www.facebook.com/sudarshan.madabushi.1/videos/176610183797930/
I’ve heard of Veda samrakshanam such as “anna daanam” to “Veda viths”, donating to Veda “paatshaalaas”, adopting Vedic village communities , teaching and learning Vedas and prostrating at the feet of a “Veda-goshti “ … But this is the first instance I’ve seen of “veda-abhimaana” being shown through “anga pradakshanam” of a group of “veda vidhyaartees “!
It is Wonderful to behold !
It suddenly opens my inner eye of awareness because now I ask myself as to why we should honour “ veda vidhyaartees” and “veda adhyapakars “ with such extreme and absolute acts of obeisance and reverence as we witness in this video-clip. It also makes me immediately imagine what perhaps great Kanchi periava might have had in mind when he is reported to have affirmed to Sri Ghattam Vinayaka Ram that such a mode of worship or “Veda Vandanam “ is worthy of anyone who regards himself as a devotee of Sanatana Dharma .
I ask myself above questions and I find my clear and powerful answers in the words of the Veda itself ! … in a passage from the Seekshavalli in the Taittireeya Upanishad where at a convocation or “graduate commencement ceremony” in a Vedic school , the “vidhyaartees “ listen in rapt attention to the parting exhortation in soul-stirring words of their Master .
Those words to my mind constitute the very essence , the veritable core of the whole spirit of sanatana dharma . So, I think when one does “anga pradakshanam” to a group of Vedic students and their Master , one virtually upholds and exalts the absolutely core values of Sanatana Dharma and one, by that act, swears eternal loyalty to it and abiding faith in it as a source of spiritual redemption in it !
What are those words? They are in fact only too well known and often quoted by everyone … but they are worth repeating here a 1000-times if only to underscore the great significance of even such a little act of “veda abhimaanam “ as shown in this video-clip which will bear a 1000-times repetition and more too:
॥ śīkṣāvallī taittirīyopaniṣadi ॥
śāsana Discipline
taittirīya upaniṣad । Taittiriya Upanishad.
vedamanūcyācāryo’ntevāsinamanuśāsti । Having taught the Veda, the Teacher instructs the Pupil.
satyaṃ vada । Speak the Truth.
dharmaṃ cara । Practise Virtue.
svādhyāyānmā pramadaḥ । Do not neglect your daily Study.
ācāryāya priyaṃ dhanamāhṛtya Offer to the Teacher whatever pleases him,
prajātantuṃ mā vyavacchetsīḥ । Do not cut off the line of progeny.
satyānna pramaditavyam । Do not neglect Truth.
dharmānna pramaditavyam । Do not neglect Virtue.
kuśalānna pramaditavyam । Do not neglect Welfare.
bhūtyai na pramaditavyam । Do not neglect Prosperity.
svādhyāyapravacanābhyāṃ na pramaditavyam ॥ 1॥ Do not neglect Study and Teaching . I:11:i
devapitṛkāryābhyāṃ na pramaditavyam । Do not neglect your duty to the Gods and the Ancestors.
mātṛdevo bhava । Regard the Mother as your God.
pitṛdevo bhava । Regard the Father as your God.
ācāryadevo bhava । Regard the Teacher as your God.
atithidevo bhava । Regard the Guest as your God.
yānyanavadyāni karmāṇi tāni sevitavyāni । Whatever deeds are blameless, they are to be practised,
no itarāṇi । not others.
yānyasmāka sucaritāni । Whatever good practices are among us
tāni tvayopāsyāni । no itarāṇi ॥ 2॥ are to be adopted by you, not others . I:11:I
ye ke cārumacchreyā so brāhmaṇāḥ । Whatever Brahmins there are superior to us,
teṣāṃ tvayā”sanena praśvasitavyam । should be honoured by you by offering a seat.
śraddhayā deyam । Give with Faith,
aśraddhayā’deyam । Give not without Faith;
śriyā deyam । Give in Plenty,
hriyā deyam । Give with Modesty,
bhiyā deyam । Give with Awe,
saṃvidā deyam । Give with Sympathy.
atha yadi te karmavicikitsā vā Then if there is any doubt regarding any Deeds,
vṛttavicikitsā vā syāt ॥ 3॥ or doubt concerning Conduct,
ye tatra brāhmaṇāḥ saṃmarśinaḥ । As the Brahmins who are competent to judge,
yuktā āyuktāḥ । adept in Duty, not led by others,
alūkṣā dharmakāmāḥ syuḥ । not harsh, not led by passion,
yathā te tatra varteran । in the manner they would behave
tathā tatra vartethāḥ । thus should you behave . I:11:Ii
athābhyākhyāteṣu । Then as to the persons accused of guilt
ye tatra brāhmaṇāḥ saṃmarśinaḥ । like the Brahmins who are adept at deliberation
yuktā āyuktāḥ । who are competent to judge, not directed by others
alūkṣā dharmakāmāḥ syuḥ । not harsh, not moved by passion,
yathā te teṣu varteran । as they would behave in such cases
tathā teṣu vartethāḥ । thus should you behave.
eṣa ādeśaḥ । This is the Command.
eṣa upadeśaḥ । This is the Teaching.
eṣā vedopaniṣat । This is the secret Doctrine of the Veda.
etadanuśāsanam । This is the Instruction.
evamupāsitavyam । Thus should one worship.
evamu caitadupāsyam ॥ 4॥ Thus indeed should one worship . I:11:iv
When I circumambulate a group of Veda Vidhyaartees and Adhyaapakar like this I should keep in mind that I’m not worshipping merely noble human bodies but also, and more importantly, the universal and eternal body of core values of all humanity .
🙏 🙏
Daasoham
Sudarshan
PS: 👆அக்டோபர் மாதம் குருவாயூர் பாடசாலை ஒன்றில் சிறப்பு விருந்தினராக விக்குவிநாயகராம் அவர்கள் வந்திருந்தார் அவருடைய சிறப்புறை மற்றும் கடம் வாசித்தபின் உணவருந்துவதற்கு முன் நாங்கள் அனைவரும் பாடசாலை குழ்ந்தைகளை சாஷ்டாங்க நமஸ்காரம் செய்தோம்…ஆனால் அவர் தனது 80+ வயதில் அந்தக் குழந்தைகளுக்கு இது போன்று அங்கப்பிரதக்ஷனம் செய்தார்…அதற்கு அவர் சொன்னது பெரியவா சொல்லிருக்கா.. வேதம் படிக்கும் குழந்தைகளை நாம் பேண வேண்டும் என்று…குருவே சரணம்🙏🙏🙏