Vedic Wisdom

There is no disease equal to greed
There is no enemy greater than anger
There is no sorrow that is greater than poverty
There is no happiness equal to wisdom
Belief in God has declined.
Dharma has disappeared.
Atheism is on the increase.
There is no respect for the Guru-preceptor.
Devotion to God, respect for our ancient culture and tradition have been given farewell.
There is no patronage for true education. Only bread-earning education has become the order of the day.
These, alas! are the signs of modernity!
“I am in the Light;
The Light is in me;
I am the Light” -

The Jnaani who has realized thus will surely become one with Brahman.

Dear Students!

The Vedic literature is the most ancient in the world. It is a treasure-house of wisdom. It has contributed to the all-round development of man. The Veda is the first-ever book in human history. It is the birthplace for human culture and the basis for all kinds of powers. All branches of learning have their origin in the Veda. All Dharmas and virtues have sprung from the Veda. The Veda is endless, unfathomable, indefinable, and blissful.

The word Veda is derived from the Sanskrit root vid meaning knowledge or jnaana. Eeshvara jnaanam - knowledge of the Lord - is Veda. Aatma-jnaanam - knowledge of the Self - is Veda. Brahma-jnaanam - Knowledge of the supreme Absolute - is Veda. Advaita-jnaanam - Non-dual knowledge - is Veda. Veda is vijnaanam - Knowledge par excellence. All these terms are synonyms for Self-knowledge or Aatma-jnaanam. The Divinity of the Veda is all-pervasive and has eight aspects of splendor, viz., shabda Brahmamayi - Sound Brahman, Characharamayi - movable and immovable, Jyotirmayi - Effulgence, Vaangmayi - speech and literature, Nityaanandamayi - Everlasting Bliss, Paraatparamayi - Transcendental, Mayamayi - Delusion, and Shreemayi - Prosperity. This is indeed the Prajnaanam Brahma - constant integrated awareness. It does not pertain to one individual, one place or time. It is universal knowing that it is not possible for ordinary people to understand such sacred Vedic literature. Sage Vyasa compiled it into four volumes.

The Veda consists of three kaandas or Cantos, namely, Karma-kaanda - cantos dealing with rituals and other actions, Upaasana-kaanda - cantos of Devotion, and Jnaana-kaanda - Cantos of wisdom. These three divisions represent the progressive steps in man's spiritual evolution. Man starts with actions, recognizing that the human body is meant for achieving Dharma - righteousness through Karma. When he goes on performing good karmas, he will in due course become fit for understanding Upaasana - devotional practices. When he worships God over a period of time, with love and in a spirit of dedication, he attains the final stage of jnaana. On the whole, Karma, Upaasana, and Jnaana may be considered as three stages of one process, comparable to the flower, the raw fruit, and the ripe fruit respectively. Since the common people cannot understand and practice the teachings of the Veda, subsidiary literature has been created later in the form of Puraanas - Mythological treatises and Itihaasas - epics, so that even the lay people can practice Karma, Upaasana, and Jnaana.

The end of the Veda is Upanishad, which is therefore, called Vedaanta. The Upanishats have named the three paths of Karma, Upaasana, and Jnaana as yogas. The essence of Karma yoga is to dedicate all actions to God or to perform all activities as offerings to the Lord, for His pleasure. Upaasana yoga consists of loving God wholeheartedly and with trikarana shuddhi i.e., harmony and purity of thought, word, and deed. It is not true Upaasana if one loves God for the sake of achieving his worldly desires. It should be love for love’s sake.

The followers of jnaana yoga consider the whole universe as the manifestation of God. Believing that Divinity is residing in all beings in the form of Aatma, is called jnaana. Students may wonder how there can be ekatvam - oneness when there are so many different forms and names, different kinds of behavior and different doctrines, etc. This doubt can be cleared by considering the example of an ocean. In the fathomless ocean, there are numberless waves. Each wave is different from the other in its size, shape, etc. and it looks as though there is no connection between one wave and another. But, a little thinking will reveal to you the fact that they are all different manifestations of one and the same water, and also that they are not different from the ocean. In the same manner, all the different names and forms in the universe are the waves or manifestations of the one and the same ocean of Sat-Chit-Ananda - Existence - Awareness - Bliss. Hence, the essence of all the manifested beings is only Sat-Chit-Ananda, despite the superficial or apparent differences in names and forms and their behavior.

The Bhagavad-geeta, which came later into existence, is the essence of the Upanishats. However, it deals with the path of Karma, Upaasana, and jnaana in three satkas, each satkas comprising six chapters, thus making up the total of eighteen chapters in the Geeta. The first satka deals with the path of Karma, the second one with the path of Upaasana, and the third one with the path of jnaana. To sum up, the Veda gave rise to the Upanishats, which in turn gave rise to the Bhagavad-geeta which serves as a practical guide for human conduct. The Bhagavad-geeta is not the property or monopoly of the Indians. It is the word of God and is therefore, a universal scripture. There is only one God for all, although, there may be different religions and different names and forms of God. In whatever name and form one may worship, it reaches the one and only God. There is only one sun. There are no separate suns like the American Sun, British sun, Chinese sun, Indian sun, Pakistani sun, and so on. Each country may see the sun at a different time. Just because all of them cannot see the sun at the same time, it will be foolish to think that there are different suns for different countries.

Vedas have very vast, profound, and deep meanings. The Gurus or preceptors of ancient times used to adopt stern measures and enforce strict discipline while teaching the Vedas to their students. That is why, the Vedas have survived till today, successfully withstanding the onslaught of time. Actually, the Vedas are not books in the usual sense of that term. No one claims authorship for them. They are called Shrutis or knowledge acquired through hearing. Since time immemorial, the Vedas have been coming down through a succession of Gurus and disciples through the process of hearing. The Gurus used to utter the mantras with a particular intonation which was prescribed for the purpose and scrupulously followed by the disciples. The Gurus of those days were selfless, pure-hearted, and overflowing with love for their students, but unsparing in the matter of discipline among the students. The students too were generally observing the required discipline very scrupulously. If anyone disobeyed the master, he would be summarily dismissed from attending the classes. The Gurus would never tolerate any student who was guilty of one or more of the Akaara panchaka arishtas or the five transgressions beginning with the letter ‘A’, viz., alakshyam - negligence, avinayam - disobedience, ahamkaaram - ego, asuya - jealousy, and asabhyata - lack of social etiquette.

Vaisampayana was the foremost among the disciples who learned the Vedas from the Sage Vyasa. Vaisampayana sanctified his life by implicitly obeying his Guru and by learning his lessons studiously and thoroughly. After completing his studies, Vaisampayana established a Gurukulam - for teaching the Veda to his disciples. By Gurukulam - is not meant a separate institution with its own set of rules and regulations like the present day schools and colleges. The Guru’s house itself constituted the Gurukulam. Whatever kind of food the Guru ate, was given to the disciple as prasaadam - holy food. The disciple should stay with the Guru day and night. One disciple by name Yajnavalkya joined Vaisampayana’s Gurukulam. He had a keen intellect and could learn his lessons very fast. The Guru was also highly pleased with him. People who knew Yajnavalkya began praising him with the result that he developed ahamkaaram - ego, followed gradually by alakshyam - indifference, and asabhyata lack of decorum. Vaisampayana noticed these lapses on the part of Yajnavalkya. One day he called him and told him sternly, “Yajnavalkya! You don’t deserve to stay in this Gurukulam any longer. You must leave this place immediately. Before you leave, you must return all that you have learned from me”. Accordingly, Yajnavalkya, who recognized his own shortcomings, vomited all that he had learned from his Guru. His vomitings were eaten by Tittiri birds and the latter began chanting the Upanishad which was therefore named as Taittireeya Upanishad.

There are two traditions or Saampradaayas in the Veda, viz., Brahma Saampradaaya and Aaditya Saampradaaya. That which was vomited by Yajnavalkya came to be known as the Brahma Saampradaaya, also called the Krishna Yajurveda. After leaving the Gurukulam of Vaisampayana, Yajnavalkya sincerely repented for his delinquency and atoned for it by giving up food and drink and practiced Sooryopasana - Sun worship - undergoing severe austerities by way of penance. Pleased with this penance, the Sun-God appeared before him in the form of Vaji, and told him, “My child! What is past is past. You should guard yourself against such lapses in the future. Betraying the Guru or God is highly dangerous. Be careful hereafter. I will now teach you the Vedas again”. So saying the Sun-God taught him the Vedas. The reason for the Sun appearing in the form of Vaji was that Yajnavalkya’s fore-fathers always used to do annadaanam - free distribution of food, and therefore their family got the name Vaijasam. The Veda taught by him was also called by the alternative names of Shukla Yajurveda, Vaajasaakanda, and Aaditya kaanda. Yajur-veda has been divided into two. For this reason, although the Vedas were originally four in number, they have subsequently become five, namely Rig-veda, Krishna Yajur-veda, Shukla Yajur-veda, Saama-veda, and Atharvana-veda. Recognizing that the Sun appeared before him as Vaji and taught him the Vedas, because of the free distribution of food by his ancestors, Yajnavalkya gave primary importance to annadaanam in his teaching which, among others, included the following:

“There is no gift, higher than the gift of food and no God higher than the parents. There is no truth higher than japam and tapas - reciting the holy Name and doing penance. There is no Dharma higher than compassion and no gain higher than the company of the good. There is no enemy more dangerous than anger and no disease more serious than indebtedness. There is no death more horrible than ill-fame and no wealth more valuable than fame. There is no ornament more beautiful than Smarana - remembering God through chanting His names”. Yajnavalkya, moreover, emphasized especially in his teachings to his disciples the extreme importance of service to parents and Guru, as well as annadaanam - free distribution of food.

Students!

We began these classes on the holy Ekadashi day - the eleventh day of the lunar fortnight. and we are also concluding the classes on this Ekadashi day. Hence you should consider all these classes as Ekadashi Vratam observance of the vows of Ekadashi. During the fortnight, you have had the valuable opportunity of listening to the lectures from highly distinguished speakers, with rich experience behind them. What they taught you with wholehearted zeal and enthusiasm, you have listened carefully with much interest and faith. But, what is more important than listening is, to put into practice at least some of the things you have learned and thereby, to set an example for others to follow.

You must always remember the five life-breaths relating to the Vedas, which I mentioned earlier. You should avoid these five things: 1) Indifference to what the Guru, parents, and other elders teach you 2) Disobedience to the aforesaid, 3) Ahamkaaram - ego 4) Jealousy or envy towards those who are better off, 5) violating the social etiquette or decorum.

Students!

What has been taught to you during these fifteen days, is the essence of the sacred Vedaanta. What has been given to you is the nectar obtained by the churning of all the holy scriptures - Shaastras, Puraanas, and Itihaasas. You are the future leaders, pleaders, and patrons of Mother India. You should lead exemplary lives, treading the path of Satya and Dharma - truth and righteousness. Under no circumstances should you deviate from this ideal path. Let your secular education go hand in hand with spiritual education.

The Vedas have taught about two kinds of Karma: Vihita Karma and Nishiddha Karma - prescribed Karma and prohibited Dharma; in other words, the do’s and don’ts for regulating one’s life. Unfortunately, today the prescribed things are being given up, and the prohibited things are being taken up. This is sheer folly and ignorance. The prohibited things should be rejected, even though you might have taken a lot of trouble to acquire them. For instance, you have purchased from the market a big mango fruit for five rupees. Just because you have spent five rupees on it, will you eat the skin outside and the stone inside the fruit? No, no. You will eat only the pulp and reject both the skin and stone. Similarly, this world is like a fruit, and you have to accept what is good in it and reject what is bad for you.

Students!

You are highly fortunate. Even though there are several millions of people in the world, is it not your exceedingly good luck that only you, who are but a few hundred in number, have been able to get the benefit of this golden opportunity? However, the purpose of this Summer Course will be served only, if at least some of you stand as exemplars to others. You may take up any job, business, or agriculture, and occupy any position in your life, but it is extremely important that you do not lose self-confidence while discharging your duties. Lack of Self-confidence is the main cause of all the present-day problems like foul-play, injustice, losses, failures, sorrow, and pain. People do not believe in themselves, not to speak of believing others. First of all, develop Self-confidence and that in turn will give you self-satisfaction. Without self-satisfaction, you cannot have contentment. Once you have gained self-satisfaction, then automatically you will be ready for self-sacrifice. Needless to say, where there is self-sacrifice, there will be Self-realization naturally.

Every student should undertake satkarmas - good actions which lead to chitta shuddhi - purity of mind. Where there is purity, there will be jnaana siddhi - dawn of wisdom. These are all within you only. You need not search for them anywhere outside. In this connection let us consider the example of the wall-clock over there. It has three hands to indicate seconds, minutes, and hours respectively. There are sixty points, and twelve hours marked along the circumference of the clock. When the second-hand moves across all the sixty points, the minute-hand moves by only one point. When the minute hand moves over sixty points or the full circumference, the hour-hand moves by only one hour-mark or one-twelfth of the circumference. Now, the second-hand may be compared to our actions. If a large number of good actions are done, the minute-hand which represents chitta shuddhi - the purity of mind will move by one point. Chitta shuddhi is the stage of Upaasana when one engages himself in loving God and worshipping Him in various ways over a period of time leading to Aatma-vishwasam - Self-confidence which represents the hour-hand. The perceptible movements of the second-hand and the minute-hand should bring about the imperceptibly slow movement of the hour-hand. Otherwise no purpose is served by the second-hand and minute-hand. So also, unless your good actions, worship, and love of God - lead to Aatma-vishwasam or Self-confidence, the former two will be futile.

Whenever you have time, it will suffice if you take up at least one of the nine modes of bhakti (such as Shravanam, Keertanam, etc., already explained to you in My earlier discourses). God does not consider how wealthy or how learned you are; He is concerned only with the sincerity and purity of your mind and heart and about how whole-hearted and genuine your love is. Valmiki was a hunter. Nanda was an untouchable. Kuchela was a pauper. Dhruva and Prahalada were mere lads of five years. Sabari was a tribal woman, illiterate and uncivilised. But all of them had won God’s Grace in abundance, because of their whole-hearted devotion, love, and surrender.

Follow the example of Sabari who always thought of Sri Rama and His happiness, and dedicated all her thoughts, words, and deeds to Him alone, so much so that every action of hers was transformed and sublimated into the highest tapas - penance. From her example, you must learn the lesson that meditation does not mean sitting idle in a particular posture of the body, as if you are posing for a photograph. As in her case, your entire life must become a continuous meditation wherever you may be staying and whatever you may be doing. Whatever you eat or drink must be offered to God as naivedyam or holy offering. In this manner, if you offer everything to the Lord, you will naturally be prevented from engaging yourself in bad actions or evil ways in your life. Therefore, Students! I am bringing My long discourse to a close, with the hope and blessing that you will practice with your hands what you have heard here through your ears, and thereby sanctify your lives and also contribute your share to make the future of Bharat bright and prosperous.

Valedictory Discourse at the Summer Course in the Brindavan Campus on 03.06.1990