Ajit: Namaste ji, Could you please inform me when Veda class is conducted…
Swami Ram Swarup: Namasteji. The vaidic preach will be given in Yajyen, from 14th april 2013- 9th June, 2013. Every person, who desires, can attend.
Chotu: How did you become messenger of God? I do Hanuman chalisa.
Swami Ram Swarup: Nobody is messenger of God. God is Almighty, He does not need any assistance. Idol worship is not mentioned in Vedas, yet you do it, it is your own faith and you can go ahead.
Sagar: Swamiji Pranaam, I have requested for books. Please, I am really striving to get the knowledge of Vedas. Pranaam Again.
Swami Ram Swarup: I’ve checked and found that one book named Manav Dharma shiksha is out of stock and rest of the books have been sent to you. Again, my blessings to you.
Ajit: Namaste swami ji, Is it true that while doing Japa, mala should not fall below navel chakra? Please guide me…
Swami Ram Swarup: Namasteji. I think there is no fault if mala falls below navel chakra etc. However, mala jaap does not exist in Vedas. Vedas tell to worship Formless God through listening Vedas, doing name jaap, Yajyen-hawan, Ashtang Yoga Practice.
Vikash: Why we say swaha in yagya & hawan? Why not say any other word? Please tell me.
Swami Ram Swarup: In this connection I paste one of my articles-
Importance of Swaha
To know any Vedic word, one will have to take into consideration the fact that as God is formless so is the Vedvani of all four Vedas and so is “Swaha”. Therefore the printed Vedas are not Vedvani, it is called Samhita and Samhita can be destroyed whereas Vedvani is eternal. The pious, eternal and immortal word “Swaha” is recited/pronounced invariably in every Yajyen/havan at the end of mantra. It has got a prayer to God with some meanings. The meanings are explained below. First word will be in Hindi and then it will be explained in English, please.
“Swaha” — Directly it is Ved mantra. In Yajurveda mantra 31/7, it is clearly mentioned that the Vedvani emanates directly from God. Yagyavalkya Rishi in his Smriti tells his wife Maitreyi that in the beginning of every creation this formless Vani emanates from formless Almighty God in the heart of four Rishis selected by God from the previous creation in which they were topmost in Tapsya and good conduct etc. That is why automatically they are called Rishis with their names – Agni, Vayu, Aditya and Angira. As the breath comes out from man similarly Ved mantras emanate from God. As outer breath is inhaled in the body so the Vedas are inhaled in God at the time of final destruction. {Please remember God is formless and has no mouth etc. This is an example and comparison only to enable us to understand the origination of eternal knowledge of Vedas otherwise neither it is exhaled nor inhaled from God.}
Further, in the heart of each of the four Rishis mentioned above, one Veda is originated without writing and without preaches. How? God is formless and Almighty, i.e., has all powers and does not require any assistance. So God does not require any assistance from any Yamraj, any Yamdoot to get the soul out from any person, He does not require any assistance from any Indra, to shower water in the shape of rain, does not require any priest or preacher or Guru etc., to preach the religion to anybody because He is Almighty, He is always independent and His powers alone create and do all deeds etc., automatically.
It is we people only who are dependent on eyes to see, ear to listen and require pencil, paper or pen etc. to write and so on, but not God. So automatically, at right time, the creation takes place; mantras emanate from God and are originated in the heart of four rishis without paper, pencil etc., etc., etc., because it is all in the power of God. God being Almighty can do anything but can not do injustice or unnatural task. For example -A sinner prays to God to forgive his sins but God will never forgive. A horse cannot give birth to a man. Avtar cannot take place etc. Now I come to the word “Swaha”.
The meaning of word “Swaha” has been explained in Yajurveda mantra 4/6 that it is –
(1) “Pratyaksh Ved Mantra Yukta Vanni”- Evidently eternal voice/ vanni (wordings) of Ved mantras. It means that the person who is performing holy Yajyen is praying from his heart to God through eternal Vedvanni with immortal word “Swaha” preached in Vedas to do so.
(2) “Sushikshit vanni”. Sushikshit means = Su + Shikshit. As told above Vedic swaha word is eternal /immortal because it is not man -made. It emanates directly from God. So in addition, Su means the best vanni i.e., supreme, paramount and divine voice/ vanni and there is no doubt in its supremacy as it emanates directly from God and God is supreme. Thus this vanni is impregnated with knowledge and truth.
(3) “Vidya Ko Prakashit karne wali Vanni”. Enlightening vanni/voice. “Swaha” vanni enlightens the knowledge in the shape of deeds ( karam-kand in Yajurveda), knowledge ( Gyan- Kand in Rigveda) and worship (Upasana kand in Samveda) and details of the said three knowledge as well as medicines etc., in Atharvaveda. Therefore, it is called enlightening, eternal Vanni.
(4) “Satya Se Prem Aadi Gunon Se Yukta Vanni” i.e., Swaha word is full of several qualities such as to love everyone by rising above discrimination, ravages of hatred, adopt truth, give up falsehood, etc., So Swaha is Vanni which preaches truth and other virtues like love for humanity etc. It is not an exaggeration to state here that if “Swaha” word had been used in Yajyen daily, then till now it would have settled firmly in the mind of all human beings to love truth and follow the truth only and with the result there would have been no casteism, hatred, worship of several man made Gods, corruption, insult of women, militancy, poverty, division of earth into several nations etc., etc., which was not in the past. So Yajyen is compulsory and has been told in all four Vedas.
(5) ” Uttam Len-Den ki Kriya”. Excellent give and take business. To elaborate, the offerings are made in fire and in return to this pious deed, the polluted air and water are purified, people are blessed with good health, education, happiness etc. Also timely rains occur to give sufficient water, good vegetation, oxygen etc., to live upon and numerous other best results are mentioned in Vedas which are bestowed on people who make offerings to fire.
Yajurveda mantra 11/57 states “Makhasya Shiraha Asi” that alive family (household) who performs daily Yajyen, is considered as head of the Yajyen. Just as the head holds supreme position in the body because body functions are controlled and actions are delivered from mind which is in the head, so such family is supreme in the world who performs holy Yajyen daily since it gives numerous benefits to whole mankind. Then what to talk about people who do not perform holy Yajyen because they are neither benefactors to themselves nor to others. Swaha word has also been defined in Nirukta Brahmin Granth chapter 8, khand 20 that is, the people (householders who perform daily havan) gain numerous qualities and even spread to others. So non-performance of holy Yajyen has now spread the illusion all over the world. According to Nirukta Brahmin Granth, it is stated-
(1) All people should speak sweet, polite, auspicious language which is conducive to the well-being and prosperity of others. Since the pious word “Swaha” carries all such attributes hence it is pronounced in each Yajyen. It may also be stated here that in ancient times when people performed daily havan, they were blessed with this virtue which is not commonly observed in people today due to lack in performance of havan.
(2) Everyone should be clear hearted and should give up hypocrisy. It is for this reason that people chant Swaha in havan. Again it shall not be out of place to mention that at present people are cunning and speak contrary to what is in store in their hearts and all this is happening due to lack of performance of daily havan by them.
(3) No one should eye another person’s article or property and should strictly be satisfied with one’s own share gained through hard work. To attain this contentment, people chant Swaha in havan. So non-performance of havan has created laziness and poverty etc.
(4) Our offerings of fragrant materials and substances in fire benefits the entire world and hence this benevolent act must be accompanied by chanting of Swaha says Nirukta Brahmin Granth.
(5) Swaha is not only pronounced while making offerings in fire but also while drinking pious water of aachaman. This action reminds us again and again that may God protect us from illusion etc. We may gain money from hard work following path of truth etc., etc. Besides we pray by touching water with nose etc., to pray God to keep our body healthy etc.
Besides all these, Swaha has many other meanings and some of these which may be deliberated upon are—-
1. SU + AHA i.e., beautiful, eloquent vanni/voice.
2. Yajurveda mantra 38/11 explains it to be an action impregnated with truth i.e., when one offers ghee and other materials (combination of antibiotics + fragrant + sweet + nutritive materials) through one’s own hand into the pious fire of havan, then this action is true, pious deed since Vedas support such action. Vedas are eternal, indestructible. Hence pious deed of Swaha, owing its origin from Vedas, is also eternal and indestructible. This deed gives eternal peace to the doer. Undisputedly it is the desire of each and every human being to achieve peace in life. In nutshell, this deed is virtuous, auspicious act reward of which is eternal happiness bestowed on the doer.
