by Pundit T. V. Parameshvar Iyer
Professor of Sanskrit Literature Maharishi Vedic University Seelisberg, Switzerland 1978
Conclusion
I have tried to present the new principle evolved or rather cognized by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Many of these statements may not be fully comprehended on the first perusal. Careful analysis is bound to produce better results. How many scientists understood when Einstein first announced his theory of Relativity ? How many know it thoroughly even now ?
1. The Background
The Vedic literature is a vast and perennial source of wisdom. The Vedas indicate that the sages of yore traveled through the highways and byways of eternal wisdom as humble seekers of answers to various questions that surge in the hearts of all thinkers at all tines.
But there are many critics who do not give any more importance to this vast mass of literature than that of being obscure, groping in the dark and immature compositions of semi-civilized men. At best, they are half-formed myth and crude allegories.
Yet, to millions of men and women, it has been a source of spiritual solace and key to mental peace for the last thousands of years. The mere listening to the chanting of the Vedic Mantras had inspired and still inspires countless number of persons. Even those who do not understand the full significance of all the words – more than ninety percent of even Sanskrit Scholars are in that category – the Mantras do give some sort of exhilarating experience the moment they listen to the chanting with correct accents.
The Vedic seer has proclaimed thus:
“The Rig Mantras exist in that supreme expansion that is imperishable and immutable, wherein gods — divine impulses — are ensconced.”.
There is a secrete meaning and wisdom couched in these words is: “Only those who can move up into the realm of higher consciousness can comprehend that meaning. Oral articulation of sounds cannot convey any sense unless one masters the conventional codes of a language. The same phonation of a sound unit gives different senses in different linguistic groups. Take for example the sound "MANI”. It gives the sense of “money” to one who speaks English; the sense of a “jewel” to one who speaks Sanskrit and the sense of “bell" to one who speaks Tamil or Malayalam. This simple truth can be slightly extended in the case of Vedic words. To a man who has reached a certain layer in the development of his consciousness, those words give certain ideas. To another man of a still higher development of consciousness, the words give certain other ideas. This goes on endlessly. The true meaning can be understood only by that person who reaches the same level of consciousness of that Vedic sage who cognized the Mantra.
We thus find that there are innumerable problems regarding the different theories of interpretations throughout the Vedic literature.
A very careful observation of the traditional practice will make us realize that all devotees are not called upon to become thorough in the understanding of the Vedic texts. It is enough for all practical purposes to be completely familiar with the words of the text. The recitation enables the brain of the listener to catch the divine vibration and benefit thereby. The eight different types “Pathas”: the ”Pada”, the “Krama” etc. up to the “Ghana” have been evolved to preserve the genuine text and ward off interpolations. The student is supposed to know the RIshi, the Chandas, and the Devata because these very names have a splendid effect on our consciousness. It was even thought that the understanding of the meaning of the passage is not so important. Of course, the Nirukta and the Vyakarana see to it, that the meaning of the passage is also clearly comprehended. Bat that is only for the specialist.
During the boyhood I had the occasion to meet a very erudite Vedic Scholar, a “Ghana -Pathi” who used to say that the Vedic sounds preserve one or two examples of meaningful sounds of every language of the world. He used to point out that “ban rnahan”(ban); and “bat surya”(but) for English words ! I can point out "wo”, “was”, “wer”; “ich” (ish) etc. for German language !
As speech is the superimposition of oral and nasal resonances through the movement of the oral articulatory, it is a wonderful possibility for man alone who has developed such an ability through millions of years; and Vedic sounds that are the Vedic Texts had been in existence throughout these millions cf years. Human fossils of Neanderthaloid men living around 200, 000 B.C. have been found, they say, in Spain. But it is not possible to find any such thing in India because we cremate the dead body and not bury it.
Vedic study deepens the root of our knowledge. It, should be infinitely flexible and at the same tine infinitely stable in order to water the tree of knowledge and keep it fresh and flourishing day by day. In the finite expression of every hymn, the infinite nature of consciousness can be seen preserved. Hymns are structured in the infinity of the Vedas.
2. The Basic Facts
I shall now present some splendid cognitions of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the founder of the Science of Creative Intelligence and Transcendental Meditation Program, who has trained thousands of people in the development of their consciousness and whose disciples have achieved such a splendid coordination of mind and body that they are able to lift themselves up by sheer wishing of their minds. This is the preliminary step to the Siddhi of “Akasha Gamana” mentioned in the Yoga texts. He has brought in scientific validation for all the techniques found in our ancient system.
- The Vedas are apaurusheya (not created by human effort).
- There is a Conservation Law of Physics which states, that that which is eternal must be symmetrical in its structure. This perfect symmetry is present in the Mandala setting of the Rig Veda, which in itself is indestructible.
- The 191 Suktas of the first Mandalas are located anticlockwise along the circumference of a circle, as shown in Chart 1.
- The letters that constitute the word AGNI, the first word in the Rig Veda, viz: “A”, “G”, “N”, and “I” are the basis of creation. They express the eternal continuum of Being of Consciousness. “A” is fullness and “G” is emptiness.
- Then the first word is explained by the second, that by the third, etc. till the end. Thus,“ anu purva kramena” the Vedic Text is itself its explanation, and so we have the “Apaurusheya Bhashya”.
- Every word in the first Richa is explained by one of the subsequent Richas. Thus, the first Sukta represents the value of complete fullness.
- But whole knowledge demands the existence of the opposite value, emptiness. There must be a Sukta representing complete emptiness, and so Maharishi Mahesh Yogi discovered the Avyakta Sukta between the 96th and 97th Suktas.
- This flow from fullness to emptiness reveals the nature of pure consciousness as expressive of the mechanics of creation. Proceeding along the circumference, we find the value of fullness changing, but the sum total of one Sukta and its opposite number is always 100% fullness and 100% emptiness. See Chart 2. The actual value of complete knowledge remains unchanged in every case.
This in a nutshell is the cognition of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, whose practical achievements in the realm of Transcendental Meditation are well known. Two million people in the world experience the full development of consciousness by means of the simple technique of Transcendental Meditation and the next step of TM. Siddhi program. The great poet Bhavabhuti (8th Century) says “Rsinam Punaradyanam vacanam arthonudhavati” (naturally follow the words of the seers). Our Maharishi has uttered these words. He has explained the same by means of many videotape talks. It is the duty of scholars to study these talks further and understand the full implications thereof. Many of these things require careful analysis, to which I invite the learned scholars of the world.
3. Explanatory notes of the ChartsChart 1:
