A herd of cattle grazing in the grass.

Introduction to Vedas and Vedanta:


In this website the word “VEDA†mostly refers to “VEDANTA†(also referred to as The UPANISHADSâ€).

In short Vedas are visual and vocal representation of the highest level of abstract universal spiritual laws. These laws that govern our presence or existence in our presumed reality (“MAYAâ€in Sanskrit) are literally explained in VEDAâ€ANTHAM†or Vedanta. Vedanta in Sanskrit means beyond Vedas. Vedanta is also known as “UPANISHADS†in Sanskrit, meaning, sitting down near a teacher or GURU, to learn.

In fact most of these ideas are brought out in the form of discussions in the forums convened by the rulers of large wealthy kingdoms of the past in India. Sometimes real life situations, presented in the form of mythological stories, were used to explain the practical Vedanta. Vedanta or The Upanishads takes you beyond the realm of religious rituals.

Your understanding of Vedanta or Upanishads is governed by the enlightenment or unfoldment you have attained and the distance you have traveled in your spiritual journey towards the source from which you came.  Merging back with “The Source†is the ultimate goal of every being in existence. According to the Vedic belief, such a spiritual Journey might span many cycles of births. Remember your soul never dies. In the universal time scale your whole lifetime may be less than the “Blink†of an eye!

The Vedic messages elevate you to a higher level or perspective from where you see a dense forest as a smooth grass land.

With this short introduction let us try to see more in our future readings!

A lush green hillside with trees and water.

A word about Sanskrit “The Language of Vedas”.


Sanskrit is a scholarly literary language, like Latin and Greek. One of the earliest known language that evolved for learning the laws of spirituality and science. It retained its original tonal structure and grammar mainly because it was passed along to the next generation vocally; mouth to ear and again mouth to ear cycle.  In ancient Vedic Schools Vedas were learnt by hearing and repeating  many times until the Vedic words were pronounced with correct intonation by the  student to the satisfaction of the teacher or Guru. Sanskrit is a very musical and covers wide audio spectrum which was retained by this elaborate recitation teachings. Depending on the region Sanskrit was Written in Devanagari, various BrÄhmÄ«based alphabets, Thai in vocabularies, and Latin script. What was “heard†was recorded in the local learner’s dialect. So, Sanskrit retained its vocal and tonal structure of the language from the early Vedic era spanning thousands of years. Even now in India the Vedic Schools follow the age old ancient “hear and repeat†vocal teaching methods to pass on the Vedic recitations to the coming generations.

Thanks to Sanskrit, we are able to hear the Vedic Ideas as “Heared†by the “Rishis†thousands of years ago from the “Sourceâ€.

 


A lake with mountains in the background and grass on one side.

SOUL, GOD AND RELIGION


Please Click on the PLAY BUTTON at the left in the audio bar below to listen while you Read…

Welcome to Read Vedas, ‘The Spiritual laws’ that governs our existence. You are reading with me or listening with me from the many random selections. Please check the source reference at the bottom of each posting if you want to read the complete work from the source. I want to mention the vedic belief  that the spiritual growth or development of every being in existence goes through seven layers of enlightenment. So each man may read his own lesson from it according to his plane of unfoldment. Each will get from it that which is fitted to his stage of unfoldment. So, if someone interprets it differently, please understand. Here the first post…

SOUL, GOD AND RELIGION

Through the vistas of the past the voice of the centuries is coming down to us; the voice of the sages of the Himalayas and the recluses of the forest; the voice that came to the Semitic races; the voice that spoke through Buddha and other spiritual giants; the voice that comes from those who live in the light that accompanied man in the beginning of the earth — the light that shines wherever man goes and lives with him for ever — is coming to us even now. This voice is like the little rivulet; that come from the mountains. Now they disappear, and now they appear again in stronger flow till finally they unite in one mighty majestic flood. The messages that are coming down to us from the prophets and holy men and women of all sects and nations are joining their forces and speaking to us with the trumpet voice of the past. And the first message it brings us is: Peace be unto you and to all religions. It is not a message of antagonism, but of one united religion.  (Excerpt from “Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Vol.1. Lectures and Discourses )