Changes

carpenter builds a chariot. The Vedas (sruti) are different from other Vedic era texts such as श्रौत सूत्र || Shrauta Sutras and ग्र्यह सूत्र || Gryha Sutras, which are smriti texts.

carpenter builds a chariot. The Vedas (sruti) are different from other Vedic era texts such as श्रौत सूत्र || Shrauta Sutras and ग्र्यह सूत्र || Gryha Sutras, which are smriti texts.

Vedic samskrit language being ancient is difficult to understand without the knowledge of Vedangas, especially [[Nirukta (निरुक्तम्)|निरुक्तम् || Nirukta]] of Maharshi Yaska and the grammar of Panini and Patanjali. Maharshi [[Yaska']]<nowiki/>s Nirukta is special in that it is not only a dictionary of Vedic words but also an explanatory text for different Vedic terms.   

[[Vedic language (वैदिक भाषा)|Vedic samskrit language]] being ancient is difficult to understand without the knowledge of [[Vaidika Vaangmayam|Vedaangas]], especially [[Nirukta (निरुक्तम्)|निरुक्तम् || Nirukta]] of Maharshi Yaska and the grammar of Panini and Patanjali. Maharshi [[Yaska']]<nowiki/>s Nirukta is special in that it is not only a dictionary of Vedic words but also an explanatory text for different Vedic terms.   

With the availability of modern technological advancements, vast data on various topics is created, in different parts of the world, dispersed all over the globe. Thus, people generated a large number of genuine as well as falsely interpreted data about the Vedas of Bharatavarsha.   

With the availability of modern technological advancements, vast data on various topics is created, in different parts of the world, dispersed all over the globe. Thus, people generated a large number of genuine as well as falsely interpreted data about the Vedas of Bharatavarsha.   

The Vedas are the source of all Dharmas (in moral, social, religious, judicial, and spiritual sense) that has been in practice since times immemorial and hence is called Sanaatana Dharma or eternal dharma.  

The Vedas are the source of all Dharmas (in moral, social, religious, judicial, and spiritual sense) that has been in practice since times immemorial and hence is called Sanaatana Dharma or eternal dharma.  

धर्मजिज्ञासानां प्रमाणं परमं श्रुतिः ॥ (Manusmriti (2.3))  

According to Manu, those aspiring to know Dharmas should seek refuge in Vedas.<blockquote>धर्मजिज्ञासानां प्रमाणं परमं श्रुतिः ॥ (Manusmriti (2.3))</blockquote><blockquote>Meaning : For those greatly interested seekers of Dharma, the Vedas (Shrutis) are the highest authority.</blockquote><blockquote>वेदोऽखिलो धर्ममूलम् ॥ (Manusmriti (2.6))</blockquote><blockquote>Meaning: Indeed ! Vedas are the source of all Dharmas.</blockquote>That the Vedas are the very treasure house of all Dharmas was unequivocally and unquestionably proclaimed by Manu, the first Law-giver after the Vedas as follows<blockquote>विभर्ति सर्वभूतानि, वेदशास्त्रं सनातनम् | तस्मादेतत्परं मन्ये, यज्जन्तोरस्य साधनम् || (Manusmriti (12.99))</blockquote><blockquote>Meaning: The eternal Veda shastra upholds or protects all beings (by being their flawless guideline). Those endeavoring for the welfare of all beings (यज्जन्तः) regard Vedas as their authoritative instrument in achieving it.</blockquote>

Meaning : For those greatly interested seekers of Dharma, the Vedas (Shrutis) are the highest authority.

This Smriti, on which is based the present day Indian Judiciary system, claims its foundation on Vedas thus<blockquote>न वेदशास्त्रादन्यत् तु, किंचिच्छास्त्रं हि विद्यते |</blockquote><blockquote>निस्सृतं सर्वशास्त्रं तु, वेदशास्त्रात् सनातनात् || </blockquote><blockquote>Meaning : There are no greater shastras other than the Vedas, as all shastras arose from the eternal Veda shastras only.</blockquote>

वेदोऽखिलो धर्ममूलम् ॥ (Manusmriti (2.6))  

Atri Smriti attributes the highest position of a Guru (teacher) to Vedas<blockquote>नास्ति वेदात् परं शास्त्रं, नास्ति मातु:समो गुरु: || (Atri. Smri. 148)</blockquote><blockquote>Meaning: There is no other shastra greater than Vedas, just as there is no greater Guru than the mother (to the child). </blockquote>

Meaning: Indeed ! Vedas are the source of all Dharmas. 

Brahmanas describe the origins of Vedas to the Supreme Being

विभर्ति सर्वभूतानि, वेदशास्त्रं सनातनम् | तस्मादेतत्परं मन्ये, यज्जन्तोरस्य साधनम् || (Manusmriti (12.99))  

The Upanishad texts base their spiritual philosophy on Vedas and describe the origin of vedas to be from the Parabrahman or Infinite Consciousness.<blockquote>तस्मादृच: साम यजूंषि दीक्षा || (Mund. Upan. 2.1.7)</blockquote><blockquote>Meaning: From Him (the Parabrahma) arise the the mantras of Rig, Yajus and Sama vedas.</blockquote>

Meaning: The eternal Veda shastra upholds or protects all beings (by being their flawless guideline). Those endeavoring for the welfare of all beings (यज्जन्तः) regard Vedas as their authoritative instrument in achieving it.  

<blockquote>एतस्य वा महतो भूतस्य नि:श्वसितमेतद् यद् ऋग्वेदो यजुर्वेद: सामवेदोऽथर्ववेद: || (Brih. Upan. 4.5.11)</blockquote><blockquote>Meaning:  From the breath (exhalation) of this Supreme Being have arisen the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvanaveda.</blockquote>

== The Dharmic (Indian) Worldview ==

== The Dharmic (Indian) Worldview ==

A clash between the ideologies of modernity and the philosophy of civilization of cultures could have dangerous repercussions and this has been a frequently recurring thought in contemporary discourse. To understand the implications of these notions it becomes essential to emphasize that religion and dharma are not synonymous and hence cannot be talked of in the same breath.   

A clash between the ideologies of modernity and the philosophy of civilization of cultures could have dangerous repercussions and this has been a frequently recurring thought in contemporary discourse. To understand the implications of these notions it becomes essential to emphasize that religion and dharma are not synonymous and hence cannot be talked of in the same breath.   

Dharma is regarded as the greatest and most valuable contribution to humanity by Bharatavarsha. Dharma is a samskrit expression of the widest import. There is no corresponding word for Dharma in any other language in this world as it is a unique and ancient concept promulgated by rushis since times immemorial. It would be futile to attempt to give any definition of the word. It can only be explained and has a wide variety of meanings. For instance, the word "Dharma" is used to mean न्याय || Nyaya (Justice), what is right in a given circumstance, moral values of life, pious obligations of individuals, righteous conduct in every sphere of activity, being helpful to the the needy, giving charity to individuals in need or for a public cause, natural qualities or properties of characteristics of a living being or things, duty and law as also constitutional law. Mahabharata which is acclaimed as the मानव कर्तव्य शास्त्र || Manava kartavya sastra, has a discussion of this topic in the form of conversation between Yudhistira and Bhishma thus,  <blockquote>तादृशोऽयमनुप्रश्नो यत्र धर्मः सुदुर्लभः  ।</blockquote><blockquote>दुष्करः प्रतिसंख्यातुं तत्केनात्र व्यवस्यति  ॥</blockquote><blockquote>प्रभावार्थाय भूतानां धर्मप्रवचनं कृतम्    ।</blockquote><blockquote>यः स्यात्प्रभवसंयुक्तः स धर्म इति निश्चयः ॥  (Maha. Shanti. 109-9-11)</blockquote><blockquote>tādṛśo'yamanupraśno yatra dharmaḥ sudurlabhaḥ |</blockquote><blockquote>duṣkaraḥ pratisaṃkhyātuṃ tatkenātra vyavasyati || </blockquote><blockquote>prabhāvārthāya bhūtānāṃ dharmapravacanaṃ kṛtam |</blockquote><blockquote>yaḥ syātprabhavasaṃyuktaḥ sa dharma iti niścayaḥ || (Maha. Shanti. 109-9-11)</blockquote>Meaning : It is most difficult to define Dharma. Dharma has been explained to be that which helps the upliftment of living beings. Therefore, that which helps ensures the welfare of living beings is surely Dharma. The learned rishis have declared that which sustains is Dharma.<blockquote>धारणाद् धर्म इत्याहुर्धर्मो धारयते प्रजाः |</blockquote><blockquote>यत् स्याद् धारणसंयुक्तं स धर्म इति निश्चयः || (Maha. Karna. 69-58)</blockquote><blockquote>dhāraṇād dharma ityāhurdharmo dhārayate prajāḥ |</blockquote><blockquote>yat syād dhāraṇasaṃyuktaṃ sa dharma iti niścayaḥ || (Maha. Karna. 69-58)</blockquote>Meaning : The above verse eulogizes Dharma as follows " Dharma sustains the society, Dharma maintains the social order, Dharma ensures the well being and progress of humanity, Dharma is surely that which fulfills these objectives"

Dharma is regarded as the greatest and most valuable contribution to humanity by Bharatavarsha. Dharma is a samskrit expression of the widest import. There is no corresponding word for Dharma in any other language in this world as it is a unique and ancient concept promulgated by rishis since times immemorial. It would be futile to attempt to give any definition of the word. It can only be explained and has a wide variety of meanings. For instance, the word "Dharma" is used to mean न्याय || Nyaya (Justice), what is right in a given circumstance, moral values of life, pious obligations of individuals, righteous conduct in every sphere of activity, being helpful to the the needy, giving charity to individuals in need or for a public cause, natural qualities or properties of characteristics of a living being or things, duty and law as also constitutional law. Mahabharata which is acclaimed as the मानव कर्तव्य शास्त्र || Manava kartavya sastra, has a discussion of this topic in the form of conversation between Yudhistira and Bhishma thus,  <blockquote>तादृशोऽयमनुप्रश्नो यत्र धर्मः सुदुर्लभः  ।</blockquote><blockquote>दुष्करः प्रतिसंख्यातुं तत्केनात्र व्यवस्यति  ॥</blockquote><blockquote>प्रभावार्थाय भूतानां धर्मप्रवचनं कृतम्    ।</blockquote><blockquote>यः स्यात्प्रभवसंयुक्तः स धर्म इति निश्चयः ॥  (Maha. Shanti. 109-9-11)</blockquote><blockquote>tādṛśo'yamanupraśno yatra dharmaḥ sudurlabhaḥ |</blockquote><blockquote>duṣkaraḥ pratisaṃkhyātuṃ tatkenātra vyavasyati || </blockquote><blockquote>prabhāvārthāya bhūtānāṃ dharmapravacanaṃ kṛtam |</blockquote><blockquote>yaḥ syātprabhavasaṃyuktaḥ sa dharma iti niścayaḥ || (Maha. Shanti. 109-9-11)</blockquote>Meaning : It is most difficult to define Dharma. Dharma has been explained to be that which helps the upliftment of living beings. Therefore, that which helps ensures the welfare of living beings is surely Dharma. The learned rishis have declared that which sustains is Dharma.<blockquote>धारणाद् धर्म इत्याहुर्धर्मो धारयते प्रजाः |</blockquote><blockquote>यत् स्याद् धारणसंयुक्तं स धर्म इति निश्चयः || (Maha. Karna. 69-58)</blockquote><blockquote>dhāraṇād dharma ityāhurdharmo dhārayate prajāḥ |</blockquote><blockquote>yat syād dhāraṇasaṃyuktaṃ sa dharma iti niścayaḥ || (Maha. Karna. 69-58)</blockquote>Meaning : The above verse eulogizes Dharma as follows " Dharma sustains the society, Dharma maintains the social order, Dharma ensures the well being and progress of humanity, Dharma is surely that which fulfills these objectives"

Therefore, Dharma embraces every type of righteous conduct covering every aspect of life essential for the sustenance and welfare of the individual and society and includes those rules which guide and enable those who believe in God and heaven to attain मोक्ष || moksha (eternal bliss).  The necessity of scrupulous practice of Dharma is forcefully expressed in Manusmriti thus:<blockquote>धर्म एव हतो हन्ति धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः |</blockquote><blockquote>तस्माध्दर्मो न हन्तव्यो मा नो धर्मो हतोऽवधीत्  || (Manu 6-11-15)</blockquote><blockquote>dharma eva hato hanti dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ |</blockquote><blockquote>tasmādhdarmo na hantavyo mā no dharmo hato'vadhīt || (Manu 6-11-15)</blockquote>Meaning : Dharma protects those who protect it. Those who destroy Dharma get destroyed. Therefore, Dharma should not be destroyed so that we may not be destroyed as a consequence thereof.

Therefore, Dharma embraces every type of righteous conduct covering every aspect of life essential for the sustenance and welfare of the individual and society and includes those rules which guide and enable those who believe in God and heaven to attain मोक्ष || moksha (eternal bliss).  The necessity of scrupulous practice of Dharma is forcefully expressed in Manusmriti thus:<blockquote>धर्म एव हतो हन्ति धर्मो रक्षति रक्षितः |</blockquote><blockquote>तस्माध्दर्मो न हन्तव्यो मा नो धर्मो हतोऽवधीत्  || (Manu 6-11-15)</blockquote><blockquote>dharma eva hato hanti dharmo rakṣati rakṣitaḥ |</blockquote><blockquote>tasmādhdarmo na hantavyo mā no dharmo hato'vadhīt || (Manu 6-11-15)</blockquote>Meaning : Dharma protects those who protect it. Those who destroy Dharma get destroyed. Therefore, Dharma should not be destroyed so that we may not be destroyed as a consequence thereof.

The compilation of our Dharmic texts also becomes essential as the self-appointed ‘knowledge leaders’ will need  some definitive yardstick to judge both the progressive and the destructive. Without such a yardstick, knowledge creation remains the outcome of a whimsical mind, or propaganda for political/territorial gains or media-generated fodder for control of the world’s resources by a few rich corporations, leading to eventual destruction.

The compilation of our Dharmic texts also becomes essential as the self-appointed ‘knowledge leaders’ will need  some definitive yardstick to judge both the progressive and the destructive. Without such a yardstick, knowledge creation remains the outcome of a whimsical mind, or propaganda for political/territorial gains or media-generated fodder for control of the world’s resources by a few rich corporations, leading to eventual destruction.

The euphoria over the digital revolution and the perceived increase in ‘knowledge' is a chimera, as the increase in information has also seen a parallel decline in knowledge-gathering. Consequently, opinions and beliefs not backed by evidence from primary sources is seen as intellectual rigor. In this alarming situation, it becomes necessary to reclaim our values based on the eternal culture of sanatana dharma that stands as a guidepost for the people of Bharat. At the same time, this endeavor helps support the movement for reclaiming our position of विश्वगुरु || Vishwaguru that guides the world towards renewal and progress.<nowiki/><nowiki/><nowiki/>''<nowiki/>''

<nowiki/><nowiki/><nowiki/>''<nowiki/>''

== सम्वाद || Discussion ==

== सम्वाद || Discussion ==

Interestingly, Sayana’s and others' commentary of the Vedas and not of ancient authentic vedic scholars like Maharishi [[Yaska]] or the more recent Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Sri Aurobindo or Shri Tulsi Ram’s works are used as  primary sources by the Indologist or their trained or sponsored Indian scholars. Their work has been commented upon by Shri Aurobindo (page 3, the Secret of the Veda, 1998), thus<blockquote>''“Indian scholar Sayana and we have in our own day the interpretation constructed after an immense labour of comparison and conjecture by modern European scholarship. Both of them present one characteristic in common, the extraordinary incoherence and poverty of sense which their results stamp upon the ancient hymns. When we come to read the hymns as a whole we seem to be in the presence of men who, unlike the early writers of other races, were incapable of coherent and natural expression or of connected thought. ”''</blockquote>The EIC through Indology, a medium used to serve the colonial agenda, translated our works not only to digest our knowledge systems but to create a narrative that show the colonized as ‘uncivilized’ and the white man’s on a mission to save the ‘pagan’. For example, Sayana was deemed a scholar and his works are very popular and freely available on the Internet. Significantly his commentary on the Rigveda was edited by Max Mueller, though under his name is done by ‘collective authorship’ , by Sayana, his brother, students and Max Mueller himself. Max Mueller, the self-styled Indologist, an employee of the colonial East India Company who bore the expenses for published the first volume (1849).

Interestingly, Sayana’s and others' commentary of the Vedas and not of ancient authentic vedic scholars like Maharishi [[Yaska]] or the more recent Swami Dayananda Saraswati, Sri Aurobindo or Shri Tulsi Ram’s works are used as  primary sources by the Indologist or their trained or sponsored Indian scholars. Their work has been commented upon by Shri Aurobindo (page 3, the Secret of the Veda, 1998), thus<blockquote>''“Indian scholar Sayana and we have in our own day the interpretation constructed after an immense labour of comparison and conjecture by modern European scholarship. Both of them present one characteristic in common, the extraordinary incoherence and poverty of sense which their results stamp upon the ancient hymns. When we come to read the hymns as a whole we seem to be in the presence of men who, unlike the early writers of other races, were incapable of coherent and natural expression or of connected thought. ”''</blockquote>The EIC through Indology, a medium used to serve the colonial agenda, translated our works not only to digest our knowledge systems but to create a narrative that show the colonized as ‘uncivilized’ and the white man’s on a mission to save the ‘pagan’. For example, Sayana was deemed a scholar and his works are very popular and freely available on the Internet. Significantly his commentary on the Rigveda was edited by Max Mueller, though under his name is done by ‘collective authorship’ , by Sayana, his brother, students and Max Mueller himself. Max Mueller, the self-styled Indologist, an employee of the colonial East India Company who bore the expenses for published the first volume (1849).

== References ==

== References ==