Vedas and Upanishads - Dr. Sheela Daga - Ethics in Vedas and Upanishads
Ethics in Vedas and Upanishads
Unique poetry in the shape of the Vedas is available to us Indians. Due to a lack of understanding of the language and statements of some arrogant and jealous Western people who envy the Vedas, some Indian people even today continue to speak sarcastically about the Vedas. The language of the Vedas is very figurative. Rishis have repeatedly used metaphors to make their points easily accessible to the public. Most metaphors are directly taken from human life and related to human relationships. Which word has which meaning that the Vedic poet uses becomes understandable only after a detailed study of the Vedas. Vedic language is challenging to understand, and because of this, it is not appropriate to call the Vedas a collection of objectionable things by giving any meaning to the mantras. Another matter is that prayers for children, wealth, and against misfortune, destruction of hostility, destruction of disease, etc., have been offered in many mantras from the Vedas. Vedic society was practical. It developed an understanding of how to live life properly. The author has studied the Vedas deeply without any prejudice and understood the language of Vedas. She dared to introduce the Vedas on this basis.
Vedas and Upanishads sustain and uphold Indian culture. They teach human values. Surprisingly, this literature, composed during the beginnings of human civilisation, is as relevant today as it was during its creation. The impact of inclusive philosophy and knowledge of the human duties is visible in Indian philosophies. Examples of organisation, cooperation, positive thoughts, communion, sharing food, donating, helping, not gambling and all other human values can be seen.
Selected Mantras
Some mantras are written here to provide examples in order that readers can understand how the ideas and principles have been revealed in the Vedas for the betterment of human life.
First, we’ll take the Gayatri Mantra. This mantra is a prayer for the Sun-like power but also sound wisdom. This means that its creator understood that power alone would become destructive if knowledge were not used with power. This is the tenth mantra of the 62nd Sukta of the third Mandala of the Rigveda. This mantra is also found in the 36th chapter of the Yajurveda.
Ā no bhadrāḥ kratavo yantu viśvato ( ṛ. 1.89.1)
May all our actions be beneficial.
Devānāṃ bhadrā sumatirṛjūyatāṃ … devānāṃ sakhyamupasedimā vayam (1.89. 2)
To get the highest wisdom of the Gods, we offer them this oblation (into the sacrificial fire). May we get their friendship.
Bhadraṃ karṇebhiḥ śṛṇuyāma devā bhadraṃ paśyemākṣabhiryajatrāḥ |
Sthirairaṃgaistuṣṭuvāṃsastanūbhirvyaśemahi devahitaṃ yadāyuḥ || (ṛ.1.89.8)
Let us hear well with our ears, and see well with our eyes. Let us, with a healthy body, spend the time Gods gave us while praising them.
Tatsaviturvareṇyaṃ bhargo devasya dhīmahi| Dhiyo yo naḥ pracodayāt| (ṛ. 3.62.10)
Let the Sun, divine Savita Dev, the creator of all, give us his radiance. He should inspire our intellect to follow the proper way.
In both, the Rigveda and Yajurveda, this mantra is similar. It is composed in Gayatri meter with 24 letters or syllables. It is not known when 'Bhur Bhuvah Svah' was added. There are seven letters in its first line, which, while singing, are completed with the full pronunciation of N in Vareniyam – Varenaiyam, and thus extended to eight.
na ṛte śrāntasya sakhyāya devāḥ| (ṛ.4.33.11)
Gods are friends of hardworking people.
svasti panthāmanucarema sūryācandramasāviva|
punardadatāghnatā jānatā saṃgamemahi||(ṛ.5.51.15)
May we continue on the proper path like Sun and Moon. Let us walk together without violence while distributing wealth and gaining knowledge.
In the tenth Mandala, there is a Dice or Kitava Sukta, in which the mental and social condition of a gambler is very well analysed.
Prāvepā mā bṛhato mādayanti. These dice make me very happy. Akṣasyāhamekaparasya hetoranuvratāmapa jāyāmarodham. Then I have left my wife because of them. But the next stage has come, dveṣṭi śvaśrūrapa jāyā ruṇaddhi na nāthito vindate marḍitāram, that my mother-in-law has become angry with me. My wife has also turned away from me. Now nobody gives me any money when I ask. Anye jāyāṃ parimṛśanti ......pitā mātā bhrātaramenamāhurna jānīmo nayatā baddhamenam. Other people started putting their hands on my wife. .. My parents, brothers etc. said that we do not know him, take him away. Jāyā tapyate kitavasya hīnā mātā putrasya .....ṛṇāvā ..dhanamicchamāno anyeṣāmastamupa naktameti. Gambler's wife and mother remain unhappy. Troubled by debt, he goes at night in other's houses to steal. Hence Akṣairmā dīvyaḥ kṛṣiṃ it kṛṣasva ( ṛ.10.34) one should not play with dices, i.e. do not gamble. Do farming, do hard work. This Sukta is a message for all addicts, Bhangedis, gamblers and bookmakers.
O hi vartante rathyeva cakrānyamanyamupatiṣṭhanti rāyaḥ | (ṛ. 10.117.5)
Money and wealth are going up and down like chariot wheels.
moghamannaṃ vindate apracetāḥ satyaṃ bravīmi vadha itsa tasya|
nāryamaṇaṃ puṣyati no sakhāyaṃ kevalādo bhavati kevalādī|| (ṛ. 10.117.6)
It is futile for an ignorant person to receive food because he neither gives it to the deity nor divides with the people around him. One who eats alone only accumulates sin.
Saṃgacchadhvaṃ saṃvadadhvaṃ saṃ vo manāṃsi jānatām| (ṛ. 10.191.2)
Let us all go together, speak with love, be of one mind, i.e., be united.
Ṛtasya pathā preta (yajurveda 7.45)
Keep walking on the path of truth.
Yajjāgrato dūramudaiti daivaṃ tadu suptasya tathaivaiti|
dūraṃgamaṃ jyotiṣāṃ jyotirekaṃ tanme manaḥ śivasaṃkalpamastu|| (yaju. 34.1)
Let my mind, the light of the lights, which goes far away while awake or in the dreams, always makes beneficial/proper decisions. If there is no mind, then no other sense works. Hence it is called Jyotirupa, the form of light. The six mantras from 1 to 6 of this 34th chapter of the Yajurveda pray for the stability of mind. These are excellent mantras to be included in daily prayers. Today most people are leading a stressful life. If one believes in prayers, then these mantras are ideal for the peace of mind.
Mitrasya cakṣuṣā samīkṣāmahe (yaju. 36.18)
Let us be friendly to all.
Adīnāḥ syāma śaradaḥ śatam (yaju. 36.24)
Until we live, we should not live poor and powerless.
Here ‘Sharadah Shatam’ expresses that the age of man is considered to be a hundred years. There is the poem in the ‘Gitanjali’, a book conferred with the Nobel Prize on the great poet Rabindranath Tagore, which reflects this sentiment. As it is in the Bangla language, some parts of its translation are presented –
This is my prayer to thee, my Lord---strike, strike at the root of penury in my heart.Give me the strength lightly to bear my joys and sorrows.
Give me the strength to make my love fruitful in service.
Give me the strength never to disown the poor or bend my knees before insolent might.
The rest can be seen in Gitanjali.
Śatahasta samāhara sahasrahasta saṃ kira (atha. 3.24.5)
Gather with hundreds of hands and share with thousands of hands.
Ya it tadviduste amṛtatvamānaśuḥ (atharva. 9.10.1)
Those who came to know the divine, they got Amritattva, the freedom.
Kṛtaṃ me dakṣiṇe haste jayo me savya āhitaḥ(atha.7.52.8)
The effort is in my right hand and success in my left.
Satyaṃ bṛhadṛtamugraṃ dīkṣā tapo brahma yajñaḥ pṛthivīṃ dhārayanti. (Atharva. 12.1.1)
Truth, discipline, valour, efficiency in work, hard work, self-knowledge and ceremonies mean respect for the best human beings, as the earth is stable by their association and charity.
Īśāvāsyamidaṃ sarvaṃ yatkiṃca jagatyāṃ jagat|
tena tyaktena bhuṃjīthā: mā gṛdhaḥ kasyasviddhanam || (yaju. 40.1, Īśopaniṣad mantra 1)
God pervades all this vast universe, whether movable or not. Use properly whatever God has given you. Do not covet another's wealth. That is live life in the spirit of renunciation.
Kurvanneveha karmāṇi jijīviṣecchataṃ samāḥ |
Evaṃ tvayi nānyathetoऽsti na karma lipyate nare || (Īśa. Mantra 2)
Do work in this world and wish to live a hundred years. There is no other path apart from this. Do not attach yourself in the deeds.
Further, the rishi says -
Yastu sarvāṇi bhūtāni ātmanyevānupaśyati|
Sarvabhūteṣu cātmānaṃ tato na vicikitsate || (īśa. 6)
He who sees all the creatures in himself, his Atma, that is, there is one Atma in all. The one who knows this and sees his own Atma in all the living beings, will without any doubt behave appropriately with everybody. In some edition, the last word is Vijugupsate, hate. That one will not hate anyone.
Agne naya supathā rāye asmān (īśa. 18)
O Lord Jyotishwaroop, lead us on the best path to attain the divinity.
Uttiṣṭhata jāgrata prāpya varānnibodhata kṣurasya dhārā niśitā duratyayā.....( kaṭha. 1.3.14)
O man, get up, wake up and realise oneself. Walking on this path is as difficult as walking on the edge of a knife.
Āsīno dūraṃ vrajati śayāno yāti sarvataḥ (kaṭha)
This mind goes far and wide while awakened and goes everywhere while sleeping.
Satyameva jayate nānṛtam (muṇḍaka upa)
Truth always wins, not lies.
Caraiveti caraiveti ....caranvai madhu vindati (aitareya upa.)
Always keep going, that is, be active. The one who is diligent and tries gets the honey.
Satyaṃ vada, dharmaṃ cara, svādhyāyānmā pramaditavyam........mātṛdevo bhava, pitṛdevo bhava, ācāryadevo bhava. (taittirīya upa.)
Speak the truth, walk on the path of duty, never be lazy about self-study. .... Respect all: mother, father and teacher.
Many such examples can be given, that teach human values and the art of living life.