THE ANCIENT

WISDOM OF THE
VEDAS

"Om purnamadah purnamidam purnaat purnamudachyate,

purnasya purnamadaya purnamevaavashishyate"

"That (consciousness) is full (perfect) ; this (the manifest

universe of matter; of names and forms being maya) is
full. This fullness has been projected from that fullness.
When this fullness merges in that fullness, all that
remains is fullness." (Isa Upanishad)

1
Contents p

1. What is Dharma ? 2
2. The Vedas 7
2.1 Rig Veda 9
2.2 Yajur Veda 14
2.3 Sama Veda 28
2.4 Atharva Veda 34
Upanishads 43
Puranas 47

Conclusion 56

3. WHAT IS DHARMA ?

“The question of knowledge that I’ve discussed before is very

important to understand. The knowledge that was forbidden once upon
a time - as Adam and Eve - has been a big problem for human beings to
understand. It was the case when God created human beings first time
- apart from the celestial beings, who were perfect - that He wanted to
see if these human beings could grow in their population and in their
awareness, in their innocence, they would become Self-realised. But it
was an experiment, and the human beings failed God at that time,
because they listened to baser promotions or baser prompting. That’s
how they failed and they lost their innocence. And loss of innocence is
the sin which was first committed, and that sin took a different turn
for human beings. Now, that knowledge, what I’ve said, is not this
real knowledge. That was the avidya, the artificial knowledge, the
knowledge that ‘I am something’, that ‘I am the doer’ - the ego. Till the
animal stage there was no ego, and then the ego started growing. We
can say that’s the beginning of the original sin: that ‘I am something;

2
I’m doing something; it’s I who can do it.’ All right? So God said:
‘Let’s see. Let’s see their little courage, and let them decide.’

So the plans were changed. One had to think now that we should get
incarnations on this earth to help these people, to guide them, to put
them into balance, to put them into proper understanding of dharma, so
they keep to that balance. But every time this ‘I’ refused to accept the
balance. And this ‘I’ goes very far from reality. Today also, when we
come to Sahaja Yoga, I see people, they don’t grow very fast. Because
of this ‘I’ they have questions, they have doubts, they have problems.
Because of this original sin people cannot grow very fast. That, ‘I am
the one, I am free. Why that? Why this?’ Who are you to ask
questions? Who has made you? Have you made yourself? What did you
do to become a human being? Why this kind of egoistical behaviour
towards God? Why God has made us? Why this thing?”
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi : Shri Durga Puja, Vienna, Austria, 26.11.1982.

Dharma is derived from the root dhr, which means "to

hold, maintain, keep, bear, support" and takes the meaning
of "what is established or firm", and hence "law".
Figuratively it means "sustainer" and "supporter", but also:
firm, law, order , steadfast, practice, custom, duty, right,
justice, virtue, morality, ethics, religion, religious merit,
good works, nature, character, quality, property....

In common language it means ‘right way of living’ and

‘path of righteousness’.

“Dharma designates human behaviours considered

necessary for order of things in the universe, principles
that prevent chaos, behaviours and action necessary to all

3
life in nature, society, family, as well as the individual
level. Dharma encompasses ideas such as duty, rights,
character, vocation, religion, customs and all behaviour
considered appropriate, correct or morally upright. (...) In
common parlance, adharma means that which is against
nature, immoral, unethical, wrong or unlawful. (...)
Manusmriti, written by the ancient sage Manu, prescribes
10 essential rules for the observance of dharma: Patience
(dhriti), forgiveness (kshama), piety or self control (dama),
honesty (asteya), sanctity (shauch), control of senses
(indraiya-nigrah), reason (dhi), knowledge or learning
(vidya), truthfulness (satya) and absence of anger (krodha).
Manu further writes, "Non-violence, truth, non-coveting,
purity of body and mind, control of senses are the essence
of dharma". Therefore dharmic laws govern not only the
individual but all in society.” (Wikipedia)

4
“In Hinduism, dharma is the religious and moral law
governing individual conduct and is one of the four ends of
life. In addition to the dharma that applies to everyone

5
(sadharana dharma)—consisting of truthfulness, non-injury,
and generosity, among other virtues—there is also a
specific dharma (svadharma) to be followed according to
one’s class, status, and station in life. Dharma constitutes
the subject matter of the Dharma-sutras, religious manuals
that are the earliest source of Hindu law.” ( The Editors of
Encyclopædia Britannica)

In the Ramayana, dharma is at the centre in the life of

Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana. Each episode of Ramayana
presents life situations and ethical questions and the right
prevails always over wrong, the good over evil.
Also in Mahabharata dharma is central. Like in Ramayana
it gives presentation of a series of moral problems and life
situations. Bhima answers with brute force, an individual
angle representing materialism, egoism, and self; the
second answer is of Yudhishthira, which is always an
appeal to piety and gods, of social virtue and of tradition;
the third answer is of introspective Arjuna, which falls
between the two extremes, and reveals the finest moral
qualities of man.

6
 4. THE VEDAS

From 9000 BC to 5000 BC Vedas were transmitted orally.

The Vedas are considered the earliest literary record of

this planet and were written on the banks of the river
Saraswati.

“Without knowing the Vedas one cannot comprehend the

inner soul and heights of Indian glory. A brilliant man like
Schopenhauer found the Upanishads to be the "solace" of
his life and death, and Kant found the Hindus were
"gentle", that "all nations are tolerated amongst them." .
India has the unique record of never attacking any country
in the past history. These ancient texts won the
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admiration of eminent human beings of the caliber of Carl
Jung, Emerson, Thoreau, Walt Whitman, Victor Hugo,
Romain Rolland, Hermann Hesse, Henrich Zimmer, Tolstoy,
Sir Edwin Arnold, Yeats, Toynbee and hundreds of others.

The Vedas hold the original scriptures of Sanatana

Dharma ( Hindu ) teachings, and contain spiritual
knowledge encompassing every possible aspects of Indian
life. Vedic literature with its philosophical maxims has
stood the test of nearly 11000 years of time and is the
highest religious authority for the Hindu in particular.”
(Wikipedia)

They came to us in written form between 4-6,000 years

ago.

We know four Vedas: Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and

Atharvaveda. Each group has an original text (Mantra) and
a commentary portion (Brahmana).

The Brahmana again has two portions, one interpreting

ritual and the other the philosophy. The portions
interpreting the philosophy of the original texts constitute
the Upanishads.

There are also auxiliary texts called Vedangas. Vedic

literature refers to the whole of this vast group of

8
literature. The whole of Rigveda and most of Atharvaveda
are in the form of poetry, or hymns to the deities and the
elements.
Samaveda is in verses that are to be sung and Yajurveda is
largely in short prose passages

The Vedas claim to teach a man the highest truths that

can lead him to God.

4.1 RIG VEDA

The Rig Veda consists of 1028 hymns of 10,600 verses,

organized in 10books to Gods like Indra and Agni. The
word Dharma appears at least fifty-six times.

The Rigveda (from rg "praise,

shine” and veda "knowledge") is an
ancient Indian collection of Vedic Sanskrit hymns,
dedicated to Rigvedic Deities.

In the eight books that were composed the earliest, the

hymns predominantly discuss cosmology and praise
Deities. Books 1 and 10, which were added last, deal with
philosophical or speculative questions about the origin of
the universe and the nature of God, the virtue
of dāna (charity) in society, and other metaphysical
issues.

Rigveda is one of the oldest texts in any Indo-European

language. Philological and linguistic evidence indicate that
9
the Rigveda was composed in the north-western region of
the Indian subcontinent, most likely between c. 1500 and
1200 BC.
Some of its verses are still recited during Hindu rites of
passage celebrations such as weddings and religious
prayers.
The text is organized in 10 books, known as Mandalas
Each mandala consists of hymns called sūkta (su-ukta,
literally, "well recited, eulogy") intended for
various rituals.

Altogether the Rig Veda consists of:

 Hymns to the Deities.

 Brahmanas: commentaries on the hymns.
 Aranyaka or "forest books".
 Upanishads.

The Rigvedic hymns are dedicated to various deities, chief

of whom are Indra, Agni, the sacrificial fire, and Soma, the
sacred potion or the plant it is made from. Equally
prominent Gods are the Adityas or Asura gods Mitra–
Varuna and Ushas (the dawn). Also invoked
are Savitr, Vishnu, Rudra, Pushan, Brihaspati , as well as
deified natural phenomena such as Dyaus Pita (the shining
sky, Father Heaven), Prithivi (the earth, Mother
Earth), Surya (the sun God), Vayu or Vata (the
wind), Apas (the waters), Parjanya (the thunder and
rain), Vac (the word), many rivers (notably the Sapta
Sindhu, and the Saraswati River). The Adityas, Vasus,
Rudras, Sadhyas, Ashvins, Maruts, Rbhus, and
the Vishvadevas ("all-gods).

10
The hymns include an expression of monotheism,
for example:.
“They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, and he is
heavenly nobly-winged Garutman.
To what is One, sages give many a title they call it
Agni, Yama, Matarisvan.”
 Rigveda 1.164.46,

11
RIG VEDA

Hymns to Indra
4 To him, to Indra sing your song.
5 Nigh to the Soma-drinker come, for his enjoyment, these pure drops,
The Somas mingled with the curd.
6 Thou, grown at once to perfect strength, wast born to drink the Soma juice,
Strong Indra, for preeminence.
7 O Indra, lover of the song, may these quick Somas enter thee:
Pray they bring bliss to thee the Sage. (hymn V)
5 Mighty is Indra, yea supreme; greatness be his, the Thunderer:
Wide as the heaven extends his power. (hymn VII)
5 Lord of the thunder, thou didst burst the cave of Vala rich in cows.
The Gods came pressing to thy side, and free from terror aided thee,
6 I, Hero, through thy bounties am come to the flood addressing thee.
Song-lover, here the singers stand and testify to thee thereof. (hymn XI)

6 Here are the drops of Soma juice expressed on sacred grass: thereof
Drink, Indra, to increase thy might.

12
7 Welcome to thee be this our hymn, reaching thy heart, most excellent:
Then drink the Soma juice expressed.
8 To every draught of pressed-out juice Indra, the Vrtra-slayer, comes,
To drink the Soma for delight. (hymn XVI)

Hymns to Agni

5 O Agni, radiant One, to whom the holy oil is poured, bum up

Our enemies whom fiends protect.
6 By Agni Agni is inflamed, Lord of the House, wise, young, who bears
The gift: the ladle is his mouth.
7 Praise Agni in the sacrifice, the Sage whose ways are ever true,
The God who driveth grief away. (hymn XII)
The flames of Agni full of splendour and of might are fearful, not to be approached.
Consume for ever all demons and sorcerers, consume thou each devouring fiend. (hymn
XXXVI)

Hymns to Varuna
9 He knows the pathway of the wind, the spreading, high, and mighty wind
He knows the Gods who dwell above. (hymn XXV)

Hymns to Mitra-Varuna

Come to us, Kings who reach to heaven, approach us, coming hitherward.
These milky drops are yours, Mitra and Varuna, bright Soma juices blent with milk. (hymn
CXXXVII)

Hymns to Rudra
4 To Rudra Lord of sacrifice, of hymns and balmy medicines,
We pray for joy and health and strength.
5 He shines in splendour like the Sun, refulgent as bright gold is he,
The good, the best among the Gods.

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Hymns to Surya
4 Swift and all beautiful art thou, O Surya, maker of the light,
Illuming all the radiant realm. (hymn L)

More detailed information on internet: Just write

“Rig Veda” et you will find lots of information, even
the full text of the Rig Veda. A very good
introduction can be found on Wikipedia.

2.2 Yajur Veda

14
 rain making veda mantra

The Yajur Veda is the veda of liturgy; it contains the

knowledge of rites: the rules explaining how to perform all
rituals. It consists of prose and verse. It is a handbook for
those who guide rituals, even describing the rules and
regulations of how to make an altar.

The vast majority of Vedic hymns are addressed to a

pantheon of Deities by the offering into the sacred flames
and chanted mantras based on the hymns. Indra, God of
the firmament and lord of the weather, is the supreme
Deity of the Vedas. Indra also is a God of war who,
accompanied by a host of storm gods, uses thunderbolts
as weapons to slay the demons. Agni, the God of fire,
accepts the sacrificial offerings and transmits them to all
the Gods. Varuna passes judgment, lays down the law, and
protects the cosmic order. Yama, the God of death, sends
humans signs of old age, sickness, and approaching
mortality as exhortations to lead a moral life. Surya is the
sun God, Chandra the moon God, Vayu the wind God, and
Usha the dawn Goddess.

Some of the later hymns of the Rig Veda contain

speculations that form the basis for much of Indian
religious and philosophical thought. From one perspective,

15
the universe originates through the evolution of an
impersonal force, manifested as male and female
principles. Other hymns describe a personal creator,
Prajapati, the Lord of creatures, from whom came the
heavens and the earth and all the other Gods. One hymn
describes the universe as emerging from the sacrifice of a
cosmic man (Purusha) who was the source of all things.
Within the vedic accounts of the origin of things, there is a
tension between visions of the highest reality as an
impersonal force, or as a creator God, or as a group of
Gods with different jobs to do in the universe. Much of
Hinduism tends to accept all these visions simultaneously,
claiming that they are all valid as different facets of a
single truth, or ranks them as explanations with different
levels of sophistication. It is possible, however, to follow
only one of these explanations, such as believing in a
single personal God while rejecting all others, and still
claim to be following the Vedas. In sum, Hinduism does
not exist as a single belief system with one textual
explanation of the origin of the universe or the nature of
God, and a wide range of philosophies and practices can
trace their beginnings somewhere in the hymns of the
Vedas. (For more information see: Wikipedia)

Sacrificial fire, which once accompanied major political

activities, such as the crowning of kings or the conquest
of territory, still forms the heart of household rituals for
many Hindus, and some Brahman families pass down the
skill of memorizing the hymns and make a living as
professional reciters of the Vedas.

16
Yajna means "sacrifice, devotion, worship, offering", and
refers in Hinduism to any ritual done in front of a sacred
fire, often with mantras.

The Yajurveda is the Veda of prose mantras. It is an

ancient Vedic Sanskrit text, a compilation of ritual offering
formulas that were said by a priest.
The exact century of Yajurveda's composition is unknown,
and estimated by scholars to be around 1200 to 1000 BCE,
contemporaneous with Samaveda and Atharvaveda.
The Yajurveda is broadly grouped into two: the "black"
(Krishna) Yajurveda and the "white" (Shukla) Yajurveda.
The term "black" implies "the un-arranged, unclear
collection" of verses in contrast to the "white", which
implies the "well arranged, clear" text. The earliest and
most ancient layer of Yajurveda samhita includes about
1,875 verses, that are distinct yet borrowed and built upon
the foundation of verses in Rigveda. The middle layer
includes the Satapatha Brahmana, one of the
largest Brahmana texts in the Vedic collection. The
youngest layer includes the largest collection of primary
Upanishads. These include the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad,
the Isha Upanishad, the Taittiriya Upanishad, the Katha
Upanishad, the Shvetashvatara Upanishad and the Maitri
Upanishad.
Yajurveda is a compound Sanskrit word, composed
of yajus, that can be translated as "religious reverence,
veneration, worship, sacrifice, a sacrificial prayer, formula,
particularly mantras.

17
For instance:

Samhitas
The Vajasaneyi Samhita has forty chapters or adhyayas,
containing the formulas used with the following rituals:
Chapters of the White Yajurveda

Chapte
r Day
Ritual Name Nature of Ritual
s
No.

Darsapurnamasa Offer cow- milk to

1-2 (Full and new moon 2 fire. Separate calves
rituals) from the cows.

Offer butter and

milk to fire.
3 Agnihotra 1 Welcome three chief
seasons: Spring,
Rains and Autumn.

Bathe in river. Offer

milk and soma to
fire. Offerings to
deities of thought,
4-8 Somayajna speech. Prayer
to Vishnu to harm
no crop, guard the
cattle, expel
demons.

18
 Cup of Victory.
Inauguration of a
Vajapeya and Rajas King. Offering of
9-10
uy butter and Sura (a
kind of beer or wine)
to fire.

Formulas and rituals

for building altars
and hearths for
11-18 Agnicayana 360 Agni yajna, with
largest in the shape
of outspread eagle
or falcon.

Offerings
of Masara (rice-
barley liquor plus
boiled millet) to fire.
Expiate evil
indulgences in
19-21 Sautramani [
soma-drinking. For
dethroned king, for
soldiers going to
war for victory, for
regulars to acquire
cattle and wealth.

180 Only by King. A

22-25 Ashvamedha or horse is released, [40]

360 followed by armed

19
 soldiers, wherein
anyone who stops or
harms the
wandering horse is
declared enemy of
state. The horse is
returned to the
capital and is
ceremoniously
slaughtered by the
soldiers. Eulogy to
the departed horse.
Prayers to deities.

Supplementary
26-29 formulas for above
sacrifices.

Symbolic sacrifice
of Purusha (Cosmic
Man). Nominal
victim played the
part, but released
uninjured after the
30-31 Purushamedha ceremony.

A substitute
for Ashvamedha (hor
se sacrifice). The
ritual plays out the
cosmic creation.

20
 This ritual is a
sacrifice for
Universal Success
and Prosperity.
Ritual for one to be
wished well, or [45
32-34 Sarvamedha 10 someone leaving the ]
home, particularly
for solitude
and moksha, who is
offered "curd and
ghee (clarified
butter)".

Ritual funeral-
related formulas
for cremation.
35 Pitriyajna
Sacrifice to the
Fathers and
Ancestors.

The ritual is for long

life, unimpaired
faculties, health,
strength, prosperity,
36-39 Pravargya security, tranquility
and contentment.
Offerings of cow-
milk and grains to
yajna fire.

21
 This chapter is not
an external sacrifice
ritual-related. It
is Isha Upanishad, a
philosophical
treatise about inner
Self (Atman, Soul).
The verse 40.6
40 states, "The man
who in his Self
beholds all
creatures and all
things that be, and
in all beings sees
his Self, then he
doubts no longer,
ponders not.

22
“(...) but mainly what they did before Rama was the Yagnyas, the Vedas, with
which they prayed to different elements. Elements have made our chakras, and
they tried to evoke the deities of the Elements. (...)
Now these Yagnyas were created to evoke the deities within the spinal column
actually. And for these Yagnyas they used to sit down and do all these havanas
the way we do it. But at that time the Rakshasas would come and try to spoil
the Yagnya. Because Yagnyas are to be done with a pure heart and with
cleanliness and with purity. It should not be insulted. There is a protocol about
it. While they thought that if we insult the deities there then the deities will
disappear and their Yagnyas will be spoiled.”
Shri Mataji Nirmala Devi: Ram Navami, Chelsham Road, London, UK,
02.04.1982

“First harnessing the mind, Savita; creating thoughts and perceiving light, brought Agni
from the earth.
Harnessing the gods with mind; they who go with thought to the sky, to heaven, Savita

23
instigates those who will make great light.
With the mind harnessed, we are instigated by god Savita, for strength to go to heaven.

Whose journey the other gods follow, praising the power of the god, who measured the
radiant regions of the earth, he is the great god Savita.
God Savita, impel the ritual, impel for good fortune the lord of ritual !
Divine Gandharva, purifier of thought, purify our thoughts ! May the lord of speech make
our words sweet !

God Savita, impel for us this ritual,

Honouring the gods, gaining friends, always victorious, winning wealth, winning heaven !”
  Taittiriya Samhita 4.1.1

The title Satapatha Brahmana means "Brahmana of the

Hundred Paths". It is one of the largest Brahmana texts
that has survived. It includes a "veritable encyclopedia of
meandering opinions on ritual and other matters".

Hindu scriptures can be

classified into two parts – Shruti (revealed) and Smriti. The Vedas are compilation of hymns,
which are intended as manuals for presiding priests, officiating priests and the priests who
chant.

The Yajurveda has six primary Upanishads

embedded within it.
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad is among the earliest
extensive discussions of the Hindu concept

24
of dharma, karma and moksha (liberation from sorrow,
freedom, emancipation, self-realization).
“But when he [Self] fancies that he is, as it were, a god,
or that he is, as it were, a king,
or "I am this altogether," that is his highest world,
This indeed is his (true) form, free from desires, free from evil, free from fear.

Now as a man, when embraced by a beloved wife,

knows nothing that is without, nothing that is within,
thus this person, when embraced by the Prajna (conscious, aware) Self,
knows nothing that is without, nothing that is within.
This indeed is his (true) form, in which his wishes are fulfilled,
in which the Self only is his wish, in which no other wish is left,
he is free from any sorrow.”
 Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Chapter 4, Brahmanam 3, Hymns 20-32

“May my rice plants and my barley, and my beans and my sesame,

and my kidney-beans and my vetches, and my pearl millet and my proso millet,
and my sorghum and my wild rice, and my wheat and my lentils,
prosper by sacrifice.”
 White Yajurveda 18.12

25
26
 Kanda IV

“Prapathaka 1. The placing of the fire in the fire-pan.

1. The taking up of the spade

2. The obtaining of the clay
3. The digging up of the clay
4. The taking of the clay
5. The fashioning of the pan
6. The preparing of the pan
7. The Samidheni verses with the offering of five victims
8. The Apri verses for the fire sacrifices
9. The kindling of the fire in the pan
10. The carrying of the fire
11. The Mantras for the offerings at the Vaiçvadeva,”

27
Vyasa writing the Vedas some 5,000 years ago

More information on internet: Write Yajur Veda and you

will even find the full text. A very good introduction is
given on Wikipedia.

2.3 Sama Veda

The Samaveda (from sāman "song"

and veda "knowledge"), is the Veda of melodies and
chants. It is an ancient Vedic Sanskrit text. It is a
liturgical text whose 1,875 verses are primary derived
from the Rigveda.

Embedded inside the Samaveda is the widely

studied Chandogya Upanishad and Kena Upanishad,
considered as primary Upanishads and as influential on

28
the six schools of Hindu philosophy, particularly
the Vedanta school. The classical Indian music and dance
tradition considers the chants and melodies in Samaveda
as one of its roots.
The Samaveda is called a "storehouse of knowledge of
chants"; it contains notated melodies, and these are
probably the world's oldest surviving ones.

The Vina (lute) is mentioned in the Samaveda.

See Rigveda: 6.16.10

Samaveda transformation (Jaiminiya manuscript):

“o gnā i / ā yā hi vā i / tā yā i tā yā i /”
Translation:
“O Agni, come to the feast.”
 Samaveda 1.1.1
“What is the origin of this world?
Space, said he. Verily, all things here arise out of space. They disappear back into
space, for space alone is greater than these, space is the final goal.
This is the most excellent Udgitha. This is endless. The most excellent is his, the
most excellent worlds does he win, who, knowing it thus, reveres the most
excellent Udgitha (Om, ॐ).”

 Chandogya Upanishad 1.9.1-1.9.2

“There are three branches of Dharma (religious life,
duty): Yajna (sacrifice), Svādhyāya (self study) and Dāna (charity) are the first,

29
Tapas (austerity, meditation) is the second, while dwelling as
a Brahmacharya for education in the house of a teacher is third.

All three achieve the blessed worlds. But the Brahmasamstha – one who is
firmly grounded in Brahman – alone achieves immortality.”
 Chandogya Upanishad 2.23.1

30
31
32
The 7000 year old Sama Veda is always sung with
a scientific exactness and in accordance with nada
yoga sadhana.

33
 2.4 Atharva Veda

In the Atharvaveda we can read texts about the cosmic

law that links cause and effect through a subject.

Above rock inscription is from the Indian Emperor Asoka, from 258 BC, and found in Afghanistan. The
inscription renders the word Dharma in Sanskrit as Eusebeia in Greek, suggesting Dharma in ancient
India meant: spiritual maturity, devotion, piety, duty towards and reverence for human community

Vedas are apauruseya, which means they are not

compilations of human knowledge. Vedic knowledge
comes from the spiritual world, from Lord Krishna, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the beginning the first
living creature was Brahma. He received the Vedic
knowledge from Krishna.

34
Vedas contain all things knowable by man. They deal with
mundane necessities as well as spiritual realization.
Above and beyond all knowledge, there are specific
directions for spiritual realization. Knowledge involves a
gradual raising of a human to a more spiritual life through
varna (brahmana – intellectual), ksatriya (ruler), vaisya
(merchant), sudra (worker) and asrama (brahmacharya,
student), grhastha (family), vanaprastha (retired),
sannyasa (mendicant).

Formerly there was only the Veda of the

name Yajur. The sacrifices mentioned in the
Vedas were means by which the people’s
occupations according to their orders of life
could be purified. To simplify the process and
make them more easily performable,
Vyasadeva (an incarnation of Krihsna) divided
the one Veda into four: Rig (prayers), Yajur
(hymns for oblations), Sama (same prayers
and hymns in meters for singing), Atharva
(body/world maintenance and destruction) in
order to expand them among men.

The texts of the Vedas are known as Samhitas. Within

these Samhitas there are portions known as Mantras,
which contain prayers in the form of potent sound
compounds revealed to great seers for different purposes.

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There are three different sources of vedic knowledge, called
prasthana-traya. The Upanisads are known as sruti-prasthana, the
scriptures following the principles of vedic knowledge (Vedangas) as
well as Mahabharata, Bhagavad-gita, and Puranas are known as smrti-
prasthana and Vedanta-sutras which present the vedic knowledge on
the basis of logic and arguments is known as nyaya-prasthana. All
scientific knowledge of transcendence must be supported by sruti,
smrti and a sound logical basis (nyaya ). Smrti and nyaya always
confirm that which is said in the sruti.

There are six aspects of knowledge in the Vedas,

known as Vedangas:

Siksa – phonetic science

Vyakarana – grammar
Nirukti – context
Candas – meter
Jyotis – time science (astronomy & astrology)
Kalpa – rituals

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From the point of view of common human
activities sense gratification is the basis of
material life. To cater to this aim, there are
three paths mentioned in the Vedas:

► The karma-kanda path involves activities to gain promotion to better

planets. Using the methodology from the first five Vedangas, the Kalpa-
sutras explain this path.

► Upasana-kanda involves worshiping different controllers for promotion

to their planets. The Agamas explain this path.

► Jnana-kanda involves realizing the Absolute truth in impersonal feature

for the purpose of becoming one . The Upanisads explain this path.

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The Atharvaveda (from atharvānas and veda meaning
"knowledge") is the "knowledge storehouse of atharvānas,
the procedures for everyday life". The Atharvaveda is a
collection of 730 hymns with about 6,000 mantras, divided
into 20 books. About a sixth of the Atharvaveda text
adapts verses from the Rigveda, and except for Books 15
and 16, the text is in poem.
he Atharvaveda is sometimes called the "Veda of magical
formulas”. The Samhita layer of the text represents a 2nd
millennium BCE tradition of magico-religious rites to
address anxiety, spells to remove maladies believed to be
caused by demons, and herbs- and nature-derived potions
as medicine. Many books of the Atharvaveda Samhita are
dedicated to rituals without magic.

The Veda may be named after the mythical priest

named Atharvan, who was first to develop prayers to fire,
offer Soma, and who composed "formulas and spells”
intended to counteract diseases and calamities.

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 It’s most ancient layer.

Sick people would be given substances such as a plant

(leaf, seed, root) and an amulet. Some magic spells were
for soldiers going to war, others for anxious lovers seeking
to remove rivals or to attract the lover who is less than
interested, some for success at a sporting event, in
economic activity, for bounty of cattle and crops, or
removal of petty pest bothering a household. Some hymns
were not about magic spells and charms, but prayer and
philosophical speculations.

Some examples

How to cure an open fracture:

“Let marrow be put together with marrow, and joint together with joint,
together what of the flesh fallen apart, together sinew and together your bone.
Let marrow come together with marrow, let bone grow over together with bone.
We put together your sinew with sinew, let skin grow with skin.”
Atharvaveda 4.15

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Harms against fever, jaundice and diseases
Numerous hymns of the Atharvaveda are prayers and
incantations wishing a child or loved one to get over some
sickness and become healthy again. The Vedic era
assumption was that diseases are caused by evil spirits,
external beings or demonic forces who enter the body of a
victim to cause sickness.
Hymn 5.21 of the Paippalāda edition of the text, for
example, states:
“Heaven our father, and Earth our mother, Agni the men-watcher,
let them send the ten days fever far away from us.
O fever, these snowy mountains with Soma on their back have made the wind,
the messenger, the healer for us,
Disappear from here to the Maratas.
Neither the women desire you, nor the men whosoever,
Neither a small one, nor a grown-up weeps here from desire of fever.
Do not harm our grown-up men, do not harm our grown-up women,
Do not harm our boys, do not harm our girls.
You who simultaneously discharge the balasa, cough, udraja, terrible are your
missiles,
O fever, avoid us with them.”
 Atharvaveda 5. 21
Remedy from medicinal herbs
“The tawny coloured, and the pale, the variegated and the red,
the dusky tinted, and the black – all Plants we summon hitherward.
I speak to Healing Herbs spreading, and bushy, to creepers, and to those whose
sheath is single,
I call for thee the fibrous, and the reed like, and branching plants, dear to
Vishwa Devas, powerful, giving life to men.
The conquering strength, the power and might, which ye, victorious plants
possess,
Therewith deliver this man here from this consumption, O ye Plants: so I prepare
the remedy.”
Atharvaveda 8.7

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Prayer for peace
“Give us agreement with our own; with strangers give us unity.
Do ye, O Asvins, in this place join us in sympathy and love.
May we agree in mind, agree in purpose; let us not fight against the heavenly
spirit.
Around us rise no din of frequent slaughter, nor Indra's arrow fly, for day is
present !”
  Atharvaveda 7.52

More posiobilities
Charm against cough.

Charm against excessive discharges from the body.

Charm against constipation and retention of urine

Charm to appease jealousy-harm against worms.

Charm against poison.

Charm to promote virility.

Charm with the plant agasringi to drive out Rakshas, Apsaras and Gandharvas.

Possession by demons of disease, cured by an amulet of ten kinds of wood.

Prayer for health and long life.

The pearl and its shell as an amulet bestowing long life and prosperity.

Charm to obtain a husband.

Charm to arouse the passionate love of a man.

Charm to appease anger.

Charm for the prosperity of cattle.

Charm for finding lost property.

Exorcism of evil dreams.

Hymn to goddess Earth.

Prâna, life or breath, personified as the supreme spirit.

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“We have conditionings of our families, of our religion, of our country. These
conditionings, as far as possible, are to be seen clearly that we have got it
through our family. If you are born a Christian you'll always be more attached to
Christ. Christ you have not seen, you don't know whether he existed or not,
whether this bible is true or not, but you'll be more attached to bible. Now if you
are a Hindu, you'll be more attached to Gita or to Vedas or something. This
creates imbalance because we must have the same attitude towards all the
religions, towards all the scriptures, that's the sign of a saint. So this
conditioning has to go.”

Shri Mataji: Kundalini Puja, Cabella, Italy, 21.06.1992

God is really one, only one

“Aum, We pray for;

Peace in the Devaloka,
Peace in the pace and on the Earth; peace
in the Waters,
peace in the Herbs, the Vegetation and
the Forests,
Peace among the Rulers of the World,
Peace in the Divine,
Peace everywhere and in every Thing,
Peace, True and Real Peace,
Let that Peace be in my mind
Peace, Peace, Peace.”

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Upanishads (Vedanta and six systems of philosophy)

Upanishad means: receiving knowledge while sitting near

the teacher. These are conversations between self-
realized souls and their students on the subject of
Absolute Truth. The philosophical aspects of all the
important processes and practices of knowledge (known
as vidyas) that are given in the Vedas, are discussed in the
Upanishads. Veda means ‘knowledge’ and anta means
‘end’. Upanishads are known as Vedanta: end of
knowledge.

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In the Upanishads the description is more or less negation
of the material conception of everything, up to the
Supreme Lord. It is very important to note that there is no
denial of the spiritual, absolute, transcendental
conception in the Upanishads. The purpose of the
Upanishads is to philosophically establish the personal
feature of the Absolute Truth as transcendental to
material names, forms, qualities and actions.

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There are 108 Upanishads

The six philosophical treatises are:

Nyaya, propounded by Gautama

Vaisesika, propounded by Kanada
Sankhya, propounded by Kapila
Yoga, propounded by Patanjali
Purva (karma) Mimamsa, propounded by Jaimini
Uttara (brahma) Mimamsa, propounded by Vyasa:

● Nyaya, the philosophy of logic, maintains that the atom

is the cause of the cosmic manifestation.

● Vaisesika, philosophy of specialised logic, maintains that

the combination of atoms is the cause of the cosmic
manifestation.

● Sankhya, philosophy of analytical study, maintains that

the material nature is the cause of the cosmic
manifestation.

● Yoga, philosophy of mystic perfections, maintains that

universal consciousness is the cause of the cosmic
manifestation.

● Purva (karma) mimamsa, philosophy of actions and

reactions, maintains that fruitive activities are the cause
of the cosmic manifestation.

● Uttara (brahma) mimamsa has two different categories:

The impersonalists maintain that the impersonal Brahman

is the cause of the cosmic manifestation.

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The impersonalist Uttara (brahma) mimamsa philosophers
say that everything is an illusion.

After studying the six philosophical theses, Vyasadeva

completely summarized them all in his Vedanta-sutra
darsana: The Absolute Truth is the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, who is the cause of all causes.

In the Upanishads, the concept of dharma is seen as universal

principles of law, order, harmony, and truth. It acts as the regulatory
moral principle of the Universe. It is explained as law of
righteousness and equated to satya (truth) in hymn 1.4.14 of
Brhadaranyaka Upanishad, as follows:

“ॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐ ॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐ

ॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐ
ॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐ
ॐॐ ॐॐ ॐ ॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐ ॐॐॐ ॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐ
ॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐ ॐॐॐॐॐॐ
ॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐॐ ॐॐॐॐ”

“Nothing is higher than Dharma. The weak overcomes the

stronger by Dharma, as over a king. Truly that Dharma is
the Truth (Satya);

Therefore, when a man speaks the Truth, they say, “He

speaks the Dharma”; and if he speaks Dharma, they say,
“He speaks the Truth!” For both are one.”
 Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, 1.4.xiv

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Puranas

Puranas are compiled from related historical facts which

explain the teachings of the four Vedas. In the Chandogya
Upanishad, the Puranas and the Mahabharata, generally
known as histories, are mentioned as the fifth Veda.

All men are not equal. There are men who are conducted
by the mode of goodness, others who are under the mode
of passion and others who are under the mode of
ignorance.

Therefore, in the pure-goodness Purana, viz., Srimad

Bhagavatam, Shri Vyasadeva proclaims that the prime
necessity of human life is to realize one’s eternal
relationship with the Lord and thus surrender unto Him.

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Dharma according to Patanjali Yoga

In the Yoga-system the dharma is real ; in the Vedanta it is

unreal.

Dharma is part of yoga, suggests Patanjali (?? - II nd ce);

the elements of Dharma are the attributes, the qualities
and aspects of yoga: yama (restraints) and niyama
(observances).

The five yama, according to Patanjali, are: abstain from

injury to all living creatures (ahimsa), abstain from
falsehood (satya), abstain from unauthorised appropriation
of things-of-value from another (acastrapurvaka), abstain
from coveting or sexually cheating on your partner, and
abstain from expecting or accepting gifts from others

The five niyama (observances) are cleanliness by eating

pure food and removing impure thoughts (such as
arrogance or jealousy or pride), contentment in one’s
means, meditation and silent reflection, regardless of
circumstances one faces, study and pursuit of historic
knowledge, and devotion of all actions to the Supreme
Teacher to achieve perfection of concentration

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“In the beginning, there was desire, which
was the first seed of mind...”
Hymn of Creation, Rig Veda
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Karma and dharma

The wheel in the centre of India’s flag symbolises Dharma.

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In order to achieve good karma it is important to live
according to dharma: what is right. This involves doing
what is right for the individual, the family, the class or
caste and also for the universe itself. Dharma is like a
cosmic norm and if one goes against the norm, it can
result in bad karma. So, dharma affects the future
according to the karma accumulated. Therefore one's
dharmic path in the next life is the one necessary to bring
to fruition all the results of past karma.

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“For the holy Gods Savitar first created immortality, the highest
portion. Then as a bondage for mortals he unfolded successive lives
(anucina jivita).”
Rig Veda IV.54.2

Indra

“The singers of Gayatri celebrate you, Indra, lord of song and joy, with the
hymns of Sama Veda.”

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“1. HOLD fast your Godlike sway, O Soma-Rudra: let these our sacrifices
quickly reach you. Placing in every house your seven great treasures, bring
blessing to our quadrupeds and bipeds. 2 Soma and Rudra, chase to every quarter
the sickness that hath visited our dwelling. Drive Nirrti away into the distance,
and give us excellent and happy glories. 3 Provide, O Soma-Rudra, for our bodies
all needful medicines to heal and cure us. Set free and draw away the sin
committed which we have still inherent in our persons. 4 Armed with keen
shafts and weapons, kind and loving, be gracious unto us, Soma and Rudra.

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Release us from the noose of Varuna; keep us from sorrow, in your tender loving-
kindness.”

Soma-Rudra, hymn LXXIV

Sama Veda: “O Agni, thou prevent the body from

getting destroyed.”

More information in internet; also the full text of the

Atharva Veda. A good introduction by Wikipedia.

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By means of conclusion

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