2: The Vedas
Srila Vysadeva, Mahamuni, compiled the Vedic literature for the benefit of all human society. If one wants to be protected from the reactions of ignorance even in this age of Kali, one may consult the books left by Srila Vysadeva: Upanisads, Vedanta-sutra (Brahma-sutra), Mahabharata, Srimad-Bhagavatam Maha-purana (Vysadeva's commentary on the Brahma-sutra) and the other seventeen Puranas. Only by the mercy of Srila Vyasadeva do we have so many volumes of transcendental knowledge to save us from the clutches of ignorance. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.8.19, purport)
How they came to be written
Krishna first reveals the Vedic knowledge to Brahma (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.5–37)
- Brahma seeks his origin and is instructed to perform penance
- Krishna is pleased and reveals His transcendental realm
- Brahma asks Krishna questions
- Krishna reveals the answers
Brahma passes the Vedas to Narada, who passes them to Vyasa (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.9.44–5)
Vyasa compiles the four Vedas (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.4.15–25)
- Vyasa foresaw the degradation of Kali-yuga
- He divides the Vedas into four parts
- The 108 Upanisads: philosophical discourses are part of the Vedas
- Then the fiftth Veda: the 17 Puranas (except Srimad-Bhagavatam) and Mahabharata (includes Bhagavad-gita)
- Vedanta-Sutra, the essence of the philosophy (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5.4)
- Srimad-Bhagavatam, the ripened fruit, the natural commentary of Vedanta Sutra (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.5)
First he [Krishna-dvaipayana Vyasa] divided the Vedas into four, then he explained them in the Puranas, and for less capable people he wrote the Mahabharata. In the Mahabharata there is given the Bhagavad-gita. Then all Vedic literature is summarized in the Vedanta-sutra, and for future guidance he gave a natural commentation on the Vedanta-sutra, called Srimad-Bhagavatam” (Bhagavad-gita Intro)
The Lord [Caitanya] continued: "Srila Vyasadeva has summarised the direct meanings of the mantras in the Upanisads in the Vedanta-sutra.” (Srimad-Bhagavatam Intro)
The various sections and divisions of the Vedic literature
The four Vedas (karma-kanda)
- Sama (sung): Prayers and hymns for worshiping demigods...
- Rg (spoken): ...and the Supreme Lord (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.13.1)
- Yajur (Yajna): Ceremonial procedures like marriage
- Atharva (Atharva Rsis, great sages): To counteract negative influences.
The 108 Upanisads (Jnana-kanda section of the Vedas)
Upa-nisat — to receive knowledge while sitting near a teacher. They mostly consist of philosophical conversations between sages and disciples about the Absolute Truth.
The Five Agamas (Upasana-kanda section of the Vedas): include five realms of worship — Vishnu, Siva, Durga, Ganesa, Surya.
Eighteen Puranas and their gunas
- Sattva: Visnu, Garuda, Narada, Padma, Varaha‚ Bhagavat
- Rajas: Brahmanda, Brahmavaivarta, Markandeya, Bhavisya, Vamana, Brahma
- Tamas: Matsya, Kurma, Linga, Siva, Skanda, Agni
Mahabharata
As the Bhagavatam was first spoken by Sukadeva Gosvami, it is therefore mentioned that as the parrot touches ripened fruit and it becomes even sweeter, so this Srimad-Bhagavatam, because it was touched first by Sukadeva Gosvami, has become still more tasteful. (Topmost Yoga System p. 8)
- 110,000 double verses.
- Includes Bhagavad-gita as the crucial part of the story. Why? This conversation takes place just before the greatest climax of the whole drama. Krishna arranged the entire scenario so that maximum number of people could benefit from the instructions of the Bhagavad-gita.
- Story of Vyasadeva and Ganesh and how it was written.
Vedanta-Sutra
- Veda means knowledge, anta means end, sutra means aphorism.
- Vedanta-sutra is a collection of aphorisms that explain the end point of all knowledge.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
- 18,000 anustup verses (If you actually count the number of verses we have in the Srimad-Bhagavatam it comes to only about 12000. Anustup verses are counted by counting the total number of words in a text and dividing by 32. This is another Vedic method for counting verses.)
- amalam-puranam — perfectly pure, spotless Purana (Srimad-Bhagavatam 12.13.18)
- paramahamsa-samhitam (The Srimad-Bhgavatam is called the paramahamsa-samhita, the treatise for the highest class of human beings. Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.22.19, purport)
- Vedanta-sutra / Bhagavad-gita are considered the cream of the Vedas (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.2.3, 6.7.14, purport) while Srimad-Bhagavatam is considered the essence of that cream, the butter (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.4.7, 1.3.41p)
- Made more sweet by Sukadeva (Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.1.3)
The Vedic tree of knowledge
- Branches: Four Vedas, different kandas and fields of knowledge;
- Flowers: dharma, artha, kama;
- Unripened fruit: Upanisads and Vedanta Sutra;
- Ripened fruit - Srimad-Bhagavatam
The threefold revelation of the Vedas
- Sruti (hearing): Knowledge is revealed in the heart by hearing and accepting
- Nyaya (logic): When hearing alone is not enough, knowledge can manifest in the heart through logic
- Smrti (remembering): Stories about realised souls whose example we can follow, to replace so much mundane literature
The four material aspects of the Vedas
The Vedas mainly consist of these four aspects. The idea is to elevate human beings to the transcendental platform while allowing them to fulfill their material desires within the Vedic guidelines.
- Dharma (religiosity/piety): By being pious and religious, one gains good karma and becomes eligible for…
- Artha (economic development): Through economic development, one can have a more comfortable life and gain opportunity for…
- Kama (sense gratification): Having enjoyed enough sense gratification after having gone through all the purifying processes of the Vedas, one may start to desire…
- Moksa (liberation): From this level, one can more easily approach the transcendental subject matters.
The three spiritual aspects of the Vedas
- Sambandha: relationship to Krishna
- Abhidheya: processes for elevation
- Prayojana: the supreme goal of life, the lotus feet of the Lord.
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