The Vedas \ Truth

[MANTRALAURA at DELPHI.COM]

sarvebhyo namaaH,
  VivekachuuDaamaNi of shrii sha.nkaraachaarya,
shlokas 174 and 175 state:
  "Therefore, the mind is the only cause that
brings about man's bondage or liberation: when
tainted by the effects of rajas it leads to
bondage, and when pure and divested of the rajas
and tamas elements it conduces to liberation."
  "Attaining purity through a preponderance
of discrimination and renunciation, the mind
makes for liberation. Hence the wise seeker
after liberation must first strengthen these
two."
  I believe that R^igVeda maNDala IV, suukta 58,
mantra 3 (maNDala IV, anuvaaka 5, suukta 13,
mantra 3) encompasses many of the ways that
are available to us in order to strengthen our
discrimination and renunciation. Shloka 264 states:
  "On the Truth inculcated above, one must
oneself meditate in one's mind, through the
intellect, by means of the recognized arguments
(That are in harmony with the Vedas). By that
means one will realize the Truth free from
doubt, etc., like water in the palm of one's hand."
  Swami Dayananda teaches Vedanta, chanting,
Sanskrit grammar, and discusses the meanings of
the mantras of the Vedas and the shlokas of the
UpaniShads. In all of these, the sounds and meanings
of the syllables are stressed. Every Vedic syllable
is unique and I believe that we can come into
harmony with all animate and inanimate creation
by chanting these syllables. And by understanding
their meanings, using viveka, we become one with
Brahman.

dhanyavaadaH,
  Mantralaura