Ten Upanishads - Part I
The Vedas are divided into four parts, namely Samhitas, Brahmanam, Aaranyakam and Upanishad. The modern schools of Vedanta consider the Upanishads (means, taking nearer to Truth), as the high philosophical teachings of the Veda and as most important. The samhitai and others, which deal mainly with the rituals, and how to carry them about are considered by them as less important, and therefore, often even ignored, because in any case, the sanyasis do not carry them out. Paramacharya of Kanchi explains the lack of proper understanding of the importance of each one of these divisions by some beautiful simple examples.
1) He quotes "Sarvam Karmaakhilam Partha Gnana Parisamaapyata" - all these karmas, oh Partha, finally end in Gnana or Knowledge (iv - 32-33 of Bhagawad Gita). This is explained in the Karmakanda of Gita itself.
2) In Taitriya Kaatakam, (First Prasnam, Last Anuvaakam, fourth sentence), in the Karmakaandam itself, again, it is explained that one, who carries out merely the rituals, without understanding God or the ultimate Truth is like a man, who has just lit the stove, which is simply burning. When you light a stove, you have got to keep a vessel with the materials like rice, vegetables, etc. for cooking and taking it out as soon as it is properly cooked. The lighted stove is no more required. This process in Sanskrit is known as 'Pakvam'. Similarly, the word 'Pakvam' is also used for us to get enlightened by doing the rituals prescribed in the Samhitai (food cannot be cooked without heat), and once we are properly cooked in the path of Bakthi or devotion to God, we start understanding that the cooked food is the raw material like rice, themselves, and nothing external. Similarly God or ultimate Truth is within ourselves and nothing external. It only required the Karmakaanda rituals to cook us properly; then we have understood the Truth.
3) One who goes on doing the rituals or yagas etc without understanding its purpose, is like one who has just lit a stove, without putting the materials for cooking in a vessel, on it. It is merely a waste of precious LPG.
Similarly, one who wants to concentrate on the teachings of Upanishads only, without going through the process of cooking, is like one trying to have a fruit, without having to go through the stages of flowers, cross pollination, then a raw fruit, and finally a ripe fruit (different stages of Pakvam). Each stage is inevitable and one cannot reach a higher level without passing through the lower stage.
There is indeed a preparation and interplay between the Samhitas and Upanishads. For example, many important suktas like Naasaatiya Suktam, Purusha Suktam, trayambaka Mantram, etc are chanted in the Samhita part of the Vedas and not in the Upanishads. Similarly, some rituals like "naachiketaagni" etc are mentioned only in the Upanishads and not in the Samhitai.
The Vedas are divided into four parts, namely Samhitas, Brahmanam, Aaranyakam and Upanishad. The modern schools of Vedanta consider the Upanishads (means, taking nearer to Truth), as the high philosophical teachings of the Veda and as most important. The samhitai and others, which deal mainly with the rituals, and how to carry them about are considered by them as less important, and therefore, often even ignored, because in any case, the sanyasis do not carry them out. Paramacharya of Kanchi explains the lack of proper understanding of the importance of each one of these divisions by some beautiful simple examples.
1) He quotes "Sarvam Karmaakhilam Partha Gnana Parisamaapyata" - all these karmas, oh Partha, finally end in Gnana or Knowledge (iv - 32-33 of Bhagawad Gita). This is explained in the Karmakanda of Gita itself.
2) In Taitriya Kaatakam, (First Prasnam, Last Anuvaakam, fourth sentence), in the Karmakaandam itself, again, it is explained that one, who carries out merely the rituals, without understanding God or the ultimate Truth is like a man, who has just lit the stove, which is simply burning. When you light a stove, you have got to keep a vessel with the materials like rice, vegetables, etc. for cooking and taking it out as soon as it is properly cooked. The lighted stove is no more required. This process in Sanskrit is known as 'Pakvam'. Similarly, the word 'Pakvam' is also used for us to get enlightened by doing the rituals prescribed in the Samhitai (food cannot be cooked without heat), and once we are properly cooked in the path of Bakthi or devotion to God, we start understanding that the cooked food is the raw material like rice, themselves, and nothing external. Similarly God or ultimate Truth is within ourselves and nothing external. It only required the Karmakaanda rituals to cook us properly; then we have understood the Truth.
3) One who goes on doing the rituals or yagas etc without understanding its purpose, is like one who has just lit a stove, without putting the materials for cooking in a vessel, on it. It is merely a waste of precious LPG.
Similarly, one who wants to concentrate on the teachings of Upanishads only, without going through the process of cooking, is like one trying to have a fruit, without having to go through the stages of flowers, cross pollination, then a raw fruit, and finally a ripe fruit (different stages of Pakvam). Each stage is inevitable and one cannot reach a higher level without passing through the lower stage.
There is indeed a preparation and interplay between the Samhitas and Upanishads. For example, many important suktas like Naasaatiya Suktam, Purusha Suktam, trayambaka Mantram, etc are chanted in the Samhita part of the Vedas and not in the Upanishads. Similarly, some rituals like "naachiketaagni" etc are mentioned only in the Upanishads and not in the Samhitai.
