vaidika dharma and paurāṇika dharma -1.
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इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः |
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः ||
[Chapter 3, shloka 12]
--
iṣṭānbhogānhi vo devā dāsyante yajñabhāvitāḥ |
tairdattānapradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ ||
[Chapter 3, shloka 12]
--
As is propounded by śrīmadbhagvadgītā , this shloka and the next few provide us a link between the veda-dharma and the purāṇa-dharma, and help us understand the salient features of yajña , which is not just a ritual to be performed blindly because it is given to us by some authorities, but there is much more behind this.
One, who has learned these things under the supervision and guidence of a tradition, better understands the place and importance of 'Gods' / 'devatA' in veda-dharma, who are the preciding deities authorised to govern the powers of God Supreme. It is literally 'delegation of powers'. ’brahma-sūtra’ explains this in great detail. In kaṭhopaniṣad, yama, explains to naciketā, how he acquired His position of Lordship , -the Lord of Death (and life and destiny) of all creatures, and how He too has a limited span of time to function in this capacity, till one day, when he will have to go. There will be another man in His place. And because He had desired / longed for to acquire this position and performed the due yajña, He got this present assignment as yama.
On the other hand, The purāṇa-dharma, explains how these 'Gods' / 'devatA' are to be approached by those who are not very learned and mostly even illiterate and can perform very simple rituals with 'bhAvanA' only.
Though the Supreme Principle is the same, (not even such as that can be kept under the category of 'ONE' or 'MANY') it can be grasped in terms of 'Mother-principle', 'Father-principle' and 'Intelligence-principle'. The 3 may be again translated as 'devI', 'shiva' and 'gaNesha'. And then What is there in purāṇa-dharma, is the same as in the veda-dharma , But the criteria and scales are different in veda-dharma and purāṇa-dharma. Thus, purāṇa-dharma ascertains multitudes of 'Times'/ 'loka', relative to every individual soul, and his realm / 'loka', while deals with the timeless truths. Veda is 'Law' while purāṇa is 'rule'. So law is inviolable, and holds in all realms / 'loka' while 'rules' are specific in, that they apply and govern over the individual and his realm / 'loka'.
A few days ago a scholar expressed the (often repeated) view that veda are approved by science. (वेद विज्ञान-सम्मत हैं ।). Unfortunately he had no idea that the converse is far more true, that science is veda-approved. (विज्ञान वेद-सम्मत है ।).
So, for the masses, the purāṇa-dharma is advisable and easy to follow.
’śrīmadbhagavadgītā’, serves as a bridge between the veda-dharma, and the purāṇa-dharma.
Just because’ śrīmadbhagavadgītā’ begins with साङ्ख्य, but deals with the teaching under the authorship / authority of bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇa, Who is an avatāra of viṣṇu / hari. The teachings of śrīmadbhagavadgītā could be interpreted in many ways suiting the people of different orientations of mind. Those who believe in God Supreme as the only principle that manifests in all forms and beings, or those who believe Him as Father / Mother or The Self of All, Those who worship as the Lord and put oneself in the place of His / Her devotee. Even those who don't believe in God, can find suitable ideas about the nature of Reality as ’Brahman’ that may appeal to their views.
The deities that are the Lords of different divine powers are called 'devatā', and one may approach to them by means of performing 'yajña', and can the wishes granted. The worshiping of 'devatā' in this way is not same as worshiping the nature that is inert and insentient totality of physical materials only.
--
(To be continued, ....)
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इष्टान्भोगान्हि वो देवा दास्यन्ते यज्ञभाविताः |
तैर्दत्तानप्रदायैभ्यो यो भुङ्क्ते स्तेन एव सः ||
[Chapter 3, shloka 12]
--
iṣṭānbhogānhi vo devā dāsyante yajñabhāvitāḥ |
tairdattānapradāyaibhyo yo bhuṅkte stena eva saḥ ||
[Chapter 3, shloka 12]
--
As is propounded by śrīmadbhagvadgītā , this shloka and the next few provide us a link between the veda-dharma and the purāṇa-dharma, and help us understand the salient features of yajña , which is not just a ritual to be performed blindly because it is given to us by some authorities, but there is much more behind this.
One, who has learned these things under the supervision and guidence of a tradition, better understands the place and importance of 'Gods' / 'devatA' in veda-dharma, who are the preciding deities authorised to govern the powers of God Supreme. It is literally 'delegation of powers'. ’brahma-sūtra’ explains this in great detail. In kaṭhopaniṣad, yama, explains to naciketā, how he acquired His position of Lordship , -the Lord of Death (and life and destiny) of all creatures, and how He too has a limited span of time to function in this capacity, till one day, when he will have to go. There will be another man in His place. And because He had desired / longed for to acquire this position and performed the due yajña, He got this present assignment as yama.
On the other hand, The purāṇa-dharma, explains how these 'Gods' / 'devatA' are to be approached by those who are not very learned and mostly even illiterate and can perform very simple rituals with 'bhAvanA' only.
Though the Supreme Principle is the same, (not even such as that can be kept under the category of 'ONE' or 'MANY') it can be grasped in terms of 'Mother-principle', 'Father-principle' and 'Intelligence-principle'. The 3 may be again translated as 'devI', 'shiva' and 'gaNesha'. And then What is there in purāṇa-dharma, is the same as in the veda-dharma , But the criteria and scales are different in veda-dharma and purāṇa-dharma. Thus, purāṇa-dharma ascertains multitudes of 'Times'/ 'loka', relative to every individual soul, and his realm / 'loka', while deals with the timeless truths. Veda is 'Law' while purāṇa is 'rule'. So law is inviolable, and holds in all realms / 'loka' while 'rules' are specific in, that they apply and govern over the individual and his realm / 'loka'.
A few days ago a scholar expressed the (often repeated) view that veda are approved by science. (वेद विज्ञान-सम्मत हैं ।). Unfortunately he had no idea that the converse is far more true, that science is veda-approved. (विज्ञान वेद-सम्मत है ।).
So, for the masses, the purāṇa-dharma is advisable and easy to follow.
’śrīmadbhagavadgītā’, serves as a bridge between the veda-dharma, and the purāṇa-dharma.
Just because’ śrīmadbhagavadgītā’ begins with साङ्ख्य, but deals with the teaching under the authorship / authority of bhagavān śrīkṛṣṇa, Who is an avatāra of viṣṇu / hari. The teachings of śrīmadbhagavadgītā could be interpreted in many ways suiting the people of different orientations of mind. Those who believe in God Supreme as the only principle that manifests in all forms and beings, or those who believe Him as Father / Mother or The Self of All, Those who worship as the Lord and put oneself in the place of His / Her devotee. Even those who don't believe in God, can find suitable ideas about the nature of Reality as ’Brahman’ that may appeal to their views.
The deities that are the Lords of different divine powers are called 'devatā', and one may approach to them by means of performing 'yajña', and can the wishes granted. The worshiping of 'devatā' in this way is not same as worshiping the nature that is inert and insentient totality of physical materials only.
--
(To be continued, ....)
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