The
quest for enjoying the ultimate pleasure without any sorrow, by completely
merging with the nature is one of the fundamental driving forces of the human
mind. It is evident that the unbelievable sharpness of the minds which
synthesized the vast amount of knowledge, the Vedas, was well aware of the
above fact.
സുഖാര്ഥ: സർവഭൂതാനാം മതാ: സർവ: പ്രവർത്തയ:
The Vedas, based on its
contents, is divided into three; ‘Karmakandha’, ‘Upasanakandha’ and ‘Njanakandha’.
All these are well designed to suite the then four stages of life called
Brhmacharyam, Grhasthasramam, Vanaprastham and Sanyasam.
Thus, during the early
stages of the life, when he is in his Brahmacharya, he must recite the Samhitha
Manthras. During the Grhastasramam, it is the time for the interpretation of
the Samhithas, the Brahmanyam, which is the detailed explanation of the
Karmanushtan. When he is in his Vanaprastha, it is the time for the Upasana and
hence the Arnyakam. And in the Sanyasa it is the time to make jnanam which is
essential for the liberation. So, the njanakanda; Upanishads.
The customary divisions of
Vedas are:
Rig Veda, is the most
poetic, which includes sookthas and Manthras, is to be recited by ‘Hotri’
Samaveda, which deals with the
ways and the theories of how to sing the Rig Vada mantharas is chanted by
‘Ugatri’
Yajjur Veda, which narrates
the rituals for the sacrifice and is chanted by ‘Adhvaryu’
Adharva Veda: Many scholars
do not consider it as part of Vedas, because it consists of spells and charms. Its
hymns are more diverse and are simpler in Language.
Upanishads are considered as
an extension and explanations of the Vedas, hence the name ‘Upa-nishad’ and the ‘end of the Vedas’; ‘Vedanta’. ‘Mukthikopanishad’
says there are 1180 Upanishads. But, generally accepted number as 108, Out of
which 10 are considered as the most important. There is no valid reason for
this 10 number, except that Adi Sankara wrote ‘bhashyam’ only to these 10 Upanishads.
Generally speaking, Vedas
and Upanishads discuss moral and ethical issues, sin and virtue, Theory of
Karma, Ultimate reality of the Universe and different aspect of the human life
and society. They convey;
1. The doctrine of Parinamavad (nothing to do
with Darwin), It says the effect is the real manifestation of the cause.
2.
The world is the manifestation of the
absolute
3.
The Individual soul is bounded by Maya
4.
It is captured by ignorance or avidya
5. Brahmam is unspeakable, indiscernible,
absolute and beyond our comprehension and language.
The relation between Jeeva
and Paramatman is best shown by the popular Santhi Manthra “ Poornamada,
poornamida, Poornaath poornamuthachyathe…
“Meaning: That is complete,
This is complete, The completeness emanated from the completeness, Though many
completeness emanated from it, still it remains as complete.”
The interpretation of
Manthras and sukthas are so difficult because of the impenetrable nature of the
language. Hence the scholars are in different positions about how to interpret
it. For example, in the Rig Veda, ‘Asyavaameeya Suktham’ the sloka,
“ദ്വാ
സുപർണ സയുജാ
സഖായ
സമാനം വൃക്ഷമധിസ്തിത സ്പുഷായ
തയോരന്യ പിപ്പ്ലം സ്വാദ്വത്തി
അനശ്നന്ന്യോ അഭിശാകശീതി”
The same sloka has taken to the ‘Mundakopanishad’ where it has given a spiritual interpretation by some
scholars as ‘both birds are ‘Jeeva’ and ‘Paramathma’ and the fruit is ‘brahmanubhava’ etc etc.
But, interpretations by others, including
Sayanan is different. It says both birds are ‘Vidwan’ and ‘Avidwan’ and the fruits of the universal tree can only
be eaten by the Vidwan etc. etc.
To conclude, what almost all Upanishads are
trying to convey is the unequivocal oneness of the individual with the universe
what they call Brahmam. Some of the examples,
On the left is the name of the Upanishad and on
the right its conclusion.
ച്ഛന്നോക്യം - തത്വമസി
മണ്ടൂക്യം - അയമാത്മ ബ്രഹ്മ:
ഐതരെയം - പ്രഞ്ജാനാം ബ്രഹ്മ:
ബ്രഹതാരന്യകം - അഹം ബ്രഹ്മാസ്മി
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