Kamal Nayan Gulati: Are there any times that one should not read Vedas? In Vedas are names of Gods and Goddesses mentioned?
Kamal Nayan Gulati: Are there any times that one should not read Vedas? In Vedas are names of Gods and Goddesses mentioned?
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you. The Vedas can be studied anytime, please.
The meanings of Indra, Agni, Vayu are understood with different senses. Somewhere, the meaning of agni, according to situation of mantra, is God and somewhere Yogi, Rishi and yet in other places – corporal fire. It depends on the idea of mantra etc. so, is the case of Indra etc. so, at any cost, the Almighty God, who is formless, creates ,nurses and destroys the universe , will remain one and unchangeable. But His names based on divine qualities are several.
I also paste one of my articles in this regard.
God is formless
Being formless there is no need of statue or temple of God according to Vedas. As a matter of fact, you, I or every human being, lives in a body. Body is separate, we are called souls. Vedas say soul has no form even. Then also we know each other. For example even if you have not seen the photograph of King Akbar then, you can know Akbar by means of the study of his qualities. So is the case with the God. If an aspirant really goes to his Guru and listens Vedas like Shri Ram, and ancient kings and their public then he will be able to know hundred percent about formless God. Then comes realization for which Vedas (especially Samveda) says that he who performs Yajna, does jaap (according to Vedas) and practises Ashtang Yoga Philosophy while remaining in family like Shri Ram etc., he sure realizes, being eternal law.
If we will meditate concentrating outside our body which is also against Vedas/Ashtang Yoga Philosophy, then our attention will always naturally remain outside i.e., attached with outer world i.e., decoration/music/dances etc. In that case subject matter of God will be over. It will be converted into spending fun, doing dances and singing attractive songs by ladies and gents, which is totally against Vedas. Thus the chapter of praising God, True Acharya, Rishi-Munis, performing Yajyen, practice of Ashtang Yoga, eternal knowledge of Vedas etc., will be over.
It is also baseless to say that study of Vedas and practice of yoga philosophy is difficult. It is self made story because Vedas are also called Shruti i.e., Vedas are to be listened first and not to be studied. So to listen to the Vedas, a learned Acharya is needed. The Acharya will explain the Ved mantras in the Yajna in your own language i.e., in English or Urdu etc., and for an aspirant to do asan, pranayaam, meditation etc., is also not difficult. It is all difficult for those human beings, including present false prophets, (who are against the Vedas), who are lazy, can’t awake early in the morning to listen Vedas and fail to do practice of yoga philosophy. Those people are always after money, materialistic articles and pomp and show etc.
Vedas are not written or spoken by God. This knowledge is emanated from God and is originated in the heart of four Rishis as stated above. God is Almighty i.e., He has all powers. So He needs no assistance to do universal deeds. In human body alive soul resides and soul is dependent, soul requires mouth to speak, eye to see, hand to write etc., etc. but not God. From His power God originates the knowledge of Vedas in the rishis without writing, or speaking etc. Vedas’ knowledge is divine. The fundamental of the Vedas is this that it was not written or spoken. The knowledge by the power of God was originated about one Arab 96 crore, 8 lakh and 53 000 years ago. Then first time the four rishis of unsexual creation started pronunciation of the mantras by the power of God. God wanted them to know word meanings and senses of the mantras and therefore the rishis knew all. Then first time the four rishis started pronunciation of the mantras. They taught the
mantras to other ignorant people. Then another rishis were produced who knew the Vedas by heart by listening only. There was no paper, ink or pen there. The Vedas were being learnt by mouth to mouth and traditionally this process is yet in force. But mostly not by heart but taking help of the printed book. So printed books are not called Vedas but these are called samhita.
Samhita means the collection of Ved mantras. Therefore Present printed books cannot be considered as Vedas and will never be in future, but samhita. Kapil Muni throws light on this point in his Sankhya Shastra 5/48 that when a rishi does tapsya in the shape of Yajyen, study of Vedas, practice of Ashtang Yoga then the Ved mantras still (now also) originate in heart of the Rishi and the rishi pronounces the mantras. Those mantras are called Vedas, which emanate from God. So Vedas must first be listened (study) from alive Acharya (Guru who knows Vedas). Then only Samhita (books of Vedas) can help.
Names of God
In the Vedas there is only one God but has so many names according to his qualities. For example His name is OM which means the God is the saviour of all. His name is SURYA (sun) i.e., sun has light but sun takes light from God because God has the supreme and Divine light of His own. His name is Chandrma (moon). Moon gives peace, calm, cold and charming light so the name of God is also Chandrma (moon) because God gives peace, calm etc., to those who worship etc., etc. we all people do not worship thirty three Goddesses as briefed above. Shiva means Kalyan i.e., happiness, welfare, good fortune and benediction etc., i.e., He who does welfare to human beings, He is Shiva and He is only one Almighty God said above. Vishnu means He who is everywhere and He is only one Almighty God.
Rig-Veda mantra 1/164/46 says,” EKAM SADRUPA VIPRAH BAHUDHA VADANTI,” i.e., EKAM SATAM means truth is one i.e., God is one but VIPRAH = Rishis, Munis who were/are learned of Vedas, BAHUDHA VADANTI utter so many names of God mentioned in Vedas like AGNIM YAMAM MATRISHVANAM AAHUHU meaning-the name of God are Agni, Yam, Matrishva and AAHUHU means “says”. In Yajurveda mantra 32/1 the names of God stated are AGNI, ADITYA, VAAYU, CHANDRMA, SHUKRAM, BRAHM, AAPAH, and PRAJAPATIHI ETC, ETC, ETC. I would explain the meaning of above all the names of God in brief due to shortage of time and space.
AGNI= agrini i.e., at the top or who comes first or who was before the creation and according to the said qualities, here the meaning of Agni pertains to God i.e., God is eternal and therefore exists always before the creation etc. that is why Rigveda mantra 1/1/1 says AGNIM Eedey – in the said mantra the meaning of Agni is God according to the qualities and situation. Meaning of Eedey means desire. Therefore the meaning of Agnim Eedey is , “I am desirous of God. Similarly YAM means controller of universe, Matrishva means air i.e., like the air God gives life to human beings. Aditya means which can not be broken into pieces, Chandrma means like moon God gives calm/peace, Shukram means Almighty, Braham means the superior/the biggest/the greatest etc., in the universe, Aapah means omnipresent, Prajapatihi means one who nurses the universe. So all the said meanings have the qualities of God and hence the name of God in the
Vedas, but these are always uttered by Rishis Munis, who are learned of Vedas, as mentioned in Rig-Veda mantra quoted above. Therefore only Rishis Munis who are learned of Vedas, utter or tell the holy name of God mentioned in Vedas and those who do not know Vedas can never utter the above holy names of God. But the said holy names, on the other hand, are even of surprising nature to them.
One thing more, the holy names of God in the Vedas are according to the nature, knowledge and deeds (God creates, nurses, destroys and controls the universe etc.) of Almighty God. Therefore those names are eternal and countless. So I am not able to mention here infinite names of Almighty God being beyond imagination, beyond calculation and beyond description etc., and we have to worship the said Almighty God whose description is in four Vedas, whose study has mostly been made stopped by the present saints who were against the Vedas and speak only charming stories etc., and never tells about Vedas. Whereas the description of Vedas is in Geeta, Ramayana,
six shastras, Upnishads and all ancient holy books. The reason why the present (most of them) saints do not quote Vedas is that they do not study the Vedas, do not do Yajyen and do not obey Ashtang Yoga Philosophy mentioned in Vedas which was too adopted by Shri Ram, Shri Krishna, Mata Sita, King Harishchandra, king Dashrath and their subjects/ public etc. Therefore we must be aware of false prophets.
S: I am upset because a pandit has said that I have pitridosh. Will I get married?
Swami Ram Swarup: Namaste, my daughter. My blessings to you. In Vedas, there is no mention about Pitri dosh or placement of shani grah, kaal sarp dosh etc. so, being against the Vedas, learned never accept the said matters. Therefore, you should not worry and your parents must try their best to seek suitable match for you.
Marriage is in the hand of Almighty God. However, God helps those who help themselves. So your parents must do their best to seek a suitable match for you. You must also do daily hawan with Gayatri mantra both times. In the end of hawan, you must pray to God daily for His blessings for the same. It will be much better if you also, chant the Gayatri mantra in heart without speaking it, sitting on any asan, along with its meaning.
Anil Lohiya: Pujya Guruji Pranam, Please let me know the meaning of Maha Mrityunjaya Mantra i.e. Om Trayambakam Yajamahe…….. and can we do hawan with the same,is it from the Vedas?
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you. Yes, mahamritunjaya mantra is actually Yajurveda mantra 3/60. Meaning of which is as follows-
The said mantra is placed at 3/60 Yajurveda. So it must also be called that it is a Ved mantra. Mantra states ‘ Triambakam’ ‘Tri’ means three, ‘amb’ means eyes. Meaning thereof that God is the seer of three time-periods i.e., past, present and future and therefore has been named in this mantra “Triambakam”. “Yajamahe” means I perform Holy Yajyen with Ved mantras. Yajamahe is the verb means singular number so one should perform Yajyen chanting the said mantra and offering aahuti in Vedi/hawankund himself.
Mahamrityunjaya name has been originated by we people, otherwise it is Yajurveda mantra 3/60. So we must say that we are reciting Yajurveda mantra but it has been a tendency to say it as mahamrityunjaya mantra. It can never be started with any other shloka or mantra etc., because Ved mantras emanate direct from God at the beginning of the earth. So Ved mantras have not been written by a Rishi-Muni, man, woman etc., as Almighty, Omnipresent, Formless God is unchangeable. So are the mantras. The Knowledge of Ved mantras is eternal, immortal and unchangeable.
In the said mantra, we pray to God that Oh God! I perform your Yajyen, may my life be long i.e., 100 years or upto 400 years as the Vedas say. However, no one can cross the age of 400 years please. So, everybody must recite and do Yajyen from the said mantras himself because in the mantra we are praying to God that Oh God! I am myself doing your worship by Yajyen and no one else on my behalf.
“TRIYAMBAKAM YAJAMAHE SUGANDHIM PUSHTIVARDHANAM URVARUKMIV BANDHANAANMRITYORMUKSHEEYA MAAMRITAAT.”
(Rigveda mantra 7/59/12)
“TRIYAMBAKAM YAJAMAHE” is the Rigveda Mantra number 7/59/12. Its meaning is (TRIYAMBAKAM) whose knowledge remains constant in past, present and future. Actually “AMBAKAM” means eyes, TRI means three i.e., He who has three eyes. Here three eyes means past, present and future, the three phrases of time i.e., whose knowledge remains unchangeable in past, present, future times and who is present and sees past, present and future.
(YAJAMAHE) do daily worship ((SUGANDHIM), who makes us the best and the purest (PUSHTIVARDHANAM) who increases the strength of our body and soul.
Meaning:- We must daily worship the God whose knowledge remains unchangeable in past, present and future and who is present and sees the past, present and future. He makes us the best and the purest and increases the strength of our body and soul.
Idea:- Yajyen and Ashtang Yoga Practice is the best worship of God. So, we must daily do Yajyen and Ashtang Yoga Practice.
(BANDHANAAT) connected to (LATAA) creeper (URVARUKMIV) like a ripened cucumber (MRITYOHO) from death (MUKSHEEYA) get liberated.
Meaning:- With the grace of God, may I get liberated from death like a ripened cucumber which gets released from the creeper.
Idea:- The cucumber automatically gets separated from the creeper when it gets fully ripened. It becomes tasty even. Similarly, by the worship of God i.e., while performing Yajyen and Practice of Ashtang Yoga Philosophy, I may also attain full disease free age i.e., hundred years or more and get free from the death automatically.
(MA MUKSHIMAHEE) may we never be separated from faith, belief (AMRITAM) from supreme, divine pleasure of final liberation.
Idea:- This human body is blessed by God to do daily Yajyen wherein knowledge of Vedas is also listened from Brahma i.e., learned acharya who is a philosopher of four Vedas and Ashtang Yoga . Our faith and belief must never diminish from following the said path of worship to get final liberation.
Main Idea:- In the above mantra , we pray to God. There are two types of prayers-
1. Prayer emanates direct from God in the shape of Ved mantras like above mantra which are eternal, true and the best.
2. Prayers which are man-made in the shape of so many shlokas etc., written by human-beings i.e., saints etc.
No doubt that the prayers which emanate from God are the best. So, the human being must know the deep philosophy of the Vedas and must worship God and must do prayer of God as mentioned in Vedas which will ever be beneficial for all mankind, we must only worship the God whose description has been given in the Vedas by God Himself. Who can know God as God knows Himself? So, description of God in Vedas is eternal, true and the best.
Secondly, prayer is not enough. God states in Vedas (Refer Rigveda mantra 1/10/5) that one must also do hard, pious deeds to fulfil one’s prayer otherwise prayer will not help the person. Based on the Philosophy of Vedas, nowadays the true phrase is famous-“God Helps Those Who Help Themselves”. So we must ourselves do hard, pious deeds according to our prayer. Worship for the God/Gods against the Vedas are always sorrowful.
So the idea of the above mantra is clear wherein it is mentioned “TRIYAMBAKAM YAJAMAHE” i.e., Oh! God, we do Yajyen (worship) ourselves. So we can never depute any other person to perform the Yajyen from the above Ved mantra because mantra states to perform the Yajyen ourselves. Mostly, due to lack of knowledge of Ved mantras, we engage some other person to perform Yajyen which according to Vedas, can never be beneficial.
Because “YAJAMAHE” is “ATMANEPAD DHATU”. Dhatu means root word. It means YAJAMAHE word is applicable to personal matter. So we will have to perform Yajyen, personally. In Vedas its name has not been mentioned as “Mahamritynjaye mantra”.
However, if somebody has stated its name as Mahamritynjaye jaap then it makes no difference if we are aware of the truth-
That it is Rigveda mantra 7/59/12 (quoted above) and also Yajurveda mantra 3/60. So the study of Vedas and above quoted mantras reveals –“TRIYAMBAKAM YAJAMAHE” i.e., we must perform Yajyen with Ved mantras ourselves and do hard pious deeds i.e., listening of Vedas , performing of Yajyen and practice of Ashtang Yoga Philosophy daily to fulfil the prayer mentioned in above mantras i.e., Oh! God may I be liberated from death and get divine pleasure of final liberation. The hard, pious deed must be carried out while discharging all our moral duties as mentioned in Yajurveda mantra 40/2.
