Three Ways We Might View Vedic Rules And Regulations

“All living bodies subsist on food grains, which are produced from rain. Rains are produced by performance of yajna [sacrifice], and yajna is born of prescribed duties.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 3.14)

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Is religion legitimate or just a coping mechanism? Does following actually prevent harm in the future, specifically the unknown afterlife, or is this all just a way to keep people under control? Lying, cheating, stealing - these are bad on their own. You shouldn’t need to consult some ancient book in order to walk the righteous path.

Indeed, Vedic culture brings many rules and regulations. The initial reception may not be a welcoming one, even from people who are familiar with the idea of religion.

1. Strange

No one I know does these kinds of things. Who worries about eating meat? The animals are inferior beings. They are under the control of human beings. You kill them, cook the flesh and then eat. Sure, the slaughterhouses give off this putrid smell. You wouldn’t want to live next to one, as opposed to being next to a farm, but why the fuss? Why put so much thought into it? This is how our ancestors behaved, since before anyone can remember.

2. Odd

Why do things in that particular way? If you want to worship, you go to a house designated for that purpose. I don’t see the need for creating a fire pit in the house and throwing grains into it, repeating some Sanskrit words in the process.

The deities worshiped look out of place, as well. A person with a blue complexion? A guy with an elephant’s head? Some person with poison stuck in their throat? A lady sitting on a tiger, wielding weapons in her many hands? Do you see anyone else worshiping like this?

3. Outdated

Okay, there is some authority to base the practices on, but those people lived in the past. There wasn’t electricity. There were no automobiles. Science had yet to make so many important discoveries. We are in the present day. The word “modern” has meaning. These ancient religious practices were likely used for dealing with things that couldn’t be explained. That is no longer an issue. We know about the sun, the moon, the seasons and so forth. We can predict the weather to a startlingly accurate degree.

…

While different aspects of Vedic culture may not fit in well with material life as it is constituted today, there is an underlying purpose. There is a reason to avoid the four pillars of sinful life: meat eating, gambling, intoxication and illicit sex. There is a benefit to offering sacrifice, yajna.

From the Bhagavad-gita we learn two important truths in relation to eating. One is that grains are produced through rain, which arrives through yajna. The weather is generally attributed to randomness, i.e. the workings of nature. The spiritual science that is the Vedas says that nature operates with intelligence because there is an intelligent engineer in the first place, along with intelligent beings managing subsequent to the creation.

The Gita also says that the living entity is not the doer. We think that we are solely responsible for the results to actions, but that is illusion, maya. Not every repeated action produces the same result, even if all other conditions are controlled. That is why science continues to update its conclusions, as there are new findings that invalidate previously held beliefs. The very meaning of progress implies imperfection. That is to say you can only progress from something that is flawed to begin with.

While appearing entirely based on faith, the actual foundation of Vedic culture is logic, reasoning and science. The idea is to trust the words at first, and then get validation through the application of the principles. Bring every doubt to the table. Ask every legitimate question. Be confident of the path forward. For the doubting soul there is little benefit.

“But ignorant and faithless persons who doubt the revealed scriptures do not attain God consciousness. For the doubting soul there is happiness neither in this world nor in the next.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 4.40)

Yajna is effective. There is a benefit to following pious behavior. The sounds produced by sacred mantras are effective, especially the maha-mantra: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Since the objective is bhakti, or devotion, the requirements aren’t as strict. With other mantras an exact, precise pronunciation is required, or else the desired outcome will not manifest.

With bhakti a sincere attempt essentially guarantees success. Through faith in the spiritual master who teaches the principles, more and more is revealed. The truth behind the figures worshiped comes to light. The complexities are many, and while when juxtaposed with other traditions the Vedas seem out of place, the person who continues in the path soon gains an understanding of everything material and spiritual, something no other field of study offers.

In Closing:

Lady on tiger, cloaked figure with rod,

Rules and regulations appearing odd.

Living in modern day man,

Science them explaining can.

Same concepts before a mystery,

Religion now simply for history.

But Vedas with intelligence and purpose so,

More revealed as further into path to go.

Comparing Rama To The Sun

“O monkey, with a brilliant network of arrows the brave Rama, who is like the sun, will dry up the water that is the Rakshasa enemy.” (Sita Devi, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 37.16)

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śara jāla aṃśumān śūraḥ kape rāma divā karaḥ |
śatru rakṣomayam toyam upaśoṣam nayiṣyati ||

The kids were looking forward to playing outside. They had their gear ready. Homework was done. The winter just completed, so now there was no excuse. Every day, if possible, the father would take them out to the fields to kick around a ball or just run from here to there.

The problem is that it rained overnight. There is water everywhere. No way to tread through puddles on the grass. Mud would fly everywhere. Instead of considering the situation hopeless, there is a thought to go later on in the day. The conditions will change.

Everyone knows this instinctively, but why?The cause is the influence of the sun. Puddles are on the ground, but they won’t stay there. As soon as the sun comes out the water will dry up. Direct sunlight isn’t even a requirement. With a cloudy sky the process will just take a little longer. The rays of the sun are still coming through; they are just blocked a little more. If you put a shade on a lamp, that doesn’t cause the room to go entirely dark.

If a person is more curious, they can investigate further. Observation and experiment. These are the foundation of science. Not consensus. Not blue ribbon panels. Not forecasts relying entirely on computer models. Real experiments with predictable and repeatable results. In this case there is further study of the sun, its properties, and its influence on other objects of matter. Nevertheless, the result is always the same: the sun will dry up the water.

As that outcome is assured, so is the future of the Rakshasas in Lanka. They are described as shatru, or enemy, by Sita Devi in the above referenced verse from the Ramayana. The Rakshasa spirit is the enemy to goodness, to kind and gentle behavior, to believing in a higher power. The Rakshasas in Lanka were specifically enemies to the priestly class around the world. The man-eating ogres would do just that, kill and then eat human flesh.

Sita’s husband is compared to the sun many times. There is the automatic connection through family. Shri Rama appears in the line of kings that begins with the sun-god, Vivasvan. That family is thus known as the solar dynasty.

Rama is also splendorous like the sun. He will dry up the Rakshasa enemy using a brilliant network of arrows. Sita’s husband did not require guns. The arrows released from His bow were already more powerful than nuclear weapons. This can occur through the science of sound. Words put together in a certain way and repeated under the guidance of authority can give tremendous power to something inanimate like an arrow.

Of course Shri Rama is already the sun and more. He is the origin of the universe, so it would make sense that in the seemingly human form His fighting prowess would not be ordinary. The sun-like Rama would be brave against the enemy. The rays would shine down, and the target would have no way to escape. The puddles on the ground have little protection. The end result is assured. This is simply the way of nature

In a similar manner, the evil that men do eventually comes to an end. The deserved punishment arrives, and it is ghastly in nature. The Rakshasas could try their best to cancel fate, but the conclusion was already built into the real-life script.

In Closing:

Living off torture and hate,

And hope of cancelling fate.

That punishment not to receive,

Only the foolish to believe.

Arrows in a network flying,

Hopeless despite best trying.

Shri Rama, the solar dynasty’s sun,

Like drying puddles of Lanka fun.

Dealing With Bad Guys

“It is not possible for that best of men to be moved by danger. I know well of His energy, like Shachi knows with Indra.” (Sita Devi speaking to Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 37.15)

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na sa śakyaḥ tulayitum vyasanaiḥ puruṣa ṛṣabhaḥ |
aham tasya anubhāvajñā śakrasya iva pulomajā ||

Indrari. Surari. These are Sanskrit words used to address the bad characters from ancient times. There was a dividing line when the species first came to be. Two sisters were the origin. Diti and Aditi; the good guys sprung from Aditi and the bad from Diti.

The good guys are known as suras. A few English translations for this word are “god” and “demigod.” In scientific terms people of this category live mostly in the mode of goodness. Since they possess goodness at such a high level, the suras can live a long time. Their residence is the heavenly realm, where money can in fact grow on trees, and instantly at that, as soon as requested.

It is interesting to note that the Sanskrit word for the bad guys is a simple negation. Take the word for the good people and put a short “a” sound in front of it. You get asura. The mode of goodness is absent, and so there is a tendency towards bad behavior. While the suras believe in God and work for Him to the best of their ability, the asuras are strongly against the concept of a supreme deity. Rather, the objective is to rise to supremacy at the personal level, to somehow defeat the force known as time, which has yet to lose.

Surari also refers to the asuras. The bad harass the good. They don’t leave well enough alone. They don’t simply go about their day and try to enjoy the senses. They are against the idea of religion, which includes some sort of sacrifice. From Vedic teachings we learn that such sacrifice, known as yajna, literally and symbolically feeds good behavior. The demigods eat the offerings made in the fire, and the act is purifying at the personal level, helping to increase the mode of goodness within and rid the sense of false ego that otherwise tends to increase with each accomplishment.

Indrari also refers to the asuras, but in a more specific way. These are the enemies of Indra. Indrari implies very powerful people, since Indra is the king of the suras. He is the leading fighter in their army. The enemies of Indra are courageous enough to take him on in battle. As they possess significant power, they are not afraid. But they can only proceed in this pursuit to victory through ignorance. They do not know who is behind the suras, favoring them whenever they fall into trouble.

The above referenced verse from the Ramayana gives an idea. Sita Devi says that her husband Rama is not moved by danger. The asuras are known for creating danger. Sometimes they scare people into avoiding a fight. Just give up and there won’t be any trouble. This happened with the Rakshasa named Ravana, who drove his brother Kuvera out of the island of Lanka.

Rama is not moved because He is the one behind the entire material creation. He empowers every single person. Without His presence not a blade of grass would move. Scientists win awards for discovering laws of nature, but what about the person who created those laws? Discovery is one thing, but the initial creation and engineering are more important.

The suras know the truth, and so they are considered friends to Rama. He is always on their side, though typically neutral to the ups and downs of material life. If anyone were inclined to doubt Sita’s testimony, there is the comparison to Indra. The wife of Indra is known as Shachi. One of her other names is Pulomaja, which means the daughter of Puloma.

Shachi knows well the prowess of her husband, as she has witnessed his great fighting ability on many occasions. Sita is equally familiar with the energy of her husband. She knows that Rama cannot be scared into retreating. Rather, it is the Rakshasas in Lanka who will be moving back. This is the just reward for their crimes. They have carried on for too long thinking that there is no God and that no consequences attach to grossly sinful behavior.

In Closing:

Not until enemy defeating,

From danger never retreating.

With bow and arrow in hand,

In battle courageously to stand.

Sita knowing her husband and doom,

That for Lanka arriving soon.

Since enemies of suras resisting,

Reward for in that path persisting.

The Symbolism To The Reality

“It is said in the Vedic literature that innumerable universes issue forth when Maha-Vishnu exhales in His yoga-nidra, and innumerable universes enter His body when He again inhales. We have to imagine that these universes, which, according to our limited knowledge, are expanded unlimitedly, are so great that the gross ingredients, the five elements of the cosmic manifestation, namely earth, water, fire, air and sky, are not only within the universe, but are covering the universe in seven layers, each layer ten times bigger than the previous one.” (Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vol 2, Ch 32)

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“Give me a specific project to do and I’m okay. Straightforward and matching my skillset. It doesn’t necessarily have to be simple. I’m not asking for the easy road. The only issue I have is with distractions. Different components, where you can’t gather momentum in any direction. I have trouble seeing the big picture from the beginning. Let someone else design and I will help build.”

Indeed, projects can become complicated rather quickly. For instance, how to build a skyscraper? A person may know how to lay down concrete, put up walls, cut glass and so forth, but these are different components to a larger model. A person has to have the vision of the final product and how the different tasks help towards meeting the objective.

Just imagine the complexity to creating the entire universe. Take something like the sun. A giant ball of fire, suspended in air, diffusing heat and light without burning out. No external power source and no sign of letting up. If the idea were to go to different places and collect the necessary energy, that by itself would be a nearly impossible task, with success not guaranteed.

The sun is only one piece. Take the different planets and how they are populated. So many kinds of living entities, sustained in different ways. Some moving, some nonmoving. Some living in the water, others on land. Some can fly, while others cannot.

Who could design such complexity? Who would have the strength necessary to do the work? Everything has to be held in place, through the force man has identified as gravity. Then everything has to be maintained. That is to say the work does not end with creation.

From consulting Vedic texts, whose authority is established through the validity of so many principles put into place that meet their stated objective, we learn that everything is generated through a single person. Not a new concept, as other spiritual traditions give similar attribution. The most common name used for addressing this person is God.

The Vedas give more detail. It is indeed a person, but interestingly there isn’t much effort. God in this feature has four arms and is beautifully adorned. He is not angry at anyone. Rather, He is always kindly disposed towards those who prefer His association. The ones who ignore Him are left to the ways of karma, which is fruitive activity. That karma is a component of the material creation.

That creation is due to Vishnu, but there isn’t much effort expended. Vishnu simply lies down to rest, and through breathing everything manifests and dissolves. By exhaling there are so many universes generated.

The reality is also highly symbolic. The most difficult work the mind can comprehend is accomplished effortlessly by the Supreme Lord. He is not agitated in the least. The fact is confirmed through so many other pastimes. When Bhrigu Muni kicks Vishnu’s chest as a test of supremacy, the Supreme Lord does not get angry at all. Instead, He is concerned that Bhrigu might have hurt his foot. Vishnu’s avatara of Shri Rama easily defeats fourteen thousand of the most powerful fighters all by Himself. As Shri Krishna, the Supreme Lord lifts a massive hill and holds it on His pinky finger for seven days to act as an umbrella.

The one who effortlessly creates, maintains and destroys can also just as easily rescue the conditioned soul from the cycle of birth and death. The starting point is desire. Then a little effort is required. If the sentiment is genuine, if there is some attempt made, then the Supreme Lord takes it from there. This is why the chanting of the holy names is so powerful: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Okay with task simple and clear,

But the complex ones to fear.

To juggle this thing and that,

Never keeping focus exact.

How then the universe came to be?

One intelligent designer to foresee.

From Vedas truth of Vishnu lying,

Creating while barely trying.

With One Hand Tied Behind His Back

“He killed fourteen thousand Rakshasas in the forest of Janasthana without the help of His brother. What enemy would not become agitated by this?” (Sita Devi speaking to Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 37.14)

caturdaśa sahasrāṇi rākṣasānām jaghāna yaḥ |
jana sthāne vinā bhrātrā śatruḥ kaḥ tasya na udvijet ||

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This was the reason Ravana resorted to trickery. Sure, he was previously proud of his fighting prowess. He would boast about it after the fact, as well. In between? Not so much. Better to satisfy the senses, in any way possible. You can do damage control later on.

Politicians are known to employ what is called “spin.” They get caught on camera saying something unflattering. They turn against the party and vote for something they promised during the campaign they were against. They did not express themselves properly in an interview, and now everyone is making fun of them. The mistake has gone “viral,” so to speak.

Hire a few consultants to spin the bad news into positive news. Try different fallacies of logic. Remind people of past politicians who made similar mistakes. Attack the people doing the attacking. Go after character. Change the subject. Deny that anything wrong was done. Say that the bill supported will indeed push forward the agenda promised, when in reality it won’t. Make a promise that in the future something will be done to correct the mistake. Try to present black as white if you have to.

Ravana wasn’t so worried about reputation at that point. He took Sita away in secret. He already had so many beautiful queens living in Lanka, won fairly in battle against rival kings. He could have tried to win Sita in the same way, but was warned against it.

Ravana had sent fourteen thousand of his own men to go up against Rama. This was in the forest of Dandaka. Not four against one. Not four hundred against one. Not even four thousand against a single person. Fourteen thousand capable fighters, who were expert at black magic, appearing and disappearing at will - these were the people up against Sita’s husband.

The avatara of Vishnu appeared to be an ordinary man, but He wasn’t. Though the younger brother Lakshmana was with Him, Rama went solo. He accepted the challenge Himself, as He was not afraid. Lakshmana took Sita to a nearby cave to wait until the battle was over.

Ravana’s men were routed, and so the king was warned to not attack Rama by himself. He used trickery to steal Sita, and then later he tried to boast of his strength and prowess to win her over. She wasn’t as foolish as the other people in Lanka. Sita remembered that Ravana acted like a jackal when taking her. She compared him to a dog and Rama to a lion.

In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, Sita asks Hanuman a rhetorical question. Knowing of Rama’s amazing victory in Janasthana, what enemy would not be afraid? Wouldn’t they be agitated from hearing the news? How would they even dream of victory when up against the Supreme Lord and the arrows released from His bow?

Those arrows come in different shapes and sizes. The same potency is there in the holy name, which is the incarnation for the present time period noted for its dark and inauspicious conditions. Four million attackers would have been no match against Rama, and so Sita was confident in her eventual rescue.

In the same way, devotees are confident that through chanting mantras containing the holy name they will be saved from repeated birth and death. Time stands down against that formidable force. The miseries of life begin to operate at His direction instead of through karma. Therefore the wise make the decision to always chant those names and await the eventual reunion with the all-attractive Supreme Lord, who is the greatest protector: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

In Closing:

Previously of fighting prowess touted,

But fourteen-thousand of his men routed.

When to Janasthana’s field to go,

Against single man’s arrow show.

Her husband, wedded to Sita so,

Away in defeat Ravana’s army to go.

History soon again to repeat,

Sinful ruler consequences to reap.

There Should Be No Doubt

“O Vanara, in Raghava there are fortitude, manliness, courage, gratitude, non-maliciousness, prowess and energy.” (Sita Devi speaking to Hanuman, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 37.13)

utsāhaḥ pauruṣam sattvam ānṛśaṃsyam kṛtajñatā |
vikramaḥ ca prabhāvaḥ ca santi vānara rāghave ||

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There should be no doubt on the matter. The evidence is clear, though the present situation might say otherwise. He is not on the scene at the moment. Does that mean He is not visible? Does that mean He has no witness? Does that mean His mind is elsewhere?

Actually, Shri Rama is there to witness everything automatically. This is accomplished through the feature of Supersoul, also known as Paramatma. It is the superior kind of atma, or soul. Soul is what defines an existence. Without the presence of the soul, nothing could live.

Alongside the individual soul is Supersoul, who is God’s expansion. The notable behavior of this feature of the Divine is non-interference. That is to say judgments are not made. Want to eat that extra slice of pizza? Want to drink again tonight, even though the last time ended in a disaster? Want to get married again after that messy divorce the previous time around? The option is there.

“Yet in this body there is another, a transcendental enjoyer who is the Lord, the supreme proprietor, who exists as the overseer and permitter, and who is known as the Supersoul.” (Lord Krishna, Bhagavad-gita, 13.23)

The Supersoul still has a role to play in the results to actions. He is the overseer and permitter. Nothing would be possible without His sanction first, but in material life there is no influence as to which actions should be taken and which should be avoided.

That judgment is from the personal form, i.e. the true and full identity of God. While Supersoul is invisible and lacking identifiable features, God in the feature of Bhagavan has too many qualities to count. Those devoted to Him make an effort to identify and list some of them, and even the enemies inadvertently stumble upon different aspects. Through their strong antagonism they give some idea as to the degree to which the features are present.

One example is Ravana. It is already known that God is the Supersoul. He witnesses everything, including the many sinful deeds of the evil king of Lanka, who is known as the ten-headed one. In the incarnation of Rama, Bhagavan understands that the devoted wife Sita, who is actually the goddess of fortune, is being held against her will on the island of Lanka by Ravana.

If that is too difficult to believe, Rama’s messenger arrives there also. He is the witness on the outside, observing the situation and hearing from Sita herself. In the above referenced verse from the Ramayana, Sita describes different qualities in her husband. These qualities ensure that Rama will indeed make it to Lanka to rescue her.

Ravana will get a firsthand look at Rama’s fortitude. Despite many months of separation, the Supreme Lord will not lose heart. Ravana will see true manliness; not the kind he exhibited in the Dandaka forest when stealing Sita in the first place. The king of Lanka will see courage to carry forward, despite depressing fake images presented on the battlefield.

Gratitude will be shown to someone in Ravana’s family. The younger brother Vibhishana, having left Ravana’s side, will be crowned the new king of Lanka after Rama’s victory. There will be no lasting enmity after the conflict’s conclusion, and the final battle will display some of Rama’s amazing prowess and energy.

Those incidents described in Vedic texts still only provide a glimpse into God’s glory. One drop of His splendor is enough to create, maintain and destroy many universes, what to speak of a sinful kingdom run by man-eating ogres. Sita’s inclinations would prove correct, as she knew her husband better than anyone else.

In Closing:

Not like Ravana cowardly to be,

Shri Rama’s valor to see.

Courage to continue the fight,

Fiery arrows skies to alight.

Perseverance when problems arising,

Level of ability to enemies surprising.

Already witnessing everything is He,

Knowing well her husband to free.

Qualities That Match

“O best of the monkeys, I hope that my husband will regain me soon, as my heart is pure and the good qualities in Him are numerous.” (Sita Devi, Valmiki Ramayana, Sundara Kand, 37.12)

āśaṃsa iti hari śreṣṭha kṣipram mām prāpsyate patiḥ |
antaḥ ātmā hi me śuddhaḥ tasmin ca bahavo guṇāḥ ||

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In Vedic literature a person finds many names for the Almighty. There are too many to remember offhand, and so there are certain prayers recited to help bring auspiciousness. There is the Vishnu-sahasra-namam, which means “the thousand names of Vishnu.” Each name has a different meaning, revealing a different feature to the person most of the world refers to as God.

Many of those names reference a relationship to a person. Specifically, the Supreme Lord is the husband of the goddess of fortune. He is Vishnu and she is Lakshmi. He is Bhagavan, the most fortunate one, and the wife is the embodiment of that fortune. He is the energetic and she is the energy.

One of Lakshmi’s many names is Chanchala. This means “restless” or “fleeting.” That is to say the goddess of fortune does not stay in a place for very long. This is both factually correct and symbolic. A person who has wealth may not keep it for very long. Such as with the wealthy person heavily invested in the stock market, their net worth can take a tumble in a matter of hours depending on the price of the shares.

Though she is not known to stay with a person for too long, the relationship with Bhagavan lacks this feature. That is to say a person can always find Lakshmi the person at the lotus feet of her husband, providing a comforting massage. She dutifully serves and He happily accepts. The two are inseparable in a sense; they naturally go together.

This is due to the qualities. Bhagavan indeed has qualities, but they are not binding. The Sanskrit word is guna, but it has a different meaning for Him. We possess gunas, of the three kinds: goodness, passion and ignorance. The combinations lead to the different body types, or species, but there is the inhibiting factor that suppresses the abilities of the amazing soul within. Moreover, the presence of gunas brings a high likelihood of repeat birth and death.

For Bhagavan the gunas are many, as Sita Devi says in the verse quoted above. Here she is referring specifically to Shri Rama, the prince of Ayodhya. Sita-Rama are non-different from Lakshmi-Narayana. Vishnu and His wife descend to earth from time to time, and they are just as inseparable when on the earthly realm as they are in the spiritual world.

In this situation Sita is separated from her husband, and she hopes aloud that they will reunite. Her heart is pure, shuddha. This means there are no hints of sin. She has no desires outside of her husband’s wellbeing. This is another way to define pure devotion. Though she is not specifically practicing a kind of spiritual life, her example is illustrative.

The same applies to Shri Hanuman, the person on the receiving end of these words. He is related to God in a different way, as servant, but the heart is similarly pure. He has no outside desires. He is not interested in mystic yoga, merging into the formless Absolute, or enjoying in heaven from having performed good deeds.

When there is pure devotion, real yoga is established. In that state there is always a connection to God, even if physical separation is the temporary condition. Sita is actually always with Rama, as the Supreme Lord is close by whenever His devotees think of Him.

In Closing:

Not really that far away,

Always in heart to stay.

With Sita Devi constitutionally so,

Together even when in Lanka to go.

Of qualities matching since,

Dutiful wife and chivalrous prince.

From pure devotion to them connection,

Like Hanuman desires in one direction.