The Veda is the essence of Sanatana Dharma. Without the Veda, there is no Sanatana Dharma. I had learned something in my lesson last week, which I could not come to grasp it up till now. I've always taken it for granted but when I think of it deeply now, I realise something that which I cannot easily grasp. How much have we really appreciated our Vedas and other scriptures? not really. We've taken it for granted and have led our lives in such blatant ignorance!

Shastra consists of two different types of texts: Shruti and Smrti, as indicated in the table below:
Apaurusheya texts are simply those which are "unauthored", meaning that they were revealed to humans. Paurusheya is the opposite; that which has authors. The Veda comes under the category of Shruti. Vega is one body of knowledge which was divided into four parts by Vyasa Rishi and given to four of his students. Vyasa Rishi played an important role, as said in the earlier post, by compiling or rather systemizing the Veda that was revealed to around 421 Rishis in different times and places. All the knowledge revealed to these Rishis, though in different places and times, were almost compatible and consistent with each other's knowledge. This is proof enough that the VEda is entirely the word of God!

What makes me hard to grasp is how these 421 random people were chosen? And why at that particular time of the histroy? Now I'm telling you, this revelation happened ages back in time and history, somewhat like 7000-10000 years ago! Its really amazing to think about it. Hard to imagine! Wonder what it would have been like to receive such a revelation. Such things don't happen today at all and probably never will.

This one body of knowledge got revealed to these Rishis, who might not have even exactly known what the content is really about. Their duty back then was to regard it as the sacred and just pass it down to the next generation, by oral transmission. The Veda was not in any written form until around 2000 BCE! Before that, the Veda existed only through oral transmission. Where did this revelation exactly take place? Or rather, how? It got revealed to the hrdaya aakaasha (space in the mind). Who are these Rishis? A Rishi is anyone who has the knowledge and has attained liberation. However, not all who received the Veda were realised beings! They were called mantradrshtas! These people may not even have attained liberation. Like said before, their duty was only to pass it down to the next generation and to follow whatever was said in the Veda.

Shruti is the ultimate pramaana (means), which has NO involvement of human intellect to create it! How could something like the Rig Veda be created by humans out of thin air?! How can it be possible? It must have been the God's compassion and His grace that has given us such a revelation; the Veda! Just think about it! The beautiful thing about Hinduism is that we call all humans as "children of pure immortality", unlike the Christians who call everyone "sinners"! Your limitlessness, will make you realise that the Sanatana Dharma is UNLIMITED!

So now, if you take a look at the image above again, you will notice that each of the 4 Vedas further divide into 4 parts: Samhita (hymns), Brahmana (ritual manual), Aranyaka (yoga/meditation) and Upanishad (knowledge). It follows like this: You first have to learn the mantras. You needn't understand its meaning but just by uttering the words, you will acquire its benefits. Next, you have to apply these hymns you've learned and conduct rituals. Rituals are done usually to fulfil your personal desires such as the need for wealth, fame, prosperity and immortality. After you have done the rituals, you will then come to realise the significance behind these rituals with the help of the Aranyakas. Upanishas will make your understanding of the VEda complete! Skipping any of these steps would end up confusing you totally!

You don't understand? Let me explain more clearly to you. Modern Hinduism teaches you that experience is all that you need and that you can attain moksha by doing yoga (basically, just contorting yourself into different yogic postures, calming the mind and chanting OM, as per the definition of modern-day yoga). However, do you ever stay focussed? Honestly speaking, how long does this interest of yours on yoga and meditation last? A week? A month? A year? No right? It doesn't! Because you are either FORCED into it, or FORCING yourself into it! You are forced into it when you are not even prepared mentally! You are forced into it, when deep inside, you don't even want to attain moksha! Well, you actually might not even know the meaning of moksha!!

STOP feeling guilty my fellow Hindus! It's not that bad to want to attain pleasures rather than moksha! Hinduism says that its OK to think about pleasures and wanting to have them in your lives. Its the other religions saying that pleasure is sin! Not Hinduism. Your ultimate aim IS moksha... But only when you really really want it! That's the beauty of Hinduism. You wouldn't get it, unless you want it!

Well, you are not to be blamed! All of us start feeling guilty when people look down on us when we ask God for wealth, fame and money! This is the effect of modern-day Hinduism. We'll get more insights on the decline in Vedic tradition and the uprise of the Agamic tradition (Temple worship) and how this has become modern-day Hinduism.