Transcript Slide 1

Passing on the Vedic
Heritage
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Vedic Heritage
LOVE OF TRUTH – satyameva jayate
 MORAL AGENCY - manurbhava
 EGALITARIANISM - amritasya putrah
 SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS – shata hasta samhaara sahsra
hasta samkira
 MORAL ACTIVISM - FIGHTING FOR INJUSTICE
 ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS
 AFFIRMATION RATHER THAN NEGATION OF LIFE SELF-REALIZATION WHILE CARRYING OUT WORDLY
DUTIES
 GLOBAL WORLD VIEW – vasudheva kutumbakum
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Vidya Bhushan Gupta
LOVE OF TRUTH
Jigyasa or curiosity -“adhato dharma jigyasa.”
 Shradha or astikya budhi - positive-attitudeoriented reason, not cynicism
 Sadhana - Bhakti to create a positive mood,
then shravan, manan, nidhidhyasa, dharana
 Nyaaya – logic, method to ascertain truth
 Willingness to discard untruth – change as truth
unfolds
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Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Balance Faith and Reason
No absolutes in metaphysics – personal constructions answers to the existentialist questions - diversity
 Metaphysics or inner sciences (paraa vidya) are
intuitive and experiential.
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Balance para vidya with apara vidya
Andhuntamah pravishanti ye avidyaam upaasate
 Tato bhuyah eva te tamo ye u vidyaayaa ratah
 Arise and awake aryas, find learned teachers to get
knowledge, and then assimilate that knowledge and
skills in your life. (uttishthata, jaagrit, praapya
varaahneebodhat)
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Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Eclecticism
Aa no bhadra kritvo yantu vishwatah
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“I neither accept the demerits of different faiths, nor
reject what is good in them.”
“At present there are many learned men in all
religions. If they give up prejudice, accept those
broad principles on which all religions are
unanimous, reject differences, and behave
affectionately, much good can be done to the world”
Arya is not a vedanti or mimaamsac, but draws the
best from all of them.
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Moral Agency
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Satyam brihata ritamugram deeksha tapoh
brahma yajyam prithveee dharyantee
(Atharveda 12.1.1)
Truth, broadmindedness, righteousness,
fortitude, consecration of all acts as sacrifice to
God, penance, brahma-yajna (contemplation
and meditation) sustain the earth.
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Dharma (Manu/primal man)
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Dhriti, kshama, daamo, asteyam, shaucham,
indriya nigrah,dhih, vidya, satyam, akrodho,
dashkum dharma lakshnum.
Patience, forgiveness, restraint, non-stealing,
clean body and mind, control of the senses,
knowledge and wisdom, truthfulness, and
anger control are the ten signs of dharma.
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Vedic Commandments
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Yama (Restraint): nonviolence, not lying, not
stealing, not lusting, and not possessing beyond needs
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ahimsa or nonviolence, an injunction against physical,
mental, or financial transgression against others (himsa or
violence). Ahimsa paromodharmah
Niyama (Observances): cleanliness, contentment,
discipline, self-study, and surrender to the Lord
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self-restraint, damah, or limiting personal good for the
greater good. Controlling the senses (vijit atma jitendriya)
is a prerequisite for emancipation or realization of God.
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Personal Integrity
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Chod deven chhal kapat ko
Straightforwardness (Aarjava)– yathaa
chittum, tathaa vaachah, yathaa vaachah
tathaa kriyaa, chitte vaachi kriyyam cha
saadhunaam ekruptaa
Sense of personal responsibility irrespective of
an ulterior benefit (karma-nishtaa)
Vaachum nah svadatu
Sarve bhadrani pashyantu
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Family Values (Atharva Veda)
Anuvratah pituh putro maataa bhavatoo sammanah
Jaayaa patye madhumateem vaacham vadatoo
shanteevaan
 “May the son act in accordance with the father's
wishes; may he be of one mind with the mother as
well. May the wife talk to her husband in soothing
words as sweet as honey! Behaving properly toward
the elders and the others, considerate, pleasing each
other, and working for common good, may you never
part company. Come here each talking affectionately
to each other.” (Atharveda 3.30.2)
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Family Values
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Atharvaveda says that “O, family members! May
you live together amicably for the sake of common
goals like the spokes of a wheel which are all equal
and converge to the core.
Do not have conflict. Talk with civility and respect to
each other, and render assistance to each other. O
family members! May you partake of the same food
and drink in this family. May the commodity, goods
and services by enjoyed equally by you all!”
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Family Values
Sah hridyam saamnasyam vidvesham kronomee vah
Anyo anyamabhi haryat vatsam jaatam iva aghnyaa
 I ordain affection, harmony and non-hostility for you.
Show affection for one another as a cow shows
affection to her newborn calf. (Atharveda 3.30.1)
 “Let not brother hate brother, nor sister, sister;
becoming accordant, of similar resolve, speak
auspiciously and sweetly to each other.”
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Respect for Women
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O bride! May you enter this house to become its guiding light!
You are endowed with intelligence and understanding.
(subudhaa budhyamaanaa) Make the children of this house
intelligent and knowledgeable. By observing the rules of
hygiene assure the health, happiness and long life of all the
people in the house. May the Lord also bless you so that you
may live long! (Atharveda xiv.2.75)
O bride! With the intention of increasing my family, I, knowing
your personality, willingly embrace you. While living together
as man and wife in the household I will never seek pleasures
without your knowledge. I even expunge any such thoughts
from my mind. Within the constraints of religion and righteous
behavior I will enjoy my life by working hard.
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Noble Intentions
(bhaav ujjawal keejiye, chhod devene chhal
kapata)
Om, Yaj jagrato doora mudaiti daivam tadu suptasya
tathai vaiti durangamam jyotishaam jyoti rekam
tamne manah shiva sankalpam astu
 O Lord make that mind of mine (tanme manah) that
goes far in the wafeful state (jagrito durmudaiti), and
likewise in the state of slumber, and one that knows
about objects far and wide, full of noble resolve.
(Yajurveda 34.1)
Bhadram no api vatay manah (Rigveda 10.20.1)
 Inspire our mind toward good works
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Affirmation of Life
Material Spiritualism
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Vayam syaam apatayo rayinaam
Jeevema sharadh shatam vardhamanah
Icchanti devaah sunvantaama na swapnaay
sprihyanti yanti praamaad matandtaah
(Samaveda 721)
Natures bounties favor those who are active in
work and do not sleep excessively. They bless
those who realize the ecstasy of life.
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Salvation
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Salvation is not eternal absorption of soul in God (moksha). The
soul comes back to bear the fruits of its actions. No individualistic
pursuit of siddhi/ jivan mukti disregarding the society.
The purpose of life - spiritual (nihsreyasa) and socio-material
(abhyudaya) well-being
Abhyudaya occurs by righteous conduct (Dharma) and by
performing one’s duty (varna-ashrama-dharma).
Nihsreyasa or heaven can be achieved by yoga and yajna.
“Homa are not the alpha and omega of religion and salvation does
not depend exclusively upon them” - yajna covers all good actions
done selflessly,” for duty’s sake. Yajna dharma palnen, pitri,
deva, brahma, balvaishvadeva, atithi
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Egalitarianism
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Ajyeshthaso akanishthasa ete samhrato vavridhuh
saubhagaaya. (5.60.5)
Like brothers in whom no one is elder and no one is
younger, they grow up together for their mutual
prosperity.
In mankind nobody is higher or lower nor is anybody
of middle status. Everybody with concerted effort
toils along the path of progress. All these men who
are naturally diligent and possess by exploiting
natural resources from the mother earth and utilizing
them for progress.
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Social Consciousness
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9th principle of Arya Samaj - No one should
be content with promoting his/her good only;
on the contrary, one should look for his/her
good in promoting the good of all.
10th principle of Arya Samaj - Individuals
should restrain themselves and follow the rules
of society made to promote the well being of
all; while in following the rules of individual
welfare, all should be free.
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Social Spirituality
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Applying the Vedic concepts of collective
consciousness to empathize with other
person’s pain and sorrow is social
spirituality. Parental affection is naturally
greater than filial love, and one should take
care of oneself and his family. But the love
of self and the family should be moderated,
because excess of parental love can be
ruinous as happened in Mahabharata.
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Swartha vs. parmaartha
Personal good versus common good
Swartha bhaav mite hamaara prem path vistaar ho
Idanna mum ka saarthak pratyek mein vhavhaar ho
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“We are one of multitude, and when we prefer ourselves
so shamefully to others, we become the proper objects
of resentment. Resigning the greatest interest of our
own, for the yet greater interest of others is love of what
is honorable and noble. Preferring himself so much as to
hurt or injure others is more contrary to death. (Adam
Smith, the founder of American Capitalism, in The Moral Sentiments, VI.2.46)
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Community (samaaj)
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The individual salvation contingent upon
individual realizing the essential unity of all.
“I am ever present to those who have realized
me in every creature. Seeing all life as my
manifestation, they are never separated from
me. They worship me in the hearts of all, and
all their actions proceed from me. Wherever
they may live, they abide in me” (Bhāgvad Gitā
6:30).
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Environment
Prithvi Sukta in Atharva Veda
• Mata Bhumih putroham Prithivyah: Earth is my mother, I am
her son.
• Aham bhumin adadam aaryaya : I have bestowed this earth
upon Aryas - A covenant that Aryas shall secure the Earth
against all environmental trespass and shall never let her be
oppressed.
• Vayam tubhyam bali hyaritah syaam
• We shall become bearers of tribute to thee.
• Respect Mother Earth, tranquil (shantivaa, fragrant (surabhi),
pleasant (syonaa), with sweet milk in her udder (keelaal
uudhrinee) (58) – Do not to hit its vitals nor its heart. Maa te
marma vimrig varee, maa te hriydam aripapum (35).
Earth is a ‘Sacred Space'
•For the endeavors and aspirations of humanity and for the
practice of restraint and responsibility.
•Maa kakambiram udbriho vanaspatim shasteervihih
neenashah
•“O provider of nourishment, may you not let anyone uproot
the forest trees, with host of crows and other birds on them.
Living in harmony with Mother Nature, we should see God in
the grandeur of dawn and the flow of rivers.” (Rig Veda)
•Aisha shubhraa na tanvo vidaanordhveva snaati drishye no
asthaat. Apa dvesho baadhmana tamaansyushaa divo
duhitaa jyotish aagaat (Rigveda 5.80.5)
•Showing herself like a well-attired woman, she stands before
our eyes, inclining like a woman just out of bath. Dispelling
dark gloom, dawn, daughter of heaven comes with radiance.
Global Worldview
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Vasudheva kutumkum
Sam jantu sarve amritasya putrah
Mitrasya chakshushaa samikshaamahe
Bhadrum karnebhi shrnuyaam, bhadrum
pashyemaksha abhiyajatrah
Vidya Bhushan Gupta
Vidya Bhushan Gupta