DOCSLIB.ORG

Mantra, Music, Transcendence, Divinity and the Human Brain

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Mantra, Music, Transcendence, Divinity and the Human Brain Mantra, Music, Transcendence, Divinity and the Human Brain Dr Dinesh Bist SFHEA London, UK Music is a fundamental attribute of the human species. Virtually every known society, throughout history has had some form of music, from the most primitive to the most advanced. In the earliest civilization’s humans were already playing such complex instruments as bone flutes, jaw harps and percussive instruments Keywords (Weinberger, 2004). Sound, Mantra, Whether we sing in tune or not, we all sing and hum; in rhythm or not, we clap Bhakti Sangeet, Music, and sway; in step or not, we all dance. It is not easy to find someone who does not Upanishads, feel this connection to music. Music also has the potential to evoke happy and Transcendence, emotional feelings and can change the mood of an individual. Divinity, Music Babies begin to respond to music while they are still in the womb. At the age of 4 Therapy, months, dissonant notes at the end of a melody will cause them to squirm and Emotions, turn away. If they like a tune, they may coo (Cromie, 2001). Feelings, Human At a very early age, this skill is developed by the music of the culture in which a Brain, Plasticity and child is raised. Every culture has their own instruments used for music and the Synchronicity. way people use them, the way people sing, the way people sound and even the way they hear and understand sounds. This exploratory study examines the origin and significance of the OM mantra, which is also known as a sacred sound, by exploring ancient Indian Vedic texts. The study also describes how Indian Rishis (Scholars) brought Tantric Buddhism, which included OM as part of numerous Mantras, to Tibet in the eighth century. The study further analyses why the Indian theological and metaphysical texts put so much emphasis on the sacred sound of OM, and examines how and why the sacred sound of OM became the basis of Indian devotional Sangita and Classical Music. The study further explores the link between music, transcendence, divinity and the human brain, in order to understand whether we all have this built-in biological circuitry that is only active in those practicing, or it is a biological accident. Corresponding author: Dr. Dinesh Bist Email address for the corresponding author: [email protected] Personal Experience and Motivation for the Study Like billions of people, I am not a trained singer but I do like listening to music. I was not able to sing until April 2017, when at a family gathering, I was given a Karaoke. While signing that night I felt that sound or words were flowing through my throat smoothly although, at time, not in a rhythm. I couldn’t believe myself but I was happy. Next week, I bought a Karaoke machine and since then I sing whenever I get time. 1 I understand the changes in my throat were due to energy activation in my body when I was recouping health through walking in the forest/woods. To understand this, please read my paper “Exploring the potential of Human Body and Brain to Synchronise with Earth Electromagnetic Resonance and Schumann Resonance” published in the International Journal of Hinduism & Philosophy (Bist, 2019). The paper is also available at http://bgrfuk.org/. The main aim of writing this paper is to make readers aware of the potential of human body and brain and the role music plays in changing our brain and body, which can improve our quality of life. It seems to me that the ancient scholars in India were well aware of this phenomenon. Literature Review Mantra – An ancient Indian Perspective A mantra (Sanskrit - मन्त्र) is a sacred or spiritual sound, a syllable, word or phoneme, or a group of words in Sanskrit that is believed to provide psychological or spiritual powers to the practitioners. The original application of Mantra appears in the oldest literature of Aryan or Indo-Iranians as either Mantra in Sanskrit (Vedas) or Manthra in Old Persian (Avesta). The earliest mantras composed in Vedic Sanskrit in India are at least 5000 years old. In Hinduism, mantras are a linguistic unit comprised of a syllable, word, or series of syllables or words in the Sanskrit language that functions as a transformative instrument of thought, speech, or action, especially when uttered during a ritual. Mantras have been used in the religious and semi-religious functions by people following Hindu tradition. Within the Hindu tradition mantras are used for several purposes, such as offering praises to deities, thanking deities, invoking a spirit presence, recalling a mythic narrative, installing a deity, inaugurating a temple, consecrating a sacred shrine, performing transition in life stage, and direct offering to the ancestors (Beck, 2009). It is believed that without Mantra one is unable to complete any spiritual practice in Hinduism. Without Mantra, there is no sacrifice, and without OM there is no Mantra. OM -Mantra OM is an ancient mantra which occupies a primary position in the Indian mythological, ritual and musical texts, and retains a prominent role in Hinduism, especially in devotion. The syllable OM is also known as AUM. Several videos on YouTube are available on the correct pronunciation of OM. In the Hindu tradition, the sound of OM is said to contain the entire universe. It is the first sound from the beginning of time, and it also encompasses the present and the future. Ancient scholars believed that everything in the universe is pulsating and vibrating (Dudeja, 2017), nothing is really standing still. According to the Tantric scholar Andre Padoux (1981: 357), ‘The cosmic process and the human process of word, sound, or speech are parallel and homologous”. It is interesting to note that the astrophysicists have now detected echoes of the Big Bang that happened at the beginning of time. And this sound they have detected is a humming sound, very much like that of the OM. The word OM, when chanted, vibrates at the frequency of 136.1 Hz, which is the same vibrational frequency found throughout everything in nature. Interestingly, it is also the frequency of the 32nd Octave of the Earth Year. I believe for that reason, OM is said to be the original, primordial tone of the universe, in other words, the original sound of creation. The table below provide the illustration. 2 Time Period (T) of one rotation of earth round the sun = 365.256 days x 24 hrs/day x 60 min/hr x 60 sec/min = 31558118.4 sec So, the frequency (f) of earth year = 1/T = 3.168757 x 10-8 Hz. If we multiply this with 32nd octave, that is with 4294967296 (=232), we get = 136.1 Hz = frequency of the sound ‘OM’. [Adapted from Dudeja, 2017] Readers may like to listen to the OM sound at: https://www.planetware.de/audio/04-13610erdjahr.mp3 OM prefaces the most sacred Mantra of Vedic and Hindu religion, the Gayatri Mantra ‘OM Bhur Bhuvah Svah…, which petitions the power of the sun to illuminate the mind (Beck, 1994). Fig. 1 - Impact of Gayatri Mantra on Human Brain and Body [Adapted from: https://vedicfeed.com/gayatri-mantra-meaning-significance-and-benefits/] There are several studies (Sharma, 2011; Thomas and Shobini 2018; Dudeja, 2017) that highlight the benefits of chanting Gayatri Mantra. The syllables of Gayatri Mantra are uttered using different parts of the mouth, such as throat (larynx), tongue, teeth, lips and the root of the tongue. During speech, the nerve fibers of the particular parts of the mouth from which sound emits stretch up to various parts of the body and exert pressure on the corresponding glands. There are various large, small, visible and invisible glands in the body. Uttering of different words has its impact on different glands and by such impact the energy of these glands is stimulated. The twenty-four letters in Gayatri-Mantra is related to twenty-four such glands located in the body which, on being stimulated, activate and awaken the powers of mind for righteous wisdom (satva guna). 3 The Mantra is, therefore, a kind of verbal device or formula for “Mental or Brain” transformation. As verbal devices, Mantra corresponds to objective reality, such as visual objects, only in the form of a sound. There are numerous Mantras in Hinduism; however, of all the mantras, OM is considered the source (Mula-Basis) mantra. It is the highest and the purest, i.e. Brahman (God) himself in the word form (Sabda Brahma). It is also known as mantra Purusha (God as mantra) Pranava (Life supporting mantra) and Taraka (secret), having potency to divinise and purify all other verbal expression and word forms. For that reason, before any ritual act, the intonation of a sacred sound in the form of Mantra was necessary to infuse the divine power and purity. Although OM originates in Hinduism, it is also found in Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and several South East Asian countries. Buddhism “Om mani padme hum”. Sikhism Ik Onkar Jainism “Om Namah” is used like a short form to the Navkar Mantra, which is the most significant mantra in Jainism. Thailand/Malaysia/Indonesia Unalom or Aum in Thailand. It has been a part of various flags and official emblems. Cambodia The Cambodian official seal has similarly incorporated the Aum symbol Japan Aum is symbolically represented by Niō (仁王) Chinese In Chinese Buddhism, Om is often transliterated 唵 嗡 as the Chinese character (pinyin ǎn) or (pinyin wēng) Table 2: OM in other Religion and Countries OM permeates the Tantric Buddhist traditions of Tibet and Japan, where it is known as Vajrayana and Shingon, respectively.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Tapas in the Rg Veda
    TAPAS IN THE ---RG VEDA TAPAS IN THE RG VEDA By ANTHONY L. MURUOCK, B.A. A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Arts McMaster University April 1983 MASTER OF ARTS (1983) McMaster University (Religious Studies) Hamilton, Ontario TITLE: Tapas in the fuL Veda AUTHOR: Anthony L. Murdock, B.A. (York University) SUPERVISORS: Professor D. Kinsley Professor P. Younger Professor P. Granoff NUMBER OF PAGES: v, 95 ii ABSTRACT It is my contention in this thesis that the term tapas means heat, and heat only, in the Bi[ Veda. Many reputable scholars have suggested that tapas refers to asceticism in several instances in the RV. I propose that these suggestions are in fact unnecessary. To determine the exact meaning of tapas in its many occurrences in the RV, I have given primary attention to those contexts (i.e. hymns) in which the meaning of tapas is absolutely unambiguous. I then proceed with this meaning in mind to more ambiguous instances. In those instances where the meaning of tapas is unambiguous it always refers to some kind of heat, and never to asceticism. Since there are unambiguous cases where ~apas means heat in the RV, and there are no unambiguous instances in the RV where tapas means asceticism, it only seems natural to assume that tapas means heat in all instances. The various occurrences of tapas as heat are organized in a new system of contextual classifications to demonstrate that tapas as heat still has a variety of functions and usages in the RV.
    [Show full text]
  • A Study of the Early Vedic Age in Ancient India
    Journal of Arts and Culture ISSN: 0976-9862 & E-ISSN: 0976-9870, Volume 3, Issue 3, 2012, pp.-129-132. Available online at http://www.bioinfo.in/contents.php?id=53. A STUDY OF THE EARLY VEDIC AGE IN ANCIENT INDIA FASALE M.K.* Department of Histroy, Abasaheb Kakade Arts College, Bodhegaon, Shevgaon- 414 502, MS, India *Corresponding Author: Email- [email protected] Received: December 04, 2012; Accepted: December 20, 2012 Abstract- The Vedic period (or Vedic age) was a period in history during which the Vedas, the oldest scriptures of Hinduism, were composed. The time span of the period is uncertain. Philological and linguistic evidence indicates that the Rigveda, the oldest of the Vedas, was com- posed roughly between 1700 and 1100 BCE, also referred to as the early Vedic period. The end of the period is commonly estimated to have occurred about 500 BCE, and 150 BCE has been suggested as a terminus ante quem for all Vedic Sanskrit literature. Transmission of texts in the Vedic period was by oral tradition alone, and a literary tradition set in only in post-Vedic times. Despite the difficulties in dating the period, the Vedas can safely be assumed to be several thousands of years old. The associated culture, sometimes referred to as Vedic civilization, was probably centred early on in the northern and northwestern parts of the Indian subcontinent, but has now spread and constitutes the basis of contemporary Indian culture. After the end of the Vedic period, the Mahajanapadas period in turn gave way to the Maurya Empire (from ca.
    [Show full text]
  • Gāyatrī Mantra and Mother of the Vedas
    Dissertation Proposal Gāyatrī Mantra and Mother of the Vedas by Dominik Haas, BA MA University of Vienna June 2019 Supervisor: Mag. Dr. Marion Rastelli DOI 10.25365/phaidra.103 Creative Commons License CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 Contents I Background........................................................................................ 3 Current State of Research ................................................................. 7 II Specific Aims...................................................................................... 12 Sources ............................................................................................ 12 III Research Methods ............................................................................... 17 Hypotheses ...................................................................................... 17 Research Questions........................................................................... 19 IV Work Procedure and Timetable.............................................................. 22 Timetable......................................................................................... 22 V Select Bibliography.............................................................................. 23 Abstract The short mantra popularly called Gāyatrī or Sāvitrī certainly belongs tothemost frequently used and reused texts of mankind. In the course of time it even came to be venerated as a goddess itself. The aim of this study is (1.) to investigate howthe mantra gained prominence as a religious text, (2.) how it was deified
    [Show full text]
  • Baghawat Geeta, Class 138: Chapter 10, Verses 33 –
    Baghawat Geeta, Class 138: Chapter 10, Verses 33 – 35 Shloka # 33: अक्षराणामकारोऽस्िम द्वन्द्वः सामािसकस्य च। अहमेवाक्षयः कालो धाताऽहं िवश्वतोमुखः।।10.33।। Aksaranam, of the letters; I am the akarah, letter a. Samasikasya, of the group of compound words, I am the compund (called) Dvandva. Besides, aham eva, I Myself; am the aksayah, infinite, endless; kalah, time, well known as ‘moment’ etc.; or, I am the supreme God who is Kala (Time, the measurer) even of time. I am the dhata, Dispenser, the dispenser of the fruits of actions of the whole world, visvatomukhah, with faces everywhere. Akshara: Continuing his teaching, Swamiji said, we are seeing Sri Krishna continue enumeration of the glories of Ishwara. In Shloka # 33, he said that among Aksharas I am Aa. Sarasvati Devi is in the form of Alphabetic letters. Even among all letters Aa is most sacred. It is sacred because it is a basic letter that emerges from our mouth without doing anything to the mouth. Thus sounds such as E, U come about by some modification to the mouth whereas Aa is an effortless sound of the mouth. Akara is also a flexible sound that can be modified into other alphabets. Hence Aa kara is considered Karana aksharam, causal sound, while all other alphabets are considered Karya Aksharam, the effect. Vedas say that A Kara manifests as all other letters. It says all letters are a modification of Aa. In our tradition every alphabet has a presiding deity. The presiding deity of Aa is Brahmaji, the Creator of the world.
    [Show full text]
  • Celibacy.Pdf
    Publisher : Mr. Ajit C. Patel LMMMMMMNO Mahavideh Foundation 5, Mamatapark Society, O B/h. Navgujarat College, O Usmanpura, Ahmedabad-380014 O Tel. : (079) 27543979 O Brahmcharya : O All Rights Reserved - Dr. Niruben Amin O ©: Trimandir, Simandhar City, P.O.-Adalaj-382421, O Celibacy Dist.:Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India Attained With Understanding O O First Edition : 2000 copies, March, 2005 O Second Edition : 2000 copies, Nov., 2006 O - Gnani Purush Dadashri O O Price : Ultimate Humility & O "I Don't Know Anything" O Rs. 20.00 O O Editor : Dr. Niruben Amin O Printer : Mahavideh Foundation Basement, Parshwanath Chambers, O Near R.B.I., Usmanpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. QRRRRRRS Tel. : (079) 27542964, 27540216 Publisher : Mr. Ajit C. Patel LMMMMMMNO Mahavideh Foundation 5, Mamatapark Society, O B/h. Navgujarat College, O Usmanpura, Ahmedabad-380014 O Tel. : (079) 27543979 O Brahmcharya : O All Rights Reserved - Dr. Niruben Amin O ©: Trimandir, Simandhar City, P.O.-Adalaj-382421, O Celibacy Dist.:Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India Attained With Understanding O O First Edition : 2000 copies, March, 2005 O Second Edition : 2000 copies, Nov., 2006 O - Gnani Purush Dadashri O O Price : Ultimate Humility & O "I Don't Know Anything" O Rs. 20.00 O O Editor : Dr. Niruben Amin O Printer : Mahavideh Foundation Basement, Parshwanath Chambers, O Near R.B.I., Usmanpura, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. QRRRRRRS Tel. : (079) 27542964, 27540216 Trimantra Introduction to The 'Gnani Purush' (The Three Mantras) On a June evening in 1958 at around six o’clock, Ambalal Namo Arihantanam Muljibhai Patel, a family man, a contractor by profession, was I bow to the Lord who has annihilated all the inner sitting on a bench on the busy platform number 3 of Surat’s enemies of anger, pride, attachment and greed.
    [Show full text]
  • Reports on Yamas and Niyamas
    REPORTS ON YAMAS AND NIYAMAS Every year, students undergoing the 6 month Sadhana and teachers training are given assignments on one of he five Yamas and five Niyamas. This year during November 2009, Laura Biagi has compiled and presented this excellent work on the twins of Brahmacharya and Saucha. Excellent work from an excellent student!!- Editor REPORTS ON YAMAS AND NIYAMAS YAMAS: BRAHAMACHARYA Laura Biagi Generally translated as “restrain of sexuality”, this Yama – while involving the awareness and control of sexual energy – is not limited to sexuality as we understand it in the West. In Yoga 1 to 10, Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani writes that Brahmacharya is “the continuous residence in the principle of creativity”. The first step to take in this analysis and understanding is the relationship between the principle of creativity and the principle of sexual energy. Yamas are tools to control our animal nature and to progress in our human evolution. Let’s look at the evolutionary steps we took from being animals to being humans in relation to our sexuality. Animals use their sexual energy to pro- create . The procreative instinct is very strong in animals. It is vital ( vital comes from the Latin vita , life). Animals spend quite some time and energy mating, coupling, procreating, making a new nest, taking care of the young and so on. Animals have quite different habits in the way they use their sexual energy, too. As humans, we are still carrying with us some of the instincts and emotions of animals: most of us have probably felt one time or another a sexual attraction or repulsion, a sexual arousal, attachment to a mate, fear or loosing the mate, desire to find a mate, jealousy, passion, and so on.
    [Show full text]
  • DHYANA VAHINI Stream of Meditation
    DHYANA VAHINI Stream of Meditation SATHYA SAI BABA Contents Dhyana Vahini 5 Publisher’s Note 6 PREFACE 7 Chapter I. The Power of Meditation 10 Binding actions and liberating actions 10 Taming the mind and the intelligence 11 One-pointedness and concentration 11 The value of chanting the divine name and meditation 12 The method of meditation 12 Chapter II. Chanting God’s Name and Meditation 14 Gauge meditation by its inner impact 14 The three paths of meditation 15 The need for bodily and mental training 15 Everyone has the right to spiritual success 16 Chapter III. The Goal of Meditation 18 Control the temper of the mind 18 Concentration and one-pointedness are the keys 18 Yearn for the right thing! 18 Reaching the goal through meditation 19 Gain inward vision 20 Chapter IV. Promote the Welfare of All Beings 21 Eschew the tenfold “sins” 21 Be unaffected by illusion 21 First, good qualities; later, the absence of qualities 21 The placid, calm, unruffled character wins out 22 Meditation is the basis of spiritual experience 23 Chapter V. Cultivate the Blissful Atmic Experience 24 The primary qualifications 24 Lead a dharmic life 24 The eight gates 25 Wish versus will 25 Take it step by step 25 No past or future 26 Clean and feed the mind 26 Chapter VI. Meditation Reveals the Eternal and the Non-Eternal 27 The Lord’s grace is needed to cross the sea 27 Why worry over short-lived attachments? 27 We are actors in the Lord’s play 29 Chapter VII.
    [Show full text]
  • WORD! Mantras & Their Meanings
    WORD! - Mantras & their Meanings - with True THE MANTRAS THAT TUNE US IN ONG The original sound (akin to Om and Aum). The infinite creative energy of the cosmos and consciousness of the Creator as experienced in the creation. Complete totality. ONG NAMO GURU DEV NAMO (Adi Mantra) An ancient yogic mantra that connects you to the Golden Chain, allowing “self” to dissolve so you can serve that flow of divine wisdom/energy. Ong = creative energy of the cosmos & consciousness of the Creator Namo = to bow or to call on, with respect & receptivity Guru = wisdom/teacher; that which brings us from darkness/ignorance (Gu) into light/knowledge (Ru) Dev = divine, belonging to the realms of God Ong Namo = I bow before the great cosmos/Creator Guru Dev Namo = I bow to the divine wisdom within me ONG SOHUNG Recognition that we are each a part of the Creative Consciousness. Chanting this mantra stimulates and opens the Heart Chakra. Ong = infinite creative consciousness Sohung = “I am thou” AAD GURAY NAMEH JUGAAD GURAY NAMEH SAT GURAY NAMEH SIRI GURU DEV-AY NAMEH A mantra of protection; recited to invoke the protective energy of the universe. I bow to the primal wisdom (or Guru) I bow to the truth that has existed throughout the ages I bow to the True wisdom. I bow to the great Divine wisdom HAR A bij (seed) mantra that represents the Infinite in its creative form. Associated with the earth element. Tangible. Personal. God / Creative Infinity / Creation in action Har, Haray, Hari = three aspects of Har unto the infinite: seed, flow, completion WAHE GURU (Gurmantra) A mantra of the infinity of ecstasy and dwelling in God.
    [Show full text]
  • The Secrets of Shiva
    Dr. Shuddhananda Bharati The Secrets of Shiva ASSA Editions Editor’s Notes The Secrets of Shiva A gorgeous presentation written by Shud - dhananda Bharati on Shiva, unquestioned deity of human knowledge. Lord Shiva has the gift and power to unite us to his spiritual strength, cleanse our past, to teach us and guide us in our evolu - tion and personal development. His creative and destructive energy of the ego leads us into the light. As the alchemist according to our progress, He heals our wounds, removes our worries and sows in us the joy and happiness of being, while leading us in our inner quest for the divine in us. He offers us the chance to find out. In this book, I would also like to introduce you to two great personalities of ancient India. Firstly, it is Muthuswamy Dikshitar, blessed by Lord Muruga, he was an ocean of music – a rare musician. He was the - 7- Natha Jyothi who got grace of Goddess Shakti and gave birth to innumerable godly songs. It is 178 years since Dikshitar breathed his last on a Diwali Day and mingled in Natha Jyothi. All Sangeetha Vidvans (musicians) must celebrate the Diwali fes - tival, especially Dikshitar Day; his keerthanas must be sung in every house - hold. I express our thanks to Yogi Shud - dhananda Bharati who wrote this small work on the history of Dikshitar. Secondly, it is Dayananda. In his small work titled Rishi Dayananda, the author speaks about the history of the Father of Navbarath Dayananda and the principles of Arya Samaj in brief.
    [Show full text]
  • The Hundred Syllable Vajrasattva Mantra
    The Hundred Syllable Vajrasattva Mantra. Dharmacārī Jayarava1 The Sanskrit version of the one hundred syllable Vajrasattva mantra in the Puja Book of the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order (the FWBO) follows the edited text produced by Dharmacārin and Sanskritist Sthiramati (aka Dr. Andrew Skilton) in his article: The Vajrasattva Mantra: Notes on a Corrected Sanskrit Text. Sthiramati‟s original brief was to provide diacritical marks so that the Sanskrit words were spelled correctly. However he went beyond the scope of merely providing proper diacritics to discuss problems with the structure and spelling of the mantra after consulting a number of printed books and manuscripts in a variety of scripts and languages. Since the edited version produced by Sthiramati was adopted some 19 years ago, the problems with the older version used before that are less relevant to members of the Western Buddhist Order (WBO) except in one case which I discuss below.2 In this article I will offer a summary of the salient points of Sthiramati‟s lexical and grammatical analysis, along with my own glosses of the Sanskrit. By this means, I hope to create an annotated translation that lays open the Sanskrit to anyone who is interested. Sthiramati‟s interpretation differs in some important respects from the traditional Tibetan one, but does so in ways that help to make sense of the Sanskrit - for instance in several cases he suggests breaking a sandhi 3 one letter along in order to create a straightforward Sanskrit sentence that was otherwise obscured. In the second part of the article I will address the problem of errors in transmission and how these might have come about in the case of this mantra.
    [Show full text]
  • Proto-Indo-European Roots of the Vedic Aryans
    3 (2016) Miscellaneous 1: A-V Proto-Indo-European Roots of the Vedic Aryans TRAVIS D. WEBSTER Center for Traditional Vedanta, USA © 2016 Ruhr-Universität Bochum Entangled Religions 3 (2016) ISSN 2363-6696 http://dx.doi.org/10.13154/er.v3.2016.A–V Proto-Indo-European Roots of the Vedic Aryans Proto-Indo-European Roots of the Vedic Aryans TRAVIS D. WEBSTER Center for Traditional Vedanta ABSTRACT Recent archaeological evidence and the comparative method of Indo-European historical linguistics now make it possible to reconstruct the Aryan migrations into India, two separate diffusions of which merge with elements of Harappan religion in Asko Parpola’s The Roots of Hinduism: The Early Aryans and the Indus Civilization (NY: Oxford University Press, 2015). This review of Parpola’s work emphasizes the acculturation of Rigvedic and Atharvavedic traditions as represented in the depiction of Vedic rites and worship of Indra and the Aśvins (Nāsatya). After identifying archaeological cultures prior to the breakup of Proto-Indo-European linguistic unity and demarcating the two branches of the Proto-Aryan community, the role of the Vrātyas leads back to mutual encounters with the Iranian Dāsas. KEY WORDS Asko Parpola; Aryan migrations; Vedic religion; Hinduism Introduction Despite the triumph of the world-religions paradigm from the late nineteenth century onwards, the fact remains that Indologists require more precise taxonomic nomenclature to make sense of their data. Although the Vedas are widely portrayed as the ‘Hindu scriptures’ and are indeed upheld as the sole arbiter of scriptural authority among Brahmins, for instance, the Vedic hymns actually play a very minor role in contemporary Indian religion.
    [Show full text]
  • Covid-19 and Multilateralism
    COVID-19 AND MULTILATERALISM A REPORT BY THE ADI SHAIVITE MINORITY TRADITION (ASMT) HINDU COMMUNITY KAILASH UNION JUNE 2021 Introduction I. Key obstacles 1. Globalization of disease1 has led the world to be only as resilient as the least resilient country and person2, especially for highly contagious COVID-19 which has spread with scale and severity not seen since Spanish flu3. The variants of the virus (such as B.1.617.2 Delta4, Delta Plus, Epsilon, Gamma5) continue to threaten even those vaccinated. Secondary diseases such as black fungus are targeting COVID patients6 and killing almost one in two persons in such cases7. 2. Distorted policy decisions and conflicting principles can lead to polarizations amongst nations and within, leading to various extremes such as – the hoarding of vaccines8 in some places, the wastage of vaccines9 in others, and an unaddressed shortage of vaccines globally10. 3. The pandemic has exposed the fragility11 of the global system. The disruption in the supply chain is especially worrisome for essential food supplies12 which disproportionately affects the already most vulnerable even more. 4. Lockdowns have brought the global economy into crisis13 bringing recessions14 and worsening unemployment rates15. Frequent lockdowns and the ongoing threat of famine16, especially in countries where employment is predominantly informal, are exacerbating worries that 1 Webb, J. (2015). Globalization of disease, 1300 to 1900. In J. Bentley, S. Subrahmanyam, & M. Wiesner-Hanks (Eds.), The Cambridge World History (The Cambridge World History, pp. 54-75). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. doi:10.1017/CBO9781139194594.004 2 Marc Fleurbaey (2020), We are all in this together? More than you think, 6 April 3 (i) "Pandemic Influenza Risk Management WHO Interim Guidance" (PDF).
    [Show full text]