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Sacred Texts of Hinduism - II

Upanishads

Upanishads (700 BC) are texts that contain the philosophical essence of the Vedas. The philosophy of the Upanishads is called Vedanta and is studied even today. Some of the popular Upanishads are the Isavasya, Kena, Mundaka and Katha Upanishads. There are 108 Upanishads in all. Some authorities classify the Upanishads as Sruti.

Vedangas

To this category belong several texts like the Ayurveda (science of life and health), Dhanurveda (science of war), Gandharva veda (science of music), Arthshastra (science of polity and governance), Dharmashastras (laws) and several other subjects such as phonetics, grammar, astrology and astronomy, to name a few, are covered by the Vedangas.

Darshanas

Six metaphysical systems called Darshanas were compiled immediately before and after the time of Christ. These are theological texts meant for erudite scholars.

Itihasas

The Itihasas include great Hindu epics like the Ramayana (700–500 BC) and the Mahabharata (400 BC) besides other texts. Believed to have been narrated by renowned sages, these epics are complete social, moral and philosophical treatises.  The Itihasas aim at imparting values of life and living through narratives.  

The popular Bhagavad Gita (the Song of the Lord) is a part of the Mahabharata. What makes the Bhagavad Gita special is that its philosophy is relevant to mankind even today.

The Ramayana eulogizes Lord Rama and the Mahabharata Lord Krishna – both avatars of Lord Vishnu.

Puranas

Several mythological texts such as the Vishnu Purana, Shiva Purana, Garuda Purana and the like talk about the various gods in the Hindu pantheon. There are eighteen Mahapuranas (great texts) and a few smaller ones too. These texts were meant for those who could not understand the Vedas. They impart the same teachings in a different flavor. All the Puranas talk about the Hindu trinity – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and their consorts

The Bhagavata Purana chronicles the various avatars of Lord Vishnu.

Agamas

The Agamas (6th–12th centuries AD) detail the methods of temple construction and the methodology for ritual worship. Three main divisions in the Agamas cover the three main divisions in Hinduism – Vaishnavism, Shaivism and the Shakti cult. These are followed even today.

Texts in other languages

As practicing Hindus lost their mastery over Sanskrit, texts in regional languages like the Tevaram and Divya Prabandam, and Ramayana in regional languages became popular.

The sheer number of Hindu sacred texts may seem a bit overwhelming. There is, however, an order to these texts and an unquestionable purpose to their existence. Each text has the potential to liberate a person and put him on the path to moksha – spiritual liberation, the goal of human existence. Ancient seers have truly ensured that suitable means are available for spiritual needs of all levels.

Sacred Texts of Hinduism - I

Most Hindu sacred texts are written in Sanskrit, revered as the language that gods speak. The script used for Sanskrit is Devanagri, which literally means 'from the cities of the gods'. 

Sacred Hindu literature is broadly classified as Sruti (heard) and Smriti (remembered).

Sruti – that which was heard

Vedas

The Vedas are referred to as Sruti – that which was heard when it was revealed by God for the benefit of humanity. These are the oldest of all Hindu texts and have been traced back to 1500–1000 BC. The four branches of the Vedas – Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda – are believed to contain all the knowledge that can ever exist in the world. 

There are 33 gods mentioned in the Vedas – Indra, Prajapati, twelve Adityas, 11 Rudras and 8 Vasus. Praying to these gods, as prescribed in the Vedas, assures the fulfillment of worldly goals. The Vedic gods represent the forces of nature on a macrocosmic level and the forces inside every mortal being, at a microcosmic level.

Smriti – that which was remembered

The era that we now classify as post-Vedic brought forth texts that are referred to as Smriti – that which was remembered and then recorded by ancient Hindu seers. The Vedas were segregated and categorized according to the information they contained and several rishis complied the Smriti texts based on the knowledge that they had assimilated from them. 

Swastika – a symbol wronged

Prince Harry, third in line to the British throne, wore a Nazi costume complete with a swastika armband to a fancy dress party. This was just a youngster all dressed up for a theme party, but it created a major furor. He had to make a public apology for having hurt sentiments by sporting the swastika. Hitler and his Nazi army did great harm to the swastika. The Nazi swastika – a black one, a little tilted, with arms turning clockwise on a white circle against a crimson background – denotes evil to anybody who sees it even today. 

There are many theories about why Hitler chose the swastika for his flag. Some say that the swastika is a Nordic cross and that it displayed the Nazi belief in Christianity. Hitler’s Mein Kampf describes the Nazi flag, referring to the swastika as a symbol of victory for Aryans whom he believed were of a superior genetic strain and the forefathers of Northern Europe. The swastika was a common symbol for the Aryans who believed that they were a superior and pure race. Hitler borrowed both the concept and the symbol from the pre-historic Aryans. 

The association with evil has lingered since the World Wars and their aftermath and not many people are able to associate the swastika with what it originally stood for – all that is pure and good.
The swastika can be traced back to ancient civilizations over 3000 years ago in several cultures all over the world. China, Japan, southern Europe, India and even Native Americans used the symbol and had different names for it. Whatever the name, the symbol has always represented life, good luck, victory and power. While use of the symbol has slowly vanished from other religions, Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism have continued to use it in the original context. 

The oldest swastika has been traced back to the Indus Valley civilization (Mature period 2600–1900 BCE), which flourished in the Indus River Basin (in modern-day India and Pakistan).  From here it went to Southeast Asia and is still in use there. In the Western world, this symbol has been found at the site of ancient Troy. 

Swastika is a Sanskrit word made up of the sounds ‘su’, ‘asti’ ,‘ik’ and ‘a’. In Sanskrit ‘su’ means good, ‘asti’ is to exist and ‘ik’ translates to “what is and what will be”, with the ‘a’ at the end denoting the feminine gender of the word. The word swastika thus means all that is good exists and will continue to exist. The symbol – an equilateral cross with right facing arms bent at right angles – denotes perpetuity of all that is good universally, with the four arms denoting the four directions.
Symbols in Hinduism are meant to be reminders of a virtuous way of living. So they are used everywhere – houses, temples, clothing, books, for ritual worship, in new homes, on new cars…in all new beginnings. Hinduism has several such practices that are meant to reinforce positive thoughts, which in turn will lead to positive actions.   

The swastika in Hinduism represents the sun’s rays, which symbolize life, health, prosperity and victory. In Buddhism it is treated as a symbol for eternality and universal harmony. In Buddhism the left facing swastika represents love and mercy and the right facing one represents strength and intelligence. The Buddhists call it manji. Hinduism does not use the left facing swastika.
There are skeptics who question the ‘power’ of the symbol. A commonly asked question is that if the swastika symbolizes victory, why did the Nazis not win? The swastika stands for victory of dharma – universal good. What the symbol stood for did win after all!  So the next time you see a swastika symbol – most likely in a Hindu home – let it remind you of eternal goodness everywhere in the world.

Yoga and Ayurveda for Holistic Health

The mention of yoga brings to mind a set of physical exercises with a flavor of India.  And yes, there is meditation involved too. But there is more to yoga than this. Yoga involves both physical and mental disciplines; however, the purpose is to help those who practice yoga to achieve their spiritual goal. The physical fitness and mental calm gained in the process are incidental.

Ayurveda is the ancient Indian science of health that deals with both physical and mental health – absolute necessities on the spiritual path.

Cultural significance

The purpose of a human existence according to Hinduism is to achieve oneness with the Supreme Reality. Ill health can be a major deterrent to this goal. Therefore, ancient Hindu seers amassed a wealth of knowledge for both physical and mental well being. We know them as yoga and ayurveda, a combination of which results in physical, mental and emotional health, rendering a person holistically fit.

Origin

Hindu Vedic philosophy has six main systems, with the system referring to yoga called Yoga Darshana. This was compiled by Sage Patanjali; the compilation was based upon ancient yogic teachings of several other sages before him.  Sage Charaka is considered the Father of Ayurveda, with the Charaka Samhita being the source of all the ayurveda that is currently practiced, with the root source being the Vedas – ancient Hindu texts of wisdom.

Basic principles  

Ayurveda is a system that makes use of certain inherent principles of nature to ensure good health.  The basic surmise is that all human beings contain the same five elements that the universe is made of – air, fire, water, earth and ether. These elements are evident in the human body in the form of life-forces or doshas, classified as vata, pitta and kapha. The body remains healthy as long as the three remain in balance. Ill health of any kind is caused by an imbalance in these doshas and the treatment aims to correct the balance.    

The science of yoga is based on five basic principles. These are:
•    Proper relaxation
•    Proper exercise
•    Proper breathing
•    Suitable diet
•    Positive thinking  

Ayurveda and yoga go hand in hand. Exercise, breathing and diet can affect the life-forces or dosha that impact overall health. Similarly, depending upon the age and physical condition of a person, the dosha or life-force balance varies. Appropriate exercises or asana as they are called in yoga, suitable pranayama –breathing exercises, and a proper diet differ according to the dosha balance in a person. It is possible that an asana or breathing technique that benefits someone else might actually cause you discomfort.

Yoga and ayurveda in the West

Yoga has been around in the West since the twentieth century. However, the West’s introduction to ayurveda happened much later – only in the mid-1980s. The health benefits of yoga were acknowledged, but its full healing potential in combination with modern allopathic medicine was never realized. In the 1970s alternative medicine became popular in the West and yoga practitioners tried associating yoga with naturopathy, herbal remedies and even Chinese medicine. By the time ayurveda reached Western shores, yoga had its own existence without the influence of ayurveda. However, now there are many centers in the West that combine yoga and ayurveda and offer personalized advice to address specific needs.

Yoga therapy, with ayurveda as a key component, as well as ayurvedic treatment that prescribes yoga, is now recognized as a complete system of medicine.