The very fact that we are asking Veda PramANa
overlooking the smrtis of the great Rishis shows our lack of respect for their sagacious
wisdom and trying to use our very limited knowledge to understand and interpret
the Vedas. According to Manu, one who disrespects the smrtis is a nAstika.
Both Sruti and smrutis constitute valid pramANas. We have to keep in view that smrutis have only Sruti as the base. Though there were many SAkhAs (recensions) of the Vedas in the days of yonder, only a few are available now due to various reasons.
anantA vai vedAh !
---- TaittirIya KAthaka
The Vedas are infinite. Thus while a particular
aspect (for example, mandatory performance of trikAla sandhyA including
mAdhyAnikam) specifically covered in the smrutis could have been
based on a Vedic statement which was existing in a particular Vedic recension
at that point of time but not now, it may not be correct for us to conclude
that the particular aspect is not backed by Vedas. Hence it would be very
difficult to overlook what is stated in the smrutis as being something which is
not mentioned in the Vedas and hence need not be followed.
One cannot properly understand the intended and
intrinsic meaning of Vedas. As Vedas are complex and innumerable, the Rishis
through their great tapas composed the Smrutis which define what is dharma for
a particular Yuga.
In order to understand the Sruti in the proper
perspective, one requires the guidance of smruti. Interpreting the original
Vedic Mantras on our own accord is dangerous in the modern environment.
For each
Mantra, there is a Rishi, a Chandas and the devatA. One cannot overlook the
Rishi and chant any Mantra including GAyatrI MahA Mantra. As Rishis are the
Seers of Vedic Mantras and the authors of smrutis, we hold them in high esteem.
Rishi TarpaNam is offered to them. KAnda Rishi TarpaNam is also there. All the
Srauta, grihya and smArta PrayogAs are done even today based on the statements
of great Rishis like Apastamba, BodhAyana, ASvalAya, Jaimini, LAtyAyana,
KAtyAyana and so on. In addition, we have sanakAdi Rishis, Sapta Rishis ,
NArada, BharadvAja, Veda VyAsa and so many others.
Each
BrAhmaNa (however materially he may be rich) is born only as a debtor with
triple debts. He is indebted to the Rishis, DevAs and Pitrus. The Rishi debt is
discharged through brahmacarya, Deva debt through performance of yajnas and
Pitru debt through progeny.
JAyamAno
ha vai brAhmaNah tribhir rNavA jAyate !
brahmacaryena
rishibhyah !
yajnena
devebhyah!
prajayA
pitrubhyah!
The
Rishis including Rishi Patnis are to be respectfully worshipped. Without them,
the Vedas would have disappeared. The smrutis, which are Rishi Proktam are
therefore equally valid like Sruti.
Whatever
one feels like doing according to his mental make-up does not constitute
dharma. That is why in Bhagavad GItA , BhagavAn advises all to follow dharma as
ordained in the Scriptures :
tasmacchAstram
pramAnam te karYAkArya vyavasthitau!
jnAtvA
SAstra vidhinoktam karma kartum ihArhasi !!
-----Bhagavad
gItA ! 16.24
One who
does not follow SAstras gains not Sukham or Siddhi or parama gati.
yah
Sastra vidhim utsrijya vartate KAma kAratah !
na sa
siddhim avApnoti na sukham na parAm gatim !!
---Bhagavad
gItA 16.23
Learned
sees through the eye of SAstras
"
----kavibhih SAstra cakshushA ---"
----
SrImad BhAgavatam x-84-36
Sruti
smruti mamaivAjnA yad tad ullanghya vartate !
AjnAcchedhe
mama drOhi mat bhaktOpi na vaishNava !!
---
VishNu
vedamUlAh
smrutayah !
----
Sankha
durbodhA
vaidikASSabdAh prakIrNatvacca ye khilAh !
tatraita
eva drushtArthAh smruti tantrai pratishthitAh !!
----
MarIci
Srutim
paSyanti munayah smaranti ca tathA smrutim !
tasmAt
pramANamubhayam pramANaih pramitam bhuvi !!
---- Manu
According
to Angiras, those who are learned in pramANas should duly take care of them.
Otherwise, authentic pramANas would get destroyed by baseless pramANas.
pramANAni
pramANajnaih paripAlyAni yatnatah !
sIdanti
pramANAni pramANairavyavasthitaih !!
--------Angiras
Coming to
the subject, there are two modes of samskAram in terms of Pitru medham and
Brahma medham. For both, there are Veda Mantras available as per grhya prayoga
and are currently in use. This varies based on the sUtra to which one belongs
to. Now for each and every karmanushthAna if somebody asks for specific pramANa
in the Vedas (of which only a portion is available now), it is not in line with
the path of the wise. We need to understand that the Veda Mantras used in the
context as recommended by the Rishis constitute the PramANas. It is to be noted
that in the entire two volumes of SrAddha kAnda of VaidyanAtha dIkshitIyam,
only pramAnas from dharma SAstras are given. In the Vedas we have ample
references about Pitru Yajna, svadha , Pitru, PitAmaha, PrapitAmaha and so on.
But for each karma and the detailed procedure, if some body demands specific
Veda pramAna, it is too much and tantamounts to overlooking the sagacious
wisdom of the Rishis.
According
to MarIcI, one is born as a candAla in crores of birth if one gives up
performance of Abdika SrAddha.
PanditA
jnAnino mUrkhAh striyo'tha brahmacAriNah !
mrtAham
samatikramya candAlah kotijanmasu !!
---
MarIcI
According
to LokAkshi, one shall do anna SrAddham only and not HiraNyam or Ama SrAddham.
Pushapvatsvapi
dAreshu videSastho 'pyanagnikah !
annenaivAbdikam
kuryaddhemnA va'mena na kvacit !!
---
LokAkshi
According
to Jamadagni, Sumantu and USanas, one without wife is not entitled to perform
pArvaNa SrAddham and he has to do Ama SrAddham.
na bhavatyasya sAmagrI dArA vA gruhameva ca !
AmaSrAddham
prakurvIta vrddho bAlaSca yo bhavet !!
-
Jamadagni
One who
thinks that there are no Pitrus and gives up performance of SrAddha earns the
curse of his own Pitrus.
na santi
pitaraSceti krtvA manasi yo narah !
SrAddham
na kurute tatra tasya raktam pibanti te !!
---
Aditya PurANa
Where
SrAddha is not done, there no Putras are born, no relief from dieseses, no long
life and no goodness.
na tatra
vIrA jAyante nArogA na SatAyushah !
na ca
Sreyodhigacchati yatra SrAddham vivarjitam !!
---
HArIta
It is to
be noted that even in the dharma SAstras different ways have been suggested for
a particular situation by different Rishis. It is difficult to comprehend and interpret
the proper course of action many a times. Our own interpretations of the Vedas
in the context of performance of various Karmas would be grossly misleading. We
have to necessarily go by what the great
Rishis have said and follow it as far as possible in one’s own prevailing
circumstances.Hence if any one who
raises such questions genuinely believes
in Vedic Scriptures, he can personally approach a Srotriya well-versed in
dharma SAstra, get his doubts clarified and act accordingly.
नमः परमऋषिभ्यो
नमः परमऋषिभ्यः।
जय जय श्रीराधे।
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