DEIVATHIN KURAL # 158 (Vol #3) Dated 05 Dec 2009.

DEIVATHIN KURAL # 158 (Vol #3) Dated 05 Dec 2009.
(These e-mails are translations of talks given by Periyaval of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, over a period of some 60 years while he was the pontiff in the earlier part of the last century. These have been published by Vanadi Padippagam, Chennai, in seven volumes of a thousand pages each as Deivathin Kural. To day we are proceeding from page No 725 of Vol 3 of the Tamil original. The readers are reminded that herein 'man/he' includes 'woman/she' too, mostly. These e-mails are all available at http://Advaitam. blogspot. com constantly updated.)

AYUR VEDAM

WHY ARE THERE UPAVEDA-S?
(Please also refer to ‘Vidyasthanam, Mudivurai, or Summing Up’ in the Deivathin Kural (Vol 2) dated sometime in 2008, in which each one of the 14 Anga Upaanga-s of the Veda-s are described.)

1. There is a word used 'Saangopaangam', to mean, to do things wholesomely. The word derives from the Sanskrit 'sa + anga + upa + anga', that is to mean, 'with parts and sub-parts'! This is derived from the fact that learning the Vedas with all its branches and sub-branches, makes it wholesome learning. The religion of the Veda-s if considered as a Veda purusha, it includes Rik, Yajus, Sama and Atharvana Veda-s giving it the main shape. Then each Veda has Samhita-s, Brahmana-s and Aranyaka-s as its various systems such as blood circulation, nervous, auditory, digestive and such systems. Then there are six parts (sa + anga), of the Veda-s known as Sikshai, Vyakaranam, Chandas, Niruktam, Jyotisham and Kalpam. Then there are sub-parts (upa + anga) namely, Mimamasa, Nyayam, Purana and Dharma Saastra-s. The form of Mother Veda is complete with those Upanga-s, to make it 'saangopaangam'.

2. Four Veda-s plus six Anga-s plus four Upaanga-s, makes it 14 different entities, known as 'Chatur Dasa Vidya-s'. Further four more are added as Upa Veda-s, namely Aayur Veda, Dhanur Veda, Gandarva Veda and Artha Saastra, making it 'Ashta Dasa Vidya Sthana-s'! These are not just sub-parts (Upaanga-s) but also by themselves as good as the Veda-s and so are called, Upa Veda-s. As these four are not strictly religious treatises but verging more on practical life, instead of being added to the Dharma Sthana-s, they are considered only as Vidya Sthana-s. They do not have the sort of authority that Dharma Saastraa-s have. However, the point is quite pertinent that they are not deviations from the Dharmic way of life.

3. They tell us as to how we are to lead a hassle free life, in the society, city and country in which we find ourselves, quite effectively. Though they do not have the sort of authority that Dharma Saastraa-s have, within their own subject area they do have unquestionable authority. So instead of being a part or sub-part of the Veda-s, they have the exalted name of being 'Supplementary Veda-s' as 'Upa Veda-s'!

4. Keeping Dharma as the basic under current, if we use these four Upa Veda-s in practical life, they will guide us in converting our ordinary life into an ideal one. With the highest human values as gained by these Upa Veda-s, our life in this world will pave the way for the life beyond and take us to the ever lasting peace, by the royal path. You may be aware of these four Upaveda-s some what. Ayur Vedam is covering all the practical and theoretical aspects of medical science. Dhanur Vedam is on archery and the art of warfare. Gandarva Vedam is inclusive of music, dance and drama and other fine arts, while Artha Saastram is all about economics, politics and statesmanship.

5. In each one of these four avenues, we are more aware of how we can harm ourselves and hurt others. Through the science of medicine, we know as to how to misuse this body and keep looking for treatment for the ills of our own creation, while never raising above 'deha atma buddhi'! In warfare, from Dharma Yuddham, we have used all knowledge of ours for creating nuclear arsenal of mass destruction and policies of detente that, we keep all the nations on tenterhooks forever, in mutual hate, distrust and fear! Music and dance has taken man to such lower levels of crassness, exhibitionism, meanness and debauchery that even animals are likely to look down on us! In economics, business and politics are subjects I do not have to tell you as to what levels of depravity we have reached!

6. Instead of running away from what ever can become a stumbling block in our spiritual progress, tackle them head on, is the message. Cleanse your self, your surroundings and the society so that, all those who come into contact with you may also benefit. As the launderer or sweeper cleans the clothes, buildings and materials, however dirty they may be, by using detergents and acids; clean them and make them shine. If the glass covering the picture is coated by dust, wipe the glass clean without breaking it! Human body, its maintenance and care; warfare and statesmanship; economics, trade and business; and entertainment can all be dealt with from a state of moral uprightness! Protect the honest, well behaved ones and punish the wrong doers! That is the purpose of these Upa Veda-s!

7. People from other religions accuse the Hindu-s that, talking of Adwaitam and the ephemerality of this worldly life as Maya, we run away from the practical life evading and avoiding the reality. Nothing can be farther from the truth. More than any other religion of this world, it is this Sanatana Dharma, which others call the Hindu Religion, that analyses each and every aspect of our life in greater details and depth, logically deducing the best method of tackling the whole gamut of possible combination of situations! It teaches us the way of getting out of such confrontation safely, humanely and most importantly successfully. We venerate Rama and Krishna for the reason that they did not run away from the need to face life's situations. People of other religions too know fully well the reasons why we love and highly regard Rama and Krishna.

8. They all know that, when Arjuna was ready to run away from his human and royal responsibilities, Sri Krishna told him to pick up his bow Gandipam and fight! Still they make fun of us and we keep listening to them! For Dharmam to be protected, Krishna adviced Arjuna to practice Dhanur Veda, with moral restraint. Thus all Veda-s are to be made use of practically for protecting and maintaining our way of life.

9. In other religions there is something given in their scriptures related to the concept of God. All other aspects of life have been left totally uncovered, open to interpretation by the priests and Ulemas, as suited to their whims and fancies, on the pretext of being religious authorities! Those religions have not mentioned anything about day to day management of individual, social and religious affairs of various aspects of life such as governance, medicine, internal / external policies, economics and so on. Since there was no religious basis for those important human social areas, much has gone wrong. Some things were kept as sacrosanct related to the inner religious being. All those who were thinking or assuming themselves to be belonging to that religion, thought that they were the purview of the religious leaders or pastors or fathers and so on. When it came to other matters, they were kept outside the purview of the religious authorities. This is the cause for there being a tussle between socio-economic-political governing bodies and religious authorities in countries other than India.

10. In our country there has never been such confrontation between social and religious governing bodies. The reason for it are mainly two. One, between the ruler and the ruled, the connecting link was the moral uprightness of Dharma. Second, the parts and sub-parts of our religion have divinified all aspects of practical life, in it's endeavour to take the individual man closer and closer to God, by all his thoughts, speech and actions!

11. The difference of opinion between religion and the common man in our country, is a thing of recent origin, that has been introduced by vested interests, after influx of such ideas from the west. Though not relevant to the Indian context, these have been imported into the Indian milieu and made to stick. This has become more pronounced after 1947, with every political leader drawing much mileage out of the concept of separating Religion and Governance, in the name of 'secularism'.

(To be continued.)

Sambhomahadeva.