E5 - Meditative Drawing and Spiritual Discourse - Bhaarath's glorious Vedhic heritage - 18.10.1993

There is no greater eye than knowledge. There is no greater penance than Truth. There is no worse misery than greed. There is no greater happiness than sacrifice. KNOWLEDGE is the real eye. Truth is real penance. Penance does not consist in forsaking food and drink and roaming in a forest, Seeking the eternal Truth is real penance. Desire is the main cause of grief. Desire will go on multiplying. As and when one is fulfilled, it gives rise to another and this goes on endlessly. True Bliss consists in controlling desires. Sacrifice gives the greatest and lasting happiness. That is why the Vedhas have declared that it is not by work, progeny or wealth, but by sacrifice alone, one can get immortality. Sacrifice is the life-force of a human being. The Vedha teaches Thyaaga, Yoga and Bhoga (sacrifice, spiritual practice and material pleasure). The word Vedha itself has many meanings. It means intelligence, knowledge, awareness, etc. To lead a meaningful life man has to follow certain. Niyamas (regulations of discipline). It is also necessary to know one's own Inner Reality. Mere intelligence and acquisition of knowledge are not enough. Knowledge should foster wisdom leading to awareness. This is what the Vedha teaches. The word Jnaana, which is translated as wisdom, contains two syllables! Jna and na. That which is not true at all times--past present and future---cannot be termed Jnaana. Adhvaitha Dharshanam (Awareness of oneness) is the real Jnaana. The Truth is one, it is infinite and it is Brahmam. "Sathyam, Jnaanam, Anantham, Brahma," is the Upanishathik declaration. Vedhas confer security on humanity The Vedha should not be treated as mere Manthra. It helps to realise full knowledge and wisdom. The sages in ancient times had the inner vision and experience of the Divine and they gave expression to this revelation through the Vedhas. They are applicable to entire humanity for all times. They confer security on humanity and show the way to happiness and peace. The goal of human life is to sacrifice desires and realise the Divine. Since the Vedhas are Anantham (infinitely vast), it is difficult to master them within the short life-span of human life. That is why Vedha Vyaasa divided them into four sections. He compiled the Riks into one part and called them Rik Samhitha. He put all the Yajus together and named the collection as Yajus Samhitha. All the Saama hymns were presented in the Saama Samhitha. Other manthras were complied in a fourth section termed Atharvana Samhitha. The Yajus Samhitha was further divided into Shukla Yajur and Krishna Yajur Vedha, bringing the actual number of Vedha samhithas to five. The division of Vedha Samhithas Each Samhitha was further divided into three parts, namely, Brahmana, Aaranyaka and Upanishath. The first part is full of manthras for rituals, and for doing acts of charity and other sastraic rites. Manthra has Life-Force in it and, when properly interpreted, every manthra is related to Divinity.