The Vedic Emergence for Sustainability and Growth of New Human Civilization

It was in the most early period of human civilization that realizations of the ultimate truth had dawned in the conscious brain and mind of a set of people called Sages (Rishi), located in the Eastern globe of the world, Bharat, who had created a unique civilization based on eternal truth. It was not only truth dissociated from the works and waves of life but a combination of empirical and the eternal in the empirical human frame scribed by the sages in their own memories passing that on towards the next and subsequent human set up in the world. As and when the sages had realized the ultimate truth in their own abode; they gave a call to the entire humanity in the world for having an understanding of the same truth in all kinds of situations by everyone.

शृण्वन्तु विश्वे अमृतस्य पुत्रा :।

“Shrinwantu Vishwe Amritasya Putra”

[Oh the descendents of the immortal and ultimate truth listen from within the call of Supreme truth for your own living.]

Truth had revealed to the sages of Vedic period in different forms and structures at different points of time throughout the entire ancient period. It was universal in its approach and content and impersonal in its formations and structures. It was truly holistic and scientific in the real sense of the term, forever.

The Vedas:

The first ultimate call given by the Vedic Sages was,

सं गच्छध्वम् सं वदध्वम्

सं वो मनांसि जानतम् ||

sam gacchadhvam sam vadadhvam sam vo manamsi janatam

[Combine your minds together with all others as because all minds are gifted by the Divine. Make symphony in works and words. Pure minds so united will create collectivism as it is there in the Divine world.]

समानी व आकूति: समाना ह्रदयानि व:।

samani va akuti: samana hrdayani vah

The power of understanding that human society is an integral one without any kind of discrimination on any scale on any parameter, was a fundamental approach of the Vedic Truth. The Sages wanted unified global mind to work collectively and individually for each other and understand the context and nuances of everyone. In order to accomplish this Vedic wisdom was segmented among four different approaches, called four Vedas. These are:

• Rig Veda
• Sama Veda
• Yajur Veda
• Atharva Veda

The great sage Vyasa was the general editor of all the Vedas put together. However, each one of these Vedas has its own editor and categorized the realizations earned by different sages under that stream through an eternal philosophical principle. These principles are known as the wisdom utterances and depictions of each of the Vedas, which are as follows:

• Rig Veda: Sage Paila was the coordinator for the earliest stream of wisdom through Rig Veda having its central divine principle as ‘प्रज्ञानं ÙFeü ‘ (Pragyanam Brahman) – (The wisdom of the divine is itself the revelation of the divine). The quest for wisdom can culminate only when the seeker for this aspect of truth identifies the Supreme Truth in the formless form. The Supreme is infinite, invariant with respect to time, space and anything else and at the same time He is omnipresent, omniscient without having any origin and end. He is a continuum of consciousness which itself is full in all situations. Truths experienced by the sages of this Rig Veda were expressed through ten (10) different Upanishads. Of these, the most important are: Aitareyah and Kaushitaki. Kaushitaki talks about invocating the Supreme truth. Ways of gradual experiences in meditations. The aspirant attains:
  1. Brahmagandhah (The Divine Smells).
  2. Brahmatejah (The Divine Power – in thoughts, words and wishes).
  3. Brahmarasah (The sweet nectar of Divine Realization within, called ‘Soma rasah’ – the fluid of Divine sensation flowing within the sense organs.
  4. Brahmapathayan or Devayan (The Divinely conscious chariot, this elevates the human consciousness to Divinity).
• Sama Veda: Sage Jaimini was the editor of this Vedas. The central theme being ‘तत् त्वम् असि’ – ‘Tat Tvam Asi’ – You and I are reciprocated. You have revealed yourself through me. this stream of wisdom talks about love for God, Devotion to God and advocates our service to God through service to the entire creation. Observing PANCHA RIN (five-fold debt system), and trying to make good. The indebtedness to different sources has been the impelling factor in this Veda. Truth experienced by the sages of this Veda have been spelled out through sixteen (16) Upanishads, of which the most prominent are: Chhandogya and Kena Upanishads. Chandogya introduces the spirit of devotion to god and experiencing the ultimate Supreme in the minutest of existence. Kena Upanishad invokes the spirit of Supreme Mother, Uma Haimavati. The five-fold debt system are:
  1. DEVA RIN (Divinely Debt) – Indebtedness towards the Gods or Godly contributions.
  2. RISHI RIN (Saintly Debt)- Indebtedness to Sages and contribution of wisdom and intellect.
  3. PITRI RIN (Ancestral Debt) – Indebtedness towards inheritance and pool of knowledge and wisdom available in the world.
  4. NRI RIN (Humanly Debt) – Indebtedness towards the human beings at large
  5. BHUTA RIN (Earthly Debt) – Indebtedness towards sub-human species – animals, plants and the earth.

  The ways to make good or return the debts are for:

  Deva Rin: Prarthana and Prapatty (Prayer and Surrender).

  Rishi Rin: Cultivation of inheritance of wisdom and knowledge and adding to the pool of that in the right spirit.

  Pitri Rin: Justice to the factors of human inheritance through respect and honour through the conditions of civilization and thereby attempting to make positive transformation into that.

  Nri Rin: To develop an attitude of service to humanity without any discrimination on any account.

  Bhuta Rin: Taking care of the sub-human species – the plants, the shrubs, the herbs, trees, animals, microbes, any living and non-living objects towards maintaining a sustainable global system.

• Yajur Veda: Sage Vaiśampāyana and Yājñavalkya together were the sages of two different aspects of this Veda. The wisdom and principle of this Veda is:

  अहं ब्रह्मास्मि
  “Aham Brahmasmi”

  [ I am a symbolic embodiment of the Supreme. the Supreme truth reveals in and through me when I am thoroughly and totally consecrated upon the Supreme.]

  Two streams of this Veda are: Shukla and Krishna. Shukla Yajur Veda was coordinated by Sage Yājñavalkya. This stream of truth was expressed through nineteen (19) Upanishads. The most important are: Brihadaranyak and Isha Upanishads. The other stream is Krishna Yajur Veda. Coordinating sage was Vaiśampāyana. Principal Upanishads are: Katha and Taittiriyah. Total number of Upanishads under this stream is thirty one (31). Katha Upanishad talks about the theory and principle of ‘Atman’ – the Supreme present in the abode of the individual within the deep core of the heart.

  The central spirit of this Veda has been:

  ॐ ईशावास्यं इदं सर्वं यत् किञ्च जगत्यां जगत।
  तेन त्यक्तेन भुञ्जिथाः मा गृधः कस्य स्विद् धनम् ।।

  īśā vāsyamidaṁ sarvaṁ yatkiñca jagatyāṁ jagat |
  tena tyaktena bhuñjīthā mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam ||

  which throws open the idea that the entire wealth and the resources of this world outside and world within are endowments of the divine. We need to be non-authoritative but continue with our destined noble work for establishing and maintaining goodness or earth. This was further elaborated by Lord Krishna before Arjuna in the Bhagavad Gita, as mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita:

  कर्मण्येवाधिकारस्ते मा फलेषु कदाचन ।
  मा कर्मफलहेतुर्भुर्मा ते संगोऽस्त्वकर्मणि ॥

  Karmanye Vadhikaraste Ma Phaleshou Kada Chana
  Ma Karma Phala Hetur Bhurmatey Sangostva Akarmani

  [ Your authority lies in the purposeful work destined to you for the goodness of the world without creating an utter expectation and desire to consume its culminating effects. The work is an worship to God in its purity. When the work is performed without the series of expectation in it, the work leads to a purity and contributes to the wellbeing of the world. The condition of mind that requires to be attained the egolessness.

• Atharva Veda: Sage Sumanta was the editor of this Veda. The central principle being,

  अयम् आत्मा ब्रह्म

  Ayam Atman Brahman

  which means the Supreme being resides within me in the form of a Atman. It talks about the entire source and potent of divine wisdom and divine attributes resides within us for us to unfold that through our thoughts and works in the world. If the human person takes cognizance of that, the life works out to be a divine life at the individual context when in a group in a cohesive, collective context this life fosters forward a new civilization called Divine Civilization which endeavours to maintain the ultimate philosophy of,

  “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah Sarve Santu Niramaya”

  [ Let all be happy and free from sufferings. The unity of mind will create powerful organization with prosperity and happiness]

Coordinating sage of this Veda was Sage Atharvan and Sumanta. This Veda covers thirty two (32) Upanishads. The leading Upanishads are: Prashna, Mundaka, Mandukya and Kaivalya Upanishads. Kaivalya connects between the formless Supreme with his forms:

• Sah eva Brahmaa Sah Shivah
• Sah eva Vishnu Sah Pranah
• Sah eva Agni Sah Aksharah Brahman
• Sah eva Sarva Bhutanam hridayavyam Atmana Sthitham.

He is the infinite formless. He takes the forms of Brahmaa, Vishnu and Shivah. He remains present in the lives of human being, within the cave of hearts in the form of Atmanah – embodying the Supreme Truth within.

Human intent, dedication with pure mind can make unfold the Supreme truth to her/his in the streams of empirical thoughts and works.