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Holistic vision religion

CHENNAI: The Vedas are the foundation of Sanatana Dharma (Hinduism) and they are eternal in nature. They are known as Sruti because they were “heard” by the Rishis during meditation and transmitted from preceptor to disciple orally, and committing them to memory. From the time of Vyasa till recently this method of dissemination was in vogue strictly as the system of writing them down was not allowed to ensure that there will not be any distortion of the “padas” and “swaras” in the Mantras during recitation.

Until the time of Vyasa the Vedic Mantras were in one body. Vyasa codified them into four — the Rig, Yajur, Sama and the Atharvana — to facilitate easy preservation and teaching. In Vedic tradition it is customary to salute the lineage of preceptors through whom it has been handed down when the Vedas are chanted. There are four sections in each Veda known as the Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and the Upanishad. The first two sections are called Karma kanda as they are ritualistic, and the latter two as Jnana kanda as they deal with spiritual knowledge. The Vedas had a holistic perspective of not only human life but of the entire world, said Sri O.R.Devanathan in his discourse.

In the Yajur Veda all the Mantras are in the Samhita section and the Brahmana portion is given to elucidating how to apply these Mantras appropriately for conducting sacrifices. Thus the Karma kanda pertains to performance of rituals and sacrifices by which both worldly material benefits and heavenly pleasure can be obtained. But even heavenly joys are ephemeral as they can be enjoyed only till the merit (Punya) lasts. So there is a logical development next to the Jnana kanda of the Vedas wherein in the Aranyaka and the Upanishad portions, the path to attain eternal bliss (liberation from bondage) is explained in depth.

While the Karma kanda applies to an individual during his life as a student and then as a householder, the Jnana kanda is meant for those who have discharged their worldly obligations and hence can retire to a secluded place (forest in days of yore) to pursue the spiritual path intensively. This stage of life is termed as Vanaprastha.

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