Hari Rabu, Kliwon Wuku Sinta; tanggal 3 Maret yang lalu umat Hindu kembali merayakan hari Raya PAGERWESI. Hari raya siklus enam bulanan (210 hari) ini merupakan rangkaian perayaan hari Raya Saraswati. Apa sesungguhnya hakikat dari perayaan hari Raya PAGERWESI?

Perayaan hari Raya PAGERWESI masih rangkaian hari Raya Saraswati. Diawali dengan perayaan hari Saraswati kemudian Banyupinaruh, Soma Ribek, Sabuh Mas dan PAGERWESI. Bahkan menurut dosen Universitas Hindu Indonesia (Unhi) Denpasar; I Wayan Suka Yasa dan Wayan Budi Utama, rangkaian perayaan rerahinan itu juga mengandung konsep Catur Purusa Artha; Dharma, Artha, Kama dan Moksha. Ketika ilmu pengetahuan diturunkan Sang Pencipta melalui simbol Dewi Saraswati, di sana terdapat konsep Dharma. Selanjutnya, setelah ilmu pengetahuan dan keterampilan dikuasai kemudian digunakan untuk mencari Artha. Konsep artha itu tercermin dalam perayaan Soma Ribek. Artha itu kemudian digunakan untuk memperoleh kesenangan (Kama), tergambar dalam perayaan rerahinan Sabuh Mas. Sabuh Mas dikonotasikan serba gemerlap.

Nah, agar kita tidak larut begitu saja pada kebahagiaan jasmani (lahiriah) berupa Artha dan Kama, pada perayaan PAGERWESI-lah kita diingatkan agar memagari diri sekuat besi dengan pengetahuan spiritual agar mencapai kebahagiaan rohani (batiniah). Dengan demikian terjadi keseimbangan antara kebahagiaan jasmani dan rohani yakni Mokshartam atau Jiwanmukti. Dalam perayaan hari Raya PAGERWESI inilah terkandung konsep Moksha. Jadi, rangkaian rerahinan dari perayaan hari Raya SARASWATI hingga PAGERWESI juga sesungguhnya mengandung konsep Catur Purusa Artha.

Hindu sesungguhnya tidak alergi dengan artha dan kama, tetapi kita tidak boleh sampai terikat atau tergerus oleh keduanya. Untuk mencari keduanya mesti dilandasi dharma. Karena itu diperlukan pengendalian berupa kekuatan spiritual. Jika materi dianggap mengganggu, bentengi diri dengan spiritualitas sehingga mampu menghadapi problema kehidupan di dunia. Dengan demikian kita bisa mengendalikan hidup ini munuju arah kesempurnaan.

Paramesti Guru

Guru besar Unhi Prof. Dr. IB Gunadha, M.Si. mengatakan dalam perayaan hari Raya PAGERWESI ini umat Hindu memuja Brahman (Hyang Widhi) Tuhan Yang Mahaesa dalam manifestasinya sebagai Siwa Mahaguru atau Hyang Paramestiguru; Guru dari segala Guru, lewat bimbingan gurulah kita dapat menguasai pengetahuan dengan baik. Kaweruhan atau Ilmu Pengetahuan yang telah diperoleh hendaknya dijadikan benteng yang kuat menghadapi tantangan hidup. Ilmu Pengetahuan itu hendaknya dijadikan bekal untuk mencapai tujuan hidup yakni kesejahteraan dan ketenangan bathin.

Dalam perayaan hari Raya PAGERWESI inilah umat Hindu sejatinya diajarkan tentang kewaspadaan menghadapi berbagai tantangan, dengan demikian kita akan penuh kesadaran dalam menjalani hakikat hidup. Saat kita menghadapi berbagai tantangan, kita sejatinya diajarkan menarik diri ke dalam yakni merenung. Dengan demikian kita dapat dengan jelas melihat persoalan sehingga mampu mencari solusi pemecahannya atau memperoleh jalan yang terang tetap berada di jalur kebenaran – Dharma.

Untuk mempelajari Ilmu Pengetahuan (Kaweruhan) yang diturunkan saat hari Saraswati, kita sesungguhnya memerlukan guru. Dalam hal ini peran guru sangatlah mulia. Saat perayaan hari Raya PAGERWESI-lah umat Hindu memuja Tuhan dalam manifestasinya sebagai Mahaguru. ”Setelah umat mendapat Ilmu Pengetahuan, teori pengetahuan itu perlu dipraktikkan atau diimplementasikan. Dalam mengimplementasikan itu perlu guru pembimbing agar tidak disalahgunakan.

~Sloka 2.53 Bhagavad gita~  Sruti-vipratipanna te yada sthasyati niscala
samadhav acala buddhis tada yogam avapsyasi.
Artinya: Bila pikiranmu tidak goyah lagi karena bahasa kiasan Weda dan pikiran mantap dalam semadi keinsafan diri, maka engkau sudah mencapai kesadaran rohani.

Semoga DAMAI datang sebelum kita membutuhkannya.
Semoga KASIH datang sebelum kita menebarkannya.
Semoga SHANTI datang sebelum kita mengucapkannya.

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti Om.

BENARES: A holy pilgrimage centre of Hindus, now called Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, India.
BHAGAVAD-GITA: A scripture containing Lord Krishna’s teachings.Click here to view an online version.
BHAGAVATA: Name of a Purana (sacred work dealing with the doctrines of creation, etc.)
BHAJAN: Devotional song
BHAKTA: Devotee of God
BHAKTI: Devotion.
BHARATAVARSHA: India.
BHAVA(NA): Feeling; mental attitude.
BHAYANAKA-SABDA: A fear inducing sound.
BHOGI: Enjoyer.
BHUMA: The Unconditioned, the Great Infinite, Brahman.
BHUTA-SIDDHI: A psychic power by which mastery is gained over the elements.
BODHISATTVA: A being who, having developed the Awakening Mind (a mind infused with the aspiration to attain the state of Buddhahood), devotes his life to the task of achieving Buddhahood for the sake of all sentient beings.
BRAHMA-CHINTANA: Constant thinking of Brahman.
BRAHMA-JNANA: Direct Knowledge of Brahman.
BRAHMA-NISHTHA: One who is established in the Knowledge of Brahman.
BRAHMA-SROTRI: One who has knowledge of the Vedas and the Upanishads.
BRAHMA-SUTRAS: Classical Vedantic scripture.
BRAHMA-TEJAS: Spiritual halo.
BRAHMA-VIDYA: The science of Brahman, knowledge of Brahman, learning pertaining to Brahman or the Absolute Reality. Click here for an essay on Brahma Vidya.
BRAHMACHARYA: Practice of celibacy. Purity in thought, word and deed. Click here for a discourse on Brahmacharya.
BRAHMAMUHURTA: Period from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m.
BRAHMAN: The Absolute Reality; God.
BRIHADARANYAKA: Name of an Upanishad.
BUDDHA: One who is totally purified from all defilements and who has realized all that can be known.
BUDDHI: Intellect.

CHAITANYA: Pure Consciousness.
CHAKRAS: Centres of energy in the human system.
CHANDOGYA: Name of an Upanishad.
CHELA: Disciple.
CHIRANJIVI: One who has gained eternal life.
CHITTA: Subconscious mind.

DAIVIC: Divine.
DAMA: Control of senses.
DARSHAN: Vision.
DAYA: Mercy.
DEHA: Body.
DEVAS: Celestial beings.
DHARANA: Concentration.
DHARMA: Righteous way of living as enjoined by the sacred scriptures, virtue.
DHYANA: Meditation.
DIVYA-DRISHTI: Divine perception.
DVESHA: Repulsion; hatred; dislike.

EKADASI: Eleventh day of the Hindu lunar fortnight. Click here for a discourse on the significance of Ekadasi.

GANDHA: Smell.
GANGA: River Ganges.
GAYATRI: One of the most sacred Vedic Mantras; goddess.
GITA: Renowned sacred text “Bhagavad-Gita”. Click here to view an online version.
GUNA: Quality born of nature.
GURU: Teacher; preceptor. Click here for a more detailed explanation.

HAVAN: Sacred oblations.
HIRANYAGARBHA: Cosmic intelligence; the supreme lord of the universe; cosmic mind.

INDRA: The Lord of gods; the ruler of heaven.
INDRIYAS: Senses.
ISHVARA: Lord; God.

JADA: Insentient.
JAPA: Repetition of the Lord’s Name.
JIVA: Individual Soul.
JIVANMUKTA: One who is liberated in this life.
JNANA: Knowledge; wisdom.
JNANA-INDRIYAS: Organs of knowledge or perception.
JNANI: (Pronounced Nyani) A wise person.

KAIVALYA: Emancipation; state of absolute independence.
KARMA: Actions operating through the law of cause and effect. Click here for a discourse on Karma Yoga.
KARMA-INDRIYAS: Organs of action – tongue, hands, feet, genital organ and anus.
KARMA-KANDI: One who observes strictly the duties ordained in the scriptures.
KARMASRAYA: Receptacle of actions.
KARUNA: Compassion
KASHAYA: Hidden desires.
KIRTAN: Singing devotional songs.
KRIYA: A type of of exercise in Hatha Yoga.
KSHAMA: Forgiveness.
KUNDALINI: The primordial cosmic energy located in the individual.
KUTIR: A small cottage; hut.

LAYA: Merging; dissolution.
LINGA-SARIRA: The subtle body, the astral body.
LOBHA: Greed.

MAHA: Great.
MAHABHARATA: A Hindu epic.
MAHANT: Great sage
MAHAPURUSHA: A great soul.
MAHARISHI: Great sage
MAHASAMADHI: The departure of a Self-realized saint from his mortal coil.
MAHATMA: Great soul
MAITRI: Friendship.
MANAS: Mind.
MANONASA: Destruction of mind.
MANTRA: Sacred syllable or word, or set of words through the repetition and reflection of which one attains perfection.
MAYA: The illusive power of God. Click here for a more thorough explanation.
MOHA: Infatuation.
MOKSHA: Liberation.
MOUNA: Vow of silence.
MOUNI: One who observes silence.
MUKTI: Liberation.
MUMUKSHU: One who aspires after moksha or liberation.
MUNI: An ascetic.
MURTI: Idol.

NADA: Mystic sound.
NIRODHA: Control or restraint.
NIRVANA: Liberation; final emancipation.
NIRVIKALPA-SAMADHI: Superconscious state where there is no modification of the mind or Triputi.
NITYA-SIDDHA: A liberated soul of marvellous powers who is ever present on the astral plane.
NIVRITTI: Renunciation.
NIYAMA: The second step in Raja Yoga; observance – purity, contentment, austerities, etc.

OJAS: Spiritual energy.
OM: The sacred monosyllable which symbolizes Brahman.
OORDHVARETA: A Yogi who has stored up the seminal energy in the brain after sublimating the same into spiritual energy.

PARIVRAJAKA: Wandering monk.
PARAM-DHAMA: Supreme abode.
PARAMAHAMSA: The highest class of Sannyasins.
PASU-SVABHAVA: Animal nature; bestial nature.
PATANJALI: The author of Yoga-Sutras. Click here for a discourse on Patanjali’s Raja Yoga / Ashtanga Yoga.
PRAKRITI: Mother Nature, causal matter.
PRANA: Vital energy; life-breath.
PRANAVA: The sacred monosyllable Om.
PRANAYAMA: Practice of breath-control.
PRATYAHARA: Abstraction of senses; fifth step in Raja Yoga.
PREMA: Divine Love.
PRITHVI: Earth.
PURANA: Hindu myths and legends.
PURNA-JNANI: A full-blown sage.
PURNA-YOGI: A full-blown yogi.
PURUSHA: The Supreme Being.

RAGA: Attachment.
RAJA: King.
RAJAS: One of the three qualities of Prakriti which generates passion and restlessness.
RAJA-YOGA: A system of Yoga generally taken to be the one propounded by Patanjali Maharishi, i.e., Ashtanga Yoga. Click here for a discourse on Raja Yoga/Ashtanga Yoga.
RAJASUYA-YAJNA: A sacrifice performed by a monarch as a mark of his subduing all other kings.
RAMAYANA: A holy narative of Lord Rama.
RASA: Taste.
RASASVADA: Tasting the bliss of lower Samadhi.
RISHI: Sage.
RISHIKESH: A sacred place in the Himalayas.
RUPA: Form.

SADHAKA: Spiritual aspirant.
SADHANA: Spiritual practice. Click here for a discourse on Sadhana.
SADHU: Pious man; Sannyasin.
SAGARA: Ocean.
SAHASRANAMA: The thousand Names of the Lord.
SAKSHI: Witness.
SAKTI: Power; the feminine aspect of Divinity.
SAKTI-SANCHAR: Transference of power by a developed Yogi.
SAMA: Serenity; control of mind.
SAMADHI: The state of superconsciousness where Absoluteness is experienced attended with all-knowledge and joy. Oneness.
SAMSARA: The process of worldly life.
SAMSKARAS: Impressions in the subconscious mind.
SAMYAMA: Perfect restraint, an all-complete condition of balance and repose, concentration, meditation and Samadhi.
SANKARA: The well known teacher of Vedanta philosophy. Click here for a biography.
SANKIRTAN: Singing of divine songs.
SANNYASINS: Those who have embraced the life of complete renunciation.
SATCHIDANANDA: Existence absolute(Sat), Knowledge absolute(Chid), Bliss absolute(Ananda).
SATSANG: Association with the wise.
SATTVA: Purity-one of the three qualities of nature.
SATYA-YUGA: the Age of Truth, the first of the four Hindu time-cycles.
SHABDA: Sound.
SIDDHI: Psychic power.
SIVA: Lord Siva – bestower of auspiciousness on His devotees.
SLOKA: Verse.
SPARSA: Touch.
SRADDHA: Faith.
SRI: Auspiciousness-a name is qualified by putting “Sri” before it as a mark of courtesy and auspiciousness.
STOTRA: Hymn.
SUDDHA: Pure.
SUKHA: Happiness.
SUSHUMNA: The chief among astral tubes in the human body running inside the spinal column.
SUTRA: Aphorism.
SVADHYAYA: Study of scriptures.
SVARUPA: Essential nature; Reality.

TAMAS: One of the three qualities of nature which generates inertia, laziness, dullness and infatuation.
TANMATRA: Subtle, undifferentiated root elements of matter.
TAPAS: Austerity.
TAPASCHARYA: Practice of austerity.
TATTVA: Essence; principle.
TEHSILDAR: Revenue officer.
TRIPUTI: The triad-seer, sight and seen.
TRISHNA: Sense-hankering.
TURIYA: The state of superconsciousness, the fourth state transcending the waking, dreaming and deep sleep states.
TYAGA: Renunciation (of egoism, desires and the world).

UDDALAKA: A great sage of yore.
UPADESA: Spiritual advice.
UPANISHADS: Revelation; text dealing with Ultimate Truth and Its Realization.

VAIRAGYA: Dispassion.
VASANA-KSHYA: Desireless.
VASANAS: Subtle desires.
VASTU: Article.
VEDANTA: The school of Hindu thoughts (based primarily on the Upanishads).
VEDANTIN: One who follows the path of Vedanta
VEDAS: The most ancient authentic scripture of the Hindus, a revealed scripture and therefore free from imperfections.
VEERYA: Seminal energy.
VETTA: Knower.
VICHARA: Enquiry into the nature of the Self, Truth, Absolute, Brahman.
VIGRAHA: Attack.
VIKSHEPA: The tossing of mind.
VISHAYA: Sense-objects.
VIVEKA: Discrimination.
VRITTI: A wave in the mind-lake.
VYAVAHARA: (Worldly) activity.

YAJNAVALKYA: A great sage of yore.
YAMA: First step in Raja Yoga; Eternal vows – non-violence, truthfulness, etc.
YOGA: Union; union with the Supreme Being – any course that makes for such union. Click here for a discourse on Yoga.
YOGI (N): One who practices Yoga; one who is established in Yoga.
YONI: Source.

ZAMINDAR: A rich landlord.

Bali sometimes called an island of a thousand temples. Indeed the number of temples in Bali is much more. Most accepted number is between 10.000 to 20.000, this is without counting household temples inside almost every house in Bali.   

In every village there are three main temples which are dedicated to Brahma (Brahman or Hyang Widhi shakti or power of creation) called Pura Desa, Wisnu (Brahman shakti of preservation) called Pura Puseh and Siwa (Brahman shakti of annihilation) called Pura Dalem, together they are called Kahyangan Tiga. Pura Desa or Bale Agung also has a purpose as a place to hold village council meeting, usually situated at the center of the village. Pura Puseh is also considered as temple of villager origin, meanwhile Pura Dalem as temple of  the dead is located near the village cemetery.   

There are kawitan temples devoted for ancestors of many family clans in the village, there are melanting temples in the markets, subak irrigation temples, temples on the beaches, lakes, mountains, rivers and other sacred sites. In every household of Hindu Balinese, there is a family temple with shrines to worship Hyang Widhi and family ancestors.   

Beside these temples there are some very important temples for the whole of the Balinese called Kahyangan Jagat temples. These temples are places to worship many important Brahman or Hyang Widhi manifestations. Temples of this kind are often so picturesque and beautiful, so they became the object of interests to tourists and photographers that come to Bali from any directions. The following list of eight Kahyangan Jagat temples includes some exotic names:  

• Lempuyang temple, place of worship to Brahman manifestation as Ishwara, situated in the eastern part of Bali.
• Andakasa temple,  place of worship to Brahman manifestation  as Brahma, situated in the southern part of Bali.
• Batukaru temple,  place of worship to Brahman manifestation  as Mahadewa, situated in the western part of Bali. 
• Ulun Danu Batur temple,  place of worship to Brahman manifestation  as Wisnu, situated in the northern part of Bali.
• Goa Lawah temple, place of worship to Brahman manifestation  as Maheshwara, situated in the southeastern part of Bali.
• Ulu Watu temple,  place of worship to Brahman manifestation  as Rudra, situated in the southwestern part of Bali.
• Bukit Pangelengan temple,  place of worship to Brahman manifestation as Sangkara, situated in the northwestern part of Bali.
• Besakih temple,  place of worship to Brahman manifestation  as Sambhu, situated in the northeastern part of Bali. Beside as a place to worship Sambhu, it is also as a center of all Kahyangan temples of Bali and as a place to worship Brahman manifestation as Shiwa.  

In other areas in and outside Bali, there are Jagat Nata temples. These group of temples don’t have tiered merus, instead a Padmasana or a shrine as symbolical seat of Brahman, the one and only God. Like Kahyangan Jagat and many other temples, these kind of temples open for all Hindu worshipers of all nations. The examples of these are Pura Jagat Nata Denpasar, Pura Jagat Nata Singaraja, Pura Aditya Jaya Jakarta and many others. Other than on the odalan or birth day ceremony of the temples which held twice a year, also in every full moon they are worshipped by many Hindu youth. 

SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA

Sanskrit Literature
Veda-The Revealed Wisdom
The Unique Glory of the Vedas
Divisions of the Vedas
The Essence of the Vedas

SANSKRIT LITERATURE

Sanskrit literature can be classified under six orthodox heads and four secular heads. The six orthodox sections form the authoritative scriptures of the Hindus. The four secular sections embody the latter developments in classical Sanskrit literature.

The six scriptures are: (i) Srutis, (ii) Smritis, (iii) Itihasas, (iv) Puranas, (v) Agamas and (vi) Darsanas.

The four secular writings are: (i) Subhashitas, (ii) Kavyas, (iii) Natakas and (iv) Alankaras.

VEDA-THE REVEALED WISDOM

The Srutis are called the Vedas, or the Amnaya. The Hindus have received their religion through revelation, the Vedas. These are direct intuitional revelations and are held to be Apaurusheya or entirely superhuman, without any author in particular. The Veda is the glorious pride of the Hindus, nay, of the whole world!

The term Veda comes from the root ‘Vid‘, to know. The word Veda means knowledge. When it is applied to scripture, it signifies a book of knowledge. The Vedas are the foundational scriptures of the Hindus. The Veda is the source of the other five sets of scriptures, why, even of the secular and the materialistic. The Veda is the storehouse of Indian wisdom and is a memorable glory which man can never forget till eternity.

The Vedas are the eternal truths revealed by God to the great ancient Rishis of India. The word Rishi means a Seer, from dris, to see. He is the Mantra-Drashta, seer of Mantra or thought. The thought was not his own. The Rishis saw the truths or heard them. Therefore, the Vedas are what are heard (Sruti). The Rishi did not write. He did not create it out of his mind. He was the seer of thought which existed already. He was only the spiritual discoverer of the thought. He is not the inventor of the Veda.

THE UNIQUE GLORY OF THE VEDAS

The Vedas represent the spiritual experiences of the Rishis of yore. The Rishi is only a medium or an agent to transmit to people the intuitional experiences which he received. The truths of the Vedas are revelations. All the other religions of the world claim their authority as being delivered by special messengers of God to certain persons, but the Vedas do not owe their authority to any one. They are themselves the authority as they are eternal, as they are the Knowledge of the Lord.

Lord Brahma, the Creator, imparted the divine knowledge to the Rishis or Seers. The Rishis disseminated the knowledge. The Vedic Rishis were great realised persons who had direct intuitive perception of Brahman or the Truth. They were inspired writers. They built a simple, grand and perfect system of religion and philosophy from which the founders and teachers of all other religions have drawn their inspiration.

The Vedas are the oldest books in the library of man. The truths contained in all religions are derived from the Vedas and are ultimately traceable to the Vedas. The Vedas are the fountain-head of religion. The Vedas are the ultimate source to which all religious knowledge can be traced. Religion is of divine origin. It was revealed by God to man in the earliest times. It is embodied in the Vedas.

The Vedas are eternal. They are without beginning and end. An ignorant man, may say how a book can be without beginning or end. By the Vedas, no books are meant. Vedas came out of the breath of the Lord. They are not the composition of any human mind. They were never written, never created. They are eternal and impersonal. The date of the Vedas has never been fixed. It can never be fixed. Vedas are eternal spiritual truths. Vedas are an embodiment of divine knowledge. The books may be destroyed, but the knowledge cannot be destroyed. Knowledge is eternal. In that sense, the Vedas are eternal.

DIVISIONS OF THE VEDAS

The Veda is divided into four great books: the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda and the Atharva-Veda. The Yajur-Veda is again divided into two parts, the Sukla and the Krishna. The Krishna or the Taittiriya is the older book and the Sukla or the Vajasaneya is a later revelation to sage Yajnavalkya from the resplendent Sun-God.

The Rig-Veda is divided into twenty-one sections, the Yajur-Veda into one hundred and nine sections, the Sama-Veda into one thousand sections and the Atharva-Veda into fifty sections. In all, the whole Veda is thus divided into one thousand one hundred and eighty recensions.

Each Veda consists of four parts: the Mantra-Samhitas or hymns, the Brahmanas or explanations of Mantras or rituals, the Aranyakas, and the Upanishads. The division of the Vedas into four parts is to suit the four stages in a man’s life.

The Mantra-Samhitas are hymns in praise of the Vedic God for attaining material prosperity here and happiness hereafter. They are metrical poems comprising prayers, hymns and incantations addressed to various deities, both subjective and objective. The Mantra portion of the Vedas is useful for the Brahmacharins.

The Rig-Veda Samhita is the grandest book of the Hindus, the oldest and the best. It is the Great Indian Bible, which no Hindu would forget to adore from the core of his heart. Its style, the language and the tone are most beautiful and mysterious. Its immortal Mantras embody the greatest truths of existence, and it is perhaps the greatest treasure in all the scriptural literature of the world. Its priest is called the Hotri.

The Yajur-Veda Samhita is mostly in prose and is meant to be used by the Adhvaryu, the Yajur-Vedic priest, for superfluous explanations of the rites in sacrifices, supplementing the Rig-Vedic Mantras.

The Sama-Veda Samhita is mostly borrowed from the Rig-Vedic Samhita, and is meant to be sung by the Udgatri, the Sama Vedic priest, in sacrifices.

The Atharva-Veda Samhita is meant to be used by the Brahma, the Atharva-Vedic priest, to correct the mispronunciations and wrong performances that may accidentally be committed by the other three priests of the sacrifice.

The Brahmana portions guide people to perform sacrificial rites. They are prose explanations of the method of using the Mantras in the Yajna or the sacrifice. The Brahmana portion is suitable for the householders.

There are two Brahmanas to the Rig-Veda-the Aitareya and the Sankhayana. “The Rig-Veda”, says Max Muller, “is the most ancient book of the world. The sacred hymns of the Brahmanas stand unparalleled in the literature of the whole world; and their preservation might well be called miraculous.”

The Satapatha Brahmana belongs to the Sukla-Yajur-Veda. The Krishna-Yajur-Veda has the Taittiriya and the Maitrayana Brahmanas. The Tandya or Panchavimsa, the Shadvimsa, the Chhandogya, the Adbhuta, the Arsheya and the Upanishad Brahmanas belong to the Sama-Veda. The Brahmana of the Atharva-Veda is called the Gopatha. Each of the Brahmanas has got an Aranyaka.

The Aranyakas are the forest books, the mystical sylvan texts which give philosophical interpretations of the rituals. The Aranyakas are intended for the Vanaprasthas or hermits who prepare themselves for taking Sannyasa.

The Upanishads are the most important portion of the Vedas. The Upanishads contain the essence or the knowledge portion of the Vedas. The philosophy of the Upanishads is sublime, profound, lofty and soul-stirring. The Upanishads speak of the identity of the individual soul and the Supreme Soul. They reveal the most subtle and deep spiritual truths. The Upanishads are useful for the Sannyasins.

The subject matter of the whole Veda is divided into Karma- Kanda, Upasana-Kanda and Jnana-Kanda. The Karma-Kanda or Ritualistic Section deals with various sacrifices and rituals. The Upasana-Kanda or Worship-Section deals with various kinds of worship or meditation. The Jnana-Kanda or Knowledge-Section deals with the highest knowledge of Nirguna Brahman. The Mantras and the Brahmanas constitute Karma-Kanda; the Aranyakas Upasana-Kanda; and the Upanishads Jnana-Kanda.

THE ESSENCE OF THE VEDAS

Live in the spirit of the teachings of the Vedas. Learn to discriminate between the permanent and the impermanent. Behold the Self in all beings, in all objects. Names and forms are illusory. Therefore sublate them. Feel that there is nothing but the Self. Share what you have,-physical, mental, moral or spiritual,-with all. Serve the Self in all. Feel when you serve others, that you are serving your own Self. Love thy neighbour as thyself. Melt all illusory differences. Remove all barriers that separate man from man. Mix with all. Embrace all. Destroy the sex-idea and body-idea by constantly thinking of the Self or the sexless, bodiless Atman. Fix the mind on the Self when you work. This is the essence of the teachings of the Vedas and sages of yore. This is real, eternal life in Atman. Put these things in practice in the daily battle of life. You will shine as a dynamic Yogi or a Jivanmukta. There is no doubt of this.

INTRODUCTION

If civilization started only during Indus Valley Civilization and humans took more than 5000 years to reach this maturity, how can it happen that writers of Vedas have attained the height of maturity in few hundred years. This reflects that civilizations had existed thousands of years even before Indus Valley and few more thousands of years even before that. It is required to be understood that critics have picked up those parts of stories from these myths which look technically challenged, due to incomplete evidence of such occurrences. I do not understand one simple question – how can a great writer like Veda Vyas and Valmiki, commit such error in writing fantasies when most of the story seems to be so matured. The terming of epic as fiction starts from the Hindu declaration of their heroes as God. Unfortunately, none of these analysts have ever tried to understand the true sense of God as perceived in Hindu literature. They come with the vision that either the idol is God for a Hindu or someone born like Rama or Krishna is God. None of these conclusions fit to Hindu understanding of God. You can find more on this in the chapter ‘A Hindu God’.

People analyze that Mahabharat and Ramayan were further modified in later B.C. or early A.D., which absolutely falsifying facts. I have not come across any two books of these epics which are different according to same writer. Different writers might have presented different explanations, but the core composition remains the same around the original writings of Maharishi Valmiki. Actually, the elaboration that the contents of Vedas and other books of Hindus underwent modifications is pure fictions, so as to support the archeological ideology as established by Western Historians. There is no proof existing as two books, having different texts. Moreover, such fictions about modification are framed under the conspiracy so as to support the hype that Hindu scriptures are more myth than truth.

Though there are evidences now that humans have existed not only thousands but hundred thousand years ago, modern science and history have failed to study beyond how life existed before around 5,000 BC. The whole historical concepts exist for the time period after that. This is where the validity of Vedas and Hindu beliefs starts getting proven that they are not mere beliefs. The concept of ‘Yug’ mentioned in Vedas that talks about past ‘Yug’ also proves that Vedas were written before the start of current ‘Yug’. Vedas talk about four ‘Yugs’ – ‘Satyug’ (duration around ’1.7 million’ yrs), ‘Tretayug’ (duration around ’1.2 million’ yrs), ‘Dwaparyug’ (duration around ’0.85 million’ yrs) and ‘Kaliyug’ (duration around ’0.4 million’ yrs). According to Hindu understanding, every ‘Yug’ ends with massive destruction and Kaliyug, the current ‘Yug’ would also end too. Kaliyug started after the famous Mahabharat, i.e., around 3,500 BC. The wars during Mahabharat, the so understood myth, give a figure of deaths of around 2 billion people. India was not then of current shape, and it included the regions from Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq and beyond. On the ground of assumption that such massive destruction took place, the concept of a ‘Yug’ coming to an end is proven. And all proves lies beyond that ‘Yug’. If we prove that Mahabharat is not an assumption, we would be on mettle to settle down the law of Vedas. Now, what is important is to analyze the findings of modern historians, what they call as ‘Indus Valley Civilization’ and prove that Mahabharat or Ramayan were not epics, but realities of past. Historians accept that during the same tenure there was a massive destruction that devastated Indus Valley Civilization and doubts that it might be due to the attack of ‘Aryans’.

We will now understand the concept of ‘Yug’ from modern thinking perspective. Creators of Vedic laws knew the natural capacity of humans to improve upon their thinking generation after generation. Humans have always been evolving, and this evolution includes human count. This improvisation includes consumption of natural sources. What seems to us as advancement actually is nothing else than disruption of natural balance due to transformation of one natural entity to another natural entity produced artificially, thereby disturbing the original purpose of existence of the entity. To some extent this disruption is required, but then that disruption is to go as per natural laws and boundaries that allow it to happen. Vedas understand the human limitation of not understanding this very basic concept. Vedas say that ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are relative and parallel to each other; they have ever existed and will ever exist. Vedic creators knew that with the advent of newer technologies, its usage would be distributed among the bad and the good both. Acquisition of power in wrong hands would induce human generated devastation. Generation of technology resources would induce natural devastation. And when this disrupting capacity would surpass natural tolerance, environment of massive destruction would take place and that would occur only at the end of a ‘Yug’ or that is what is called as an end of a ‘Yug’. The age of ‘Kaliyug’ as ’4 million’ yrs, is simply a calculation upon how long will it take for humans to outnumber the naturally accepted capacity, and duration required to unfold natural power and derive it for common use.

Questions need to be thought upon: what prompted the writer of Vedas to define ‘Yug’ in terms of numbers – numbers that are now giving evidences to science of human existence. Why have they defined different ‘Yug’ of different sizes? To ensure that Vedas are far more older than historical dictated age, we need to prove that Mahabharat leaves many evidences which are more concrete proves than Historical ventures made by Sir Max Muller. Here is a quote from ‘Religions of the World – by St. Martin’s Press/New York’. (Chapter 4, page 113)

“The oldest of Hindu scriptures, the Vedas were the religious poems of a people called Aryans, who migrated to India in about the middle of the second millennium B.C. But in the twelfth century, archeologists have been able to show, in publications beginning with Sir John Marshall’s Mohenjodaro and the Indus Civilization, that the Aryans were neither India’s first civilized people nor the creators of all that is old in Hinduism. At least a thousand years before the Aryans arrived, earlier inhabitants had already created literate culture in northwestern India.”

Questions arise – if it is known to the modern Historians that Aryans are not the original creator of advanced Hindu civilization, how is that they are so sure that Vedas were created by Aryans. Who were the Aryans? How is the name ‘Aryan’ into picture? What was the original name of ‘Aryans’ or they also called themselves as ‘Aryans’ too? Questions start building up – why do historians named the region around Indus as Indus Valley Civilization. Why didn’t they endeavor to unearth the actual names of the places then? How were they motivated to call the two political capitals as Mohenjodaro and Harrapa? Why is that we have so many cities and towns mentioned in Ramayan and Mahabhart still existing, but the cities like ‘Harrapa’ no more exits in its originality? Historians recognized around hundred sites of major cities of the civilization then. How can it happen that such details have been recognized, but not the original names?

Historians claim that greater stream of Hinduism came from two major sources – one from Aryan invasion and the other from the older religious heritage of Indus Valley. And this is where they seem to do some cautious calculation, a calculation that gives them a formula to break through the original beliefs of Hindus. The first formula was to break the concept of ‘no-religion’ and ‘knowledge-based-practices’ that was prevalent in this region: and this was done by forcing the name ‘Hindu’ into the inhabitants of this land and breaking through its cultural heritage. The second formula was to make the civilization disbelief the truth of their great knowledge heritage: and this was done by creating names like Indus Valley, Mohenjodaro and Harrapa and introducing this creation into the main stream of education. A simple logical question – why don’t we find places mentioned as Harrapa and Mohenjadaro in any of the existing books of those time. If Harrapa and Mohenjadaro were the names, then how come places like Ayodhya, Sri Lanka, Indraprastha, Mathura, etc still exist, particularly when these places are mentioned in those mythical books which were written during Indus Valley Civilization? The reason I am saying that these concepts were formulated by Historians around actual facts and given a shape so as to disregard the original beliefs of Hindus, is because such Historical data already exists in Hindu scriptures, which were declared as myths. Historians have traced around hundred major towns through their excavation and at least accepted that an advanced civilization existed – a civilization which was named under the umbrella of the name ‘Hindu’. One major drawback of Historians is that they develop assumptions on the ground of these excavations, but segregate regional beliefs and scriptures – and it has happened maximum with the History of India.

Historians have tried to understand the languages depicted on the coins and tools found during excavations. While they also accept that Vedas were created during the same tenure of existence as Harrapa. But they neglected a fact, that Vedas being in Sanskrit required thousands of years of compilation. How come the Historians fail to understand the language of communication in those days?

“Throughout a region a thousand miles long from north to south and almost as wide, this single style of urban living prevailed.” — Stretch of ‘Hastinapur’.

“Some kind of difference between rulers and the ruled was strongly felt, as evidenced by the separateness of the citadels and by the strength of their walls in comparison with the weak defenses of the cities themselves.” – The same concept is reflected from Mahabharat when we come across words like ‘Sutputra’ (non-kingly consideration) and story of ‘Eklavya’ (a separate education for kingly class). These facts of the book were used and carefully crafted to give a shape of caste system prevailing in those days. While this evidence from the book was denied to be accepted as reality of those days, the same point was used to criticize casteism as a reality in the same period.

It is for sure that Vedas existed prior to the creation of Ramayan and Mahabharat, as both these books mentions Vedas as the highest source of knowledge. Both these books contains in them characters who knows and practices Vedas completely. One of the mean to calculate age of Mahabharat is astronomy as mentioned in the book. Astronomical evidences as depicted by Arya Bhatt give us relevant age of Mahabharat as around 5000 years past from now. We have lots of researches on this and I am simply leaving this point for inclusion into next version.

We have a biggest evidence now coming up –Mahabharat mentions about a town named ‘Dwarka’ getting submerged and historians have found such an existence under water exactly at the position where ‘Dwarka’ is said to be submerged? Everything cannot be a coincidence. It is not a question of disbelief by these historians, it is actually a surprise for them which they do not want to answer and the only thing they could say was it is coincidental or they have to come flat bigotry saying that the submerged civilization is not the one mentioned in Mahabharat. If it is so, why don’t we have any other book in the world which has similar coincidences? It is a point to ponder – how come Veda Vyas fanaticized submerging of Dwarka, a very uncommon natural phenomenon to take place in the history. And if it was a fantasy, how that is the location also matches. And if the place too is a fantasy how come the dating proves the age of the township to be the same as the period of Mahabharat. Probably the goal of Historians of western culture and education is just to make sure that the reality is disproved. There are many places in this country which are coincidental to the two books, and it requires careful and faithful analysis of facts and not politicized manipulation of western strategies to realize the truth. The existence of such places even for today clearly indicates that the Historian excavations of Harrapa contain more fictitious names. If all places in the book do not exist, there is a sound reasoning for that – hundreds of years of invasion, forceful conversions, reframing the boundaries of states and renaming them was a general practice in recent centuries. But all could not be eliminated and they remain as a proof of occurrences of Ramayan and Mahabharat, to be cheered by Hindus.

HISTORY OR MYSTERY – RAMAYAN, A CREATION FROM WORLD’S OLDEST HISTORIAN

It is to be understood that what is being talked of as evidence is a measurement methodology prescribed under scientific theory – a theory that is yet infant and in the phase of attaining maturity. Historians of yester didn’t have many means to depict evidences as they have today. And historians of today would not have means to unfold truth that they would have tomorrow. Science would ever be in progressive path and this change in science would ever produce difference in opinions among the Historians. Thus, science would not be enough to conclude truth of past. There has to be some logical faith that must be considered for understanding the facts of epic like Ramayan. In fact, under the current means of science, time is proving that Ramayan is not an epic. Though there are numerous proofs which remain to be unfolded, let us start with the biggest proof of Ramayan – the ‘Rama Setu Bandh’ that exist to date between Rameswaram and Sri Lanka.

2. There is no other book than Ramayan that has put into scriptures describing such geographical constructs, and Ramayan says that it was build under the supervision of an Architect Nala – son of the greatest Architect of all times ‘Vishwakarma’ (Note: ‘Vishwakarma’ is a designation given to the greatest archeologist and builder of the era in ancient Hindu society, a similar practice as we have in modern world of ‘Nobel Prize’). Thus, the book makes sure that such a bridge can be constructed by only architect of highest skill.

3. The bridge was (Ramayan mentions the bridge constructed in 5 days: 14 + 20 + 21 + 22 + 23 = 100 yojans) 100 Yojans long and 10 Yojans wide. Data to be considered here:

a. The data starts from 14 yojans as first day, which is less than other day’s data, confirming a logic that first day as a beginning had taken time to gear up all Vanars. Second day it took momentum and rest of the days the distance of the bridge constructed is found to be nearly same. A logical conclusion of this sort is made only when the event have occurred in reality.
b. The data that more than a crore (10 million) Vanaras were involved in building it, seems to be logical to fit to support the volume of the bridge constructed.
c. The width vs. length ratio also looks scientific and supportive to help carry such a huge mass across the bridge. The bridge is wide enough so as to withstand the weight of crores of Vanaras and allow passage to all of them.
d. The bridge is said to be built in 5 days, giving an idea that bridge had to be built in a very short period of time, failing which the Opponent King Ravana would have come to know about it and would have attacked never allowing the bridge to be constructed. Thus, the period fits the war logic.
e. The bridge is said to be constructed by around a crore Vanaras, the count fits the possibility of getting the bridge constructed in such a small time – a huge task force doing it. The methodology is described in Ramayan and is subject to study.
f. Very interestingly, Rama is not said to have built the bridge and the point clarifies that building it was the skill of an architect – Nala and not Rama or Hanuman, the hero of the book. Had Ramayan been a fantasy of Maharishi Valmiki, he would easily fantasized and written something like Rama built a bridge of Arrows as Rama was the hero in fantasy. But it is not so, making one think that it is not fantasy writing.
g. Ramayan also depicts the materials used in making the bridge clarifying that it was a possibility, but not under imagination of human capacity under technology support of today.
h. Seeing the time constraint, it looks logical to have Vanars who are brisk in their movement collecting materials and fitting it in place as directed.
i. The places mentioned in Ramayan exactly matches to the current location of the bridge, thus confirming that the book is not a story.
j. The length of the bridge matches to what is mentioned in Ramayan.

4. The first thing to consider is that under the current scientific evaluation, the bridge is proved to have a chain of shoals is 30 to 35 km long in Palk Street, and its unique curvature confirms that it is man made, and is not a Geographical Construct at all. The curvature might have developed due to the water drifts of cyclones or similar natural forces occurring across the Palk Strait during the huge span of time. We cannot say the exact reason for the typical curvature, as it is not mentioned in Ramayan, and hence whatever we conclude would be a theory or belief to be followed.

5. The age of the bridge as per scientific dating comes to around 1,750,000 years. As per Hindu scriptures, Ramayan took place in ‘Treta Yug’. Calculating by Hindu scriptures (Treta Yug with a tenure of 12,96,000 years, Dwapar Yug with a tenure of 8, 64,000 years, Kali Yug has just seen 5,000 years): Overlooking the small 5,000 years and summing simply the Dwapar Yug and Treta Yug, it comes to around 2,100,000 years. Since, Dwapar Yug started only before 8,64,000 years – it ends in a conclusion that the bridge was constructed between 8 to 21 lakhs years thus making scientific data fall between the Treta Yuga.

6. Archeological findings have proven that first signs of human inhabitants in Sri Lanka date back to primitive age of about 1,750,000 years of the same era as Ramayan (‘Treta Yug’, which lies exactly mid way to above number).

The people of India have to rise against this destructive policy. The existing bridge is not an ordinary proof; if common man does not have the power to protest, let our saints come against it – for they are the one who stands on the concept of Rama and Krishna.

I have gone through some historians, who deny it as Rama Setu Bandh and conclude it to be Adam’s Bridge. For instance, Historian B.D. Chattopadhyay of Jawaharlal Nehru University says the archaeological record says nothing of the sort. There is no evidence of a human presence in the subcontinent, he says, before roughly 250,000 to 300,000 years ago. It is generally believed man’s hominid ancestors did not leave their African home until about two million years ago.

Very important point here is that Mr. Chattopadhyay has forgot to note that what is said of hominid ancestors is also a belief – a belief generated by Western people and followed by Mr. Chattopadhyay. And Ramayan, if a belief is a belief of eastern people – Indian People, Mr. Chattopadhyay is trying to introduce a belief clash. I read a similar comment from N Ramanujam. Head, Post Graduate Department of Geology and Research Centre, V.O. Chidambaram College, Tuticorin.

He said that Adam’s Bridge is only a chain of shoals between the Palk Strait and the Gulf of Mannar, created by sedimentation owing to long shore currents. Explaining the bridge’s geological history, he said both the Palk Strait and the GoM were once part of the Cauvery basin, which was formed during the separation of India and Antarctica about 70 million years ago during the `Gondwana period.’ They were combined till a ridge was formed in the region owing to thinning of earth’s crust. The development of this ridge augmented the coral growth in the region.

1. How many such Chain of Shoals bridging two nations is known to Dr. Ramanujam?
2. Mr. Ramanujam is talking of Gondwana theory, a theory that has no concrete proof. This theory is yet another imaginary frame of Mr. Ramanujam. Hundreds of such theory can be generated based on Geographical principles, but that do not defy a concrete reason of existence. Moreover, why did Gondwana theory leave a trace of only One Bridge on the Globe?
3. Very important – Ramanujam is unable to change the names of two places as Dhanuskodi and Talaimannar which are not English names as they already exist, and hence successfully accepts a controversial English name of Adam’s Bridge instead of Ram Setu. Mr. Ramanujam could very easily put his theory with the name of the Bridge still as Ram Setu. But he ends up in saying that is Adam’s Bridge – WHY?
4. Does Mr. Ramanujam want to support that Adam and Eve existed? If yes, they existed in India – Again controversy – as Manu Shatrupa would be more known names in this region and analogy to Adam and Eve.

We need to understand certain points here, modern Archeology and Science is far different than what used to exist in ancient India. For instance, old temples of India, yet existing, were built on a different technology than what we find in modern civil engineering. This doesn’t mean that ancient archeology was not having mathematics maturity – in fact, if we look at Temples of India, Jagannath Puri temple for instance, we do not find any iron or pillars used to build the temple – yet it stands from hundreds of years to a height of around 200 ft. Again assume that this temple would have been razed some 10000 years ago, what technology or archeological proofs would be derived to conclude that the temple was 200 ft high. Similarly, the Ram Setu bandh has seen ages, and that too not on land, but in sea – a turbulent sea. The major of the mass is already washed off – a question to be pondered is that what remains is just a trace of the actual bridge – not the actual bridge. Ramayan mentions that the bridge was built over the sea water, with support of Sea – this implies that there was no supporting archeology involved in constructing the bridge – this is easily supported by the failure of Archeology ground to trace such constructs under ground. What is required to do is:

At first place, no historian can deny the fact that there is a coincidence and only one coincidence between a reality and its occurrence in a book. Instead, of now having set a direction to find out how such thing took place, these catholic followers are simply applying all forces and theories to falsify a fact. The Indians need to preserve this amazing construct and endeavor to reinvent the wheel of technology that gets proven by this bridge. Anyway, there are many more evidences. As few example, one important evidence is the existence of places to this date. Rameswaram is the place where Lord Rama worshipped Lord Shiva and established the idol ‘Shiv Lingam’, exist to date as a place of worship. Ramayan talks about Mahendragiri Mountain as the highest point and best point to watch across the sea. Geographically, it is proven that Mahendragiri is the highest mountain in that area and gives a visibility of around 60 km range.

Archeological findings have proven that first signs of human inhabitants in Sri Lanka date back to primitive age of about 1,750,000 years of the same era as Ramayan (‘Treta Yug’, which lies exactly mid way to above number). Another important fictitious topic of Ramayan is ‘Pushpak Viman’ – a vehicle that could take aerial route to travel. No doubt the Pusphak Viman no more exists, but it cannot be fantasy as we have similar air planes telling about it. What challenges the concept of Viman is the understanding that technology has developed in current era and people were devoid of such high-tech products in ancient India. But then Ramayan gives a background of Pushpak Viman in terms of how it was acquired, thereby making one think that it was not a mere fantasy. It should not be expected from the book Ramayan to describe the details of Pushpak Viman creation. The question that should be asked is where the actual scientific data of Hindu researches about building the Pushpak Viman got lost. Science is now saying that the age of earth is around 4 billion years – can science produce a history of 4 billion years with concrete proof – no one asks this question and believes science. No one knows how many generation of humanity evolved and got destroyed since the earth was formed. No one knows when the earth was exactly formed. Actual fictions and stories lie on this side as well – but our dear Historians do not have the courage to flatter about it.

What seems to be mythical to the Historians and Science is the concept of Monkey building the Bridge. But they forget to expand the vision on this, purely because of their biased attitude to defeating Hindu faith. We all know now that there are many species that do not exist now and the largest known to human is Dinosaur. Why can’t different specie exist around 1,700,000 years ago with the capacity of human intelligence and monkey like physical structure? Science do not forget to mention that man evolved out of monkeys – but defeats Hindus to consider that Vanars were the in between form of the evolution the evidence present in those days. But no view would consider this, simply because then the religion of peace would win.

THE CONSPIRACY FORCE AT WORK NOW

No doubt, those who say that Ram Setu Band has no relation with Ramayan do say so under the attitude of hatred, though they accept internally the reality. From the natural capacity, the bridge had allowed victory of Good over Bad and from the same natural capacity, any attempt to demolish it might result in natural disasters not only to the nation, but to all those people and their families who would be involved in its demolition.

WHY RAMA AND KRISHNA ARE WORSHIPPED?

Perfection is an ideal situation. In modern times, we accept and state that no one is perfect, only that varies is excellence. Indian philosophy has gone beyond to define what is perfect to be a complete individual of divine form. For an Individual to be of diving quality, he should owe 36 varying qualities all available in complete form, as defined by this philosophy. These qualities cover all possible human capabilities that can be visioned or defined even under modern light. ‘Rama’ and ‘Krishna’ were two personalities, who had these qualities in completeness. Both of them were born ‘Kshatriya’, held the knowledge of highest form, and their actions were completely controlled and in synch with what was defined in Vedas. Their actions could not be proven incomplete at any stage of their life. And hence, they were born of divine nature by birth. But this was not enough to prove them equivalent to God. In their time also, there was huge mass who was opposing them as is understood from the epics. And very few could actually grasp their true power and abilities and respected them. While Rama was not found to do anything unnatural, Krishna was found to do many unnatural things but in disguise (how he did was never known to people and people charged him of performing magical spells).

]]> http://hinduriau.wordpress.com/2008/06/28/history-or-mystery/feed/ 0 hinduriau http://hinduriau.wordpress.com/2008/06/28/myth-or-truth/ http://hinduriau.wordpress.com/2008/06/28/myth-or-truth/#comments Sat, 28 Jun 2008 12:29:53 +0000 hinduriau http://hinduriau.wordpress.com/?p=80 ]]> Ramayan And Mahabharat – Myth OR Truth

8.3 How can imagination sustain uninterrupted faith, love and dedication across thousands of years?

8.4 Who will answer the coincidences of existence mentioned in the so called epic books? Who will solve the puzzle that Rama Setu is mentioned in one and only book of the world – Ramayan and it exists? Who will solve the puzzle that submerging of Dwarka is mentioned in one and only one book of the world – Mahabharat and it exists?

MAHABHARAT & RAMAYANA – A myth or truth: Correlating Historical researches with mythical data

INTRODUCTION

When events go past thousand of thousands of years, time starts demanding evidences of them. And there are evidences stronger than whatever exists for proving stories of Bible. But our educated section has been purposefully kept away from this, so that their great heritage gets devoid of pride. How can it happen that there are so many evidences of Biblic and Islamic beliefs and the beliefs of Hindus are mockeries? Hindu have to rise against the lost pride, they have to reengineer the discoveries of their own historical events and this chapter is a sincere attempt made by me to initiate a transformation of Jawharlal Nehru’s ‘Discovery of India’ to ‘Re-Discovery of India’.

It is first required to dig into how the History of India was laid down. We have to accept certain facts and go again to fathom the true history of Hindus, this time not grounded by any Christian or Islamic historians under prejudice, but purely by a Hindu – for Hindu would surely not be biased purely out of their natural instinct. Following points are worth considering:

1. Not the whole nation can be dug out to excavate and believe the History. For example, towns mentioned in Mahabharat like ‘Hastinapur’, ‘Indraprastha’, ‘Mahura’, ‘Dwarka’, and many others still exist. The whole of these towns cannot be dug, but the question remains how has the name of the town survived even after few thousands years ago if the book is a myth.
2. Regional history is sometimes sung by the inhabitants and we can have partial information from that too. For example, ‘Prithvi Raj Raso’ by Chand Bardai contains lots of information about Prithvi Raj Chauhan, which is sung by local people of Ajmer.
3. Religious books reflect huge information about the life style of people inhabiting the region. They are the oldest book of belief practiced by people even to date. They are stronger proof than any excavation and immediately lets one understand the depth of social arrangements. For example, Quran would be sufficient to reflect how people would have existed in around 600 – 700 A.D.
4. Excavations made are not direct source of information in its complete reality. Excavations are signs of existence and History written around it are based on many assumptions. Thus history written on base of pure excavations surely contains only partial information and should not be interpreted as complete truth.
5. If some books of myths have evidences to this date, it should be included under Historical studies. For example, presence of ‘Ram Setu’ bridge and its details found in ‘Ramayan’ reveals that ‘Ramayan’ had surely occurred.
6. There are many more clues considered before concluding on Historical events, but those clues should be attended again and again as the understanding matures with evidences adding over years.
7. Historians thinking evolve as per modern teachings and life style. Historians have attempted to unfold history with a perception that is prevalent in modern world. If History has to come up with truth, the writer of the period to which History belongs is more reliable. Thus, available scriptures have to be read and truth should be reestablished in History.

The reason I emphasize the History of India to be reorganized and rewritten, is because it was shaped by English Historians, particularly Maxmuller under a total conspiracy of defeating India and particular Hindus on political ground of Divide and Rule theory thereby assisting the British to establish their empire. As a matter of fact, it was those days when unearthing of World History was also in work. The strategic framework of Indian History went to the books in shape of British vision of duping Indians. To this date, the same duped knowledge is taught as facts to children, children who grow up to forward the lie to next generation.

But truth is eternal and eternal truth can surely never be killed. The truth of India was just not its culture, but the Sanatan Dharma. The truth of India was not only Gold, but also God. The humbleness of people here, the greatness of Hindus were very easily pierced by the brutal and politically shaped cruel Mughals and shrewd British. And the first basis was to establish the belief that Hindus are outdated in their understanding of world and life. While Mughals forced conversions through Massacres and Demolitions, thus not actually breaking the Hindus of their beliefs, British used additional trick of deceitfulness to tear the Hindus apart in all aspect.

Such is the illusion of life that no one has the capacity to understand from where the concept of life come from and to where do it goes. Thus, whether birth and death are transformations of an identity can be realized only by one who through self-sustained effort of realizing the self, attains the vision of life – the true being. Like many other religion, a Hindu believes in rebirth but not blindly. He has an explanation as given above that birth and rebirth is transformations. Moreover, it has been established that one who is free from disease and devoid of mental agitations, attains death peacefully. Painful deaths are often not satisfactory and the person dies with some desires still living in him. Since, he do not go in completeness, he is tend to carry the impressions as carry forward to the attained transformation. Thus, where rebirth is a surprise or a controversial meaning for other religions and science, Hindus have doubtless understanding of it. Peaceful attainment of death is a phase in transformation mode where no more transformation is possible – one is complete in his mental concentration, not perplexed, having no desire attains completeness – meets God and do not take rebirth.Bhagwad Geeta says: 8.9 and 8.10:

‘The Omniscient, the Ancient, the Overruler, minute than an atom, the Sustainer of all, of form inconceivable, self-luminous like the sun, and beyond the darkness of illusion – he who meditates on God, at the time of death, full of devotion, with the mind unmoving, and also by the Power of Yoga, fixing the whole ‘Prana’ (life) betwixt the eyebrows, he goes to that Supreme, Resplendent Purusa’.

It is noteworthy that Bhagwad Geeta mentions here that Sun has its own light (‘Adityavarnam’ – self luminous life Sun), a scientific knowledge attained in recent centuries. While in other religious books like Quran, has signs to be interpreted and meaning shaped so as to conclude such scientific data, Hindu scriptures mentions them directly at many places. Anyway, these data are a part of Volume II and hence we would not go into claims for scientific achievements in Ancient India. We can see from above sentence that says about a person who is very bright (self luminous) and steady in his mind, has the ability to control his senses, and meets death to transform to a resplendent form attaining the Supreme God. This is having a deeper meaning than it looks. Here attaining God is not easy to clarify. Does it mean worship to God or does it mean controlling the self, does it mean stabilizing the mind or does it mean attaining to knowledge. Unfolding the answer to these questions would unfold the secret of why and how Hindus are the most peaceful society of the world. We require going ahead in the book to understand it deeper.

The Realizer going deep into the self, unfolding the relation between the separation and union of the ‘Knowledge’ and the ‘Knower’, the ‘Body’ and the ‘Self’, realizes as first thing that God is one and only one, but this one is not the count one as the count is a number finite and cannot relate to God. He realizes this because going deep into the self he sees that one cannot even bind ‘Him’ – the Self, how can it bind God then. What does he then mean by his realization that God is one? What is that inside which he cannot bind by one? How is he able to relate this ‘Self’ with God, both as ‘One’ and yet they cannot be bound by the finite? Actually, what seem to be complicated questions are simple queries that he unfolds during the realization phase. And the negligence of these questions is what is Ignorance and unfolding the answers is attainment to true and eternal knowledge – it takes him to the world of reality.

He sees inside that the ‘Self’, which he used to identify as a body was actually holding the body also as one of many other entities. He sees that he is all Intellect without which he would have been a futile creature on earth, simply breathing. He finds himself as an accumulation of knowledge, without which he would have been dumb creature. He finds himself to be a truth, a conscious existence. He finds himself to be an interacting moments of anger and peace, fear and fearlessness. He finds himself to be formed of so many evaporating entities that includes countless realizations, some of which can include evenness, contentment, austerity, benevolence, happiness, misery, and even life and death. The list goes and goes on, the Realizer cannot find an end – but the Realizer finds an answer – he is so many in forms, yet he is one in nature. The so many of the entities are none but his own manifestations formed out of his perceptions and consciousness of existence and the union of all of those entities is what makes him see himself as a body, as a life. As he gains holds on the truth and depth of this truth, the truth of union of many into one, the truth of manifestations and unifications, he earns an understanding of being a human. He learns the meaning of human. But is that the end of the journey for the Realizer? Isn’t there anything beyond that he sees after reaching this stage?

He sees these many entities, but still remains in ignorance of one question – what is the origin of these many entities? And thus, realizing the Self is not a complete realization – as I said earlier, it is the first step for a Hindu in the path of Realizing God. The further endeavor in the path of finding the origin of many entities of the ‘Self’ is what helps the Realizer to establish a relation between the Self and the Sustainer of Self – the Origin of Self and the End of Self. And when the Realizer sees the Origin of so many entities that is forming the One him, the ‘Self’, he sees God and he sees what a Hindu sees. He finds himself one among the Hindus – he realizes that what was so difficult for him to attain is so easily practiced in Hinduism.

The Realizer finds that the origin of his anger is the Anger of highest form, the sum total of all anger existing as one. He sees that the intellect forming him has originated from the Intellect of greatest form, the sum total of all intellects in existence. He suddenly finds all the elements composing ‘Him’ to be infinite in nature that cannot be measured, nor can be bounded. He finds that there is no boundary between the entities forming him and the entities forming the other. He finds that anger in him is not different from anger in any other creature, only the realization of it varies in terms of outreaching infinity. He sees that the intellect in him is no different from intellect in any other creatures, only the acquisition of the infinite varies in its arena of realization. He understands that what has formed him is in no way different from what has formed any other creature known to him, only the quantities acquired from the infinites exists as variance.

And the biggest surprise that he also realizes that these variations are unique in originality and yet maintains this uniqueness with originality however does the ‘Self’ tries to expand in terms of acquiring the forming entities. In fact, the Realizer is able to see that life is nothing but a factor of these composing entities. Life as realized by anyone is nothing but a complex algorithm of these reacting entities. Thus, multiplicity of these entities takes us towards expanding the realization. And this is what was said by Swami Vivekanand, ‘All expansion is life, all contraction is death’. Though the statement of Swamiji was derived from his bright effort of realization, his statement has broader meaning than just life. His above say is more a Universal law, then just a meaningful sentence to understand life. His statement applies to institutions, organizations, businesses, human interaction and everything. And his statement encompasses the meaning of life as well, as stated earlier in terms of composing entities. Surprisingly, every Hindus practices this great concept as a part of their religious beliefs, their so called rituals and so criticized social attitude.

The Realizer sees the supreme form of the Self, the path from zero to infinity, the relation between zero and infinity is established as an attempt to go into the Self. The Union of Infinite manifestation is realized by the journey into the Self. And this Union is what is said by Swamiji as Expansion, this Union is the source of Existence. This Union is the Origin of every smallest entity ever known to human. This Union is what a Hindu calls – God. Thus, the Realizer sees that entity is meaningless without the Unification as a Whole. And the Unified form is infinite, having no beginning and no end. And this is what is meant as ‘One’ by a Hindu.

A Hindu would never say ‘God is One’ and then go blank of its meaning. A Hindu would rather say, God is many and then have a meaning to it. And once, the meaning of many is understood, a Hindus as a Realizer would unify them all to show the ‘One’, one that is not a number, that is not a finite, but one that is infinite – the one infinite that includes us all, the one infinite that forms every known finites, one infinite that manifests the Whole. Thus, the best among best is the unification of all the best to form one infinite best and that best is God for a Hindu. Hence, for a Hindu the God is realized as one, one that has infinitely many forms. To a Hindu as a Realizer, the realization of God is nothing but unification of all consciousness and realization, of which the Self is just an example – realized to see the God. As, if we want to analyze a bulk product we do sample test, so for a Hindu the realization of the Self sets a sample feel and understanding towards realizing the infinite God.

This cannot be understood by one, who does not accept the fact that a man stands for his attitude. The more positive it is, the better results he owns. And attitude is an attribute of the inner self. Thus, most of the psychologist, under the study of modern science has understood the power of ‘Self’ in improving all kinds of hurdles including physical disability and diseases. The journey into the Self is the way to build a true individual. And this is what is explained in the most positive way and the most practical and easy to be adopted methodology in Hinduism.

Here I have tried to explain a Hindu understanding of God in many forms and one in nature. If the world yet thinks Hindus are wrong, then let the world show one religious thinking that goes beyond this thinking. Actions are direct reflections of human thinking. And hence, a Hindu God in idol form or image, are one infinity the sample of which is the Self, able to see it through the faith and concentration of mind upon the idol. We humans would have remained as pure animals had we not taken shelter of understanding materials with mathematics. And hence, using ‘One’ as a measure to understand God is quite natural by all other religions which are yet to mature to the understanding of Hindus that got developed thousands of years ago. While all other religions say ‘One’ existence of God, but fail to elaborate this, Hindus does this with honesty and with depth unchallenged till date. And thus, the reason that all other religions attack each other, while Hindus never do that in the name of religion, gets established – Hindus understand God and his manifestations in all creatures, Hindus understands the uniqueness of God in uniqueness of every creature they being simple samples of the infinite ‘One’, Hindus understands that diversities are because of this unique nature of God and Unification of these diversities is that is the true form of God giving him the meaning of ‘One’.