So in the Bhāgavata it is stated strī-śūdra-dvijabandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). Strī, woman, and śūdra and dvija-bandhu. Dvija means brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya. Especially brāhmaṇa. So dvija-bandhu, who is not qualified as a brāhmaṇa but born in the brāhmaṇa family, they are called dvija-bandhus. So śāstra says strī-śūdra-dvijabandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā. Woman, śūdra and brahma-bandhu or dvija-bandhu, they cannot understand Vedic knowledge. Unfortunately we are creating, trying to create real brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya, vaiśya, and śūdra means everyone. One who cannot become a brāhmaṇa or a kṣatriya or vaiśya, simply they are satisfied by serving a suitable master, vaiśya-karma svabhāva-jam. Paricaryātmakaṁ kāryaṁ śūdra-karma svabhāva-jam (BG 18.44). A person who is satisfied only getting some salary from a suitable master, that is śūdra. So in this age it is said, kalau śūdra-sambhavaḥ. It is very difficult to find out a qualified brāhmaṇa, kṣatriya. We may find out some śūdras and some vaiśyas. Therefore, if you want to raise the standard of human society, you must create a class of brāhmaṇa, a class of kṣatriya. Vaiśya and śūdras maybe there are. But it is necessary that a class of brāhmaṇa, a class of kṣatriya must be there.
Understanding Vedic Knowledge
Expressions researched:
"understand the vedic knowledge"
|"understand vedic knowledge"
|"understanding the vedic knowledge"
|"understanding vedic knowledge"
Bhagavad-gita As It Is
BG Chapters 13 - 18
The living entity forgets as soon as he quits his present body, but he begins his work again, initiated by the Supreme Lord. Although he forgets, the Lord gives him the intelligence to renew his work where he ended his last life. So not only does a living entity enjoy or suffer in this world according to the dictation from the Supreme Lord situated locally in the heart, but he receives the opportunity to understand the Vedas from Him. If one is serious about understanding the Vedic knowledge, then Kṛṣṇa gives the required intelligence. Why does He present the Vedic knowledge for understanding? Because a living entity individually needs to understand Kṛṣṇa. Vedic literature confirms this: yo 'sau sarvair vedair gīyate. In all Vedic literature, beginning from the four Vedas, Vedānta-sūtra and the Upaniṣads and Purāṇas, the glories of the Supreme Lord are celebrated. By performance of Vedic rituals, discussion of the Vedic philosophy and worship of the Lord in devotional service, He is attained. Therefore the purpose of the Vedas is to understand Kṛṣṇa. The Vedas give us direction by which to understand Kṛṣṇa and the process of realizing Him.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
SB Canto 2
Devarṣi Nārada was directly instructed by Brahmājī, who was also directly instructed by the Supreme Lord; therefore the instructions imparted by Nārada to his various disciples are as good as those of the Supreme Lord. That is the way of understanding Vedic knowledge. It comes down from the Lord by disciplic succession, and this transcendental knowledge is distributed to the world by this descending process. There is no chance, however, to receive the Vedic knowledge from mental speculators. Therefore, wherever Nārada Muni goes, he represents himself as authorized by the Lord, and his appearance is as good as that of the Supreme Lord. Similarly, the disciplic succession which strictly follows the transcendental instruction is the bona fide chain of disciplic succession, and the test for such bona fide spiritual masters is that there should be no difference between the instruction of the Lord originally imparted to His devotee and that which is imparted by the authority in the line of disciplic succession. How Nārada Muni distributed the transcendental knowledge of the Lord will be explained in later cantos.
SB Canto 4
The word maṅgala ("auspicious") in this verse is very significant. Śrīla Śrīdhara Svāmī quotes that to do what is good and to reject what is not good is called maṅgala, or auspicious. To do what is good means to accept everything favorable to the discharge of devotional service, and to reject what is not good means to reject everything not favorable for discharging devotional service. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we accept this principle by rejecting four prohibited items—namely illicit sex life, intoxication, gambling and flesh-eating—and accepting the daily chanting of at least sixteen rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and daily meditation three times a day by chanting the Gāyatrī mantra. In this way one can keep his brahminical culture and spiritual strength intact. By following these principles of devotional service strictly, chanting twenty-four hours a day the mahā-mantra—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—one makes positive progress in spiritual life and ultimately becomes completely fit to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. Because the ultimate goal of studying or understanding the Vedic knowledge is to find Kṛṣṇa, one who follows the Vedic principles as described above can from the very beginning see all the features of Lord Kṛṣṇa, the Absolute Truth, very distinctly, as one can see one's own face completely reflected in a clear mirror.
The Lord is the supreme spiritual master, and the bona fide representative of the Supreme Lord is also a spiritual master. The Lord from within enlightens the devotees by the effulgence of the nails of His lotus feet, and His representative, the spiritual master, enlightens from without. Only by thinking of the lotus feet of the Lord and always taking the spiritual master's advice can one advance in spiritual life and understand Vedic knowledge.
- yasya deve parā bhaktir
- yathā deve tathā gurau
- tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ
- prakāśante mahātmanaḥ
- (ŚU 6.23)
Thus the Vedas (Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23) enjoin that for one who has unflinching faith in the lotus feet of the Lord, as well as in the spiritual master, the real import of Vedic knowledge can be revealed.
SB Canto 6
A first-class intelligent man is called a brāhmaṇa because he knows the Supreme Brahman, the Absolute Truth. According to the Vedic instructions, tad-vijñānārthaṁ sa gurum evābhigacchet: (MU 1.2.12) to know this science, one must approach a bona fide guru, a spiritual master who will initiate the disciple with the sacred thread so that he may understand the Vedic knowledge. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād dhi bhaved dvijaḥ. Becoming a brāhmaṇa through the endeavor of a bona fide spiritual master is called saṁskāra. After initiation, one is engaged in study of the śāstra, which teaches the student how to gain release from materialistic life and return home, back to Godhead.
SB Canto 7
To study the Vedas and understand them, of course, requires some special intelligence, but the members of the three higher sections of society—namely the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas and vaiśyas—must learn the Vedic literatures according to their capability and power to understand. In other words, studying the Vedic literatures is compulsory for everyone but the śūdras and antyajas. The Vedic literature gives the knowledge that can lead one to understand the Absolute Truth—Brahman, Paramātmā or Bhagavān. Guru-kula, or the reformatory educational institution, should be used only to understand Vedic knowledge. At the present time there are many educational institutions for training and technology, but such knowledge has nothing to do with understanding of the Absolute Truth. Technology, therefore, is meant for the śūdras, whereas the Vedas are meant for the dvijas. Consequently this verse states, dvijo 'dhītyāvabudhya ca trayīṁ sāṅgopaniṣadam. At the present time, in the age of Kali, practically everyone is a śūdra, and no one is a dvija. Therefore the condition of society has very much deteriorated.
SB Canto 8
Here is a summary of Satyavrata's meeting with the fish incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu. Lord Viṣṇu's purpose was to take back all the Vedic literatures from the demon Hayagrīva and restore them to Lord Brahmā. Incidentally, by His causeless mercy, the Lord spoke with Satyavrata. The word satyavratānām is significant because it indicates that those on the level of Satyavrata can take knowledge from the Vedas delivered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Whatever is spoken by the Supreme Lord is accepted as Veda. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā, vedānta-kṛd veda-vit: the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the compiler of all Vedic knowledge, and He knows the purport of the Vedas. Therefore, anyone who takes knowledge from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, or from Bhagavad-gītā as it is, knows the purpose of the Vedas (vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15)). One cannot understand Vedic knowledge from the veda-vāda-ratās, who read the Vedas and misconstrue their subject matter. One has to know the Vedas from the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
SB Cantos 10.14 to 12 (Translations Only)
Among the ten items I have just mentioned, the great sages who understand Vedic knowledge have praised and recommended those that are in the mode of goodness, criticized and rejected those in the mode of ignorance, and shown indifference to those in the mode of passion.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta
CC Adi-lila
This is a challenge by Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura writes in his Anubhāṣya that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is the object of Vedānta philosophical research, has very kindly determined who is an appropriate candidate for study of Vedānta philosophy. The first qualification of such a candidate is expressed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His Śikṣāṣṭaka:
- tṛṇād api su-nīcena taror iva sahiṣṇunā
- amāninā māna-dena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
- (CC Adi 17.31)
This statement indicates that one can hear or speak about Vedānta philosophy through the disciplic succession. One must be very humble and meek, more tolerant than a tree and more humble than the grass. One should not claim respect for himself but should be prepared to give all respect to others. One must have these qualifications to be eligible to understand Vedic knowledge.
The Vedānta-sūtra, which consists of aphorisms revealing the method of understanding Vedic knowledge, is the concise form of all Vedic knowledge. It begins with the words athāto brahma jijñāsā: "Now is the time to inquire about the Absolute Truth." The human form of life is especially meant for this purpose, and therefore the Vedānta-sūtra very concisely explains the human mission. This is confirmed by the words of the Vāyu and Skanda Purāṇas, which define a sūtra as follows:
- alpākṣaram asandigdhaṁ sāra-vat viśvato-mukham
- astobham anavadyaṁ ca sūtraṁ sūtra-vido viduḥ
"A sūtra is a compilation of aphorisms that expresses the essence of all knowledge in a minimum of words. It must be universally applicable and faultless in its linguistic presentation." Anyone familiar with such sūtras must be aware of the Vedānta-sūtra, which is well known among scholars by the following additional names: (1) Brahma-sūtra, (2) Śārīraka, (3) Vyāsa-sūtra, (4) Bādarāyaṇa-sūtra, (5) Uttara-mīmāṁsā and (6) Vedānta-darśana.
It has become fashionable since the time of Śaṅkarācārya to explain everything regarding the śāstras in an indirect way. Scholars take pride in explaining everything in their own way, and they declare that one can understand the Vedic scriptures in any way he likes. This "any way you like" method is foolishness, and it has created havoc in the Vedic culture. One cannot accept scientific knowledge in his own whimsical way. In the science of mathematics, for example, two plus two equals four, and one cannot make it equal three or five. Yet although it is not possible to alter real knowledge, people have taken to the fashion of understanding Vedic knowledge in any way they like. It is for this reason that we have presented Bhagavad-gītā As It Is. We do not create meanings by concoction.
One who has no idea what God actually is thinks that any form he imagines or any rascal he accepts can be God. This acceptance of cheap gods or incarnations of God is actually atheism. It is to be concluded, therefore, that those who worship demigods or self-proclaimed incarnations of God are all atheists. They have lost their knowledge, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.20): kāmais tais tair hṛta-jñānāḥ prapadyante ’nya-devatāḥ. "Those whose minds are distorted by material desires surrender unto demigods." Unfortunately, those who do not cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness and do not properly understand the Vedic knowledge accept any rascal to be an incarnation of God, and they are of the opinion that one can become an incarnation simply by worshiping a demigod. This philosophical hodge-podge exists under the name of the Hindu religion, but the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement does not approve of it. Indeed, we strongly condemn it. Such worship of demigods and so-called incarnations of God should never be confused with the pure Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement.
Lectures
Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu therefore says, ei rūpe brahmāṇḍa bhramite kono bhāgyavān jīva (CC Madhya 19.151). We are wandering in this cycle of birth and death and wandering in the universe. In this way, in the process of our wandering, some way or other, if we become fortunate by association of devotees, by understanding the Vedic knowledge... Jñāna-vairāgya-yuktāya (SB 1.2.12). Human life is meant for achieving knowledge and vairāgya, not that to increase the animal propensities even up to the point of death. That is not human life. Human life is meant for tapasya. Tapo divyaṁ putrakā yena śuddhyet sattvam (SB 5.5.1).
Don't be satisfied with the present bodily situation, that you are very happily situated. That's not the fact. You have to change this position. You have to accept another body and you do not know what kind of body you have to accept. It will be given by prakṛti. Kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo 'sya sad-asad-janma-yoniṣu (BG 13.22). So don't be irresponsible to your life. Be responsible and be prepared for the next life and act accordingly, as the direction is there in the Bhagavad-gītā, and prove that you are human being. The animal cannot do. If you do not do it, then you remain an animal. The animal has no capacity to understand Vedic knowledge or the Bhagavad-gītā. And even though we have got the intelligence if do not utilize it to understand the instruction in the Bhagavad-gītā and Vedic knowledge, then purposefully we keep ourself within the category of animals.
Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures
So Nārada Muni compiled these śāstras, tantra. Tantra means expansion. Just like there is notebook. Just like Vedānta-sūtra, the lessons are given in codes. Just like the businessmen, they send code. One word composed of four letters, it has got so many meanings. So those who are using those codes, they can understand, "By this code, this sentence or this paragraph is meant." Similarly, the Vedānta-sūtra is giving Vedic knowledge in codes-athāto brahma jijñāsā, janmādy asya yataḥ (SB 1.1.1), ānandamayo 'bhyāsāt (Vedānta-sūtra 1.1.12)—in this way. This janmādy asya yataḥ code is explained by the whole Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, eighteen thousand verses to explain this one code. Similarly, the Vedic knowledge is expanded, or also contracted. So tantra is expansion, because ordinary men cannot understand Vedic knowledge. Just like Mahābhārata, it is in the form of history, but in it is Vedic instruction. Similarly, in this Nārada-pañcarātra made by Devarṣi Nārada, it is also Vedic.
So these Buddhists, they say that "We do not recognize your Vedas." So veda nā māniyā bauddha haya ta' nāstika. Therefore we call them agnostic. They do not... Because why we do not accept them authority? Because if you do not accept the authority of the Vedas, then you become godless immediately. Because Kṛṣṇa said vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyaḥ (BG 15.15). If you do not understand Vedic knowledge, if you do not understand Vedānta, if you do not understand Upaniṣad—without understanding this Vedic knowledge, understanding of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is vague. It is no clear idea. Therefore Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has said,
- śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-
- pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā
- aikāntikī harer bhaktir
- utpātāyaiva kalpate
- (Brs. 1.2.101)
If one is not in awareness of the conclusion of Vedas, conclusion of the smṛti, conclusion of the Purāṇas, and pañcarātra-vidhi. Nārada-pañcarātra, aikāntikī harer bhaktiḥ, without reference to this Vedic literature, Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī has said utpāta, simply disturbance. Simply a disturbance. Manufacturing. They'll manufacture some ways. There are so many anarthas. If we come to detail it will take long, long time.
But these things are there in the Vedas. If you are a serious student of Veda you can also learn, you can also fight like Arjuna. There is no difficulty. Therefore Kṛṣṇa says astra-jñaḥ. Unnaddham astra-jñaḥ. You can also become learned in the higher science of military art. You can also utilize. But that requires brain, good brain. That is not possible now, because the culture is lost. Now everyone is śūdra. Nobody is kṣatriya, nobody is brāhmaṇa. By the time... Kalau śūdra sambhava. The śūdras cannot learn all these veda. Because śūdras have no right to understand Vedic knowledge. It is meant for the brāhmaṇas, kṣatriyas. Even not for the vaiśyas. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ. They are rejected, woman and vaiśya and śūdra. Kṛṣṇa says. Striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrāḥ. But Kṛṣṇa says te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim: "Even woman, and śūdra and vaiśyas, low grade, they can also get parāṁ gatim, promotion to the transcendental world." How? Māṁ hi pārtha vyapāśritya ye 'pi syuḥ pāpa-yonayaḥ (BG 9.32). If you take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then even these low-grade born persons, beginning from striya śūdra vaiśya, and down, caṇḍālas... Caṇḍālas means less than the caṇḍāla. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśāḥ. They are caṇḍālas. Kirāta means the black clan, or the Africans. So they are called kirāta. Hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ (SB 2.4.18). Yavanas, khasādaya, Mongolians, without any moustaches. Kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pulkaśā ābhīra-śumbhā yavanāḥ khasādayaḥ ye 'nye ca pāpāḥ. "Even there are still more low-grade, sinful society," ye 'nye ca pāpā yad-apāśrayāśrayāḥ, "if he takes the shelter of a pure devotee, śudhyanti, becomes purified." Becomes purified.
So in kṣatriya marriage it was not so easy. The boy had to show how much powerful he is. Then the girl would be offered. Not only that; there will be killing. The opposite party may be killed. When there is fight, there is killing. And by killing, the blood is smeared over here. That is the red sign. That is the red sign, now used with vermillion. Not by killing. Yes, it has become... It is made easier. (laughter) Formerly the red sign was not so easy. There must be blood. That is kṣatriya. Kṣatriya means the fighting race, fighting caste, king, royal. They must be very chivalrous fighting, not timid. A kṣatriya cannot be timid. Brāhmaṇas kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, śūdra, they are trained differently. Brāhmaṇa—for understanding Vedic knowledge and guide the other three subdivisions, namely kṣatriyas, vaiśyas, not śūdras. Śūdras were not supposed to understand Vedic knowledge. Especially brāhmaṇas and kṣatriyas.
So Purāṇa means supplementary to the Vedas, to explain the knowledge. That is Purāṇa. Mahābhārata. Mahābhārata is also explanation of the Vedic knowledge, but through history. Because Vyāsadeva found it that directly to understand Vedic knowledge will be difficult for three classes of men. Trayī na śruti-gocarā. Strī-śūdra-dvija-bandhūnāṁ trayī na śruti-gocarā (SB 1.4.25). Trayī. Trayī means Vedas, dealing with the three guṇas. Traiguṇya-viṣayā vedāḥ. In the Bhagavad-gītā, traiguṇya-viṣayā vedāḥ. Trayī. There are three subject matters in the Vedas. The first subject matter is to know God and what is my relationship with God. This is the first subject matter. Then second subject matter is that what is the ultimate goal of life, and the third subject matter is how to attain it. To know God, my relationship with God, and what is my ultimate goal of life, and how to attain it—these three subject matters are Vedic knowledge. That is everywhere. Another subject matter is... Trayī, means Veda is dealing with this material world. There is spiritual knowledge in glance.
This is called śruti, Veda-jñāna. Śruti, Veda, perfect knowledge is called śruti. Śrutibhiḥ pratipanna, pratipanna. What is established by the śruti, by the Vedic knowledge, that we have to accept. Otherwise there is no other way. So this is even in the material field of activities, and what to speak of the spiritual. Therefore we have to hear from the authorities of śruti. Authorities of śruti... Kṛṣṇa is the original speaker of śruti, or Veda knowledge. Therefore Vedic knowledge is called apauruṣeya. It is not manufactured or concocted by some mental speculator. It is coming from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and it was imparted first of all to Lord Brahmā, not by personal presentation, but through the heart. Brahmā is the original person to understand Vedic knowledge. So after his birth he meditated for hundreds of years, and by meditation, through his heart the knowledge of Vedas, śruti, became revealed. Tene brahma hṛdā ādi-kavaye. Ādi-kavi means Brahmā. And Brahman means Vedic knowledge. So we have to accept in that way. There is no physical science which can ascertain all this, how the things are taking place. But they are coming. In this way we have to learn from the śruti. Dravya-sphuraṇa-vijñānam indriyāṇām anugrahaḥ.
So when he's trained up nicely, humble, self-controlled, educated, then his second birth, second birth by Vedic knowledge. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ saṁskārād bhaved dvijaḥ. Saṁskāra, reformatory. He has become humble, meek, well-versed in śāstra. When these all qualifications are there, then guru says, "Now I recognize you." Upanayana. Upa means near, and nayana means bringing. So gradually the spiritual master brings him nearer. Then, when he's actually trained up, then it is called... The sacred ceremony, upanayana, means he has now come nearer to understand Vedic knowledge. Then he studies Vedas, dvija. When he is initiated, then his studying of the Vedas... Veda-paṭhād bhaved vipraḥ. So after this dvija, second birth, he studies Vedas. And when he's well versed in Vedas he is called vipra. Then, by studying Vedas, when he understands Kṛṣṇa... Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said what is Vedic study. Vedaiś ca sarvair aham eva vedyam (BG 15.15). Vedic study means to understand Kṛṣṇa. That is Vedic study. If he does not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then he's useless.
Therefore another important thing is that those who are born in India, Bhāratabhūmi, they are to be considered the topmost. Therefore Caitanya Mahāprabhu has said,
- bhārata-bhūmite manuṣya-janma haile jāra
- janma sārthaka kari kara para-upakāra
- (CC Adi 9.41)
This is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mission. Those who have taken birth in India, Bhāratabhūmi, they should make their life perfect by understanding the Vedic knowledge. And the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa comes here to teach the Vedic knowledge. He left Bhagavad-gītā. Then Vyāsadeva developed the idea of Kṛṣṇa consciousness from Bhagavad-gītā, Vedānta-sūtra, into Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Bhāṣyayaṁ brahma-sutrānām. So we have got this advantage, and we are giving up these advantages. First of all, the advantage is that we are born in India, and we have got the stock of knowledge left by great sages, ṛṣis and the Supreme Personality of Godhead. And you are not taking advantage of it. How much foolish we are becoming by so-called education, we should understand that.
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures
So without this brahminical qualification one cannot understand the Vedic knowledge. Therefore it is stated sometimes that a śūdra is prohibited from reading Vedas. That does not mean that reading of Vedic culture or Vedic knowledge is monopolized by a certain class of men. Not that. The idea is... Just like in our ordinary educational system, there is some prohibition that unless one is graduate, he cannot be admitted in the law college. That is not a prohibition; that is the necessary qualification to understand. Similarly, to understand the Vedas, the necessary qualification is that one must be a qualified brāhmaṇa. Not that Mr. Max Muller, he has got little knowledge of Sanskrit and he translates. That kind of translation is no use, just like so many commentaries on the Bhagavad-gītā without becoming a devotee of Kṛṣṇa is useless. It has no meaning, because Kṛṣṇa says that bhaktyā mām abhijānāti: (BG 18.55) "Only through devotional service one can understand Me." How a nondevotee can understand Him? He has no scope to enter into the knowledge of Bhagavad-gītā. So first qualification is that he must be a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Then it will be revealed.
Initiation Lectures
So Vedic civilization is janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. By birth, everyone is born a śūdra, fourth-class man. But there is chance of the fourth-class man to become the first-class man. That is possible. Janmanā jāyate śūdraḥ. Everyone, when he's born by the sex behavior of the father and mother, he's a śūdra. Then saṁskārād-bhaved dvija. By saṁskāra, by the purificatory method, this tapasya, he's becomes a dvija. Dvi means twice and ja means birth, second birth. Saṁskārād-bhaved dvija. Then when he becomes dvija, properly initiated, then he's allowed to read Vedic literature. Veda-patha. Śūdra cannot. If you remain a śūdra, no saṁskāra, no purification, then you have no right to understand Vedic knowledge. Either you have no right or you cannot understand.
So the Bhagavad-gītā is the summary of all Vedic knowledge. So if we pass through this process of divya-jñāna, dīkṣā, then we rightly understand what is Bhagavad-gītā or we become interested that what is the lesson of Bhagavad-gītā. Veda pathād bhaved vipra. After reading... Bhagavad-gītā is the summary of Vedic literature. You cannot read all the Vedas at the present moment, neither you have time, nor you have got the capacity. In this Kali-yuga, mandāḥ sumanda-matayo (SB 1.1.10), everyone is fallen. Manda-bhāgyā. So this human life should be utilized for understanding the Vedic knowledge, divya-jñāna; then he'll be purified, tapo divyaṁ yena śuddhyed sattvam (SB 5.5.1). My existential identity will be purified. At the present moment it is not purified. Because it is not purified, therefore we are repeatedly dying. But there is no knowledge how to stop death. They think death is natural. It is not natural. It is unnatural. They do not know it. But in the Bhagavad-gītā you'll get the information, na jāyate na mriyate vā kadācin: "The soul is never born, never dies."
General Lectures
So the sanātana-dhāma... Vṛndāvana is also part of the sanātana-dhāma. The living entity is sanātana, eternal, na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). He do not die after destruction of this body. This is the preliminary instruction to understand Vedic knowledge, or spiritual knowledge. If you do not understand the plain fact that "I am not this body. I am spirit soul. I live within this body..." Dehino 'smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehinaḥ. Dehinaḥ means the proprietor of the body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhīyate (BG 13.2). This śarīra, this body, is called kṣetra, and the person, or the living entity, who is working on this body, he's called kṣetrajña. Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, they have come to this understanding of kṣetra-kṣetrajña. Kṣetrajña means I, you. I know about my body, about the interest of my body. If somebody wants to kill me, I take protection because it is my body, kṣetra. Just like your land. If somebody comes to encroach upon it, you take care. Similarly, this body is kṣetra, the field of activities, and I or you, the proprietor of the body, is kṣetrajña one who knows about the body. But there is another kṣetrajña. That is Kṛṣṇa. That is explained in the Bhagavad-gītā, kṣetra-jñaṁ cāpi māṁ viddhi sarva-kṣetreṣu bhārata. Sarva-kṣetreṣu. Kṛṣṇa is also kṣetrajña. Kṛṣṇa is also sitting. As I am sitting within this body, similarly, Kṛṣṇa is also sitting within this body.
So the sanātana-dhāma. Vṛndāvana is also part of the sanātana-dhāma. The living entity is sanātana, eternal. Na hanyate hanyamāne śarīre (BG 2.20). We do not die after destruction of this body. This is the preliminary instruction to understand Vedic knowledge, or spiritual knowledge. If you do not understand the plain fact that "I am not this body, I am spirit soul. I live within this body..." Dehino' smin yathā dehe (BG 2.13). Dehinaḥ. Dehina means the proprietor of the body. Idaṁ śarīraṁ kaunteya kṣetram ity abhidhiyate (BG 13.2). This śarīra, this body, is called kṣetra, and the person, or the living entity, who is working on this body, he is called kṣetra-jña. Those who have read Bhagavad-gītā, they have come to this understanding of kṣetra and kṣetra-jña. Ksetre-jña means I, you. I know about my body, about the interest of my body. If somebody wants to kill me, I take protection because it is my body, kṣetra. Just like your land, if somebody comes to encroach upon it, you take care. Similarly, this body is kṣetra, the field of activities, and I or you, the proprietor of the body, is kṣetra-jña, one who knows about the body. But there is another kṣetra-jña. That is Kṛṣṇa.
Correspondence
1969 Correspondence
So far as your question about the disciplic succession, in all Vedic literatures it is mentioned about the disciplic succession. You have read in Srimad-Bhagavatam, first canto, first chapter where it is said that Brahma was inspired from within the heart by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Similarly, in the Katha Upanisad it is said that "in order to learn the transcendental science, one has to approach the Spiritual Master." This spiritual master means one who has heard correctly from his Spiritual Master. In this way, ultimately it goes to Krishna, the Supreme Spiritual Master. There is no possibility of understanding the Vedic knowledge without this descending process. The modern world is puffed up with personal research knowledge, but the person who is engaging in this research work does not know that he is imperfect on account of his aptitude for becoming illusioned, for committing mistakes, for his cheating propensity and for his possessing imperfect senses. Therefore there is no possibility of receiving perfect knowledge without approaching a self-realized Spiritual Master coming down in disciplic succession. The mental speculator, no matter how advanced he may be, cannot deliver us the right knowledge.
1974 Correspondence
You have further questioned how the Vedas can be 3,000 B. C. in age. Modern historians cannot pick up when the Vedas came into existence. From our historical references, however, we understand the Vedic knowledge has been current since the time of creation but the knowledge was originally accepted in disciplic succession from spiritual master to disciple. Later, when Vyasadeva found the peoples' memories decreasing he wrote it into language. Otherwise it was existing by sruti, or hearing. So when this hearing began there is no history. He simply recorded the sruti, and there is no question of change. We have to understand Vedic knowledge on the authority of the disciplic succession not from mental speculators who are simply rascals and have no entrance into the Vedic knowledge. You mention Sankara, but Sankara hid so many things, so it is no wonder he did not mention Bhagavatam. There are great authorities of Bhagavatam and it is they we have to follow.
| Page Title: | Understanding Vedic Knowledge |
| Compiler: | Visnu Murti, Labangalatika |
| Created: | 19 of Dec, 2008 |
| Totals by Section: | BG=1, SB=7, CC=4, OB=0, Lec=16, Con=0, Let=2 |
| No. of Quotes: | 30 |