DOCSLIB.ORG

Hindu Scriptures

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Hindu Scriptures HHinduindu SScripturescriptures AAncientncient holyholy textstexts rrevealedevealed byby GodGod andand manman ATI O C N U A D L E I N S S T I G H TThehe WWord,ord, vverily,erily, iiss ggreaterreater tthanhan nname.ame. TThehe WWord,ord, iinn ffact,act, mmakesakes TThanhan wwhomhom therethere isis naughtnaught eelselse hhigher,igher, kknownnown tthehe RRigig VVedaeda, tthehe YYajurajur VVeda,eda, tthehe SSamaama VVedaeda, tthehe AAtharvatharva tthanhan wwhomhom therethere isis naughtnaught ssmaller,maller, VVedaeda aass tthehe ffourth,ourth, aandnd tthehe aancientncient lloreore aass tthehe fi ffth:th: tthehe VVedaeda nnaughtaught ggreater,reater, tthehe OOnene sstandstands llikeike ooff VVedas,edas, tthehe rritualitual fforor aancestors,ncestors, ccalculus,alculus, thethe auguralaugural ssciences,ciences, a ttreeree eestablishedstablished iinn hheaven.eaven. BByy HHim,im, tthehe kknowledgenowledge ooff tthehe ssignsigns ooff tthehe ttimes,imes, eethics,thics, ppoliticalolitical sscience,cience, tthehe PPerson,erson, iiss tthishis wwholehole uuniverseniverse fi llled.led. ssacredacred kknowledge,nowledge, ttheology,heology, kknowledgenowledge ooff tthehe sspirits,pirits, mmilitaryilitary Krishna Yajur Veda, Shvetashvatara sscience,cience, aastrology,strology, tthehe ssciencecience ooff ssnakesnakes aandnd ooff ccelestialelestial bbeings.eings. Upanishad 3.9, The Principal Upanishads, Radhakrishnan, p. 727 Sama Veda, Chandogya Upanishad 7.2.1. The Vedic Experience, Panikkar, p. 111 july/august/september, 2006 hinduism today I-1 PPresentingresenting a mountaintopmountaintop viewview ooff tthehe vvastast llibraryibrary ofof wisdomwisdom thatthat mmoldsolds aandnd influencesinfluences HinduHindu lifelife WWhathat AArere induism proudly embraces an incredibly HHinduindu RRevealedevealed rich collection of scripture. The holiest and Hmost revered are the Vedas and Agamas, SScriptures?criptures? two massive compendia of shruti (that which is “heard”), both revealed by God to illumined sages The Vedas and Agamas, revealed centuries and millennia ago. The array of works by God, are Hinduism’s sovereign known as smriti (that which is “remembered”) scriptures, called shruti, “that is equally vast, the most prominent and widely which is heard.” Their timeless celebrated of which are the Itihasas (epic dramas truths are expressed in the most and history)—the Ramayana, Mahabharata—and the Puranas (mythology). The Vedic arts and sci- extraordinarily profound mystical ences, including ayurveda, astrology, music, dance, poetry known to man. Aum. architecture, statecraft, domestic duty and law, are reflected in an assembly of texts known as Ve- dangas and Upavedas. Moreover, through the ages God-realized souls, sharing their experience, have poured forth volume upon volume that reveal the art by s. rajam photo, thomas kelly background wonders of yoga and offer passionate hymns of de- votion. The creation of Hindu scripture continues to this day, as contemporary masters reiterate the Above, God holds the holiest of scriptures, the Vedas and timeless truths to guide souls on the path to Divin- Agamas. Around these are an array of other scriptures, ity. In this Educational Insight, we offer a simple enscribed on stone, wood, pillars and scrolls. At left, we dia see a copy of the Rig Veda Samhita. In the dimmed back- overview of Hindu scripture and an anthology of no verses from this luminous library of dharma. dinodiadino d ground, lamps are off ered, as prescribed in the Agamas, by priests at Nallur Kandaswamy Temple in Sri Lanka. eda, from vid, “to know,” means “supreme written down in Sanskrit in the last few millennia. wisdom or science.” Similarly, Agama, The subtly symbolic language of shruti, the cher- V which names the sacred sectarian revela- ished word of God, is lyrical and lofty. In imparting dinodia tions, means “descent of knowledge.” The Vedas religious practice, rules and doctrine, the Vedas are and Agamas are eternal truths transmitted by general and the Agamas specific. The Vedas extol The stack of books at left holds one bound volume from TThehe mmanan wwhoho rrejectsejects tthehe wwordsords ooff tthehe sscripturescriptures God through great clairaudient and clairvoyant and invoke a multiplicity of Gods through elabo- each of the four Vedas in the Sanskrit language. For cen- aandnd ffollowsollows tthehe iimpulsempulse ooff ddesireesire aattainsttains nneithereither turies they have been the basis of philosophical discussion, rishis. They are Hinduism’s primary and most au- rate fire rituals called yajna. The Agamas center hhisis pperfection,erfection, nnoror jjoy,oy, nnoror tthehe PPathath SSupreme.upreme. LLetet study and commentary. The Vedas are also the subject of thoritative scriptures, expounding life’s sacredness around a single Deity and His worship with wa- tthehe sscripturescriptures bbe,e, ttherefore,herefore, tthyhy aauthorityuthority aass ttoo deep study and meditation, to realize the wisdom of the and man’s purpose on the planet. These psalms ter, flowers and lights in sanctified temples and wwhathat iiss rrightight aandnd wwhathat iiss nnotot rright.ight. ancients within oneself. Their mantras are chanted and of wisdom were disclosed over many centuries, shrines. The lauds, “Two are the Bhagavad Gita 16.23-24, Mascaro, p. 111 Tirumantiram used in rites of worship, prayer and japa. memorized and orally conveyed from generation scriptures that Lord Siva revealed—the primal Ve- to generation within priestly families, then finally das and the perfect Agamas.” Aum Namah Sivaya. © 2006 by Himalayan Academy, 107 Kaholalele Road, Kapaa, Hawaii 96746 To order additional copies of this booklet, as well as other Educational Insights, visit wwww.himalayanacademy.com/teachingtoolsww.himalayanacademy.com/teachingtools july/august/september, 2006 hinduism today I-3 WWhathat IIss thethe HHowow AreAre thethe NNatureature ooff thethe VVedasedas SigniSignifi cantcant VVedaeda TTexts?exts? TToday?oday? The holy Vedas, man’s oldest The Vedas, the ultimate scriptural scripture, dating back 6,000 authority, permeate Hinduism’s to 8,000 years, are a collection thought, ritual and meditation. of four books: the Rig, Sama, They open a rare window Yajur and Atharva. Each into ancient Bharata society, has four sections: hymns, proclaiming life’s sacredness and rites, interpretation and the way to oneness with God. Aum. philosophical instruction. Aum. reuters/raj patidar reuters/raj patidar chowdhury afp photo/deshakalyan background: art by s. rajam photo, hinduism today background kash pra Above, using the traditional elutani, stylus, a pandit Above, a young Smarta priest conducts a fi re ceremony, scribes memorized Vedic verses on dried palm leaves. ndra havana, as decreed in the Vedas. At left, a Vaishnava elly jite For centuries the Vedas were passed on orally, then / priest blows a conch horn during prayers in Allahabad. as k k fi nally transcribed. Left, a devotee leafs through his ers/ Background photo, at Manikarnika Ghat in Varanasi, a hom thom t reuters/jitendra prakashreut reu thomas kelly holy text as he performs his morning sadhana. priest performs antyeshti, the cremation ritual, last in the series of rites of passage prescribed in the Vedas. he oldest and core portions of the the Rig, whereas most of the Atharva Samhita’s ike the taoist tao te ching, the bud- All Hindus wholeheartedly accept the Vedas, yet Vedas are the four Samhitas, “hymn collec- nearly 6,000 verses of prayers, charms and rites are dhist Dhammapada, the Sikh Adi Granth, each draws selectively, interprets freely and ampli- Ttions.” They consist of invocations to the One unique. The Sama is arranged for melodious chant- Lthe Jewish Torah, the Christian Bible and fies abundantly. Over time, this tolerant allegiance Divine and the Divinities of nature—such as the ing, the Yajur for cadenced intonation. Besides its the Muslim Koran, the Veda is the Hindu holy book. has woven the varied tapestry of Bharata Dharma. Sun, the Rain, the Wind, the Fire and the Dawn— Samhita, each Veda includes one or two Brahma- For untold centuries unto today, it has remained the Today the Vedas are published in Sanskrit, English, as well as prayers for matrimony, progeny, pros- nas, ceremonial handbooks, and Aranyakas, ritual sustaining force and authoritative doctrine, guiding French, German and other languages. But it is the perity, concord, domestic rites, formulas for magic, interpretations, plus many inestimable Upanishads, followers in ways of worship, duty and enlighten- metaphysical and popular Upanishads which have and more. They are composed in beautiful metrical metaphysical dialogs. In all there are over 100,000 ment—upasana, dharma and jnana. The Vedas are been most amply and ably translated. The Vedas verses, generally of three or four lines. The heart Vedic verses, and some prose, in dozens of texts. the meditative and philosophical focus for millions say, “Just as the spokes are affixed to the hub of of the entire Veda is the 10,552-verse Rig Samhita. The Tirumantiram confirms, “There is no dharma of monks and a billion seekers. Their stanzas are a wheel, so are all things established in life, the The Sama and Yajur Samhitas, each with about other than what the Vedas say. Dharma’s central chanted from memory by priests and laymen daily Rig and Yajur and Sama Veda, sacrifice, the nobil- 2,000 verses, are mainly liturgical selections from core the Vedas proclaim.” Aum Namah Sivaya. as liturgy in temple worship and domestic ritual. ity and also the priesthood.” Aum Namah
Load more

Recommended publications
  • 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]
  • Interpreting the UPANISHADS
    Interpreting the UPANISHADS ANANDA WOOD Modified version 2003 Copyright 1996 by Ananda Wood Published by: Ananda Wood 1A Ashoka 3 Naylor Road Pune 411 001 India Phone (020) 612 0737 Email [email protected] Contents Preface . v ‘This’ and ‘that’ . 1 Consciousness . 6 Consciousness and perception . 11 Creation Underlying reality . 21 Cosmology and experience . 23 Creation from self . 26 The seed of creation . 27 Light from the seed . 29 The basis of experience . 30 Creation through personality . 35 Waking from deep sleep . 48 The creation of appearances . 51 Change and continuity Movement . 59 The continuing background . 60 Objective and subjective . 67 Unchanging self . 68 Continuity . 75 Life Energy . 81 Expression . 82 Learning . 84 The living principle . 89 The impersonal basis of personality ‘Human-ness’ . 93 Universal and individual . 96 Inner light . 103 Underlying consciousness . 104 The unborn source . 108 The unmoved mover . 112 One’s own self . 116 The ‘I’-principle . 117 iv Contents Self Turning back in . 119 Unbodied light . 120 The self in everyone . 135 The rider in a chariot . 138 The enjoyer and the witness . 141 Cleansing the ego . 144 Detachment and non-duality . 146 Happiness Value . 152 Outward desire . 153 Kinds of happiness . 154 One common goal . 158 Love . 160 Desire’s end . 162 Freedom . 163 The ground of all reality . 166 Non-duality . 167 The three states . 169 The divine presence God and self . 176 The rule of light . 181 Teacher and disciple Seeking truth . 195 Not found by speech . 196 Learning from a teacher . 197 Coming home . 198 Scheme of transliteration . 201 List of translated passages .
    [Show full text]
  • The Upanishads: an Introduction
    The Upanishads – An introduction What are they? 1 When were the Upanishads composed? 4 Who were the authors? 7 Where were the Upanishads taught? 11 How were the Upanishads learned? 14 What are the Upanishads for? 17 What are they? The Upanishads are ancient texts, which record the foundation of Hindu thought. They are the final part of the Vedas, the part that is concerned with pure knowledge. The word ‘veda’ means ‘knowledge’; and the Up- anishads are sometimes described as ‘vedanta’, which means the ‘culmi- nation of knowledge’. The Vedas start out as mythical and ritual texts. They tell stories about various gods; and they prescribe rituals for making use of the gods’ di- vine powers, to attain prosperity and other objectives in the world. But, at the end of the Vedas, the Upanishads leave all cosmology and all applied knowledge behind. It is not their basic concern to describe the world, nor to achieve the various objects that people desire. Their basic concern is philosophical. In a very brief and uncompromising way, they ask questions about knowledge itself. They are not satisfied with all the descriptions and the pictures that we build on top of our knowledge. Beneath this show of pictures and descriptions, they want to find out just what we really know. And they go on to ask what happiness is; beneath all the desired objects through which we pursue happiness, or run away from it. Unfortunately, such philosophical questioning is often thought to be very complicated and unfamiliar. It is thought to take one far away from ordinary life, through a highly technical and convoluted process of learn- ing, into mystifying conclusions that can only be understood in high- flown and rarefied states of experience.
    [Show full text]
  • The Atharvaveda and Its Paippalādaśākhā Arlo Griffiths, Annette Schmiedchen
    The Atharvaveda and its Paippalādaśākhā Arlo Griffiths, Annette Schmiedchen To cite this version: Arlo Griffiths, Annette Schmiedchen. The Atharvaveda and its Paippalādaśākhā: Historical and philological papers on a Vedic tradition. Arlo Griffiths; Annette Schmiedchen. 11, Shaker, 2007, Indologica Halensis, 978-3-8322-6255-6. halshs-01929253 HAL Id: halshs-01929253 https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-01929253 Submitted on 5 Dec 2018 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Griffiths, Arlo, and Annette Schmiedchen, eds. 2007. The Atharvaveda and Its Paippalādaśākhā: Historical and Philological Papers on a Vedic Tradition. Indologica Halensis 11. Aachen: Shaker. Contents Arlo Griffiths Prefatory Remarks . III Philipp Kubisch The Metrical and Prosodical Structures of Books I–VII of the Vulgate Atharvavedasam. hita¯ .....................................................1 Alexander Lubotsky PS 8.15. Offense against a Brahmin . 23 Werner Knobl Zwei Studien zum Wortschatz der Paippalada-Sam¯ . hita¯ ..................35 Yasuhiro Tsuchiyama On the meaning of the word r¯as..tr´a: PS 10.4 . 71 Timothy Lubin The N¯ılarudropanis.ad and the Paippal¯adasam. hit¯a: A Critical Edition with Trans- lation of the Upanis.ad and Nar¯ ayan¯ . a’s D¯ıpik¯a ............................81 Arlo Griffiths The Ancillary Literature of the Paippalada¯ School: A Preliminary Survey with an Edition of the Caran.
    [Show full text]
  • The Upanishads
    The Upanishads The Breath of the Eternal A free download book compiled from the best sources on the web Hotbook and Criaturas Digitais Studio Rio de janeiro - Brazil Index 01 Brief Introduction to the Upanishads 02 Vedas and the Upanishads 03 The 15 principals Upanishads ---------------------------------------------------- 04 KATHA Upanishad 05 ISHA Upanishad 06 KENA Upanishad 07 MAITRAYANA-BRAHMAYA Upanishad 08 Kaivalya Upanishad 09 Vajrasuchika Upanishad 10 MANDUKYA Upanishad 11 MUNDAKA Upanishad 12 Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 13 KHANDOGYA Upanishad 14 KAUSHITAKI Upanishad 15 PRASHNA Upanishad 16 SHVETASHVATARA Upanishad 17 AITAREYA Upanishad 18 TAITTIRIYA Upanishad -------------------------------------------------------- 19 Atman - The Soul Eternal 20 Upanishads: Universal Insights 21 List of 108 Upanishads Brief Introduction to the Upanishads Collectively, the Upanishads are known as Vedanta (end of the vedas). The name has struck, because they constitute the concluding part of the Vedas. The word 'upanishad' is derived from a combination of three words, namely upa+ni+sad. 'Upa' means near, 'ni' means down and 'sad' means to sit. In ancient India the knowledge of the Upanishads was imparted to students of highest merit only and that also after they spent considerable time with their teachers and proved their sincerity beyond doubt. Once the selection was done, the students were allowed to approach their teachers and receive the secret doctrine from them directly. Since the knowledge was imparted when the students sat down near their teachers and listened to them, the word 'Upanishad', became vogue. The Upanishads played a very significant role in the evolution of ancient Indian thought. Many schools of Hindu philosophy, sectarian movements and even the later day religions like Buddhism and Jainism derived richly from the vast body of knowledge contained in the Upanishads.
    [Show full text]
  • Secondary Indian Culture and Heritage
    Culture: An Introduction MODULE - I Understanding Culture Notes 1 CULTURE: AN INTRODUCTION he English word ‘Culture’ is derived from the Latin term ‘cult or cultus’ meaning tilling, or cultivating or refining and worship. In sum it means cultivating and refining Ta thing to such an extent that its end product evokes our admiration and respect. This is practically the same as ‘Sanskriti’ of the Sanskrit language. The term ‘Sanskriti’ has been derived from the root ‘Kri (to do) of Sanskrit language. Three words came from this root ‘Kri; prakriti’ (basic matter or condition), ‘Sanskriti’ (refined matter or condition) and ‘vikriti’ (modified or decayed matter or condition) when ‘prakriti’ or a raw material is refined it becomes ‘Sanskriti’ and when broken or damaged it becomes ‘vikriti’. OBJECTIVES After studying this lesson you will be able to: understand the concept and meaning of culture; establish the relationship between culture and civilization; Establish the link between culture and heritage; discuss the role and impact of culture in human life. 1.1 CONCEPT OF CULTURE Culture is a way of life. The food you eat, the clothes you wear, the language you speak in and the God you worship all are aspects of culture. In very simple terms, we can say that culture is the embodiment of the way in which we think and do things. It is also the things Indian Culture and Heritage Secondary Course 1 MODULE - I Culture: An Introduction Understanding Culture that we have inherited as members of society. All the achievements of human beings as members of social groups can be called culture.
    [Show full text]
  • Bhagavad Gita-Chapter 02
    Bhagavad Gita - 2 Contents of Gita Summarized Based on the teachings of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada ~Founder Acharya~ International Society for Krishna Consciousness Chapter 2 - Sections Section Verse Description A 2.1 to 2.10 Arjuna's further doubts & his surrender B 2.11 to 2.30 Jnana -- fight! there is no death for the soul C 2.31 to 2.38 Karmakanda -- fight! for gains come from dutifully fighting and losses come from not fighting D 2.39 to 2.53 Buddhi-yoga (Niskama Karma) --fight! but without any reaction E 2.54 to 2.72 Sthita Prajna -- fight! become fixed in krsna consciousness Summary - Section - A Verse 2.1 to 2.10 Arjuna's further doubts & his surrender 1-10 After Arjuna continues to express his doubts about fighting, he surrenders to Krsna for instruction. Text – 1 Seeing Arjuna depressed Lord Krsna thus spoke…. Analogy – Saving Dress of Drowning Man Material Material Compassion Compassion Real Self signs of Self Lamentation Compassion ignorance (Eternal Realization Soul) Tears • Compassion for the dress of a drowning man is senseless (Sudra) • Real Compassion means Compassion for the Eternal Soul, (Self Realization) • Madhusudana : Killer of Demon Madhu. • Lord Krsna is addressed as Madhusudana, expected to kill Arjuna doubts(demons) Chapter 2 discusses : Soul Explained by Self Analytical Lord Realization Study Krsna Material Body Text – 2 Lord Krsna (Sri-Bhagavan) spoke, where from impurities Analogy - Sun come upon you(Arjuna)? Sunshine-Brahman impersonal all- Absolute Brahman pervasive Truth Spirit. (Sun shine) Lord Krsna The Supreme localized aspect, in heart of all Personality of Paramatma Sun Surface living entities.
    [Show full text]
  • Vedic Brahmanism and Its Offshoots
    Vedic Brahmanism and Its Offshoots Buddhism (Buddha) Followed by Hindūism (Kṛṣṇā) The religion of the Vedic period (also known as Vedism or Vedic Brahmanism or, in a context of Indian antiquity, simply Brahmanism[1]) is a historical predecessor of Hinduism.[2] Its liturgy is reflected in the Mantra portion of the four Vedas, which are compiled in Sanskrit. The religious practices centered on a clergy administering rites that often involved sacrifices. This mode of worship is largely unchanged today within Hinduism; however, only a small fraction of conservative Shrautins continue the tradition of oral recitation of hymns learned solely through the oral tradition. Texts dating to the Vedic period, composed in Vedic Sanskrit, are mainly the four Vedic Samhitas, but the Brahmanas, Aranyakas and some of the older Upanishads (Bṛhadāraṇyaka, Chāndogya, Jaiminiya Upanishad Brahmana) are also placed in this period. The Vedas record the liturgy connected with the rituals and sacrifices performed by the 16 or 17 shrauta priests and the purohitas. According to traditional views, the hymns of the Rigveda and other Vedic hymns were divinely revealed to the rishis, who were considered to be seers or "hearers" (shruti means "what is heard") of the Veda, rather than "authors". In addition the Vedas are said to be "apaurashaya", a Sanskrit word meaning uncreated by man and which further reveals their eternal non-changing status. The mode of worship was worship of the elements like fire and rivers, worship of heroic gods like Indra, chanting of hymns and performance of sacrifices. The priests performed the solemn rituals for the noblemen (Kshsatriya) and some wealthy Vaishyas.
    [Show full text]
  • What Do You Know About Hinduism?
    UWS An Inclusive Community UWS Multifaith Chaplaincy September 2008 What do you know about Hinduism? Followers of the teachings of the Vedas are called Hindus. Hindu staff and students form a substantial part of the UWS community. Acknowledging and respecting Hindu identities at UWS therefore requires, in part, a basic understanding of what Hinduism and being a Hindu is about. About Hinduism Hinduism originated and developed in India over the last 3,000-3,500 years. It is the majority religion in India. Hindus believe in one Supreme God who manifests him/herself in many different forms. Some of these include Krishna, Durga, Ganesh, Sakti (Devi), Vishnu, Surya, Siva and Skanda (Murugan). Hindus believe: • in the Vedas (scriptures) • there is one Supreme God who is the creator of the universe • in reincarnation • that everyone creates their own destiny (karma) There are four major Hindu denominations classified according to their respective focus of worship. Vaishnavism Vaishnavism worship Vishnu and his incarnations, particularly Krishna and Rama, as the Supreme God. Saivism Saivites worship Siva (also spelt Shiva) as the Supreme God. Shaktism Shaktas worship God as the Shakti, Sri Devi or the Divine Mother in her many forms. Hindu Dress Code Traditional Hindu women wear the sari. Traditional male Hindus wear the Smartism white cotton dhoti. Smarta Hindus view the different manifestations of God as equivalent. They accept all major Hindu gods and are commonly known as liberal or Women in particular may wear a dot (tilak) of turmeric powder or other non-sectarian. coloured substance on their foreheads as a symbol of their religion.
    [Show full text]
  • The Absent Vedas
    The Absent Vedas Will SWEETMAN University of Otago The Vedas were first described by a European author in a text dating from the 1580s, which was subsequently copied by other authors and appeared in transla- tion in most of the major European languages in the course of the seventeenth century. It was not, however, until the 1730s that copies of the Vedas were first obtained by Europeans, even though Jesuit missionaries had been collecting Indi- an religious texts since the 1540s. I argue that the delay owes as much to the rela- tive absence of the Vedas in India—and hence to the greater practical significance for missionaries of other genres of religious literature—as to reluctance on the part of Brahmin scholars to transmit their texts to Europeans. By the early eighteenth century, a strange dichotomy was apparent in European views of the Vedas. In Europe, on the one hand, the best-informed scholars believed the Vedas to be the most ancient and authoritative of Indian religious texts and to preserve a monotheistic but secret doctrine, quite at odds with the popular worship of multiple deities. The Brahmins kept the Vedas, and kept them from those outside their caste, especially foreigners. One or more of the Vedas was said to be lost—perhaps precisely the one that contained the most sublime ideas of divinity. By the 1720s scholars in Europe had begun calling for the Vedas to be translated so that this secret doctrine could be revealed, and from the royal library in Paris a search for the texts of the Vedas was launched.
    [Show full text]
  • The Sacred Mahakala in the Hindu and Buddhist Texts
    Nepalese Culture Vol. XIII : 77-94, 2019 Central Department of NeHCA, Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal The sacred Mahakala in the Hindu and Buddhist texts Dr. Poonam R L Rana Abstract Mahakala is the God of Time, Maya, Creation, Destruction and Power. He is affiliated with Lord Shiva. His abode is the cremation grounds and has four arms and three eyes, sitting on five corpse. He holds trident, drum, sword and hammer. He rubs ashes from the cremation ground. He is surrounded by vultures and jackals. His consort is Kali. Both together personify time and destructive powers. The paper deals with Sacred Mahakala and it mentions legends, tales, myths in Hindus and Buddhist texts. It includes various types, forms and iconographic features of Mahakalas. This research concludes that sacred Mahakala is of great significance to both the Buddhist and the Hindus alike. Key-words: Sacred Mahakala, Hindu texts, Buddhist texts. Mahakala Newari Pauwa Etymology of the name Mahakala The word Mahakala is a Sanskrit word . Maha means ‘Great’ and Kala refers to ‘ Time or Death’ . Mahakala means “ Beyond time or Death”(Mukherjee, (1988). NY). The Tibetan Buddhism calls ‘Mahakala’ NagpoChenpo’ meaning the ‘ Great Black One’ and also ‘Ganpo’ which means ‘The Protector’. The Iconographic features of Mahakala in Hindu text In the ShaktisamgamaTantra. The male spouse of Mahakali is the outwardly frightening Mahakala (Great Time), whose meditatative image (dhyana), mantra, yantra and meditation . In the Shaktisamgamatantra, the mantra of Mahakala is ‘Hum Hum Mahakalaprasidepraside Hrim Hrim Svaha.’ The meaning of the mantra is that Kalika, is the Virat, the bija of the mantra is Hum, the shakti is Hrim and the linchpin is Svaha.
    [Show full text]
  • Bhagavad Gita Free
    öËÅ Ç⁄∞¿Ë⁄“®¤ Ñ∆ || ¥˘®Ωæ Ã˘¤-í‹¡ºÎ ≤Ÿ¨ºÎ —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿Ÿº® æË⁄í≤Ÿ | é∆ƒºÎ ¿Ÿú-æËíŸæ “ Ÿé¿Å || “§-⁄∆YŸºÎ ⁄“ º´—æ‰≥Æ˙-íË¿’-ÇŸYŸÅ ⁄∆úŸ≤™‰ | —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿ŸºÅ Ǩ∆Ÿ æËí¤ úŸ≤¤™‰ ™ ÇŸ¿Ëß‹ºÎ ÑôöËÅ Ç⁄∞¿Ë⁄“®¤ Ñ∆ || ¥˘®Ωæ Ã˘¤-í‹¡ºÎ ≤Ÿ¨ºÎ —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿Ÿº‰® æË⁄í≤Ÿ | éÂ∆ƒºÎ ¿Ÿú ºŸ¿ŸºÅ é‚¥Ÿé¿Å || “§-⁄∆YŸºÎ ⁄“ º´—æ‰≥Æ˙-íË¿’-ÇŸYŸÅ ⁄∆úŸ≤™‰ | —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿ŸºÅ Ǩ∆Ÿ æËí¤ ¿Ÿú-æËíºÎ ÇŸ¿Ëß‹ºÎ ÑôöËÅ Ç⁄∞¿Ë⁄“®¤ Ñ∆ || ¥˘®Ωæ Ã˘¤-í‹¡ºÎ ≤Ÿ¨ºÎ —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿Ÿº‰® æË⁄í≤Ÿ 韺Π∞%‰ —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿ŸºÅ é‚¥Ÿé¿Å || “§-⁄∆YŸºÎ ⁄“ º´—æ‰≥Æ˙-íË¿’-ÇŸYŸÅ ⁄∆úŸ≤™‰ | —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿Ÿº ∫Ÿú™‰ ¥˘Ë≤Ù™-¿Ÿú-æËíºÎ ÇŸ¿Ëß‹ºÎ ÑôöËÅ Ç⁄∞¿Ë⁄“®¤ Ñ∆ || ¥˘®Ωæ Ã˘¤-í‹¡ºÎ ≤Ÿ¨ºÎ —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿Ÿ §-¥˘Æ¤⁄¥éŸºÎ ∞%‰ —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿ŸºÅ é‚¥Ÿé¿Å || “§-⁄∆YŸºÎ ⁄“ º´—æ‰≥Æ˙-íË¿’-ÇŸYŸÅ ⁄∆úŸ≤™‰ | -⁄∆YŸ | ⁄∆∫˘Ÿú™‰ ¥˘Ë≤Ù™-¿Ÿú-æËíºÎ ÇŸ¿ËßThe‹ºÎ ÑôöËÅ Ç⁄∞¿Ë⁄“®¤ Ñ∆ || ¥˘®Ωæ Ã˘¤-í‹¡ºÎ ≤Ÿ¨ ÇúŸ≤™ŸºÎ | “§-¥˘Æ¤⁄¥éŸºÎ ∞%Bhagavad‰ —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿ŸºÅ é‚¥Ÿé¿Å Gita || “§-⁄∆YŸºÎ ⁄“ º´—æ‰≥Æ˙-íË¿’-ÇŸYŸ {Ÿ “§-æËí-⁄∆YŸ | ⁄∆∫˘Ÿú™‰ ¥˘Ë≤Ù™-¿Ÿú-æËíºÎ ÇŸ¿Ëß‹ºÎ ÑôöËÅ Ç⁄∞¿Ë⁄“®¤ Ñ∆ || ¥˘®Ωæ Ã˘¤ æËíºÎ ÇúŸ≤™ŸºÎ | “§-¥˘Æ¤⁄¥éŸºÎ ∞%‰ —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿ŸºÅ é‚¥Ÿé¿Å || “§-⁄∆YŸºÎ ⁄“ º´—æ‰≥Æ˙-íË¿’ ≤ Ü¥⁄Æ{Ÿ “§-æËí-⁄∆YŸ | ⁄∆∫˘Ÿú™‰ ¥˘Ë≤Ù™-¿Ÿú-æËíºÎ ÇŸ¿Ëß‹ºÎ ÑôöËÅ Ç⁄∞¿Ë⁄“®¤ Ñ∆ || ¥˘ ≥™‰ ¿Ÿú-æËíºÎ ÇúŸ≤™ŸºÎ | “§-¥The˘Æ¤⁄¥éŸº OriginalÎ ∞%‰ —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿ŸºÅSanskrit é‚¥Ÿé¿Å || “§-⁄∆YŸºÎ ⁄“ º´—æ‰ —ºÊ æ‰≤ Ü¥⁄Æ{Ÿ “§-æËí-⁄∆YŸ | ⁄∆∫˘Ÿú™‰ ¥˘Ë≤Ù™-¿Ÿú-æËíºÎ ÇŸ¿Ëß‹ºÎ ÑôöËÅ Ç⁄∞¿Ë⁄“®¤ Ñ “‹-º™-±∆Ÿ≥™‰ ¿Ÿú-æËíºÎ ÇúŸ≤™ŸºÎ | “§-¥˘Æ¤⁄¥éŸºand Î ∞%‰ —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿ŸºÅ é‚¥Ÿé¿Å || “§-⁄∆YŸº Å Ç—™‹ ™—ºÊ æ‰≤ Ü¥⁄Æ{Ÿ “§-æËí-⁄∆YŸ | ⁄∆∫˘Ÿú™‰ ¥˘Ë≤Ù™-¿Ÿú-æËíºÎ ÇŸ¿Ëß‹ºÎ ÑôöËÅ Ç⁄∞¿ Ÿ ∏“‹-º™-±∆Ÿ≥™‰ ¿Ÿú-æËíºÎ ÇúŸ≤™ŸºÎ | “§-¥˘Æ¤⁄¥éŸºÎ ∞%‰ —∆Ÿ´ºŸ¿ŸºÅ é‚¥Ÿé¿Å || “§- An English Translation ≤Ÿ¨Ÿæ
    [Show full text]