vedabhASya - Vedic Studies

Background Universe is a 'yajna' an evolutionary sacrifice in which one form sacrifices to build more complex forms. But it is not one yajna. There are five Yajnas running one inside another in the Universe, according to Brhadharanyaka Upanishad. Each of these Yajna has a 'Purusha', the observer, a 'Pazu' that is sacrificed and evolving (called Prakrti or Stri, the evolute).  This observer or witness or sAksi  (puruSa) driving the evolution of evolute (prakRti) is a design pattern across these five yajnas. What are those five yajnas..? In my understanding they are 1. Energy evolution : Dark energy driving the evolution of energy. Here Dark energy that expands the Universe is the puruSa, Energy that undergoes transformation is prakRti or pazu or the 'stri' 2. Particle evolution: Dark matter driving the evolution of quantum states of matter. Here Dark matter is the puruSa, matter that undergoes transformation is prakRti or pazu or the stri. 3. Matter evolu

mAyA is the process that creates self-identities (maya) and perspectives (aham-kAra) and thus 'differentiates' (vi-bheda). These differentiated identities and perspectives then interact and evolve to create more and more identities and perspectives. This process masks the actual existence underneath and creates various perceptions (bhrama) or illusion or delusion in us.  In modern parlance, mAyA is the evolutionary process. The effect of mAyA, the evolutionary process can only be uncovered or burnt up through Knowledge or jnAnA.  mAyA panchakam describes mAyA, the evolutionary process that hides the reality behind, deludes us by making layers over layers in five different ways of diversification, errors, union of heterogeneous entities, division of homogeneous entities and adaptation to laws. mAyA panchakam translation sung in tamil, essence in english, with relevant speeches of mahA-periyavA.

Background Manisha panchakam is a set of 5 stanzas in which Shankara talks of his 5 opinions. The story goes like this. Shankara is going somewhere and he faces a person coming opposite to him. The person seems like a 'Chandala'. Shankara asks him to move to give way for him. The 'Chandala' questions Shankara or more precisely puts forward 5 statements. Shankara gives his opinion on them in 5 stanzas.  This conversation helps Shankara to ground his advaita principle, gleamed from the understanding of vedic texts, in social terms, to be practiced in our daily lives. That's the significance of manisha panchakam. Executive Summary of Manisha Panchakam Our perceptions about external forms (like learned, powerful, chandala etc) are our creations. When one's knowledge matures into a detached thought like that of Yogis, beyond all the perceptions and pleasures,  they become the Brahman, that expands/creates everything and is present in all matter and beings. When Shank

In vedic traditions, all divinities are based on some existing natural force (that’s why the multiplicity) and the idea is to invoke those forces in us through bhakti, learn from these forces, to help facilitate evolve. That’s how the bhakti tradition is very rational. (like the karma and jnAna approaches). Mahisasura mardhini stotra is all about overcoming or defeating or destroying our barriers, barriers that stop us from evolving. Appearance of durgA is the conversion of potential to kinetic or breaking of the potential barriers that exists in the way of this conversion.  Uma means quite, potential. dur-gA is impassable, kinetic (we can never have absolute zero). In matter domain, Shiva is the property of Energy. It manifests as Uma, the potential energy and durgA, the kinetic energy. Breaking the potential barriers and conversion of potential to kinetic is the appearance of durgA that drives away powerful (mahiSa) yet non-evolving (asura) matter forms. In biological domain, Shiva i

  Background Shiva is the 'property' of Energy. Uma is Quiet/potential energy. durgA is impassable/kinetic energy (whose zero cannot be achieved). Uma the potential energy manifests as pArvati. pArvati means 'knotty'. It is the energy in the molecular bonds in any object. Different atoms/molecules combine and create matter/biological forms, like hills knot/bond together on a plain and create a hilly range. Hence pArvati is known as the daughter of the mountains. Easwari - nArAyaNi - Internal energy Every matter form has an internal energy which is called 'nArAyaNi' or 'Easwari'. This internal energy is a combination of potential energy (Uma/pArvati) and kinetic energy (durgA/Ganga). Anna-Poorna-Easwari - Enthalpy - Total energy Every matter/biological form becomes the 'food' or 'anna' of other matter/biological forms. (Simply put, we are all food of each, we consume each other and grow). This process of becoming food (annam) of each other