Vedas are the most ancient, revered, and sacred of the world's scriptures. The Vedas reveal the root of all the knowledge and also called as “Pramana Shastra” (The proof or the base of all the knowledge and by itself does not need a proof). The Vedas were not written by any human, but was revealed to the human through the ancient Rishis (The seers) during their superconscious state or Tapas. Hence the ancient Rishis were not the authors of Vedas, but only the instrument through which the Vedas were made available to human.
It is wrong to say that Vedas are the ancient knowledge of Hindus, as the phrase “Hindus” were given to Indians by British. There was only once universal Vedic society in the beginning and there was no concept of race or religion. Hence the Vedic knowledge was revealed and available to the entire humanity.
It is also to be noted that Vedas did not have any script, as the knowledge was propagated only through teaching and listening. This method is also referred as “Karna Parampara”. The whole concept of writing came into existance only when the powers of human faculty were degraded over time and he had to refer to records to recollect things. (This degradation even now continues, as we see now a deplorable situation that we are forced to use the computers or other medium to record. It is a sad state to see that these Vedas had to be now known to through the internet.) The oldest records of Vedas were found in Brahmi scripts carved on stones. These scripts were in pictorial form and the predecessor to the Devanagari script in
use now and also called as “Samskritham” or Sanskrit as a short form in English language. These were also subsequently recorded in ancient times on dry palm leaves (The most reliable and available printing medium at that point of time).
The Veda Shakas (Branches):
The Four Vedas:
Vedas are endless or also called as "Anantha". However, since it is impossible to learn all Vedas, it has been in practice to adopt a type of Veda (based on the birth and through the lineage of forefathers) and also something called as Shaka or recension (A school of recitation). Originally, there were no categorizations of Vedas and it was the Sage Vyasa who carried the exhaustive exercise of compiling Vedas into 4 major types based
on the purpose and the nature of Hymns as follows:
- Rig Veda: Hymns in Prayer (Stotras) forms dedicated to Gods in tradition
- Yajur Veda : Hymns in Prose form primarily focused on rituals
- Sama Veda : Hymns in Music & Melody form
- Atharva Veda: Hymns which were focused on avoid calamities and sufferings.
It should be noted that these Vedic Hymns are not necessarily exclusive to particular type of Veda. For example Yajur Veda and Sama Veda contain many Hymns from Rig Veda.
Each Veda Shaka has 4 parts viz... Samhita, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanishad.
- Samhita contains basically various types of prayers. Every Samhita has a particular type of compilation and arrangement
- Brahmana contains the ritualistic (also called Karma) part of the Vedas, methods of performance of these rituals.
- Aranyaka contains various forms of meditations also called as Upasanas.
- Upanishad is the end part of Vedas also called as Jnana Kanda (The knowledge of the supreme Self) and is the most important part of the Vedas.
The above said four Vedas and the four parts of each Vedas are the original scriptures which was made available to human through the sages. Please note that none of the above was written by any human
Every one, who belong to a particular lineage of Veda Shaka is supposed to learn them "By-Heart", recite daily, practice and teach them (In Sanskrit it called as "Patanam" (Study) and "Paatanam" (Teach). In fact this is supposed to be the only task of Brahmins and nowadays there is no one to own this as their duty).
It is also to be noted that the Vedas’ structure can be correlated to the increasing order of maturity of ones knowledge. Humans start with simple prayers, perform various Karmas (rituals) & Upasanas (Meditation) to purify their mind and finally pursue their quest of the Supreme Knowledge. It should be noted that the sequence noted above is just the means and not the end.The real end is a realization of ones own real nature and recognition of the fact that the God or Supreme Self is no different from oneself.
The amount of knowledge contained in these Vedas was so vast that the four Vedas were further subdivided in to Shakas or branches dealing with various subject matters. There were 1180 Shakas (Rig Veda – 21, Yajur Veda – 109, Sama Veda -1000 and Athava Veda -50). Over many thousands of years these Vedas were lost and now there are only 7 Shakas (Less than 0.75%) known to be available today. Also, in few of the Shakas only few numbers of practitioners are available. We need more than a life time to study & understand even these remaining Vedas. Such was the vastness of knowledge content we have lost over time. It is said that there was nothing “which was ever invented & discovered and which will be invented &
discovered” that were not available in Vedas. All the modern sciences that we know have been described in detail in Vedas (We will talk about it detail later).
Prashthanathraya:
Since it is humanly impossible to go through all the Vedic scriptures even after many births, a collection of scriptures called as “Prasthanathraya” is the recommended for a comprehensive study of Vedanta. The Prasthanathraya contains the following:
- Upanishads
- Brahma Sutra
- Bhagavad-Gita
Adi Shankara has written comprehensive commentary on the above three and amongst Upanishads he has selected 10 of them as the most important ones to study. The good part of the above is that all the “Upanishads” actually conclude and identify only one final truth. The availability of these Upanishads is actually a blessing to this society. There are 108 known Upanishads and out of which the study of 10 for which Adi Shankara wrote a detailed commentary are the most important:
- Aithareya Upanishad
- Kena Upanishad
- Chandogya Upanishad
- Isavasya Upanishad
- Bhahadaranyaka Upanishad
- Thaittriyopanishad
- Kathopanishad
- Mundaka Upanishad
- Prasna Upanishad
- Madukya Upanishad
Vedangas:
Veda in its original form is highly cryptic & condensed and it is difficult to understand the hidden truth without a help of proper guidance from Guru and tools. These tools are referred in Vedic study as “Vedangas”, and are used as complementary scriptures to help understand Vedas better. Vedanga means “Anga of Vedas” or “Limbs of Vedas”. We can assume the picture of Veda a Purusha (Human) and the Vedangas as his limbs metaphorically.
The Picture of Veda can be depicted as Vedangas as follows
Siksha (Phonetics)
Siksha is the first limb of Veda and also metaphorically symbolized by Nostrils & breath, the basis of pronunciation. In Vedas the words are the means of knowledge and they reveal the intended meaning to mind. The meanings of Vedic Mantras are not only based on Aksharas (letters which form the word) but also the Swaras (accent). It is extremely important to note
here is that Vedas are based on Karna Parampara (Oral tradition propitiated through chanting and hearing through ears and not written & referred because of this reason). The Siksha is such a deep science that it deals with many things like Varna (Sound), Swara (Accent /Pitch), Matra (measure of duration), Balam (Power or force of pronunciation), Sama (Modulation) and
Santana (Flow)
Vyakarana (Grammar)
Vyakarana is the second limb of Veda and also metaphorically symbolized as Mouth, only using which meaningful words can be spoken. The Sanskrit language has the most complete & ultimate framework of grammar. There were nine systems of grammar and the most popular one is Panini Grammar. It is said that when Panini was in contemplative meditation he heard the sound of 14 beats from the “Damroo” (a hand percussion instrument) of Lord Nataraja (Siva) and this formed the basis of Panini grammar. The 14 beats were captured in 14 sutras (aphorisms), also known as “Maheswara Sutra” which has 43 basic Sanskrit letters. Even the
modern day grammarians admit that Sanskrit is the most adaptable language medium of translation from one language to any other language. This is the only language in the universe, where what is spoken, written and thought has the greatest synchronization. This is a self revealing language, where the mere study of this language can make you realize subtle things
which cannot be revealed by logic and inference. It is interesting to note that every letter has a meaning in Sanskrit and Sanskrit Grammar is made of roots words. This is the only language ever required to express anything in this world and alas! , we are losing focus in the study this language.
Chandas (Meter/Prosody)
Chandas is the third limb of Veda and also metaphorically symbolized as Feet as the entire body of the Vedas is supposed to be resting on Chandas. Most of the Mantras in Vedas has a metric form and a there is a deep science behind it. For example the most popular Gayathri Mantra has 24 matras (a specific defined length of aksharas or syllables). The chandas
defines many types of meter and deals with Padas (Quarter), matras and many more things. The original Vedas preserved the Chandas and the only way to appreciate this is by memorization of voluminous texts and chanting.
Ingenious Techniques to Preserve the Pronunciation.
Note: It is a well known fact that the pronunciation of words in a normal language change over time. We do not speak the same English or Tamil which were spoken before 100 years. Vedas being a root of knowledge, for ages our ancestors evolved many ingenious techniques in preserving these Vedic words in original form. One of the techniques was to chant Vedas in
multiple combination and sequence of words. The logic was that even if any of the scriptures are lost & forgotten we can reconstruct the same, while same Vedas were chanted in many predefined combinations of sequences. Some of us would have heard the concept of “Gana Pata”, where the words in Vedic mantras are chanted in variety of ways ( for example the 1st and 2nd in sequence , repeat in reverse order, then 1st , 2nd & 3rd in sequence and repeat in reverse order. This sequence continues like 2nd and 3rd word in sequence and then reverse order and then 2nd, 3rd and 4th in sequence and then the reverse order and it goes on till the end. The above is just one example of a legal sequence. There were many techniques defined such as (1+2, 2+3, 3+4) or chanting without breaking of words or using Sandhis (conjugations) etc., Such combinations of words have been defined exhaustively as Prakriti Patha (Techniques used for successive chanting) and Vikriti Patha ( Sequencing and reversing). There were 3 Prakrithi Pathas and 8 Vikriti Pathas defined and people practiced the chanting of Vedas using all of these techniques.
Nirukta (Etymology)
Nirukta is the Fourth limb of Veda and also metaphorically symbolized as Ears, using which only we understand the meaning of words. Nirukta can be compared to the modern day dictionary. The beauty of Nirukta was that, it not only contains the synonyms, but also the homonyms. It has to be noted that in Sanskrit words having same pronunciation can have different meaning based on the root from which they have been derived. In short the Nirukta
traces the words back to roots.
Jyotisha (Astrology/Astronomy)
Jyotisha is the Fifth limb of Veda and also metaphorically symbolized as Eyes, using which the current can be seen & future can be predicted. Jyotisha correlates the human life(s) with the planetary objects in sky and helps predicts the future. It is Jyotisha which adds the dimension of time. Originally Jyotisha was used only for determining the appropriate time for conducting rituals.
- Jyotisha includes variety of mathematical sciences (Basic Arithmetic, Algebra, Calculus, geometry, trigonometry etc., and this part of Jyotisha is referred as Siddhanta and more of a calculative science.
- The second part of Jyotisha is called as Hora, which is a predictive science based on calculations. This basis of these predictions is on “Theory of Karma”, where the humans are believed to take many births before attaining Moksha and whatever happens is based on Punya & Papa karmas performed based on free will unlike animals.
- There is also variety of other topics like agriculture, Vasthu shastra, water divining which are based on mathematics discussed in Jyotisha.
Kalpa (The know-how of Vedic Rituals)
Kalpa is the Sixth limb of Veda and also metaphorically symbolized as Hands, using which we perform all the activities. The knowhow of previous 5 Vedangas finally help humans perform activities. The Kalpa Sutras define the know-how and rules pertaining to performing rituals. It deals with various Karmas that are performed on a regulator basis, to achieve specific
objectives and also codes of conduct, civil & criminal laws, social life topics etc., a separate section on Vedic Karmas has been dealt with in our website.
Upangas:
Apart from Vedangas, the scriptures also contain ancillary knowledge useful for study of Vedas. There are 4 of them which are described below:
Mimamsa (Analysis)
Mimamsa deals with analysis of Vedic mantras. There are two branches of Mimamsa called Purva mimamsa and Uttara mimamsa. The Purva mimamsa analyses the Karma part of Vedas and the Uttara mimamsa for Jnana part.
In our Vedic tradition the delivery of knowledge was done in 3 types of packages. The first one was called as Sutras. Sutras are very brief empherical statements with global applicability, no exaggeration and free of defects & contradiction. However, for a beginner it is tough to understand Sutras directly. Hence Bhasyas (Commentaries) were written by great acharyas which explain the original text in detail. The third form of literature is called Vaartika which details things which were not explicitly said in original text.
Sage Jaimini wrote the Purva mimamsa Sutras. The mimamsa carries out a structured analysis of the purport (claims and declarations) of original scriptures as follows:
Vishaya : The subject of discussion
Visaya : The doubts and possible interpretations & meanings
Purva Paksha : The objections
Uttara : The replies to objections
Nirnaya : The conclusion
The above depicts the maturity of our ancestors in systematic study. In Vedantic study everything is questioned with a spirit to learn (not for argument) and everything needs to be clarified before reaching the conclusion.
The uttara mimamsa were composed by Veda Vyasa and has a different form of analysis. We should recognize the fact that the uttara mimamsa analysis is done on the Upanishads and hence needs a different treatment (We saw that the subject matter of Upanishads is a Pramana Shastra and is different from knowledge based on inference, experience and analysis). The
analysis is more focused on establishing the facts through references within the Vedas itself, principles and logically supported examples and Mahavakyas (The condensed sentences which convey a deep meaning).
They are systematically divided into:
Upakarma :The beginning of the topic
Upasamhara :The end of the topic
Abhyasa :The repetitive references in various parts of Veda
Apurvata :The revelations of Vedic topics which are Pramanas.
Phalam :The result of Moksha ( Self Knowledge)
Arthavadha :The supportive references that qualify the subject matter
Upapatti :The support of principle through examples
The uttara mimansa is extremely crucial because without which there would be the seemingly contradicting statements in Upanishads that would confuse the students.
Our Mahaguru Adi Shankara wrote Bhasyas on uttara mimamsa Sutras. The Bhasyas are based on principles of Adhvaita. The study in our website is also based on Principles of Adhvaita laid out by Adi Shankara.
Nyaya (Logic)
The Nyaya deals with ascertaining the truth pertaining to creation & creator and in effect deals with Self knowledge. It has to be noted that the Nyaya analyses and supports the validity of Veda through reasoning and elimination of wrong notions, whereas the mimamsa helps ascertain the claims and declarations of Vedas. The Nyaya is also called as Tarka Shartra.
Nyaya classifies all forms of experience into 7 types (Padarthas) and it says that object or experience can be understood (gain discriminative knowledge) using padarthas. The closest meaning for Padartha is “The Attribute”. The 7 Padarthas are :
Dravya : The substance (The 7 basic objects are earth, water, air, space, time and direction and 2 subjects are self and mind) and manifested distinction between experiencer and experienced.
Guna : The inherent quality (e.g. feeling, taste or it could be any quality etc.,)
Karma : The activities (e.g. motion, contraction, expansion etc,)
Samanya : The generality
Visesha : The distinguishing characteristic
Samavaya : The connection between object and qualities.
Abhava : The absence.
Nyaya Shastra deals with 6 means of knowledge on the above 7 Padarthas.
The six means of knowledge are :
Pratyaksha : Knowledge thru Perception
Anumana : Knowledge thru Inference
Upamana : Knowledge by Comparison
Sabda : Knowledge directly through Words
Arthapatti : Knowledge thru postulation
Anupalabhi : Knowledge based on absence
Nyaya establishes the presence of Self and only Self as a real object through metaphysical analysis.
The Dharma Shastra
The Dharma Shastra is the next level of Secondary Vedic literature in verse form and also called Smiriti Grantha. There are many smritis including very popular ones like Manu Smriti, Yajnavalkya Smriti etc., In general the important focus areas of these scriptures are :
- Individual Codes of conduct also called as “Samskaras” based on Varnashrama dharma.
- Punya and Papa ( Ethical and unethical activities)
- Day to Day transactions, Social codes of conduct
- Prayaschitta or compensatory Karmas for those who committed sins.
- Religious duties , rituals, pilgrimage etc.,
The Puranas
The Purana literature are in story form and voluminous in nature. There are 18 main puranas and 18 upa puranas totaling to 36. Most of the popular puranas were written by Vyasa. Puranas were the medium to teach the common man on values of life through an intelligent weaving of mythological stories. Some of the most popular puranas include Skanda purana, Agni Purana, Bhagavatha Purana , Vishnu Purana , Siva Purana and so on…..
It has to be noted that Puranas are collection of many stories and does not revolve on a central character.
The Itihasas
The itihasas also called as Epic are also in the form of verses telling a long winding story, but centres around one main character or family. While Puranas are based on mythological stories, the itihasas are based on History. Ramayana (written by Sage Valmiki) and Mahabharata ( written by Vyasa) are the most popular itihasas. The works are so voluminous that Ramayana contains 24000 verses, whereas Mahabharata has 100000.
The Bhagavad-Gita is a part of Mahabharata and considered to be the 5th Veda. The Bhagavad-Gita is considered as our sacred book, as it has the essence of all 4 Vedas and Upanishads.
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Sir William Jones called the Vedas as the fountain of Indian literature: "From the Vedas are immediately deduced the practical arts of Surgery and Medicine, Music and Dancing, Archery, which comprises the whole art of war, and Architecture, under which the system of mechanical arts is included."
(source: Eminent Orientalists: Indian European American - Asian Educational Services. p. 21).
Dr. Nicol Macnicol says, the beginning of 'the brave adventures made so long ago and recorded here, of those who seek to discover the significance of our world and man's life within it...India here set out on a quest which she has never ceased to follow."
(source: The Discovery of India - By Jawaharlal Nehru p. 79). Refer to Internet Sacred Texts on Hinduism and Stotra Rathnas.
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862), American Philosopher, Unitarian, social critic, transcendentalist and writer:
What extracts from the Vedas I have read fall on me like the light of a higher and purer luminary, which describes a loftier course through purer stratum. It rises on me like the full moon after the stars have come out, wading through some far stratum in the sky."
"Whenever I have read any part of the Vedas, I have felt that some unearthly and unknown light illuminated me. In the great teaching of the Vedas, there is no touch of sectarianism. It is of all ages, climes and nationalities and is the royal road for the attainment of the Great Knowledge. When I am at it, I feel that I am under the spangled heavens of a summer night."
(source: The Secret Teachings of the Vedas. The Eastern Answers to the Mysteries of Life - By Stephen Knapp volume one. pg- 22)
Alfred North Whitehead (1861-1947), British mathematician, logician and philosopher best known for his work in mathematical logic and who, in collaboration with Bertrand Russell, authored the landmark three-volume Principia Mathematica, (1910, 1912, 1913). He reported to have remarked:
"Vedanta is the most impressive metaphysics the human mind has conceived."
(source: Huston Smith: Essays on World Religion. edited by M. Darrrol Bryant. Paragon House 1992 p. 135
J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) Scientist, philosopher, bohemian, and radical. A theoretical physicist and the Supervising Scientist Manhattan Project, the developer of the atomic bomb said:
"Access to the Vedas is the greatest privilege this century may claim over all previous centuries.
Modern man is a diminished man. Despite the superficial excitements of our high-tech world, life for most has become a flat, stale, and joyless thing. It is joyless because we have forgotten what life is supposed to be.
Prof. Bloomfield Professor of Sanskrit and Comparative Philology has remarked:
"The Vedas represent the pinnacle of the oldest literature of India. It is the ancient most written document of Indo-European language. This may be termed the principle source of religious thought."
Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860), German philosopher and writer, wrote about the Upanishads:
"From every sentence (of the Upanishads) deep, original and sublime thoughts arise, and the whole is pervaded by a high and holy and earnest spirit...."In the whole world there is no study so beneficial and so elevating as that of the Upanishads. They are destined sooner or later to become the faith of the people.”
He regarded them:
" It has been the solace of my life -- it will be the solace of my death."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) an author, essayist, lecturer, philosopher, Unitarian minister who lectured on theology at Harvard University wrote:
"They haunt me. In them I have found eternal compensation, unfathomable power, unbroken peace."
A. E. George Russell (1867 -1935) the Irish poet, essayist, painter, Nationalist leader, mystic wrote:
"The Upanishads contain such godlike fullness of wisdom on all things that I feel the authors must have looked with calm remembrance back through a thousand passionate lives, full of feverish strife for and with shadows, ere they could have written with such certainty of things which the soul feels to be sure."
Paul Deussen (1845-1919) a direct disciple of Arthur Schopenhauer, preferred to be called in Sanskrit, Deva-Sena was a scholar of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, has observed:
"Whatever may be the discoveries of the scientific mind, none can dispute the eternal truths propounded by the Upanishads."
" the Upanishads have tackled every fundamental problem of life. They have given us an intimate account of reality." "On the tree of wisdom there is no fairer flower than the Upanishads, and no finer fruit than the Vedanta philosophy,
Huston Smith (1919 - ) born in China to Methodist missionaries, a philosopher, most eloquent writer, world-famous religion scholar who practices Hatha Yoga.
"When I read the Upanishads, I found a profundity of world view that made my Christianity seem like third grade."
Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) American Philosopher, Unitarian, social critic, transcendentalist and writer. He wrote:
"In the morning I bathe my intellect in the stupendous and cosmogonal philosophy of the Bhagavat Geeta, since whose composition years of the gods have elapsed, and in comparison with which our modern world and its literature seem puny and trivial." "One sentence of the Gita, is worth the State of Massachusetts many times over"
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) an author, essayist, lecturer, philosopher, Unitarian minister who lectured on theology at Harvard University. He wrote: "I owed a magnificent day to the Bhagavad-Gita. It was as if an empire spoke to us, nothing small or unworthy, but large, serene, consistent, the voice of an old intelligence which in another age and climate had pondered and thus disposed of the same questions which exercise us."
Julius Robert Oppenheimer (1904-1967) A theoretical physicist and the Supervising Scientist for the Manhattan Project, the developer of the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer acquired a deeper knowledge of the Bhagavad Gita in 1933 when, as a young professor of physics, he studied Sanskrit with Professor Arthur W Ryder (1877-1938) at Berkeley.
The Gita, he wrote was “very easy and quite marvelous”. He called the Gita “the most beautiful philosophical song existing in any known tongue.”
Oppenheimer who finally brought the Gita into the popular vocabulary of the scientists in the West by citing this quote from the Bhagavad Gita.
"If the radiance of a thousand suns were to burst at once into the sky, that would be like the splendor of the mighty one " and "Now I am become. Death, the destroyer of worlds." (July 16, 1945, inscription at first nuclear test site Trinity, New Mexico).
Carl Sagan famous astro-physicist was awed by the revelation in the Gita that the creation and destruction, an essential part of the cosmic evolution, was actually postulated in a more realistic vast time scale.
(source: Science and the Gita - By Dr. Alok K. Bohara).
Lokmanya Tilak (1856-1920) freedom fighter, great Sanskrit scholar and astronomer and author of Geeta Rahasya says: "It gives peace to afflicted souls, it makes us masters of spiritual wisdom."
Warren Hastings (1754-1826), was the first governor general of British India wrote: "The Bhagavad Gita is the gain of humanity - a performance of great originality, of a sublimity of conception, reasoning and diction almost unequalled."
Rudolph Steiner (1861-1925) Austrian-born scientist, editor, and founder of anthroposophy, wrote: "In order to approach a creation as sublime as the Bhagavad-Gita with full understanding it is necessary to attune our soul to it."
Arthur Anthony Macdonell (1854-1930) in his History of Sanskrit Literature remarks: "The beauty and the power of the language in which this doctrine - that the zealous performance of duty is a man's most important task, to whatever caste he may belong - is inculcated, is unsurpassed in any other work of Indian literature."
Lord Mountstuart Elphinstone (1779-1859) says: "The Bhagawat Gita deserves high praise for the skill with which it is adapted to the general Epic, and the tenderness and elegance of the narrative by means of which it is introduced."
Mrs. Manning wrote: "Bhagwat Gita is one of the most remarkable compositions in the Sanskrit language."
Count Maurice Maeterlinck (1862-1949) was a Belgian writer of poetry and a wide variety of essays. He won the 1911 Nobel Prize for literature. In his book The Great Secret calls The Bhagavad Gita "a magnificent flower of Hindu mysticism."
Amos Bronson Alcott (1799-1888) writer, philosopher, schoolteacher, visionary. On May 10, 17, and 19' 1846, he wrote in his journal: "I read more of the Bhagavad Gita and felt how surpassingly fine were the sentiments."
"Best of books - containing a wisdom blander and far more sane than that of the Hebrews, whether in the mind of Moses or of Him of Nazareth. Were I a preacher, I would venture sometimes to take from its texts the motto and moral of my discourse. It would be healthful and invigorating to breathe some of this mountain air into the lungs of Christendom."
Wilhelm von Humboldt (1767- 1835) Prussian minister of education, a brilliant linguist and the founder of the science of general linguistics. He said:
"The most beautiful, perhaps the only true philosophical song existing in any known tongue ....perhaps the deepest and loftiest thing the world has to show."
Aldous Huxley (1894-1963) the English novelist and essayist wrote: "The Bhagavad-Gita is the most systematic statement of spiritual evolution of endowing value to mankind. The Gita is one of the clearest and most comprehensive summaries of the spiritual thoughts ever to have been made."
Amos Bronson Alcott (1799-1888) writer, philosopher, schoolteacher, visionary. He wrote:
"I read more of the Bhagavad Gita and felt how surpassingly fine were the sentiments. These, or selections from this book should be included in a Bible for Mankind. I think them superior to any of the other Oriental scriptures, the best of all reading for wise men."
"Best of books - containing a wisdom blander and far more sane than that of the Hebrews, whether in the mind of Moses or of Him of Nazareth. Were I a preacher, I would venture sometimes to take from its texts the motto and moral of my discourse. It would be healthful and invigorating to breathe some of this mountain air into the lungs of Christendom."
Sir Edwin Arnold (1832-1904) poet and scholar. Author of The Song Celestial, which is a translation of the Bhagavad Gita. It has great elevation of tone and majesty and dignity of style. There are many translations of the Gita but Arnold's translation has a place apart among them by its accuracy and the grave harmony of the verse. The translation is dedicated by the poet to India. Arnold was inspired by the Gita in his "Lays of Ind". The dedicatory verses are in Arnold's own translation:
"So have I read this wonderful and spirit-thrilling speech,
By Krishna and Prince Arjuna held, discoursing each with each;
So have I writ its wisdom here, its hidden mystery,
For England; O our India! as dear to me as she!
He wrote in his preface: "This famous and marvelous Sanskrit poem occurs as an episode of the Mahabharata, in the sixth - or "Bhishma" - Parva of the great Hindu epic. It enjoys immense popularity and authority in India, where it is reckoned as one of the "Five Jewels" - pancharatnani - of Devanagari literature. In plain but noble language it unfolds a philosophical system which remains to this day the prevailing Brahmanic belief blending as it does the doctrine of Kapila, Patanjali, and the Vedas."
(source: Eminent Orientalists: Indian European American - Asian Educational Services. p. 234-235).
Herman Hesse (1877-1962) German poet and novelist, awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1946 says: "The marvel of the Bhagavad-Gita is its truly beautiful revelation of life's wisdom which enables philosophy to blossom into religion."
Carl Jung (1875-1961), student of Sigmund Freud, psychiatrist think: "The idea that man is like unto an inverted tree seems to have been current in by gone ages. The link with Vedic conceptions is provided by Plato in his Timaeus in which it states..." behold we are not an earthly but a heavenly plant."
W. L. Wilmhurst says that the Gita is: "the climax at once for the religion, the philosophy and the poetry of an eastern people."
Ralph Waldo Emerson (1817-1862) American Philosopher, Unitarian, social critic, transcendentalist and writer was fascinate by the concept of Brahman:
"All science is transcendental or else passes away. Botany is now acquiring the right theory - the avatars of Brahman will presently be the text-books of natural history."
Sir Monier Williams says: "Ramayana is undoubtedly one of the greatest treasure in Sanskrit literature."
Sir William Jones (1746-1794) wrote: "The Ramayana is an epic poem on the story of Rama, which, in unity of action, magnificence of imagery and elegance of style far surpasses the learned and elaborate work of Nonnus."
Ralph T H Griffith (1826 -1906) author of The Hymns of Rig Veda, says: "Well may the Ramayana challenge the literature of every age and country to produce a poem that can boast of such perfect characters as a Rama and Sita." He adds, "Nowhere else are poetry and morality so charmingly united, each elevating the other as in this really holy poem."
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