VEDAS:
1. Rig Veda: 432,000 samhitas; 28 brahmanas; 42 upanishads; total of 707,000 stanzas
2. Yajur Veda: 250,000 samhitas; 32 brahmanas; 60 Upanishads; total of 455,000 stanzas
3. Sama Veda: 600,000 Samhitas; 21 Brahmanas; 90 Upanishads; total of 950,000 stanzas
4. Atharva Veda: 300,000 Samhitas; 11 Brahmanas; 52 Upanishads; total of 480,000 stanzas
UPA- VEDAS:
1. Ayurveda: Chakranuvesha by Sanaka; original works attributed to Dhanvantari, extant works by Charaka, Sushruta and Vegabhatta(also a bacteriologist); the science of longevity.
2. Dhanurveda: Parveshasta-prakasham by Prachetas; original works attributed to Bhrigu and Vishvamitra; the science of warfare.
3. Gandharva Veda: Svarabuvada by Narada; the science of music.
4. Sthapatya Veda: Siddhantopanyastha by Ashvini Kumaras; the science of architecture.
DARSHANAS: SCHOOLS OF PHILOSOPHY:
1. Nyaya: svayambhu’s Prabhantariksha, Sage Gautama’s Nyaya sutras, Tarka-sangraha, Bhasha-parichheda, Siddhanta-muktavali; Kusumanjali by Udayanacharya is an important work on this subject.
2. Vaisheshika: Kratu’s Darshananubhava; subsequent work by Kannada Rishi.
3. Sankhya: Original work is Marichas’s Anubhava; subsequent authoritative work by Sage Kapila.
4. Yoga: Original treatise by Chyamana called Vrithyajitharnava; subsequent works by sage Patanjali, with elaborate commentaries by Bhoja Deva, Vaachaspathi Mishra, Vijnaana Bhikshu and Naagoji Bhatta.
5. Mimamsa: Original work Arthaprakasha of Rishi Angiras; subsequent work by Sage Jaimini; also called Purva Mimamsa or Karma Mimamsa.
6. Vedanta: Also called Uttara Mimamsa; original work is said to be Lord Bramha’s Prahiksha-pradipa; subsequent work is Brahma Sutras by Veda Vyasa.
SHABDA SHASTRAS:
1. Shiksha: phonetics: Maheshvara’s shiksha and Narada Bhashya are also called pratisakhyas and total 172,00 stanzas. This subject is also dealt with in a chapter in Taittiriya Aranyaka and a book called Manduki Shiksha.
2. Kalpa: Design and Construction of Religious Sites: Devi’s Vyavasthanubhava is the original treatise of 248,000 stanzas. Subsequently, several works on this subject came out of each of the four Vedas. Examples include:
a. From Rig Veda: Ashvalaayana, Shankhaayana, Shaunaka.
b. From Saama Veda: Masaka, Latyaayana, Drahyaayana.
c. From Yajur Veda: Aapastamba, Satyaashadha, Hiranyakeshi, Manava, Bharadvaja, Vathula, Vyaakhanaasha, Maitra, Kathaa, Varaaha,etc.(from Krishna Yajur Veda), Katyaayana(from Shukla Yajur Veda).
d. From Atharva Veda: Kaushitaka.
3. Vyaakarana: Grammar: First came the Maheshvara Sutras and Narada Bhashya, totaling 100,000 stanzas. Thereafter came the Panini Sutra (Ashtadhyaayi, the world-renowned grammatical work that remains unparalleled to date and is accepted as such by Western scholars also) and patanjali’s Mahaabhaashya, both of which are important and authoritative treaties.
There were other notable grammarians before Paanini, namely, Apishali, Kashyapa, Gaargya, Galava, Chakravarman, Bharasvaaja, Shakataayana, Sakaalya, Senaka and Sphotaayana. Kaatyayana was an outstanding grammarian after Paanini.
4. Nirukta: Vedic Etymology: Ganesha’s Niruta and Shesha’s Bhaashya COMPRISE 55,000 stanzas. Subsequent work was done by Yaaskacharya. A well known work is Amara Kosha, also known as Naama-linga-anushaasanam, written by the worlds first lexicographer, Amarasimha, a great scholar who flourished in the court of King Vikramaaditya and who was a contemporary of the great poet Kaalidaasa.
5. Chhandas: Prosody (Meter): Vishnu’s Chhandornava is comprised of 172,000 stanzas. The subsequent work of Chhanda Shaastra came from Pingala. Many other works came later, including Nidaana Sutra, Shruta-bodha, Vaanibhushana, Vritta-darpana, Vritta-ratnaakara, Vritta-kaumudi, Chhandomanjari, and Savritha-tilaka. Chhandomanjari by Gangadaasa is an important work on this subject.
The number of meters possible in Sanskrit poetry is an astronomical figure. The word for meter in Sanskrit is Vritta. There are three types of vrittas: Saama Vritta, Vishama Vritta, and Ardha-saama Vritta. The categorization depends on whether the composition of each line in a four-line stanza is the same or different. For example, in saama Vrittas, the maximum nuber of letters in a line is 26. With 1-26 hard-sound (guru) and soft-sound (laghu) letters in each line, the maximum number of meter-permutation under Saama Vritta is 87,108,864.
6. Jyotisha: astronomy and Astrology: Surya’s Brihadanka-pradipa has 100,000 stanzas. The subsequent important works are Aaryabhatta, and Surya Siddhaanta by Bhaskaracharya. There are also treaties on the subject by Varaaha Mihira, Gaarga and Brahmagupta.
ARTS AND SCIENCE:
1. Akshara Laksha: Attributed to Sage Vaalmiki; deals with the branches of mathematics: arithmetic, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, physics and applied mathematics; consists of 50 chapters; acknowledges the earlier discoveries of Hanuman, Jaimini, Brihaspathi, Kashyapa; also deals with geography, air/wind, electricity, mineralogy and more.
2. Artha Shastra: Short treatise attributed to Sage Vyaasa, wherein he deals with more than 80 ways of earning wealth through Dhaarmik means; extant work attributed to kautilya.
3. Chitra karma: believed to have been authored by bhima; deals with the science of fine arts; 12 chapters with more than 200 sketches; explains a novel method by which an artist can create the complete figure of a person after having seen only a portion of his body.
4. Dhaatu vaada: Believed to have been written by ashwini kumaras; deals with the science alchemy and the conversion of baser metal into gold; a treatise on dhaatus, or primary substances, and their reactions and combinations.
5. Gaja Shastra: attributed to Kumaaraswami; deals with the behavior and characteristics of elephants; gives methodology to categorize elephants on the basis of certain body marks.
6. Kaala Nirnaya: attributed to lord Kaartikeya; deals with the concept of the time, auspicious and inauspicious occasions, limitations of time and its measurements, and the presiding deities of various dates, constellations, etc.
7. Lakshana Shastra: attributed to sage shakataayana; deals with the determination of gender in both animate and inanimate creation; Babhru Muni’s work Kanyaa Lakshana lists characteristics of an unwed girl that can be used to reveal her future, family life, children, prosperity, chastity, etc.
8. Shakuna Shastra: sage Garga’s detailed tretise on omens or indications of success and failure in endeavors.
9. Malini Shastra: attributed to sage Rishyashringa; a comprehensive treatise dealing with flowers and their arrangements, including making garlands and bouquets, how women can adorn themselves with flowers, conveying messages of love through flowers, etc.
10. Malla Shastra: attributed to Malla Muni; deals with health-preservation and bodybuilding; the science of gymnastics, athletics, wrestling, etc.
11. Mahendra jaala: attributed to Virabhaahu; deals with the science of magic; describes the art of creating illusions (flying, walking on water, etc.).
12. Parakaaya Pravesha: attributed to Valakhilyas; deals with the eight siddhis:- anima, mahima, laghima, garima, ishitva, vashitva, prapti and prakaashaya; the 32 yogas leading to parakaaya pravesha, or the transfer of ones jeeva, at will, to another body (as was done by Aadhi Shankara into the body of King Amaruka).
13. Ratna Pariksha and Kanaka pariksha: attributed to Sage Vatsyana; deals with the science of testing precious stones and gold for genuineness, including the 24 lakshanaas (signs) of the precious stones and gems, their categories and the 32 tests of their quality and genuineness.
14. Saamudrika Shastra: attributed to Samudra Raaja, or lord Varuna; deals with the various body marks that are said to indicate a person’s character, life, and experiences; said to have started with Varunas reading of the auspicious marks on Lord Vishnus reclining body; further developed through the later contributions of Narada, Varaha, Mandavya, etc. one of its branches is palmistry.
15. Saudamini Shastra: attributed to sage Maatanga of Mount Rishyamukha; deals with chaya-grahana, or the power and use of shadows; also deals with the science of photography and derivations.
16. Shabdha Shastra: attributed to Rishi Kandika; deals with sounds and echoes, their categories and modifications and the mechanical reproduction of sound (pitch, frequency, velocity, etc.).
17. Shakti Tantra Shatra: attributed to Sage Agastya; consists of eight detailed chapters that deals with the various energies and powers in the universe, including the 64 kinds of energy in Nature; the sun, moon, and their shaktis; the practical applicatopns to harness such forces; the unlimited energy contained in the atom; an atom’s fusion and fission; and nuclear science.
18. Shilpa Shastra: attributed to Sage Kashyapa; deals with sculpture, construction of idols, temples, palaces, etc. 22 chapters with 307 categories of sculptures and over 100 types of images and idols, including their dimensions, proportions, and other characteristics; Vishvakarma is said to have contributed much to the development of this science.
19. Supa Shastra: attributed to Sukesha; deals with the science of cooking, which Sukesha is said to have perfected to a science; contains various preparations of condiments, pickles, sweets, puddings, cakes; different dishes to suit the tastes of people in different parts of the world. Supa means “broth” (thus the word soup).
20. Turanga Shastra: comprehensive treatise on horses by Agnivarman; expounds on everything about horses, including breeding, upbringing, pedigree, points for selection, and various uses including war. King Nala is also said to have written a treatise called Ashva Hridaya on this subject.
21. Vaatavarana Shastra: attributed to Sage Atri. Deals with clouds, their categories and characteristics. 12 different kinds of Rain; 64 types of Lightning, 33 types of thunderbolts, etc.
22. Visha Shastra: attributed to the Ashwini Kumaras. Exhaustive treatise on the science of poisons. Elaborated discussions about the 32 broad categories of all poisons, including their properties, preparations, applications and antidotes.
23. Yantra Shastra: attributed to Sage Bharadhvaja; deals with the types of vehicles for movement on land, water and air; also deals with the possibility and methodology of movement in space without any vehicle, using only mantras (mystic sound symbols) and tantras (energy forces).
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
LAW OF KARMA
hi guys here is small article by Swami Chinmayanandaji on "LAW OF KARMA" in his book 'THE ART OF LIVING'..
Man's diverse tendencies or vasanas are the prime movers of all his desires and actions. As long as vasanas exist, desires continuously spring forth in his bosom and create mental agitation and discomfort, resulting in actions. These actions in turn leave iprints in our personality as vasanas, which influence and propel our future actions. This cycle is based on law called the LAW OF KARMA, which is one of the significant contributions of the philosophy of vedanta to humanity.
It is a law based on pure scientific reasoning covering the past, the present and the future and is as applicable to mankind and life as any other law of nature. Many hasty readers have misunderstood the LAW OF KARMA as a mere LAW OF DESTINY and condemned it as a pessimistic and ineffectual theory dealing only with ones past experiences in life. The following analysis of it should clear the cobwebs of misunderstanding and reveal its original beauty and strength.
Man is what he is because of his past actions. If his experiences from the time of his birth to the present moment are pure and noble, he is today a man of chastity and dignity. If, to the contrary, they are vicious and immoral, he takes to those qualities. In short, he is a product or an effect of his own past actions or karma. This is the principle of destiny. It may be concluded from this that man is a mere victim of his past action over which he has no control. It then becomes an inert philosophy concerning the dead past which is incompatible with the modern scientific and progressive mind.
On the other hand, the LAW OF KARMA is a vital force in the VEDANTIC philosophy which enables man to be spirited and dynamic and to reach the goal of human existence. Destiny or PRARABDHA is the product or the effect of the past and it forms one aspect of LAW OF KARMA. Man is, in a way, influenced by his destiny since his present status is caused by his past. But, at the same time, he is gifted with the capacity to choose his present action which is called self-effort or PURUSHARTHA. All through his life, he has been exercising this power and an aggregate of all his past self-efforts has determined his present destiny. In other words, the sum total of all past Purusharthas is equal to his present Prarabdha. "What one meets in life is destiny and how one meets it, is self-effort."
The law of karma goes a step ahead of the law of destiny and states that the future lies in mans control, since he has the capacity to change it by regulating his self-effort from now on. Thus, if he had chosen the 'THE PATH OF PLEASANT' (PREYAS) in the past, he has no doubt to suffer the consequences of it at this moment, but his self-effort today may be exercised in choosing with the 'PATH OF GOOD' (SHREYAS) which when combined with the past will make his future better than what it is at present. The future, therefore, is a continuity of the past modified in the present. The freedom to modify the past and to create a future, either for the better or for the worse, is Purushartha or self-effort.
Though man enjoys freedom to choose his action, the effect of his action is influenced by the past. In other words, his self-effort, when exercised, mixes with his destiny to bring about an effect, resultant of their combination. The idea is better understood with the following example: The rate of flow of water in a river is two miles an hour. A log of wood floating on the water will also move at the same speed as the water in the river. If now the log is fitted with a motor with an independent speed of 10 miles an hour, its speed will, in effect, be conditioned by the flow of the river. Its independent speed is no doubt 10 miles an hour, but when it is directed downstream it registers 12 miles an hour and when diverted upstream, the speed is reduced to 8 miles. Similarly, man possesses the faculty of independent movement which is found lacking in the animal and plant kingdoms. Its effect in life, however, is modified by the play of his destiny upon it.
Looking back at the past, man is the product of the past, but looking into the future, man is at once, a producer. At the present moment, he is a product-cum-producer, i.e. he is the son of his father and a father of his son as well, at one and the same time. The Law of destiny only refers to his past and makes him a victim of it, while the LAW OF KARMA infuses the spirit of creation by focusing his attention of self-effort, lest he should get discouraged by the effects produced. Thus the law of karma is governed by the scientific theory of cause and effect. Extending the LAW further, the RISHIS declared that it would be unscientific and illogical to confine the theory to the present life only. The effect experienced in the present life must have had their causes in the past lives and the causes created in the present shall grow into effects in the future.
The law of karma applies not only to an individual but to a community, society or nation as well. Its application is not restricted to the present lives, but embraces those of the past and the future. Thus this law enables one to view life in its entirety which provides a meaning, a purpose and a rhythm to existence. To understand life without applying the LAW OF KARMA, is like seeing a life-size picture with eyes fixed at a distance of a few inches from the canvas. A vision of the totality is lost and one develops a narrow constricted view of life.
The law of karma is an important limb of religion. Religion therefore, is not a mere mechanical worship, but a scientific formula for right living. By adhering to it, man develops himself and enjoys a better and more purposeful life.
hope this article has served your purpose of understanding LAW OF KARMA
Man's diverse tendencies or vasanas are the prime movers of all his desires and actions. As long as vasanas exist, desires continuously spring forth in his bosom and create mental agitation and discomfort, resulting in actions. These actions in turn leave iprints in our personality as vasanas, which influence and propel our future actions. This cycle is based on law called the LAW OF KARMA, which is one of the significant contributions of the philosophy of vedanta to humanity.
It is a law based on pure scientific reasoning covering the past, the present and the future and is as applicable to mankind and life as any other law of nature. Many hasty readers have misunderstood the LAW OF KARMA as a mere LAW OF DESTINY and condemned it as a pessimistic and ineffectual theory dealing only with ones past experiences in life. The following analysis of it should clear the cobwebs of misunderstanding and reveal its original beauty and strength.
Man is what he is because of his past actions. If his experiences from the time of his birth to the present moment are pure and noble, he is today a man of chastity and dignity. If, to the contrary, they are vicious and immoral, he takes to those qualities. In short, he is a product or an effect of his own past actions or karma. This is the principle of destiny. It may be concluded from this that man is a mere victim of his past action over which he has no control. It then becomes an inert philosophy concerning the dead past which is incompatible with the modern scientific and progressive mind.
On the other hand, the LAW OF KARMA is a vital force in the VEDANTIC philosophy which enables man to be spirited and dynamic and to reach the goal of human existence. Destiny or PRARABDHA is the product or the effect of the past and it forms one aspect of LAW OF KARMA. Man is, in a way, influenced by his destiny since his present status is caused by his past. But, at the same time, he is gifted with the capacity to choose his present action which is called self-effort or PURUSHARTHA. All through his life, he has been exercising this power and an aggregate of all his past self-efforts has determined his present destiny. In other words, the sum total of all past Purusharthas is equal to his present Prarabdha. "What one meets in life is destiny and how one meets it, is self-effort."
The law of karma goes a step ahead of the law of destiny and states that the future lies in mans control, since he has the capacity to change it by regulating his self-effort from now on. Thus, if he had chosen the 'THE PATH OF PLEASANT' (PREYAS) in the past, he has no doubt to suffer the consequences of it at this moment, but his self-effort today may be exercised in choosing with the 'PATH OF GOOD' (SHREYAS) which when combined with the past will make his future better than what it is at present. The future, therefore, is a continuity of the past modified in the present. The freedom to modify the past and to create a future, either for the better or for the worse, is Purushartha or self-effort.
Though man enjoys freedom to choose his action, the effect of his action is influenced by the past. In other words, his self-effort, when exercised, mixes with his destiny to bring about an effect, resultant of their combination. The idea is better understood with the following example: The rate of flow of water in a river is two miles an hour. A log of wood floating on the water will also move at the same speed as the water in the river. If now the log is fitted with a motor with an independent speed of 10 miles an hour, its speed will, in effect, be conditioned by the flow of the river. Its independent speed is no doubt 10 miles an hour, but when it is directed downstream it registers 12 miles an hour and when diverted upstream, the speed is reduced to 8 miles. Similarly, man possesses the faculty of independent movement which is found lacking in the animal and plant kingdoms. Its effect in life, however, is modified by the play of his destiny upon it.
Looking back at the past, man is the product of the past, but looking into the future, man is at once, a producer. At the present moment, he is a product-cum-producer, i.e. he is the son of his father and a father of his son as well, at one and the same time. The Law of destiny only refers to his past and makes him a victim of it, while the LAW OF KARMA infuses the spirit of creation by focusing his attention of self-effort, lest he should get discouraged by the effects produced. Thus the law of karma is governed by the scientific theory of cause and effect. Extending the LAW further, the RISHIS declared that it would be unscientific and illogical to confine the theory to the present life only. The effect experienced in the present life must have had their causes in the past lives and the causes created in the present shall grow into effects in the future.
The law of karma applies not only to an individual but to a community, society or nation as well. Its application is not restricted to the present lives, but embraces those of the past and the future. Thus this law enables one to view life in its entirety which provides a meaning, a purpose and a rhythm to existence. To understand life without applying the LAW OF KARMA, is like seeing a life-size picture with eyes fixed at a distance of a few inches from the canvas. A vision of the totality is lost and one develops a narrow constricted view of life.
The law of karma is an important limb of religion. Religion therefore, is not a mere mechanical worship, but a scientific formula for right living. By adhering to it, man develops himself and enjoys a better and more purposeful life.
hope this article has served your purpose of understanding LAW OF KARMA
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Raja Yoga
Click HERE to download the fully English version of Swami Vivekanada's Raja Yoga and HERE to download Patanjali's Yoga Sutra.
PS: The text in the Patanjali file is weird! Also, it has a whole lot of Spanish - IGNORE THAT! The file has a transliteration AND translation of the Yoga Sutra into English (and Spanish).
PS: The text in the Patanjali file is weird! Also, it has a whole lot of Spanish - IGNORE THAT! The file has a transliteration AND translation of the Yoga Sutra into English (and Spanish).
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