Talk:What do the Vedas Teach Us

By Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swami

The Vedas speak of a great variety of subjects. Therefore, one may ask how it can be maintained that their highest teaching is the realization of the Self as expounded in the Upaniṣad-s constituting the Vedānta. They also describe numerous sacrifices such as Agnihotra, Somayāga, Sattra, and Iṣṭi, besides many other rituals. Why should it not be said that these constitute the principal purpose of the Vedas?

What rites are to be performed at a marriage? What rites are prescribed at a funeral? How should a kingdom—or any country—be governed? How ought one to conduct oneself in an assembly? The Vedas provide answers to all these questions. Which, then, is their principal objective?

The Vedas teach the performance of sacrifices, methods of worship, and various forms of meditation. They also explain how the body is animated by the Self, what happens to it at death, and how the Self again assumes another body. We also learn from them methods for preserving health and rites intended to protect us from enemies. What, then, is the goal of the Vedas?

The Upaniṣad-s proclaim that all the Vedas together point to a single Truth (Kaṭhopaniṣad 2.15). What is that Truth?

"The Vedas speak in one voice of the Supreme Reality revealed as the meaning of Oṃkāra."

There was a judge named Sadāśiva Ayyar. He had a brother, Paramasiva Ayyar, who lived in Mysore. Paramasiva Ayyar wrote, "The Vedas deal with geology."

Some Western scholars remark, "In those early times, people in India looked upon the sun and the moon with wonder. It was an age when science had not advanced very far. People interpreted natural phenomena according to their own mental attitudes. Not everyone is capable of expressing thoughts through poetry, but some possess that gift. The songs composed by such people in the form of mantras constitute the Vedas."

Although the Upaniṣad-s declare that the Vedas speak of the One Reality, there nevertheless remains the impression that they deal with a multiplicity of entities. In this context, there is a well-known verse concerning the Rāmāyaṇa:

Vedavedye pare puṃsi jāte Daśarathātmaje

Vedaḥ Prācetasād āsīt sākṣād Rāmāyaṇātmanā.

Vedavedye means "He who is to be known through the Vedas." Who is He? Pare puṃsi—the Supreme Being. When that Supreme Being descended to earth as Śrī Rāma, the son of Daśaratha, the Vedas themselves assumed the form of Vālmīki's Rāmāyaṇa.

According to this verse, the goal of the Vedas is the Supreme Being, the Reality signified by Oṃkāra. Just as the Kaṭhopaniṣad speaks of sarve vedāḥ, Bhagavān declares in the Bhagavad Gītā:

Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ.

"I alone am to be known through all the Vedas."

Considering all this, we realize that although the Vedas discuss many subjects, all of them ultimately point toward one goal—the One Reality. But then another question arises. If their purpose is only the One Reality, why do they concern themselves with so many other subjects?

It is through these many subjects that we come to know the One Reality. Yoga, meditation, austerity, sacrifices, religious observances, marriage, affairs of the state, social life, and poetry—all of them ultimately point toward the same goal. That goal is the One Reality, and that is also the goal of the Vedas.

Everything other than this Reality is subject to change. All such things resemble stories that are remembered for some time and later forgotten. Owing to our ignorance, we fail to perceive the One Reality underlying the manifold world. The Vedas therefore lead us to the One Reality through the many objects with which we are already familiar.

To attain this One Reality, the mind must first be disciplined in many different ways. Performing sacrifices, practising austerities, faithfully carrying out the duties of one's own dharm, building gopuram-s, excavating ponds for public use, engaging in social service, and performing saṃskāra-s such as marriage—all these serve to purify the consciousness and ultimately to still the constantly agitated mind (citta-vṛtti-nirodha). The purpose of these various actions is to assist us in realizing Brahman.

The word Veda, derived from the root vid ("to know"), signifies knowledge. The Upaniṣad-s proclaim:

"The Ātmā is that by knowing which everything else becomes known."

The goal of the Vedas is therefore to reveal this Ātmā. Both the rituals prescribed in their earlier portion and the jñāna expounded in their concluding portion share the same purpose—the realization of Īśvara, Brahman, or the Ātmā. The beginning and the end of the Vedas thus have one and the same ultimate aim.

During the Mantrapuṣpa recitation performed while welcoming an honoured guest, the following mantra is chanted:

Yo Vedādau svaraḥ prokto Vedānte ca pratiṣṭhitaḥ.

These words affirm the same truth. The mantra means:

"That which is established both at the beginning of the Vedas and at their conclusion is the One Reality, Īśvara."

The ritual actions associated with the beginning of the Vedas and the jñāna associated with their conclusion therefore share the same goal. There is no difference between the purpose of the two.

For the rituals that are divided into countless forms and for the jñāna that is one, the subject is common. Thus, the Vedas have a single underlying theme.

The senses are incapable of perceiving the Self. They are aware only of external objects and continually pursue them. This is stated in the Kaṭhopaniṣad (2.1.1).

In Tamil, when one's attention is diverted from the matter at hand, we say parakku pārppadu. Our true object is the Self. To turn away from it and look elsewhere—to become paramukha—is the same as parakku pārppadu. This is the idea expressed in the Kaṭhopaniṣad.

But the mind does not easily remain fixed on its true goal. Therefore, it is only through the performance of outward duties that we acquire the wisdom and maturity necessary to turn our vision inward. We develop such inner vision only by refusing to be dragged about by the mind and the senses, and it is for this purpose that the Vedas prescribe ritual action.

After learning about the many subjects of life through inquiry and reflection, we become capable of realizing that by knowing which everything else becomes known. This is why the Vedas deal with so many branches of knowledge, so many forms of worship, so many different rites, numerous arts, and many social duties.

By engaging the body in sacred rites, we gradually cease to identify ourselves with the body. By directing the mind toward various branches of learning, examining different philosophical systems, and worshipping various Devatā-s, the mind and the intellect are eventually transcended.

We become more deeply entangled when engaged in evil actions. Dwelling continually upon evil coarsens the mind. But if we perform Vedic sacraments, worship Bhagavān, and chant Vedic mantras for the welfare of the world, the desires of the body and the mind gradually lose their hold over us. Eventually, we acquire the maturity and wisdom necessary to attain inward vision. In this manner, liberation may be attained here itself (ihaiva). Liberation from what? From saṃsāra, the cycle of birth and death. When we realize, as taught in the Upaniṣad-s, that the body and the mind are not our true identity, we become liberated from worldly existence.

The purpose of the Vedas is the attainment of liberation in this very life. This is their unique glory. Other religious traditions often promise salvation after death in another world. Such a state cannot ordinarily be verified, for those who attain it do not return to describe it. Therefore, doubts may naturally arise regarding it. The Vedas, however, hold out the ideal of liberation here itself through the renunciation of desires and constant meditation upon the Self. Mokṣa then becomes immediately attainable. In this there is no room for doubt.

Other paths may provide temporary relief, like quinine administered to a patient suffering from malaria. But if one wishes never to contract the disease again, its root cause must be discovered and eradicated. Similarly, the Vedic path goes to the very root of human existence and removes that which separates the individual from the Supreme Being. The freedom realized in this manner is eternal and not merely a temporary relief from the sorrows of worldly life.

The Karmakāṇḍa of the Vedas deals with actions that provide such temporary relief. Nevertheless, one must recognize that a person burdened by worldly difficulties cannot immediately be established in uninterrupted delight in the Self. Through the temporary purification gained by performing Vedic rites, the consciousness becomes cleansed of impurities, thereby qualifying the individual for lasting peace. Sacrifices, vows, charitable works, and similar observances do not themselves constitute the final goal, but they are indispensable for disciplining the body, purifying the mind, and making it one-pointed in preparation for the realization of the highest Truth.

The Vedas discuss a great variety of subjects in detail, yet all of them ultimately lead to the Vedāntic inquiry into Truth and jñāna. Ordinarily, the conclusion of a speech, article, or book is regarded as the most important part. If we wish to know the essential message of an article, we usually glance at its opening paragraph and then proceed to its conclusion. From these two parts we are generally able to understand its central theme.

Likewise, both the beginning and the conclusion of the Vedas speak of the Paramātmā. Therefore, the Paramātmā may rightly be regarded as the principal subject of the Vedas.

Governments enact many laws. Later, doubts may arise concerning their intended meaning, whereupon interpretive legislation is framed to clarify them. In a similar manner, Mīmāṃsā arose as the science for interpreting the Vedas, which constitute the eternal law of Īśvara. I shall discuss Mīmāṃsā, one of the fourteen branches of Vedic learning, in greater detail later. For the present, I wish only to mention one important principle.

According to Mīmāṃsā Śāstra, there are six methods for determining the intended meaning (tātparya) of a Vedic statement:

Upakrama-upasaṃhārau abhyāso apūrvatā phalam

Arthavāda upapatti liṅgaṃ tātparya-nirṇaye.

Upakrama (the beginning) and upasaṃhāra (the conclusion) together constitute the first method. The remaining five are abhyāsa (repetition), apūrvatā (novelty), phala (result), arthavāda (commendatory statement), and upapatti (reasoning). These principles are employed not only in interpreting the Vedas but also in understanding any discourse or literary work.

Upakrama denotes the opening portion of a work, while upasaṃhāra refers to its conclusion. If both the beginning and the end emphasize the same idea, that idea should be regarded as the principal subject.

Abhyāsa means repetition. If the same teaching recurs throughout a work, it indicates the author's principal intention.

Apūrvatā denotes a teaching that is introduced for the first time. A new doctrine or idea specially presented in a work should therefore be regarded as its distinctive message.

Phala means fruit or result. If a work states that a particular action leads to a specific benefit, its purpose is to encourage that action by describing its fruit.

Suppose several topics are discussed in a work, but one of them receives special praise through a story or illustration. That topic should be understood as the central intention. This method is known as arthavāda.

If a particular conclusion is established through logical reasoning, that conclusion represents the principal teaching. This method is called upapatti.

A gentleman once explained his understanding of the Vedas based upon their opening and concluding hymns:

"The principal teaching of the Vedas is the worship of Agni. The opening begins with Agnim īḷe, and the conclusion also contains a hymn to Agni. Since both the beginning and the end speak of Agni, the essential message of the Vedas must be fire worship."

Agni, however, is the light of the Ātmā, the light of jñāna. The light of jñāna is none other than the Self, which is simultaneously the knower, the known, and knowledge itself. This is the true message of the Vedas.

To interpret these hymns literally and conclude that the Vedas advocate only fire worship would therefore be incorrect. The greatness of the Vedas lies precisely in the fact that they do not glorify one deity alone. Rather, they proclaim that the Ātmā, which is the essence of all Devatā-s, is the true object of worship. As the Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad (4.5.6) declares:

"Verily, O Maitreyī, it is the Self that should be perceived, heard, reflected upon, and meditated upon. By knowing the Self, everything becomes known."

This truth, taught by Yājñavalkya to Maitreyī, is the goal of the Vedas.

What is implied by the word "goal"? We begin at one point and proceed toward another point that represents the destination. This is the ordinary meaning of the word. Ataḥ refers to that which is distant, whereas itaḥ refers to where we presently stand. From "here" we journey "there."

But in reality, is not "that" already "here"? Indeed, when we realize that everything is Brahman, we discover that "that" and "this" are one and the same. What we previously regarded as "this" is recognized as the very Reality denoted by "that."

The Vedas therefore refer to the Paramātmā as Tat ("That"). At the conclusion of many rites, it is customary to utter:

Oṃ Tat Sat.

This means: "That is the Truth."

We often add the suffix -tvam to nouns, producing words such as mahattvam ("greatness") and puruṣatvam ("manhood" or "the nature of a person"). Similarly, tattvam means the state or nature of Tat—the essential nature of Brahman. Thus, inquiry into tattva means inquiry into the nature of Brahman.

If the Vedas describe the Paramātmā as "That," seemingly distant from us, how does that help us? In reality, what appears distant is also nearest. The Vedas proclaim:

Durāt dūre antike ca.

Once, the parents of a young girl arranged her marriage to a suitable relative. But she insisted, "I shall marry the greatest man in the world."

Unable to persuade her otherwise, her parents finally replied, "Do as you wish."

The girl concluded that the king must be the greatest of all men and resolved to marry him. One day she saw the king travelling in a palanquin. Suddenly, an ascetic passed by, whereupon the king descended from his palanquin and prostrated before the ascetic before continuing on his journey.

Seeing this, the girl thought, "I have been mistaken. The ascetic is greater than the king. I shall marry him instead."

She followed the ascetic. After some distance, he stopped before an image of Gaṇapati installed beneath a peepal tree and worshipped it. The girl then concluded, "Gaṇapati must be greater than the ascetic."

She abandoned the ascetic and sat beside the image. After some days, a dog approached and relieved itself upon the image. The girl now thought, "The dog must be greater than Gaṇapati."

She began following the dog. Presently, a boy threw a stone at it, causing it to cry out in pain. A young man who witnessed the incident rebuked the boy for his cruelty.

The girl then thought, "This young man is greater than the boy. Therefore, he must be the greatest of them all."

Eventually she discovered that the young man was none other than the very bridegroom whom her parents had originally chosen for her.

The girl searched for someone whom she imagined to be far away, only to discover in the end that what she sought had always been close at hand.

Likewise, one searches for Īśvara imagining Him to be distant. So long as one remains ignorant, He indeed appears far away. One may search throughout the entire world and still fail to find Him. In reality, He is always present with us.

Durāt dūre antike ca—"Farther than the farthest, nearer than the nearest," declares the Śruti.

When we look toward the horizon, it appears that the earth and the sky meet. Suppose there is a palm tree standing there. We imagine that if we reach the tree, we shall arrive at the meeting point of earth and sky. Yet when we reach the tree, the horizon has moved farther away. The more we advance, the farther it recedes. Can the horizon ever be overtaken?

In truth, the horizon is wherever we are. Likewise, what we call "That"—Īśvara, whom we imagine to be distant—is in fact beside us. More than that, He is within us.

Tat tvam asi—"That thou art"—declare the Vedas.

Tat tvam asi is one of the great Mahāvākya-s of the Vedas. Here tvam does not denote merely the quality of a thing. It has two meanings: "essential nature" and "thou." Ādi Śaṅkarācārya himself employs this double meaning as a poetic play in the Saundaryalaharī.

The word tattvam is formed from Tat and tvam. Whatever truth is arrived at through inquiry is called tattva, but in the highest sense it denotes the Supreme Reality, the Paramātmā.

What we ordinarily call "I" is none other than Īśvara. Without the inner light that enables us to recognize this truth, we cannot even conceive of an entity called Īśvara. The awareness "I am" is itself that distant "That."

"That thou art"—this is the ultimate message of the Vedas.

What we call "this" (idam) never exists without a source. Every object has a cause. Without a seed there is no tree. Likewise, this universe—with its mountains, oceans, sky, earth, human beings, animals, emotions, senses, powers, and energies—must also have a root cause.

Everything that we see, hear, smell, remember, experience, think, discover, or will discover belongs to the realm of idam. None of it exists without an originating cause.

To understand this truth, consider a germinating tamarind seed. When it is split open, a tiny tree is already present within it. It possesses the inherent potential to grow into a great tree. Such is the case with every seed.

The mantras contain bījākṣara-s (seed syllables). Just as a mighty tree exists potentially within a tiny seed, these syllables contain immeasurable power. If a bījākṣara is repeated one hundred thousand times with one-pointed concentration, its power comes within one's grasp.

Whatever power exists in the universe, whatever intellectual brilliance, skill, or talent there may be, all must exist in Bhagavān in a subtle, seed-like form. The Vedas proclaim, as though with the beat of drums: "Nothing has arisen without a root cause." The power present in the seed is the very same power that pervades the entire universe.

Where is that seed or root? The Self, which witnesses everything from within, is the root of all that we call idam ("this").

When you stand before a mirror, you see your reflection. If four mirrors are placed in succession, you will see countless reflections of yourself. Yet all these reflections have only one source. The one who observes these many reflections is also their source. Likewise, the One who dwells within all beings and witnesses everything is Īśvara. That which sees is the root of all that is seen. That root is knowledge, and it is the source of the entire cosmos.

Where is this knowledge found? It is within you. Infinite and transcendent knowledge is present within you. The whole exists within the part.

Consider electric light. One bulb is small, another large. One emits blue light, another green. Lamps differ in shape and size, but the power that illuminates them is the same—electricity. The same electricity turns the fan, lights the lamp, and manifests itself in countless ways. Though infinite in itself, it appears finite when passing through a wire. Lightning flashing across the sky and water cascading down a mountain are further manifestations of the same power.

Similarly, the Supreme Truth within you must reveal itself in a sudden flash. All Vedic rites, worship, sacred duties, meditation upon the Mahāvākya-s, and Vedānta itself exist for this one purpose—that the Truth may reveal itself within you in a flash.

Even family life, social duties, royal responsibilities, poetry, therapeutics, geology, and every other branch of knowledge discussed in the Vedas are steps leading toward the realization of the Self.

Initially, the union of Tat ("That") and tvam ("thou") is experienced only momentarily, like a flash of lightning. The Kenopaniṣad (4.4) compares the experiential realization of Brahman to the brief flash of lightning or the twinkling of an eye. With sustained practice and intense concentration, however, that experience becomes continuous, like an uninterrupted flow of electricity generated by a cascading stream.

This is mokṣa—liberation while still living in the body (jīvanmukti). When the body is finally cast aside, one abides eternally as Truth itself. This is called videhamukti.

The distinction between jīvanmukti and videhamukti exists only from the standpoint of an external observer. For the jñānī, there is no difference between the two.

The goal of the Vedas is the inward realization of Brahman here and now.

We learn about worldly events through newspapers. News is gathered by reporters stationed in various countries and transmitted through letters, telegrams, or teleprinters. But there are realities that cannot be known through such means, realities beyond the reach of the ordinary human intellect. Should there not be a special newspaper to inform us about them?

The Vedas constitute such a newspaper. They communicate truths that cannot be discovered through ordinary means of knowledge. Through them, the sages, endowed with supersensory insight, inform humanity of realities beyond this world and beyond the comprehension of ordinary perception.

There are, however, certain portions of the Vedas that are said to be discarded. This does not mean that they are to be rejected as false. Nothing in the Vedas can be false. Even to entertain such a thought would be irreverent.

Some portions merely introduce or support a more important teaching. According to the traditional method of interpretation, the essential teaching is retained while the introductory or supporting material is not treated as the principal message.

Certain teachings are necessary at one stage of spiritual development but naturally recede into the background as one progresses to a higher stage.

Other passages possess the force of direct injunction and are therefore to be accepted fully. The portions that are set aside belong to the categories of arthavāda and anuvāda.

The Vedas often narrate stories to impress upon us the importance of a particular principle. These stories elevate ideas and strengthen their impact. The injunction associated with the story is authoritative, whereas the story itself belongs to arthavāda and need not itself be literally observed.

What is anuvāda?

Before introducing a new injunction or doctrine, the Vedas often repeat matters already known through ordinary experience. Such statements merely restate existing knowledge and serve as a prelude to introducing new teaching. This is called anuvāda.

Neither anuvāda nor arthavāda constitutes the principal teaching of the Vedas.

That which cannot be known through any other valid means of knowledge and is revealed only by the Vedas is called vidhi. This alone constitutes their chief teaching and expresses their true intention (tātparya).

To explain further, whatever is stated in the Vedas but is already known through ordinary experience is not their unique contribution. The true purpose of the Vedas is to reveal what cannot otherwise be known.

Although they discuss both familiar and unfamiliar subjects, their chief purpose is to reveal the latter. Out of compassion, they begin with what is already known in order gradually to lead us toward what is unknown.

One may then ask why the Vedas devote so much attention to familiar matters.

What, indeed, is already known, and what remains unknown?

Regarding worldly objects, there are two views. Do all objects ultimately constitute one reality, or are they truly distinct from one another?

According to ordinary perception, they are distinct. It is only by recognizing these distinctions that practical life becomes possible.

Water is different from oil. A lamp requires oil to burn; water cannot be used in its place. Conversely, if the lamp sets nearby objects on fire, only water can extinguish it, whereas oil would intensify the flames.

Thus, practical life requires us to distinguish one object from another and understand its proper use.

This outlook belongs to Dvaita (dualism). Many Vedic rituals and forms of worship proceed upon this dualistic understanding.

As followers of Advaita, however, we need not object to this. The real question is whether the Vedas stop with dualism. If they did, we would have to conclude that dualism is their final teaching.

But what do the Vedas actually teach?

Non-dualism is proclaimed repeatedly throughout the Vedas and especially in the Upaniṣad-s, even though it does not correspond to ordinary outward experience.

Their ultimate teaching is that all objects, though appearing distinct, are manifestations of one and the same Self.

Our philosophical works generally consist of two parts: Pūrvapakṣa and Siddhānta.

In the Pūrvapakṣa, views opposed to the author's own are first presented. If one reads only this portion, one may mistakenly assume that these opposing doctrines are being advocated. Their actual purpose is to be examined and ultimately answered.

The Siddhānta then establishes the final conclusion by responding to these opposing views.

Scholars throughout the world have admired the fairness of this method, whereby opposing doctrines are presented fully before being critically examined.

Does this mean that the dualism found in the earlier portion of the Vedas constitutes merely a Pūrvapakṣa to be rejected?

No.

The Jñānakāṇḍa, especially the Upaniṣad-s, forms the concluding portion of the Vedas and teaches non-dualism. The Karmakāṇḍa, which precedes it, teaches dualistic worship and ritual.

Thus, the Vedas first teach the dualistic outlook already familiar to us and then reveal the non-dualistic truth that is otherwise unknown. This demonstrates that non-dualism is their ultimate teaching.

Why, then, is dualism not explicitly rejected?

Because works and worship performed with a dualistic attitude do not obstruct progress toward non-dual realization. On the contrary, they prepare the seeker for it.

The flower is not opposed to the fruit. Rather, it is the necessary stage through which the fruit comes into being.

Likewise, one progresses naturally from dualistic worship to non-dual realization.

From the standpoint of Advaita, there is no need to reject lower stages so long as they remain within their proper limits. It is only when they are mistaken for the final truth that correction becomes necessary.

This is the approach adopted by Ādi Śaṅkarācārya and other teachers of Advaita.

By the grace of Īśvara, modern scientific progress has not harmed spiritual truth. Indeed, science has increasingly approached the Advaitic understanding that was previously known only through the Vedas.

In the early stages of science, it was believed that all objects were fundamentally distinct. Later, scientists concluded that all matter consisted of combinations of a limited number of elements. With the development of atomic science, they discovered that all these elements arise from one underlying energy.

Those who realize the Self know that this underlying reality is consciousness itself. This consciousness encompasses not only inert matter but also the individual self, revealing the non-dual whole.

Whether described as one energy or one consciousness (caitanya), the One Reality spoken of by scientists and jñānī-s alike is not directly visible. What we ordinarily perceive are only its countless manifestations.

Such plurality requires no scriptural authority, since it is evident to the senses.

The purpose of the Vedas is not to tell us what we already know, but to reveal what lies beyond ordinary perception.

When they reveal that unknown Truth as their final conclusion, we must accept it as their ultimate message.

That message is the realization that the individual self dissolves inseparably into the Paramātmā and becomes one with the Paramātmā.