This article describes the higher potential for the development of civilization that is offered through Vedic culture, and some of the tools for doing such as found therein.
First of all, we should understand that the development of civilization, which means the upliftment of consciousness in society, should not be a fight or competition between parties, but a united endeavor for the improvement and continued means to reach our full potential for one and all, both materially and spiritually. This has always been the goal and motivation and purpose of Vedic culture / Vedic dharma.
This means that when we encounter a society that is divided and displays a lack of cooperation, the united endeavor to uplift one and all becomes most difficult to achieve, if not impossible. It forces us to work outside the influence or activity of such a society in order to plug into the means for real upliftment. Nonetheless, as the saying goes that in the end truth prevails, we have to find that truth in which we can engage in the process for attaining that higher purpose and potential for which this human life is meant. That is also called Sanatana-dharma, which can also mean the eternal duty, and eternal state of being in line with our true spiritual identity.
This Sanatana-dharma offers many unique tools that can be used that affect us for our upliftment, individually and socially, on many levels of our existence, whether it be physically, healthily, emotionally, mentally, intellectually, and ultimately spiritually. Let us describe a few of these.
THE VEDIC LIBRARY
The Vedic tradition, unlike other religions and philosophies, is rooted in such remote antiquity that its origin cannot be fully traced. The Vedic literature explains that it exists in the form of eternal spiritual vibrations, the Shabda Brahman, and is present both within and outside the universal creation, which is given to humanity through the great Rishis and explained by the spiritual authorities. It is this vast knowledge which is in found in written form within the Vedic library, which consists as follows:
The Vedas. The Vedic library consists of some of the oldest books known to humanity. And they cover the many angles of looking and understanding the Absolute Truth and purpose of life. This library consists of its earliest books starting with the Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and the Atharva Veda.
The Rig Veda in particular is considered the oldest book known to humanity. It is considered as the Veda of praise to the various Vedic divinities used in rituals to attain the necessities of life. However, the tenth and final chapter also contained verses of spiritual wisdom, and mantras for magical effects.
The Sama Veda were mostly the verses composed for singing during the rituals. The Yajur Veda is the Veda of Rituals for use during the Vedic rites with different levels of knowledge and wisdom. Then the Atharva Veda was the Veda of Chants or mantras for use in daily needs with a special section on wisdom, knowledge of the soul and God.
The Brahmanas and the Aranyakas are composed of instructions to take the rituals to a higher level of perfection, but also with cosmological stories that explain the need for the rituals and how they affect us.
The Upanishads are a group of books, often connected with the Vedas, that present higher levels of spiritual knowledge that is meant to destroy the materialistic ignorance and inspire divine insight for the further progress of the individual. Out of all the Upanishads, the following eleven are considered to be the topmost: Isa, Kena, Katha, Prasna, Mundaka, Mandukya, Taittiriya, Aitareya, Chandogya, Brihadaranyaka, and Svetasvatara. But there are up to 108 philosophical dissertations in the Upanishads, all with special knowledge and stories of spiritual enlightenment. If you count all of the major and minor Upanishads, there are well over 200 of them.
The Upa-Vedas, aside from the Upanishads, consist of such books as the Artha-veda (science of economics and sociology), the Dhanur-veda (the science of defense, war, and politics), the Gandharva-veda (art of music, dancing, and singing), and Ayurveda (the holistic medical science). These are smaller compositions each are attached to one of the four main Samhitas (namely the Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva respectively).
The Vedangas, or the six Angas (or subsidiary portions of the Vedas), viz., Siksha, rules of reciting the prayers, the accents, and tones to be observed; Kalpa, ritual; Vyakarana, grammar; Nirukta, glossarial comment; Chandas, metre; and Jyotish, astronomy; with Mimamsa, theology; Nyaya, logic; Dharma, the institutes of law; and the Puranas, constitute the fourteen principal branches of knowledge. Or they are considered as eighteen with the addition of these four: the Ayur-veda, medical science as taught by Lord Dhanvantari; Dhanur-veda, the science of archery or military arms taught by Bhrigu; Gandharva-veda, or drama and the arts of music, dancing, etc., of which the Muni Bharata was the author; and the Artha-sastram, or science of government, as laid down first by Brihaspati. (Vishnu Purana, Book Three, Chapter Six)
The Sutras is next on our list, which contain a wide assortment of information through a number of books. However, the foremost are listed as follows: The Nyaya Sutra presents the Vedic system of logic as established by the sage Gautama. The ultimate purpose of the Nyaya system, which is closely linked to the Vaisheshika system, is to use this process of logic to establish the ultimate truth, or God, the Supreme Reality, and to show the spiritual platform is all that is truly desirable and not the temporary material creation.
The Vaisheshika-sutra is a study of the uniqueness and qualities of existence, such as the elements, atoms, their interactions, as well as the soul.
The Sankhya philosophy is another system. The principal aim is to analyze the distinctions between matter and spirit.
The Kalpa-sutras are divided into four kinds, namely the Shrauta-sutras, Grihya-sutras, Dharma-sutras, and the Shulba-sutras. The Shrauta-sutras explain the rituals the priests engage in, and the details of performing a Vedic yajna, or ceremony. The Grihya-sutras describes the general and ritualistic social traditions that are usually observed by householders for their upliftment. The Dharma-sutras deal with the different disciplines or duties of a person, from common individuals up to the king. The Shulba-sutras gave the Vedic system of mathematics, usually connected with building altars and temples for the worship of the Vedic divinities. The Shulba-sutras show the earliest forms of algebra as used by the Vedic priests. It was this Vedic system that developed the decimal system of tens, hundreds, thousands, etc., and how to take the remainder of one column of numbers over to the next. The numeral system of nine numbers and a 0 made calculations very easy. Without the invention and use of 0, many of the mathematical advancements that have been made in the West would not have been possible.
There were many other books that help codify various aspects of life, such as the Kashyapiyakrishisukti by Kashyapa (c. 700-800 AD). This describes the means of producing certain crops, cattle management, soil properties, laying out gardens, means of irrigation, and so on. Along with the Vrikshayurveda (The Science of Plant Life) by Surapala was another book that appeared later (c. 1000 AD). This dealt with the application of Ayurveda to various kinds of trees. However, it also contained knowledge of raising orchards, seed management, selection of soil, ways of irrigation, finding groundwater, using fertilizers, dealing with plant diseases, and so on. These books recommend practical ways of efficient farming while preserving the world’s resources and environment, along with the means by which humanity can achieve the essential aims of life, such as dharma, artha, kama and moksha (religion, economic development, sensual happiness, and liberation through spiritual advancement) which are all things that we should still consider today.
The Manu-samhita also explained the codes and laws or disciplines of proper conduct, and the consequences or recommended penances for bad or evil behavior. This is considered the first law book of humanity.
The Vedanta-sutras are a systemization of sutras or codes for understanding Vedic knowledge. They are short codes that are later to be explained by the spiritual master, guru or spiritual authority. By themselves, without further explanations, it is not easy to fathom their depths. So, it is the commentaries that contain the additional information about such things as the Brahman, etc., that are explained by the guru.
Vedanta means the conclusion of the Veda or end of all knowledge. Vedanta is also known as Uttara Mimamsa, or later examination, and is a companion to the Purva Mimamsa, or preliminary examination. The Purva Mimamsa deals with the early portions of the Vedas and the Uttara Mimamsa deals with the latter portions.
The Agamas are another group of scriptures that worship God in particular forms, and describe detailed courses of discipline for the devotee. Like the Upanishads, there are many Agamas. They can be broadly divided into three sets of Agamas, namely:
Vaishnava Agamas – the worship of Lord Vishnu;
Shaiva Agamas – the worship of Lord Shiva;
Shakti Agamas – the worship of Devi, the Mother Goddess.
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