"Decoding the Veda- Rk Veda Samhita."

 The Vedic hymns are of great significance for they contain vast and deep knowledge about the Universe and us. We have some of the most beautiful renderings like the Purusha Sukta, Nadi Sukta, Shree Sukta, that need some experts to interpret them for us. These are of great etymological and esoteric nature.  We were told by the Samskruta Pandits/ scholars that the Veda is not jut for interpretation and discourse, but need to be recited with phonetic perfection under supervision of Pandits early in the morning. The very sound of the Vedic hymns are enough to energize us. Now, the scientists have taken serious study of the secrets of the Veda. Padma Shree Late Prof.  R. L. Kashyap, formerly Professor of Electrical Engineering, Purdue University, (HO Kashyap Rule on Pattern Recognition)- "DECODING THE VEDA- Rk Veda Samhita".  

The most terse and vivid study about the Veda is that of Sri Aurobindo. He has followed the spiritual path on the lines of Sri Raghavendra Swamy and Padma Sri R. L. Kashyap is a follower of  Kapali Shastri. Sri Aurobindo's "Secret of the Veda" (first published in Arya in !914) and later in Pondicherrry,1956, 1998, 2005 eds..is very important for all those who want to know the intricacies of the Vedic hymns, the Mantra, the Vedic Gods, the ardent followers of the Vedic School, etc. One should keep a copy of this book and constantly study, repeatedly. Sri Aurobindo's scholarship and language is extraordinary! The Navaghvas, the Dashaghvas, the Hymns to Agni, the Vedic Gods, the Seven Rivers, etc. are beautiful and captivating! But the language of this British ICS scholar is not easy for us to understand. Many important verses are explained in the last part of the book. It is interesting to know how the recital of Vedic Hymns work on our brain cells and rejuvenate us! The mystic aspect of the Vedic hymns are explained in "The Secret of the Veda" by Sri Aurobindo. Pondicherry.

 The Veda has come down to us as our cultural heritage and it is our duty to see that this is further propagated in the young minds. It is essential to include some of the elementary aspects of the Veda and their importance in the curriculum at Higher Secondary School level. The Veda is an elixir, amruta, like the Bhagavad-Gita and the Upanishads. The study of these three subjects at an younger age will make our youngsters more intelligent and contribute to the world much better. Already the world looks to India, Bharata, for guidance in maintaining peace and prosperity. 

  It is important that our youngsters should study the scriptures without which they would certainly miss something very important in life.

'Secret of Good Health"

 It's said that 'Health is Wealth'. It will be astounding if we calculate the money we may have to spend for every ailment of an organ of our body. We never even think of this when everything is alright and there is no need to visit a clinic or hospital. We will not bother about our health when everything works normal. But we run to a doctor the moment a small pain appears somewhere in our body. We do not pay heed t the saying. "Don't run to a pot for every thirst and don't run to a doctor for every ailment"! One should be cautious these days before going to a hospital. The Doctors are appointed on contract system on the guarantee that they bring their patients and good sums of money to pay them good salary and perks! The maintenance of hospitals these days are almost prohibitive. They have to commercialize and get their expenses reimbursed by one way or the other. Hence, the patients have to bear the brunt. Doctors, medicines, hospitals and pharmaceutical industries are in collaboration as a cartel these days. It's a vicious circle. Hence, one should avoid going to hospital as much as possible especially when we know that the hospitals are run on commercial basis and kickbacks. It is now well known how doctors are appointed and paid on the basis of their ability to bring more patients and, of course, money along with them.

  Blessed are the ones who maintain good health. However, maintaining 'good health' is not so easy. Our food is adulterated. Our lifestyle is not conducive to maintain good health. It depends on family history, food habits, lifestyle, genetic and/or hereditary factors, etc.    

  The secret of good health is good nutritious food, proper exercise, hygiene and good daily habits. However, the most important factor that governs a healthy life is the family and surrounding ecosystem. People all over the world suffer from hunger, lack of good potable water, and extreme weather or environmental changes. The three important factors that affect us are called the 'tapa (heat) traya (three)'. Theses are 1. problems created by ourselves, 2. problems created by others, and 3. the problems created by nature. 

Normally, a happy person is one who maintains a balance of his/her body, mind and soul. Mind controls the body and a tranquil, peaceful, happy joyful disposition makes a healthy person. But, to be peaceful and happy is not easy. Some people are always unhappy, worried for no reason, and suffer mental agony even if there are no problems! Some people worry unnecessarily about things that are not even existing! How can anybody help a person worrying about the 'sky falling off', or about 'the sun not appearing the next morning'? These may appear to be exaggeration, but it is true in many cases of old people who are worried about their children living abroad! What is the use of our worrying about somebody who is happily sleeping in a far-off place! Hence, it's all in our mind. Stop worrying and start living! The best solution to any worried person is: "Trust in God" Everything will be alright. Lord Vishnu is specially appointed to look after and take care of all that is created! It is our lack of trust in Him that makes us worry and suffer. 

 God takes care of all. Trust in God and go ahead! A free mind is the key to success and happiness.

 

Man and God

  When it comes to the meaning and purpose of God, one has to clearly understand what we mean by 'GOD'.  The term 'God' refers to a powerful entity that may or may not has been visualized. Some have emphatically stated that 'God exists' within us. And it is very easy to visualize Him/Her.' Some say, 'God is everywhere'.  In fact, God well defined in Hindu scriptures as a powerful 'Force'. The earliest version is the Sun God. This version is followed by many others that include parents, teachers, guests and even the uninvited ones, too, who come to us! For some of us, God comes to help in times of distress when we ardently cry for Him.                                                    

  There are Gods who sit within us and breath and some are all around us protecting us! There are Gods like Shree Hari Narayana, Ramachandra, Mahadeva, and Goddesses like Shree Mahalakshmi, Devi Sharadamba or Saraswati, Devi Parvati, as also, Stars like the Sun, and some selected plants, animals, and birds. We have special days or occasions reserved for celebrating festivities of these Gods, particularly during the Dussehra. We worship Hanuman on Saturdays and Tuesdays, Aditya or Sun-God on Sunday, Mahalakshmi on Friday, Shiva on Monday, etc. The significance of festivals in the Hindu way of life is very important. In a way, it is to worship the higher power that be, and enjoy life with special food and drinks prepared for these Gods.

  Now, how do these Gods help us and is there need for offering anything in return for their blessings? It all depends on our faith and belief system. It is natural to seek God's blessings, Grace or 'anugraha' for we are all weaklings and incapable of facing serious problems of life enforced by either Nature or other neighbors that include animals and birds! 

  There are different sections of people all over the world that believe either in Gods or Messengers of God. There is nothing wrong as long as these different faiths do not create conflicts, ill-will, and strife and thereby leads to quarrel and fighting! The Hindu belief system is the oldest of all, may be, dated back to almost 10 000 years!. There were Shree Hari Narayana, Shree Lakshmi, Shree Ramachandra, Shree Krishna and later on, the Buddha, and Mahavira, too came to be Defied! 

  It depends on just 'Faith' and faith only to accept and worship something or somebody as Gods!

Process of Evolution

   There is an interesting episode that happened in the USA. A Catholic student took the teacher to Court for imparting the 'Evolutionary Theory of Darwin that states Man evolved from the stage of Primate, Monkey. Erasmus Darwin (Temple of Nature 1803 posthumous publication), Grandfather of Charles Darwin, first stated that evolution from a primordial soup is sequential from the earliest  mosses and lichens (470 - 360 million years), The green algae, mosses and lichens gradually diversified into larger vascular plant kingdom. In the animal kingdom, the unicellular ameba followed by jelly fish and other fish that developed lungs to breath, adapted to different ecosystems, moved on the land habitats, diversifies to stages of crocodiles, snakes, frog, birds, and varieties of birds and reptiles. Thus, finally, we finds the development to primates, mammals like monkey and man. Thus, from the aquatic to amphibian, arboreal to land animals, there is a wonderful transformation. There are four intermediate stages amongst the Primates- from the state of Monkey to Orang Utang and on to Chimpanzee, Gorilla and Man. There are morphological (appearance) and anatomical (structural) changes in these stages of animal development. One can find these differences in the dogs and cats, lions and tigers, etc. Normally, there is an increase in the size of the skull and facial changes amongst these without much internal changes. Intelligence and ability to adapt to environment in order to survive and reproduce improves with every successive stages in development. Self-preservation and adaptation to ecosystem/habitat are the basic principles. Thus we find living creatures including man adapted to a variety habitats such as, the forest, mountains and hills, River banks, coastal marshes and plains. The fundamental Rule than an exception in evolution is adaptation and then, survival of the fittest under fiercest competition and changing climatic conditions. .

  As the story goes, Charles Darwin was a very mischievous boy and often missed his classes. When the teacher said that he would visit his house and meet his parents or guardians, he was afraid and quietly escaped and was hiding in a ship where his uncle was the Captain. Finally, when the ship reached the Barbados Is. he spent his time collecting variety of sea shells and other things on the beach. It is said that he found some gradual shift in their forms and this gave him a rough idea about the sequential order of evolution. This narration actually became the  Darwin's theory of Evolution. Later on, many others put forth their opinion that came to be known as Neo-Darwinism,

  In contrast to the above, we have the Hindu mythology that gives a clear idea of evolution of all living beings, of course, in the same sequential order. Here, Creation started with Brahmn or Paramatman. "He Willed". It is also stated as I Am One, I shall become many". Eko'ham bahusyam | Also, it is stated that, "Having Created, He Entered It" - tad srushtvaa tadeva anupravishat |

  The sequential order of creation is stated as: First came the Space (aksha). This is stated as kham brahmaa | Then came Air (vayu) from it (50 per cent of it manifest as air). This consisted of Hydrogen, Oxygen, Nitrogen, Ozone nd argon. Then came Agni (Fire) from it (50 per cent of it). Then appeared water out of agni (50 per cent of it). The surf of water is said to be earth consisting of  variety of elements- mineral and non-mineral, metallic and non-metallic, predominantly consisting of Quarts and Aluminum followed by magnesium, manganese, iron (Ferrous), Nickel, Copper, etc. The surface of the earth is covered by water (almost 79%) and the rest by land consisting mainly of silicon and aluminum (SiAl).

 Life appeared in the form of plant cells first in water (aquatic) and, later evolved into diverse forms, The multi-cellular organisms formed out of cell division and cell multiplication. The life forms diversified from fish (aquatic) to frog (amphibian), and land animals and insects to birds (arboreal) and then monkey onwards to man. There is a gradual evolution from one stage to another with changes in structure (anatomy) and appearance (morphology) in order to adapt to environment and survive competition. Man (Homo sapiens) appeared at the top of this scale only very recently, 

  Today, Man is still in the primitive state or early stage of development in the scale and may develop up to Brahmn. Sri Aurobindo puts this as a gradual development from physical to mental and on to ethereal and finally spiritual stages. |