Civilization’s Potential With Vedic Culture
By Stephen Knapp
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 Agamasxe "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.
The Itihasas, or supplementary Vedic literature, helps explain the rituals of the Vedas and the highly compressed philosophy of the Vedanta-sutras by using historical events of the universe and factual stories of many great sages, demigods, the activities and teachings of the avataras of the Supreme Being, and so forth. These include the Ramayana, the activities of Lord Rama. Then there is the Mahabharata, considered the longest epic ever written about the activities of the Pandavas, Kauravas and Lord Krishna. The Bhagavad-gita is from chapters 25 to 42 of the Bishma-parva section of the Mahabharata. It is a classic of Indian literature and considered the essence of all Vedic knowledge. It is the indispensable Upanishad and the important handbook or guide for making our way through life and traveling the spiritual path to God realization.
The Puranas are the histories of the universe and contain many stories that took place on earth or even on other planets and dimensions, or in which superhuman powers are commonplace. Each Purana is supposed to contain five basic subjects, and in some cases ten. These include the creation of the world, its destruction and re-creation, the genealogy of the patriarchs and the demigods, the reigns of the Manus (who are the avataras in each duration of time known as a manvantara), and the history of the Solar and Lunar dynasties. Many of them also include descriptions of the activities of the incarnations of God, as well as the great sages and devotees of God. One thing that may seem somewhat confusing is that the stories are not in any particular chronological order and may be related at any time according to need. This is primarily due to the fact that the Puranas are generally related in a dialogue of questions and answers between sages and saints, or masters and disciples. Then the histories and stories are related in the answers. Other subjects included in various Puranas are geography, astrology, use of military weapons, organization of society, duties of different classes of men, characteristics of social leaders, predictions of the future, law of reincarnation and karma, analysis of the material elements, symptoms of consciousness, how the illusory energy works, the practice of yoga, meditation, spiritual experiences, realizations of the Absolute, etc.
There are eighteen major Puranas and another eighteen minor Puranas. But the Bhagavata Purana or Srimad-Bhagavatam is considered the final say and most ripened fruit of all Vedic knowledge, and Srila Vyasadeva’s own commentary on all of the Vedic knowledge he assembled and had written. It is the most widely read and one of the greatest works of devotion ever written. It is a book that goes to the core of understanding God and reveals the bliss of devotion or bhakti to the Supreme Being and how to engage in such bhakti, the depths of which make the other Vedic gods, such as Shiva, also hanker for it. This Purana describes how Vyasadeva came to write it and details the pastimes of the various avataras of God and His prominent devotees, but especially the pastimes of Lord Krishna. Other descriptions include the process of the universal creation and annihilation, the characteristics of the four ages or yugas, and much in the way of the teachings of Lord Krishna and Vedic knowledge.
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There is no library that lays the foundation of a culture like this anywhere else in the world. In fact, if we study the other traditions around the planet, we can recognize how far the influence of the Vedic wisdom has traveled, and how much various aspects of it were adopted around the world. All in all, the world has never seen anything like this in any other tradition, in which the ultimate truth is explained not only in so much detail, but with providing the process by which a person can actually attain a state of consciousness that opens them to the frequency wherein they realize and directly perceive this level of spiritual reality. (For a more complete look at the Vedic library and the contents of the many texts that it includes, you can see my book, “A Complete Review of the Vedic Literature.”)
MANTRAS
Within the Vedic texts are thousands of prayers or mantras that help us focus our mind on the higher realities through wisdom teachings or vibrational formulas. This leads to what is called mantra-yoga. To explain briefly, mantra-yoga is one of the oldest forms of yoga and is an easy system for enlightenment. It is recommended as the best means for focusing the mind on the Supreme in this age of Kali, so it is easily used in other forms of yoga and spiritual processes, such as in bhakti-yoga. The word mantra literally means to deliver the mind. The instrument used to accomplish this is the secret power of vibrations arranged in a particular formula, called a mantra. Different mantras have different purposes. Some bring happiness, some fulfill material desires, some are used in the worship of various Vedic divinities, some simply focus and steady the mind, some help raise the life energy up through the chakras, while others are incantations for casting spells and so on. But mantras used for spiritual enlightenment release vital energy, strengthen the mind, and prepare the consciousness for perceiving higher realms of existence.
Since it is especially difficult to void the mind of all sensual input in this day and age, and with so many distractions that invade our mind, the best way to concentrate on the higher vibrations and spiritual energy, making way for contact with God, is to fill the mind with the spiritual vibrations. This is the purpose and the advantage of mantra-yoga. By concentrating on the mantra, the mind associates with the energy within it and takes on the characteristics found within the sound vibration. The more powerful a mantra is, the more it can invoke the higher energies in the mind and consciousness. In this way, the mind can be purified by the spiritual vibrations within the mantra. One who chants a mantra generally repeats it a particular number of times each day while using a string of beads like a rosary. Mantra-yoga is a deep science and much more study can be given to it. It is especially useful in the practice of bhakti-yoga, and one of the most recommended mantras for this age is the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. (For more information about this, you can see my book, “The Power of the Maha-Mantra.”)
THE FREEDOM TO ASK QUESTIONS
Within most of the Vedic texts you will find that they are composed of questions and answers. This means that practically any question you may have, chances are it has already been asked somewhere, and the answer has already been given. You only need to find it. And if you cannot find it, this does not mean you cannot ask whatever you want, or that you do not have the freedom to inquire into any aspect of the Absolute Truth in which you may be curious in order to discuss it. In this way, there is a freedom that is seldom found in other religions or traditions.
THE UNIVERSAL SPIRITUAL PRINCIPLES
Herein the Vedic culture you also find the basic spiritual principles that are applicable to any time frame in which you live, in any space or place in the universe which you exist, and from whatever culture or background from which you may have come. These are beyond the basic moralistic principles that most religions establish, but these are the basis of who we are as individual spirit souls existing within temporary material bodies, parts and parcels of the Supreme Spirit, who are meant to exist in the spiritual realm, and how to realize and then act on that level. These principles are easily coordinated within any other spiritual path for the continued upliftment of everyone. In this way, you could say these principles are non-sectarian in their universal application, but they are meant to show the means of understanding and actually perceiving the higher and spiritual realms of reality.
AYURVEDA
There are many more specific tools of development and care that are provided in the Vedic culture. First, our health is one of the most important that affect our well-being and our ability to function materially and pursue our spiritual development. As it is said, without your health you have nothing. So, to move forward, one of the first concerns is our health, for which Sanatana-dharma provides what is called Ayurveda.
As explained by Pritichi Mathur in Vedic Culture: The Difference it can Make in Your Life, who is a third generation Ayurvedic practitioner: “So what is the meaning of the word exactly? Literally translated from Sanskrit it is composed of two words ‘Ayus’ which means life and ‘Veda’ which denotes knowledge. So, Ayurveda is the knowledge of healthy living and is confined not only to the treatment of diseases. Life is a vast and an all-encompassing phenomena, which includes death. On one end, life is a celebration of birth, growth, child bearing, youth and sexuality; on the other end, life also brings forth disease, decay, aging, and loss of vigor. Ayurveda is that ancient art and science that helps us understand this very ‘life’ with all its different shades and colors; understand how best we can undertake this journey; and how we transition through its different phases, example from teenage, to adulthood, to maturity, etc. Following the principles of Ayurveda brings about a profound understanding of the inner ability to have sound body, mind and spirit. From this point of view, Ayurveda is a compendium of life and not disease. This is a major agenda indeed for any system of medicine, but can it be any less--especially if true healing has to take place. Perhaps, this is exactly why Ayurveda manages to get to the root of the disease that distresses the mind or the emotion that ails the body.
“Ayurveda has twin objectives--maintaining the health of the healthy, and cure illnesses of the diseased. Ayurveda, which is not just a system of disease and its management, but literally a living dynamic philosophy and manual on the art of living, is well fitted to meet its objectives. On one hand Ayurveda offers treatments like Panchakarma or even surgery for the diseased; and on the other hand, Ayurveda offers preventative medicine for the healthy. These include elaborate details for following ideal daily and seasonal routines, specialized diets for optimizing health and immunity (Ojas), Rasayana Chikitsa (promotive therapy), Vajikarna Chikitsa (virility potency therapy), Swasthavritta (regimen to stay healthy furnishing details on topics such as exercise), Sadachar (social hygiene), etc.
“The exact origin of Ayurveda is lost in the mists of antiquity. Since Panini is placed at 7th century BC and Ayurveda depicts non-Paninian Sanskrit grammar, it is logical to place Ayurveda between 6th –10th Century BC. References to Ayurveda are found as early as the Rig Veda. The three Rig Vedic gods Indra, Agni and Soma relate to the three biological humors: Vata, Pitta and Kapha. References are made of organ transplants as in the case of the artificial limb of queen Vishpala, daughter of King Khela. The functions of physicians are also described in the Rig Veda.
“Rishi Sushruta, famous Ayurvedic Surgeon, also holds that Ayurveda is a supplement (upanga) of the Atharva Veda. While several other sources including the famous Hindu epic Mahabharata speak of Ayurveda as an upanga of Atharva Veda; several other schools of thought hold Ayurveda as a fifth Veda (Panchamveda). Perhaps Ayurveda grew from Atharva Veda first as a branch and then as a comprehensive vast system deserving it’s own status, or it developed parallel to the four Vedas as an independent knowledge (with close resembalance to the Atharva Veda).”
VASTU SHASTRA
Just as in Ayurveda, a part of it is to adjust how the energy properly flows through the body to keep our health in balance, Vastu also guides us to make sure that energy properly flows through our homes, residences, and the buildings in which we live and work so that everything functions properly and stays in balance.
As explained by Vastu practitioner Arun Naik in Vedic Culture: The Difference it can Make in Your Life: "The Vedic and the Agamic traditions of ancient India always held that the microcosm is a reflection of the macrocosm. A dwelling is an ecological unit, a microcosm which reflects the Cosmos, or the macrocosm. Văstu Shăstra is the applied aspect of this philosophy, a highly refined method of creating a living space which is a miniature replica of the cosmos as perceived by the Vedas. Văstu Shăstra is about emulating the attributes of the Cosmic Space, about bringing the divine sentinels of Cosmic Directions into our homes, about creating harmony by creating a living environment where the forces of nature are balanced and at peace with each other.
“There is a prayer in the Sama Veda:
“May there be peace in the sky, may there be peace in mid region, may there be peace on earth, may there be peace in the waters, may the medicinal plants be peaceful, may the forest be peaceful, may there be peace in gods, may Brahma be peaceful, may all the creation be peaceful, may there be peace and peace only, may such peace come to us.
“Văstu is about creating an Inner Space, the chidakash, where this divine peace can park itself. And it achieves it by creating a harmonious external environment--the bahyakash.
“At a more earthly level, Văstu Shăstra aims at establishing a dynamic balance between Form and Energy so that harmonious conditions are created for the inhabitants. Văstu buildings have harmonious energies and they promote stability, prosperity, happiness, and mental peace for the occupants and owners.
“Văstu contributes by creating a space which is in harmony with nature, which supports the positive growth of ideas, interpersonal relationships, flow, movement and action; a space where the Yoga of Works finds adequate expression. Văstu, therefore, is a school of architecture inspired by the divine spark in the hearts and minds of great sages for whom nothing was beyond the purview of divine thought, and with principles which are steeped deeply into spiritual principles of life itself.
“The principle of Vastu is that the Cosmic World with its order and stern discipline has been built by the gods who occupy all the spaces, from the celestial Space within the Cosmic World to the little spaces in our homes, and even our mental space, chidambaram. Man’s existence in the Cosmic World has a purpose: it must ascend to immortality; and the gods or devas, having occupied man’s inner Space, strive to create different states in man’s consciousness for his ascension from mortality and low nature to Truth and immortality. Văstu Shăstra helps the effort of the devas by creating an external space--a dwelling, a place to worship and meditate, or a place to work by applying the same laws which the devas have used to create the Cosmic World. This, indeed, is the ultimate function and the highest objective of Văstu Shăstra.”
JYOTISH
As explained by Chakrapani Ullal, a world-famous Jyotish practitioner: “We turn our attention now to the subject of a branch of the Vedas called Vedic astrology, which is called the ‘eye of the Vedas’. It has a cognizing influence of the truth of life and self-knowledge. It acts as a mirror to an individual without which one may not know how to approach life most effectively. It is also called the ‘Science of Time’. Time is the source power that rules the universe. All things originate through the procession of time. Hence, Vedic Astrology constitutes the science that maps the structure of time. Astrology is considered divine knowledge that is pure, supreme, secret, and exalted.
“Vedic astrology can be defined as the science of correlations of astronomical facts with terrestrial events, and demonstrates the Vedic understanding of the universal interconnectedness and interdependence of all phenomenon, that microcosm and macrocosm are but reflections of one another. Just as mathematics is the organizing principle of science when dealing with inanimate matter, so also astrology is the organizing principle which deals with life and its significance in relation to all living bodies. The planets are seen as reflectors or transmitters of light and solar energy. The solar and planetary rays, like radio waves, affect biological and psychological processes. The rays of influence are unseen vibrations that are not perceptible to the physical eye.
“Astrology gives insight and guidance to the fortunes and misfortunes of men, issues of empires and republics, floods and earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, plagues, pestilence and other incidents concerning terrestrial phenomena in relation to the regular movements of the planets.
“Over 10,000 years ago the ancient sages, in their super-conscious state, cognized that there is energy in planets, and that they send out different rays at different angles which bear influence on everything animate and inanimate on other planets. Through their sensitized intuition and repeated observations these highly evolved souls were able to find out the different characteristics inborn in the planets and also discovered that each rules a distinctive part of the human mind/body. It was also found that particular groups of stars known as constellations have different characteristics, and that they modulate the influence of the planets.”
In this way, analyzing the planetary arrangements we were born under, and by which we are influenced, a good Jyotish practitioner could easily detect what our best talents would be and how to best proceed through life for our ultimate success, both material and spiritual. Then we could also better perceive in what direction in life would give us the most benefit for ourselves and others, and how to prepare for the expected challenges.
ASTROLOGICAL GEMOLOGY
As explained by Howard Beckman, a Vedic gemologist: “Gem therapy has been used by many ancient cultures and especially the wearing of gemstones on the body had great significance for the Vedic culture, other than the purely cosmetic or ornamental value that gems are mostly used for today. The science of Ayurveda when combined with Vedic astrology gives a wealth of knowledge in the correct application of gemstones to amplify planetary rays, which can have a dynamic effect on one’s physical and emotional health, one’s ability to prosper materially, and the general well-being of individual persons here on earth.
“To promote healing within the body, cells, organs and glands that are overstressed must have their present vibrational frequency reduced. When too slow-moving, the vibrational frequency needs to be increased. The brain’s activity (which can be read with biofeedback equipment) will show the state of health via the brain waves’ vibrations. In severe anxiety-ridden states of mind. such as in ‘panic attacks,’ the brain’s frequency will be a high Beta statexe "Beta state" above 25 HZ, or cycles per second. Muscles will be stiff and the adrenal glands will be on overload. Often the eyes are seen as excessively dilated and shaking, or tremors may occur. To counteract this, the brain’s vibrational frequency must be reduced to an Alpha state, which is 8.5 HZ. The symptoms of stress and anxiety will then automatically dissipate as endorphins are released into the blood system. Daily meditation encourages such relaxation and also helps one to focus on the inner self, rather than our incessant mental reactions to the material stimuli all around us.
“There are five basic rhythms, or frequencies, of the brain. High Beta we have described as 25 HZ causing extreme anxiety and stress. Beta is the state of stimulation that is required for paying attention to our work, responsibilities, and daily affairs of life. This frequency vibrates at 14-30 HZ, or cycles per second. The Alpha state of brain wave vibration, which we mentioned is utilized in meditation, is between 7.8 and 14 HZ. The Theta state of brain activity, which can be seen in a hypnotic state, meditative trance, or in dreaming, vibrates between 3.2 to 7.8 HZ. The Delta state of brain vibration is that of deep sleep, where there is absolutely no awareness of the external environment. This rate is between 0.1 to 3.2 HZ.
“Inducing different vibratory rates to the brain is used to induce healing within the body. For great physical pain, the Delta state is used, or to avoid it, such as anesthesia when having major surgery on the body. The Theta or dreaming state can be induced to calm a person who is suffering from a trauma of one sort or another. The Alpha state allows one to regain equilibrium from great anxieties, and having a regular Beta brain wavelength is essential to have the capacity to make any headway or successes in this world.
“As gems have such vibratory qualities, we may utilize them to not only affect the brain, but also the higher vibrations in the physical body necessary for healthy functioning of all our internal and external organs. Dr. Young and Bruce Tainio of Cheny University in Washington have made the following statements from their research in this regard: ‘The average frequency of the human body during the daytime is between 62 and 68 cycles per second. If it drops below this rate the immune defense system will start to shut down. Cold symptoms appear at 58 cycles, flu at 57, candida at 55, glandular fever at 52, and cancer at 42 cycles per second.’
“Natural (meaning from the earth, which does not include synthetic, man-made material), untreated gemstones, which are repositories of cosmic colors, can restore the pranic energy to the cells of the body, so that its natural vibratory rate and normal health may be regained when it is in a diseased condition. Blue sapphire can tranquilize or have a sedative effect. Emerald can be used as an analgesic. Yellow sapphire has antiseptic properties, and diamond’s ability to stimulate cell growth are just a few examples of how gems can affect the healing process in the body.”
In this way, with the use of Jyotish, a Vedic gemologist can determine what stones would be best to help a person in line with their astrological chart.
VARNASHRAMA
The Varnashrama system is a legitimate Vedic system to help organize society and distinguish our part in the social framework of society.
The problem is that varnashrama is often confused with or labeled as the caste system. The caste system, as we know it today, is that one’s family heritage dictates one’s career, which is nothing that is found in the Vedic system. It is misleading and oppressive. Therefore, the modern caste system should simply be thrown out into the garbage can to disappear forever. Once we do that, we can learn what the real varnashrama system is.
However, we can see the roots of the varnashrama system today. Even while growing up in high school, there were councilors that would interview me to find out what my interests and talents and level of intellectual ability may be in order to recommend a curriculum to prepare for college to learn what would be best for a particular career after graduation. The varnasharama system was done in the same way in which the teachers would perceive the best talents and proclivities of their students to recommend the studies necessary for their career. The career should be what is natural in their abilities and intellectual capability, and to also be a contribution to society that would be appreciated. But isn’t this the basis of enthusiasm, that you like what you are doing, you have some feeling for it, and it is also appreciated by others? This is really what the varnashrama system was meant to do.
It does not dictate that because your father was a doctor, you must also be a doctor. If you do not have the inclination to be a doctor and you are forced to study and do it anyway, chances are you will be a lousy doctor, and not good for your patients. Therefore, the varnashrama system was very flexible and individualistic. In this way, it helped organize society so everyone was happy in their profession and played an essential part in the cooperative function of society.
The original Vedic system called varnashrama was legitimate and virtuous. Varnashrama is the Vedic system that divides society into four natural groups depending on individual characteristics and dispositions. It was meant for the progressive organization of society. Everyone has certain tendencies by their own natural inclinations and choices. These inclinations are also seen in one’s occupational preferences, what a person is naturally attracted towards or prefers to do. So, there is nothing unusual or forceful about it. These activities are divided into four basic divisions called varnas. Varna literally means color, relating to the color or disposition of one’s consciousness, and, thus, one’s likelihood of preferring or showing various tendencies for a particular set of occupations. This would not be determined simply by one’s birth, but by one’s proclivities, interests and talents as observed by the teachers in the school that the student was attending. This means that it would be determined by one’s guna (the mode of nature one is most closely associated) and karma (past impressions that influence a person in this life). So, we need to clear up right now that varna does not refer to skin color, although some people think so, which is a wrong interpretation of the word.
The four basic divisions in society included the Brahmanas (priests and intellectuals, those who practiced and preserved the Vedic rituals and processes of spiritual realization); the Kshatriyas (warriors, military, government administrators); Vaishyas (the merchants, bankers, farmers, etc.); and the Shudras (common laborers, musicians, dancers, craftsmen, technicians, etc.).
The four main xe "Ashramas"ashramas divided society for spiritual reasons. These were Brahmacharya (students), Grihasthas (householders), Vanaprasthas (the retired stage, at which time a person begins to give up materialistic pursuits and focus on spiritual goals), and Sannyasa (those who were renounced from all materialistic affairs, and completely dedicated to spiritual activities, which is usually attained toward the end of their lives). The first two ashramas, which are the Brahmacarya and Grihastha ashramas, pertain to Pravritti Marga, or the path of action or work. The latter two ashramas, Vanaprastha and Sannyasa, pertain to Mivritti Marga, or the path of renunciation or withdrawal from the world. This provided a general pattern for one’s life in which people could work out their desires and develop spiritually at the same time.
In this way, the real purpose of the system of varnashrama was not to label or restrict someone, or classify a person merely based on one’s birth or family. It was actually part of the means for self-discovery and development. It was to assist a person to find their place in life where he or she would be most comfortable in terms of functionality and occupation. It was to allow the means for everyone to work according to their own nature, which helps bring happiness to the individual and society. Thus, a person could study what was most suited for him or her, rather than pursue a type of work that was not really in line with that person’s character or consciousness, and in which he would soon be dissatisfied. So, this would help guide one to more efficiently complete one’s life and reach fulfillment. Therefore, the varnashrama system is based on the natural divisions within society and is not meant to establish forced distinctions or restrictions.
The earliest reference to the varnas or social divisions is found in the Purusha Sukta verses of the Rig-veda (Book Ten, Hymn 90). There are those who refer to these verses as justification for the modern caste system. But let us take a closer look at them.
In these verses, it is described that the great sages worship the Purusha, or the Supreme Soul, Lord of immortality, and from whom the universe is created. In worshiping the Purusha, whose form is completely spiritual and transcendental, the sages can see how all other aspects of the creation are also manifest. Within Him are all other deities and demigods and rishis. From this ritual, all other Richas and Sama hymns are born from the Purusha, and from Him come all other creatures, and animals, and so on. Then this hymn explains that from the Purusha’s mouth, arms, thighs, and feet come the human beings. The Brahmana was His mouth, the Rajas or Kshatriyas were both of His arms, His thighs became the Vaishyas, and from His feet the Shudras were produced.
The point is that every living being is considered a part of the Lord’s body. As verse three of the Purusha Sukta explains, all creatures are one-fourth of Him. In other words, they all have a place in the Lord’s form, they all belong, and they all have a duty to perform, and should be respected as such. It means that they all have a purpose, and that all parts of the body must work together. In the same way, the social body of society must all work together in order for it to function properly and harmoniously. Being parts of the spiritual body of the Purusha, all living beings are also ultimately completely spiritual in essence. That essence is what we must understand, for that essence is of the same essential spiritual quality as the Lord. That is what connects us all together and with God.
This image in the Rig Veda was to present the understanding that in order for the whole universal form of the Lord to function properly, each aspect is just as important as the other. Without one part of society, then the whole form does not function properly. One part without the other becomes incomplete, even dysfunctional. Therefore, each part and each person, regardless of their career, deserves to be treated with due respect. That is the real purpose of the varna and ashrama system of Vedic culture. (For a deeper and more complete understanding of the real purpose of this system, you can read my book on “Casteism in India: Is It the Scourge of Hinduism or the Perversion of a Legitimate Vedic System Known as Varnashrama.”)
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JNANA
Jnana (pronounced like gyana) or jnana-yoga is another contribution of Vedic culture and is the path to enlightenment through the process of mental speculation and the study and acquirement of empirical knowledge. On a deeper level, jnana is the process of discriminating between truth and non-truth, or reality and non-reality, maya, and understanding what is the Divine. This is the knowledge of the soul and God, and the relationship between them. Therefore, the acquirement of jnana or spiritual knowledge is one of the first steps in spiritual development.
The aspirant of jnana-yoga engages in long hours of study and discussion in the attempt to understand the highest truth. One following this path must also accept the authority of the great sages and study in their association. Without proper guidance along this path, one can easily become confused about what is actually the Absolute Truth. By merely involving the cognitive intellect, which is the main activity of the jnana-yogi, one simply remains on the mental or intellectual platform. Therefore, it can be very difficult for the jnana-yogi to rise above material existence and enter the spiritual realm. The reason for this is that knowledge alone does not purify the consciousness, although it can help one understand the proper path to take. One should not forever remain a seeker of truth, but should reach a stage of following the path that will give one realization of what the Absolute Truth is and enable him or her to reach the spiritual strata. This is the level of when jnana becomes vijnana or practical and realized knowledge. The spiritual strata should not always be a mystery to solve or a quest to reach, but through the proper perceptions it should become a reality to experience. Vijnana is this realized knowledge.
The preliminary levels of jnana may be acquired from books, but it is generally accepted that a person must receive the deeper avenues of this knowledge from a genuine jnani, a realized teacher. When a student has attained the means of accessing this knowledge, he must continuously absorb his mind in the concepts that are presented until his mind and consciousness completely adopts it.
After following this path perfectly, the mind is expected to become purified to the point wherein it can perceive the soul, which is beyond all mayic or illusory forms of experience, and thus beyond all external limitations. This level of perception is the stage of pure goodness or the pure sattvic level. Such a perception of the soul is when the jnani is said to have attained the stage of Self-realization. This level of enlightenment is as far as this process can take one. Though it is a major accomplishment, it still has not taken one all the way to God or to understanding one’s relationship with God. Knowledge and the perception of the soul removes the attachments of materialism and ignorance from the mind, however this is in preparation for what must come next to continue the process, if a practitioner gets this far. So, although he may be considered Self-realized in his perception of the soul, he is not yet thoroughly liberated from material existence, which means this path is not complete in itself. There is another level of yoga which must be added to it. Therefore, jnana-yoga is often combined with other forms of yoga, such as raja-yoga or bhakti-yoga.
YOGA
From this stage of jnana, or jnana-yoga, many practitioners add or continue with xe "Yoga" yoga, if they have not already started it. This type of yoga may be in the forms of astanga-yoga, raja-yoga, kriya-yoga, or something of this sort. Yoga is the process to calm the mind and, ultimately, to become free of all sensual input and dictates from the mind. In that state lays the doorway to the spiritual dimension, higher ideals, inspiration, and lofty states of being. In other words, it is the process of obtaining a perfectly thoughtless level of awareness in the state of pure sattva-guna, or mode of goodness, in which one can enter nirvikalpa samadhi--the thought-free form of meditation. In this state, the door opens to allow our consciousness to enter or at least have glimpses into the spiritual energy and the perception of our real identity.
In this way, it is said that jnana is the theory or knowledge while yoga is the practice. By performing this perfectly, one can enter what is called kaivalya, the understanding of the Brahman, the impersonal form of God. The ancient Vedic texts, such as the Yoga Darshana, the Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad-gita, and others, mention that in order to be successful in this path, it normally takes years of continued practice without falling down from the proper standard, along with following all the rules correctly, such as the yamas and niyamas, which are the essential regulations of things to do and not to do. Only then can one gradually reach the kaivalya position, the perception of becoming one with the Brahman, which is the final stage of advaita or the impersonalist form of yoga. So, the difficulty to reach the highest stage of this path in this age should be obvious, which also makes it suitable only for the most serious, yet anyone can gain preliminary insights from the practice of it.
HATHA-YOGA
There are thousands of people who practice hatha-yoga, some say more in California than in all of India. However, hatha-yoga is not a separate system of yoga as many people seem to think, but was developed as one of the eight steps of astanga or raja-yoga. It is described in such early texts as the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Gheranda Samhita and the Shiva Samhita. Lord Shiva is said to be the originator of the system found in the Hatha Yoga Pradipika. This is highly regarded by the Nath tradition founded by Gorakshnath and his teacher Matyendranath, who was accepted to be a disciple of Lord Shiva.
In any case, hatha-yoga is one of the most popular forms of yoga, which can be done by anybody, regardless of how serious he or she may be about attaining higher levels of spiritual development. Although it is a part of a spiritual process, when taken as an isolated exercise technique, it can be completely secular as well. It can be used strictly for physical and mental development, if that is all one wishes to do with it. It involves maneuvering the body through different asanas or exercises, along with breathing techniques for controlling the life airs within the body. This is the prana, the universal energy that comes through the body. Prana is divided into certain bodily airs that function in different ways. Prana is the incoming and outgoing breath; apana, is the air which expels bodily waste; vyana assists in the power of physical movement; samana distributes nutrition through the body; and udana is the air in the sushumna channel. Hatha-yoga is basically for helping keep the body in shape and free from disease, the mind peaceful and steady for spiritual pursuits, and the inner energy balanced and flowing. In the process of astanga-yoga, it was meant to help prepare the body so a person could sit without difficulty for long periods of meditation. However, hatha-yoga alone is very useful in whatever spiritual process we pursue because if our body is too diseased, and if our mind is too restless and unsteady, they become a hindrance in our quest for spiritual awareness or perfection. Thus, with the practice of hatha-yoga, the body and mind become healthier and our spiritual practice can continue with fewer impediments or distractions. Thus, it is beneficial regardless of what is one’s spiritual discipline or even when there is no spiritual interest at all.
KARMA-YOGA
Karma-yoga is another system from ancient India that many westerners often talk about. This is for attaining perfection through right action, which is something that this world could use more of. This sort of action is based on religious texts for one’s purification and future happiness, such as entering heaven after death. These activities may include ritualistic worship of the demigods, as well as a variety of other things, such as avoiding the causing of any harm to all other living beings, and doing activities for the good of others who may be less fortunate, or digging public water wells as in ancient times, or doing other humanitarian work. The main interest of practicing karma-yoga is for oneself and in achieving good future results rather than transcendence. In other words, this path is for one who is still attached to materialistic fruitive activities. A karma-yogi works for the benefit of others including oneself for acquiring good karma so that he can get a better future, such as a birth in heaven or a higher status. But in the more elevated forms of karma-yoga, the results of whatever a person does are meant to be offered to God as regulated by the rules in the Vedic literature. When one gives the fruits of his work to God, the work becomes yoga or linked to the Supreme, which makes such actions free of all karma. Without dovetailing one’s work for God in this way, all activities that are performed for one’s own interest or development simply cause one to accumulate more karma, not to be free of it. So, karma-yoga is meant to be a means to work in the world but in a way that can rid oneself of all karma and establish a strong connection with God. Then work becomes yoga. By giving the results to God, one becomes freed from the reactions of such work and also begins to make advancement on the path of yoga. Thus, as a person becomes free from all karma, he becomes free from taking any more births in the material world. So, karma-yoga is considered to be the transitional stage between material and spiritual life. Nonetheless, one’s karma (as I have explained in my book The Secret Teachings of the Vedas) should be a concern for everyone.
BHAKTI-YOGA
Bhakti-yoga, another gift from ancient India, is the process of simply developing devotional service to the Lord. It is highly recommended in the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam as the ultimate end of understanding Vedanta. Bhakti or devotion is found to some degree in all religions that are based on devotion. But bhakti-yoga takes this to a level far deeper.
Bhakti is the unifying principle of all yoga systems, but in such texts as the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam it is the prime avenue for developing one’s loving relationship with the Lord. This is what especially paves the way for freeing oneself from the attractions and attachments to the temporary material world, and, thus, provides the means for genuine liberation from the repeated cycle of birth and death in this cosmic manifestation.
Bhakti-yoga also contains jnana-yoga for its study of the Vedic scriptures, and karma-yoga by its dedication to works of devotion to God, and with mantra-yoga by its use of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. It is a system that is highly recommended for this age of Kali-yuga and is generally practiced by the followers of Vedanta called Vaishnavas, or worshipers of Vishnu or Krishna. It is by far the easiest of all the yoga processes and has fewer requirements for the practitioners than any other process. Bhakti is the yoga that begins, continues, and ends with love and devotion to the Supreme. There is no stronger binding mechanism than love, and spiritual love is the natural sentiment that emanates from God and connects the living beings to God. Thus, it is said that attaining this sentiment of devotion to God holds the sum and substance of all other yoga processes and religions.
This path is so powerful that even married people may practice it successfully, while in other systems of yoga it is expected that one should be celibate. There are no extreme austerities to undergo; yet, the results are sublime. It is a scientific method of expanding one’s consciousness to perceptions of unlimited joy and inner peace. Bhakti-yoga brings complete fulfillment to those who seriously practice it, and gives realizations and a perception of one’s real identity as a spiritual being, and what one’s relationship is with the Absolute. It also can be practiced anywhere at any time.
In bhakti-yoga there is not much concern about the chakras and the practice for raising the life energy up the Sushumna nadi or freeing oneself of the subtle body, as we find in some yoga processes. The reason for this is explained in Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.25.33), which states that bhakti, devotional service, dissolves the subtle body of the living entity without separate effort, just as fire in the stomach digests all that we eat. In other words, being fixed in devotional service, which itself is a direct way of engaging in eternal spiritual activities, the yogi burns up the five coverings of the gross and subtle body, which includes the mind, as he or she becomes more and more spiritualized. Thus, there is no need to struggle in the separate endeavor of trying to open the various chakras within the subtle body or becoming free of it if the subtle body is automatically dissolved.
In this way, the bhakti-yogi naturally becomes free from ignorance, attachment to the body, false egotism, and material consciousness, and can rapidly reach the spiritual platform. In the deeper levels of bhakti-yoga, when the subtle body begins to dissolve, there is a decreasing amount of interference from the mind until there is unity between the spiritual dimension, in which the soul exists, and the loving devotional service to God that is performed by the body and consciousness. Thus, the physical and subtle bodies become spiritually surcharged as a vessel in which the soul serves God. Therein, whatever anarthas or faults and unnecessary attractions and distractions we have, or samskaras such as mental impressions or memories of both pleasant times and heartache that we may have experienced from previous relationships, all become dissolved by the overbearing ecstasy of our reawakened loving relationship with Krishna. It is like a slate wiped clean from all previous markings. In this way, a person becomes absorbed in pure consciousness and, thus, is said to become a pure devotee. This is confirmed in Bhagavad-gita (14.26) where it states that one who engages in full devotional service and does not fall down transcends the material modes and reaches the spiritual strata, the eternal abode.
So, this process merely uncovers and releases the true loving potential of the soul. This inherent potential for full and unconditional love lies deep within all of us and is our ultimate motivation for all that we do. Motivated by our need to love and be loved, when that need is interpreted through the body it becomes perverted and mistaken for the need of bodily affection or sensual desire, which is lust. When freed from this bodily and mental influence, the true needs of the soul stand revealed. This is an impetus for spiritual love, beyond all bodily desires, a pure love for God and all that is His.
While the yogis of other processes are struggling hard to control artificially their mind and senses, the senses of the bhakti-yogi are automatically controlled and purified by engagement in devotional service. When the mind and consciousness are attracted to the Supreme Being through the attraction of love and service, it becomes easy to remain in such concentration without any other regulations, austerities, or mechanical processes.
Therefore, those yogis or mystics who engage in devotional yoga are considered first-class because, while living in this material universe, they engage in the same devotional activities that are going on within the Vaikuntha planets in the spiritual sky. Thus, they have already attained their natural transcendental position which is the perfection of human life.
CONCLUSION
The uniqueness of the Vedic system is that it expects that everyone should have their own realizations of the Absolute Truth. It is not enough merely to have blind faith in a dogma or whatever is propounded by a religion without the means to have one’s own perception of the Highest Truth. To keep one bound by Faith alone without the means for furthering one’s spiritual development is to keep people stifled, limited, undeveloped, or more easily controlled. This is the difference between the Vedic culture and most others. This is what propels society into higher levels of consciousness, which determines the real potential of any civilization.
So, with this brief introduction to some of the main gifts to humanity that are offered in Vedic culture, Sanatana-dharma, not to mention many other types of yoga and philosophical outlooks found within the Vedic system, we can see that there is something for everyone. And this is regardless of a person’s area of interest, type of consciousness, mental makeup, or what level of the Absolute Truth or aspects of the Supreme Being a person wants to realize. With any one of these tools, a person is still considered part of the Vedic process or a follower of Sanatana-dharma. Furthermore, this also has nothing to do with the background, ethnicity, race, or country in which one lives. These are based on the universal truths that are applicable to anyone. The Vedic system respects that. Thus, this is practically non-denominational. Anyone can pick up whatever part of this path that fits one the best and move forward to become as progressed as he or she can be and use them to reach their higher potential, both individually and as a society. This is the unique nature of the Vedic culture and knowledge it provides.
[From www.stephen-knapp.com]