WELCOME

1. WELCOME An Introduction To The Vedas By Er. Subodh Kumar

2. ॐ ॐ भूर्भुव: स्व: ! तत्सवितुर्वरेण्यं भर्गोदेवस्य धीमहि,धियो यो न: प्रचोदयात् !!

3. Period of creation of the Vedas • The Vedas were revealed in the beginning of the Universe itself. • As per the Vedic astrological calculations this happened 1,97,29,49110 years ago. • Even Western scholars have acknowledged Rig Veda to be the oldest book in the library of Mankind

4. वेद शब्द का अर्थ : वेद शब्द चार धातुओं पर आधारित है. विद् सत्तायाम विद् ज्ञाने विद् विचारणे विद्लृ लाभे. भारतीय परम्परा में वेद

5. Swami Dayanand on Vedas • विद्या जिस की सदैव सत्ता हो, जो अपूर्व ज्ञान प्रद हो, जो ऐहिकामुष्मिक उभयविध विचारों का कोष हो, तथा जो लौकिक और लोकोत्तर लाभप्रद हो • महर्षि दयानंद के अनुसार ,वेद वे हैं • जिन के पढने से यथार्थ विद्या का विज्ञान होता है, • जिन को पढ के लोग विद्वान्‌ होते हैं , • जिन से सब सुखों का लाभ होता है और • जिन सेसत्यासत्य का विचार लोगों को होता है

6. Vedas are Infinite • Volume of total knowledge, and all possible thought processes about & of this world is Infinite. • So Vedas in their content are also said to be infinite. अनन्त: वै वेद: is a very famous Vedic aphorism. • It is humanely not possible to acquire entire knowledge of the universe by any individual living mortal • Thus it is not possible for any individual to claim that he has fully understood not even read Vedas

7. Four Vedas • RigVeda- covers ऋत्‌, Vedic Rit is the word right in English According to Dr Fateh Singh (FS) ज्ञान शक्तिऋक्‌ है . • Yajurved- involves itself with implementing ऋत्‌, the Right Strategies. (FS)क्रिया शक्तियजुः है. • Atharv Ved: Reviews subjects covered in Rig and Yaju, of 6000 mantras in Atharv Ved, 1200 are from Rig Ved. Atharv Ved also deals with more mundane /down to earth topics, अपरा विद्या • SamVed Total dedication to the Almighty through music expressing sublime thoughts. (FS)समर्पण भावनासे भक्ति कीर्तन शक्ति, साम है.

8. Shruti Vedas & Mantras Four Vedas namely: Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Saam Veda and Atharva Veda as available today have • Rig Veda 105 89 • Yajur Veda 1975 • Saam Veda 1875 • Atharva Veda 5977 • Total 20,416

9. Understanding Vedas In thousands of years of history of Indian scholarship, before Sayan not a single attempt is known to have been made to translate complete Vedas. To help understanding Vedas wise men of yore wrote innumerable commentaries on Vedas. This forms the Vedic literature known as Brahmans, Aranyakas, Upanishads, Brahm Sutra and Smriti literature All these texts are of great help in understanding deeper meanings hidden in Vedas

10. Sayan’s Bhashya • Sayan’s work was commissioned in 14th century AD by Vijaynagar Kings of South India. It is based on Vam Marg in many places. , and mostly deals with Karm Kand as subject of Vedas. • Sayan Bhashya is the first ever attempt to prepare a Bhashya of complete Ved. Being the only Ved Bhashy available Max Muller based his work on Sayan Bhashya. • The deficiencies in Sayan’s work suited the British design to portray Vedic literature in very poor light.

11. Swami Dayanand • Rise of Swami Dayanand Saraswati in the later half of nineteenth century was like rising of Sun to shatter the enveloping darkness imposed on India by evil designs of the alien British rulers. • On the strength of his great erudition and complete mastery over Vedic knowledge, Swami Dayanand Saraswati faced single handedly, the strong powerful opposition from orthodox Brahmins.

12. Study of Vedas • Every seeker जिज्ञासुhasto personally take a dip in the ocean of knowledge represented by the Vedic Texts. • And pick up the pearls of wisdom and knowledge that he is seeking. • Life and environments can be improved on this planet by individuals when they seek guidance of Vedas by personal self study, • And seek help from associated genuine Vedic literature as enunciated by Rishis like Swami Dayanand Saraswati, and then associate with company of learned virtuous people.

13. Vedas are not books of History • People, places, rivers, mountains can always be named on names picked form rich vocabulary of words in Vedas. • In our Sikh tradition, names are based on those found in Guru Granth Sahib. It does not mean that Guru Granth sahib is mentioning events connected with individually named persons.

14. Vedic Language of Shruti वेदों को श्रुति कहा है. श्रुति में भाषा को संक्षिप्त, सूक्त रूप अलंकारिक बनाना होता है. वेदों को श्रुति कहा जाता है. श्रुति में भाषा को संक्षिप्त, सारसंक्षेप बना कर सूक्तरूप, अलंकारिक भाषा का प्रयोग आवश्यक हो जाता है. अलंकारिक भाषा हैतुकता, यौक्तिकता, रहस्योक्ति, श्लेषोक्ति, प्रतीकात्मक और अभिव्यक्ति पूर्ण होती है. इस प्रकार की भाषा के प्रयोग को आधुनिक भाषा विद अंग्रेज़ी में जार्गन Jargon कहते हैं.

15. Vedic Terminology • हर विषय के ज्ञान मे अपने अपने विशेष जार्गन का प्रयोग होता है. • उस विषय को समझने के लिए उस विषय के जार्गन को ठीक से समझना आवश्यक है. यही बात वैदिक ज्ञान की भी है • वेदिक निधि के मर्म तक पहुंचने के मार्ग को मानव कल्याण के लिए प्रशस्त करने वाले , आधुनिक युग के देवतुल्य महर्षि दयानंद के वेद भाष्य मे यह दृष्टि अद्भुत रूप से देखने को मिलती है • .

16. Yask on Ved Bhashya • वेदों को समझने के लिए यास्क ने भी कहा है कि केवल भाषाविद ही नही, ज्ञानविद और विज्ञानविद होना भी आवश्यक है.महर्षि दयानंद के भाष्य मे लगभग सभी मंत्रो मे महर्षि द्वारा भिन्न भिन्न अलंकारो का प्रयोग दिखाया है.

17. Topics in Vedas- Outlines • 1.Apara –Creation – • सृष्टि /भौतिक संसार विषय • 2. Para – Beyond Creation- आध्यात्म विषय • 3. Prayers- स्तुति उपासनाविषय

18. APARA • Man is living in a physical world. Progress on material plane is by actions when driven by knowledge. • Apara subjects are knowledge topics about physical world. To interpret Apara topics, in addition to Sanskrit and Vedic language, basic knowledge of Physical Sciences is also necessary. Guidance of Vedas for material wellbeing and environmental sustainability is only possible when Apara topics in Vedas are interpreted. • In general Vedic Scholars lack basic knowledge of physical sciences .These topics of Vedas have thus not received much attention .

19. PARA & PRAYERS • Para & Prayer , are topics involving भक्ति श्रद्धा. These topics from Vedas have received very extensive treatment by Vedic Scholars for the obvious reasons. Sayan Bhashya is mainly कर्मकाण्डbased. • Actions of individual and the society evolve from education & cultural traditions of the society. Loss of Vedic Apara knowledge has led to the deterioration and misery of the modern world and man in it.

20. Sam Ved भक्ति श्रद्धा का आधार वेदों में सामवेद गायन था. गीता में भी तो यही कहा है.ऋग्वेद यजुर्वेद अथर्ववेद के मंत्रो में भक्ति श्रद्धा की भावनाओं की पराकाष्ठा सामगायन से मानव को परमपिता परमेश्वर की उपासना का साधन थी. आज सामगायन विद्या का लोप हो चुका है. केवल मंत्र पाठ किसी प्रकार से उपलब्ध है. ऋषियों की कृतियों का साहित्यिक महत्व महावामदेव गायन के मंत्रों से देखा जा सकता है. हर मङ्गल कार्य के उपरांत इस गायन का विधान संस्कार विधि में भी दिया गया है.

21. महावामदेव्यगान • 1.ओ3म्‌ भूर्भुवः स्वः! कया नश्चित्र आभुवदूती सदा वृधः सखा! कया सचिष्ठया वृता !! साम 1.1.12.1 • 2.ओ3म्‌ भूर्भुवः स्वः! कस्त्वा सत्योमदानां मंहिष्ठो मत्सदंधसः! दृढा चिदारुजे वसु !! साम 1.1.12.2 • 3.ओ3म्‌ भूर्भुवः स्वः! अभीषुणः सखीनामविता जरितृणाम्‌! शतम्भवास्यूतये!! साम 1.1,12.3

22. Vam Marg after Mahabharat • Animal slaughter in Yagnas • Drunken Sex Orgies in religious ceremonies. • Only born Brahmins could read Vedas • Women treated as low caste • Varnashram Dharm became jaati

23. Jain Buddhist Period • As a reaction to Vam Marg • Ved Mantra Recitation was prohibited • Performing of Yagna was prohibited , as it was looked upon an act of ‘Hinsa’ . • First time state introduced the practice of hiring salaried class of teachers to propagate “State Religion” • Temples with idols and start of community worship practices

24. Pre- Shankaracharya • Brahmins took as sacred duty to memorize complete Vedas, to preserve the heritage of Vedas. • They no longer understood meanings and messages in Vedas. • Purity of Vedic Text was ensured by using: • जटा माला शिखा रेखा ध्वजो दण्डो रथो घनः ! अष्टौ विकृतयः प्रोक्ता क्रमपूर्वा महर्षिभिः !! • This unique technique is still practiced in India by students of Indian classical music to remember the various Ragas.

25. Shankaracharya Vedic Revival • Kumaril Bhatt to Mandan Mishra Ashram • Test by Bharati before entry to Ashram • Ouster of Buddism by Adi Shankaracharya on strength of shastrarth & sponsorship support by King Sudhanwa • Established Idol worship India like Jains and substituted Shiv ji for Jain Idols.

26. Dayanand on God & Vedas • God is the efficient cause of all true knowledge and all that is known through knowledge. • God is existent, intelligent and blissful. He is formless, omniscient, just, merciful, unborn, endless, unchangeable, beginning-less, unequalled, the support of all, the master of all, omnipresent, immanent, un-aging, immortal, fearless, eternal and holy, and the maker of all. He alone is worthy of being worshiped. • The Vedas are the scriptures of all true knowledge. It is the paramount duty of all Aryas to read them, teach them , recite them and to hear them being read.

27. British Beginnings • East India Co. 1773 Warren Hastings first Governor General of India. First court was established with Elzey Impey the first Judge. • To deal with cases of the locals with the increasing complexity of issues British realized necessity to formulate a code of law from the sacred texts which the ‘natives’ held in reverence. British ‘discovered’ that Manu Smrithi was the principal text that dealt with laws of the land, the Bhagavad Gita and the Vedas coming next.

28. Origin of Aryan Invasion theory • Sir William Jones, translated the Manu Smrithi (1792) to help in civil administration, published as “Hindu Dharmachar” in 1794. • Jones was affluent in many languages & compared Sanskrit with the European languages. He invented the idea of Indo Aryan languages. His invention of Indo Aryan language group theory shaped the idea that Sanskrit came to India from Europe.

29. Sanskrit Study by British • To train the ICS, in 1805 East India Company realized importance of knowing Sanskrit by ICS to rule India & started Sanskrit courses in England. ICS succeeded because they knew Sanskrit , that our IAS do not. • H. Wilson was appointed as Professor of Sanskrit by the institute in 1832. Chairs for teaching Sanskrit were created in universities all over Europe and US & Universities of London, Cambridge and Edinburgh.

30. Recap of Discussion on Aryan Heritage Macaulay then Education Secretary British Govt. designed to bring about change in the education system of India to make India easy to rule by the British, by destroying the Sanskrit language base and faith of Indian masses in our heritage and culture by creating a westernized Society by English education & AIT in India,

31. Recap… Aryan Heritage- Macaulay’s Thesis • Indians were to be convinced that their traditional knowledge and belief systems were based on mere superstitions of a primitive society. • Adherence to Indian values was the primary cause for the abysmal poverty and backwardness of Indian society. • India was not one country, it was a miscellany of people. No Indian was ever fit to rule India. • India had never known independence, it had always been under the rule of foreign invaders, who were superior races. (AIT)

32. Recap… Aryan Heritage- Macaulay’s legacy • False hood designed by British to create aversion to our Vedic knowledge and heritage by Macaulay grips India more strongly to day. • Indians suffer greater inferiority complex. • English language , western manners and white skin prevent progress by social democracy in India

33. Macaulay Effect on Educated Indians Today 1.Sanskrit has been discarded 2.English educated Indians are convinced that all knowledge in Life sciences, Sociology, Technology, State Craft- has its origin in Western Researchers & Scholars. 3.To become civilized and make progress it is essential to learn English, get western education, & adopt western customs and life style. 4.This teaching is the refrain of the media today in our secular India.

34. MaxMuller’ work • In 1847, East India Company instituted an amount of 9 lakh rupees to publish Vedic texts and appointed Max Muller in charge of the work. • Max Muller a German had joined Oxford in 1850 and was assigned the task by Macaulay to carry out this work , under Boden Chair. • Macaulay interviewed Max Muller on the 28th December, 1855 and gave directions for Max Muller’s anti-Indian bias in translation of Vedas. • Max Muller published Rig Veda’s complete index with introduction in six parts (1849 – 75), and the complete text of Rig Veda with commentary in 1873.

35. Max Muller Bhashya • Indian society was made to be seen as dominated by invading marauding alien Aryans. • Aryans were shown as, Polygamous polyandrous, cruel, burned their widows on the pier of their dead husbands, ate beef on festive occasions, were drunkards, during Yagyas, king’s consort had sex with the ceremonial horse, that was to be sacrificed.

36. Dayanand changes mind of Max Muller Later Max Muller realized his mistake but it was too late • If I were asked under what sky the human mind has most fully developed the choicest gifts, has most deeply pondered on thegreatest problems of life, and has found solution of some of themwhich well deserve the attention even of those who have studiedPlato and Kant- I should point to India.

37. आर्यों का परम धर्म • महर्षि दयानंद ने याद दिलाया कि वेदोंके पढने पढाने से ही,वह ईश्वरीय मार्ग दर्शन सम्भव है जिस के द्वारा मानव सदाचार, सत्य व्यवहार, पुरुषार्थ के आचरण द्वारा धर्म अर्थ काम और मोक्ष को प्राप्त कर के मानव ऋणों से मुक्त हो सकता है. • संसार में सुख, शांति, सौहाद्र का वैकुंठ साम्राज्ञ वेदाध्ययन से ही स्थापित हो सकता है.

38. अपरा विद्या वेदों से • आधुनिक सांसारिक जीवन के विभिन्न विषयों पर वैदिक ज्ञान से अनभिज्ञ होने के कारण ही आज विश्व में दरिद्रता, हिंसा,महामारी की तरह फैलते रोग, स्वार्थ और पर्यावरण के शोषण से सब ओर दुःख दिखायी देता है. • हम स्वयं के स्वाध्याय से आधुनिकतम वैज्ञानिक , सामाजिक विषयों पर वेदों के ज्ञान से कैसे लाभ लें यही हमारी इस वार्ता का लक्ष्य है. जो भविष्य में हमारा विषय रहेगा.

39. ऋग्वेद अपराविद्या • Mandal1 – Health & Education • Mandal 2 - Creation of National Wealth • Mandal 3 - Art of Life • Mandal 4 - Dealing with Human Failings • Mandal 5 - Consolidating a Nation • Mandal 6 - International Cooperation • Mandal 7 - Balance of international power • Mandal 8 - World Citizenship • Mandal 9 – Development of Intellectual Base • Mandal10 - Practice of Life

40. Some Apara Topics • 1.Material wealth- RV 10.110 • 2, Vaikunth Prosperity for ever -RV 10.47,48,49 • 3. Success in Life -RV 10.128. • 4.Material prosperity- RV 10.120 to 125 • 5.Consumer Protection –AV 5.7 • 6. Transparency, Freedom of speech AV5.8 • 7. Gambling RV 10.34 • 8. Leadership in Society RV10.155 • 9. Marital Bliss RV10.145,1.179 • 10. Pregnancy Protection RV 10.162 • 11. Manyu- Protecting Justice RV 1.83,84

41. More Apara Topics 12. Corruption in Govt AV5.18 13. रोटी कपडा सब तक वितरण प्रणालीRV 6.53 14.पूंजीवादी भोगवाद का दुष्परिणाम उन्मूलनAV5.7 15.शिक्षा,सदाचार का सामाजिक मह्त्व और प्रसार 16.उत्तम वाणी का प्रभाव और प्रशिक्षण 17.दरिद्रता का नाश, व्यवसायिक शिक्षा द्वारा 18.जमा खोरों, जुआरियों,समाज का अहित करने वाले

42. THANKS • Any Questions? • We shall continue on • 26.09.10 at 1845 • ALL ARE INVITED AGAIN

43. वैदिक धर्म की जय हो • ॐ द्यौ: शान्तिरन्तरिक्षग्वं शान्ति: पृथिवी शान्तिराप: शान्तिरोषधय: शान्ति: ! • वनस्पतय: शान्तिर्विश्वे देवा: शान्ति: • सर्वग्वं शान्ति: शान्तिरेव शान्ति: सामा • शान्तिरेधि