Foundation: Background Understanding- The Vedas

lesson uploaded October 20, 2005 by Freedom Cole

Vedic Astrology is considered a limb of the Vedas. Without at least a small understanding of the Vedas, learning Jyotish would be like teaching a person how to use a steering wheel without them knowing what a car is. If you went to a jungle tribe and told the tribal people that a car was a box on circles that took a person from one place to another very quickly, they may now have a definition for a car but they still don’t know what one is. So a definition for the Vedas is not enough. Jyotish is a limb of the Vedas, and understanding the Vedas and their goal will elucidate the purpose of Jyotish.

The Vedas have a literal meaning, and manifold deeper meanings relative to worship, ayurveda, yoga, self realization and other Vedic sciences. The Vedas also have mantrik power behind each syllable and word. The different meters that verses are sung in also have their variety of meanings. The Vedas themselves are not meant to be read and studied in old books, they are meant to be alive and chanted. Therefore, for the study of the Vedas one must also learn to chant them properly. We will at least learn one verse fully and correctly.

To fully understand the Vedas and all its limbs would take lifetimes, but a general knowledge is the first step. First we will understand the divisions of Vedic science (what are called abodes of knowledge). Then learn how each one works to support the whole and later small lessons will integrate all limbs of the Vedas into our study of Jyotish. Then we will be ready for learning the purpose of the Vedas. With this we will see the original purpose of Jyotish thousands of years ago and how it still applies to human beings today.

The fourteen "abodes" of knowledge (caturdasa-vidya) are:
I. The four vedas
1 Ågveda
2 Yajurveda
3 Samaveda
4 Atharvanaveda
II. Six Angas or limbs of the Vedas
5 Siksa-Pronunciation, phonetics (nose/breath)
6 Vyakarana- grammar and syntax (mouth)
7 Chandas- meter for Vedic recitation (feet/legs)
8 Nirukta- lexicon, etymology (ear)
9 Jyotisa- astronomy-astrology (eye)
10 Kalpa- manual of rituals (hands/arms)
III. Four Upangas
11 Mimamsa
12 Nyaya
13 Puranas
14 Dharmasastra: (Manusmriti, etc.)
IV. Four additional vidyasthanas (abodes of knowledge)
15 Ayurveda- medicine
16 Arthasastra- economics
17 Dhanurveda -warfare
18 Gandharvaveda- music

I.1.1 The Four Vedas

The four Vedas are composed of hymns that were ‘seen’ by sages ( åsis). They are said to have heard them, not to have written them or thought of them themselves, therefore they are not created by man (Apaurseya). The åsis are called mantra-drastas (those who saw the mantras) as Columbus did not create America by discovering it, the Vedas are believed to have been always present. They are the inherent nature of the universe that the åsis saw in deep meditation. The words of the Vedas are multi-demensional and have multiple levels of interpretation.

During the time period just before the Mahabharata war, Kåsna Dvaipayana who came to be known as Vedavyasa (the compiler of the Vedas) took the 1,180 sakhas (sections) of Vedas and divided them into four Vedas. Since then many sakhas have been lost. Yet, the Vedas are considered to be eternal, without a beginning and end. This eternal nature refers to the spiritual truths revealed within the Vedas themselves. Swami Sivananda of the Divine Life Society says, “Vedas are eternal spiritual Truths. Vedas are an embodiment of divine knowldege. The books may be destroyed, but the knowledge cannot be destroyed. Knowledge is eternal. In that sense, the Vedas are eternal.”

I.1.2 Ågveda

The Ågveda is the first Veda which contains prayers and praises to the devas (divinity).

The Ågveda is written in verses called suktis, which means ‘beautiful statements’. It is composed of ten Mandalas, 102 Suktas, and contains 10,552 mnatras. The language is multi-demensional and has many levels of interpretation.

The Vedas do not say that one path is right and another is wrong. They are worshiping the divine and invoking the highest truths that exist inside. They proclaim that with wisdom we can go inside and find the Truth of the universe within ourselves. The Hymn of Creation (näsadéya) is a famous stanza in the Ågveda because of its poetic excellance and its metaphysical depth.

1 There was neither non-existencenor existence then; there was neither the realm of space nor the sky which is beyond. What stirred? Where? In whose protection? Was there water, bottemlessly deep?

2 There was neither death nor immortality then. There was no distinguishing sign of day or night. That Oneness breathed without air by its own impulse. Other than that there was nothing beyond.

3 Darkness was hidden by darkness in the beginning; with no distinguishing sign, all this was water (potentiality of creation). The life force that was covered with emptiness, that One arose through the power of heat.

4 Desire came upon that One in the beginning; that was the first seed of mind. Poets seeking in their heart with wisdom found the bond of existence in non-existence.

5 Their ray of light (raçmi) was extended across. Was there below? Was there above? There were seed-placers; there were powers. There was impulse beneath; there was giving-forth above.

6 Who really knows? Who will here proclaim it? Whence was it produced? Whence is this creation? The gods came afterward, with the creation of the universe. Who then knows whence it has arisen?

7 Whence this creation has arisen- perhaps it is formed itself, or perhaps it did not- the one who looks down on it, in the highest heaven. Only he knows- or perhaps he does not know [1].”

The Ågveda has set the foundation of most concepts in the Vedic Sciences including Indian Astrology. For example, individual beings are individual souls that have come from the One. As molecules of water leave a pot of boiling water so does the individual soul (jivatman) leave the Supreme Soul (Paramatman) because of the heat of desire, which is called rajas guna. It is this rajas guna (creative energy) that causes the original creation and continues to cause the human being to create and make new things.

The Vedas support the pursuit of diverse paths fitting to the individual and do not claim a ‘right way’ nor a final word in everything, nor does it say that the final answer is even available. But ‘poets seeking in their hearts with wisdom’ have the ability to see the connection between what is here now and what was before this existence we are presently in. Outer knowledge will never have an end or a final conclusion, while inner knowledge has the end in Universal truths of our true nature.

I.1.3 Yajurveda

The Yajurveda is the second Veda which describes the rites and sacrifices supplementing the Ågveda mantras. It focuses on yajana (worship) and is used primarily by the priests. The Yajurveda is divided into two parts, white and black.

The Black Yajurveda is the older of the two. It is divided into seven kandas (books) of forty-four prasnas (chapters) which each have 651 anuvakas (sections) and 2198 kandikas (pieces comprised of 50 words). The White Yajurveda consists of forty adhyayas (chapters), 303 anuvakas (sections) and 1975 kandikas.

I .1.4 Sämaveda

The Sämaveda is sung as it is the musical interpretation of the rg mantras. The Åg and the Yajur are chanted while the Säma is sung using the seven svaras (notes). Säma Gäna is thought to be the basis of the sapta svaram (seven notes) in Indian classical music. The Sämaveda has 1875 mantras and only a few (less than a hundred) are its own mantras, the rest are the same as the Ågveda in different order.

In the Bhagavad Gita, Krsna identifies himself as the Sämaveda. “Among the vedas, I am the Sämaveda (10-22). He gives great importance to the Sämaveda by identifying himself with it. The singing of the Sämaveda can make the mind stable and lead it to peace.

I.1.5 Atharvanaveda

The Atharvanaveda is the fourth Veda which contains spells for healing and harming. It has information on curing disease, human physiology, social structure, astrology, spirituality and yoga. There is a hymn that celebrates the wonder of creation called the Prithvi Suktam. There are mantras to ward of hardship and destroy enemies. There are mantras to correct the mispronunciations and wrong performances that may happen in the practices of the other three Vedas. It was not considered part of the orthodox 3 Vedas at the time of åsi Vishista, the father of åsi Paraçara. But at the time of Veda Vyasa who was the son of Par aç ara, the Atharvanaveda was included as the fourth division. It was Paraçara’s wish that his son learn all four Vedas. The gäyatri mantra has three steps (padas) and is said to relate to the first three Vedas. Therefore a separate initiation (Upanayanam) is done for studying the Atharvanaveda.

Their was a Åsi by the name of Atharvan who was a great teacher of this Veda. Some say that the name means A (not) tharva (movement, fickleness) which would be ‘devoid of movement’ or ‘concentration’. The Atharvanaveda is similar to the Ågveda but puts more stress on practical worldly affairs. There are mantras to devattas not mentioned in the other Vedas. The importance of the Artharvanaveda is judged by the Upanisads that are part of it: Prashna, Mundaka, Maandookya Upanisads.

I.2.1 Four Parts of the Vedas

Each of the Vedas consists of four parts. The main book of the Vedas with it’s hyms are called the mantra samhitas. Second, there is the Brahmanas which are explanations of the mantras and rituals. Third, the Äraëyakas are the philosophical interpretations of the rituals. And the last part is the Upanishads which are the knowledge portion of the Vedas. Each of the four parts relates to a loosely defined stage of life. The mantra samhitas of the vedas, quoted above, are particularly meant to be studied by the individual in the student (brahmachära) phase of life, which is the first 25 years of life. The relation of the four parts of the Vedas to the four stages of life does not mean that after twenty-five one stops studying the mantras of the Vedas, it is just a guide to where to primarily place the focus on a topic that is bigger than a life time of study.

The Brahamanas are like a guide book which explain the Vedic practices. It is meant to be used by an individual in the householder (gåhastha) phase of life (about 25 to 50). This is when the person marries and has children. Religious ritual is done in the home and for special occasions to insure prosperity of knowledge, wealth and dharma. Rituals are done to purify ones karma and to purify oneself to be able to hold higher knowledge and understanding.

The Äraëyakas explain why the various rituals are done and the inner meaning of the prayers of the mantra samhitas. It explains the symbolic purpose of the rituals and teaches the symbolic/internal mode of worship. This part is meant for the third phase of life called Vänaprashta, approximately between the ages of 50 and 75. This is after ones own children become parents. Before this, ideally one is to support the proper functioning and health of society. Then, ideally, one begins to slowly focus more on the non-material reality. The Äraëyakas deepen the doorway to meditation and they reveal esoteric meaning of the Vedas. This section relates to the third eye chakra and the ability to perceive what is beyond. At the close of the Äraëyakas comes the Upanishads. There is an analogy to nature that if the Vedic samhitas are the tree, the Brahmana are the flowers, the Äraëyakas the unripe fruit and the Upanishads are the final fruit (phala) [2]. The preceding parts of the Vedas are meant to take one to the path of knowledge, while the Upanishads are the direct path of realization.

The Upaniçads are the fruit of the Vedas. They are the concluding portion of the Vedas. The teaching based on them is called Vedanta, anta means end, so it literally means the end of the Vedas. The Upaniçads teach the spiritual goal of the Vedas and are the foundation for what is called Hinduism.

The Upaniçads reveal the direct means of realizing the nature of the jivatman (individual soul) and Paramatman (the Supreme soul). The preceding elements of the Vedas are based on karma kanda [3]; the path of works and actions to purify the body and mind to be fit for realization. The Äraëyakas deal with upasana kanda which relates to worship and meditation. The Upanishads deal with jnana kanda; the pure inner significance and the knowledge which leads to liberation.

The essence of the Upaniçads are put into ‘great sayings’ that are mantras to be meditated upon. These sayings are called the Mahavakyas. When an individual renounces the world for spiritual life (sanyas), they are initiated into the four principal Mahavakyas that guide one to realize their unity with the Brahman (God beyond all perception).

I.2.2 Mahavakyas

The Mahavakyas are the key realizations extracted from the Upaniçads.

[more to come]

II. Six Angas or limbs of the Vedas

Sikña -Pronunciation, phonetics (nose/breath)

Srota means ear and sruti means that which is heard. The Vedas are called sruti and have been handed down orally for thousands of years. Linguists have understood that human pronunciation changes every two hundred years, as one can see with old English relative to the English the U.S. Constitution relative to modern English. The Vedic rsis were aware of this and developed the science of phonetics to a high degree to hold the correct pronunciation of the Vedas through time. Siksa (pronunciation) is the life breath of Vedic mantras and keeps them alive and instilled with prana.

Wrong chanting is said to not give the intended results, as a different station on the radio will not give the correct musical program. The limb of siksa deals with all matters that work with proper pronunciation. Each letter-sound (phoneme) is to be pronounced correctly, with the proper measure, and the proper tonal variations.

The phoneme is a sound syllable that needs to be pronounced clearly. This clarity is achieved by a thorough understanding of how sound is produced in the mouth. For example, in English the difference between a ‘v’ and a ‘w’ is that the ‘v’ is pronounced with the lower lip folded and the upper teeth come into contact with it to create the sound. The ‘w’ is pronounced with the lips turned round and no teeth contact to the lips. This clear conscious understanding of how the sound is created in the mouth and body is used to pronounce Sanskrit mantras correctly.

The measure of the phoneme is the length of time it is pronounced. There are short (hrsva) and long (dirgha) syllables. The short syllables are held for one beat (matra) and the long syllables are held for two beats. This affects the way the word/mantras are pronounced and chanted.

The tonal variation and accentuation (svaras) is a system meant to give tonal purity to the Vedic mantras. It is seen in the raised syllable (udatta), the lowered syllable (anudatta), and the falling syllable (svarita). These are to be learned from a teacher but can sometimes be seen marked in Sanskrit mantras above and below the letters.

Another element of siksa is the combining of letters called sandhi. When two letters are combined the second letter will change how the first is pronounced. We can see this occur in English with the word cupboard which is composed of the words cup and board. When the ‘p’ and the ‘b’ are pronounced together it becomes as ‘bb’ (cubboard). The hard ‘p’ becomes a soft ‘b’ in pronunciation but in English the written letters do not change. In Sanskrit they would change to fit the appropriate sound. The rules that govern the changing of the sound are part of siksa. An example in Sanskrit is seen with the word Jagat which means universe. In Jaganath, the ‘t’ becomes an ‘n’ to mean lord (nath) of the universe. In Jagadambe, the ‘t’ becomes a soft ‘d’ for Mother (ambe) of the universe.

In this way the rules of pronunciation are very intricate as even small changes can affect the efficacy of a mantra. The branch of Siksa forms the foundation of mantra yoga and sabda yoga. In Jyotish it will be important for proper pronunciation of Vedic astrology terminology, correctly using mantras used for personal practice, and for giving successful remedies which may involve mantra.

Vyakarana - grammar and syntax (mouth)

The word has life (the breath) with siksha, and with Vyakarana (the mouth) it eats and sustain the Vedas. The Veda Purusha is sustained and nourished by grammar. Without the knowledge of grammar, one cannot understand the Vedas. Vyakarana brings understanding (jnana) and therefore in India it is traditionally taught in Siva temples. Grammar is considered the dance of words and it is believed that the dance of Siva gave birth to the science of language. “Sound is the highest of the perceived forms of the Paramatman [the Supreme] and language is obviously connected with it. It is the concern of Siksa and Vyakarana to refine and clarify it and make it a means for the well-being of our Self [Atma/soul].” “If sounds are well discerned and employed in speech they will serve not only the purpose of communication but also of cleansing us inwardly [4] .” Grammar is one of the most important branches of the Vedas.

Grammar makes complex and spiritual concepts possible to explain in writing. It also allows for embellishment to make speech more beautiful. When the Buddhists brought Sanskrit to China, the Chinese were amazed at the sophistication. Previous to this, Chinese written material was composed of only lists and after the introduction of Sanskrit there was poetry. In this way, grammar is the dance of words, like Siva dancing.

The three main texts of grammar are written by Panini, Vararuci and Patanjali. In 700 B.C., Panini was said to have composed his works on grammar after having done Siva worship in the Himalayas. His Ashtadhyayi (eight chapters) deals with the correct usage of Vedic words and exhaustive rules of grammar. Panini didn’t just describe static grammar rules, he recorded a generative grammar. The rules were foundational so that new words could continually be made. Pandit Vagish Shastri of Varanasi took one root word and made 65,000 grammatically correct words from that root in order to show the generative power of Sanskrit grammar. Modern programming languages have many similarities to Sanskrit grammar because of its computing power.

Patanjali, famous for his Yoga Sutras, also wrote on grammar because of its ability to purify the speech (vani), the body (sarira) and consciousness (Chitta). He wrote the most authoritative commentary on Panini which is called Mahabhasya (the great commentary).

Vararuchi, who wrote a commentary called Vartika on Panini’s Sutras, explains five objectives for grammar. The first objective is to protect (raksha) the understanding of the Vedas. Second, grammar teaches how to derive words (uha). Third, it makes the words beautiful and flowing to the ear, and easy to understand (laghu). Fourth, grammar gives asandeha, the foundation for understanding a word thereby removing ambiguity as often a word is understood by its context in a sentence. And finally it gives the ability to understand written texts (agama) and record future works. In the beginning of Patanjali’s Mahabhasya he enumerates 13 purposes. These include Arthajnana, the wealth of understanding through right meaning, and dharma labha, the wealth of dharma. Grammar is an important part of understanding the Vedas and related Sanskrit literature.

The primary jyotish scriptures are written in Sanskrit. To properly understand them one needs both knowledge of grammar and insight into Jyotish given by the guru. In the present age, many people rely on faulty translations which lead to many misconceptions. One cannot rely on a paid translator instead of their own knowledge of grammar or a guru who cares for his students.

Chandas - meter for Vedic recitation (feet/legs)

Chandas is the various meters used for Vedic chanting. These meters look like the structure that poetry used to be written in. There are seven primary Vedic chandas called gäyatri, triçöup, båhatee, pankti, uçëuk, anuçtup, and jagaté. Other meters developed later, but these seven are the original chandas in which the vedas are chanted. The Sun’s chariot is described as having one wheel representing the year and it is pulled by seven horses that represent the seven colors emanating from the Sun. These seven horses and colors also relate to the seven meters (sapta chandas), which pull the mantras of the Vedas to their goal.

Each verse of the Vedas is sung according to the proper chandas. Not only do the words and grammar have a meaning but the chandas adds yet another layer of meaning to the mantras. For example, the gäyatri chandas is twenty–four syllables in length and is composed of three lines (padas) of eight syllables (aksharas). These are considered the three steps made by Visnu in the Vamana (Jupiter) incarnation. Therefore the gäyatri chandas is used for bhagya (getting luck/blessings) in endeavors. The anuçtup chanda is four padas of eight aksharas (32 syllables total). It is one pada (line/foot) more into bhakti (devotion). Anuçtup is then a devotional meter. Triçöup has fourty-four syllables with the four padas being made up of eleven syllables each. This meter relates to the destructive storm god Rudra and is used in verses that carry this destructive/removing energy. Each mantra has eight levels of interpretation and the chandas adds a deeper meaning and interpretation to the mantras of the Vedas. More details are found in Yaksa’s Nirukta and Shaunaka’s Brhaddevata. Chanda serves a few other important functions.

Traditionally, information that is not written was easy to remember when it was in song or poetry. Since Vedic texts are meant to be committed to memory the meter helps to memorize large amounts of information otherwise impossible in prose form. Chandas also ensures that the mantra is preserved in its complete form, as any loss of information, even a syllable, will be noticed. The main reference text for meter is called the Chanda Sutra by Pingala. The Veda Purusha stands on chandas as the legs/feet. Chandas provides a foundation as well as locomotion. The correct chandas will ensure the mantra takes one to the mantra’s goal/result, the meter moves one to the intended purpose. In this way the correct meter is important for remedial measures that involve mantras or stotras as remedies.

Nirukta- lexicon, etymology (ear)

Jyotisa- astronomy-astrology (eye)

Kalpa- manual of rituals (hands/arms)

III. Four Upangas

Mimamsa

Nyaya

Puranas

[1] Burde, Jayante, Rituals, Mantras, and Science, p. 102
[2] Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi MahaSwamiji, HinduDharma: The Vedas, The Upanishads
[3] Karma kanda is also known as purvamimamsa, and Jnana kanda is also called uttaramimamsa.
[4] Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswathi MahaSwamiji, HinduDharma: Vyakarana, Linguistic Studies and Religion

Additional Resources

Lesson 1 by Gauranga Dasa Origins of Vedic Astrology