SatyaVeda: All about the Veda

The Way to the Vedas is through Hinduism.

In Hindusim, the ultimate reality is referred to as Brahman – which literally means The Great. This Brahman is not to be confused with Brahma, the creator, Brhaspati, the planet Jupiter or any human being.

In ancient times, students would practice brahmacharya – the way of life to be adapted while learning the vedas. One of the many aspects of brahmacharya is celibacy. Today the word brahmacharya is used to mean only celibacy and a brahmachari simply means unmarried man. This is not the context of the Vedic Learning. In the context of Vedic Learning, Brahmacharya was an Asrama (stage of life) completely devoted to acquiring the knowledge of the Brahman through the Vedas and Upanishads.  Only after this would a student enter the Grhasta Asrama or the householder stage of life where he would acquire a Sahadharmacharin or a partner who would practice dharma with him (a wife).

 The Brahman is Nirguna (without attributes) nirakara (without form), avyaktha (undifferentiated – unmanifest), sasvata (eternal), ananta (endless), aja (without birth), avyaya (unchanging) … and so on. 

This Nirguna Brahman is hard for ordinary people to attain. Especially for people who have no time or opportunity for Vedic Learning. To make the concepts easy for all normal people, Veda Vyasa used the incidents of the Mahabharata and Bhagavatha to illustrate various tenets and principles discussed in the Vedas and Upanishads. He said that the Mahabharata is like the moon that shines light on the Vedas.

Another step that the ancients took was to explain the Nirguna Brahman, with the help or assistance of Saguna Brahman. The Saguna Brahman is with attributes. It can be male or female, dark or fair, human or animal or object, bright or dark.. and so on. The Saguna Brahman is a stage on the way to attaining the Nirguna Brahman.

The gunas of the Saguna Brahman can be Satva (Existence, Reality or Truth), Rajas (Light, Activity, Passion) or Tamas (Darkness, Inertia). Some Hindus say that Siva is that Tamasik Brahman and some say that he is the Satvik Brahman. Some others say that Vishu is the Satvik Brahman or that he is the Rajasik Brahman. Yet others say that Brahma is the Satvik Brahman.

Even that is far too complicated for a lot of people and especially for many small children. Therefore every single possible attribute is deified. So we have Lakshmi or Lustre or Light, who further becomes, Dhanya Lakshmi or the wealth of grains, Dhana Lakshmi or the wealth of  money, Dhairya Lakshmi or the wealth of courage… and so on.

So now it is easier. If you want courage and are comfortable with a  God who looks like a mother, then you pray to Dhairya Lakshmi. You are quite safe, because the Bhagavad Gita assures you that Sarva Deva Namaskararam Kesavam Pratigacchati – or all salutations go towards Sri Krishna.

It has been simplified even further. What do you see when you look at the fire? Brightness, Light, Energy, Heat, Destruction, Construction, Modification, Golden Yellow Colour…. and so on.

Knowledge is light. Fire gives light. Fire can give us knowledge (gnyanam). So in the form of Agni, the fire, you can salute those aspects of the Brahman, which can give you, light, knowledge, warmth and energy.

Agni can destroy too. What deserves to be destroyed? Ignorance, Evil, Falsehood, Troubles, Difficulties, Invaders. So in the form of Agni you can worship that attribute of  The Brahman who can help you destroy bad things and keep evil insects, dangerous animals, bad people and wrong thoughts at bay!

Agni can kill all the bacteria and purify the milk you boil, the water you drink and the food you eat. Through Agni you can worship the Nirguna Brahman for purity.

And Krishna has already promised you that all worship goes to Him alone, so you are quite safe in worshipping Agni as the fire, the fire in the sun, the fire in lightning and the fire in your digestive juices.

And Agni is a Deva who know the way  to Svarga (Heaven), but can be easily invoked on the earth. What you wish to offer the Brahman can be given to Agni or put into the fire. And when you wish to call The Brahman as your witness, you can build a fire and in the presence of Agni, get married or seal a friendship.

Even today Hindus get married in front of Agni and in the days of Sri Rama, treaties and friendships were also sealed with Agni as the witness. That is AgniSakshi.

 The very first Veda Mantra in the Prathama Suktham of the Rg Veda worships Agni.

That is Agnim Ile.