Chandan: Swamiji namaste. Please provide mantras from Mahabharata, Vishnu puranas which considers Vedas as A divine book, a book of all true knowledge, revelation and the Authority.
Please provide True and word to word translation of these mantras with Sanskrit verses. As these verses translated by RALPH GRIFFITH is highly misleading. [Rigveda 1:1:2][Rigveda 1:1:4][Rigveda 1:1:5]. And please recommend authentic English translation of holy vedas, if available.
Apko mera koti koti pranam.
Swami Ram Swarup: Namasteji.
(1) “Shrutein Shrotriyo Bhavti”
(van parv , Mahabharat, 24th chapter, shloka 15)
A person becomes shrotreeyo through study of Vedas.
Meaning of shrotreeya is learned/philosopher of Vedas.
(2) “ Swadhyaye Brahamannanaam Devatvum”
(van parv , 24th chapter, shloka 16, Mahabharat)
Study of Vedas is learned’s devatvum.
(3) Richo Yajoongasi Samani Vedadhyatma Tatheiv cha.”
( Aadi Parv chapter 1. Shloka 4, Mahabharat)
In Mahabharat the idea of spirituality regarding Rigved, Yajurved, Samved and Atharvaved has been explained.
(4) No one can realize God /attain salvation by showing disrespect to Vedas or wielding a wicked/hypocrite character. Only when we seek the shelter of Vedas and adopt pious deeds given in Vedas, we realize God.
(Shanti parv ,Shloka 17 Mahabharat )
(5) Learned of Vedas possesses all knowledge since all education are enshrined in Vedas. The existence or non-existence of every matter is given in Vedas.
(Shanti parv, shloka 18, Mahabharat)
(6) Patient, tapasvi , Rishi-munis who possesses Vedic, scientific mindset consider Vedas as eternal, divine voice of God.
(Shanti parv, shloka 19)
(7) Brahma is of two types shabda brahma (literal knowledge of Vedas) and par brahma (realization of God).
He who attains perfection in shabda Brahma i.e., Vedas, becomes capable to realize God
(Shanti Parv 53/20 shloka)
You may read Mahabharat Granth commented by Paramhans Swami Jagdishwranandji Saraswati which is published by M/S Govindram Hasanand, Arya Sahitya bhavan, Nai sarak, Delhi.
All 18 puranns are not authentic being against the Vedas, so learned of Vedas do not accept it.
Work is lengthy, please send your postal address to enable us to send the translation of required mantras in Hindi. Vedas do not teach pantheism. But present Vedanta teaches so.
Worship means services, regard etc. So, Vedas preach to serve and give respect to cow. In Vedas cow is declared – “Vishwasya Matraha” i.e., mother of entire world. Again, my heartiest blessings to you.
Aniket: Dear Guruji , I was reading your article on Duties of an Ideal Wife and Husband in Gruhasthashram. It was a wonderful article where the duties of an ideal wife has been written in great detail where as the duties of husband comes to mere four points. Please don’t mind but I find that a bit bias. Wold you please explain in detail the duties of an Ideal Husband. Warm Regards Aniket
Swami Ram Swarup: To mention duties of husband requires lot of time. Please, send your postal address, we will send it in due course.
Anonymous: Jal mai pooja pane wali lakhsmi ko kya kehte hai?
Swami Ram Swarup: Kshama karein mujhe iske bare mein kuch nahin pataa kyunki aisa Vedon mein nahin kaha gaya. Dhan, ann, sukh sab kuch deiney wala kewal ek nirakar Parmeshwar hee hai, jo snasar ko rachta, palta aur sanhar karke phir rach deta hai. Isliye Vedon mein kewal is hee nirakar Parmeshwar ke liye kaha hai.
xyz: Pranam swami ji……
1>kya jo kuch bhi hamare saath hota hain wo pehle se tay hota hain?
2>main ek student hun maine bahut mehnat karke padhai ki ek din mein 10hrs se jyada bhi padhta tha aur syllabus bhi khatam kar liya par exam k 10 din pehle se kisi karan main revise kar nahi paya aur exam achha nahi hua.ab main tang ho gaya hun aur kuch nahi karna chahta hu bas main dhyan lagana chahta hun.kya aap mujhe dhyan lagane ka tarika bata sakte hain?dhyan laga k bhagwan se kaise mil sakte hain?
3> kya aap mujhe bata sakte hain ki aapne kaise dhyan laaya tha? mujhe bhi waise hi dhyan lagana hain. aur dhyan laga k shaktiyan kaise prapt ki ja sakti hain uski kya vidhi hain?
Swami Ram Swarup:
(i) manushya apne pichle achchhey burey karmon ka bhog bhogta hai.usey Prarabdh kahte hain aur Prarabdh pehle se tay hota hai. Lekin manushya vartmaan mein naya karma karne ke liye azaad bhi hai jisey kriyamann karma kehte hain. Kriyamann karma pehhle se tay nahin hotey hain. Prarabdh karmon ka asar bhi vedic sadhna se smapt kiya ja sakta hai. Isliye manushya ko deergh aayu aur sukh prapt karne ke liye vedon ke gyata vidwaan kee sharann mein jakar vedon kee study karke vedanusar karma karne chahiye.
(ii) Tang aakar achchha kaam nahin chhoda jaata. Jo aisa karte hain weh alsi aur darpok kehlatey hain. Yeh aapki hee mistake thee ki aapne padai revise nahin kee. Beech mein padai chhodna paap hai aur Bhagwan bhi isko kshama nahin karte. pehle yugon kee tarah, aap bhi padai ke sath sath hee dhyan lagana seekhein. I paste few articles for your perusal, which shall help you in all ways.
ved evam yog vidya ko seekhne ke liye acharya se swayam shiksha leinee hotee hai. Isliye aap local yogacharya khojein aur ussey seekhein kyunki main bahut door hoon aapko nahin sikha sakta.
Lekin ved aur yog kee shiksha lene mein aapko mehnat karnee chahiye. Sath hee sath ghar ke shubh karma bhi karne chahiye. Inhee sub ke liye vedon ke gyata acharya se shiksha lena zaroori hai. Jub aap vedon mein kahe rozana Yajyen/hawan, name jaap aur asan-prannayam meditation ka kathor abhyaas karoge tub aap man par kabu pa loge.
I also advise 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.
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.
STUDENT LOSING CONCENTRATION
Concentration is not made on mind, but mind has to be concentrated on particular point or subject etc. It requires practice of Yam, Niyam, Asan, Pranayaam, Pratyahar, Dharnna and Dhyan then one attains Samadhi. In this path, guidance of a spiritual master who knows Vedas and Ashtang Yoga philosophy is needed. Holy name jaap of God helps a lot. I have written a book on Yoga which can be sent on receipt of your postal address. However, personal guidance as stated is essential. It is a moral duty of a student to concentrate on hard study and to look after his health. Avoid bad society always concentrate on your Brahmacharya. Awake early in the morning and after bath-brush etc., do holy name jaap of God at least for fifteen minutes. Go for morning walk and light exercises daily. Take plenty of water i.e., at least 15-20 glasses in a day. Always respect your parents, elders and teachers. Must be soft spoken, avoid TV to see bad scenes, films etc. This all will help you to concentrate in your study. Whatever, you study and learn, try to write on rough book a lot without seeing books etc. Please refer to the book- “Brahamcharya-Dukh Nivarak Divya Manni”.
