by Sri Bmal Mohanty
VOL No. 29
June . 2003

ATTEMPTS TO DESCRIBE BRAMHAN - Part 3

"Based on the lectures by Sri Bimal Mohanty"

That is sanskrt for you, the language of the srutis, the language of the Divine.

In the knowledge contained in our sruti and other scriptures, the unique importance of language can not be overemphasized. Study of adhyatma in any other language often leads to partial understanding and sometimes even distorted understanding. In this Yuga of Kali, snaskrt has been forgotten to the status of a dead language. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why the supreme knowledge of Bramhan is so much less comprehended by us.

One does not have to be a great scholar in sanskrt, but respect for the inherent strength of this divine language which provides the key to all inner secrets - the gudha rahasya- of adhyatma, is a powerful tool in our hands.

When Vaka or speech or verbal expression is regarded as our sustaining force for spiritual understanding, then sanskrt is the garment or avarana of that speech, without which all speech is naked.

Where from Sanskrt derives this strength? The popular saying of course is that this language was not created by any one but is the direct utterance from Bramhan himself from whom all knowledge flows. But the real strength of any language comes from its grammar. It is enlightening to note how a subject like grammar is connected with our spiritual development and how much importance our wise men attached to grammar in the language - whether spoken or written. Panini is a modern day sankrit grammarian. But long before Panini, sanskrit had a highly developed grammar. Look at it this way.

The Vedas (arguably to others but emphatically to believers) are the source of all knowledge that is worth knowing. They are in the hands of the humankind in this part of the world from timeless beginning. Vedas are believed to have been created along with the creation. They say Vedas came out of the breath of Hiranyagarbha- the unified conscious entity.

As a republic and its constitution for functioning come together, the Lord's creation and the Vedas likewise came together, Vedas being verily the constitution of the creation.

If we for the time being do not wish to go into arguments on this issue, at least, this much can be certainly said that, when The Vedas existed in this part of the world, humans and their likes, were nomads in the jungles and lived in caves elsewhere, untouched by civilisation. (This should not be viewed as creditable for one section of humankind and discredit for another if you believe that the knowledge of the Vedas is not to any one's credit but a direct gift to the humanity from the Divine. Hence let there be no arrogance to claim but humbleness on this count.).

So when the knowledge came to the human kind, it came in the form of Vedas. What knowledge? It is the knowledge about Bramhan, the bramhajnanam.

Who and what is Bramhan? Bramhan is everything. Brihat arthe Bramhan. The entirity is Bramhan.

They also say :

Sarvam khalvidam Bramham

Sarvam meaning all. All is Bramhan. Not only gross sarvam but also subtle sarvam. Thoughts of the mind, knowledge of the intellect, all are Bramhan.

So Vedas, which bring about the revelation of Bramhan, logically should embrace all knowledge. Otherwise it does not fulfil its purpose.

This then is another unique feature of sanatana philosophy. Where as the main scriptures of reference in other philosophies were of limited content, The Vedas significantly contain all aspects of knowledge that the creation might need. Many aspects of Vedas are ofcourse no more available, but what is available from the time it was put down in written form at the end of Dvapara yuga, contain not only the four main sections, but covers a variety of subjects like health, finance, statesmanship, astronomy, cultural issues, life sciences etc contained in upavedas, vedangas, and sutras.