FOOLS the Vedic perceptions
Like the owl finds darkness in the Sun, a person without any knowledge
finds darkness in the shining Brahman, who is Bliss. A fool thinks there is
no Sun, when it is covered by clouds. Likewise, one with Ajnana (ignorance,
lack of jnana) questions the existence of Brahman. Like Amrita - which
differs from poison, Brahman is without stains. Just as a small flare of
light destroys darkness, wisdom - even in a small degree - ends ignorance.
Brahman is without Ahamkara (egoism). It is Advaita (non-dual) and
Satchitananda, Truth-Consciousness-Bliss
*Warrier, Dr. A. G. Krishna. "Atma-Bodha Upanishad*
*VERSE 63: **As the Unreal Shine of a Mirage*
*1 **Jagad vilakshanam brahma **Brahman is counter-indicated by the
universe.*
*2 **brahmanah anyat na kinchana; **There exists nothing other than
Brahman.*
*3 **brahmaanyat bhaati chet mithyaa*
*If anything other than Brahman shines, it must*
*be unreal,*
*4 **yathaa maru-maree-chikaa. **just as the unreal mirage.*
*VERSE 64: **Reality Can Only Be Brahman, the Non-Dual*
*1 **Drishyate shrooyate yat yat **All that is perceived or heard in this
universe*
*2 **brahmanah anyat na tat bhavet; **cannot possibly be apart from
Brahman.*
*3 **tattwa-jnaanaat cha tat brahma*
*Gaining the knowledge of Reality, one sees the*
*world as only Brahman – as the*
*4 **sach-chid-aanandam advayam. **non-dual, Existence-Consciousness-Bliss
Absolute.*
*VERSE 65: **As the Blind Do Not See the Sun*
*1 **Sarvagam sach-chid-aanandam **Satchidananda Atman is present
everywhere;*
*2 **jnaana-chakshuh nir-eekshate; **It can be perceived only by the Eye of
Wisdom;*
*3 **ajnaana-chakshuh na eeksheta **obscured by ignorance, one cannot see
It,*
*4 **bhaasvantam bhaanum andhavat.*
*just as a blind man cannot see the sun,*
*however resplendent it shines.*
Rig Veda does speak about "fools" or those lacking wisdom,
contrasting them with the wise and highlighting the importance of knowledge
and detachment. The Rig Veda, particularly in verses like those found in
the Dhammapada, contrasts the actions and mindset of the wise with those of
the "fools". The text emphasizes that excessive attachment to sense
pleasures leads to bondage, while detachment leads to liberation, thus
highlighting the folly of clinging to worldly desires. Some interpretations
of the Rig Veda suggest that those who lack knowledge or understanding of
the divine are considered fools, while those who are wise and devoted to
the divine are considered the opposite. The Rig Veda values wisdom and
knowledge, portraying the wise as those who are able to see beyond the
illusion of the world and achieve liberation. "Come behold this world,
which is like unto an ornamented royal chariot, wherein fools flounder, but
for the wise there is no attachment". "Like the owl finds darkness in the
Sun, a person without any knowledge finds darkness in the shining Brahman,
who is Bliss. A fool thinks there is no Sun, when it is covered by clouds".
RIGVEDAM 7 104 DESCRIBES THE FOOLS IN DIFFERENT
SHAPES:
“Indra and Soma, afflict, destroy the rākṣasas; showerers (of benefits)
cast down those who delight indarkness; put to flight the stupid (spirits);
consume, slay, drive away, utterly extermiante the cannibals.”
Ṛṣi (sage/seer): vasiṣṭhaḥ [vasiṣṭha];
Devatā (deity/subject-matter): indrāsomau rakṣohaṇī ;
इन्द्रासोमा । तपतम् । रक्षः । उब्जतम् । नि । अर्पयतम् । वृषणा । तमःवृधः ।
परा । शृणीतम् । अचितः । नि । ओषतम् । हतम् । नुदेथाम् । नि । शिशीतम् ।
अत्रिणः ॥
indrāsomā | tapatam | rakṣaḥ | ubjatam | ni | arpayatam | vṛṣaṇā |
tamaḥ-vṛdhaḥ | parā | śṛṇītam | acitaḥ | ni | oṣatam | hatam | nudethām |
ni | śiśītam | atriṇaḥ 1
“Indra and Soma, fall upon the destructive (rākṣasa) and the performer of
unprofitable acts, so that,consumed (by your wrath), he may perish like the
offering cast into the fire; retain implacable hatred to the haterof
brāhmaṇas, the cannibal, the hideous, the vile (rākṣasa).” 2
Commentary by Sāyaṇa: Ṛgveda-bhāṣya
Peformer of unprofitable acts: aghaśaṃsa =malignant; hater of brahmaṇas:
brahmadviṣe = brāhmaṇebhyo asmabhyam dveṣṭre;
Hideous: ghoracakṣase= rude in speech; vile rākṣasa: kimīdine = kimīdānīm
iti carate, to one who goes saying, What now? Thatis, piśunāya, a spy, an
informer; or cruel, vile
इन्द्रासोमा । सम् । अघशंसम् । अभि । अघम् । तपुः । ययस्तु । चरुः ।
अग्निवान्इव । ब्रह्मद्विषे । क्रव्यअदे । घोरचक्षसे । द्वेषः । धत्तम् ।
अनवायम् । किमीदिने ॥
indrāsomā | sam | agha-śaṃsam | abhi | agham | tapuḥ | yayastu | caruḥ |
agnivān-iva | brahma-dviṣe | kravya-ade | ghora-cakṣase | dveṣaḥ | dhattam
| anavāyam | kimīdine
“Indra and Soma, chastise the malignant (rākṣasas), having plural nged them
in surrounding andinextricable darkness, so that not one of them may again
issue from it; so may your wrathful might be triumphantover them.” 3
“Come with rapid steeds, slay the oppressive mischievous rākṣasas; let
there be no happiness, Indraand Soma, to the malignant, who harasses us
with his oppression.” 7
prati | smarethām | tujayat-bhiḥ | evaiḥ | hatam | druhaḥ | rakṣasaḥ |
bhaṅgura-vataḥ | indrāsomā | duḥ-kṛte | mā | su-gam | bhūt | yaḥ | naḥ |
kadā | cit | abhi-dāsati | druhā 7
“May he who with false calumnies maligns me behaving with a pure heart, may
such a speaker offalsehood Indra, cease to be, like water held in the
hand.” 8
“May Soma give to the serpent, or toss upon the lap of Nirṛti, those who
with designing (accusative ations)person cute me, a speaker of sincerely,
and those who by spiteful (calumnies) vilify all that is good in me.” 9
“May he, Agni, who strives to destroy the essence of our food, of our
horse, of our cattle, of our bodies--the adversary, the thief, the robber--
go to destruction, and be deprived both of person n and of progeny.” 10
yaḥ | naḥ | rasam | dipsati | pitvaḥ | agne | yaḥ | aśvānām | yaḥ | gavām |
yaḥ | tanūnām | ripuḥ | stenaḥ | steya-kṛt | dabhram | etu | ni | saḥ |
hīyatām | tanvā | tanā | ca 10
परः सो अस्तु तन्वा तना च तिस्रः पृथिवीरधो अस्तु विश्वाः । प्रति शुष्यतु यशो
अस्य देवा यो नो दिवा दिप्सति यश्च नक्तम् ॥11
paraḥ so astu tanvā tanā ca tisraḥ pṛthivīr adho astu viśvāḥ | prati
śuṣyatu yaśo asya devā yo no divā dipsati yaś ca naktam ||11
“May he be deprived of bodily (existence) and of posterity; may he be cast
down below all the threeworlds; may his reputation, Gods, be blighted who
seeks our destruction by day or by night.” 11
na vā u somo vṛjinaṃ hinoti na kṣatriyam mithuyā dhārayantam | hanti rakṣo
hanty āsad vadantam ubhāv indrasya prasitau śayāte ||
“Soma instrumental gates not the wicked; he instrumental gates not the
strong man dealing in falsehood; he destroys therākṣasa, he destroys the
speaker of untruth; and both remain in the bondage of Indra.” 13
एते । ऊँ इति । त्ये । पतयन्ति । श्वयातवः । इन्द्रम् । दिप्सन्ति । दिप्सवः ।
अदाभ्यम् । शिशीते । शक्रः । पिशुनेभ्यः । वधम् । नूनम् । सृजत् । अशनिम् ।
यातुमत्भ्यः ॥20
ete | oṃ iti | tye | patayanti | śva-yātavaḥ | indram | dipsanti | dipsavaḥ
| adābhyam | śiśīte | śakraḥ | piśunebhyaḥ | vadham | nūnam | sṛjat |
aśanim | yātumat-bhyaḥ 20
“They advance, accompanied by dogs; desirous to destroy him, they assail
the indomitable Indra;Śakra whets his thunderbolt for the miscreants;
quickly let him hurl the bolt upon the fiends.” 20
ulūkayātuṃ śuśulūkayātuṃ jahi śvayātum uta kokayātum | suparṇayātum uta
gṛdhrayātuṃ dṛṣadeva pra mṛṇa rakṣa indra ||22
“Destroy the evil spirit, whether in the form of an owl, or of an owlet, of
a dog, or of a duck, of a hawk orof a vulture; slay the rākṣasas, Indra,
(with the thunderbolt) as with a stone.” 22
indra jahi pumāṃsaṃ yātudhānam uta striyam māyayā śāśadānām | vigrīvāso
mūradevā ṛdantu mā te dṛśan sūryam uccarantam ||24
“Slay, Indra, the Yātudhāna, whether in the form of a man, or of a woman
doing mischief by her deceptions; may those who sport in murder perish
dissipated; let them not behold the rising sun.” 24
Bhartruhari’s Niti Sataka 7,8,9 & 10 and Tirukkural
Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar in Tamil Veda Tirukkural says,
Even a man of no learning (fool) may be considered wise
If he holds his tongue in gatherings of learned- Kural 403
கல்லா தவரும் நனிநல்லர் கற்றார்முன்
சொல்லா திருக்கப் பெறின். (௪௱௩ - 403)
Kallaa Thavarum Naninallar Katraarmun
Sollaa Thirukkap Perin
Even a fool is fine If he can hold his tongue before the wise!
கற்றவரின் முன்னிலையில் ஒன்றையும் சொல்லாமல் அமைதியாக இருக்கப் பெற்றால்
கல்லாதவர்களும் மிகவும் நல்லவரே ஆவார். (௪௱௩)
Sanskrit poet Bhartruhari says in Niti Sataka,
Brahma gave the boon of silence to fools;
This silence is a lid over one’s ignorance;
In the midst of learned people this silence
Become s an ornament for the fools 1-7
स्वायत्तम् एकान्तगुणं विधात्रा
विनिर्मितं छादनम् अज्ञतायाः ।
विशेषाअतः सर्वविदां समाजे
विभूषणं मौनम् अपण्डितानाम् ॥ 1.7 ॥
A dog licks a dry, dirty and stinking bone with its own saliva
Full of germs without any flesh, but he imagines that he is deriving a good
taste. This dog will not care even if Indra standing near him
Similarly a mean- minded person follows his pursuits shamelessly 1-9
कृमिकुलचित्तं लालाक्लिन्नं विगन्धिजुगुप्सितं
निरुपमरसं प्रीत्या खादन्नरास्थि निरामिषम् ।
सुरपतिम् अपि श्वा पार्श्वस्थं विलोक्य न शङ्कते
न हि गणयति क्षुद्रो जन्तुः परिग्रहफल्गुताम् ॥ 1.9 ॥
By thus descending, Ganga goes further and further downwards until she gets
lost in the sea.Similarly any person who lose s his power of discretion has
a continuous downfall in a hundred ways 1-10
शिरः शार्वं स्वर्गात्पशुपतिशिरस्तः क्षितिधरं
म्हीध्रादुत्तुङ्गादवनिम् अवनेश्चापि जलधिम् ।
अधोஉधो गङ्गेयं पदम् उपगता स्तोकम्
अथवाविवेकभ्रष्टानां भवति विनिपातः शतमुखः ॥ 1.10 ॥
K Rajaram IRS 9425
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