The Vedas

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Mon, 29 Dec 1997 MANTRALAURA at DELPHI.COM wrote:

> Namaste Nanda,
> >This moves into a sphere of metaphysics which
> >is quite far from standard Advaitam logic. Can
> >the knowledgeable elaborate?
>   I don't claim to be an expert - all I can do
> is give you insight from the standpoint of my
> swami, Swami Dayananda Saraswati, and from the
> R^igVeda.
>   I have two sets of the R^igVeda, both written
> in devanaagarii script with svara marks utilized
> in both versions for the purpose of chanting.
> However, the only version giving the tones for
> chanting in the viniyogas is the incomplete
> one published by Sarvadeshik Arya Pratinidhi
> Sabha with the commentary by Maharishi
> Dayananda Saraswati (who began writing the
> commentary in 1934, but did not live to
> complete his work). His work has been carried
> on by others who closely followed his example.
> The incomplete set consists of the first six
> maNDalas of the R^igVeda and maNDalas seven
> thru ten are complete, but have not been
> published yet due to a disagreement between
> the publishers and the translators. Hopefully,
> we will see publication of these final maNDalas
> soon.
>   The other set is by H.H. Wilson and is a
> complete set. The reason I have both sets is
> that I want to chant the R^igVeda as accurately
> as possible and found that the printing on my
> first set (the incomplete one) is not perfect,
> and since I need a complete set anyway, I purchased
> Wilson's version, which was highly recommended.
> There are still some inconsistencies with possible
> printing omissions in Wilson's version as well.
> However, by comparing both versions, I have been
> able to transliterate the Riks - and by studying the
> svara marks in both versions, I have been able to
> print the Riks with a numbering system I have developed
> in order to send them to friends for the purpose of
> chanting.
>   I'm telling you all of this so that you will
> understand that chanting is very important to me.
> I do believe, as Dayanand Bhargava states in the
> Editor's Note of Wilson's version:
>   "It is true that the mantras have a spiritual
> power."
>   Swami Dayananda stated in the mantra classes that
> I attended that the aksharas (syllables) of the
> Riks in all four Vedas were put together in a
> particular order to give them spiritual power. He
> also believes that you should know the meaning of
> the mantras, so you know what you are chanting/
> praying for. Swami Dayananda is a great believer
> and teacher of Advaita Vedanta and the Sanskrit
> language.
>   More tomorrow for I have to go to work now . . .
>
> dhanyavaadaH,
>   Mantralaura
>

What's the point?  As a woman and a foreigner you are not entitled to
learn the Vedas anyway. If this swami of yours is telling you otherwise
you should sue him for malpractice.

Even if you were you wouldn't gain anything from those books which are
riddled with errors.  Particularly to be avoided is anything by the
heretic founder of the Arya samaj.  Despite having started of as a
Dashanami sannyasi (as the name Dayananda Saraswati suggests) he was no
friend of Vedanta.  He disliked Vedantas lack of enthusiasm fro rabid
nationalism.  (Today his followers are amongst the most fascist elements
on the Indian political scene.) In his half-baked philosophy (purely a
creation of his own imagination) only the Samhita parts of the Veda are
Shruti.  No astika thinker would ever agree to that.  He played fast and
loose with all other doctrines too.  It's mind-boggling that your swami
should suggest anyone read such nonsense.

Even if you had the right, and the requisite knowledge chanting mantras
would do you no good unless you followed all the rules.  What's the point
of meticulously following the one on proper pronounciation if you're going
to ignore all the rest?

--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>