DOCSLIB.ORG

The Essence of Veda Chanting Inaugural Address by Dr

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
The Essence of Veda Chanting Inaugural Address by Dr The Essence of Veda Chanting Inaugural Address by Dr. Narendranath Reddy Chairman, Sathya Sai International Organisation International Young Adults Veda Programme 20 June 2020 Om Sahanavavatu 500 BC by the Turkish and Persians to refer to Sahanau bhunaktu, the people who were living in the Indus Valley Saha viryam karavavahai, area. People say Sanathana Dharma began Tejasvi navadhithamastu, around 5,000 or 10,000 BC. Sanathana Dharma Ma Vidvishavahai means eternal religion – there is no beginning. Om. Shanti, Shanti, Shanti That is why our Swami’s journal is called Sana- thana Sarathi – He is the eternal charioteer who May the Lord protect us, may He nourish us. is taking us in the right direction. Let us under- May we acquire the capacity to study and un- stand that Vedas teach the eternal religion (San- derstand the scriptures. May our study be bril- athana Dharma). liant and may we not cavil at each other. Om. Peace, Peace, Peace unto us all. Main Message of the Vedas What is the main message of the Vedas? Ananto With love and gratitude, I offer my prayerful Vai Veda Pranams at the Divine Lotus Feet of our dearest, the message is Brahma Sathyam (God alone is loving and omnipresent Lord, Bhagawan Sri true) Jagath, Vedas Mithya are infinite, (the world but theis illusory) summary, Jivo of Sathya Sai Baba who is Veda Mata (The mother Brahmaiva Naparah (we the embodied beings, of Vedas), the Veda Purusha and Vedamayaa are divine). Swami says that the goal and pur- (that means He is the Veda Himself) and He is pose of human life is to realise and manifest in- Veda Vedya (He could be realised and attained nate divinity Also, Swami says that the purpose through Vedas). Dear Brothers and Sisters, lov- of the Sathya Sai International Organisation, ing Sai Ram to all of you. and the divine mission is to help us realise and First, I would like to congratulate all the YAs for manifest our innate divinity, and also to see the launching this project, to study the Vedas in same divinity in the whole of creation and help depth and practise its teachings. I am happy others to realise the same truth. The scriptures that you have started this at a young age. Swami say that the purpose of human life is Atmano says, ‘Start early, drive slowly, and reach safely’. Mokshartham Jagat Hitayacha (seeking one’s The Vedas belong to Sanathana Dharma. How- own realisation and the welfare of humanity). ever, people think that Vedas are only for Hin- The ultimate goal is to realise the truth or Brah- dus. The word Hindu was introduced around man – Self-realisation. sathyasai.org The Essence of Veda Chanting From Shudra to Brahmana come Brahmana only by practising the teach- According to Sanathana Dharma, we are all born ings and attaining the knowledge of Brahman. as Shudras which means we are all born without Then we become a Brahmin. So, this is how, the knowledge of the Atma. No one is a Brahmin, Vedas help us in this process of progression Kshatriya or Vysya by birth. But through the ini- from Shudra to Brahmana. tiation of Gayatri Mantra, we become a Dwija When we talk about Vipra, it is said in Rig Veda, (which means twice born). Then, we are born in Ekam Sath, Vipra Bahudha Vadanti which means spirit: beginning of the process of acquiring At- that there is only one truth, but the Vipras – the knowledge. This is the time of performing mic wise people perceive and call it by different the sacred thread ceremony or ( Upanayana Upa names – Vishnu, Jesus, Shiva etc. We need to un- meaning close and meaning eyes) which Nayana derstand how the word Veda came about. is coming closer to the vision of God, by being initiated into the Gayatri. Origin of Vedas and Nomenclature The etymological meaning of the word Veda I am happy that we chanted Akhanda Gayatri for comes from the word Vid which means know- 24-hours recently and thousands of devotees all ing. We are in the eternal quest for knowledge., over the world participated. I want to appreci- Sath Chit Ananda (existence, knowledge, and ate your participation in this Akhanda Gayatri bliss) is our very nature. We always want to Yagna. Once we have been initiated, we become know; we think we exist forever, and we want twice born. Then we are eligible to study the Ve- bliss because that is our very nature. So, Vid das. The four Vedas are the Rig Veda, the Yajur means knowing. The Vedas are a repository of Veda, the Sama Veda, and the Atharva Veda. knowledge. Once we have studied the Vedas, we become a Vipra. There are different titles like Dwivedi, When did the Vedas start? Knowledge has no somebody has who mastered two Vedas; Trive- beginning. Let us remember these important di, somebody who has mastered three Vedas; words. It is Anadi, which means no beginning. Chaturvedi, somebody who has mastered four There is no beginning for the Veda. Knowledge Vedas. Subsequently, the name remained but is eternal. It is called Sanathana or eternal and it these people did not really learn the Vedas. is Anantha (Anantho Vai Veda). Vedas are in- Swami in one of His discourse, related a humor- study the Vedas in depth. We can have glimpses ous story. It is about the great philosopher and andfinite. general That knowledgeis why no ofone’s the Vedas.life is Swamienough said to scholar from Germany, Max Mueller, who was that it will take many lifetimes to study all the very fond of Vedas, Upanishads, and Hindu Vedas in detail. That is why it is called Anantho scriptures. Once he happened to have an ap- Vai Veda. They have no beginning and are in- pointment with an Indian whose name was Apaurusheyas. They did not Trivedi. Max Mueller was very excited to meet a come from human beings; they are revelations person who knows three Vedas and wanted to fromfinite. the They divine. are They have come from God. That have a dialogue with him on Vedas. When he is an important thing. They are called the breath found out that this man did even know what the of God. Swami says, Vedas are the breath of the Vedas were, he was very disappointed. Some- Lord, and identify them as God. times, people like this great German person, and other Western philosophers dive deep into Vedas are also called Sruthi. Sruthi means Shra- these teachings. vana – hearing. In the old days, the only way they could transmit this knowledge was by tell- We become a once we have studied the Vipra ing people verbally. So, people heard and learnt Vedas in depth. But that does not make us the them. They heard the voice of God as it was re- ultimate Brahman. The last stage is when we vealed to them. That is why it is called Sruthi. become (Brahmin). How do we be- Brahmana Since God revealed the Vedas to them in deep come Brahmana? Not just by reading the Vedas. meditation, they are called Sruthis. They were We may be a Vedic Scholar, Vipra, but we be- 2 The Essence of Veda Chanting transmitted verbally to their disciples, and that Sections of Vedas is the second reason why it is called Sruthi. This - Sruthi Trayee or 3-part (an- ing sections: other name for Vedas). First, there were only Every Veda is further classified into the follow • Karma Kanda three Vedas also is which classified were as recognized, namely Rig rites to God for attaining health, wealth, and Veda, Yajur Veda and Sama Veda. Atharva Veda progeny. (performing rituals): sacrificial came much later. That is why in most of the scriptures, in the beginning we say ‘Trayee’ and • Upasana Kanda (worship the Lord): the these three Vedas are called ‘Trayee.’ These Ve- Bhakti path. Hymns of praise to God. das are also called Nigama and Aamanaya and • Jnana Kanda (which is Upanishads): Jnanat many other names. Gayatri is called Chandhasa eva tu kaivalya i.e. through Jnana we attain Mata (Mother of the Vedas). Chandha is related the ultimate goal of life. to the Vedas. These revelations of truth by the The same pattern was used by Lord Krishna in great sages, are called as such by the seers be- the Gita. There are 18 chapters in the Bhagavad cause they see the truth – Mantradrashtas. They Karma saw the mantras which were revealed to them. Anushtanam that means Karma Shatkam. They There are thousands of Mantras. Because of Gita. The first six chapters are called their sheer volume, one person cannot study all six chapters are called Bhakthi Shatkam, with of them because they are like a huge forest. So, it emphasisemphasise on Karma devotion; (Selfless and the service). last six Thechapters next are Jnana Shatkam, which emphasise the path needsDivine to Missionbe compiled and and the codified. Vedas of Jnana. Similarly, in all our Sathya Sai Centres, Sage Veda Vyasa who is considered the embodi- there is the same pattern. We have the Service - Wing (Karma Kanda day, there are four Vedas: have Spiritual or Devotion Wing (Upasana Kan- ment of the Lord himself, codified the Vedas. To da) and then we have; Educationselfless service), Wing with then em we- • Rig Veda – hymns on the Lord phasis on study circles, teachings of the scrip- • Yajur Veda – about the Yagnas tures, Vedas, and Swami’s teachings (Jnana • Sama Veda – songs and music Kanda). • Atharva Veda – knowledge storehouse of Divine Mission of Atharvanas Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba Each of the four Vedas has four parts: Swami’s teachings are the real Vedas of the present time.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Implicit Science in Hindu Thought Varadaraja V
    Science, Technology, and Religion V Implicit Science in Hindu Thought Varadaraja V. Raman One can find apologists from all the major religions who aim to bolster the standings of their faith by proclaiming its confluence with science. Some have even gone so far as to argue that their ancient scriptures and doctrines presage specific ideas and findings of modern science. As Imad-ad-Dean Ahmad and Martin J. Verhoeven show elsewhere in this symposium, this is a growing trend among some scholars of Islam and Buddhism. But it is also a perennial presence in the great religious tradi- tions of Judaism, Christianity, and Hinduism. From a scientific point of view these claims are untenable, as the find- ings of modern science spring from observations, insights, instruments, philosophical outlooks, and knowledge that were absent in the ancient world. But the defenders of these claims contend that the philosophers and prophets of distant ages had other means of knowing than logic, differential equations, and the spectrometer — that the scientific insights in scripture are a testament to their divine origin. Though perhaps well-meaning, such claims essentially belong to pseudoscience, not least because they are typically based more on parochialism and questionable hermeneutics than on serious scholarship. But this does not mean that the search for areas of genuine harmony between science and scripture is always misguided. There is no solid evidence that ancient prophets or religious thinkers were privy to any revealed knowledge of scientific findings in advance of their peers. But ancient thinkers did articulate many of the broad possibilities for answers to major questions that have since been, in a sense, adjudicated by science.
    [Show full text]
  • Upanishad Vahinis
    Glossary This glossary contains Sanskrit words, people, places, and literature that appear in Upanishad Vahini. Some Sanskrit words have made their way into English and appear in English dictionaries. A few of them are used without definition in the text, but they are defined in this glossary. Among them areAtma , dharma, guru, karma, yogas, and yogi. The text uses standard spellings for Sanskrit, and this glossary provides the same spellings. But some of the Sanskrit compounds have been hyphenated between their constituent words to aid those who want to analyze the meanings of individual words. When compound words are broken, individual words are given. Aagama. That which has come or originated. The primeval source of knowledge. A name for Vedas. aapo-jyoti. Splendour of water. abhasa. Appearance, superimposition of false over real. a-bhaya. Fearlessness. a-chetana. Non-intelligent, unconscious, inert, senseless. a-dharma. Evil, unjustice. adhyasa. Superimposition. adi-atma. Pertaining to the individual soul, spirit, or manifestation of supreme Brahman. adi-atmic. Pertaining to adi-atma. adi-bhauthika. Pertaining to the physical or material world; the fine spiritual aspect of material objects. adi-daivika. Pertaining to divinity or fate, e.g. natural disasters. aditya. Sun. Aditya. Son of Aditi; there were twelve of them, one of them being Surya, the sun, so Surya is sometimes called Aditya. a-dwaitha. Nondualism or monism, the Vedantic doctrine that everything is God. a-dwaithic. Of or pertaining to a-dwaitha. agni. Fire element. Agni. God of fire. Agni-Brahmana. Another word for the Section on horse sacrifice. agnihotra. Ritual of offering oblations in the holy fireplace.
    [Show full text]
  • Bhagavata Purana
    Bhagavata Purana The Bh āgavata Pur āṇa (Devanagari : भागवतपुराण ; also Śrīmad Bh āgavata Mah ā Pur āṇa, Śrīmad Bh āgavatam or Bh āgavata ) is one of Hinduism 's eighteen great Puranas (Mahapuranas , great histories).[1][2] Composed in Sanskrit and available in almost all Indian languages,[3] it promotes bhakti (devotion) to Krishna [4][5][6] integrating themes from the Advaita (monism) philosophy of Adi Shankara .[5][7][8] The Bhagavata Purana , like other puranas, discusses a wide range of topics including cosmology, genealogy, geography, mythology, legend, music, dance, yoga and culture.[5][9] As it begins, the forces of evil have won a war between the benevolent devas (deities) and evil asuras (demons) and now rule the universe. Truth re-emerges as Krishna, (called " Hari " and " Vasudeva " in the text) – first makes peace with the demons, understands them and then creatively defeats them, bringing back hope, justice, freedom and good – a cyclic theme that appears in many legends.[10] The Bhagavata Purana is a revered text in Vaishnavism , a Hindu tradition that reveres Vishnu.[11] The text presents a form of religion ( dharma ) that competes with that of the Vedas , wherein bhakti ultimately leads to self-knowledge, liberation ( moksha ) and bliss.[12] However the Bhagavata Purana asserts that the inner nature and outer form of Krishna is identical to the Vedas and that this is what rescues the world from the forces of evil.[13] An oft-quoted verse is used by some Krishna sects to assert that the text itself is Krishna in literary
    [Show full text]
  • Introduction to Vedic Knowledge
    Introduction to Vedic Knowledge first volume: The Study of Vedic Scriptures Along History by Parama Karuna Devi Copyright © 2012 Parama Karuna Devi All rights reserved. ISBN-10: 1482500361 ISBN-13: 978-1482500363 published by Jagannatha Vallabha Research Center PAVAN House, Siddha Mahavira patana, Puri 752002 Orissa Web presence: http://www.jagannathavallabha.com http://www.facebook.com/ParamaKarunaDevi http://jagannathavallabhavedicresearch.wordpress.com/ The Perception of Vedic Culture in Western History This publication originates from the need to present in a simple, clear, objective and exhaustive way, the basic information about the original Vedic knowledge, that in the course of the centuries has often been confused by colonialist propaganda, through the writings of indologists belonging to the euro-centric Christian academic system (that were bent on refuting and demolishing the vedic scriptures rather than presenting them in a positive way) and through the cultural superimposition suffered by sincere students who only had access to very indirect material, already carefully chosen and filtered by professors or commentators that were afflicted by negative prejudice. It was pope Onorius IV (1286-1287) who inaugurated in the West the study of oriental languages and precisely Hebrew, Greek and Arabic. He had studied at the University of Paris before entering the diplomatic career at the service of pope Clement IV (1265-1268), who sent him to celebrate the crowning of Charles d'Anjou as King of Sicily. After becoming pope, Onorius introduced in the University of Paris the new curriculum (Studia linguarum) aimed at building the languistic knowledge required to understand the original texts of Parama Karuna Devi the Old and New Testament and the Coranic texts, that were the theological, ethical and philosophical foundations of the scholars which in those times were not subject to the Church of Rome: Jews, orthodox Christians and Muslims.
    [Show full text]
  • INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE & 20TH INDIA CONFERENCE on Scientific Aspects of Vedic Knowledge Osfnd Kku Ds Oskkfud I{K
    ASSOC D IA L T R IO O N W KNOWLEDGE F IS NECTAR O S R IE V D EDIC STU WAVES2016 InternationalConference Scientific Aspects of Vedic Knowledge oSfnd Kku ds oSKkfud i{k BHARATIYA VIDYA BHAVAN,NEWDELHI World Association for Vedic Studies (WAVES) (A Multidisciplinary Academic Society—Tax Exempt in the US) Wider Association for Vedic Studies (WAVES) (A Multidisciplinary Academic Society, Regd. in India) in collaboration with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New Delhi WAVES 2016 12TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE & 20TH INDIA CONFERENCE on Scientific Aspects of Vedic Knowledge oSfnd Kku ds oSKkfud i{k Abstracts of Papers Edited by: Prof. Shashi Tiwari Prof. R.P. Singh General Chair, WAVES 2016 Co-Chair, WAVES 2016 Dr. Umesh K. Singh Dr. Aparna Dhir Jt. Secretary, WAVES India Jt. Secretary, WAVES India December 15-18, 2016 Venue: Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan Kasturba Gandhi Marg, New Delhi-110001 WAVES 2016 [12th International & 20th India Conference of WAVES] Organizing Committee: v Mr. Sashi Kejriwal, President, WAVES International, USA v Mr. Dhirendra Shah, Treasurer, WAVES International, USA v Prof. Bal Ram Singh, Director, INADS, Dartmouth, USA v Dr. Shashi Tiwari, General Secretary, WAVES, India v Prof. R.P.Singh, Philosophy, Jawaharlal Nehru University, India v Mr. Ravi Joshi, Member of Board, WAVES International,USA v Dr. Candace Badgett, Member of Board, WAVES International, USA v Dr. David Scharf, Member of Board, WAVES International, USA v Ms. Aditi Banerjee, Member of Board, WAVES International, USA v Dr. Ved Mitra Shukla, Delhi University, India v Mr. Ashok Pradhan, Director, Delhi Kendra, Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, India Local Committee: v Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Upanishad Vahinis
    Upanishad Vahini Stream of The Upanishads SATHYA SAI BABA Contents Upanishad Vahini 7 DEAR READER! 8 Preface for this Edition 9 Chapter I. The Upanishads 10 Study the Upanishads for higher spiritual wisdom 10 Develop purity of consciousness, moral awareness, and spiritual discrimination 11 Upanishads are the whisperings of God 11 God is the prophet of the universal spirituality of the Upanishads 13 Chapter II. Isavasya Upanishad 14 The spread of the Vedic wisdom 14 Renunciation is the pathway to liberation 14 Work without the desire for its fruits 15 See the Supreme Self in all beings and all beings in the Self 15 Renunciation leads to self-realization 16 To escape the cycle of birth-death, contemplate on Cosmic Divinity 16 Chapter III. Katha Upanishad 17 Nachiketas seeks everlasting Self-knowledge 17 Yama teaches Nachiketas the Atmic wisdom 18 The highest truth can be realised by all 18 The Atma is beyond the senses 18 Cut the tree of worldly illusion 19 The secret: learn and practise the singular Omkara 20 Chapter IV. Mundaka Upanishad 21 The transcendent and immanent aspects of Supreme Reality 21 Brahman is both the material and the instrumental cause of the world 21 Perform individual duties as well as public service activities 22 Om is the arrow and Brahman the target 22 Brahman is beyond rituals or asceticism 23 Chapter V. Mandukya Upanishad 24 The waking, dream, and sleep states are appearances imposed on the Atma 24 Transcend the mind and senses: Thuriya 24 AUM is the symbol of the Supreme Atmic Principle 24 Brahman is the cause of all causes, never an effect 25 Non-dualism is the Highest Truth 25 Attain the no-mind state with non-attachment and discrimination 26 Transcend all agitations and attachments 26 Cause-effect nexus is delusory ignorance 26 Transcend pulsating consciousness, which is the cause of creation 27 Chapter VI.
    [Show full text]
  • Laghunyasa Vedic Chant: the Heart Welcomes Healing from the Cosmos Mondays, Sept 10 – Oct 8 | 7:00 – 8:00 Pm
    Laghunyasa Vedic Chant: The Heart Welcomes Healing from the Cosmos Mondays, Sept 10 – Oct 8 | 7:00 – 8:00 pm Presented by The Heart as a Channel of Nourishment from the Cosmos Jay Coldwell, RYT-200 will The laghunyasa is a chant, many facilitate this 5-week series on thousands of years old, from the Vedic Vedic chant. culture. It places the heart in the center of the relationship between the Jay studies Vedic Chant with Linda person and the cosmos. Elements Spackman and Sonia Nelson, and within the cosmos nourish our senses, the Yoga Sutra-s with Linda abilities, structures and energies. These in turn, nourish the heart, which Spackman of the Vedic Chant pours into our eternal self, and Institute in Santa Fe, New Mexico. completing the circle, to the ultimate reality underlying all that is. While this series does not require attendance each week, the We will build this chant week-by-week material builds from week to as we: week. However, we will always • Move the body in a few gentle yoga postures to help with back review and practice material care and focus contained in previous weeks, so don’t worry if you can’t attend • Chant a Sanskrit invocation each session. • Learn the chant refrain and one verse at a time • Place the chant in context • Chant the text as a meditation Fee Use your yoga pass! • Immerse yourself in this $15 drop-in, packages available at reduced ancient practice, and the joy of cost. chanting Sanskrit, the language of the spirit, as a group.
    [Show full text]
  • Brahma Sutra
    BRAHMA SUTRA CHAPTER 1 1st Pada 1st Adikaranam to 11th Adhikaranam Sutra 1 to 31 INDEX S. No. Topic Pages Topic No Sutra No Summary 5 Introduction of Brahma Sutra 6 1 Jijnasa adhikaranam 1 a) Sutra 1 103 1 1 2 Janmady adhikaranam 2 a) Sutra 2 132 2 2 3 Sastrayonitv adhikaranam 3 a) Sutra 3 133 3 3 4 Samanvay adhikaranam 4 a) Sutra 4 204 4 4 5 Ikshatyadyadhikaranam: (Sutras 5-11) 5 a) Sutra 5 324 5 5 b) Sutra 6 353 5 6 c) Sutra 7 357 5 7 d) Sutra 8 362 5 8 e) Sutra 9 369 5 9 f) Sutra 10 372 5 10 g) Sutra 11 376 5 11 2 S. No. Topic Pages Topic No Sutra No 6 Anandamayadhikaranam: (Sutras 12-19) 6 a) Sutra 12 382 6 12 b) Sutra 13 394 6 13 c) Sutra 14 397 6 14 d) Sutra 15 407 6 15 e) Sutra 16 411 6 16 f) Sutra 17 414 6 17 g) Sutra 18 416 6 18 h) Sutra 19 425 6 19 7 Antaradhikaranam: (Sutras 20-21) 7 a) Sutra 20 436 7 20 b) Sutra 21 448 7 21 8 Akasadhikaranam : 8 a) Sutra 22 460 8 22 9 Pranadhikaranam : 9 a) Sutra 23 472 9 23 3 S. No. Topic Pages Topic No Sutra No 10 Jyotischaranadhikaranam : (Sutras 24-27) 10 a) Sutra 24 486 10 24 b) Sutra 25 508 10 25 c) Sutra 26 513 10 26 d) Sutra 27 517 10 27 11 Pratardanadhikaranam: (Sutras 28-31) 11 a) Sutra 28 526 11 28 b) Sutra 29 538 11 29 c) Sutra 30 546 11 30 d) Sutra 31 558 11 31 4 SUMMARY Brahma Sutra Bhasyam Topics - 191 Chapter – 1 Chapter – 2 Chapter – 3 Chapter – 4 Samanvaya – Avirodha – non – Sadhana – spiritual reconciliation through Phala – result contradiction practice proper interpretation Topics - 39 Topics - 47 Topics - 67 Topics 38 Sections Topics Sections Topics Sections Topics Sections Topics 1 11 1 13 1 06 1 14 2 07 2 08 2 08 2 11 3 13 3 17 3 36 3 06 4 08 4 09 4 17 4 07 5 Lecture – 01 Puja: • Gratitude to lord for completion of Upanishad course (last Chandogya Upanishad + Brihadaranyaka Upanishad).
    [Show full text]
  • Vedic Chant Teacher Training Program Has Become As Popular As Its Unique Yoga Teacher and Yoga Therapy Training Programs
    VEDIC CHANT TEACHER1 TRAINING IN THE CLASSICAL TRADITION OF T KRISHNAMACHARYA & TKV DESIKACHAR 2019-2020 INDIA BATCH ® VINIYOGA by KRISHNAMACHARYA HEALING AND YOGA FOUNDA TION KRISHNAMACHARYA HEALING & YOGA FOUNDATION | VEDIC CHANT TRAINING PROGRAM | INDIA | 2019 - 2020 2 I. INTRODUCTION The word ‘Veda’ means Knowledge. According to Indian tradition, the Veda-s which are a vast collection of hymns, were believed to be heard by ancient Indian sages when they were in a deep meditative state. Collectively they are considered the most authoritative source of Indian wisdom as they contain information on every conceivable subject from the relationship between a teacher and student to the structure of the human system, from the relevance of nature and the elements in our lives to the technical know-how necessary to build weapons, from the origin of the universe to simple social etiquette and more. Thus, the Veda-s have, for thousands of years, been the primary source of reference for living. Over the years, the vast information contained in the Veda-s was preserved and transmitted from one generation of teachers and students to the next in an oral manner. There were certain basic rules of chanting the Veda-s that had to be adhered to without compromise. It is because of the rules and pedagogy of chanting that until today, the Veda-s are chanted exactly as it was done several thousand years ago. While chanting from the Veda-s has been part of Indian culture over countless generations, there has been a growing interest in the study of Vedic Chanting internationally too in the last few decades.
    [Show full text]
  • Women in Hindu Dharma- a Tribute
    Women in Hindu Dharma- a Tribute Respected Ladies and Gentlemen1, Namaste! Women and the Divine Word:- Let me start my talk with a recitation from the Vedas2, the ‘Divinely Exhaled’ texts of Hindu Dharma – Profound thought was the pillow of her couch, Vision was the unguent for her eyes. Her wealth was the earth and Heaven, When Surya (the sun-like resplendent bride) went to meet her husband.3 Her mind was the bridal chariot, And sky was the canopy of that chariot. Orbs of light were the two steers that pulled the chariot, When Surya proceeded to her husband’s home!4 The close connection of women with divine revelation in Hinduism may be judged from the fact that of the 407 Sages associated with the revelation of Rigveda, twenty-one5 are women. Many of these mantras are quite significant for instance the hymn on the glorification of the Divine Speech.6 The very invocatory mantra7 of the Atharvaveda8 addresses divinity as a ‘Devi’ – the Goddess, who while present in waters, fulfills all our desires and hopes. In the Atharvaveda, the entire 14th book dealing with marriage, domestic issues etc., is attributed to a woman. Portions9 of other 19 books are also attributed to women sages10. 1 It is a Hindu tradition to address women before men in a group, out of reverence for the former. For instance, Hindu wedding invitations are normally addressed ‘To Mrs. and Mr. Smith’ and so on and not as ‘To Mr. And Mrs. Smith’ or as ‘ To Mr. and Mrs. John Smith’ or even as ‘To Mrs.
    [Show full text]
  • Swami Chinmayananda
    January/February 2015 Vol. 26, No.1 Swami Chinmayananda CHINMAYA MISSION SAN JOSE PUBLICATION MISSION STATEMENT To provide to individuals, from any background, the wisdom of Vedanta and practical means for spiritual growth and happiness, enabling them to become a positive contributor to the society. Chinmaya Lahari While Shiva dances, His matted locks hold the sacred river Ganga, the power and the source of all movement in life, with its waters that purify mankind and the crescent moon delicate as a new-born babe with its promise of life in all its radiance and glory. What is perhaps most significant of all in the image is the combination of this God ascetic, the solitary One, master of meditation, with the frenzied dance - the Yogi and the artist. A dancer becomes the being that he impersonates on the stage. In the dance are aroused the entire energy of body, mind, intellect and soul.. It is a complete surrender to God. While the body moves in a frenzy, like the world with its tumult, Shiva Himself, is undisturbed by the activity, depicting most wonderfully the mortal life and Divine Self. Swami Chinmayananda Art of God Symbolism CONTENTS Volume 26 No.1 January/February 2015 From The Editors Desk . 2 Chinmaya Tej Editorial Staff . 2 The Challenge Part 1 . 3 Satsang with Pujya Gurudev . 8 Maha Shivaratri 2015 . 10 Sādhanā . 16 Swami Chinmayananda's Visit to Krishnalaya . 18 Work . 20 Swaranjali Youth Choir . 21 Tapovan Prasad . 21 Chinmaya Study Groups . 22 Adult Classes at Sandeepany . 23 Shiva Abhisheka & Puja . 23 Bala Vihar/Yuva Kendra & Language Classes .
    [Show full text]
  • Bringing the Divine Down Into Man: the Building
    Bringing the Divine down into Man: the building-up of the yoga path Trazendo o Divino para Dentro do Homem: a Construção do Sistema do Yoga Das Göttliche in den Menschen bringen: Die Konstruktion des Yoga Edrisi Fernandes 1 Resumo: O autor analisa a evolução do Yoga como uma disciplina ascética, desde o tempo da absorção dos habitantes originais da ?ndia pelas tribos arianas, que ali chegaram numa época proto-histórica. Ritos austeros, práticas mágicas, exercícios de controle respiratório e atitudes ascéticas dos habitantes locais foram incorporados na metafísica e na religião Védicas, e também no Yoga pré-clássico. A descoberta do poder das práticas ascéticas e meditacionais permitiu um distanciamento progressivo dos yogis em relação a práticas religiosas externas, tais como sacrifícios realizados com a intenção de favorecer os deuses, e a um avanço paralelo da visão do Yoga como um tipo de sacrifício em si mesmo, fundamentado na associação – entendida como uma ligação ou [re]união – entre o “Self”/a Alma vivente (âtman; jivâtman) do homem e a norma eterna (sanatana dharma), o “Senhor das Criaturas” (Prajâpati), o Ser Supremo (Parameshtin; Brahman; Shiva do Shaivismo; Vishnu do Vaishnavismo), ou a força ou poder (Shakti do Shaktismo [Tantrismo]) que torna a vida possível e que mantém o cosmos. Através de uma revisão do tema do Purusha (sânscrito para “pessoa; homem”, mas também para “Homem Universal; homem-deus”) em algumas referências clássicas da literatura indiana – incluindo o Rigveda, o Atharvaveda, muitos Upanishads, porções relevantes
    [Show full text]