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Is the word "Ahimsa" or nonviolence mentioned in Yajurveda?

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
Ahimsa (Sanskrit: अहिंसा; IAST: ahimsā, Pāli:[1] avihiṃsā) is a term meaning 'not to injure' and 'compassion'.[2][3] The word is derived from the Sanskrit root hiṃs – to strike; hiṃsā is injury or harm, a-hiṃsā is the opposite of this, i.e. cause no injury, do no harm.[4][5] Ahimsa is also referred to as nonviolence, and it applies to all living beings—including all animals—according to many Indian religions.[6]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ahimsa
Regards
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
Yes it's there. I can't remember where, cause I don't care, but it's there. In the next week, how many more threads are you planning to make on Hindus or Vedas? Do you have a quota you're trying to meet?

I can understand and appreciate when people want to sincerely learn about a subject, but I see these threads and questions as challenges to Hinduism, not genuine knowledge-seeking. However, the benefit I'm deriving from them is that they cause me to look up information and learn things, and to learn things from other people's answers. So all is not lost. :)
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
;) Here, "Himsa in YajurVeda": https://www.google.co.in/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=PvqfV5XYIMWAogPjwLqQBQ#newwindow=1&as_qdr=all&q="himsa+in+yajurveda"

There may be lines where 'himsa' is advocated against.
I accessed Second Item in the link , it is "(Yajur Veda, 12.32" which does not mention it.

Chapter 12 Verse 32 Yajurveda translated by Devi Chand reads:

32. O King, the preacher of knowledge, just as the sun, resplen-
dent with its auspicious flames of fire, and shining with mighty beams of
light, works in the universe, so attain to happiness, and destroy not the
bodies of the subjects deserving protection.
https://archive.org/stream/yajurveda029670mbp/yajurveda029670mbp_djvu.txt
Please let me know how to find "Taittiriya Shakha of the Yajurveda (TS 5.2.8.7)," as mentioned in the first item in the link given by you. Kindly.
Regards
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
Chapter 12 Verse 32 Yajurveda translated by Devi Chand reads:

Please let me know how to find "Taittiriya Shakha of the Yajurveda (TS 5.2.8.7)," as mentioned in the first item in the link given by you.
Griffith gives this translation of White (Shukla) YajurVeda, Chapter 12, verse 32:

32. Agni, go forth resplendent, you with your auspicious flames of fire.
Shining with mighty beams of light, harm not my people with your form.

I think you should dump Devi Chand's translation. I do not think any scholarly translation can come out of Arya Samaj stable. They are much too biased. I would not touch an Arya Samaj translation even with a long bamboo pole. I will stick with Griffith for White YajurVeda and Arthur Keith for Black YajurVeda as given at http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm#vedas. The book that Keith translated is the 'Taittiriya Samhita'. 'Taittiriya Samhita' was written around 2,000 BC. That was the time when the asterism (Naskshatra) for the beginning of the Aryan calendar had changed from Orion to Pleiades.
 
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paarsurrey

Veteran Member
Griffith gives this translation of White (Shukla) YajurVeda, Chapter 12, verse 32:
32. Agni, go forth resplendent, you with your auspicious flames of fire.
Shining with mighty beams of light, harm not my people with your form.
I think you should dump Devi Chand's translation. I do not think any scholarly translation can come out of Arya Samaj stable. They are much too biased. I would not touch an Arya Samaj translation even with a long bamboo pole. I will stick with Griffith for White YajurVeda and Arthur Keith for Black YajurVeda as given at http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm#vedas. The book that Keith translated is the 'Taittiriya Samhita'. 'Taittiriya Samhita' was written around 2,000 BC. That was the time when the asterism (Naskshatra) for the beginning of the Aryan calendar had changed from Orion to Pleiades.
It is prayer to Agni not to harm the people, not what is understood from Ahimsa as a principle as is mentioned generally as a term. Right?
Regards
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
I have mentioned that because what translation you gave from Devi Chand (of verse 32 of Chapter 12) is completely different from what Griffith says. It seems that one of them is talking just out of his head, making up things; and I have not known Ralph Griffith to do that.
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
I accessed Second Item in the link , it is "(Yajur Veda, 12.32" which does not mention it.

Chapter 12 Verse 32 Yajurveda translated by Devi Chand reads:

32. O King, the preacher of knowledge, just as the sun, resplen-
dent with its auspicious flames of fire, and shining with mighty beams of
light, works in the universe, so attain to happiness, and destroy not the
bodies of the subjects deserving protection.
https://archive.org/stream/yajurveda029670mbp/yajurveda029670mbp_djvu.txt
Please let me know how to find "Taittiriya Shakha of the Yajurveda (TS 5.2.8.7)," as mentioned in the first item in the link given by you. Kindly.
Regards
Griffith gives this translation of White (Shukla) YajurVeda, Chapter 12, verse 32:

32. Agni, go forth resplendent, you with your auspicious flames of fire.
Shining with mighty beams of light, harm not my people with your form.

I think you should dump Devi Chand's translation. I do not think any scholarly translation can come out of Arya Samaj stable. They are much too biased. I would not touch an Arya Samaj translation even with a long bamboo pole. I will stick with Griffith for White YajurVeda and Arthur Keith for Black YajurVeda as given at http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm#vedas. The book that Keith translated is the 'Taittiriya Samhita'. 'Taittiriya Samhita' was written around 2,000 BC. That was the time when the asterism (Naskshatra) for the beginning of the Aryan calendar had changed from Orion to Pleiades.
It is prayer to Agni not to harm the people, not what is understood from Ahimsa as a principle as is mentioned generally as a term. Right?
Regards
I have mentioned that because what translation you gave from Devi Chand (of verse 32 of Chapter 12) is completely different from what Griffith says. It seems that one of them is talking just out of his head, making up things; and I have not known Ralph Griffith to do that.
I don't know Sanskrit so, I cannot Check the translations to discern as to which one is more correct.
My point is that whatever the translation one takes, it is evident that it is not related , even remotely, to what is considered as the spirit of Ahimsa in general terms. Or is it?
Please do correct me if I am wrong. We are all human beings, could make mistakes. Right? Please
Regards
 

Aupmanyav

Be your own guru
My point is that whatever the translation one takes, it is evident that it is not related , even remotely, to what is considered as the spirit of Ahimsa in general terms. Or is it?
You are right. This verse has no connection to 'ahimsa' (non-violence). You have to sift Google search results for relevant material. Google does not guarantee it.
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
While reading Yajurveda, I read the following at Chapter 18 Verses 41-43 :

41. Air is quick, pervades the whole universe, retains sound in the
atmosphere. Its parts are well known as givers of vigour and movers in
the atmospheric vapours. May it protect this our Priesthood and Nobility.
All Hail to the air for success in our undertakings. To those All Hail.
42. Sacrifice (yajna) is the bestower of delights, a nice nourisher,
and the repository of vedic speech. Heartfelt famous praises are its
guerdons. May it protect this our Priesthood and Nobility. All-Hail
to the Sacrifice for success in our undertakings. To those All-Hail
43. He, who is the Lord of Creatures, Omnific, has a mind that
possesses vedic speech. The famous verses of the Rigveda and Sama veda
touch the innermost recesses of his heart, wherewith he honours the
learnad, loves truth and imparts knowledge. May he protect for us this
veda and the Dhanur Veda. May he acquire truthful speech and
realise religion. For thesa objects one should serve others in a righteous
way.
https://archive.org/stream/yajurveda029670mbp/yajurveda029670mbp_djvu.txt

When I checked it as to what is Dhanur Veda, I get the following:
"DHANURVEDA
(A Veda relating to the Art / Science of Archery)

© B. Chakravarti, ATARN, 2001
DHANURVEDA from the BRHAT SARNGADHARA PADDHATI,
a 15th Century treatease in Sanskrit on 'The Science of the Horn Bow' by Sarngadhara. Translated from the Sanskrit edition by Peter Peterson, Bombay, 1888."
http://www.atarn.org/india/dhanurveda_eng.htm
Believe me, I had never even heard of it.
Regards
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
You are right. This verse has no connection to 'ahimsa' (non-violence). You have to sift Google search results for relevant material. Google does not guarantee it.
Thanks for agreeing with me, if one really agreed by saying "right", no compulsion however, whatsoever. One did it voluntarily. Right? Please
Google does not help in this connection, as it was a modern time invention, nothing to do with the Veda or " Vedic period".
If anybody or somebody does not agree with me on it, then one should quote from Yajurveda the "word Ahimsa" as per the title of the thread. Right? Please
Regards
 

paarsurrey

Veteran Member
Is the word "Ahimsa" or nonviolence mentioned in Yajurveda?

"Animal Sacrifice in India UNSEEN FOOTAGE!!", as per YouTube
One may please see it at one's own risk.
No compulsion to see, it is an adult content.
Regards
 
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Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
Paarsurrey, all Hindus know that there is still some animal sacrifice done in parts of India, and Nepal, and elsewhere.
 
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