After completion of Post Graduation with Veda as special paper, I had the privilege to study the Vedic literature. During the period got the opportunity to read various hymns of Vedic deities, i.e. Agni, Indra, Varuna, Bṛhaspati, Usa, Soma, Pusan, Prthvi, Surya etc. Among these suktas Surya Sukta of Rgveda 1.115 was studied. This is a hymn of six mantras expressing the nature and power of the God Surya. The hymn was remembered and chanted many times with the company of my mentors. A brief note on the particular hymn was prepared for better understanding.
It came to my notice about the Secret of the Vedas authored by Sri Aurobindo, the Siddhanjana commentary of Rgveda of Sri T V Kapali Sastri and the Vedartha Dipika commentary of Sayanacarya with their interpretations on the theologies of vedic studies, which inherited my interest to do research on vedic theories and practices during my stay in Satyachetana Ashram at Thituvannamalai in 2012.
Sri Aurobindo's interpretation based on psycho-spiritual concept where as Sayanacarya's commentaries is based on ritualistic practices. The interpretation of Sri TV Kapali Sastri is a new epoch in the field of Vedic study which is discussed with regard to the interpretation of Sayanacarya.
During the work on the etymological study of the Rgvedic hymns I found the differences between the ritualistic concept as well as the spiritualistic concepts. How both the systems are differing from each other in the archaic words is an interesting study for the Vedic scholars. One word has various meanings as discovered by the commentators. The same mantra has two different meanings, one is ritualistic and another one is spiritual as based on the anvaya as well as the root.
The present work contains a comparative study of the commentaries of Sayana and Kapali Sastri on the Surya suktam (1.50.1-13 & 1.115.1-6).
The Veda is considered as mines of spiritual knowledge through the ages in Bharatiya parampara. The Veda is worshipped as "Veda Purusa". It antedated all the other scriptures like the Puranas, Smrtis, Darsanas and so on. In the other words, the Vedas are the most precious and voluminous literature on the earth, deserve an outstanding place in the history of world literature. As per the views of modern scholars, the language of Veda is the oldest Indo-European literary monument. However, mostly the Veda is the repository of the eternal and infinite knowledge, which is both authentic and authoritative in nature. The mantras of the Veda are not the property of any one's creed, time or place. They belong to the humanity. Their aim is to establish a universal harmony. The Veda always enables the human beings for their spiritual development. Not only this, but also for establishment of the world prosperity and world unity." 2
The Veda does not preach any particular individual according to his/her glory or greatness. Veda maintains a powerful and progressive system of life, a spiritual awakening. which is the common heritage of humanity. It unites all in one thread (rich, poor, complex, inclusive, beneficent and fruitful) for which all the humankind aspires. The message of Veda is universal. It worships the Being which is all-knowing (sarva jnatytva), all-powerful (sarva saktiman), omnipresent (sarva parivyapta), which is at the back of the universe. Various Gods are praised as the manifestations of that one Supreme Being (Paramesvara) in Veda. It teaches the code of conduct, kind behavior, ethics and religions to the mankind. Nevertheless, its aim to make a man spiritually free, free from limitations and obscurities, put open him by his own nature and by the world-nature. Apart from the significance for the interpretations of philosophy, etymology, science, religion, ethics; the Veda is a revelation, which sets spiritual perfection as the purpose of humanity.2 1
In that sense, the Veda transcends all the borders of clime and country, race and creed, time and history, geography and various cultures. In fact, it provides the foundation, upon which all countries, religions, cultures, human life are united, which may transform to world-peace, world-prosperity, world-co-operation, world-brotherhood etc. This is the teachings of the Veda.
1. The Derivative Meaning of Veda
The root of the word 'Veda' is from Vid- which has four meanings viz. jnana, labha, cetanakhyana and satta. Out of the four meanings, the jnana (knowledge) is the most significant one, which is relevant for the vast literature of the Vedic texts. The meaning of the Veda is for acquisition of valid knowledge in ones mind by way of revelation, realization, experience or even through inference. The universal self, known as Purusa or Brahman' is said to have given us his eternal power as knowledge in the form of Vedas.
Vedas (1182)
Upanishads (493)
Puranas (624)
Ramayana (741)
Mahabharata (354)
Dharmasastras (165)
Goddess (496)
Bhakti (242)
Saints (1503)
Gods (1290)
Shiva (370)
Journal (187)
Fiction (60)
Vedanta (362)
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