Thursday, September 25, 2008

INTRODUCTION TO VEDAS: - Shri R.Ranganji

Proceedings of Hosur Vedic Workshop on June 15th

Proceedings of Hosur Vedic Workshop on June 15th

INTRODUCTION TO VEDAS: - Shri R.Ranganji

Sri Ranganji’s spoke on the Vedas, giving a solid introduction on the Vedic text, what the Vedas talk about and why Vedas assume significance in the modern day of complex living et al. This was about the substance part; when he started on the uniqueness of the Vedas, one could sense a shift of the gears – there was a significant style emanating, a casual elegance and a powerful emotion started flowing his way.

When he talked on how the Vedas are a clean solution to modern day problems, he was flowing with vibrancy – the words came and fell in right places as if it was just happening out of nowhere! ‘That intensity, which arises from the internal, that spring of emotion and happiness with which he eagerly talks about the mystic work, was an enchanting sight to behold’.

By meaning dharma, we are talking of a universal love and well being, showered all over the directions by a supreme consciousness that devours the evil instincts and pumps in fearlessness to all the beings. The speaker defined dharma through Vedic terms in his speech then. The below Vedic terms help in defining dharma;

(i) Attha: Any action that gives immediate pleasure but pain later

(ii) Bhadra: Any action providing momentary joy without any side effects

(iii) Abhyudhaya: Action giving momentary pain but giving prolonged happiness later.

(iv) Nishreyasa: Action giving momentary pain but provides an eternal bliss later

Dharma, therefore, is that process, which shatters the Attha element in a person, that which transforms the Bhadra element, fostering the Abhyudhaya element and aspiring Nishreyasa! He then spoke about some aspects of transactional dharma, the dharma of day to day life which he said, if followed can bring about a healthy, happy and a peaceful life.Acting without bondage can bring about a healthy life of one hundred years, working with love and pleasure, taking misery as an indicator when man deviates from his natural path rather than seeing it as an inflicted woe by the divine hand or a product of divine wrath can bring in wonders to this entire world. Dharma hence is to attune to nature and treading along with it.

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