THE VEDIC LITERATURES
How can we understand the Supreme Person who is creator of infinite gigantic universes?
tene brahma hriday adi kavaye
The Vedic knowledge was revealed by the Supreme Person, within the heart of the first created being, Brahma.
This Vedic wisdom came down in disciplic succession through aural reception.
Srimad Bhagavatam predicts about people in Kali-yuga mandäù — lazy; sumanda-matayaù — misguided; manda-bhägyäù — unlucky; hi upadrutäù — and above all disturbed.
Vyäsadeva, a literary incarnation of God, recorded all the Vedas in writing 5,000 years back for the benefit of people in Kali Yuga.
The Vedas are also called as SHRUTIS or knowledge received through aural reception.
The means of Vedic knowledge is to accept an authority & learn the truth by inquiring submissively.
The Vedas offer insight into - Who am I ? Where have I come from ? Where do I go after death ?
The Vedas offer insight into - What is the purpose of my existence ? Who is God ? How am I related to God ?
VEDIC KNOWLEDGE SRUTI SMRTI Rajasic UPAVEDAS VEDAS VEDANGAS Itihasas Dhanurveda Ayurveda, etc. VEDAS Rg, Yajur, Sama, Atharva VEDANGAS Itihasas Puranas Six Darshanas Tantras Spoken by Lord Siva to Parvati Ritual Sutras Connected to Kalpa-vedanga Pancaratras Srauta Sutras explains public yajnas Grhya Sutras home yajnas Dharma Sutras Law books Vedanta (Vyasa) (Metaphysics) theology of Upanisads Mimamsa (Jaimini) (Hermeneutics) interpreting scriptural texts Nyaya (Gautama) (Epistemology, logic) philosophy of knowledge including logic Vaisesika (Kanada) existence Yoga (Patanjali) (Sadhana) Sankhya (Atheist Kapila) Dharma Sastras including Manu- samhita and others 18 Major 18 Minor Samhitas mantras Brahmanas ritual explanation of mantras Aranyakas esoteric explanation Jnana-kanda philosophy of Brahman Kalpa ritual details Siksa pronunciation Vyakarana grammar Nirukta etymology Chandas meters Jyotisa astronomy-time calculation Vaisnava worship Tamasic Sattvic Revealed absolute Truth Every word unchanged eternally Composed by sages Wording may change from age to age sisters sisters sisters
Three Divisions of the Vedas Karma-kanda: Material elevation (pravritti). Jnana-kanda: Decreasing material involvement through knowledge (nivritti). Upasana-kanda: Decreasing material involvement through worship of the Supreme.
Five Types of Liberation Sayujya-mukti – to become one with the Lord Salokya-mukti – to live on the same planet as the Lord Svarupya-mukti – to obtain the same bodily features as the Lord Sarsti-mukti – to have the same opulences as the Lord Samipya-mukti – to have constant association with the Lord
vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaà yaj jïänam advayam brahmeti paramätmeti bhagavän iti çabdyate (Srimad Bhagavatam 1.2.11)
Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this Learned transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call this nondual substance Brahman, Paramätmä or Bhagavän.
Bhagavad Gita
sarvasya cähaà hådi sanniviñöo mattaù småtir jïänam apohanaà ca vedaiç ca sarvair aham eva vedyo vedänta-kåd veda-vid eva cäham (Bhagavad Gita 15.15)
I am seated in everyone's heart, and I am seated in everyone's heart, and from Me come remembrance, knowledge and forgetfulness. By all the Vedas, I am to be known. Indeed, I am the compiler of Vedänta, and I am the knower of the Vedas.