Slide 1 THE HINDU SCRIPTURES Slide 2 Simple Christians have the Bible Hindus have the Vedas The truth is much more complicated… Slide 3 TIMELINE (written)* SRUTI SMRITI (BC) 1500 800 400 0 400 800 1200 1600 (AD) Note: dates for the Vedas(samhitas) can vary more than 1,000 years MAHABHARATA VEDAS & RAMAYANA BRAHMANAS TANTRAS ARANYAKAS PURANAS UPANISHADS DARSHANAS *some were orally transmitted prior to this Slide 4 TWO TYPES OF SCRIPTURES SHRUTI (“heard”) SMRITI (“remembered”) heard by the rishis -Itihãsas (History or Epics) direct from God -Purãnas (Mythology) -Dharma Shãstras- Law Codes …The Vedas -Ãgamas & Tantras- Sectarian Samhitas, Brahmanas, Scriptures. Arayakas, Upanishads -Darshanas- Manuals of Philosophy * Hindu religious literature, the most ancient writings in the world, is of two types: primary scriptures (Sruti) and secondary scriptures (Smriti). The Sruti scriptures are of divine origin, whose truths were directly revealed to ancient rishis (sages) in their deep meditations. The Smriti scriptures are of human origin and were written to explain the Sruti writings and make them understandable and meaningful to the general population. Sruti scriptures include the four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sãma and Atharva) and the Bhagavad Gîtã, and constitute the highest religious authority in Hindu religion. Smriti scriptures include five distinct groups of writings : Itihãsas (History or Epics) Purãnas (Mythology) Dharma Shãstras- Law Codes Ãgamas & Tantras- Sectarian Scriptures. Darshanas- Manuals of Philosophy Slide 5 THE *VEDAS *Note: “Veda” is used in multiple ways: 1. Referring to the oldest hymn portions (Samhitas) 2. Referring to the collection of samhitas, brahmanas, aranyakas, and upanishads 3. Shaivites and Vaishnavites often include the Agamas by this term 4. Many also include the Gita by this term Slide 6 THE VEDAS (Samhitas) The Rig Veda 10,552 hymns The Sama Veda 1,875 hymns--mostly Rig Veda repeated The Yajur Veda Vedic sacrificial manuals The Atharva Veda Incantations, spells, mystical poetry *stack a comparison of Bible and Vedas (1 v. 4) Slide 7 Searching for the VEDAS You want a copy of the Vedas? -you won’t find it in the library -you won’t find it in the bookstores -you might find a concise, edited version -when you find it… Slide 8 When were they written? Nobody knows exactly… -The oldest Veda (Rig) reached its final stage of compilation about 1000 B.C. -Different dates given Tilak: 6000 B.C. Jacobi: 4500 B.C. Mueller: 1200 B.C. Slide 9 The Rig Veda Rig Veda Book 3 Hymn 10 1. Thee Agni, God, Imperial Lord of all mankind, do mortal men With understanding kindle at the sacrifice. 2 They laud thee in their solemn rites, Agni, as Minister and Priest, shine forth in thine own home as guardian of the Law. 3 He, verily, who honours thee with fuel, Knower of all life, He, Agni! wins heroic might, he prospers well. … Slide 10 The Sama Veda “sama” means “song” or “hymn” Rig Veda rearranged for ritual use Usually sung from high to low pitch, never moving between pitches, lulling the mind 1875 mantras making 4000 hymns “The god Savita is the creator of all beings. May Savita grant you foodgrains. May he grant you strength. O men! You are the breath of life. May the great creator guide you on the path to superior action. O men! Forge ahead. May you not kill others living beings. May you set aside a share for Indra at sacrifices. May you have children and may you be free of ill health and tuberculosis.” (Debroy, 121) Slide 11 The Yajur Veda Formulae and verses for sacrifices “Yaj” means “sacrifice” The ‘white’ and ‘black’ Yajur Vedas: two different schools of the Yajur emerged: 1) Tattitiya Samhita (Krishna/black) more prevalent in southern India 2) Vajasaneyi Samhita (Shukla/white) clearly demarcates samhita and brahmanas *statement: “So there you have the Hindu Scriptures…” (and sit down…only to stand up and add…) Slide 12 A little more complicated… Four recensions of Krishna (black) Yajurveda: -taittirīya saṃhita -maitrayani saṃhita -caraka-katha saṃhita -kapiṣṭhala-katha saṃhita Two recensions of the (white) Shukla: -Vajasaneyi Madhyandiniya -Vajasaneyi Kanva Add four books to the side to represent the Krishna/black Yajur Slide 13 Even more complicated… Each recension has its own version of: Brahmanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads E.g. The Taittiriya Shakha (branch): Taittiriya Samhita, Taittiriya Brahmana Taittiriya Aaranyaka, Taittiriya Upanishad and the Mahaanaarayana Upanishad. + add five more to represent additional 6 rescensions (in each pile) + add 16 more to represent the versions each of these has with Brahamanas, Aranyakas, and Upanishads Slide 14 Yajur Veda 6.1.1 (Taittiriya Samhita) [6]. Indra slew Vrtra, he died upon the waters. Of the waters what was fit for sacrifice, pure, and divine, that went out of the waters, and became Darbha grass. In that he purifies (the sacrificer) with bunches of Darbha grass, verily he purifies him with the waters which are fit for sacrifice, pure, and divine. He purifies (him) with two (stalks); verily he purifies him by days and nights. He purifies (him) with three (stalks); three are these worlds; verily he purifies him by these worlds. He purifies (him) with five stalks [7]; the Pankti has five syllables, the sacrifice is fivefold; verily he purifies him by the sacrifice. He purifies (him) with six (stalks); six are the seasons; verily he purifies him by the seasons. He purifies (him) with seven (stalks); seven are the metres; verily he purifies him by the metres. He purifies (him) with nine (stalks); nine are the breaths in man; verily he purifies him along with his breaths. He purifies (him) with twenty-one (stalks); there are ten fingers and ten toes, and the body is the twenty first; he thus completely purifies the man. Slide 15 The Atharva Veda Incantations, charms and spells to counteract evil; marriages and funerals. 20 books or kandas; 750 hymns, 6,000 verses Atharvan is said to be the first man to rub to pieces of sticks together and to make fire. He could vanquish evil demons. Revealed to three ancient families: 1) Atharvan 2) Angirasa 3) Bhrigus Slide 16 SAMPLE: Atharva Veda I, 23. Leprosy cured by a dark plant. 1. Born by night art thou, O plant, dark, black, sable. Do thou, that art rich in colour, stain this leprosy, and the gray spots! 2. The leprosy and the gray spots drive away from here-- may thy native colour settle upon thee--the white spots cause to fly away! 3. Sable is thy hiding-place, sable thy dwelling-place, sable art thou, O plant: drive away from here the speckled spots! 4. The leprosy which has originated in the bones, and that which has originated in the body and upon the skin, the white mark begotten of corruption, I have destroyed with my charm. * * So there you have it the Vedas. That’s the basics of it all... Slide 17 The Vedangas Though not shruti, they are important for the study of the Veda Siksa- pronunciation Kalpa- details of ritual Vyakarana- grammar Nirukta- etymology of rare words Chanda- explain and practice verse meter Jyotisa- planetary astrology The memorization of the Vedas was very precise: memorization of them in multiple ways (e.g. forward and backward), recited in a particular pitch, along with precise movements of the arm and fingers. Add 6 large books to represent the Vedangas (behind of Shruti pile) Slide 18 Vedic Gods Agni Indra Varuna Slide 19 Vedic Gods Surya Soma Slide 20 THE VEDAS (entire) In addition to the oldest portion, the hymns, there are three other portions: (The Samhitas) The Brahmanas The Aranyakas The Upanishads Slide 21 The Brahmanas Circa 600-200 B.C. Details of ritual and sacrificial rites and duties; commentaries on rituals and prayers on the four vedas (Samhitas) Slide 22 The Brahmanas Rig Brahmanas The Aitareya Brahmana Kaushitaki or Sankhayana Brahmana Sama Brahmanas 8 Brahamanas Yajur Brahmanas Shatapatha Brahmana (white)100 lectures Taittiriya Brahmana (black) Atharva Brahmanas Gopatha Brahmana Add 14 more books Slide 23 The Aranyakas Circa 400-200 B.C., Spiritual/mystical interpretations of rituals and ceremonies. Called “forest texts” as they were from ascetics of the forest Slide 24 The Aranyakas Each Aranyakas is associated with a Brahmana, sometimes having more than one; the Atharva has none. add 14 more books Slide 25 The Upanishads “Those who sit near”- the teachings of gurus to their students Doctrines of caste, karma, and reincarnation are more fully developed in these writings Upanishad means the inner or mystic teaching. The term Upanishad is derived from upa (near), ni (down) and s(h)ad (to sit), i.e., sitting down near. Groups of pupils sit near the teacher to learn from him the secret doctrine. In the quietude of the forest hermitages the Upanishad thinkers pondered on the problems of deepest concerns and communicated their knowledge to fit pupils near them. Samkara derives the word Upanishad as a substitute from the root sad, 'to loosen.,' 'to reach' or 'to destroy' with Upa and ni as prefixes and kvip as termination. If this determination is accepted, upanishad means brahma- knowledge by which ignorance is loosened or destroyed. The treatises that deal with brahma-knowledge are called the Upanishads and so pass for the Vedanta. The different derivations together make out that the Upanishads give us both spiritual vision and philosophical argument. There is a core of certainty which is essentially incommunicable except by a way of life. It is by a strictly personal effort that one can reach the truth. The Upanishads more clearly set forth the prime Vedic doctrines like Self-realization, yoga and meditation, karma and reincarnation, which were hidden or kept veiled under the symbols of the older mystery religion.