ or the ethereal effect of the words, beneficial impact on the society in whatever form the divine force leads. So Aurobindo in one of his writings vouchsafes to this fact. In short, the Gayatri prayer is for the benefit of all the denizens of this world.
And the word ‘prachodayat’, signifying progress or the expansion of the mental horizon of the people, is of great import. The prayer is not made for any worldly benefit of the individual. It is a unique address for the expansion or the blossoming of the mental sphere or the attitude of all the members of the community. What else is needed for the benefit of the world than this in the present times? It is the man’s mind that is to be directed for a beneficial and broadening change. The Mantra is aimed at man’s thinking and its progress.
Brahmopadesam: At the investiture ceremony of the holy thread known as ‘Upanayanam’, the father whispers into the ears of his son the Brahmopadesam. Not to be distracted by outside pulls, a white cloth is used as cover to the father and son. And what advice does the father give to his son on this most holy occasion? Let us see.
Suprajah prajaya bhooyasam
- Help bring good people (Supraja) Su veero veeraihi
- Let them be heroic Su varcha varchas
- They should be shining and splendorous Su poshah poshaihi
- They should be strong and well nourished
This great advice as an edict is transmitted to the progeny by the parent. How well all this is directed to the benefit of the community! These directions are too simple, too great to need any elaboration.
“Sangatchatvam, Samvadatvam’ – Rig veda 10-191-2.
“Let’s Walk together, let’s talk together”
‘Gachat’
means walk, ‘Vadat’ means talk in sanskrit.
This Vedic text indicates the supreme importance of unity, or corporate life to make the nation strong with a bond of social unity. And history tells us how states with their great cultures crumbled when internal bickerings had their sway. And the present text warns against this and cautions us to be united in ways of expression and working attitudes.
“Asmanam tanvam Kridhi” – Atharva 1-1-2
“Make your body (tanvam) as strong, as stone (Asmanam)’. Strange to find so much importance is given to the body being made as strong as a stone. This Veda of all the other three often touches the grass roots of man’s life. This also strikes at the root of misconception, dinned into our ears by mystics, that body is unreal and is not to be cared for. This mistaken notion enervated our nation in the past.
“Ma bhibher na marishyasi” – Atharva 5-30-8
“Never fear” (Ma bhi bher), you will not die (na marishya si). “Fear not, you will not die” is an advice this Vedic text imparts to us. We should be brave and heroic and not be afraid of death. Here the immortal soul of man embedded in the physique is hinted. In Gita too the verse “nainam chindanti sastrani, nainam dahati pavakah” indicates that the soul of man cannot be destroyed either by weapon, or by fire. Bhagat Singh and his followers went to the gallows reciting this sloka.
“Praja tantum ma vyava che cheehi’ - Sikshavali
After the completion of vedic studies the Guru gives a few instructions, a sort of convocation address to his Sishya. All the instructions given by the sages of yore hold good even today to the modern man.
Treat your parents as God, your mentors also as Gods, your guest as God, don’t allow any break in your studies in search of truth and never break the continuity of progeny.
Here the continuity of the society is stressed.
In the light of the few examples given, let’s now realise the Vedas are relevant even to the common man of today.
Let me conclude with the greatest Vedic concept, a rare, inimitable and unique one – “Om poorna madah, poornamidam, Poornath Poorna mudachyate, poornasya poorna madaya, poorna mevavasishyate”. That (creator) is complete. This (self) is complete. From a whole, another whole derived, yet the Original whole remained whole”. That man is designed as a complete one, is a concept serving the modern man as a mood lifter, leading him to infinite unity. Om tat sat.
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