Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 21

Thread: The significance of the Veda

  1. #1

    The significance of the Veda

    This thread is to gather information and *not* to bicker about different view points.

    The purpose of this thread is to understand the impact/role of the Veda (not Vedanta) on everyday life. A lot of people here claim the Veda is the bedrock of Hinduism and hence, I invite people (who are not born into Brahmin families) to share explicit, clear areas of their daily lives that are influenced by the Veda (Samhita or Brahmana). That is, some aspect of your life that would be different if not for the Veda. Obviously, views supported by Vedic references are recommended over general statements. Also, please leave out auxillary texts such as the Gita, Ramayana, etc., as they deserve their own threads.

    Hopefully, this little exercise gives us some understanding on exactly how the Veda is critical to all Hindus - because at this time I do not see how.

    Thanks
    Last edited by Sudas Paijavana; 09 January 2014 at 03:59 AM.
    http://lokayata.info
    http://shivsomashekhar.wordpress.com/category/history/

  2. #2
    Join Date
    June 2012
    Location
    Bangalore
    Posts
    307
    Rep Power
    385

    Re: The significance of the Veda

    Quote Originally Posted by shiv.somashekhar View Post
    This thread is to gather information and *not* to bicker about different view points.

    The purpose of this thread is to understand the impact/role of the Veda (not Vedanta) on everyday life. A lot of people here claim the Veda is the bedrock of Hinduism and hence, I invite people (who are not born into Brahmin families) to share explicit, clear areas of their daily lives that are influenced by the Veda (Samhita or Brahmana). That is, some aspect of your life that would be different if not for the Veda. Obviously, views supported by Vedic references are recommended over general statements. Also, please leave out auxillary texts such as the Gita, Ramayana, etc., as they deserve their own threads.

    Hopefully, this little exercise gives us some understanding on exactly how the Veda is critical to all Hindus - because at this time I do not see how.

    Thanks
    We can include brahmins also as the question is equally valid for 99.99% of brahmins as well.
    Why are you unhappy? Because 99.9 per cent Of everything you think, And of everything you do, Is for yourself —And there isn't one

  3. #3

    Re: The significance of the Veda

    Well, at almost every puja I have attended, there are vedic mantras being chanted. Vedic fire sacrifices are the norm at special occasions, as are vedic weddings (in which, once again, vedic mantras are heard being chanted). Many of the people who arrange these things are not students of Veda, but they will talk about how hearing vedic mantras has great personal significance to them. When these Hindus are asked what their holy books are, they will specifically include the Veda, even when they have never read or studied the Vedas. Many scriptures which are accessible to non-brahmins, just as the rAmAyaNa, the purANas, and the mahAbhArata, make explicit mention of the Vedas as the basis for their authority.

    All of which is consistent with my view that the Veda does permeate the culture of non-brahmins, even when those non-brahmins are not scholars who actively study the Veda.
    Philosoraptor

    "Wise men speak because they have something to say. Fools speak because they have to say something." - Plato

  4. #4

    Re: The significance of the Veda

    Here is a discussion about the Vedic wedding (http://www.ramanuja.org/sri/Web/VedicWeddingCeremony) including several places where Rig vedic mantras are chanted. Unless non-brahmins get married a different way, I would say that is pretty relevant.
    Philosoraptor

    "Wise men speak because they have something to say. Fools speak because they have to say something." - Plato

  5. #5
    Join Date
    November 2010
    Posts
    1,278
    Rep Power
    1651

    Re: The significance of the Veda

    What exactly is the hypothesis you intend to validate/invalidate?

    In any case, for me,

    (1)The Vedas themselves claim they are the eternal with no known human origin.
    (2)Vedas lay the foundation for Karma/Reincarnation, something that all Hindus believe in.
    (3)Vedas provide scriptural evidence for the eternality of the universe - that there was no "first" creation.
    (4)Vedas deal with the "unseen". Scripture is the only epistemological source for the non-empirical.
    (5)Vedas provide the foundation for the study of philosophy which was picked up and elaborated upon by the Darshanas.
    (6)Vedas provide the foundation of what constitutes Dharma.

  6. #6

    Re: The significance of the Veda

    Quote Originally Posted by wundermonk View Post
    What exactly is the hypothesis you intend to validate/invalidate?
    The idea is to understand how the Veda is critical to all Hindus as (by recent discussions), it is perhaps the sole uniting factor among all Hindus. I need to see something tangible to this effect.

    The typical religious hindu may

    1. Worship idols of gods such as Ganesha, Krishna, Murugu, Rama, Shiva, Nandi, Sai Baba, Kalki, Laxmi, Saraswati, Radha, Permual, etc.
    2. Visit temples dedicated to one or more of these Gods
    3. Celebrate festivals like Rama Navami, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc
    4. Organize and participate in bhajans (various Gods including Sai Baba)

    Not quite Vedic so far. Philosoraptor raised a good point of the mantras, but I am not familiar with the exact mantras of non-Brahmin weddings to validate that. But the priests at the wedding are Brahmins and therefore it may be reasonably safe to assume that at least some of the mantras may come from the Veda.
    http://lokayata.info
    http://shivsomashekhar.wordpress.com/category/history/

  7. #7
    Join Date
    November 2010
    Posts
    1,278
    Rep Power
    1651

    Re: The significance of the Veda

    Quote Originally Posted by shiv.somashekhar View Post
    The idea is to understand how the Veda is critical to all Hindus as (by recent discussions), it is perhaps the sole uniting factor among all Hindus. I need to see something tangible to this effect.

    The typical religious hindu may

    1. Worship idols of gods such as Ganesha, Krishna, Murugu, Rama, Shiva, Nandi, Sai Baba, Kalki, Laxmi, Saraswati, Radha, Permual, etc.
    2. Visit temples dedicated to one or more of these Gods
    3. Celebrate festivals like Rama Navami, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc
    4. Organize and participate in bhajans (various Gods including Sai Baba)

    Not quite Vedic so far. Philosoraptor raised a good point of the mantras, but I am not familiar with the exact mantras of non-Brahmin weddings to validate that. But the priests at the wedding are Brahmins and therefore it may be reasonably safe to assume that at least some of the mantras may come from the Veda.
    Ahh....I guess despite your inviting opening line in your OP thus:

    This thread is to gather information and *not* to bicker about different view points.
    it appears you have already made up your mind as to what you expect the Vedas to contain if they are to inform the actions of the "typical religious Hindu". Is this still an information gathering thread or do you intend to seek reinforcement of your preconceived ideas which will surely lead to bickering?

    BTW...whose side are you on? From your posts, it appears you do not hold the "typical religious Hindu" in good esteem. You seem to argue that the "typical religious Hindu" does stuff not found in the Vedas. Simultaneously, you do not seem to hold the Vedas in good esteem, either.

    Do you have an ax to grind against Hinduism in all of its varied manifestations - traditional or "neo"?

  8. #8
    Join Date
    January 2013
    Age
    43
    Posts
    327
    Rep Power
    601

    Re: The significance of the Veda

    Quote Originally Posted by shiv.somashekhar View Post
    The typical religious hindu may

    1. Worship idols of gods such as Ganesha, Krishna, Murugu, Rama, Shiva, Nandi, Sai Baba, Kalki, Laxmi, Saraswati, Radha, Permual, etc.
    2. Visit temples dedicated to one or more of these Gods
    3. Celebrate festivals like Rama Navami, Diwali, Ganesh Chaturthi, etc
    4. Organize and participate in bhajans (various Gods including Sai Baba)

    Not quite Vedic so far.
    What about mantras chanted by priests in these temples? Nothing Vedic you see here? Birth Naming ceremony? last rites? Any homas, griha pravesh.........

    Ask the non-Brahmins if they would like to hear some Bollywood songs instead, while worshipping.

  9. #9

    Re: The significance of the Veda

    Quote Originally Posted by jignyAsu View Post
    What about mantras chanted by priests in these temples? Nothing Vedic you see here? Birth Naming ceremony? last rites? Any homas, griha pravesh.........

    Also good points, since all of the above involve a brahmin chanting vedic mantras, even for non-brahmins.
    Philosoraptor

    "Wise men speak because they have something to say. Fools speak because they have to say something." - Plato

  10. #10
    Join Date
    June 2012
    Location
    Bangalore
    Posts
    307
    Rep Power
    385

    Re: The significance of the Veda

    Quote Originally Posted by philosoraptor View Post
    Well, at almost every puja I have attended, there are vedic mantras being chanted. Vedic fire sacrifices are the norm at special occasions, as are vedic weddings (in which, once again, vedic mantras are heard being chanted). Many of the people who arrange these things are not students of Veda, but they will talk about how hearing vedic mantras has great personal significance to them. When these Hindus are asked what their holy books are, they will specifically include the Veda, even when they have never read or studied the Vedas. Many scriptures which are accessible to non-brahmins, just as the rAmAyaNa, the purANas, and the mahAbhArata, make explicit mention of the Vedas as the basis for their authority.

    All of which is consistent with my view that the Veda does permeate the culture of non-brahmins, even when those non-brahmins are not scholars who actively study the Veda.
    None of the above r vedic but based on much later created paddhatis based smriti and smriti related kalpa. Yes they use vedic mantras often bearing no relation to the ourpise or context of deployment.
    Why are you unhappy? Because 99.9 per cent Of everything you think, And of everything you do, Is for yourself —And there isn't one

Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Similar Threads

  1. My difficulties w/ Hinduism
    By IcyCosmic in forum New to Sanatana Dharma
    Replies: 48
    Last Post: 05 May 2013, 05:36 PM
  2. The Fifth Veda - Pancama Veda
    By ShivaFan in forum Scriptures
    Replies: 5
    Last Post: 13 December 2012, 05:25 PM
  3. atharva-veda highlights
    By saidevo in forum Vedas & Brahmanas
    Replies: 2
    Last Post: 23 March 2011, 09:05 AM
  4. A Personal Hindu Library
    By saidevo in forum Dharma-related Websites
    Replies: 42
    Last Post: 17 March 2009, 12:31 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •