Written by London Swaminathan

 

Date: 30 October 2017

 

Time uploaded in London- 16-24

 

 

Post No. 4351

Pictures shown here are taken from various sources such as Facebook friends, Books, Google and newspapers; thanks.

Satapata Brahmana is one of the important Brahmanas, part of the Vedic literature. It says,

“Devas, men, fathers (pitrs=departed souls) and Asuras approached Prajapati. One walked after another and asked him in what manner they have to live. He ordains for each.

To ‘the men clothed and bending their bodies’ ,

‘Your eating shall be in the morning and in the evening’.

The devas were told the sacrifice was to be their food.

The fathers/Pitrs were told to eat only monthly in Moon light;

The beasts (animals) can eat whatever and whenever they liked, in season or out of season

To the Asuras he gave darkness and illusion (Tamas and Maya):-

“Neither the gods/devas nor the Pitrs , nor beasts transgress (their several ordinances); some of the men alone transgress theirs. Hence whatever man grows fat, he grows fat in unrighteousness, since he totters and unable to walk because of his having grown fat by doing  wrong. One should therefore eat in the evening and morning; whosoever knowing this eats only in the evening and in the morning, reaches full measure of life, and whatever he speaks , that  is true. Because he observes the divine truth –Sat.Br.2-4-2-6

In Tamil Poetry book Neethi Venba, there is a verse which says, “Yogis eat once a day, healthy men eat twice a day, Rogis eat thrice a day (gluttons, those who want to fall sick; rogam=sickness)  those who want to leave the earth quickly eat four times a day”.

DISPUTE BETWEEN MIND AND SPEECH

A dispute once took place between Mind and Speech as to which was the better of the two. Both Speech and Mind said, ‘I am excellent’.

Mind said, ’surely I am better than you. For you do not speak anything that is not understood by me (mind).  And since you are only an imitator of what is done by me and a follower in my wake I am surely better than you’.

 

Speech said ‘surely I am better than you, for what you know, I make known. I communicate’

 

Both of them went to appeal to Prajapati for hi decision. He, Prajapati, decided in favour of mind, saying to Speech, ‘Mind is indeed better than you for you are an imitator of its deeds and a follower in its wake’.

 

Then Speech (Vach) being thus gainsaid was dismayed and miscarried. She, speech, then saidt  Prajapati,

‘May I never be your oblation bearer, I whom you have gainsaid’.

 

Hence whatever at the sacrifice is performed for Prajapati, that is performed in a low voice; for Speech would not act as oblation bearer for Prajapati- Sat. Bra. 1-5-1-8

(My comments: These symbolic stories show that the Vedic Hindus were very literate and they can even use speech and language for conveying some message.)

 

Here is an illustration of statecraft following the philosophy of Speech and Mind:

“Let him draw the cups of Soma for Indra Marutvat (accompanied by the Maruts), and not for the Maruts likewise. For were he to draw cups for the Maruts, he would make the people refractory to the nobility. He thus assigns to the Maruts a share therin after Indra, whereby he makes the people subservient and obedient to the nobility—4-3-3-10

SOME QUOTES FROM THE BRAHMANAS

Gods and evil spirits were originally soulless and mortal They become immortal by putting in their inmost being the immortal fire—2-2-2-8

xxx

In their originally mortal condition, they used to live on earth. But the gods grew, it is said, tired of man’s endless petitions and fled—2-3-3-4

xxx

 

The gods abhorred the Ribhus, on account of their human smell. The gods placed two Dhayyas between the Ribhus and themselves because of the human smell of the former- Aitareya Brahmana 3-30

xxx

The sun would not rise if the priests did not make sacrifice- Sat. Br.2-3-1-5

 

xxx

 

Be Exemplary!

The months follow one another as they do because in a certain ceremony one priest follows another:-

“Were to both walk out together, were to both enter together these months would assuredly pass separated from one another; therefore, while out walks the one, in steps the other—Sat Br.3-1-7-11

 

–subham, subham–