As most of us know that there are four Vedas named Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. Here we shall discuss about the opinion of Maharshi Dayanand Sarasvati, a great saint and the founder of Arya Samaj. He visited many places in India and delivered sermons in favour of vedas and human welfare.
on 13th July, 1875 at Peth, Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati delivered a sermon in which he discussed the Vedas. Let us enjoy the extracts of this sermon-
Swamiji starts his priceless sermon-
Today, we shall talk about the Veda. We should deal with this subject from three angles:
- How did the Veda come into existence?
- Who is the author of the Vedas?
- What is the purpose of the Veda?
The Supreme Being is the maker of the Vedas. The term Veda means knowledge or wisdom. Knowledge or wisdom is supreme among all things that exist. Knowledge is the cause of pleasure. Where there is absence of knowledge even good things turn out to be harmful because without knowledge, people fail to make correct use of the objects available.
Knowledge is limitless and being without limit its source is God. That is why it is said: ‘Vedas are boundless.’ Boundless is His name. God who is rich in boundless knowledge is always intended to uplift the human’s ability and position. To make it successful; He illuminates knowledge. So, that illumination is God. Man is authorized to get this infinite knowledge. This knowledge is not originated from the man.
If God is not with form, then how He illuminated the Vedas?
To answer to it is simple. If God is almighty, the one may think easily that He doesn’t need organs like mouth etc. The one who has little power needs these organs.
According to Shwetashwatara Upanishad- “God has no hands, no feet but he holds everything and is the swiftest. He has no eyes but sees all. No ears but hears all. He knows all.” All of you accept that without hands God created the vast universe. Then, why can’t He reveal the Veda without having any mouth etc.?
Someone may argue that the writing of books like the Vedas is an possible task for man, then what is need to imagine God’s physical form? Here let us use our mind a little. There is a great difference between the revelation of knowledge and creation of the inanimate objects. The greatness of God is not due to creation of the lifeless universe only because it is nothing before knowledge. He revealed the Divine Knowledge too, we should think so. How can it be possible that God creates all the inanimate objects but does not give knowledge?
Now, what does it mean when we say that God revealed the Vedic knowledge? Its answer is that God exposed the original knowledge, which is the source of all knowledge, and thereafter man developed that knowledge into various sciences.
Now, there are some evidences that the Vedas were revealed by God-
- The first evidence is that the teachings of the Vedas are impartial. God is merciful on all beings evenly. There is no partiality in God and so is His knowledge; the Veda. Besides God is the Dispenser of Justice. So, He cannot be partial. That knowledge which is meant for a particular group, community or country cannot be from God.
Here again, someone may argue that because the language of the Veda is Sanskrit therefore God appears to be biased for He has given that Knowledge in a particular language.
This argument also does not stand because we must not forget that Sanskrit is the mother of all the languages. Other languages developed afterward. All languages change after some times. It becomes a practice to pronounce the words in a different way or rather in a corrupt form. The corrupt form of the words later becomes a new dialect and with the passing of time that dialect takes the form of a new language.
Vayam is a Sanskrit word. Due to the influence of place and time it altered into Yam and then into we. Similarly, Pitara changed into Petare and father. Yuvam became You and Adim became Adam. Some words alter according to certain rules while others undergo modification due to the likings of the people.
Just like God is the Ocean of Joy, in the same way, the Sanskrit language is an infinitely pleasing language. Is there any other language, which is sweet, prosperous, and pleasant to the ears and the stock from which all the other languages have developed on this earth? Of course, no other language.
Now, if somebody will ask why this language belongs to merely one country? The reply is that Sanskrit is not the language of any particular country. It is the root of all the languages. So, the Veda, which is the source of all knowledge, is also in Sanskrit. This language went to other countries and influenced the intelligentsia of those lands to a great extent and thus became the mother of the different languages.
Just try to observe that certain teachings of the Vedas are in practice in other countries too. For instance, the Jews always used to build a Vedi [altar] and perform fire rituals. In the same way, the Persians also carry out fire rituals like we do.
The information of the Vedas is not for any particular community or country. They are unbiased. The Jews learnt to look at others with contempt from their holy books. The Muslims also scornfully address non-Muslims as kafir [non-believers]. Their Scriptures teach them such thoughts. But the Vedas do not include such sectarian teachings. Therefore, they are from Divine Origin, that is, from God.
- The second proof is that the Vedas are not complicated. Their teachings are easily understood. The Pundits of the medieval period wrote bulky commentaries and distorted the Vedic teachings. There is nothing of significance in their writings.
If someone says that complicated understanding is the indicator of scholarly, then you may know if there will be a possibility of intellectual in the language of crows when they clash. Never. Then simple understanding and much meaningful is the proof of potential. To acquire information without difficulty is the logic of being produced by God.
- The Vedas are the stocks from which several branches of knowledge and sciences are developed. The books composed by men usually deal with only one subject. Jaiminiji writes in his volume only about Dharma and Adharma. In his treaties, Kanad Rishi deals with only the material cause of the universe. In the same way, Rishi Patanjali spent his whole life in writing on three subjects namely Medical Science, Grammar and Yoga in his three different books. He dealt with one subject in one book. The Veda being the source of all branches of knowledge cannot be the masterpiece of a human being. It ensues from God. The Vedas are the Scriptures of all kinds of information.
Now, the question arises why God exposed the facts only in seed form and not as fully developed systems of sciences. The respond is that in so doing god made provision for the mind and intellect of mankind to develop further.
- Some may doubt that Vedas are composed by several men. The answer is very simple. If they were completed by various persons, then the similarity would not be possible.
During the ancient times, the various branches of sciences developed from the teachings of the Vedas, for instance the sciences of airplanes, weapons etc. Those sciences were lost due to the destruction of the books. The Muslims used those volumes as fuel instead of wood. The Jains also did much damage to the Scriptures. It is said that during the 1857 revolution, some Europeans burnt down the great library belonging to Amritrao Peshava. Consider a little how much information is lost.
There was a king named Uparichara. He always used to travel by air. In the ancient days, people used planes in wars. They were acquainted with the science of airships. I have seen a book on this subject. The poor too possessed airships. What is a train before them? Just imagine how advanced was their sciences.
- The Vedas are the eternal truths. So, their potential too is great. Take heed, the Germans are admiring the Vedas. Like them, the scholars of other countries too are being attracted towards the sublime teachings of the Vedas.
That is why; the Vedas are customary to be the creation of God. Some of our own English learned people believe that whatever is written in English is true. On the other hand, our classical scholars give too much importance to tradition. But when they travel by train they forget about their tradition. Should the one destroy ones eyes, if he has a blind father? I mean to say that because of such people we fail to organize our community.
Just observe! How we lost all our power and supremacy due to caste divisions. During the Vedic era, our people possessed canons and guns. Canons were called shatagni. Bhushundi was the name for guns. Other weapons using fire explosives known as Aagneyastra were also used. But today where have they disappeared? Why they have been lost or forgotten?
These days some Pundits state that by the mere chanting of certain specific mantras such weapons were manufactured. But these proclamations are childish. If by simply uttering a mantra fire can be produced then the question arises why the person or his mouth does not get burnt while chanting the mantra? These and such sayings are not true.
A mantra is a sentence made up of alphabets and words according to certain rules of grammar. The word Agni stands for fire. This word cannot burn any thing because this word does not have the properties and characteristics of fire. Therefore, it should be understood that the mere repetition of any word or mantra does not create any effect, in concrete form, the idea which is found in the mantra. In fact, it is wastage of time to sit down and go on repeating any mantra.
Mantra means thought; an idea. The term Rajamantri means one who thinks and counsels. This is the correct meaning. Rajamantri does not mean that he is an individual who goes on repeating the word Raja. In the same way, Mantri does not mean a person to repeats mantras. Instead, Mantri is a person who thinks, contemplates, ponders and counsels and provides guidance.
The application of Veda mantras should be made so as to enhance knowledge; to whet the intellect. Long ago, the Aryas had such abilities and potentials. They did not use to sit down and repeating the mantras hundreds of times. But they used to meditate on the mantras so as to grasp their meanings and then they used to apply the knowledge so obtained into practical life. So, they were familiar with weapons like Varunastra, Aagneyastra etc. They also knew an antidote known as Vishalyoshadhi which they used to heal injuries of any type.
Recently in Bengal, people were ridiculing the medical knowledge of Aryas. But when the medical scholars like Dr. Mahendranath Sarkar, brought to lime light books on medical science like the Charaka and Sushruta Samhitas, the confusion of those people were dissipated. Dr. Mahendranath has raised funds for the publication of books on Aayurveda [medical science]. It is indeed a praiseworthy effort. There is indeed ample data about physical sciences in the Vedas.
The prime object of studying the Vedas is to acquire accurate information so as to be able to analyze objects made up of matter and to know about the knowledge of God realization.
These days some Pundits are of the opinion that Brahma shaped the Vedas and it was Rishi Vedavyasa who compiled the mantras into four volumes known as Samhitas. But my brothers! It is their blunder. Manu Rishi has obviously stated that Brahma learnt the four Vedas from the four sages namely Agni, Vayu, Aaditya and Angira and subsequently preached the Vedas to others.
Brahma is known as Chaturmukha (chatuh-four; mukh-mouth). This term is misinterpreted and it is believed that he had four faces. If it is true that he had in fact four faces, then he must have suffered a lot in life. How did he sleep? Chaturmukha means the one who has the four Vedas in his mouth. In other words, the person who can preach the four Vedas is a Chaturmukha.
Initially, God enlightened the mind of the first four sages with the Divine Knowledge. Brahma learnt the revealed knowledge from them and then taught it to others. That knowledge is called Veda. It is also known as Shruti because the sage learnt it by the method of saying and hearing. In other words, it was transmitted orally to others.
The four sages received the knowledge of the Vedas. Now, someone may ask why only four and not one or more. Such questions are meaningless. Others might still ask why not five or three. Some people are of the opinion that the Vedas are not eternal as they developed from the waves of knowledge that manifested in Brahmadeva’s mind. Since then the Vedic traditions came to practice. Then how can they be eternal as they have a start?
My brothers! The knowledge of God is extraordinary and always existing. The created Universe and the information of the Vedas are at times manifested and at other times not manifested. It means that, they continue to exist at all times, either in the manifested or non-manifested forms. It is said in Rig-Veda, “The heavenly bodies like the sun and the moon are upheld by the Supreme God and He created them exactly as he did in the past cycle of creations.” This is confirmation that the knowledge of God is eternal.
Following Brahma, Virat was born then Vashishtha, Narad, Daksha, Prajapati and Svayambhuva Manu etc. God enlightened the mind of three sages to enable them to grasp the knowledge revealed in the Veda mantras.
Now, let us talk about a few significant facts about the Vedas.
Some people say that the Vedas teach us that the Sun, the Moon etc. are the objects to be worshipped. But such beliefs are wrong.
Yajurveda describes, “Being knowledge and self-illuminated; He is Agni, the fire. Being a shelter on the day of judgement; He is Aditya, the sun. Being mighty and bearer of all; He is Vayu, the air. He is the cause of pleasure; so He is the moon. Due to His quickness and purity He is Shukra too. He is Brahma due to His greatness. Because of His omnipresence He is Apah, the water. And owing the entire subject; He is the Prajapati, the owner of the subject.”. And the Rigveda adds, “God is one but scholars names Him differently”.
All these terms like Agni, Indra, Vayu etc are attributes of God. Therefore, the logic that the worship of different objects or beings (polytheism) is found in the Vedas is completely incorrect.
Manu too adds that as one human being is known by several appellations (names) due to the different functions he performs and also due to the associations that exist between him and others, likewise God is also known by many names. The one soul does have several names due to such factors as nature, actions and attributes.
Many persons still say that there are obscene stories in the Vedas. All such gross misunderstandings are due to the commentaries made by the medieval scholars like Mahidhara.
In the Puranas there is a legend about the children of Kashyapa. Kashyapa is the son of Marichi. He was married to the thirteen daughters out of Daksh’s sixty daughters. There is no indication of such tales in the Vedas. But still some have traced the fable of Kashyapa in the Vedas because they have found the term Pashyakah. Pashyakah is one among the many names of God. Kashyap is altered into Pashyaka by interchanging the position of the first and last alphabet ‘ka’ and ‘pa’.
In the same way, others have fabricated ridiculous stories and books like the Puranas and to give authority to their writings, they have written at the commencement of their books such words as Brahmovach, that is, Brahma (God) says.
For instance, the Pundits of a certain sect have written: –
[The coin is the religion. The coin is the duty. The supreme post is the coin only. There is always dispute in one’s house, that doesn’t possess the coin. ]
This sect is making good harvest among the gullible. They care not the least for their disciples though these ignorant followers may suffer heavy loss for three consecutive lives.
It is indeed essential for all men and women as well to study the Vedas and enlarge their knowledge. Thus, they will not fall prey to the sects. They will comprehend that the easy way to paradise by only wearing a rosary made of Tulsi wood is all absurd.
Brothers, try to understand! If wearing rosary or putting a dot or a line of sandal on the forehead, one can achieve paradise then why people do not attain happiness in this life by painting heir whole face with sandal paste?
The Pundits of the sects have invented such rites like rosary, sandal paste, dot etc. These are easy means for them to extract money from their followers. These things are not very pilgrimage.
What is pilgrimage in reality? The Scriptures describe pilgrimage as “The Brahmacharis were conferred the titles of Vidyasnataka or Vratsanataka after their studies. This means that Vedavidya is in fact real pilgrimage.”
!!Om Shantih Shantih Shantih!!
Note: This article is based on ‘Upadesh Manjari’, a collection of sermons delivered by Maharshi Dayanand Sarasvati.
Facts are verified with en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dayanand .
