The Ancient Indian Scriptures!

INTRODUCTION TO THE RAMAYANA

Sisters And Brothers!

   If it can be truly said that one book has shaped the history of a people as large and diversely cultured as India throughout the millennia, no book other than the Ramayana can be cited. One name has shaped and nourished and preserved the culture and religion of a people known to be bowing to hundreds of gods and deities, swearing by different names and forms, who have for thousands of years tutored themselves to think with one consciousness that could never be deleted by any number of invasions, outward aggressions and barbarous attacks that can be encapsulated in one single simple name, Ram! The uniqueness of India’s culture and multiple notions of varying rites and customs and convention can all be  brought into a harmonious singing of one name of the Lord, Ram! Ram! Ram! 

   For centuries India was subjugated by foreign cultures first by Muhammaddans and then later by the British culture who frowned profucely upon the superstitious simple people who worshipped monkeys and snakes could not erase this one name that guarded the people individually through the thick and thin.  The name “Ram” inspired the  great mighty Warrior who brought freedom to the land and became the father of the nation, Mahatma Gandhi who habitually and faithfully swore by the name of the Lord Ram, so much so it looked it was Lord Ram who brought independence to India’s multitude! An ordinary baniya youth went to England to make a rough diamond out of himself and then to South Africa to chistle himself into a multy-faceted diamond to serve as the ornate ornament on the signet ring of Lord Ram,  returned to serve the Motherland in the exertion of cutting asunder the fetters binding her hands and then dutifully fell to the bullets of a fanatic gloriously chanting the Name, Ram! Ram! Ram! 

   The Ramayana (Life of Rama) is Valmiki’s monumental work, which is also a study of Dharma in all its nuances. So much so that it can legitimately be called a ‘dharma sastra’. From Lord Ram’s decision to acquiesce in Kaikeyi’s bidding for him to go into the forest in the attire of an ascetic to engaging in the acts of killing of Rakshasas who had not given him any offence to the Killing of Vali, every incident is a nuanced dharma!

   Narada suggests to Valmiki to write the story of Rama while Rama was still living in flesh on the earth and his story was recited to him in his court by the twins who were none other than his own sons! So the best part of the story must have been real. 

   The Ramayana, according to Swami Chidbhavananda of Thirupparaithurai, Ramakrishna Tapovanam near Tiruchirappalli, “is absorbing to the child, elevating to the Common Man, thought-provoking to the learned, inspiring to the mystic and illuminant to the sage!”

   As quoted by Sri C.R. Srinivasa Ayyangar in his extraordinary English translation of the Ramayana brought out by THE LITTLE FLOWER CO. (LIFCO) from Professor MacDonell, “The Epic contains the following verse foretellingi its everlasting fame: 

As long as mountain ranges stand 

And rivers flow upon the earth, 

So long will this Ramayana 

Survive upon the lips of men!”

THE MAHABHARATA

INTRODUCTION TO THE MAHABHARATA 

Sisters And Brothers!

   Before diving deep into the Epic Mahabharata, it will help you to know something about its great author, Vyasa. Swami Chidbhavananda of Thirupparaithurai Ramakrishna Tapovanam, in Tiruchirappalli has given a brief but succinct account of Viyasa’s life. Apart from authoring this ineffable Epic he is also making his appearance in the story of the Epic. So it is very important to know the basic facts about this great Saint. 

   The Mahabharata is one of the twin epics of Ancient India. This Epic was written by the venerable Saint, Vyasa. He was wisdom personified. He must have been an advent. No one in human history has surpassed his genius. He has written this Epic in 100,000 Slokas or Verses in Sanskrit Language! It is longer than the Ramayana. Indeed it is longer than any other Epic in the whole world. 

   Apart from the Mahabharata, Saint Vyasa has written the eighteen Puranas. He has also written the abstruse Brahma Sutras or Vedanta Sutras. Vyasa is also known as Dvaipayana. Because he was born and brought up on a ‘dvipa’ or island. He was somewhat dark in complexion. So he was called Krishna Dvaipayana! He was also known as Badarayana. He was born to the Sage Parasara and Satyavati. 

    By birth Vyasa was a Kshatriya. Conventional social divisions could not limit his genius. He was supremely above such conventions. He was always absorbed in matters supramundane. While in the world, he was not of the world. 

   Austerity or self control is the supreme process by which the ordinary man            reshapes himself into the Superman. Vyasa’s excellence was all due to his austerity. From boyhood onwards he was  given to self-discipline. While in Tapas or meditation the world slipped out of his memory. Apparently he was dead to it. Immeasurable was his absorption in the supreme. The intensity of it was responsible for making him superlative. His extraordinary literary works were all mere by-products of his spiritual attainments. 

   Vyasa may be called the sap root of the tree of the Mahabharata. He was the grandfather of the cousins – the Kauravas and the Pandavas. He appeared on the scene of the story of the Epic whenever and wherever his good offices was imperative. Vyasa was not actively involved in the happenings of this great epic. But he never failed in giving guidance to his progeny whenever they stood in need of it. Throughout the story of the Epic he stood by the righteous Kurus, the Pandava brothers.

   It is an undisputed and indubitable fact that the Mahabharata is an epic containing all the human activities so far known to the world and its literature. For what is not there we cannot find in the whole literature of the world. All human emotions and traits like desires, ambition, likes, dislikes, nobility,  wickedness everything is there in this monumental epic. It is longer than any epic  of the world. It has romance, heroism, great men and women characters, bravery, nobility and treachery. Great And small characters in the epic transact their daily life fully conscious of their individual Dharma or Swadharma or Self-ordained duties. Even Duryodhana, an out and out evil character,  often speaks of Dharma. Indeed this epic is an encyclopaedia of human Dharma. If we are well-versed in the story of this great epic, we can often recall various incidents in which various characters posed the question of Dharma fitting that particular context. 

   Both the epics, the Ramayana and the Mahabharata have created characters who are indelibly tattooed in the hearts of the people of India. For them these characters are more real than the people they get to see in their actual life. 

   The Mahabharata contains a code of ethics which has shaped the character of the populace of this ancient Land. How a society must be structured, what are the problems common man encounters in his social life and how the polity of the Nations must be conducted, everything is there in this monumental work. War is one of the basic features of human life in any organised society. The fact that we cannot avert war howsoever we try is borne out in this epic. The Mahabharata itself is described by its own author as the great war. Multitudes of warriors belonging to both sides are slaughtered at Kurukshetra. Only seven men on the Pandava’s side and three on the Kaurava’s side went back home alive! In this great war great personalities participated. Shri Krishna and Bhishma could not  prevent the war. The cream of the society took part in the war, without being forced by anyone, out of their own volition. Great characters like karna participated in the war fully knowing they would be killed in the war because they were grouped on the side which was against Dharma. 

   It was as though they were all drawn into the field of slaughter so that human society to come shall know the basic fact that the society can only exist along with war which  was invevitable.

   But then there is a whole chapter given to encapsulate the Immortal dialogue between Sri Krishna and his disciple, Arjuna. 

   But even in the Bhagavad Gita, which forms the soul of the Mahabharata, Sri Krishna not only advises but also compells his disciple and friend, Arjuna, to take part in the war! 

   So what is the message of the Epic and the Bhagavad Gita? 

   We will see in the ensuing Posts belonging to the Sections the Mahabharata and the Bhagavad Gita the answer to this mother of all questions!

THE UPANISHADS 

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UNDER THIS SECTION WE WILL DEAL FIRST WITH THE ISHA UPANISHAD. 

INTRODUCTION TO THE ISHA UPANISHAD

BY  SRI ADI  SHANKARA:

For this SECTION, “THE UPANISHADS”  I first take up “The Isha Upanishad!” I will first start with the introduction of SRI SHANKARA. (In the course of giving the introduction of the great Saint Sri Shankara, I will add Blogger’s Note wherever such notes are necessary). Then I will add my own introduction, as the blogger, putting this Upanishad in its specific context. 

SRI SHANKARA’S INTRODUCTION 

      Om. Salutations to Brahman!

  The Mantras beginning with Ishavasyam in the Upanishad are not to be used for ritualistic action, because they reveal the true nature of Aatman, which cannot be attained as a result of any action. 

(Each Upanishad emanates from one of the four Vedas. As has been explained in the About Page, the Vedas deal with Samhitas, Mantras, Aranyaka and Upanishad. The Isha Upanishad is dealt with the Mantra Section of the Yajur Veda. The Mantra Sections of the Vedas deal with action or rituals of various sacrifices. Isha Upanishad deals exclusively with the knowledge of Brahman or Aatman. Where there is nil-action. Brahman is actionless and without any attributes or any other limiting adjuncts. Action presupposes the actor, the thing acted upon and the karma phala or the result of the action. So, according to Sri Shankaracharya, Aatman cannot be attained as a result of any action).

 It will be presently said that Aatman, in Its real nature, is pure, sinless, non-dual, eternal, incorporeal, and omnipresent, and therefore the knowledge of it is in conflict with work. Therefore it is right to say that these mantras of the Isha Upanishad are not to be used in ritualistic action.

   Furthermore, Aatman, as described above, cannot be connected with an action, because It is not something that is attained,  created, or produced through the process of purification or transformation; and also because It is not of the nature of a doer or an enjoyer. 

   The sole purpose of all the Upanishads is to determine the true nature of  Aatman; the Baghavad Gita and other treatises dealing with man’s Liberation have the same end in view.

   Action has been prescribed in the scriptures to suit the understanding of  worldly people who associate with Aatman such characteristics as multiplicity, agency, enjoyment, impurity, sinfulness and so on.

   According to those competent to determine who should perform work and who should not, he who seeks the result of action – a result visible on earth, such as the glories of the bhrahmin’s life, or a result not so visible, such as enjoyment in heaven –and who says to himself: “I am twice-born and free from such defects as blindness or a hunchback, which disqualify one for sacrificial work,” is entitled to perform work.

 (Here I must digress or to be more specific,  I must go deep into the Upanishadic notion of action which is somewhat regid than the flexible explanation given in the Bhagavad Gita. Because we do not deal entirely with the Upanishads in this blog. The uniqueness of this blog is you get to know the standpoint of the Upanishads as well as The Bhagwad Gita. I hasten to say that it is not as if both diametrically differ from each other. According to Swami Nikhilananda, in the Upanishads, we must keep it in mind that work is fundamentally understood as sacrificial, ritualistic, and devotional action, or such philanthropic action as the digging of a well or construction of a road, all of which are associated with the idea of a doer, an instrument, and an expected result. The Upanishadic Rishis’ regidity of explanation to work is remarkablely relaxed in The Bhagwad Gita. Dr. Radhakrishnan is of the view that there must have been a considerable passing of the time between the Vedic period and the Upanishadic period. Likewise, The Bhagwad Gita has  come after all Principal Upanishads. That was how we have a synthesis of the philosophy of the Principal Upanishads in the Bhagavad Gita. The Upanishads are also considered as the milk yielding cow, when the Bhagwad Gita is compared to the cow’s nourishing milk! Anyhow there is a marked relaxation like, for example, the idea of work or action. For the Upanishadic Rishis in  Aatman, which is like Brahman, no action or work inheres. Because Aatman is beyond all actions. Like Brahman, Aatman is the everlasting state of knowledge-existance-bliss, that is Sat-Chit-Ananda! Since nil-action inheres in Atman, It is incompatible with action or work. But we should not forget the Upanishadic Rishis lived in the forests and they had many disciples to whom the esoteric philosophy about the quintessence of Brahman was taught. According to the Four Varnas, the most ardant students belonging to the first Varna, Brahmins, were taught. Thus the learning of the Upanishads was exclusive. Against this, the teachings of The Bhagavad Gita can be taken to be more inclusive. At any rate, not everyone is attracted to the serious study of the Upanishads. But The Bhagwad Gita is not known for any exclusivity. Almost any educated person can and should study The Bhagwad Gita. This does not mean common people should not take to the regular and serious study of the Upanishads. If that be the case the Principal Upanishads would not have been included in this blog! But, in actual fact, the Bhagavad Gita is Common Man’s Scripture among the uniniated Hindus. The householders among the Hindus take to the Bhagavad Gita like a fish takes to the water. The Bhagwad Gita enjoins on us the duty of carrying out of our self-ordained duties without expectation of the fruits thereof. In Verse 33 of Chapter 2 declares, “But if you would not wage this righteous warfare, then forfeiting your duty and honour, you will incur sin.” It is worthwhile to note that Arjuna, to whom Gita was taught,  belonged to the second Varna, by name, Kshathria or Warrior Class. Indulging in the righteous war was a sacrosanct, self-ordaied duty for Arjuna! Verse 38 of the same Chapter advises Arjuna as to how he must indulge in his self-ordained or swadharmic duties thus: “Treating alike pain and pleasure, gain and loss, victory and defeat, engage yourself in the battle. Thus you will incur no sin.” In Verse 3 of Chapter 3 of the Bhagwad Gita Sri Krishna lays down, “The twofold path was given by Me, O sinless one, to the world in the beginning —  the path of knowledge to the discerning, the path of work to the active.” Thus the path or way of work towards obtaining self-realization is handsomely acknowledged by the Lord of Gita. The Verses 4 and 5 of the same Chapter declare, “Man gains not actionlessness by abstaining from activity, nor does he rise to perfection by mere renunciation.” “None can ever remaind really actionless even for a moment;  for everyone is helplessly driven to action by the Gunas born of Prakriti.” Prakriti means Nature or the World. But it should be kept in mind that the Upanishadic Rishis’ rigorous avoidance of action as anathema to Self-realization represents only a shift in emphasis not perception. The Principal Upanishads are as authoritative as the Bhagavad Gita and The Brahma Sutras among the Hindu Scriptures, which constitute the Prasthanatrayam as explained in the About Page. Comming back to Sri Shankara, he was by no means averse to work in his life. When there was a slackening in the spirits of the Hindus, his advent like yet another Avatar rejuvenated Hinduism. He was no mean achiever in his short duration in his earthly sojourn!)

 Therefore the Mantras of the Isha Upanishad reveal the true nature of Aatman and thereby destroy the natural ignorance regarding It. Further, they produce in us the knowledge of the oneness of the Atman by means of which we can uproot grief,  delusion and other characteristics of samssara. 

   One who is eager to rid himself of the suffering and delusion of samsara, created by ignorance and attain  Supreme Bliss is entitled to read this Upanishad. The true nature of Aatman is its subject matter. The relationship between the treatise and the subject matter is that the former establishes the latter. The purpose served by the scripture is that it enables one to attain the knowledge of The Identity of Aatman and Brahman and thereby destroys grief and delusion which are the result of ignorance.

   We shall now briefly explain the mantras.

BLOGGER’S INTRODUCTION: 

The Isha Upanishad forms part of the Yajur Veda. Each Upanishad blossoms from anyone of the four Vedas. The Isha Upanishad is the 40th chapter of the Shukla (White) Yajur Veda. The Yajur Veda, as noted in the About Page, contains sacrificial formulas.  According to Swami Nikhilananda,  the Upanishads contain the Vedic Philosophy. Generally they form the concluding Section of the Aranyaka which belongs to the Brahmana portion of the Vedas. But the Isha Upanishad is an exception. It forms the part of the Samhita. Isha Upanishad contains only 18 mantras. The Scholars say that Isha Upanishad is very ancient to go by the versification and literary style.

   Though it is a short Upanishad, It has many abscure passages. Sri Shankara,  Sri  Ramanuja and Sri Mathva are the three original and renowned Bashyakaras or Commentators. Each of them differs in their interpretation of the Isha Upanishad. We follow the Commentary of Sri Shankara. (Please refer to the passages in the About Page  under the title ‘Hinduism’ for the important differences between these three original Commentators). 

   Sri Krishna says in the Bhagavad Gita that there is a two-fold path for self realization. One is the path of action or work and the other the path of knowledge. According to Sri Shankara, they are mutually exclusive; one excludes the other. The path of action if properly pursued leads to the path of knowledge. The Isha Upanishad refers to both disciplines.

THE BHAGAVAD GITA 

Sisters And Brothers!

INTRODUCTION TO THE BHAGAVAD GITA BLOG-POSTS: 

    The Bhagavad Gita means the Song Celestial or the Song of God. Chakravarti Rajagopalachari (Rajaji), the first Indian Governor-General of India, regrets that the young university students of India know much less about the Bhagavad Gita and the Hindu scriptures and traditions than the Undergraduates of the European universities know about their Holy Bible and Christian traditions and virtues. Sri Rajagopalachari’s regrets date back to the year 1963. But it is doubtful if the situation has improved since then. Certainly our young men and women are smarter and more intelligent than the youths Sri Rajagopalachari was referring to. But the youths Sri Rajagopalachari was referring to would have read the Bhagavad Gita if not the Principal Upanishads of the Indian scriptures in their later years. That is how the Bhagavad Gita has retained its popularrity and mass appeal among the educated people of India. At some point of time in their lives the educated men and women in India find their individual way  towards reading this Great Book India has presented to the World and its teeming humanity. No man or woman who holds sincerely faithful to the general teachings of the Bhagavad Gita will go astray in his or her life.

   For many reasons the Great Epic of Ancient India, namely, the Mahabharata is called as the fifth Veda. One of the reasons is that it contains the teaching of Sri Krishna to his desciple and friend, Arjuna, that spans 700 Sanskrit Slokas or Versus. This discourse occurs in the Mahabharata in Chapters 25 to 42 of the Bhishma Parva. Indeed the whole of the Epic Mahabharata is only an expansion of the teaching contained in the Bhagavad Gita. It was Sri  Shankaracharya who won 1400 years ago took this monumental teaching of moral and metaphysical truths out of the corpus of the great Epic Mahabharata and wrote a scintillating Commentary upon the same. This commentary holds the field till today. Innumerous commentators have written able commentaries on the Bhagavad Gita since the time of Sri Shankara. But almost all of them owe it in large measure to the original Commentary written by Sri  Shankara. Chakravarthy Rajagopalachari is of the view that for long the Bhagavad Gita has been taken by the population of India as being an independent work of containing popular philosophy. Indeed it is not containing popular philosophy. For the Bhagavad Gita is only a great and creative and wisdomatic synthesis of the esoteric philosophy contained in the Principal Upanishads numbering 10 or 12. The upanishads mainly contain the metaphysical philosophy relating to the ordinary soul attaining oneness with Brahman. Yet the synthesis we find in the Bhagavad Gita has presented the esoteric metaphysical philosophies of the Upanishads in such a way that are readily understandable even to the ordinary householder. This is where the Gita has succeeded in bringing to the doorstep of the Common Man the Upanishadic philosophies through riveting dialogues between Sri Krishna and his friend and disciple, Arjuna. This is how the Bhagavad Gita has succeeded to become a popular scripture among the Hindus from time  immemorial. 

   Dr S Radhakrishnan in his extraordinary Commentary on the Bhagavad Gita  (HarperCollins Publishers India) says, the Bhagavad Gita, “gives utterance to the aspirations of the pilgrims of all sects who seek to tread the inner way to the city of God. We touch reality most deeply where men struggle, fail and triumph. Millions of Hindus for centuries have found comfort in this great book which sets forth in precise and penetrating words the essential principles of a spiritual religion which are not coningent on ill-founded facts,  unscientific dogmas or arbitrary fancies.”