INTRODUCTION TO THE VEDAS
Tradition and Modern Approach
by
Dr. Pramod Pathak
Published by Gautami Prakashan
ISBN : 978-93-80744-13-1
First Edition: April 2012
Price : $10
About the author
Dr. Pramod Pathak is a scholar of Vedic Literature and the Indus Civilization. His pathbreaking work on the interpretation of Indra-Vritra Conflict in the Rigveda, on the nature of the Vedic deities Apam Napat, Maruts, Pushan, the identity of Dasa Tribes, the autumnal "Purs" in the Rigveda, correlation between the Vedic Myths and the Middle Eastern seals depicting the Rain God (Parjanya) killing a dragon, and the Indus Civilization seals as pictorial representations of the Vedic hymns is widely acknowledged. His book, 'The Afghan Connection' deals with the ethno-archeologyof Pre-Buddhist Afghanistan. He was visiting Professor at the University of Houston, Houston, USA
It gives the editor of www.sookta-sumana.blogspot.com a great pleasure in introducing this book to its readers. It is an objectively well researched scholarly book, lucidly written in a simple comprehensible language giving quotes of interpretations by various Vedic scholars and author's own interpretations. There is a detailed bibliography at the end of the book. This monograph of 159 pages will soon become an authoritative rational summary of three Vedas.
This reviewer will give an example of the author's depth of knowledge to support the theme on Sookta (this blog). This blog has been raising the consciousness among its readers that although the Vedas are generally described as religious texts they are a compendium of "knowledge" extant at the Vedic times with mystical rendering of the insights into the nature of cosmos, and science of consciousness, and the relationship of the microcosm with the macrocosm. It will be of interest to read Dr. Pathak's
following interpretation of the description of "Mahadeva" in Rigveda.
"The present author offers yet another alternative combination
for the bull imagery in light of modern science. Thus the total cosmic EXISTENCE (editor's emphasis - saguna Brahman) can be perceived as a cosmic bull having four dimensions, i.e. three Cartesian coordinates and time as its four horns (editor's note: as symbolically described in RV), the three states of matter, namely
solid, liquid and gas as three feet (editor's note: if the plasma state was known then the bull would have four feet), the two fundamental entities, namely, mass and energy, as two heads and the electromagnetic spectrum seven distinct bands, i.e. i) gamma rays, ii) X-rays, iii) ultraviolet rays iv) visible light, v) infrared,
vi) microwave band, and vii) the radio waves are His seven hands.
Cosmic existence is governed ( tridha baddho) within three realms of physical laws, i.e. Newtonian, Relativistic, and the laws of quantum mechanics." (p.57)
"Modern scholars have explored inner meanings in the organization of the text."
Suffice it to say that the devas and devatas have been present in India that is Bharat from the Vedic times and have been described in detail in the Vedas. Some are cosmic forces that sustain life to precede the emergence of life giving forces. An example of that will be "Aditi" mother of "mArta*NDa, the Sun.
Life on earth is possible only because of the Sun and earth's unique position or orbit in the solar system. The science of consciousness presented on this blog emphatically pronounced that Sun and other
devas and devatas are phenomena of the science of consciousness that has knowledge of the macrocosm that sustains microcosm and is also reflected in the microcosm as illustrated in a previous article on "Devas and Devatas."
The readers of this blog will find Dr. Pathak's book very informative and will get them to marvel at the majestic depiction of devas and devatas. The author who is communicating with other vedic scholars, of course, uses the traditional terminology like "deities, gods and goddesses." Every Hindu needs to read this book if he/she wants to be in touch with his/her roots.
Dr. Pathak also points out that Hindu worship (pujas) and the sixteen sanskaras have passages from Rigveda and there indeed is a continuity between Vedas and the later elaborated "murti"
worship. To make a distinction that Advaita is Vedic and Murti worship and the various devas and devatas worshipped by Hindus all over India are dissociated from the Vedas or not endorsed by the Vedas (or even Bhagvadgita) would be a gross error.
(This is a brief book-review by Achintyachintaka)
Tradition and Modern Approach
by
Dr. Pramod Pathak
Published by Gautami Prakashan
ISBN : 978-93-80744-13-1
First Edition: April 2012
Price : $10
About the author
Dr. Pramod Pathak is a scholar of Vedic Literature and the Indus Civilization. His pathbreaking work on the interpretation of Indra-Vritra Conflict in the Rigveda, on the nature of the Vedic deities Apam Napat, Maruts, Pushan, the identity of Dasa Tribes, the autumnal "Purs" in the Rigveda, correlation between the Vedic Myths and the Middle Eastern seals depicting the Rain God (Parjanya) killing a dragon, and the Indus Civilization seals as pictorial representations of the Vedic hymns is widely acknowledged. His book, 'The Afghan Connection' deals with the ethno-archeologyof Pre-Buddhist Afghanistan. He was visiting Professor at the University of Houston, Houston, USA
It gives the editor of www.sookta-sumana.blogspot.com a great pleasure in introducing this book to its readers. It is an objectively well researched scholarly book, lucidly written in a simple comprehensible language giving quotes of interpretations by various Vedic scholars and author's own interpretations. There is a detailed bibliography at the end of the book. This monograph of 159 pages will soon become an authoritative rational summary of three Vedas.
This reviewer will give an example of the author's depth of knowledge to support the theme on Sookta (this blog). This blog has been raising the consciousness among its readers that although the Vedas are generally described as religious texts they are a compendium of "knowledge" extant at the Vedic times with mystical rendering of the insights into the nature of cosmos, and science of consciousness, and the relationship of the microcosm with the macrocosm. It will be of interest to read Dr. Pathak's
following interpretation of the description of "Mahadeva" in Rigveda.
"The present author offers yet another alternative combination
for the bull imagery in light of modern science. Thus the total cosmic EXISTENCE (editor's emphasis - saguna Brahman) can be perceived as a cosmic bull having four dimensions, i.e. three Cartesian coordinates and time as its four horns (editor's note: as symbolically described in RV), the three states of matter, namely
solid, liquid and gas as three feet (editor's note: if the plasma state was known then the bull would have four feet), the two fundamental entities, namely, mass and energy, as two heads and the electromagnetic spectrum seven distinct bands, i.e. i) gamma rays, ii) X-rays, iii) ultraviolet rays iv) visible light, v) infrared,
vi) microwave band, and vii) the radio waves are His seven hands.
Cosmic existence is governed ( tridha baddho) within three realms of physical laws, i.e. Newtonian, Relativistic, and the laws of quantum mechanics." (p.57)
"Modern scholars have explored inner meanings in the organization of the text."
Suffice it to say that the devas and devatas have been present in India that is Bharat from the Vedic times and have been described in detail in the Vedas. Some are cosmic forces that sustain life to precede the emergence of life giving forces. An example of that will be "Aditi" mother of "mArta*NDa, the Sun.
Life on earth is possible only because of the Sun and earth's unique position or orbit in the solar system. The science of consciousness presented on this blog emphatically pronounced that Sun and other
devas and devatas are phenomena of the science of consciousness that has knowledge of the macrocosm that sustains microcosm and is also reflected in the microcosm as illustrated in a previous article on "Devas and Devatas."
The readers of this blog will find Dr. Pathak's book very informative and will get them to marvel at the majestic depiction of devas and devatas. The author who is communicating with other vedic scholars, of course, uses the traditional terminology like "deities, gods and goddesses." Every Hindu needs to read this book if he/she wants to be in touch with his/her roots.
Dr. Pathak also points out that Hindu worship (pujas) and the sixteen sanskaras have passages from Rigveda and there indeed is a continuity between Vedas and the later elaborated "murti"
worship. To make a distinction that Advaita is Vedic and Murti worship and the various devas and devatas worshipped by Hindus all over India are dissociated from the Vedas or not endorsed by the Vedas (or even Bhagvadgita) would be a gross error.
Murti though commonly understood as statue in reality means "manifestation" of
amurta or avyakta, the un-manifested. Most humans are not able to comprehend
the abstract concept and need to focus on the concrete. All religions
have this psycho-technique incorporated in their worship but some recognize
it and others do not, yet it is very much evident to the others. Puja is generally
viewed as the ritual associated with worship but like the etymological meaning of
Murti, it also has a deeper spiritual meaning in the science of consciousness.
Pu stands for pavitra or sacred worthy of worship and ja stands for generating.
We need to understand that puja is creating an internal environment
in the consciousness that is pure and sacred. The worshipper thus feels
cleansed from inside to receive and contain the internalization of the
murti that stands for his/her deva, devata or devi.
More on sixteen sanskaras in another article.
(This is a brief book-review by Achintyachintaka)
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