[Advaita-l] The Wisdom in the Rig-veda can only be compared to thousands Suns

[sidha at omkarananda-ashram.org]

The Wisdom in the Rig-veda can only be compared to thousands Suns
(Some information on my personal background)

Respected Jaldhar ji,
Thank you very much for your wonderful mail on the Mimasaka approach
towards the Veda. You wrote:

>>>>>>>>>>>>Shri Siddhartha Krishna feels the traditional method lacks so
he has taken his own approach.

Then you wrote:

>>>>>Mantras are secondary but still important because they are employed
in the course of actions.

This is exactly the point where I feel that the traditional approach lacks
something. Do you know where this conclusion of the Mimamsakas leads us?
Mantras should not be understood, they just should be recited. This has
been happening for the last nearly 2500 years in India and is still
happening. Tell me one Vedic Pandit who understands all those Mantras
which he recites. This has lead to such strange Viniyogas, where the
Mantra which is being recited doesn't have any any connection at all to
the ritual which is being performed. Sometimes, simply because a
particular word occurs in a Mantra, it is being related to that particular
action. For example the famous "karpura-gauram karunaavataaram" shloka,
which has nothing to do with camphor, except that it is being said that
Bhagavan Shiva is while like camphor. But people are always using it for
doing Arati/Nirajana with camphor, even if they are doing Nirajana of Lord
Krisha, even though it is a prayer to Lord Shiva. I'm very well aware that
this shloka is not a Vedic Mantra, but I'm just trying to show that such
similar things have been done while describing the Viniyogas in the Kalpa
Sutras.
Let me also tell you that Kumarila Bhatta clearly mentions that "Mantra,
Brahmana and Kalpa is Veda", and therefore, most of the quotation that
have been discussed in the Mimamsa Shastras are mostly from the Kalpa
Sutras, and some of them of course from the Brahmanas/Aranyakas, but that
too very rare. Mantra is nowhere mentioned, since they don't have any
meaning, they are just there to recite and get Apurva. I think this is a
philosophy for which India should repent and regret, since one of the most
wonderful text on the earth was forgotten only because of this philosophy.
The meaning of the Veda was forgotten, the great wisdom in it was
forgotten, and therefore India was plunged into darkness and ignorance, as
the Rig-veda itself says,
"He who abandons me, the only greatest friend who can tell you the correct
path towards bliss and happiness, loses his divine share in these divine
words. Whatever he would listen apart from me, it would be the cause of
his misery and grief, alas, he would never know the correct path that
leads towards good deeds." (Rig-veda 10-71-6).
This is what India has done in the last few thousand years, it has
abandoned the Rig-veda, the greatest friend of Humanity, our greatest
friend. Every human has his divine share in these divine words, but loses
that share when he forsakes this Holiest of the Holy Scripture. I assert
you if you once start to read the Rig-veda in its own light, you would
realize that it is the Most Radiant Sun of Knowledge. I'm highly impressed
by the Upanishads and Gita, but still I would say nothing in front of the
Rig-veda and Atharva Veda. There are so many different concepts regarding
the Supreme that are totally unheard in today scholarly world.
I know that the traditional method is very beautiful. But I can't find any
tradition of the Rig-veda. I can only find a commentary of Sayana on the
Rig-veda. I'm still searching more endlessly. I'm still only 24 years old
young man trying to do his best in this field. I'm very open to change any
view that I might have concluded in the last 4-5 years, but I have to be
totally convinced, since I'm totally convinced till now with whatever I
have been doing. I'm searching for a scholar who has similar interest. To
rediscover the radiance of the Rig-veda, which is similar to that of
thousands of Suns. I'm just a humble student who is trying to search the
truth. I started my Sanskrit studies when I was 3 years old, with my
mother helping me with remembering the Bhagavad Gita, when I was in
Switzerland. I was born into a very traditional and orthodox Brahmana
family (this is very clear by the fact that my father decided to leave
Switzerland and settle here in Rishikesh, only that I can study in Kailas
Ashram. He didn't want me to study according to the modern way of
Education), where my father and grandfather have been great scholars of
Vedanta and Yoga. My grandfather was an Acharya in Nimbarka Sampradaya, in
Vrindavan. On the other hand, my father, even though he was initially
initiated into Nimbarka Sampradaya and still used to wear and practice
Nimbarka Tradition, he is highly influenced by Shankara's commentaries on
the Prasthana Traya, and hears at least 5 hours a day Shankara's
commentary on the Gita or Upanishads from me and from some other scholars.
I myself, even though I have studied the Nimbarka commentaries on the
BrahmaSutra and have a great respect to my tradition, I'm highly
influenced by Shankara, since it is this school of though that I have been
studying since I was 8 years old. I fully practice Smarta tradition as
described by Shankara, like wearing Tripundra etc. This should be enough
to show that I'm really very serious in whatever I'm doing. This is my
full-time occupation, I don't do anything else, except teaching the Yoga
Sutras of Patanjali in the local Iyengar Yoga Center, where students come
from every nation of this world. I'm glad that I had an opportunity to
teach these Sutras to so many Jews and Muslims, apart from endless
Christians. And I have to tell you they LOVE THE SUTRAS!
One can also have a look at some of my CDs by clicking on the following link:
http://www.omkarananda-ashram.org/yoga_cds.htm
I don't mean to advertise my products in here, I just mean to provide some
information on my background. So, that members can know how serious I'm
with what I'm saying. I have given the rest of my life for this cause. And
this is my final decision that I took when I was only 20 years old, in
year 2000.
It would be great if I could come in contact with people that could help
me in this mission.
The Service of the Veda, so that it can spread around the world, is my
mission!
Love and Respect to all,
Siddhartha Krishna