Vedas questions

[Vinayaka]

You need the knowledge before you can begin the journey.

I think it totally depends on what knowledge, or how much knowledge. The knowledge that it's incredibly important to control the mind by controlling the breath is reasonably simple, and will take the seeker a very long ways. But scholarly knowledge with statements like, "You have to know this much scripture, or you'll get nowhere." is a bit radical. The basics, yes ... yamas, niyamas, something about the nature of God, that reincarnation and karma are realities ... that sort of stuff you should know.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

lemaster13;3400376]So its like two halves of a coin. You need the knowledge before you can begin the journey.

Yes something like that.

So the Vedas in the practical sense(as viraja pointed out with the books) are there to guide us. For without some form of education we would just be walking aimlessly in the dark

I would agree with that.

Okay next question. How do people decide what scriptures to "ignore" if any?

Well for me, first is to find out if it whatever is said in scriptures adheres to Dharma or Rta, or if something makes sense or not, or is something logical or not and if it is in the spirit of Veda, if it does then i would accept it, if it does not then i would not accept it, but i am completely free to not do any of this and accept what i hear or see as it is.

Like that one Scripture in the Upanishads that advocates rape. I doubt any of us advocate rape(and if you do SHAME ON YOU!)

well that is simple, compare it to some mantra from Veda e.g;

Oh Man, elevate thy self, ascend high, do not descend low, i endow thee with vigour and wisdom, to live with dignity. Come, enter the divine chariot of immortal bliss, and impart thy knowledge to assembly of people.
Atharva Veda 8/1/6

Who sees all beings in own self, and finds reflection of own self in all beings never looks down upon any body.
Yajur Veda 40/6

Rigveda 4.14.3: O glorious woman! You are full of brilliance and you come in form of enlightening dawn to illuminate the society away from ignorance.

Is Rape in conformance to any of these simple Mantras?

 

[Kalidas]

Yes something like that.



I would agree with that.



Well for me, first is to find out if it whatever is said in scriptures adheres to Dharma or Rta, or if something makes sense or not, or is something logical or not and if it is in the spirit of Veda, if it does then i would accept it, if it does not then i would not accept it, but i am completely free to not do any of this and accept what i hear or see as it is.



well that is simple, compare it to some mantra from Veda e.g;

Oh Man, elevate thy self, ascend high, do not descend low, i endow thee with vigour and wisdom, to live with dignity. Come, enter the divine chariot of immortal bliss, and impart thy knowledge to assembly of people.
Atharva Veda 8/1/6

Who sees all beings in own self, and finds reflection of own self in all beings never looks down upon any body.
Yajur Veda 40/6

Rigveda 4.14.3: O glorious woman! You are full of brilliance and you come in form of enlightening dawn to illuminate the society away from ignorance.

Is Rape in conformance to any of these simple Mantras?

Of course not! So it is okay to deny a scripture even if it comes from these divine sources like in this case the Upanishads.

 

[Vinayaka]

Of course not! So it is okay to deny a scripture even if it comes from these divine sources like in this case the Upanishads.

This is not Abrahamism, as some people seem to interpret it. You can use common sense.

 

[Kalidas]

This is not Abrahamism, as some people seem to interpret it. You can use common sense.

Lol okay. Sorry but when people say its the Vedas are the holiest of hinduism I kind of took that as "don't question them!"

 

[Vinayaka]

Lol okay. Sorry but when people say its the Vedas are the holiest of hinduism I kind of took that as "don't question them!"

Hey, if you don't read them, there isn't much to question, is there. I prefer modern American English, something I can understand, as you well know. Even that can get tricky when the Sanskrit like ida, pingala, and sushumna are thrown in because there are no corresponding mystical English words.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nadi_(yoga)

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

Of course not! So it is okay to deny a scripture even if it comes from these divine sources like in this case the Upanishads.

Well i don't consider the Upanishads from Divine source, they are Philosophical interpretations of some mantra of the Veda or explanations of Brahmana and Aryanakas or independent Philosophy on their own.

To me they are not considered Apurushay, so it is easier for me to neglect some Upanishads or accept some other ones.

 

[Satyamavejayanti]

This is not Abrahamism, as some people seem to interpret it. You can use common sense.

And that ^ too.

 

[Jainarayan]

So it is okay to deny a scripture even if it comes from these divine sources

Absolutely... then you are a Buddhist. :biglaugh:

*ahem* sorry :run:

Actually the Buddha didn't deny the validity (a better word than "authority") of the Vedas as is the common misconception. Rather, he objected to how they were misused by the brahmanas as an old-boys' club. But that's all for the Buddhist DIR, so I'll leave it at that with my bad joke.

 

[native3]

The first thing to understand about the Vedas are they're personal. Something which worked for one might not work for you. It depends on the interpretation one make of it. So it's safe to study them under the proper guidance of a master. However there is a limitation for that too and you have to leave him sometime or another and continue your journey.

Another thought is even if you don't consider the Vedas as the supreme authority, it makes no difference. Many great spiritual masters didn't study the Vedas but lived on practical experience and self-realization. What is astonishing is the quotes and philosophies propagated by these masters are strikingly similar to the concepts explained in the Vedas. So one way or another you will arrive at them

Similarly many great saints dwell on the Vedas and preached on that knowledge, a famous example being Swamy Dayananda Saraswathi who gave the call "Go back to the Vedas"

The best part of Sanathana Dharma is you can question the very fundamental principles of it and still be a part of it. It's the most liberal form of life to practice. In fact all the enlightened Guru's encouraged their disciples of question the things they are thought.

A major reason for studying the Vedas is they are an ocean of right knowledge. Nothing harm in studying something that makes your life more enriching right? But be aware that they are not a compulsion....

 

[Kalidas]

Its not that I'm against Scripture. I'm against any form of blind following simply because some old tradition (which may or may not be "right") tells you to do so. I have learned recently that nit questioning authority can get EXTREMELY dangerous. Its good to know I can question what I read am study and still be a "good Hindu". Sorry sometimes my Abrahamic roots get the better of me. Well thanks for the answers everyone.

 

[Jainarayan]

Its not that I'm against Scripture. I'm against any form of blind following simply because some old tradition (which may or may not be "right") tells you to do so. I have learned recently that nit questioning authority can get EXTREMELY dangerous. Its good to know I can question what I read am study and still be a "good Hindu". Sorry sometimes my Abrahamic roots get the better of me. Well thanks for the answers everyone.

Here it is again.

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.
But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and
is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it. - The Buddha

 

[Kalidas]

Here it is again.

Do not believe in anything simply because you have heard it.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is spoken and rumored by many.
Do not believe in anything simply because it is found written in your religious books.
Do not believe in anything merely on the authority of your teachers and elders.
Do not believe in traditions because they have been handed down for many generations.
But after observation and analysis, when you find that anything agrees with reason and
is conducive to the good and benefit of one and all, then accept it and live up to it. - The Buddha

Well sawwwwwwry lol

 

[Jainarayan]

No, I mean I seem to be using it a lot lately. It's something that really resonates with me, ever the skeptic.

 

[Kalidas]

No, I mean I seem to be using it a lot lately. It's something that really resonates with me, ever the skeptic.

Lol agreed. Blind following makes you sheep. And we all know what happens to sheep when a wolf show up.

 

[Poeticus]

why priests should master them?

Namaste,

It is the duty of the Viprāh (Brahmin-s) to study and master the Vedic texts according to the Shrī Varnashrāma.

जय श्री कृष्ण

 

[ratikala]

why priests should master them?

considering that the vedas are said to be of divine origin , and to be revealed for our benifit , they are 'sruti' , that which is heard , ..they are not 'smriti' , that which is told or instucted .

the vedas contain prayers and mantra , these are specific verses to be recited and act as formula for a particular effect or purpose , therefore must be learnt exactly incase they loose their eficacy .

preists are much like spiritual chemists they must follow the exact formula and not deviate , add or subtract from what is presribed or the correct result will not occur :namaste

 

[Poeticus]

considering that the vedas are said to be of divine origin , and to be revealed for our benifit , they are 'sruti' , that which is heard , ..they are not 'smriti' , that which is told or instucted .

the vedas contain prayers and mantra , these are specific verses to be recited and act as formula for a particular effect or purpose , therefore must be learnt exactly incase they loose their eficacy .

preists are much like spiritual chemists they must follow the exact formula and not deviate , add or subtract from what is presribed or the correct result will not occur :namaste

Namaste,

yat puruṣaṃ vyadadhuḥ katidhā vyakalpayan |
mukhaṃ kimasya kau bāhū kā ūrū pādā ucyete ||
brāhmaṇo.asya mukhamāsīd bāhū rājanyaḥ kṛtaḥ |
ūrūtadasya yad vaiśyaḥ padbhyāṃ śūdro ajāyata ||

When they divided Puruṣa how many portions did they make? What do they call his mouth, his arms? What do they call his thighs and feet?
The Brahman was his mouth, of both his arms was the Rājanya made. His thighs became the Vaiśya, from his feet the Śūdra was produced. (Rg veda 10.90.11-12)

"Yah sastra -vidhim utsrjya vartate kama-karatah

Na sa siddhim avapnoti na sukham na param gatim

Tasmacchastram pramanam te karyakaryavyavasthitau

Jnatva sastravidhan oktam karma kartum iha'rhasi

-Bhagavadgita, 16. 23 & 24.
^^^
One cannot forsake the injunctions of the shāstras and live according to their own desires. This will not lead them to liberation nor true happiness in their dharma. These texts determine one's work and ones moral understandings of what is right from what is wrong for them.

The Achārya or the Vipra is to study the texts due to his Varna, it is his duty by Hindu law.

जय श्री कृष्ण

 

[ratikala]

namaskaram :namaste

One cannot forsake the injunctions of the shāstras and live according to their own desires. This will not lead them to liberation nor true happiness in their dharma. These texts determine one's work and ones moral understandings of what is right from what is wrong for them.
jai jai :namaste

 

[Poeticus]

namaskaram :namaste

One cannot forsake the injunctions of the shāstras and live according to their own desires. This will not lead them to liberation nor true happiness in their dharma. These texts determine one's work and ones moral understandings of what is right from what is wrong for them.
jai jai :namaste

Namaste,

Sadly, Kali Yuga has lambasted every dharmic responsibility of human-kind. Thus, we find perversions of dharma when it comes to varnashrāma. This was exactly what Lord Shrī Krishna warned Arjuna about. The times ahead seem dark, only science seems to be flourishing.

जय श्री कृष्ण