Svabhode
Naanyabodhe Cha
Bodha Roopa Atmanah
Sva Deepenya Deepe Cha
Yadaasvaatma Prakaashate
To search for a
flame,
Another light is not required.
To know the omnipresent, effulgent Atma,
Another type of knowledge is not
required.
Students!
You
do not need a flame to find another flame. In the same
way, it is ignorance and foolishness to search for the
self-effulgent, omnipresent Atma using other forms
of knowledge. No one tries to search for himself in the
world outside. In the same way, when you are the
Atma, isn't it plain ignorance to look for the
Atma elsewhere? Such pure teachings on the
Atma have been propagated by Bharat since ancient
times, era after era.
-
Bharat - The Birthplace of Spirituality -
Bharat is the birthplace
of spirituality and dharma. Peace and nonviolence
also took birth in Bharat. The search for truth done in
Bharat has not been done anywhere else. This land is the
birthplace of the Sapta
Rishis. This
is the country in which the first poet, Valmîki,
and the classifier of the Vedas,
Vyâsa,
took birth. This is the supremely sacred land of
dharma in which Lord Krishna taught the
Bhagavad Gîtâ. This is Lord
Râma's kingdom. This is the soil on which Buddha
was born. Bharat has always been replete with minds
enquiring into the truth, hands engaged in dharma
and hearts immersed in the Lord.
Devotion has no
distinctions of caste, age and language. It is easy for
everyone to contemplate on God. God is as essential for
the mind as food is for the body. In the devotion of
Bharatiyas we sometimes find situations bordering on the
absurd. But spiritual feelings and love are the
under-currents even in this seemingly senseless behavior.
A student prays to God to do well in exams. A man prays
to God to win a court case. Why go that far? People pray
even to secure a seat in a bus! In this way, Bharatiyas
depend on God from the smallest to the biggest things.
This may be called divine madness. Some call it
foolishness. Whatever anyone may say, each is entitled to
his own hunger, his own faith, his own kind of madness.
No one has the right to deny another's faith.
But certain foundations
are necessary even for faith. The presence of the groom
doesn't mean that the marriage is done. Having money does
not imply that you can run a business. Some additional
know-how is required. You cannot be considered a writer
by knowing the alphabet. Only one who understands
meanings of words can be an author. Similarly, you cannot
recognize God with worldly knowledge. Spiritual knowledge
is essential. To acquire it, enquire into the
Truth.
-
Scientific Investigations into the Truth -
Everyone must understand
the universe and the nature of the individual souls
living in it. Those who recognize the secrets of the
cosmos and of the beings living in it can understand the
nature of divinity. Since ancient times, men of wisdom
have investigated into nature. The astronomer Galileo
discovered many facts about the universe. The earth
revolves at a speed of 18500 miles per second. It circles
the sun once a year. "Who is turning the earth? Why
does it revolve? What is the basis for its
revolution?", asked Galileo. He found that the
parabola is the basis of motion.
If there is such a basis
for even small objects, there must exist a significance
to the earth's movement as well. Once upon a time the
earth was hot. Then it took millions of years to cool
down. Why should the burning planet revolve?
Galileo pondered the answer to this question.
Rotation causes day and night which provide opportunities
for men to undertake action. Revolution produces seasons
which are responsible for rain, harvest and food. Every
act of God, big or small, is for the good for mankind.
There is a hidden power running everything.
Galileo recognized it and called it God.
Therefore, a natural scientist recognized this unchanging
power.
That which is present
always is Truth. Within this truth we find both worldly
and spiritual knowledge. It is not possible for anyone to
know this power through any means. To know the unchanging
power behind nature is to know God -This is what Galileo
finally concluded.
Einstein, the father of
modern science, talked about the inter-changeability of
matter and energy. He said that these could neither be
created nor destroyed. But energy may change forms. How?
Magnetic energy can be turned into electricity,
electricity into atomic power, atomic power into light
and light into heat. Students should recognize a small
fact. You can create water by combining hydrogen and
oxygen. But who created hydrogen and oxygen? Water is the
effect, hydrogen and oxygen are the causes. Nothing can
exist without a cause. The effect gradually changes. That
which changes is science. The changeless cause is
spirituality.
-
Live Human Values -
We say "culture and
spirituality". We came to know this morning that culture
is a "way of life". It means heritage. Spirituality is
necessary for transformation. What is spirituality? We
consider only worship and good actions to be
spirituality. But in truth:
Spirituality =
Spirit of Love
Science = Split of Love
"Split of Love" changes
but the "Spirit of Love" is permanent. Culture has love
as its basis. No love means no culture. Culture and
spirituality really mean the power of love. This
changeless power cannot be destroyed. This power could be
God, said Einstein, adding that nothing may be spoken of
with equal certainty.
People asked
Buddha if he understood divinity.- Buddha
was silent on the existence of God. He said, "It is a
waste of time to argue about an unknowable subject like
divinity which is beyond the mind". Yatho Vaacho
Nivartante Apraapya Manasaa Sahaa - From where words and
thoughts return, unable to grasp anything - That is
divinity. "For me, sathya, dharma and ahimsa
are equivalent to Brahmâ, Vishnu and
S'iva", he said.
Truth and dharma
are the highest. Follow them and practice ahimsa
in your life. This is true spiritual effort,
Buddha said. There is no God higher than Truth.
For this reason, the Vedas say - Sathyam Vada,
Dharmam Chara - Speak the truth and uphold
righteousness. God is present wherever these are upheld.
Vasishtha said - Ramo Vigrahavaan Dharmah -
Râma is the very embodiment of dharma
- because Râma never spoke a lie and always
stuck to the path of dharma. He walked barefoot in
forests and sacrificed everything for the sake of
righteousness. To uphold a promise given by His father,
He took great burdens upon Himself. Without ever
faltering, Râma adhered unflinchingly to
sathya and dharma. That is why He is the
embodiment of divinity.
Even in this Kali yuga
people went to Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and asked him if
he had seen God. Yes, he replied. In what form, they
asked. Ramakrishna said, "Just as I see you, I have seen
God." When asked how it was possible, he explained, "With
yearning. You strive for wealth and family. You cry for
small and big things. Have you ever cried for God?
Yaa Chintaa Bhuvi
Putra Mitra Bharanau Vyaapaara Sambhaashane
Yaa Chintaa Dhana Dhaanya Bhoga Yashase Laabhe Sadaa
Jaayate
Saa Chintaa Bhuvi Nanda Nandana Pada Dvandvaaravinde
Kshane
Kaa Chintaa Yamaraaja Bhima Sadana Dvaara Prayaani
You cry for wife,
children, friends,
wealth, business, pleasures, name and fame.
But if you yearn for Krishna's Lotus Feet even for a
moment,
You can easily cross the terrible doors of
death.
If you desire God, work
for Him. Then God will easily come within your grasp. You
struggle for worldly benefits but expect God's vision.
With such hypocrisy you can never acquire God.
-
Invisible Causes and Visible Manifestations -
These days scientists,
atheists and argumentative people demand direct
perception of God. "I must see with my eyes, touch with
my hands and taste with my tongue to believe. How can I
believe in something I cannot see, touch or taste?", they
question. With such arguments scientists deride devotees
as fools. Truly, no one is more foolish than these
scientists.
Why? An example: You see
a man who is 5'6" tall, weighs 63kg and is bald. These
are all direct perceptions. Are they true? Definitely.
But they are truths only for the external vision. The man
also has qualities like sacrifice, kindness and
determination which cannot be touched or measured. Even
if you cut the man into pieces, these qualities are not
visible! So do you deny their existence? In fact, the man
exists only due to these qualities. The invisible
qualities are the basis for the visible
attributes.
You say only what is seen
is true, nothing else. You have accumulated past
karma which makes you suffer, but can you see
it? It is foolishness to deny what is not visible
or tangible; You see a tree with branches. Scientists see
the fruits, branches and leaves which are readily
visible. But spirituality perceives the unseen
roots. Without roots how can you have branches? Which is
more important - branches or roots? In the same way, an
invisible force is the foundation for the visible
universe. We see and experience this world only by the
power of that force.
A few more examples. Love
and fragrance have no form but we experience them. Can
they be denied because they are invisible or intangible?
So why do we believe in them? It is because even
invisible entities have visible or tangible
manifestations.
Love has no form
but the Mother, who gives Love, has a form.
Fragrance has no form but the fragrant
Flower has a form.
Bliss has no form but God, whose nature is
bliss, has a form!
-
Bhaava Roopam - The Form of God -
What is this form of God?
It is unattainable, beyond comprehension. It can be
anything. For example, what is the form of wind or water?
You can see water and feel wind but they have no forms.
When do they acquire forms? When you fill air in a
balloon, it assumes the corresponding form. Water
acquires the form of its container.
In the same way, the
formless God assumes the form cherished by the devotee.
The devotee's feeling itself is the form of God. This has
been called
bhaava-roopam
in our scriptures. To know this form of God, meditation
is recommended. God appears as the embodiment of whatever
feelings the devotee meditates upon. If we think of God
as benevolent, He appears so If we think of Him as
destructive, that is how He appears. So, all forms of God
are dependent on your feeling. It is not possible to
limit divinity as being "this" or "that".
sarvatah
pâni-pâdam tat
sarvato 'kshi-s'iro-mukham
sarvatah s'rutimal loke
sarvam âvritya tishthhati
[B.G. 13:14]
That which has hands,
legs everywhere;
eyes, heads and faces all around and ears to the
world,
pervades everything that exists.
God is everywhere as
energy. This is what scientists call atomic energy. But
even the atom can be sub-divided. There is nothing in
this world without a form. Even Karnataka and Andhra
Pradesh (states in southern India) have forms, seen in a
map. That is why, ancient Hindus worshipped mother earth
as a manifestation of divinity. But modern scientists
ridicule this practice.
Scientists
question: Earth is just soil and rock, Why pray to
it?
Our
ancients explain:
Soil gives us food. The sun causes rain, day and night.
All these are necessary for life. It is our culture to
worship those whose benovelence sustains us. Nothing can
exist without the five elements (dhâtavah) -
earth, water, sky, fire and ether. So what is wrong in
praying to them?
Scientists say: Fine, the five elements are okay.
But why pray to a stone idol? How can it be God?
The
ancients reply: God
is everywhere! Why not worship Him in the rock?
Scientists argue: But the rock has no
awareness.
Here students should
realize an important point. On the 15th of August
(independence day of India), we raise our national flag
aloft. We salute it. Why? It is just a piece of cloth,
composed of threads. It has no qualities or awareness. It
flutters with the wind and lies limp in still air. What
virtues of the flag make it worthy of respect? It is a
symbol of independence won after arduous struggle.
Similarly, although divine consciousness is everywhere,
we need signs and symbols to remind us of it.
Atheism simply cannot
exist when we enquire in this manner. Dhanamoolam Idam
Jagat - Today the world revolves around money.
Sometimes when you drop a currency note on the ground by
mistake, you touch it to your eyes as a mark of respect.
Why? The currency is only bamboo and grass pulp; isn't
it? What awareness or individuality does it have? None.
Then why do you honor it? Not just devotees, atheists
also worship money! Do atheists say, "No, thank you, I do
not want money"? No, atheists also desire it! They honor
the seal of the Reserve Bank which makes the paper
valuable. Similarly you display your grandfather's photo
and garland it when he passes away. Does your grandfather
still exist in the photo? No, the photo is only paper
pulp. So why do you respect it? It is his
symboL.
Yes, this is rock. But
the rock is a symbol of the omnipresent God. The
bhaava-roopam of the devotee is concentrated in
the rock! Thus, Hindus worship not rocks, but God in
rocks, in the earth and in idols. You may ignore some
practices if you wish, but no one has the right to
condemn or weaken another's faith. Each one is entitled
to his own faith. Just as one person's breathing
(shvaasam) cannot be substituted for another
person, one's faith (vishvaasam) is personal
also.
-
Absolute Truth, Relative Truth and Untruth -
Such
search for the truth is described in the Vedas. What does
it mean to search for the truth? The truth is everywhere,
so it is meaningless to search for it, some argue. An
example. You see your mother, daughter, sister, wife and
mother-in-Iaw with your eyes. The eyes that see are the
same. Now, the feeling used in each case is the "search".
Having eyes is not enough. You must ask yourself, "How do
I look at my mother?" The answer: With motherly feeling.
This is the "search for the truth". Just because the eyes
are one and the same, can you look upon everyone with the
same outlook?
The
vision is the same but the underlying feelings are
different. In the same way, all our senses are one but
each has its own faculties and limits. The search for the
truth means discriminating between what is satyam
(truth), nijam (relative truth or fact) and asatyam
(untruth).
What is
the difference between a relative truth and the truth?
There is a vast difference. Students, you know the earth
is a globe. But the ground near your house is flat. The
flatness is relative truth - That is how you see it. But
when you search for the truth, it turns out to be a
globe. So, a relative truth is really an untruth
perceived to be the truth. You see a man wearing a suit.
That is today's truth. Tomorrow he might wear a dhoti
(traditional Indian dress for men). What is present today
but absent tomorrow is relative truth. The unchanging
truth is ever true - That is Divinity.
Untruth
is opposed to both truth and relative truth. What is
untruth? To see something and say otherwise is falsehood.
In darkness you see a rope and call it a snake. That is
delusion born of improper discrimination. You jumped to a
conclusion. Shine a torch and you will realize it is a
rope. To consider the rope as a snake is illusion.
[See Bhâgavata Purâna:
4:22-38,
6:9-37,
10:14-25
and
11:26-17
and Sathya Sai Vahini:
the Inner Inquiry]
In this
manner, spirituality conceals many subtle secrets. This
has been called satya rahasyam - Secret
of truth. Why should the truth be called "secret"?
Because it is veiled to the unripe intellect and must be
churned from effort.
Thus,
Vedas say:
Ekam Sat, Vipraah Bahudaa Vadanti -
Truth is one, but sages interpret is in many
ways.
Vedas
also say:
Ekam Eva Adviteeyam Brahma -
God is One, not many.
The Vedas
prove these truths in a beautiful manner.
-
See God Through Love -
Scientists have also come
across divine power in their experiments. They
acknowledge the existence of a changeless power without
calling it "God". Whatever name they may use, they cannot
change the substance. There is water in this tumbler. The
Telugu man calls it neeru, the Tamil man says
tanni, the Hindi man calls it paani and the
Englishman, water. The names change, not the water.
People also worship God in countless names and forms
depending on their personal attitudes. But only one God
exists.
The world cannot exist
without God. You say that this cloth is a collection of
threads which, in turn, are nothing but cotton. But the
cloth, threads and cotton are one and the same. Apply
such logic in spiritual enquiry as well.
But to believe blindly
without enquiry is also great devotion because it is born
of total faith. The infant places unquestionable faith in
the mother and believes whatever the mother says. This
cannot be called foolishness. Even Jesus said, "How happy
I would be if I could be an innocent child for a moment
every day!" Meaning, we must have the innocence of
infants. We should not nurture manipulation, deceit and
secrecy. With straightforwardness, we achieve purity, and
truth is present within purity. But today, staying aloof
from such purity, we trust that polluted conduct pays.
Students!
Do not entertain frivolous talk and shallow opinions in
matters concerning divinity. What scientists know today
is close to nothing. You must understand this well.
Knowledge is small but the exhibition is gargantuan.
Those who know the truth are calm and silent. The pot
full of water is steady while the half-full pot rocks
back and forth noisily. Those who argue are half-full
pots.
To be a scientist, first
control your senses and grow in love. "God is Love, Love
is God, Live in Love." Love cannot be bought or sold. No
company manufactures and supplies Love. The only machine
that generates love is within us - the heart. Heart is
called hridaya. That which is full of compassion
(daya) alone is a hridaya. But modem hearts
are stones, with no traces of kindness. Such hearts
cannot be called human hearts. No, no. God is the
resident of the heart. A heart with compassion is the
temple of God. Develop compassion and you will perceive
God in your heart. If we look only outside, we are
confused. What we see outside must be seen inside as
well.
The Vedas
say:
Antar Bahischatatsarva Vyaapya Narayana Sthitah -
Nârâyana is present inside, outside...
everywhere.
-
Creation Speaks of The Creator -
Divinity is everywhere.
In every step, in every breath, there is God. In every
syllable you utter, God is present. That is divinity in
the form of speech.
Therefore, God is
described as:
Sabda Brahma Mayi, Charaachara Mayi -
Manifestation of sound, pervading sentient and
non-sentient things.
A small example. Someone
is singing in a radio station in Delhi. When we power the
radio here, we hear that song. So is it present
everywhere or not? Radio waves are present everywhere.
They are manifestations of divine power, as are magnetic
energy, atomic energy, light and heat.
Following such enquiry,
we realize that God's creation has endless secrets. In
Bharat alone there are 900 million people. The
world has 5.8 billion people. It was 5 billion some time
ago but now it has grown by 800 million. With growth in
population, there is growth in sin as well. Now, among
these millions, are any two persons identical? Who can
understand such mysteries? Even among twins there are
differences. They are not made from a moulding. Only God
could create such a wonderful cosmos.
The
Bhâgavatam says that the stories and deeds
of God are beyond comprehension. No one can understand
His sports, but listening to them generates bliss in the
heart and grants immortality. Such is the nature of
divinity.
Consider radio waves
transmitted from Delhi, Bangalore, Madras, Calcutta, Sri
Lanka, even America. No two waves mingle. What a mystery!
There is no confusion between the millions of waves in
the air. When does the confusion arise? Only when we do
not tune into the correct station. This "tuning" is
meditation. Tune your mind with concentration to receive
the "news", namely, divine vision. When the mind is
divergent, the reception is unclear or
meaningless.
The sun shines over a
pond. The water has ripples due to wind. The sun appears
unsteady in the pond. But in reality, only the image
wavers, not the sun. The waves in your mind make you
perceive divinity in various moods, names, forms. But
divinity is one. It is not divinity but only your
feelings which change with time. Meditation is the
process of uniting the mind's scattered
thoughts.
Everyone can see
diversity in unity. We must see unity in diversity, the
underlying principle, the atma. How? Here are a
plate, a tumbler and a spoon. Names and forms are
different. The value of each object is also different.
But the value of silver is the same, whether in the
plate, tumbler ar spaan. Divinity has assumed the name
and form of every single entity in creation. You may
respect and value one persan and ridicule another. These
are attitudes based on the behavior of these persons. But
the atma principle is one.
-
Do Your Duty -
Mud is found all over and
so, has no value. But gold has great value. Why? It is
difficult to obtain. In the same way, a man with a pure
heart is given great respect. His actions carry weight. A
happy life and good reputation depend on your actions,
nothing else. To scale the heights of greatness we must
engage in sacred deeds. Human life is indeed very
valuable. The first student speaker taday told you: "Men
are more valuable than all the wealth of the world". Who
gives value to gold and diamonds? Man alone. Why do you
pay huge amount of money for a tiny plot of land in the
city? Only because that's the value given to it by man.
Unfortunately, the man who values everything does not
value himself today! This is because human values are
disregarded.
Realize that the body has
no value. Everyone has a body composed of the five
elements. The body becomes meaningful only when
sanctified with noble actions and ideals. For example, a
glass jar can preserve savories and pickles for many
months. But if you eat these pickles, they cannot be
preserved by the body even for a few hours! So the glass
jar is much better than this body!
Remember: Your respect in
society depends not on looks, personality or wealth, but
only on behavior. If you adhere to virtue, you are
automatically honored. You do not need to ask for
respect. Therefore:
Adugakuve O
Manasa!
Adugu Koladi Adi Adugunu Padunani
Adugakunna Pani Vadigaanagunani
Adugani Sabarini Aadarinchade!
Do not ask, o
mind!
The more you ask, the lower it is placed.
Without asking, the task proceeds quickly.
Sabari, who never
asked, was showered with grace!
An example:
Dasharatha, the father of Râma, cried
for Râma repeatedly and begged Him to stay
near. But poor Dasharatha died a broken-hearted man,
separated from Râma. On the other hand,
Jatâyu did not beg Râma for
favors. He did his duty, to the extent that he sacrificed
his life trying to save Sîtâ
Devî. Even in his last moments, Jatâyu
worried only about Râma's troubles. As
a result, Râma rested Jatâyu on
His thigh and performed his funeral rites like a son.
[Ramakatha
Rasavahini]
Many sages begged
Râma for favors and waited for Him in their
hermitages. Instead of rewarding them, Râma
chose to go to Sabari. Sabari didn't ask
Him anything directly but only through her heart. God
knows what to give to whom, when, where and how.
Therefore, do your duty and God's grace will overflow,
unasked.
We must pose five
questions to everything - who, where, why, when and how.
If you simply overwhelm God in your flood of desires
without asking yourself these questions, do you think God
will fulfil your wishes? You should know when, where, how
and what to ask of God. Cultivate the intellect to
recognize the right time and situation for the fulfilment
of desires. This discrimination is called - constant
integrated awareness or Prajnaanam
Brahma.
-
You and God are One -
The Vedas consist of
great declarations:
Prajnaanam
Brahma.
Aham Brahmaasmi.
Ayam Atma Brahma.
What is meant by: Ayam
Atma Brahma?
Simply, "I am Atma, I am Brahma".
Scholars give elaborate
interpretations but the meaning is simply, "I am Atma".
You and atma are not different but one and the
same.
When you speak, you must
weigh each word carefully. What you say, demonstrate in
action. Have faith in the concept first, then practise
it. Some time ago Swami asked a college boy, "Who are
you?" The boy recollected that Swami teaches Ayam Atma
Brahma. He replied, I and You are One, Swami". Swami
said, "It seems your intellect has really blossomed
today! Are you really the same as Swami?" He said, "Yes,
Swami, You and I are the same". "Then go outside and give
darshan to the devotees", I said!
Who would look at him if
he went to give darshan? [laughter] But if
faith is deep, God will definitely appear through you as
well. People only talk without practising. "The proper
study of mankind is man." To give credence to your words,
put them into action. Practice grants experience. Only
then you will realize the truth.
-
The Bhâgavatam -
Students! Your
vice-chancellor requested today that I explain the
Bhâgavatam
to you. It is necessary for students to understand this
scripture, its secrets and the nature of the child
Krishna. Bhâgavatam rhymes with
baagavutam which means, "we will improve"
(in Telugu). By listening to it, we will become better
persons, permeated with devotion and wisdom. The
Bhâgavatam contains the fruits of all spiritual
practices.
The word
Bhagavatamu (as pronounced in Telugu) has five
syllables:
BHA stands for
Bhakti (devotion)
GA stands for Gnaanam (wisdom)
VA stands for Vairagyam (detachment)
TA stands for Tatwam (nature)
MU stands for Mukti
(liberation)
Therefore,
Bhâgavatam is the gist of all scriptures and
texts, the goal of all paths, the essence of all fruits.
From tomorrow I have
decided to dole out to you all, cool helpings of
Bhâgavatam. Don't just listen to it. Is your
hunger satisfied by listening to the names of foods? No,
eating alone fills the stomach. Therefore, I do not ask
you to listen to Bhâgavatam, but to eat it.
You are future citizens of this country. Your virtue
alone will guarantee progress in the nation.
-
Help Ever, Hurt Never -
Embodiments of Love! Make
your hearts pure with selfless actions and serve society.
Don't indulge in wasteful deeds and pollute your mind.
First understand what it means to be human and then
progress towards divinity. I told you in the morning how
scientists are developing many complex machines. They
don't recognize the one machine which invents all
machines - the human body. They ask, "Who are you?" but
never, "Who am I?" They spend all their time discussing
others instead of themselves. Self-enquiry is very
essential. It makes everything else easy to
understand.
Embodiments of Love! In
these ten days you will listen to words of elders. It is
not possible to remember everything that you hear here.
Vyâsa wrote eighteen
Purânas,
which were elaborate texts. They were so voluminous that
they could possibly be placed under the head as pillows
but not inside the head! Vyâsa pondered the
solution to this problem. He finally concluded and
propagated that all Purânas could be
condensed into two teachings: "Help Ever, Hurt Never".
Of all that you hear in
this Summer Course, practise one or two teachings. Do not
hurt anyone. If you cannot help, stay away - that itself
is a great help. Remember God always. Consider yourself
as a form of God, and you will gradually realize your
divinity.
Bhagavân
concluded with the Bhajan:
'Hari Bhajana Bina Sukha Shanti Nahi' -
Lyrics
Sapta
Rishis: seven
eternal sages:
from
Brahmâ
were born the sons Marîci, Atri,
Angirâ,
Pulastya, Pulaha, Kratu, Bhrigu, Vasishthha, Daksha and
the tenth son, Nârada.
Not counting Daksha,
Nârada
and Bhrigu one speaks also sometimes about the seven
sages, who for each
manvantara
have
different names.
Valmîki:
the sage that harbored Sîtâ
after her exile. Writer of the
Ramâyan,
the epic of Lord Râma
defeating the demon Râvana.
Vedas:
comprise the four
Vedas (the Rik, Yajur, Sâma and
Atharva) and the hundred-and-eight
Upanishads,
containing the philosophical part, and the supplement,
the 'fifth Veda' to it: the eighteen
Purânas
with the S'rîmad Bhâgavatam
as the Bhagavata Purâna, the
Mahâbhârata
(of which the Bhagavad
Gîtâ
is a
part), the Vedânta-sûtra.
The avatâra
Vyâsadeva
propounded five thousand years ago in it the spiritual
knowledge, which was originally delivered by Krishna
Himself handed down by oral tradition (to the vedic
scriptures belong all paramparâ-literatures,
like the Ramâyana,
the Bhakti-rasâmrita-sindhu,
the Caitanya-caritâmrita
etc.).
- Originally by Vyâsa
in four divided spiritual inheritance of the vedic
culture.
- Rik or Rigveda: the prayers; 1028 verses about
sacrificing to the gods and the creation of man out of
the
purusha;
-
Yajur: hymns for oblations; the mantra's of the
lunar culture,
- Sâma: songs of same prayers and hymns in
meters for singing accompanying the sacrifices;
- Atharva-veda: mystical hymns on body/world
maintenance and destruction, in order to explain them to
civilized society.
Later literature, the purânas
(Gîtâ,
Bhâgavatam,
Mahâbhârat)
are considered the fifth Veda.
Vyâsa:
[Krishna Dvaipâyana Vyâsa,
Veda-Vyâsa]:
(lit.:
'the compiler, the godhead who assembled the verses'),
Krishna-dvaipâyana: author of the
Gîtâ
and S'rimad
Bhâgavatam,
Mahâbhârat,
and the Vedânta-sûtra.
Compressed the vedic
knowledge. Teacher of Sanjaya.
Pupil of Nârada
Muni,
father of S'ukadeva.
- The greatest
philosopher from yore, divided the Veda in four. Is
considered an expansion of Vishnu, as
a
bhagavân,
empowered to perform literary activities.
Bhaava-roopam:
Form born of feeling (Bhaava = feeling, roopam =
form).
S'rîmad
Bhâgavatam (Bhagavata Purâna): The most
beautiful about Him, the Fortunate one. The
Krishna-'Bible', spoken by S'ukadeva
Gosvâmî,
the son of Vyâsadeva
who wrote down the story of Krishna.
In this book, a collection of classical stories, of about
18000 verses is each and everything described of
bhakti-yoga as also the entire life of Lord Krishna and
other avatâras
of Vishnu;
it is a compendium of vedic wisdom that contains the
creme of the vedic scriptures (go to the
S'rîmad
Bhâgavatam
on
the internet).
- The most important of the eighteen main
purânas
also called the paramahamsa samhita
- One of the six Vishnu-purânas.
Purâna:
narration; eighteen very old books about the history of
the planet and other worlds (there are also eighteen
upa-purânas,
smaller ones).
- The stories; eighteen
very old books or bibles from big, 81.000 verses to
small, 9000 verses, six
about
Vishnu,
six about
S'iva
and six about Brahmâ,
containing (vedic) histories about the relation of
mankind with the different forms of God and their worlds.
The Vishnu-purâna the
S'rîmad
Bhâgavatam,
also called the Bhâgavata Purâna
and Paramahamsa Samhita, is considered the
most important (see also
12.7:
23-24,
12.13:
4-9).
S'rîmad
Bhâgavatam
Lexicon
of names, essential terms and Sanskrit words,
to the S'rîmad Bhâgavatam and the Bhagavad
Gîtâ