Rashmi Sahu: Guru ji, i am encountering problem in doing agnihotra daily in house as i am not getting havan samagri, in chennai/kalpakkam. Further mango twigs are not there. I have a mango tree in house which is green, and give fruits what should I do. Further i request you to enlighten me with full meaning of following mantras, the meaning of which have been on a site against Vedas with derogatory references towards women: Atharva Ved [6/11/3], [Atharva Ved 2/3/23], Shatpath Brahman, Rig Ved [8/33/17], Rig Ved [10/95/15], Yajur Ved [6/5/8/2], Shatpath Puran [14/1/1/31].
Swami Ram Swarup: First, I will advise you my daughter, to please order of a bag of havan samigri from
M/s Lajpath Rai samigri store, Shop number 856, Qutab Road, Sadar Bazaar, Delhi. Pin: 110006. Stating my name also since, they know me very well and pay regards to me. The cost of one packet of samigri weighing One kg will be about Rs. 20 to 22/-. Second option is to contact local arya samaj mandir where havan samigri may be available. Third option is, in emergency you may prepare havan samigri yourself as follows: The item may be available with Pansari in market: Aata (flour), rice, dal (mash black), dried leaves of flowers, black til, jau(barley), dry fruits, jaggery (gur or shakkar), gyol, guggal, chandal bala. Note: It must be prepared daily. Other than mango twigs any wood can be used. We must only avoid wood which creates lot of smoke. Like wood of cheed.
Atharvaveda mantra 6/11/3:
This mantra relates to women. (PRAJAPATIHI) Protector of public (ANUMATIHI) who is follower of the thought of husband. (SEENIVALI) who has the plenty of food grains and the best use there of (ACHEEKLRIPT) capable/powerful.
Idea is that the woman who has the said quality, Prajapati, Anumati and Seenivali becomes self-sufficient, capable, powerful to carry out moral duties and to give birth to the intelligent babies.
(STRAISHUYAM) the said woman for giving birth to baby and (ANYATR) keeping the baby at different places, (U) i.e., (Ukar word of hindi devnagari) definitely (IHA) here i.e., in this world (PUMANSAM DADHAT) gives birth to brave male baby.
Meaning/Idea of the mantra: It has been eternal tendency in the world to obtain brave male babies for the protection of the nation. Yajurveda mantra 22/22 too states to get male member also in the shape of Brahmin who knows Vedas and yoga philosophy to educate the nation well, Kshatriya to protect the nation well and the vaishya/Mahajan to have control and well distribution on every needful item of the household i.e., their business must suits the nation. Similarly in the mantra, it is stated that brave women must be there to help their husbands. The said Yajurveda mantra states that PURANDHIHI YOSHA i.e., the learned women must also take birth in the nation who are capable to hold several public i.e., to nurse several public well in the nation. The society must be learned to think deeply on the above quoted Atharvaveda mantra also that who gives birth to brave sons. Definitely a woman having qualities quoted in the mantra gives birth and then only
nation is protected well. So we should never have any bad thought against girl/woman. Otherwise it would be a great sin and God punishes.
You have asked for the explanation of Atharvaveda mantra 2/3/23 whereas Atharvaveda kand 2, Sukta 3 ends at mantra 6. So, please quote correct mantra number.
The idea of Rigveda mantra 8/33/17 doesnot indicate that the mind of a lady is unintelligent, brooks no discipline etc. But the idea of the said mantra is that if a learned husband realises that the thoughts of his wife are not compatible with him then as per next mantra the responsibility of the learned husband is more than the lady to cooperate with his wife. Actually, in mantra 8/33/17 it is pointed out that if the wife in any case is not capable to meet with the requirements of her learned husband then next mantra quoted above states that to maintain compatibility, the responsibility lies on the husband. In no case, the wife has been declared unintelligent in Vedas. On the contrary, in next Rigveda mantra 8/33/19 it is stated:
“ISTREE HI BRAHMA BABHOOVITH”
i.e., the woman, in the house of her husband, is placed at the status of Brahma. Here, it shall not be out of place mention to that in Atharvaveda God states that he who steels away a small portion of any ved mantra, he is punished. I mean to say, now it is time to channalize India’s concentration towards study of four Vedas completely and not in pieces. At one stage, Vedas state that Vedas are afraid of the man/woman who do not study the Vedas completely. As a result, they misinterpret Vedas. Our country was called as “VISHWAGURU” i.e., spiritual master of entire world, based on Vedas’ knowledge only.
Rigveda mantra 10/95/15:
(PURURAVAHA) He who gives order to number of army troops under him i.e., commander of army/king (Ma) not (MRITAHA) meet with death.
Meaning/Idea- Oh King! Do not meet with death uselessly. (MA) not (PRA PAPTAHA) fall in a pit.
Meaning/Idea- Do not meet with downfall in your life. (VRIKASAHA) wolves (MA) not (TVA) you (ASHEEVASAHA) unauspicious/not beneficial (U KSHANN) definitely eat away.
Meaning/Idea- Oh King! the unauspicious wolves may not definitely eat you away. (STRAINNANI) with regards to lady (SAKHYANI) friendly connection i.e., worldly love (NA VAI) never (SANTI) permanently established i.e., are not auspicious.
Meaning/idea: Relations with lady based on worldly love only are never established permanently i.e., are never auspicious. (ETA) the said relations (HRIDYANI) are like a cruel heart (SALA VRIKANNAM) of wolves who attack forcefully.
Idea: The idea of the mantra is that when a man becomes sensuous and makes contact with several ladies or makes several sexual contacts with his wife even then he loses his mental as well as physical power and meets with early death uselessly. Even in some cases, he commits suicide. Some people go to the jungles where they commit suicide and their body flesh is eaten away by wild animals like wolves etc. So, the mantra warns against the sexual attachment with ladies and maintains Brahamcharya stage in family life like several Rishi-Munis, Shri Ram, Shri Krishna Maharaj etc. Mahabharat clearly states that Satyawati had two sons- Chitrangad and Vichitraveerya. One of his son was actually sensuous who met with early death due to fatal diseases. In the present world also, There are several cases of such instances. God does not allow the lady to be seen with bad intention mainly sexual. Physical charms never make everlasting love/relations. It is only a
love which based on soul and the said love is everlasting. The sexual relation is like an attack of cruel wolves who eat the flesh of his hunt cruelly and immediately. Thus, the uncontrolled sexual relation with lady/ladies attack the body of man to eat it badly and immediately. One should have a Vedic target of family life to increase pure love and to get only children and not mere sexual pleasure.
Yajurveda mantra number 6/5/8/2 quoted by you is not correct, please. Please quote Yajurveda chapter number and mantra number.
The fundamental law of Vedas can never be changed wherein a woman has not been declared as a subject matter of insult, ridicule or untouchability unless declared characterless. Therefore the real meaning has not been understood that what Rishi in Shatpath Brahmin Granth states. Only some portion of the granth i.e., shloka 14/1/1/31 has been considered. The meaning is as under:
In Shatpath Brahmin Granth kand 14 chapter 1 Brahmin 1 the story states regarding how to perform a Yajyen i.e., how to perform and complete a Yajyen. Therefore, in the chapter there is a preach to avoid sins while performing Yajyen. For example in shloka 29 it is stated that take warm water, must not take non-vegetarian, be a tapsvi. Similarly in shloka 31 it is preached that while learning/studying Vedas and performing holy Yajyen brahamcharya (celibacy) must be adopted and should not therefore, touch women ( to maintain Brahamcharya). So is the case of Shudra (i.e., he who is not educated, does not do pious deeds, takes non-vegetarian, addiction, sits in bad society etc.). Such shudras should not be accompanied and touched strictly during Yajyen otherwise Yajyen gets distrupted and wasted away. If Shatpath Brahmin Granth prohibits touching of women then why further in chapter 1, Brahmin 2 sholka 7 it is stated that I accept the woman (i.e., touches you and ask you to sit with me to perform Yajyen).
Vedas devolve equal rights on males and females and do not even allow generation of hatred among living beings, then what to talk about females who have been awarded the greatest title of “Brahma” vide Rigveda mantra 8/33/19 Brahma means he who creates the living beings and the women too. Vedas also state “MATA NIRMATRI BHAVATI i.e., she alone is the power who builds the future of her children.”
Vedas only prohibit to have contact with females in the days of monthly problems with the sole aim of maintaining purity along with giving long life to husband vide Manusmriti shloka 4/40-42.
It is also pertinent to mention here that whenever any granth or holy book is studied then at that time fundamentals of Vedas should be kept in mind and if any contradiction is seen between Vedas and those granths then such contradictory views of other granths will have to condemned and ignored immediately, based on Yog Shastra Sutra 1/7 and Sankhya Shastra Sutra 1/66 and Atharvaveda mantra 7/105/1.
There may be contradictions in views stated in a granth other than Vedas but You will never find any contradictory mantras in Vedas. I mean to say that there are no antagonistic views in Vedas where at one place it is stated that God is everywhere then it can not be stated in some other mantra that God resides in one place.
Similarly, when Vedas have stated that female enjoys equal rights viz-a viz man than how Vedas can contradict the said fundamental?
Rajesh: Ram Prahar, or the 1st Prahar, is from what time to what time of the morning?
Swami Ram Swarup: One prahar comprises of three hours. So, eight prahars are there in one day and one night i.e., in 24 hours. Hence, 1st prahar starts from the time when the sun begins to rise i.e., about 4.00 a.m.
Aparna Singh: When will the promotion come? When will marriage happen?
Swami Ram Swarup: Out of turn promotion is based on hardworking and extraordinary confidential report of a person. Otherwise, normal promotion is based on seniority.
As regards marriage, it must be solemnized based on good qualities of both i.e., boy and girl and whether the groom is capable to meet with the expenditures of married life as regards maintenance , nursing etc., of wife and the girl should be capable to discharge her family duties well. In this regard, if possible, one should study my following books, please:
(1) MANAV DHRAMA SHIKSHA (in Hindi) worth Rs. 51/-
(2) VEDAS- A DIVINE LIGHT (part III) (in English) worth Rs. 100/-
Rajesh Chandel: Revered Maharaj ji, what is the best method to achieve a state of calm while bieng busy in day todays commitmentswhile in govt service.How does one progress spiriually while looking after family commitments.
Swami Ram Swarup: My blessings to you. To get the success in life while discharging all moral duties towards family, society and nation including being busy in day today’s commitments and while being in government service one should strive to gain physical and mental power to attain the knowledge, education (science etc.) form of pious deeds and real worship of God is to be known and adopted in daily routine.
Therefore to gain mental and physical power Vedas state that a person should at least in first 25 years of age observe hard Brahamcharya (celibacy) and gain knowledge of form of pious deeds in his student life from a learned acharya of Vedas and Yoga philosophy and then he should enter in married life. But owing to our bad luck, the said procedure of Vedas, to maintain Brahamcharya upto at least 25 years of age and during brahamcharya to gain the said three educations is hardly being seen in our nation. Most of the saints are against the vedas’ philosophy and hence the problem arises. They never state and cannot even say that Vedas are false but they contradict the Vedas in such a manner that people become ignorant.
For example – several saints state that Vedas and Sanskrit language are difficult to understand and there is no special benefit of performing yajyen. This statement is totally wrong according to Vedas. It may be difficult to meet with a learned of Vedas and Yoga philosophy but Vedas are not difficult to understand because it is clear fundamental of Vedas that Vedas should be listened from acharya and not read as the Vedas are called “SHRUTI” and the knowledge of Vedas which emanates direct from God at the time of beginning of creation, is not given by chanting of mantras by God or by writing on a paper. It emanates from God and originated in the heart of four Rishis. Then four Rishis chant and give the same to brahma and traditionally by chanting it was given by acharya to disciples. However uptil Mahabharat time, Vedas were not reduced in written form and were not written in the shape of books. So Vedas are also called shruti. This eternal law is still applicable on the earth that one should make contact with acharya to listen Vedas. Vedas were printed in 16th century when printing press came into existence. Hence, Vedas in the form of books is called “samhita” and not Vedas.
I mean to say now it has become very difficult to gain the original mental and physical powers as quoted above to discharge moral duties very well because the said powers actually make man/woman strong to face any problem and settle the same happily. However we can still start listening Vedas and then studying Vedas to know moral duties and gain more strength to solve . Yajurveda mantra 40/1, 2 states that while discharging our moral duties and doing pious deeds we must enjoy the worldly pious matters and thus we will be always away from sins. So , now you must with a firm pious desire share some time even in a week to listen Vedas from a learned acharya of Vedas and must do Yoga asan, prannayam and meditation daily to gain the power. Secondly the above mantra too clearly inspires that one should worship and do pious deeds daily while discharging his moral duties towards family society and nation.
Spiritualism is not an obstacle in discharging moral duties instead it gives mental and physical power as stated above and therefore in the absence of spiritualism based on Vedas people are mostly failed to discharge duties quoted above and are thus mostly failed to maintain peace and unity in family and nation. So one should immediately start doing havan daily even first from Gayatri mantra, name jaap of God, asan, prannayam and meditation under advice of a learned acharya of Vedas and Yoga philosophy. Rest will be Ok by the grace of the Almighty God.
Bikash: I want to know about my self? Who I am? What is my existence?
Swami Ram Swarup: One should know that all are souls and reside in living bodies based on our karmas /deeds. If soul did previous body pious deeds then gets human body otherwise other living bodies. Human body is given by God to a soul to know Vedas and do the deeds accordingly to get salvation and those who are failed they experience sorrows etc., in this present life and in next life also. So one should know that he resides in human body just like a person resides in a room. Room is separate and person is separate similarly a soul residing in a body is always separate from body. So you are a soul and have come to do the pious deeds according to Vedas as quoted above. An article to this fact is also pasted below.
Who am I, why I have been made and send to earth, where will I go, what is the purpose of my birth?
You have got your head, your eyes, your nose, your tongue, your ears, your hand, legs ,body etc., but you are not body etc., because the word “YOUR” to make relation between you and your body has been used. So it is clear that you are not body, eye etc. So in Vedas and afterwards our Rishis in shastras have clarified that O man or woman! you are immortal soul. You have been blessed by God especially with human body to do pious deeds, worship, yoga practice and Yagya etc., to realize God within you. And this knowledge is given by a spiritual master who knows Vedas and yoga philosophy.
Who am I and what is the purpose for which I have received this birth?
Relationship is always made at least within two matters which are always separate from each other. One says that this is his house. So house is separate and person is separate. Another says that this is my house, my son, my wife etc. So person is separate, his house, son and wife are also separate from each other. That is why the relation was made. Similarly when someone says that this is his head and leg, ear and eyes etc., so here also it is clear that the person who is making relation with head, eyes etc., is separate and the said organs and the whole body are separate. Otherwise relation can not be made.
No one on the earth says that he is eye, he is head, he is leg, he is body etc., but always says that all the organs of body belong to him. So naturally question arises that who, “He” is to say that this is his head. So “He” means “SOUL” who resides in the body.
Rigveda mantra 1/164/20 says that this body is like a tree. Tree is destroyed one day. So body made by prakriti’s five matters (earth, air, water, space, fire) is destructible, prakriti being non-alive. In said tree, God and soul also reside and both are alive matters. God is omnipresent but soul is not omnipresent and resides at only one place at one time.
Suppose we are sitting in a dark room in the night then we are unable to do any task like studying but in the light of electric bulb we become able to do job. Similarly human body only works when the soul resides in it. That is soul works like an electric bulb otherwise we daily see so many deaths of youngsters also whose healthy body is there but does not work, eye can not see, ear can not listen etc., so which matter (tatv) had left the body. Yes it is only soul. Purpose of human life is to overcome the sorrows, tensions and to attain salvation by worshipping God under the guidance of an Acharya.
Death and birth according to the deeds are eternal until the whole good or bad deeds are burnt by doing hard practice of ashtang yoga and study of Vedas, the same are not stopped. Human beings mostly take birth to face the result of previous sin/pious deeds. In the present life due to illusion they do several sins or other deeds to face in the future births.
Yajurveda mantra 40/2 states that we should discharge our moral duties and while doing pious deeds according to Vedas we get salvation. So deeds are to be done. The aspirant who gains knowledge of Vedas, ashtang yoga philosophy etc., he usually preaches the people also. So it is up to the people whether they are desirous of worshipping to kill the past deeds to get salvation or not. Mostly people are after materialistic articles/pomp and show etc. mere talking will do nothing. Why the voice of kings and the voice of learned Yogis are listened? Because they struggled for their motto and became an appropriate person.
