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Passing on the Vedic Heritage

Passing on the Vedic Heritage. Vidya Bhushan Gupta. Vedic Heritage. LOVE OF TRUTH – satyameva jayate MORAL AGENCY - manurbhava EGALITARIANISM - amritasya putrah SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS – shata hasta samhaara sahsra hasta samkira MORAL ACTIVISM - FIGHTING FOR INJUSTICE

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Passing on the Vedic Heritage

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  1. Passing on the Vedic Heritage Vidya Bhushan Gupta Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  2. Vedic Heritage • LOVE OF TRUTH – satyameva jayate • MORAL AGENCY - manurbhava • EGALITARIANISM - amritasya putrah • SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS – shata hasta samhaara sahsra hasta samkira • MORAL ACTIVISM - FIGHTING FOR INJUSTICE • ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS • AFFIRMATION RATHER THAN NEGATION OF LIFE - SELF-REALIZATION WHILE CARRYING OUT WORDLY DUTIES • GLOBAL WORLD VIEW – vasudheva kutumbakum Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  3. LOVE OF TRUTH • Jigyasa or curiosity -“adhato dharma jigyasa.” • Shradha or astikyabudhi - positive-attitude-oriented reason, not cynicism • Sadhana - Bhakti to create a positive mood, then shravan, manan, nidhidhyasa, dharana • Nyaaya – logic, method to ascertain truth • Willingness to discard untruth – change as truth unfolds Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  4. Balance Faith and Reason • No absolutes in metaphysics – personal constructions - answers to the existentialist questions - diversity • Metaphysics or inner sciences (paraa vidya) are intuitive and experiential. • Balance para vidya with apara vidya • Andhuntamah pravishanti ye avidyaam upaasate • Tato bhuyah eva te tamo ye u vidyaayaa ratah • Arise and awake aryas, find learned teachers to get knowledge, and then assimilate that knowledge and skills in your life. (uttishthata, jaagrit, praapya varaahneebodhat) Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  5. EclecticismAa no bhadra kritvo yantu vishwatah • “I neither accept the demerits of different faiths, nor reject what is good in them.” • “At present there are many learned men in all religions. If they give up prejudice, accept those broad principles on which all religions are unanimous, reject differences, and behave affectionately, much good can be done to the world” • Arya is not a vedanti or mimaamsac, but draws the best from all of them. Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  6. Moral Agency • Satyam brihata ritamugram deeksha tapoh brahma yajyam prithveee dharyantee (Atharveda 12.1.1) • Truth, broadmindedness, righteousness, fortitude, consecration of all acts as sacrifice to God, penance, brahma-yajna (contemplation and meditation) sustain the earth. Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  7. Dharma (Manu/primal man) • Dhriti, kshama, daamo, asteyam, shaucham, indriya nigrah,dhih, vidya, satyam, akrodho, dashkum dharma lakshnum. • Patience, forgiveness, restraint, non-stealing, clean body and mind, control of the senses, knowledge and wisdom, truthfulness, and anger control are the ten signs of dharma. Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  8. Vedic Commandments • Yama (Restraint): nonviolence, not lying, not stealing, not lusting, and not possessing beyond needs • ahimsa or nonviolence, an injunction against physical, mental, or financial transgression against others (himsa or violence). Ahimsa paromodharmah • Niyama (Observances): cleanliness, contentment, discipline, self‑study, and surrender to the Lord • self-restraint, damah, or limiting personal good for the greater good. Controlling the senses (vijit atma jitendriya) is a prerequisite for emancipation or realization of God. Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  9. Personal Integrity • Chod deven chhal kapat ko • Straightforwardness (Aarjava)– yathaa chittum, tathaa vaachah, yathaa vaachah tathaa kriyaa, chitte vaachi kriyyam cha saadhunaam ekruptaa • Sense of personal responsibility irrespective of an ulterior benefit (karma-nishtaa) • Vaachum nah svadatu • Sarve bhadrani pashyantu Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  10. Family Values (Atharva Veda) Anuvratah pituh putro maataa bhavatoo sammanah Jaayaa patye madhumateem vaacham vadatoo shanteevaan • “May the son act in accordance with the father's wishes; may he be of one mind with the mother as well. May the wife talk to her husband in soothing words as sweet as honey! Behaving properly toward the elders and the others, considerate, pleasing each other, and working for common good, may you never part company. Come here each talking affectionately to each other.” (Atharveda 3.30.2) Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  11. Family Values • Atharvaveda says that “O, family members! May you live together amicably for the sake of common goals like the spokes of a wheel which are all equal and converge to the core. • Do not have conflict. Talk with civility and respect to each other, and render assistance to each other. O family members! May you partake of the same food and drink in this family. May the commodity, goods and services by enjoyed equally by you all!” Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  12. Family Values Sah hridyam saamnasyam vidvesham kronomee vah Anyo anyamabhi haryat vatsam jaatam iva aghnyaa • I ordain affection, harmony and non-hostility for you. Show affection for one another as a cow shows affection to her newborn calf. (Atharveda 3.30.1) • “Let not brother hate brother, nor sister, sister; becoming accordant, of similar resolve, speak auspiciously and sweetly to each other.” Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  13. Respect for Women • O bride! May you enter this house to become its guiding light! You are endowed with intelligence and understanding. (subudhaa budhyamaanaa) Make the children of this house intelligent and knowledgeable. By observing the rules of hygiene assure the health, happiness and long life of all the people in the house. May the Lord also bless you so that you may live long! (Atharveda xiv.2.75) • O bride! With the intention of increasing my family, I, knowing your personality, willingly embrace you. While living together as man and wife in the householdI will never seek pleasures without your knowledge. I even expunge any such thoughts from my mind. Within the constraints of religion and righteous behavior I will enjoy my life by working hard. Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  14. Noble Intentions (bhaav ujjawal keejiye, chhod devene chhal kapata) Om, Yaj jagrato doora mudaiti daivam tadu suptasya tathai vaiti durangamam jyotishaam jyoti rekam tamne manah shiva sankalpam astu • O Lord make that mind of mine (tanme manah) that goes far in the wafeful state (jagrito durmudaiti), and likewise in the state of slumber, and one that knows about objects far and wide, full of noble resolve. (Yajurveda 34.1) Bhadram no api vatay manah (Rigveda 10.20.1) • Inspire our mind toward good works Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  15. Affirmation of LifeMaterial Spiritualism • Vayam syaam apatayo rayinaam • Jeevema sharadh shatam vardhamanah • Icchanti devaah sunvantaama na swapnaay sprihyanti yanti praamaad matandtaah (Samaveda 721) • Natures bounties favor those who are active in work and do not sleep excessively. They bless those who realize the ecstasy of life. Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  16. Salvation • Salvation is not eternal absorption of soul in God (moksha). The soul comes back to bear the fruits of its actions. No individualistic pursuit of siddhi/jivan mukti disregarding the society. • The purpose of life - spiritual (nihsreyasa) and socio-material (abhyudaya) well-being • Abhyudaya occurs by righteous conduct (Dharma) and by performing one’s duty (varna-ashrama-dharma). • Nihsreyasa or heaven can be achieved by yoga and yajna. • “Homa are not the alpha and omega of religion and salvation does not depend exclusively upon them” - yajna covers all good actions done selflessly,”for duty’s sake. Yajnadharma palnen, pitri, deva, brahma, balvaishvadeva, atithi Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  17. Egalitarianism • Ajyeshthaso akanishthasa ete samhrato vavridhuh saubhagaaya. (5.60.5) • Like brothers in whom no one is elder and no one is younger, they grow up together for their mutual prosperity. • In mankind nobody is higher or lower nor is anybody of middle status. Everybody with concerted effort toils along the path of progress. All these men who are naturally diligent and possess by exploiting natural resources from the mother earth and utilizing them for progress. Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  18. Social Consciousness • 9th principle of Arya Samaj - No one should be content with promoting his/her good only; on the contrary, one should look for his/her good in promoting the good of all. • 10th principle of Arya Samaj - Individuals should restrain themselves and follow the rules of society made to promote the well being of all; while in following the rules of individual welfare, all should be free. Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  19. Social Spirituality • Applying the Vedic concepts of collective consciousness to empathize with other person’s pain and sorrow is social spirituality. Parental affection is naturally greater than filial love, and one should take care of oneself and his family. But the love of self and the family should be moderated, because excess of parental love can be ruinous as happened in Mahabharata. Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  20. Swartha vs. parmaarthaPersonal good versus common good Swartha bhaav mite hamaara prem path vistaar ho Idanna mum ka saarthak pratyek mein vhavhaar ho • “We are one of multitude, and when we prefer ourselves so shamefully to others, we become the proper objects of resentment. Resigning thegreatest interest of our own, for the yet greater interest of others is love of what is honorable and noble. Preferring himself so much as to hurt or injure others is more contrary to death. (Adam Smith, the founder of American Capitalism, in The Moral Sentiments, VI.2.46) Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  21. Community (samaaj) • The individual salvation contingent upon individual realizing the essential unity of all. “I am ever present to those who have realized me in every creature. Seeing all life as my manifestation, they are never separated from me. They worship me in the hearts of all, and all their actions proceed from me. Wherever they may live, they abide in me” (Bhāgvad Gitā 6:30). Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  22. Environment Prithvi Sukta in Atharva Veda Mata Bhumih putroham Prithivyah: Earth is my mother, I am her son. Aham bhumin adadam aaryaya : I have bestowed this earth upon Aryas - A covenant that Aryas shall secure the Earth against all environmental trespass and shall never let her be oppressed. Vayam tubhyam bali hyaritah syaam We shall becomebearers of tribute to thee. Respect Mother Earth, tranquil (shantivaa, fragrant (surabhi), pleasant (syonaa), with sweet milk in her udder (keelaal uudhrinee) (58) – Do not to hit its vitals nor its heart. Maa te marma vimrig varee, maa te hriydam aripapum (35).

  23. Earth is a ‘Sacred Space' For the endeavors and aspirations of humanity and for the practice of restraint and responsibility. Maa kakambiram udbriho vanaspatim shasteervihih neenashah “O provider of nourishment, may you not let anyone uproot the forest trees, with host of crows and other birds on them. Living in harmony with Mother Nature, we should see God in the grandeur of dawn and the flow of rivers.” (Rig Veda) Aisha shubhraa na tanvo vidaanordhveva snaati drishye no asthaat. Apa dvesho baadhmana tamaansyushaa divo duhitaa jyotish aagaat (Rigveda 5.80.5) Showing herself like a well-attired woman, she stands before our eyes, inclining like a woman just out of bath. Dispelling dark gloom, dawn, daughter of heaven comes with radiance.

  24. Global Worldview • Vasudheva kutumkum • Sam jantu sarve amritasya putrah • Mitrasya chakshushaa samikshaamahe • Bhadrum karnebhi shrnuyaam, bhadrum pashyemaksha abhiyajatrah Vidya Bhushan Gupta

  25. Vidya Bhushan Gupta

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