The 'Shan-mata' - '6 Systems of worship'

    Hinduism propogates the "Shan-mata" - or 6 systems of worship to reach the Divine as originally laid down in the Eternal Vedas. Veda Vyasa , in order to bring this truth and knowledge to the masses, authored the Puranas. Out of his benevolence and love for humanity, he brought forth the Puranas that contains tales of yore which have the subtle aspects as well as the gross aspects of "Shan-mata", Methods of worship and Dharma and it's elaboration among others. Sri Adi Shankharacharya - the Great Reorganizer - resetablished this grand concept and laid down rules to perpetuate them. He was instrumental in establishing the 4 Maths and entrusting them to protect the Hindu way of worship and life.

  
   The "Shan-mata" or the 6 Systems are as follows -

1. Saiva - System of worship and belief where Lord Shiva is considered the ultimate form of God
2. Vaishnava - System of worship and belief where Lord Narayana is considered the ultimate form of God
3. Sakteya - System of worship and belief where Shakti is considered the ultimate form of God
4. Ganapathya - System of worship and belief where Lord Ganesha is considered the ultimate form of God
5. Skanda - System of worship and belief where Lord Subhramanya is considered the ultimate form of God
6. Saura - System of worship and belief where Lord Surya is considered the ultimate form of God

India's Spiritual supremacy

The spiritual aura that envelopes India is not without a reason. Our grand nation had been and still is the home to moral giants. No other nation in its history ever produced sons and daughters who not only sacrificed their pleasures and life for upholding what they call Dharma. Unfortunately, Dharma has no english equivalent - since no other race could delve into the depth of human mysteries so deep as the Hindu mind.

On the world stage India occupies a high position as a teacher of science of the soul. The rishis and munis who by their utter penance and devotion attained the state of transedence realised that man in his natural course would never be able to surass the high wall of Maya and will remain forever lost in it. They understood in entirety that nature is the best teacher and when man respects nature and follows natures laws - he naturally evolves to a state of Self-realisation.

Thus came about the Dharma sastras- which lay down the codes for men to follow. Animals do not need Sastras since they can never dominate or disobey nature. Man is given "intelligence" - he can either influence the world positively or destroy it completely. To tame this intelligence and will power and to lead it in the right direction - Sastras have been given to mankind.

Realising the importance of always following Dharma and remembering the divine daily - the Rishis subtley incorporated the mysteries of the divine into activities that we daily perform. Hence, every custom that we follow has sound logic and grace of the divine messengers - Rishis !

This brings us back to the topic that no other country has been endowed with this wisdom. Hence, India is the spiritual teacher to the world. This by no means discounts other religions or practices in other countries. In a house there are many rooms, but only one puja-room. Similarly in the world house, Bharatvarsha is the Puja-room. Due to millenia of spiritual practices, this cuntry has reached such a state where spiritual practices yield results faster.  This point has been very clearly stated in our epics especially The Mahabharata - where gods composed hymns for Bharatvarsha stating that there is something special in our Land and animals.

An outsider to our nation may disagree - let him! But we as Indians should be proud of this fact. Our every activity should be aligned to Dharma.

I shall end it with a quote from Ramayana. Post Lanka war - Vibheeshana (ravana's younger brother) prays to Sri Rama that he rule the mighty kingdom. Sri Rama's reply - "Janani Janma Bhumishcha swargadapi gariyasi" = "Mother and motherland is geater than heaven" !!

May this sentiment sink into every Indian's bosom !!

Vedas .. an introduction

   The holy Vedas are of divine origin - hence referred to as 'Apourusheyam'. The attempts to date them will not succeed as they are eternal and timeless as the spirit itself. The root word is 'Vid' or knowledge. The Vedas form the essence of creation and hence Vedic knowledge is knowledge about creation, sustenance and destruction - everything we ever need. It is an misnoma to think that Vedas deal with a bunch of moral codes. Since Vedas were used in the creation - everything about the Creator and Created are dealt with in the Vedas.

   Just as there is a visible and tangible universe before us - there is also an invisible intangible universe (sabda jagat). The knowledge and truth about this formless and eternal universe of 'sound' are what are called as Vedas. There were revealed to the holy sages of Bharat in a manner called mantras. Hence, mantras are not composed or created, but realised and discovered in deep meditation. The Rishi to whom a particular mantra is attributed - is called a Drashta (literally one who saw). In deep samadhi state the Rishi withdraws his mind from his 5 senses and perceives the truth that is beyond senses - soul. All Bharatiya Vidya (Indian Sciences) were evolved from the Vedas that the Rishis brought to us through divine will. The word Rishi is explained in the Vedic dictionary (Nirukta) as 'Rushati Gacchati' - 'Traveller on the road to Truth' or ''one who experiences the truth beyond senses'.

   Brahma Rishi Veda Vyasa foresaw towards the end of the Dwapara Yuga that in the Age of Kali lesser minds will prevail - the minds less bound by parameters of Dharma, Satya, discipline, learning, lifespan etc. Hence, out of his own love and duty apart from the orders of Sri Krishna reorganized the Vedic knowledge into 4 branches - Rig, Yajus, Sama and Atharva. In the days that followed, more of this hoary knowledge and texts are lost than retained. Whatever is left of modern day Hinduism with all it's allied sciences and branches of knowledge is directly due to the work of two great re-organisors of all time - Rishi Veda Vyasa and Sri Sankhara Acharya. These are the noble souls every Hindu ought to remember the first thing in the morning.

   Thus, the Vedas form the basis of Sanatana Dharma (or what later came to be called by westerners as Hindusim). Any Holy text will and shall have its origin in the eternal Vedic truths - if not it is washed away gradually as did Jainism and Buddiam which went against basic Dharmic tenets of Yagya sanskruti and Swadharma. Taking the Vedas as their foundation the structures of Sruti, Smriti and Purana came about. Hence, the sloka says
"Sruti Smriti Puranaanam Aalayam Karunaalayam". Thus, Vedas along with Smriti (Dharma Sastras) and Puranas (18) form the basis of Hinduism. Vedic Dictums are like a king talking to his subjects - precise and terse. Hence, the Veda Vakhyas are referred to as "prabhu Sammitam". The lofty Dharmas brought propounded by the Vedas are narrated in a frinedly style by the Puranas (only the language and style of preaching changes but not the essence) and in a loving style by the Kavyas (Ramayana and Mahabharatam). The archaic sanskrit used by the Veda is so tough to understand that many have done injustice in their attempts to translate just the words and not the soul and inner message of it. In order to translate the Vedas, bringing out a wholesome and intended meaning, knowledge of the following branches is essential - 

1. Siksha

2. Vyakarana

3. Jyotisha

4. Chhandas

5. Nirukta
6. Kalpa

It is also true to say that the complete purport of the Vedic truths will enlighten us when we not only understand the language but also follow the way of life as prescribed to us.