TV Channel

The term "Veda" signifies knowledge and understanding. The Czech word "věda" (science) is derived from this very term. The Vedas are a collection of numerous texts containing knowledge that is essentially infinite and continuously evolving. Therefore, the Vedas themselves are considered infinite. They are the oldest collections in the world, containing eternal spiritual truths. The Vedas state that they emerged from the breath of God and are the words of God. The word "Veda" holds a deeper meaning, signifying a close connection with the creative processes of nature. It presents itself to the creative processes within matter, describing things in the world, whether subtle or gross. It describes the material universe, the Mūrtaprapañca, in which we have material existence. The subtle universe, which is beyond the material world, is manifold and beyond ordinary sense perception; it is that which we cannot conceive in our usual way. Thus, in the Vedas, one can find instructions on how to engage with the universe. Instructions are essential. For example, when we buy a washing machine, we read the manual to know how to operate it correctly. Without instructions, we might break it or use it incompletely. Similarly, if we lack guidance on how to navigate or live in the universe within our time and space, our life would be merely about mundane matters. We would likely not live happily, harmoniously, or healthily in the fullest sense. We cannot live a whole life focused solely on material matters. The Veda teaches us how to understand these universal laws and use them for our benefit so that we may live healthily, harmoniously, and happily. A contemporary example is Āyurveda, which is part of the Ṛgveda, the oldest section of the Vedas. Āyurveda is a great help for self-management. Another example is Vāstuśāstra, the teaching of dwelling. It establishes the relationship between the dweller, the dwelling, and the universe. Vāstuśāstra is a part of the Atharvaveda. Today, some hotels and banks are built according to its principles. Vāstuśāstra is a profound science studied for twelve years. Research by an Indian scientist revealed a connection between inappropriate placement on land for houses and various ailments. Vāstu describes a person as Vāstu Puruṣa (Puruṣa meaning man). This scientist discovered that the northeast, corresponding to the head of the Vāstu Puruṣa, is the most important spot where energy flows. If this area is blocked by something inappropriate like a toilet, it can create severe blockages, potentially leading to illnesses like cancer. Different world directions correlate with different secondary ailments. Another study involved a professor of Vāstu Śāstra visiting a tuberculosis hospital. He found that all patients had their bathroom in an unsuitable place, which, when projected onto the Vāstu Puruṣa, corresponded to the area of the lungs. This is just one example of the important universal laws to know. If someone has persistent family problems or illnesses, it may be worthwhile to consult on the placement and positioning of their home. We become acquainted with the laws of the universe primarily through Yoga, yogic practices, and yogic philosophy. Our yoga in daily life is rooted in the Vedas and carries their heritage. We practitioners have Vedic wisdom as our foundation. The Vedas are the heritage of all humanity. They do not speak of any specific state, only of Mother Earth. The Veda says: "The earth is my mother and I am the child of the earth." Teachings of the path can be found in ancient cultures worldwide, but in India, this teaching is preserved in its purest form. Similar architectural principles, proportions, mathematics, astronomy, and astrology are found throughout the ancient world. As Svāmījī often reminds us, the fundamental moral and ethical principles are the same everywhere. This knowledge was used widely but was largely forgotten elsewhere, while in India, it has been preserved up to the present day. Śruti is that which was revealed by intuition. These are sacred texts transmitted orally for thousands of years from teacher to disciple or from father to son. They are authoritative and must not be changed. All Vedic literature belongs to this group of Śruti. The second group is Smṛti, meaning "that which is to be remembered." These are various textbooks, manuals, instructions, and stories, including the Rāmāyaṇa and Mahābhārata. The Rāmāyaṇa is sometimes called the fifth Veda. The Mahābhārata contains one hundred thousand verses and is the greatest epic in the world. Maharṣi Vyāsa, who composed it, said that everything that exists is within the Mahābhārata, and what is not in it does not exist anywhere. This great wealth of Śruti and Smṛti was transmitted orally for millennia and only much later began to be written down, with the Vedas recorded last. They were written on palm leaves, typically 30 to 90 centimeters long and 5 to 10 centimeters wide, which were bound into booklets. In northern India, birch bark was also used. These materials were not durable due to climate and pests, so the works had to be constantly copied. Unfortunately, many works were lost. What we have now is just a small fraction. The path by which the Vedas came to us—through thousands of generations of oral transmission and copying—makes us incredibly fortunate that our ancestors preserved this. We should study, follow, and listen to them. We know of the four Vedas, each with four types of texts. The Saṃhitās are collections of mantras. 1. The Ṛgveda is the oldest Veda and the oldest book in the world, containing the most hymns. 2. The Yajurveda contains mantras used during rituals. 3. The Sāmaveda contains mantras meant for chanting during ceremonies. 4. The Atharvaveda contains mantras for warding off difficulties and illnesses, integrating into daily householder life. (Some traditions did not initially consider it an authoritative Veda.) Listening to all the Saṃhitās takes about 200 hours. The second part is the Brāhmaṇas, which accompany each Saṃhitā and explain the rituals. The third part is the Āraṇyakas ("of the forest"), philosophical texts composed and studied in forest solitude by masters and disciples. The fourth part is the Upaniṣads, also called Vedānta ("the end of the Vedas"). They contain the philosophical essence. The philosophy of Vedānta is essentially the philosophy of the Upaniṣads. There are many Upaniṣads; the most important are twelve or thirteen. They are also called Rahasyam (secrets) because they contain secret teachings that can only be fully explained by a guru. The Māṇḍūkya Upaniṣad speaks of higher and lower knowledge. Higher knowledge is the understanding of the subtle world and the knowledge of our Ātman (soul). Our national motto, "Truth alone triumphs" (Satyameva Jayate), is found in this Upaniṣad. The mantra Asato mā sad gamaya also comes from the Upaniṣads. The mantra Pūrṇamadaḥ Pūrṇamidam is from the Īśā Upaniṣad, which belongs to the Yajurveda. There are also auxiliary disciplines called Vedāṅgas (limbs of the Vedas). There are six: 1. Kalpa: The teaching of rituals, detailing how to organize ceremonies, including the precise placement of the fire altar (yajña) according to cardinal directions and principles. This includes geometry for measuring altars and spaces. 2. Vyākaraṇa: Grammar. The most famous preserved work is the Aṣṭādhyāyī by Pāṇini (c. 5th century BCE), containing nearly four thousand grammatical rules memorized by heart. It is considered the oldest and most sophisticated grammar textbook in the world. Patañjali later wrote the Mahābhāṣya ("The Great Commentary") on it. In the 18th century, British Indologist Sir William Jones noted that Sanskrit is "more perfect than Greek, more copious than Latin, and more exquisitely refined than both." 3. Nirukta: Etymology, the teaching about the origin of words. Only one major work by Yāska (c. 5th century BCE) is preserved. He stated the Vedas must be understood on three levels: spiritual/theological (adhyātmika), natural/physical (adhibhautika), and divine (adhidaivika). 4. Chandas: Prosody, the teaching of meter, rhyme, style, and metaphor—a sophisticated science from thousands of years ago. 5. Śikṣā: Phonetics, the teaching of the correct pronunciation and intonation of Vedic words. About 60 phonetic treatises have been preserved. European linguists in the 18th century enthusiastically adopted Indian phonetics. 6. Jyotiṣa: Astrology and astronomy, the teaching of celestial bodies and their significance. Only a small part of the ancient texts remains. Anecdotal evidence, like a European student's experience in Varanasi where an astrologer accurately deduced a client's details without prior data, or the ancient mapping of Sagittarius aiming at the galactic center, hints at the depth of this knowledge. The knowledge in the Vedas is something we are only now rediscovering. To understand these sciences, one must study the entire Vedic literature—thousands of verses. Furthermore, one must undertake Sādhana (spiritual practice) to purify oneself and understand what is hidden within the mantras. A guru is essential to guide us to this knowledge and to what is inherently our own.