Mitali: Swamji this is the first time i am asking a question from you. My question is why we are born? What is the reason of our birth as a manushyoni? How to find the purpose of our birth?
Swami Ram Swarup: Knowledge of Vedas emanates directly from God, for the benefit of human beings. Right from the beginning of earth till the time of Mahabharata war, (i.e., about 5,300 years ago), all the human beings adopt it, by the grace of ancient Rishi-munis, yogis. At that time, there were no other man-made books except Manusmriti, Mahabharata epic, six shastras, upnishads etc., which were not written by ordinary men but by Rishis.
So, naturally all human beings adopted only the Vedic knowledge and were all happy. I mean to say, all the true and correct answers exist in Vedas. But after Mahabharata war, for one or the other reason the knowledge of Vedas started diminishing and human made sects originated. According to Vedas, we are all eternal, everlasting, alive souls. We reside in destructible human body. Vedas tell us that body is separate and soul is separate. When soul leaves the body, at the time of death, soul remain in sushupt avastha i.e., like unconscious stage under the control of Almighty God. Then based on his previous lives and present life’s good and bad deeds, God sends the soul in the womb of mother accordingly. When soul gets body then through the body, soul starts doing deeds etc. Without any body, soul always remains unconscious, as quoted above. Suppose, soul does not get body then the soul will be like a person who is always lying on bed and does nothing. Think whether the stage of such lazy person will be considered good or bad? Person should be brave and hard worker. Secondly, the creation, nursing, destruction and again creation is natural process under the control of Almighty God. It is eternal and everlasting. So, it can’t be stopped. After wandering in several bodies of insects, animals, birds etc., under the administration of Almighty God, He blesses us with human body with the motto to follow Vedic path to destroy all sorrows and get long, happy life and in the end to get salvation. The main motto of human life is to attain salvation, through vedic knowledge.
Varun: Pranam Guruji I am student.Guru ji in your book patanjaliyogdarshan, God says that one shoud follow the sequence of 8fold path.But Guruji I sit for naamsimran and I have not learnt any asans as such except padma, siddhasans as I meditate and do havan in it. So does my sitting in naamsimran becomes a sin as I do not do asans besides I am I don’t know that if I have perfected in YAM and NIYAM as required in the 8 fold path.please guide me Guruji. Pranam Guruji.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you. Rigved states that we have to obey the preach of Almighty God given in four Vedas. So, Yog vidya being the preach of God in Vedas, one should learn it, please. Make contact with any learned acharya for the same. Then only God will be pleased and will shower His blessings on you. One more thing, Vedas tell to perform daily agnihotra, so I will advise you to do the following-
Shubh Karma
Hard working, devotion, dedication, honesty, services to the parents and elders to follow eternal religion mentioned in Vedas, practice of Ashtang Yoga, discharging moral duties to get progress in education, science simultaneously with spiritualism like, daily havan, to be in contact with the learned Acharya, to get his advice, are some of the pious deeds which make the future bright and obliterate the sorrows, problems, diseases, etc.
One must wake up early in the morning for early morning walk and exercises, must sit on meditation and chant holy name of God, must be away from any addiction and non-vegetarian. Such pious actions lead to long, happy life and bright future.
GAYATRI MANTRA
The Gayatri mantra is as follows —
OM BHURBHUVAHA SWAHA TATA SAVITUR VARENYAM BHARGODEVASYA
DHIMAHI DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODYAT
Meaning of Gayatri mantra stating each word is as follows. Its meaning is based on Vedas and Sanskrit grammar. Grammatical hints are in short please.
Om has three Hindi words. Aa, Uu AND Ma. Aa is meant for Aakaar from which three names of God are built, Viraat, Agni, and Vishwadi. From Uu = uukar from which Hirannyagarbha, Vayu and Tejas names occur and Ma = makaar from which Ishwar, Aditya and Praajyan aadi, holy names of God occur. Rigveda mantra 1/164/46 says God is one but His names are several. But here OM the holy name of God is only being explained.
VIRAAT = Viraat word is made from dhatu ‘Rajrideeptau’ i.e., manifest. Therefore Viraat means He who manifests the universe. As God manifests the universe, thus Viraat is the name of God. Rigveda mandal 10, sukta 129 states that like potter makes pot from clay, similarly God creates universe from non-alive matter prakriti.
Prakriti is unseen matter. From unseen matter, the whole universe is created in the visible form. Science also says that matter is never destroyed but changes its form.
Suppose a paper is burnt, paper changes its form into ashes. Then ashes are crushed and thrown in air. At this moment, the paper changed into ashes becomes invisible but was never destroyed. Similarly the whole universe at the time of final destruction is turned into prakriti i.e., into unseen form.
AGNI = From dhatu, “ANCHU GATI POOJANAYOHO” the word “AGNI is made. Its meaning is: He who is a form of wisdom. “SARVAJAYEN” i.e., Omniscient. That is, knows each and every atom of universe and even beyond universe. He who is to be known, to be gained and is worshipful. So Agni is the name of God.
VISHWA = Vishwa word is made from dhatu, “VISHPRAVESHANE”. Its meaning is He in whom the universe is entering or He who is entering the universe. So being omnipresent, Vishwa is the name of God.
HIRANNYAGARBHA = i.e., ” JYOTIRVAYIHIRANYAM”. Its meaning is, who is the base of all sun, etc., luminous lokas or He who is the living place of all luminous lokas.
VAYU = from dhatu, “VA GATIGANDHANYOHO”, vayu word is made. Its meaning is He who holds, gives life and destroys and is the mightiest amongst all. So the name of God is Vayu.
TEJ = from dhatu, “TIJA NISHANE”, the word Tej is made meaning He who is self made and self-enlightened and gives light to sun, moon, stars etc. God does not take light from anywhere but gives light to sun, moon, stars, etc. so the unbroken, unobstructed/unproduced and eternal form of light is Almighty God and not sun, moon etc. So the name of God is Tej.
ISHWAR = from dhatu, “ISH ASHWERIYE”, the word Ishwar is made. Its meaning is whose knowledge is thoughtful and true and He who has unlimited wealth, fortune and glory etc. Therefore the name of God is Ishwar. Here it is not out of place to mention that soul (man/woman) has limited qualities and are dependent whereas God is independent and has unlimited qualities that is why He is God.
ADITYA = from dhatu, “DO AVAKHANDANE”, Aditya word is made. Its meaning is the one who cannot be broken into pieces and thus cannot be destroyed. So God’s name is Aditya.
PRAJAYEN (PRAGYA) = from dhatu, “JYEN AVABODHANE”, Prajayen word is made meaning whose wisdom is totally without any misunderstanding and thus he who knows every matter and behavior of whole universe without misunderstanding. So God’s name is Prajayen. So here also it is not out of place to mention that illusion can never attack on God and God is totally free from illusion.
BHUHU = “BHUHU ITI VAYEE PRANAHA” i.e., He who is the base of lives of universe, is most beloved, even more than Prann i.e., breath. So Bhuhu is the name of God.
BHUVAHA= “BHUVAHA ITI APANAHA” i.e., He who is totally free from any sorrow, and the soul removes his own all sorrows after coming in contact with Him. So the name of God is Bhuvaha.
SWAHA = i.e., “SWAHA ITI VYANAHE” who is omnipresent in the universe and is holding the same. So the name of God is Swaha.
SAVITUHU = He who creates the universe. So the name of God is Savituhu.
DEVSYA= who gives all pleasure/merriment, so the name of God is Dev.
VARENNYAM = He who is the most supreme and acceptable. God is most supreme and acceptable for worship.
BHARGAHA = the purest entity (though God is formless, but finding no suitable English word of Sanskrit word, “SHUDH SWARUPAM” the word entity has been used.)
TAT = i.e., the God i.e., of the purest entity.
DHIMAHI = i.e., we must hold (sort of meditation) because
YAHA = the God
NAHA = our,
DHIYAHA = mind(i.e., in our minds)
PRACHODYAT = by inspiration (fulfil the mind with wisdom)
MEANING
“We meditate the God who is the base of lives’ of universe, totally free from any sorrow, omnipresent, creates the universe, gives all pleasure/merriment, most supreme and acceptable, purest entity; May the God enlighten our minds with wisdom by His inspiration”.
Here it is not out of place to mention that idea of a (one) Ved mantra is based on ideas of several Ved mantras. So in the above Gayatri mantra, there are three things —-
Bhuhu, Bhuvaha, Swaha, Savituhu, Bhargaha, Devsya are some qualities amongst unlimited qualities of God. These are called Stuti i.e., to say about God with His real qualities and not self made etc.
Secondly Dhimahi means meditation i.e., one should always sit in meditation and do hard and pious deeds for which he will have to study Vedas in full, while discharging moral duties towards family and nation.
Third and last is DHIYO YO NAHA PRACHODYAT. It is a prayer to God explanation of which is cited above.
HOW TO DO HAVAN
Please sit in the morning to perform havan. Havan must be in sunlight then it is more beneficial. Then half a bowl of fresh water with a tablespoon must be with you with small twigs especially of mango tree if possible, havan samagri, ghee, camphor and match box must be there with you. Please sit on sukh asan on four times folded blanket and blanket must be on mat.
Sukh asan i.e., sit on duly folded feet in comfortable position. Then first close your eyes and concentrate between two eyebrows and chant Gayatri mantra three times within heart and not by mouth. Then open your eyes.
Take one spoon of water in right palm. Chant this mantra, OM AMRITO UPASTRANMASI SWAHA and drink the water which you have put in your palm. Then again take the spoon of water in right palm then chant the next mantra, OM AMRITA APIDHANMASI SWAHA, and drink the water. Then again take the water in right palm and chant the mantra, OM SATYAM YASHAH SHRI MAYI SHRI SHRAYTAAM SWAHA, and drink the water. Then wash the right palm while sitting, with the same water kept in bowl.
Then put the twigs into havan kund with one piece of camphor and burn it. During this process chant the Gayatri mantra again and again till such time the fire is lighted sufficiently. Then chant the Gayatri mantra and at the last add the word Swaha and offer ghee with tablespoon, quantity equivalent to 4 to 5 drops. And if you are alone then also offer in fire pinch of havan samagri from your right hand’s finger and thumb avoiding forefinger. So this offering may be of 11 times, 21 times or 51 times as the time suits. It is the simplest way and I have not quoted the complete method of Yajna. The havan with Ved mantras are always offered as the best worship of God only please. Do havan daily and both times.
In the end of hawan, please pray to God to fulfill your desires. I hope God will sure listen to you.
PROCEDURE OF CHANTING
Please, start the day by chanting Gayatri mantra in the early morning sitting on suitable asan like Sukhasan, Siddhasan or Padmasan etc. concentrate on the point between two eyebrows which is called “Agyachakra”. The Gayatri mantra should be chanted along with its meaning both times. Also, please try to perform daily hawan even with Gayatri mantra. Then try to study any of my books daily and put up question if any.
After 15 days chant the Gayatri mantra only thrice thereafter do the name jaap of Almighty God-“Om”. The jaap must be done daily by heart and not orally.
Fundamental law of God is this that one should make contact with learned acharya of Vedas and yog philosophy to do daily name jaap, agnihotra with ved mantras and practice of Ashtang yog- asan, prannaym, meditation etc., and our human-body blessed by God is to obey the said vedic preach to gain long, happy life failing which we have to face several problems, sorrows etc. So, you please contact local Arya samaj mandir who will tell you about proper learned acharya to teach you the Yam, Niyam, asan etc., and other vedic worship because I am far away from you and can’t teach you.
