RigVeda and the Indian Systems of Approach to the One

[H.B.Dave]

T Swaminarayan wrote:

> -- "H.B.Dave" <hbd at DDIT.ERNET.IN> wrote:
>
> > [a pa> RigVeda and Indian Systems of Approach to the
> One :
> > (notes from selfstudy - svaadhyaaya)
> > V : The Attitude of Vedic Rishis - how they viewed
> > what they saw.
> > ------------------------------------- Himanshu B.
> > Dave
> >
> > ahamannamahamannamahannam |
> > ahamannaado.a.ahamannaado.a.ahamannaada.h |
> > aha~m"slokak.rdaha~m"slokak.rdaha~m"slokak.rt |
> > [taittiriiya up. 3-10]
> >
> Does not the Taittiriya Upanishad belong to the Yajur
> Veda? How does this mantra  take a place in your
> current comments on the Rig Veda?Did you start with
> this only to show the attitudes of Vedic Rishis and
> how they viewed what they saw?

I use the starting mantra to put the reader in a particular frome of mind. Why should we make distinctions between Vedic Rishis --
this belongs to RigVeda and that belongs to YajurVeda?
To me all of them are venerated ancient forefathers. I respect them equally well.

>
>
> > Becasue the Rishi pointed out that our conclusions
> > about the distant Reality
> > is always based upon what we are able to perceive
> > near us, i.e. what is
> > accessible to senses and mind, he is called "one
> > having extended ignorance"
> > -- diirgha.h aparihaarya.h tama.h avidyajanita.h
> > yasya sa.h -- The Rishi
> > wants to say that we can never "reach" Parabrahma.
> >
> Is the Rishi you are referring to here - Diirghatama?

Yes.

>
> And, are you saying that this Rishi wants to say that
> we can never reach Parabrahma in his RV 1-164-43?

Yes, that is one of the interpretations, which I feel is the major one.

>
> .
>
> < Note very clearly that the priests are not something
> < separate from a
> < person,
> < the "institutor of yaj~na" (yajamaana), they are
> part < < of his own brains
> < working.
>
> For my own understanding, are the Hot.r , adhvaryu,
> udgaat.r etc mentioned in the yagna in the Chandogya
> upanishad also to be interpreted as part of the
> yajamana's brain?

Yes, you are very much right. The .rtvik mentioned in Chhandogya and B.rhad. up.
have the same interpretation. Please see what is being said about what happen when
brahmaa "murmurs" and when he is "silent" in those Upanishads. (I do not remember
the exact reference, but if you know about them, as it seems,, you can easily find out.)

>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> < the six seasons (i.e. twelve months) are due to the
> Moon (mind), the
> < thirteenth month (puru"sottama maasa) is due to the
> Sun (Paramaatmaa)
>
> Could you kindly explain as to when in the Hindu
> Calender does the thirteenth month come? I am not
> aware of any Hindu year consisting of always thirteen
> months.

No, no. That is not what I meant, in fact I mentioned Purushottama maasa.
Every three years (approxly) a 13th month is added, so called adhika maasa or
Purushottama maasa, to synchronize the Lunar and Solar calendars. If you read
that passage again you will notice that my emphasis is on the similarity of
concepts of months being decided by Moon  (mind) and the added month due to motion of
Sun (atmaa), with the states of mind, where the seventh state is Atmaa. Just as we do not
always have years with thirteen months,  our Self do not always cycle through
the six plus the One state.
I hope it clarifies it.

>
> (ii) It will really be nice and effective ( for lay
> men like me ) if, after posting a mantra, you give
> the word to word translation of the mantra as it is
> and then post your compact meaning as surmised by you.

I shall try to do so.

>
> (iii) Yes. For beginners like me .But you have other
> scholars in the list who may find it to be elementary.

I request suggestions from those who know. Being a teacher,
I like to follow tutorial style.

>
> (iv) This very much depends on the mantras from Rig
> Veda that you propose posting further on this thread.I
> personally feel that you have done very well so far.
>

Thanks for the feed-back.

Best wishes,
-- Himanshu

--
bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam

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