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Written by Sri Swami Chandrashekarendra
Saraswati |
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If any purpose has been served by listening to me all the while, it is
up to
you [Brahmins] to take whatever steps you think fit to promote Vedic
learning. Every day you must perform “Brahmayajna" which is one of the
five great sacrifices ( mahayajnas). The term "Brahma" in “Brahmayajna"
means the Vedas. The power of the mantras must be preserved in us as
an eternal reality. It must burn bright like a lamp that is never
extinguished. For this reason it is that we perform Brahmayajna. We must
offer oblations to the presiding rsi or seer of our Vedic recension.
Failing
that, the least we can do is perform the Gayatri- japa every day.
Gayatri is
the essence of the Vedas, their substance. To qualify to chant it, you
must
be initiated into it by a Guru. The Gayatri you thus learn must be
mentally
repeated at least a thousand times every day. Again, the least you can
do
-and you must do it- is to chant the mantra atleast ten times morning,
noon and dusk. The sun god is the presiding deity of Gayatri. Sunday,
the
day of the sun, is a universal holiday. On this day you must get up at 4
in
the morning and, after your ablutions, recite the Gayatri a thousand
times. This will ensure your well-being as well as of all mankind.
All Brahmins must learn to chant the Purusasukta, the Srisukta, Sri
Rudram, etc. I am speaking particularly to office going Brahmins here.
Since they will find it difficult to devote themselves fully to Vedic
learning
they must try to acquire at least a minimum of scriptural knowledge. But
it should be creditable if they accomplish something-in the present case
learning the Vedas- in the face of difficulties. If you start learning
the
scripture now you will be able to complete your study in a few years.
But
you need faith and devotion. The Vedas are a vidya that has come down
to us through the millennia. If you study them with determination you
are
bound to succeed. Haven’t you seen 50 and 60 year old people engaged
in research in the hope of gaining a Ph. D. or some other degree? If you
have the will you will have the way to accomplish anything however
difficult. There are examples of individuals who at 40 had been totally
in
the dark about the Vedas but who later learned to chant them with
ardour. As a matter of fact there are such men among the office- bearers
of our Veda Raksana Nidhi Trust. So what are needed are faith as well as
resoluteness.
Leave aside the question of Brahmins who are in jobs and are middleaged
or older. Whether or not they themselves can chant the Vedas or
want to learn to chant them, they must see to it that their sons at
least
receive instruction in the scriptures. Perhaps the children cannot be
sent
for a full-time course in the Vedas, but the parents could at least
ensure
that, after they perform the upanayana of their sons at the age of eight
years, the boys are taught the Vedas for one hour every evening for a
period of eight years. A Vedic tutor may be engaged on a cooperative
basis for all children of a locality or village. This should be of help
to the
children of poor Brahmins.
Above all, efforts must be made to ensure that the existing Vedic
schools
that are in bad shape are not forced to close down. These institutions
must be reinvigorated and more and more students encouraged to join
them. To accomplish this task both teachers and taught must be
adequately helped with money.
Let me repeat that Brahmins ought not to be afforded more than the
minimum cash or creature comforts. But we see today that there are
many lucrative jobs to tempt them. So there is the danger of their not
being fully involved in their svadharma (own duty) of learning and
teaching the Vedas if they are not kept above their want. We must
provide them with certain facilities so that we are not faced with the
unfortunate situation in which such Brahmins become more and more
scarce. There are new comforts, new avenues of pleasure, not known in
the past. It is unrealistic to expect a few Brahmins alone to deny
themselves all these and adhere to their svadharma. If we adopt such an
attitude the Vedic dharma will suffer. So when some Brahmins are
engaged exclusively in their dharma it is obligatory on our part to help
them with money and material. Though they must not be afforded any
luxuries, we must provide them with enough comforts so that they are
not enticed into other jobs. We have drawn up a number of schemes
bearing this in mind. |
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