Understanding Guru

Guru literally means ‘dispeller of darkness’. There is no English equivalent to this term. The relationship between a Guru and Sishya is considered the highest as this can spawn across lives unlike other worldly relationships. Our history is replete with examples of Guru watching over the development of a sishya across lives – the most recent one being Lahari Mahasaya and Mahavtar Babaji as expounded in the treatise Autobiography of a yogi. Indian heritage and culture is rich with the Guru Sishya relationship. Science and wisdom have been handed over from generation to generation through this relationship. Hence, the cornerstone of the foundation of Indian arts and sciences is Guru. The importance and responsibility attached to this position is supreme.

The greatness of Indian approach towards Arts and Sciences lies in the fact that these were considered as a means towards the common end – dedication to God and self-real

ization. Hence, we find no parallel in the world to the level of development of these streams of knowledge in our country. We have produced saints in music, arts, science, philosophy and much more. At the heart of this success lies in feeding the right attitude to the student – hence the importance of Guru. The hoary Vedas declare that knowledge is of two types – one that liberates (Paravidya) and everything else related to the world (apara Vidya). The qualifications laid down for being a Guru disseminating paravidya is well described in our Scriptures like Siva Samhita, Srimad Bhagavata, Mahabharata among others. One should look at one’s spiritual Guru from this light before total surrender. Swami Vivekananda’s first question to Ramakrishna Paramahansa was “Did you see God”? When the answer was in the affirmative, he proceeded to the next question “Can you show me”. There is a lesson to us all in this episode.

When one studies our History to understand the nature of Gurus produced in this country, one notices unfailingly that they were personalities of strong and noble character. There are stories of Sishyas who gained knowledge by merely being dedicated to their Gurus.

Ramana Maharshi once said in the context of a Guru “They are like sugarcane. Whether sugarcane is bitten, eaten after removing the skin or crushed under the wheel or any other form, the only outcome is sweet juice. Similarly, knowledge and nobility of character is the outcome from any Guru.” 

Hence, this title is not for all. In order to reiterate the pivotal role played by Guru in our lives, even the avatars like Rama and Krishna studied under Guru before completing the missing of their incarnations. They were complete in themselves and need no Guru to teach them, however they respected the role of a Guru and taught us all to respect them.

Recognizing this important role played by a Guru in the formation of a civilized and mature society, there is a day dedicated every month to the worship of ‘Brihaspati’ – Guru of the gods. Every full moon night, all Hindus should worship Brihaspati (also part of the navagraha). The fullmoon represents knowledge in its complete expression symbolizing the attributes of a Guru. The full moon night in the month of Margasira Maasam is called as Guru Pournami.

Vedas .. an Introduction - II

The whole structure of the Veda and other sacred texts of Sanatan Dharma need elaboration.

Many people are of the wrong opinion that the basis of Hinduism is Bhagavat Gita. It is not wrong – but it is not entirely right either. Just because Christians have Bible and Jews have the Torah – the westerners assumed that Hinduism also has a book as it's basis. Since the holy Bhagavat Gita is the widely studied treatise, it has come to represent Hinduism and it’s philosophy. Few people know that it is an extract from the voluminous Mahabharata – the same treatise also gave us the powerful and holy Vishnu and Siva sahasranama stortams.

Veda (root word vid – knowledge) is one and eternal. All Vedic mantras have 3 properties – Rk, Yajus and Sama. Rk is the actual mantra itself, Sama is the diction (swaram) and Yajus is the kriya or action that follows. Hence, in many hymns (stotras and suktas), the word ‘trayee’ is used to denote the entire Vedic science. Misnomer spread when the half-knowledged translators like Max Muller misunderstood and wrongly spread the word that there are three original Vedas (Rg, Yajur and Sama) and the Atharvana Veda is an addition to it! Towards the end of Dwapara Yuga, Maharshi Veda Vyas foresaw the approach of the dark ages or Kali Yuga and decided to help humanity. With his Yogic powers he saw that in Kali Yuga, the life span, intellectual attainments, purity levels and morals at an individual and societal level will be on a decline. Hence, to suit the life spans of this Age, he divided the Veda into 4 – Rg, Yajur, Sama and Atharvana.

Veda forms the basis of Sanatana Dharma. Taking Veda as basis and support came forth the Smriti, Sruti, Purana and Itihaasa. Together, they form the basis of Sanatna Dharma.

Sruti (literally ‘that which was heard’) was a revelation by sound. It is essentially a literature of chant and recitation. For millennia, the hymns were transmitted by the Brahmin priests and were not written down. Sruti part of the Vedas also includes Tantra and other texts.

Smriti (remember, memory) deals with those aspects of Dharma form Veda that we humans are required to put into practice in our daily lives. Since, these texts did a ‘smarana’ or ‘recounted in detail’ what was in Vedas – they came to be known as Smriti. Dharma sastras are part of Smriti.

Puranas were and are a part of the Veda. Sage Vyasa in all his kindness and concern reorganized the Puranic knowledge in the Veda into 18 Mahapuranas (a separate article in found in this blog). Later on came the Itihaasa (historical accounts) which deal with the stories of those great individuals in various timelines who adhered to Sanatana Dharma and show us the way to practically implement the lofty ideals preached by the above texts and thus weave the concept of God, Dharma and Satya into our daily thoughts and actions. Ramayana and Mahabharata explain the aspects of  Dharma that are embedded in Vedas and hence part of it. The famous Sloka goes - itihasa puranabhyam vedam samupabrmhayet (The Vedic knowledge should be expounded in the light of Itihaasas and Puranas).

All the above together comprise the core texts of Sanatana Dharma. In these are contained those truths of the cosmos that will pave way for enlightenment. The next time when one faces a question as to what forms the basis of Sanatana Dharma - let us answer confidently and with pride that we belong to the oldest and most thorough of religions. Every Hindu should know this and in ones lifetime make an endeavor to stury our sacred scriptures with an intention of executing the Dharma sutras therein! Om Namah Sivaya!

Puranas

  The Puranas existed eternally just as the Veda. Brahma Rishi Krishna Dwaipayana reorganized the entire Vedic knowledge at the behest of Sri Krishna and handed it over to the people of Kali Age endowed with short life spans and limited intellectual qualities. Thus, he came to be known as Veda Vyasa. he is one of the foremost Rishis who handed over Hinduism that survived the Dark Ages and is in it's current form. It is the duty of every Hindu to pay obeisance to him in the morning. 

  Puranas are not contradictory to Veda or Upanishads. In fact, what Veda tells in terse mantras, Puranas narrate them in greater detail. As per Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Puranas and Itihasam together are called as the Fifth Veda (Panchama Veda). The content of all the 18 Mahapuranas can be briefly explained under the following headings -

1. Sarga: the creation of the universe.
2. Pratisarga: secondary creations, mostly recreations after dissolution.
3. Vamśa: genealogy of the gods and sages.
4. Manvañtara: the creation of the human race and the first human beings. 
5. Vamśānucaritam: the histories of the patriarchs of the lunar and solar dynasties.

The noble sage composed the following mantra to remember the names of the 18 Mahapuranas. It is as follows - 

'ma' dvayam 'Bha' dvayam chaiva 'Bhra' trayam 'va' chatustayam,

'a na pa lin ga ku ska' ni Puranani pruthak pruthak

'Ma'        Matsya, Markandeya

'Bha'       Bhavishya, Bhagawata

'Bhra'      Brahma, Brahmanda, Brahmavaivarta

'Va'        Varaha, Vamana, Vishnu, Vayu

'A'          Agni

'Na'        Narada

'Pa'        Padma

'Lin'        Linga

'Ga'        Garuda

'Ku'        Kurma

'Ska'      Skanda

  The later age sages also added heavily to the compilation of Sage Veda Vyasa and enlarged the Puranas. The greater text is referred to as Mahapurana. For example: Garuda Puranam is considered to be of 19,000 Verses however the Garuda Mahapuranam is a total of 314 Kandas with major division of Aachara Kanda (243 Kaandas), Dharma Kaanda (42 Kaandas) and Brahma Kaanda (29 Kaandas). The 19,000 verses form part of the Dharma Kaanda and is considered especially auspicious when recited during the 10 day period following someones demise. 

  The Puranas are a vast treasure house of knowledge and should be studied an understood by all Hindus. Any myth stating that they shouldn't be read at all times, not be kept in house etc. are unscientific and without the approval of Dharma Sastras and hence must be cut down. These are related to knowledge and way of life in order to attain the Supreme and hence should be studied always with Shraddha (faith and obedience to Vedic dictums).

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

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.