Vedic Literature

Methods of Acquiring Knowledge

Vedic Literature

Every educated person is able to distinguish opinion from knowledge. Anyone can express their thoughts about the phenomena of the world, but if they are not based on knowledge, it only shows the stupidity of the personality. Thus, all our knowledge must be substantiated, otherwise it turns into faith, sentiments, beliefs, superstitions. To be sure that the acquired knowledge is correct, we first begin to investigate the sources from which it reached us. There are various ways of receiving information, but their significance and reliability are unequal. In the Sanskrit language, the source of knowledge is called pramana, and the object of knowledge (information provided by the source of knowledge) – prameya.

The Indian tradition mentions more than one source of knowledge. The most important of them are three:

Besides these three sources, there are others, whose value various Vedic schools debate. For example, the Vedanta school recognizes three more pramanas:

• Upamana pramana – comparison or analogy. If we have previously seen that some object is similar to another, later, when faced with the same situation, we will decide that the connection between things or their similarity is analogous.
• Arthapatti-pramana – postulate, what we declare as an obvious fact, requiring no justification. A classic example: if a person fasts during the day but becomes fuller, we should postulate that he eats at night.
• Anupalabdhi-pramana – non-existence, absence, imperceptibility. About the absence of an object we can understand from the fact that it is not there where we expect to see it.

Followers of the Puranas add two more pramanas:

• Sambhava pramana – qualified opinion. A cook, seeing a pot, can say what amount of rice can be cooked in it.
• Aitihya pramana – tradition and customs. They naturally provide us with information about the past, what is right or wrong.

Human Imperfections

All sources of knowledge have their advantages and disadvantages. Although what we have directly seen or experienced, we consider the most reliable source of information, it absolutely does not help us perceive supra-sensory matters. We cannot see X-rays, although they are deadly to us.

Since all other methods of proof are based on sensory experience, they inherently inherit the shortcomings characteristic of it. The voice or testimony of authorities depends on their quality or level. All living beings have at least four defects:

This means an authority relying on sensory information will not be able to convey true knowledge even about this world, let alone the spiritual one. The best proof of this is certain established scientific theories that lead humanity to ruin: Darwinism, atheism, etc.

So, from where can a person who wants to acquire true knowledge about God and the world receive true knowledge? The Vedanta philosophy states: from the Vedas. Why?

In Brhad-aranyaka Upanishad 4.5.11 it is stated:

In Bhagavata Purana (6.1.40) it is stated:

The purpose of the Vedas is described in the same place:

Therefore, sometimes the Vedas are called the breath of Narayana. Knowledge received from God Himself must have these characteristics:

• ✦ Eternity, constancy, and perfection. Ordinary human knowledge constantly changes, but knowledge given by God is perfect, unchanging, and timeless.
• ✦ Completeness and absence of contradictions. Knowledge must be consistent and practical from both material and spiritual points of view.
• ✦ Proofs of divine origin. Since there is no authority higher than God, His given knowledge must have proofs of its divine origin.
• ✦ Knowledge transmitted through disciplic succession (parampara). This is a necessary condition for knowledge to remain unchanged.
• ✦ Confirmed practically. By applying it practically one can become convinced of the truth.
• ✦ Confirmed by sages. Brahma, Narada, Vyasadeva, Madhvacarya, Shankara, Ramanuja, Sri Chaitanya Mahāprabhu and others confirm the superhuman origin of the Vedas.

Vedic literature is full of stories describing how Vedic knowledge was transmitted to humanity by God Himself. Bhagavad-gita 4.1-2 speaks about this, as well as Bhagavad-gita 15.15, and also Srimad-Bhagavatam 11.14.3

The Vedas are compared to a kalpa vrikša – a desire tree, because they contain everything that is possible to know. The Vedas describe both earthly human needs and spiritual realization. The Vedas indicate how a person can improve by rising from a lower varna to a higher one, and from one ashrama to another. The highest goal of Vedic knowledge is Krishna („vedaiš ca sarvair aham eva vedjah“).

Religious people can be divided into three categories:

1. Those who care about rituals;
2. Those interested in religious philosophy;
3. Those who want to achieve the goal of religion.

According to these categories, the Vedic literature is divided into three parts (kandas):

The major part of Vedic literature speaks about activities and rituals, because people interested in them constitute the absolute majority.

Previously there was only one Veda – Yajur Veda. Vyasadeva, wanting to make the spiritual process simpler for the people of Kali Yuga, divided the original Veda into four: Rig, Sama, Yajur, Atharva. The Kurma Purana (52.19-20) explains how Vyasadeva's followers further divided the Vedas into 1130 branches:

“Previously Rig Veda was divided into 21 branches, Yajur Veda into 100 branches, Sama Veda into 1000 branches and Atharva Veda into 9 branches.” In total 1130 Samhitas, 1130 Brahmanas, 1130 Aranyakas and 1130 Upanishads. Currently less than 6 percent of original Vedas remain.

Vyasadeva distributed the four Vedas to his disciples:

• Rig Veda – to Paila Rishi;
• Sama Veda – to Jaimini Rishi;
• Yajur Veda – to Vaishampayana Rishi;
• Atharva Veda – to Angira Muni (Sumantu Muni).
• Puranas and histories (itihasas) – to Romaharshana.

What belongs to Vedic literature is listed in Chandogya Upanishad 7.1.2:

SHRUTI, SMRTI AND NYAYA

All Vedic knowledge is divided into three departments (“legs”): shruti, smrti and nyaya.

I. Shruti Prasthana

“That which is heard” – four Vedas and their supplements.

Each of the 4 Vedas has 4 parts:

1. Samhita – mantras. What we call Veda. Intended for brahmacharis (students).
2. Brahmana – rituals and rules. Intended for grihasthas (householders).
3. Aranyaka – philosophical explanations of rituals. Intended for vanaprasthas (forest hermits).
4. Upanishada – philosophical texts about the meaning of life and the Absolute. End of Vedas (Vedanta).

There are 108 authoritative Upanishads (listed in Muktika Upanishad). Of them 11 are considered principal:

Īśa, Kena, Kaṭha, Praśna, Muṇḍaka, Māṇḍūkya, Taittirīya, Aitareya, Chāndogya, Bṛhad-āraṇyaka and Śvetāśvatara.

There are six philosophical darshanas, which treat the Vedic teaching differently:

• Nyaya – logic, epistemology (Gautama Rishi).
• Vaisheshika – atomism (Kanada Muni).
• Sankhya – analytical knowledge of the world (Kapila Muni).
• Yoga – study of mind and consciousness (Patanjali).
• Karma (purva) mimamsa – theory of karma (Jaimini Rishi).
• Vedanta (uttara mimamsa) – study of Absolute Truth (Vyasadeva).

II. Nyaya Prasthana

“Law, rule” – Vedanta Sutra.

Vedanta Sutra, compiled by Vyasadeva, conveys the essence of all knowledge in minimal words (“sutra”). It is meant to correctly understand shruti. Skanda Purana defines sutra:

Vedanta Sutra consists of 4 parts (adhyaya), each having 4 chapters (padas). Each pada has 5 parts (adhikaranas):

1. Pratigya – introduction.
2. Hetu – reasons.
3. Udaharana – examples.
4. Upanaya – theme.
5. Nigamana – conclusion (shastra).

Since aphorisms are very concise, they need explanations – bhashyas. Gaudiya Vaishnava commentary “Govinda Bhashya” (Baladeva Vidyabhushana, 1726).

III. Smrti Prasthana

“That which is remembered” – Puranas, Itihasas, Vedangas.

Unlike shruti, here meaning is more important than sound. Smrti explains and supplements shruti.

1. Six Vedangas (Limbs of the Vedas)

Belong to karma kanda section.

Kalpa sutras are divided into:

• Grhya sutra – home rites and samskaras.
• Samayacharika sutra – customs and daily practice.
• Shulba sutras – altar construction.
• Shrouta sutras – collective sacrifices.
• Dharma sutras – law codes (e.g., Manu-samhita).

2. Puranas and Itihasas

These are ancient stories which substantiate the Vedic teaching with facts. They are called the fifth Veda.