Hearing is believing - Chapter 6

Vedas are also called as sruthi (श्रुथि) which means that which is heard referring to the oral tradition or karna parampara (कर्ण परम्पर) through which traditionally the Vedas were transmitted through generations. Vedas are considered to be apaurusheya (अपौरुषेय) or not the constructs of man and are considered to be the words of the Creator that were heard by the rishis (ऋषि). There are 4 vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva) and based on the subject matter handled, the Vedas are classified into two; veda purva bhaga (वेद पूर्व भागा) and Vedanta (वेदान्ता). 

1)    Veda purva bhaga (वेद पूर्व भागा) is also known as karma kanda (कर्म काण्ड) and is the section of Vedas that deals with the rituals for attainment of Preyas (प्रेयस्). This section talks of the means or saadhanas (साधना) and the ends or saadhya (साध्या) related to dharma-artha-kama purushartha. Rituals done for attainment of wealth, longevity etc are subject matter of karma kanda (कर्म काण्डा).

2)    Vedanta (वेदान्ता) is also known as jnana kanda (ज्ञान कण्ड) and is the section of Vedas that deals with the knowledge of atman (आत्मन्) which is the means of attainment of Shreyas (श्रेयस्). Vedanta is a pramanam (प्रमाणम्) and therefore is neither theoretical nor practical knowledge. It is a means of knowledge by itself. Vedanta is a positional name implying that it forms the concluding portion of the Vedas and Upanishads is also a term used to refer to jnana kanda (ज्ञान कण्ड).

Upanishads are considered to be the moola pramanam (मूल प्रमाणम्) or the principal means of knowledge because they provide knowledge of the Ultimate Truth. Bhagavad Gita is a smrithi grantha (स्मृथि ग्रन्थ) which is a compilation attributed to Veda Vyasa of conversations between Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna during the Mahabharata war which gives an overall vision of the teachings of the Upanishads. Brahma Sutra is a text authored by Veda Vyasa which systemizes and summarizes the philosophical and spiritual ideas in the Upanishads. The Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita and Bhrama Sutra together are referred to as the prasthana trayam (प्रस्थान त्रयं) and traditionally a student of Vedanta is taught all 3 of these before his teaching is considered complete. Like with any branch of knowledge, Vendata too has its own terminologies, jargons and methods of communications and there are several preparatory texts such as vivekachudamani, panchadasi and atmabodha that are studied before the teachings of prasthana trayam (प्रस्थान त्रयं) is begun.

Tattvabodha, authored by Adi Sankara is an introductory text which provides clarity about the terminologies used in prasthana trayam (प्रस्थान त्रयं) texts and also provides an overall vision of Vedanta. It is the commentary of this text that shall be the subject matter of this blog.