Purāṇa : The Age-Old Ancient Story Telling Technique

– Dr. Dhananjay B. Ghare

Introduction: ‘Śaunaka’ group of sages carried out a ‘yāga’ for global welfare. ‘Sūta’ alias ‘Romaharśaṇa’ a wandering monk, expert in telling spiritually symbolic stories in romantic hair-raising style and famous as ‘Purāṇika’, frequently visited them. Some families in Maharashtra and north Karnataka area have ‘Purāṇika’ as their surnames, most probably because their ancestors used to present ‘Kīrtana’s’ embedded with stories from Paūrāṇika literature.

Śaunakaadika (representative of ‘Śaunaka’ group of sages): Welcome Sūta Mahāṛṣi. Your guru Vyāsa Mahāṛṣi made unbelievably huge and excellent contributions to Vedopaṇiśadic philosophy and literature within a single human life spam. He is therefore respected as divine incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu. Later, why did Vyāsa created Paūrāṇic literature?

Sūta: Vyāsa Mahāṛṣi first condensed the huge ‘Vedic’ literature (1000,000,000 stanzas, Śata koti pravistāram) to just about 10,000 most important stanzas. Then, he divided them in four major topic-based groups (Ṛgveda, Yajurveda, Sāmaveda and Atharvaveda). He passed on the responsibility of study and maintenance of these four Vedic literatures, to four of his sharp, intelligent, best students. Then, he thoughtfully made the Vedic-knowledge, available in memory friendly, interesting, mind bogglingly attractive Paūrāṇic symbolic story formats. This way, it has become easily digestible and interesting to children, youngsters and common man possessing average, below average levels of intellectual capability.

He selected 18 major and 18 semi-major topics and composed 18 Purāṇa and 18 Upa-Purāṇa texts. He designed and authored this literature full of symbolic stories. Each one of this ‘Purāṇa’ & ‘Upa-Purāṇa’ texts, includes information about all important theoretical Vedopaṇiśadic concepts and knowledge. These texts are recognized as 18 Mahā Purāṇas and 18 Upa-Purāṇas. For millenniums during pre-Macaulay British-rule periods in India (3000 BC to 1850 AD), these texts were taught to children, during their initial primary and secondary school type education. Study of Veda and Upaniśad texts was reserved for extraordinary children (like Ādi-Śankara) and brightest youngsters qualifying for highest level of education.

The word ‘Purāṇa’ means old, ancient. It is also often used to mean lengthy or prolonged. This literature by sage Vyāsa is compatible to get spread via mouth-to-mouth story telling mode, from grandparents to grandchildren. In the evenings, Indian village temple halls and outskirts were used, to conduct orally communicated mass education via

a) moral, spiritual stories ‘kathā-kathāna’ (‘kirtana-bhakti’) by speakers and ‘listening’ (‘śravaṇa-bhakti’) by the audiences and

 b) singing divine praises, mantra phrases and devotional prayers (‘bhajana’) programs, based on stories from this Paūrāṇic literature of sage Vyāsa along with songs, abhanga’s, doha’s authored by later poets and saints like Mīrābaī, Narasi Mehatā, Purandaradāsa, Dnyāneśvara, Nāmadeva, Tukārāma etc.

Names of 18 Mahā Purāṇa texts designed and composed by Vyāsa Mahāṛṣi are:

1) Brahma Purāṇa 2) Padma Purāṇa 3) Viṣṇu Purāṇa 4) Shiva Purāṇa 5) Bhāgavata Purāṇa 6) Nārad Purāṇa 7) Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa 8) Agni Purāṇa 9) Bhaviśya Purāṇa 10) Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa 11) Linga Purāṇa 12) Varāha Purāṇa 13) Skanda Purāṇa 14) Vāmana Purāṇa 15) Kurma Purāṇa 16) Matsya Purāṇa 17) Garuḍa Purāṇa and 18) Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa

Some minimum stories related with vital information about the three Supreme Gods 1) Lord Brahmadeva, 2) Lord Viṣṇu, 3) Lord Shiva and their consorts 1) Sarasvati, 2) Laxmi and 3) Umā alias Pārvatī are included in every one of all 18 Mahā Purāṇas and 18 Upa-Purāṇas texts. Briefest information about all eighteen Purāṇa texts:

1) Brahma Purāṇa (10000 verses): Everything present in any form at present, must always be present in some form or other, during the infinite time-space of the past and the future. In other words, it is immortal in it’s true nature, but gets transformed in different forms with passage of time. This ancient Indian Vedopaṇiśadic principle is restated in the modern Scientific language as a law of ‘Thermodynamics’. Viz. ‘Energy can neither be created nor be destroyed’.  This indestructible ‘essence’ inside everything, is called ‘Brahmatatva’. Lord Sūrya is the nearest glaring example of divine ‘Brahma’ Energy. Brahma Purāṇa describes history of all Universes and includes praises of Lord Sūrya as typical example of divine Brahma and describes his wonderful temple at Konark, Odisha.

2) Padma Purāṇa (55000 verses): ‘Padma’ means lotus flower. Lord Brahmadeva symbolising the ‘Creativity’ of Mother Nature, is hypothesised to have got born in a symbolic ‘Lotus’ flower oozing out of the navel of Lord Viṣṇu. This Purāṇa describes birth rebirth cycles of Universes and is a good guide for pilgrimages in Indian subcontinent. Important features of Padma Purāṇa are, it includes ‘Bhagavadgītā Māhātmya’ with a symbolic story related with teachings of each chapter and a beautiful commentary on each chapter of ‘Bhagavadgītā’. 

3) Viṣṇu Purāṇa (23000 verses): Meaning of the word ‘Viṣṇu’ is ‘pervading and occupying the entire pervaded space’. Lord Viṣṇu is mythologically regarded as the divine power responsible for ‘sthiti’ meaning current state or status of the Universe. Chāturvarṇāśrama-dharma is advocated as important tradition for proper maintenance of human society and its genetic racial diversity structure forever.

4) Shiva Purāṇa (24000 verses): ‘Shiva’ means pure, auspicious, divine. Lord Shiva represents natural divine purity and auspiciousness within everything. Lord Shiva also represents ‘tamo guṇa’ meaning maximum, peaking, maximisation, extreme etc. Shiva Purāṇa contains information about a) incarnations of Lord Shiva and b) important ‘vratas (e.g. Ekādaśī, Pradośa, Shivarātri, Somavāra) and c) varieties of worships for pleasing Lord Shiva and reaching his abode ‘Kailāśa’.

5) Bhāgavata Purāṇa (18000 verses): Repetitive natures of birth, expansion, spread and death after a certain lifespan of Universes are described, with focus on roles played by Lord Viṣṇu as a divine guardian and his 24 incarnations. Highlight is focused on Lord Kṛṣṇa’s incarnation.

6) Nārad Purāṇa (25000 verses): Sage Nārada, devotee of Lord Viṣṇu constantly reciting ‘Nārāyaṇa’ recommends numerous forms of ‘devotion’. Singing praises of God’s divineness (‘Kīrtanam’) is recommended as the best way of pleasing Gods. Includes information on ancient Indian Mathematics, astronomy and astrology.

7) Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa (9000 verses): Important feature is it includes ‘Devī Māhātmya’, Durgā Saptaśati, a ‘Śākta’ treatise on Goddess ‘Śakti’, ‘Chaṇḍī’ or ‘Durgā’.

8) Agni Purāṇa (15400 verses): Lord ‘Agni’ represents ‘Thermal Energy’ which exponentially accelerates all natural activities. This text includes ‘Encyclopaedic’ information on spiritual progress via Śaivism, Vaiśṇavism, cosmology, etc. and materialistic progress via ancient Indian geology, mining, gemology, engineering, vāstuśāstra, architecture etc.

9) Bhaviśya Purāṇa (14500 verses): Forecasts possible events in future using the trends in the past history. Advocates good moral and spiritual activities today, to ensure possibilities of good prospects for ‘Future’.

10) Brahmavaivarta Purāṇa (18000 verses): ‘Brahma-vaivarta’ means metamorphosis of ‘Brahma’. This text projects Lord Kṛṣṇa and goddess Rādhā as Mūla-Prakṛuti and Puruṣa pair.

(Source of Image: https://twitter.com/Anshulspiritual/status/1348996464060452866/photo/1)

11) Linga Purāṇa (11000 verses): ‘Linga’ means important ‘sign’ of identification. ‘Shiva linga’ (representing ‘Universe’ in cylindrical coordinates), is used as a ‘sign’ to worship Shiva.

12) Varāha Purāṇa (24000 verses): ‘Varāha’ means wild boar, and an incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu to kill demon ‘Hiraṇyākśa and save ‘Earth’ from his clutches. Astronomically, this story represents an event which is hypothecated to have occurred at the time of beginning of ‘Śveta-Varāha-Kalpa’ period. This Purāṇa text includes ‘Dharmaśāstra’ or ‘rules and regulations’ for good moral conduct and behavioural pattern to ensure healthy, happy life.

13) Skanda Purāṇa (81000 verses): Skanda represents a six faced God and son of Lord Shiva. This Purāṇa advocates pilgrimage ‘Tīrtha-yātrā’ to please all Gods and to raise one’s spiritual status. Describes geography of pilgrimage centres in Indian subcontinent.

14) Vāmana Purāṇa (10000 verses): Describes the Vāmana incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu and advocates pilgrimages for spiritual upliftment.

15) Kurma Purāṇa (17000 verses): ‘Kurma’ means a tortoise, an incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu during churning of ‘Kṣīra Sāgara’ (ocean of milk ‘milkyway’). Includes related stories.

16) Matsya Purāṇa (14000 verses): ‘Matsya’ means a fish, an incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu, during ‘Jala-Pralaya’ deluge, to save king ‘Manu’ and samples of a lot of important living species. This text Includes a) Vāstuśāstra focussing on building temples, sculptures and b) guidelines for charity, yoga and morally creditable behaviour patterns. etc.

17) Garuḍa Purāṇa (19000 verses): ‘Garuḍa’ means eagle, the carrier ‘Vāhana’ of Lord Viṣṇu. Includes civil engineering concepts and recommendations on duties of King, common man etc.

18) Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa (12000 verses): Brahmāṇḍa means ‘Universe’, which is estimated to look like a huge ‘egg’ in shape. This text includes popular ‘Lalitā-Sahasranāma’ and ‘Adhyātma Rāmāyaṇa’.

Dr. Dhananjay B. Ghare, Former Scientist, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru

Mother of the Brain and Biology

– Prof. Bal Ram Singh

There is a saying, actually all over the world that refers to mother. It says mother of all the wars, mother of all the battles, mother of all the problems mother of all the solutions. Why is there no father of all the wars, father of all the solutions? Why is that? There is a saying in the Manusmṛti that a mother is thousand times more important than a father and a father is hundred times more important than an Āchārya or mentor and a mentor is ten times more important than an ordinary teacher, thus making a mother 1 million times more important than a teacher. One would wonder what is so special about a mother that she is 1 million times more important than a teacher. Teachers are respected, admired, and appreciated in every society of the world. Nevertheless, a mother is considered 1 million times better than a teacher. It is to be noted that to teach or train anyone in this world. One has to know the background of the person who needs to be taught. One has to speak the language that can be understood by the student.

Mother tongue is literally the language one learns from the mother. Although in the West, a country is generally considered a fatherland, but in India it is the motherland. India is a referred to as Bhāratmātā, not a Bhāratpitā.

‘माता भूमिः पुत्रो अहं पृथिव्याः ।’ अथर्ववेद 12.1.12

(Source of Image : https://hindi.webdunia.com/republic-day/gantantra-diwas-article-in-hindi-117011900073_1.html)

The controversy of Vandemātaraṁ also reflects to a certain extent this contrasting view about mother (female) symbolism. When considered in social context, this type of characterization may form an element of critical gender theory (CGT), similar to the critical race theory (CRT) being debated currently in the academic circles of United States. In Indian culture, a mother is considered the first gurū. This would make sense given the fact that a mother is aware of traits, characteristics, and nature of a child beginning from the womb. A well attentive mother would be quite familiar with the child’s inclinations, approaches, interests, points of deviations which need of discipline, etc. a lot more than anyone else. And, that is critical in early childhood to shape the values and infuse sanskāras in a child. Thus, a mother is naturally in a position to play a critical role in child’s education and upbringing. In fact, in India there is a saying or subhāṣita for a long time, which is as follows:

उपाध्यात् दश आचार्य:

आचार्याणां शतं पिता ।

सहस्रं तु पितॄन् माता

गौरवेण अतिरिच्यते ।।

Which means that an Āchārya (a mentor who teaches with full knowledge to his/her own conduct) is 10 times more important than a teacher who teaches through reading of books, and a father (just a father with no degree or diploma, whose conduct a child gets to observe closely) is 100 times more important than an Āchārya, and a mother (whose concerns, care, and conduct is all visible and innately felt by a child) is 1,000-fold more valuable than a father. In other words, a mother is a million times more valuable for a child’s education than a teacher of history, philosophy, or mathematics. Combining the importance of the mother and father, that is parents, it could be theoretically 100 million times more valuable than a school teacher in the education of a child. And, if that is equated with even a teacher, let alone a school board, it is highly demeaning, if not outrageous, for a system we have created in a so-called democratic system, where politicians, school boards, and bureaucrats decide the content and pedagogy of education.

Here we are not talking about an ordinary language, be it Hindi, or English, you’re not even talking about a language that may be expressed in scientific terms or in musical terms. We are talking about a process of communication between the trainer and the trainee. It is the mother who knows the child the most, from the moment the child is conceived to the moment of his or her birth. Only the mother knows the behavior, the biology and the psychology of the baby, from fetus to an infant. That is one of the major differences or qualifications of the mother unmatched unmatchable for a child’s education.

In Indian system of schools of thoughts and traditions it is believed that much before a child is even conceived the thoughts, the values, the practices, and the mindset of the parents are important for a child. A mother becomes more of a career of those values training, the fetus, the baby right from the womb not by words, but by action. She eats sleeps, works, and Interacts with the rest of the world with the environment with the society in accordance with the need of the unborn baby, just communicating to the unborn through her thoughts and actions. It is this connection of communication that bonds child to the mother. This has to be unmatching unmatchable by anyone. This is why even gods don’t dare challenge a mother.

The link between a mother and child is profound, and new research suggests a physical connection even deeper than anyone thought. The profound psychological and physical bonds shared by the mother and her child begin during gestation when the mother is everything for the developing fetus, supplying warmth and sustenance, while her heartbeat provides a soothing constant rhythm. The physical connection between mother and fetus is provided by the placenta, an organ, built of cells from both the mother and fetus, which serves as a conduit for the exchange of nutrients, gasses, and wastes. Cells may migrate through the placenta between the mother and the fetus, taking up residence in many organs of the body including the lung, thyroid, muscle, liver, heart, kidney and skin. These may have a broad range of impacts, from tissue repair and cancer prevention to sparking immune disorders.

(Source of Image : https://www.vecteezy.com/vector-art/16222479-pregnant-mother-and-fetus-icon-logo-vector-design)

How many eggs does a woman have?

A girl is born with all the eggs she will ever produce. During fetal development, she has about 6 million eggs. At birth, there are approximately 1 million eggs left. By the time she reaches puberty, only about 300,000 remain. The number of eggs a woman has continues to decline as she ages and menstruates each cycle. Fertility also declines with age due to the decreasing number and quality of her remaining eggs. In the same way that women have a specific quantity of immature eggs at birth, baby boys are born with what appears to be a set number of undeveloped sperm cells. These precursors eventually become mature sperm after they reach puberty, which is similar to women producing mature eggs after they start menstruating. For women, eggs that are prepped for ovulation are not replaced. A woman’s eggs typically stop maturing with the onset of menopause. In contrast, a man’s supply of sperm is continually replenished. This process, known as spermatogenesis, continues throughout a man’s adulthood. But let’s go back to the beginning…

Basically, the entirety of a man’s sperm production stems from the original, undeveloped sperm. That is, these immature sperm cells make exact copies of themselves. These originals are then saved for future use, while the duplicates transform themselves into four mature sperm each (last updated July 15, 2015). The sperm production cycle usually takes about 64 days, but in a production cycle about 8 billion sperms are produced. An egg maturation takes about 90 days, and there is fixed, thus making human ovum a lot more valuable, especially when one considers that about 300 million sperms are spent to fertilize one egg for human conception. Thus, a mother is usually over 11 billion times more valuable biologically (8×90/64 billion), not to speak of psychologically and nurturingly.

Many a time mothers seem to telepathic communication with their children, at least for receiving stress in them. Is that because mothers know their children in lot more ways, or could it be biological, especially neurological as it has been found that mothers have microchimeric cells originating from the children in their brain. This became first obvious when mothers were found have nerve cells in their brain with Y chromosome. Robert Martone in the December 4, 2012 issue of Scientific American wrote an article entitled “Scientists Discover Children’s Cells Living in Mothers’ Brains” and observed the following, which demonstrates that mother and child are more deeply connected.

(Source of Image : https://www.researchgate.net/journal/Scientific-Reports-2045-2322/publication/334993807_Parenting_Stress_Undermines_Mother-Child_Brain-to-Brain_Synchrony_A_Hyperscanning_Study/links/5fb64298458515b7975101a6/Parenting-Stress-Undermines-Mother-Child-Brain-to-Brain-Synchrony-A-Hyperscanning-Study.pdf?origin=figuresDialog_download&_rtd=e30%3D&_tp=eyJwYWdlIjoicHVibGljYXRpb25EZXRhaWwifQ)

“As remarkable as this may be, stunning results from a new study show that cells from other individuals are also found in the brain. In this study (Brain William F N Chan 1, Cécile Gurnot, Thomas J Montine, Joshua A Sonnen, Katherine A Guthrie, J Lee Nelson, PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e45592. 26. Male microchimerism in the human female), male cells were found in the brains of women and had been living there, in some cases, for several decades. What impact they may have had is now only a guess, but this study revealed that these cells were less common in the brains of women who had Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting they may be related to the health of the brain.”

Is it possible for the nerve cells from a given source (children) to communicate and exchange signals even if for a long distance? This may also be relevant for the nerve cell (as a chip in mother’s brain) to nerve cell (child) communication that may explain mother’s telepathic capabilities with her children.

Jan Ehrenwald MD in an article entitled “Mother-Child Symbiosis: Cradle of Esp”, published in Psychoanalytic Review (1971, 58(3):455-466) made the following observations.

“There is general consensus among observers that in the early postpartum phase the mother’s and the neonate’s ego boundaries have not as yet been delineated. Their respective egos are merged into one. The baby is a direct extension of his mother’s body image. She “does the doing” for him. She feeds him when he is hungry. She gives him warmth when he is cold. She lifts his covers when he is warm. She diapers him when he is wet. She monitors his physical and social environment on his behalf. She is the omnipotent, omniscient, bountiful mother figure.”

Prof. Bal Ram Singh, President, Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, USA

Celebrating the Year of ‘Millets’ through its Knowledge from Vedas to Present

Dr. Raghava S. Boddupalli and Dr. Aparna Dhir Khandelwal

Pandemic era has turned everyone to think about or to be more conscious towards one’s own health. Presently, around the globe people are running for organic food items that enable them to lose weight, controls cholesterol & blood sugar levels, fight against heart diseases, etc. With the present year, India has taken up the presidency of G20 Summit and while we are at G20’s 2023 edition, it is worth noting that the year 2023 is also declared as the International Year of Millets (IYoM) by the United Nations General Assembly. The proposal for declaring the same was put forth by India and was subsequently supported by 72 countries of the General Assembly. While speaking at the pre-launch celebration of the International Year of Millets in November, 2022 in Delhi, Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar did highlight three big “Cs”- challenges facing the global economy, including covid, conflict, and the climate. He included that all three have had grave impacts on food security in very many ways. For instance, during the height of the pandemic, food security was challenged globally. Also, in the face of alarming climate change, Millets, or Nutri-cereals as they are alternatively known hold immense potential, he added. 

With these thoughts, Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi has called for a mass movement in the country to promote Millets in view of the International year of Millets 2023. So, that the Indian millets, recipes, value added products are accepted globally.

(Source of Image: https://www.mygov.in/campaigns/millets/)

Since pre-historic times, grasses have originated and evolved even before origin of human beings. During the Vedic age, grasses are used in various sacraments, and also are used as medicinal herbs that are detailed in the Vedic texts, Epics, Purāṇas and also in later Sanskrit literature texts. Grasses belong to Gramineae or Poaceae family containing 11,000 species including important cereal crops such as paddy (vrīhi), wheat (yava), wild rice (nīvāra) and Millets. The Vedic grasses can be classified into wild grasses, cereal crops, and Millets. Human beings’ staple food derives from the grass family. The cereal and Millet crops revealed in the Vedic texts are still being cultivated by our farmers for the utilization by mankind and cattle on day-to-day basis as food, fodder, and for traditional medicines including Ayurvedā. These Millets are also known as ‘coarse cereals’ or ‘cereals of the poor’ and since they are not fussy about soil and water, they are a major source of energy for more than a billion people in arid and semi-arid regions.

Indian Millets

Millets Revealed in the Vedic and Sanskrit Texts

Aṇu (Panicum miliaceum L.): The utility of Aṇu is seen in ‘Annahōmas of Vājapeya yajña’ ritual Bṛhadaraṇyaka Upaniṣad (6-2-13). By performing this Annahōma, the sacrificer obtains plenty of food. Aṇu is an oṣadhi yielding small grains. Sāyaṇācharya (TS 4-7-4) says that Aṇu is the small rice (aṇavaḥ sukṣmavrīhayaḥ). Mahidhara (VS 18-12) gives the synonym as cīnaka (aṇavaḥ cīnakāḥ).

Priyaṅgu (Setaria italica L.): During the Vasōrdhārā Hōma, the sacrificer prays Agni and Viṣṇu to grant him heaps of Priyaṅgu grains (priyaṅgavaśca mē – TS 4-7-4), VS (18-12). In the Nakṣatra Iṣṭi, Priyaṅgu is offered as Caru (food oblation) to deity Rudra to obtain plenty of cattle (TB 1-3-4). The Aitereya Brahmaṇa (bhōjyaṃ vā ētadōṣadhīnāṃ yatpriyaṅgavaḥ) praises Priyaṅgu as the best kind of food.

Balbaja (Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertner: Balbaja is mentioned in the Ṛgveda (RV 8-99, Valakhilya – 7), Atharvaveda (AV 14-2-23) and Yajurveda (YV) Saṃhitas (balbajānapīdhmē sannahyēt – TS 2-2-8) and is produced from the excrements of cattle. In the KS (10-10) it is stated to be used for the sacrificial litter (Barhis) and for fuel. The baskets and other products made of balbaja are recommended as worthy gifts, śatam mē balbajastukā aruṣīṇām catuḥ śatam in the RV (8-55-3).

Śyāmākā (Echinochloa frumentacea): In several Iṣṭis, Caru or Purōḍāśā prepared of Śyāmāka grains are offered to Soma and other deities. The lightness of the seed is alluded to in the AV (19-50-4), where it is spoken of as blown away by the wind. There it is also mentioned as the food of pigeons in the AV (20-135-12). The Śyāmāka seeds (Taṇḍula) are referred to as very small in the Chandogya Upaniṣad (CU 8-14-3). In the TS it is revealed that this offering cure impotency and causes commendable virility (sōmāya vājinē śyāmākaṃ caruṃ nirvapēdyaḥ klaibyādbibhīyāt Taittirīya Saṃhita (TS) 2-3-3(18). The Materia Medica of Ayurvedā (p.245) records that the Śyāmāka is used medicinally for drying and un-unctuous. It also indicated that the grains are good aphrodisiac.

The great sage Veda Vyasa composed the Navagraha Stotra consists of nine mantras for nine planets. The following verse in the Navagraha Stotra is recited to please the Mercury (Budha) graha. Mercury is the planet of communication, organization, and mental dexterity. The first word in this liturgy is the name of one of the Millets, the Priyaṅgu.

Priyangu Kalika Shyamam Roopena Pratimam Budham

           Sowmyam Sowmya Guno Petam Tam Budham Prana Maamyaham

I bow down and pray to Mercury (Budha) graha, god of the planet Mercury, whose face is like a fragrant inflorescence of the Priyaṅgu (Millet) herb and whose beauty matches that of a lotus flower. He is most gentle, possessing all attractive qualities.

Suśruta (Suśruta Samhitā, 600-500 BC) classified cereals as dhanya varga, khudhanya varga and samidhanya varga. Khudhayna varga includes, among other Millets viz., kodo Millet (kodrusaha), barnyard Millet (śyāmākā), and Coix lacryma-jobi (gavedhuka). Archaeo-botanical remains have also been found from upper and middle Gangetic Plains. It was also grown at Manjhi (Saran, Bihar) during the red ware levels (250 BC-250 AD).

Kālidāsa Māhākavi (4-5^th AD), in his legendary literary masterpiece the ‘Abhijñāna Śākuntalam’ mentioned that sage Kāṇva who pours foxtail Millet while bidding farewell to Śakuntala in Dushyanta’s court, which indicates the auspicious nature attributed to this Millet. According to Dakar Bachan, composed sometime in early medieval Bengal (8^th to 13^th Century AD), cultivation of proso-Millet (china kaon) was advised if it rained during Phālgun month (February-March).

Thus, this indicates that small-seeded grasses, i.e., Millet crops were in consumption during Vedic and post Vedic period. Now, let’s know about their present-day status.

Nutritional Value of Millets and Present-Day

Millets are nutritiously rich, drought tolerant and mostly grown in the arid and semi-arid regions of Indian subcontinent and African countries. Indian Millets are nutritionally superior to wheat and rice as they are rich in protein, vitamins and minerals. It is scientifically proven that the Millets are high in fiber, rich in essential amino acids, polyphenols, and proteins, naturally gluten-free, alkaline, non-allergenic, and they are thus easily digestible. They have a low glycemic index, making them ideal for people with celiac disease, diabetes, obesity or other lifestyle diseases. A low glycemic index makes them an ideal rice substitute, good for cholesterol, diabetes and weight loss.

Grains of Indian Millets

Millets which are rich in calcium play an important role in the growth of children, pregnant women, and in malnutrition. It contains high amount of potassium for the proper functioning of the kidneys and brains and allows the brain and muscles to work smoothly. Millets confer good health and protection against non-communicative diseases. Epidemiological studies have shown that diets rich in Millets, including whole grains are protective against the non-communicable diseases like diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, due to protective effects of health promoting phytonutrients. Sprouting Millets make more minerals bioavailable. Malting of finger millet increases the bio-accessibility of iron and manganese. In India, Millets are generally consumed with legumes, which create mutual supplementation of protein, increase the amino acid content, and enhance the overall digestibility of protein.

(Source of Image: https://epaper.timesgroup.com/timesspecial/sci-tech-environment/helping-millets-get-their-mojo-back/1677352018644)

Millets in Modern Foods

Investigations have proved that use of 100% Millet in ready-to-eat breakfast cereals would be feasible. To increase the functional aspects of Millets, processing such as parboiling, malting, flaking, popping, boiling, extrusion (hot and cold) is done. This results in the diversification and shift towards more convenient/ processed products of fine cereals like rice and wheat from the Millets. Some of the food preparations made out of Indian Millet grains and floor is depicted in the Figure.

Food Preparations from Indian Millets

Times of India recently mentioned Millets, as ‘replicas of junk food, but they are tasty and healthy’ as claimed by Millet entrepreneurs in a report on the exhibition organized by Indian Agricultural Research Institute by the ‘Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA)’ , under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

So, time has come when we all can adopt our own indigenous traditional roots of Millets, having both Vedic insights and modern approach together!

Dr. Raghava S. Boddupalli, Institute of Sanskrit and Vedic Studies (ISVS) &

Dr. Aparna Dhir Khandelwal, Assistant Professor, School of Indic Studies, INADS, Dartmouth, USA

The Existence of Women within the Institution of Marriage : Appearance and Reality

Dr. Jayanti P Sahoo

In India, the institution of marriage has a long history. Since the Vedic times, the institution of marriage has a firm place in the society, where two conscious beings enter into a relationship consciously. The idea of the institution of marriage was not simply created where two parties enter into a relationship. The idea was to establish a society where the satisfaction of both animalistic instinct as well as human desire are taken into account. Two self-conscious beings enter into a kind of relationship where mutual adjustment, respect, trust, faith, freedom, acceptance, assimilation, and recognition take place. These are the parameters on which the institution of marriage is built with. Our Śāstra Paramparā also gives us ample examples where the relationships are based not only for the fulfillment of biological needs, rather it is based on the fulfillment of material, social, mental, and spiritual needs, e.g., Rāma and Sitā, Śiva and Śakti, Yājñavalkya and Gārgī and Maitreyī, etc.

(Source of Image: https://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/before-legal-marriage-age-for-women-is-raised-to-21-there-is-a-rush-to-marry-them-off-558157.html)

When we talk about the metaphysical aspects of the concept of marriage, we find that an idealistic interpretation has been associated with it. Marriage is defined as the highest social relations of two conscious beings. According to R.N. Sharma, a Hindu marriage is ‘a religious sacrament in which a man and a woman are bound in a permanent relationship for the physical, social, and spiritual purposes of dharma, procreation, and sexual pleasure’.

According to Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa (5.2.1.10), the wife is said to be ardhānginī which means ‘The wife is verily the half of the husband. Man is only the other half, not complete until he marries’.

अर्द्धो ह वा एष आत्मनो यज्जाया। तस्माद्यावज्जायां न विन्दते नैव तावत् प्रजायते।

The Taittirīya Saṁhitā also highlights the same concept. Manu declared that mutual fidelity between husband and wife was the highest dharma. A wife in a Hindu family is treated as ‘dharmapatni’. Any type of yajña is incomplete without her. The wife is supposed to be the best friend of her husband. She is the source of Dharma, Artha, Kāma, and Mokṣa.

Interestingly, the tradition says if we go by our causal explanation then either the self or the matter has created this world. And neither the self nor the matter has any gender. Logically, it follows that two self-conscious beings entered inside the institution of marriage and start their relationship by making some value-loaded promises which have no rational content but a conscious emotional decision.

So far as the metaphysical explanation of reality is concerned, the role of a woman within the institution of marriage is highly recognized. She has equal status in every sphere as we find enough shreds of evidence in the pre-Vedic age. Also, the Śruti texts such as Upaniṣads, and Epics like Rāmāyana and Māhābhārat recognize the role of women within the institution of marriage.  There are over 36 Riṣikas specifically found mentioned in various Vedic texts.

In the Vedic era, knowledge was transmitted through Guru-Śiṣya Paramparā, and the Śruti texts recognized the existence of the mother as the Ādi Guru or first preceptor. Even the children were prepared for a life of knowledge and wisdom during pregnancy – Garbha Samskāras. Vedic women were always literate. They were the primary custodians of essential knowledge.

However, coming to the Pauraṇic tradition, Smṛti tradition, and some texts on dharma sutras, we do not get a generous view regarding women. But there is enough evidence from the Śruti text that women had equal status as those of men in the Vedic age.

Literature like Bhagavadgītā talks about the equal status of women.  Ancient India recognized two types of scholarly women — the Brahmavādinīs, or the women who never married and cultured the Vedas throughout their lives; and the Sadyodvahas who studied the Vedas till they married. Pāṇini mentioned female students studying Vedas. Kātyana called female teachers Upādhyaya or Upādhyayī. Women played a prominent role in politics also.

The main objective of the institution of marriage especially in Hinduism is to foster, not self-interest, but self-restraint and love for the entire family, which keeps the family united and prevents its breakdown.

Appearance:

A woman defines her existence through the institution of marriage. The institution of marriage does not provide equal footage to both men and women. Existence becomes a struggle for a woman whereas for a man it’s an enjoyment. For a woman, it’s a state of immanence and passive existence and for a man, it’s a state of transcendence. All the rules are for women whereas men are the rule makers. Gradually the relationship diluted and resulted in stress and anxiety. It creates unhappiness for both husband and wife. The question arises of who is responsible for the state of uneasiness as both are the sufferers. One existential angst enters inside this close relationship. There is no longer any mutual recognition, respect, trust, faith, or love. The woman is defined no more as a self-conscious being but as an object of animalistic desire. Her existence is being challenged over a period of time. This forced her to act in a bad-faith (knowing the truth hiding the truth). She is alienated from her own consciousness and behaves like an object. Consequently, it also damages the existence of a husband who always claims himself as a subject (self-conscious being), a privileged class who always works through human desire. Ultimately the metaphysical explanation of marriage as reality turns into a hostile relationship on the level of appearance.

At the level of appearance, men have always kept all concrete powers in their hand. Women are always in a sorry state not acting as autonomous consciousness but as dependent entities. It’s not that a woman within the institution of marriage doesn’t want to project herself as Sītā or Durgā or Gourī or Satī. She only does sacrifices in her life but in return never receives any appreciation. There is a gap between appearance and reality. It’s not that she claims equality. We cannot make any general claim here. Problems are different. The existence of women is not properly defined within a patriarchal setup. It’s not the question of who is right and who is wrong, but the question is how to remove the gap between the husband and wife. Unless there is mutual agreement, adjustment, and respect, the things are not going to change. Both have to work together in order to bring unity and peace within the family. Saying one is right and the other is wrong won’t resolve the problem.

Reality:

Our scriptures say like this, and without understanding these thoughts people always try to raise their girl child by saying ‘you are Sītā, you are Pārvatī, and later on in their lives when they get married in Indian society, they are expected to behave like that. A married woman within the institution of marriage loses her self-respect, and identity and also has no place for in-laws. Because Sītā is dedicated to her husband or family… so, should be all females but in society, no male is behaving like Rāma and they are not even expected to…hence conflict arises.

The equation works like this:

1. Subject (conscious being can be wife/husband) treats others as an object (can be husband/wife) (Appearance)
2. Both of them treat each other as objects (Appearance)
3. Both of them treat each other as Subject (self-conscious being), thereby entering into a relationship where marriage is sacrosanct and pious. (Reality-Intersubjective element based on mutual adjustment, surrendering their false ego, acceptance, assimilation, and recognition of human I)

Who is responsible for this? Society, the wife, the husband, or everything taken together?  It’s a never-ending story….

(to be continued…)

Dr. Jayanti P Sahoo, HOD & Associate Professor, Philosophy, JDM College, University of Delhi, Delhi

Plant Wealth Revealed in the Śrī Rudram

Dr. Raghava S. Boddupalli

Formation of Śrī Rudram

Lord Rudra is the deity mentioned in all four Vēdic texts at multiple places and in multiple forms. Also, Rudra is highly admired in Vēdas and Purāṇas. The name ‘Rudra’ occurs 98 times in the RV, 113 times in the Kṛṣṇa Yajurvēda (KYV), 22 times in the Śukla Yajurvēda (SYV), 4 times in the SV and 45 times in the AV. The Yajurvēda hymns that have gained particular importance are the ‘Rudra Namakaṁ’ (TS 4-5-1 to 4-5-11) and the ‘Rudra Camakaṁ’ (TS 4-7-1 to 4-7-11), which constitute the ‘Śatarudrīyam’ or the ‘Śrī Rudram’ or ‘Rudrapraśna’. Traditionally, along with Namakaṁ and Camakaṁ, Puruṣa sūktaṃ is also chanted.

Namakaṁ Camakaṁ caiva puruṣa sūktam ca nityaśaḥ |

Mahādēvēna tattulyam tanmē manaḥ śivasaṃkalpamastu ||

‘Rudram’ occurs in all the original 108 (92 KYV and 16 SYV) branches (Śākhas) of the Yajurvēda (YV), thus giving rise to the name ‘Śatarudrīyam’. Rudram is found in the six recensions of the YV (4 of KYV and 2 of SYV) surviving today. In the Śrī Rudram alone, the name ‘Rudra’ occurs 18 times and the name ‘Śiva’ occurs 14 times in the Namaka Praśna. The popular name ‘Namaka Praśna’ is due to the repeated utterance, 187 times, of the word “Namah or Namo” (salutation). Following this, the ‘Camaka Praśna’ is chanted wherein the words “Ca me” (meaning ‘and me’), repeated 338 times, hence popularly named ‘Camakam’. While chanting the Śrī Rudram, it is customary after reciting the 11^th Anuvāka of the Namaka Praśna, the additional eight Mantras that are chanted which contain the famous Mahā Mr̥tyuṃjaya Mantra, and the other Mantras are revealed in the TS, but elsewhere. Among these eight Mantras, three Mantras are revealed in the RV, four Mantras in the Taittirīya Āraṇyakam (TA) and one Mantra in the TS.  These Mantras are brought together and merged after the 11^th Anuvāka of the Namaka Praśna and together are described as ‘Rudra Namaka’. By chanting these Mantras, we are praying Lord Rudra to protect us from untimely death. Similarly, after the 11^th Anuvāka of the Camaka Praśna, a Śānti Mantra that is routinely recited is obtained from the 3^rd Kāṇḍa of the TS [3-3-2(4)].  With this, the chanting of the ‘Śrī Rudram’ is completed. The three Mantras that are adopted from the RV into the Śrī Rudram are provided with the YV swara. The additional Mantras might have been appended by our R̥ṣis.

Botanical Facets of Śrī Rudram

The Mantras/liturgies in the Śrī Rudram describe agriculture crops, plants, trees and botanical and agriculture terminology. The term Ōṣadhi appears in mantras of Śrī Rudram. Ōṣadhi means an annual plant or herb with medicinal properties. It also means a plant that dies immediately after it produces seeds or a herb that lasts for one year or season [TS 4-5-2(11)]. Śrī Rudram explains that plants and trees containing trichomes (kēśa or hair-like structures) on both sides of the leaves, i.e. dorsal and ventral surface of the leaf [TS 4-5-2(2)].  Both the leaves and the trichomes (hair-like structures) are containing the chlorophyll (hari or harita) and hence they are green in colour. Just as hair are innumerable in number and that protect the skin and the head of the human beings, leaves are also numerous and protect plants and trees. The term Śaṣpa is mentioned in the YV Saṃhitās [TS 4-5-8(16) and VS 21-29] and in RV Brāhmaṇa (AB 8-5-3 and AB 8-8-4), YV Brāhmaṇa[SB 12-7-2(8) and SB 12-9-1(2)]. Sāyaṇāchārya in his commentary on Taittirīya Saṃhita mentioned that Śaṣpa means a just born Darbha grass (Desmostachya bipinnata) grows on the banks of the Ganga River. It also denotes ‘young’ or a ‘sprouting grass’.

tryaṃbakaṃ yajāmahē sugandhiṃ puṣṭivardhanaṃ |

               urvārukamiva bandhanānmṛtyōrmukṣīya māmṛtāt || – TS 1-8-6(11)

My Salutations to Lord Rudra, as the scent, colour etc. are all superior as mentioned by Upanishad in ‘Divyagandha:, the Sri Gandha tree (Santalum album)’, ‘Divyarasa:’ etc., has been used here. Also, in this Mantra it is an invocation made with a request to release the clutch of ‘Mṛtyu’ (death). The essence of this Mantra signifies the fact that just as the ripened Urvāruka (see Figure 01) (cucumber fruit = Cucumis sativus) separates on its own from the stem, in the same way I would like to liberate myself from the cycle of life and death.

Figure 02 – Urvāru (Cucumis sativus) – (a) Cucumber field, (b) Flowering stage, (c) Cucumber fruit intact with the plant, (d) Cucumber fruits and (e) Seeds

Lord Rudra’s weapons such as Triśūla, Bow (Pinakam), Arrows and others are made out of an important and highest quality wood comparable to that of a Nyagrōdha (Ficus benghalensis) tree [TS 4-5-10(10)]. It is described that Lord is seated in a banyan tree in Kailasa, which is 100 Yōjanas tall and 175 Yōjanas wide (Yōjana is a Vedic measure of distance that was used in ancient India. One Yōjana is about 12-15 kilometers in length) and that banyan tree is the refuge of those anxious to obtain Mokṣa.

The 4^th Anuvāka of the Camaka Praśna starts with ‘energy’ so much needed for day to day living. It then lists various sources of energy and the means to procure them (agriculture, conquest, etc.).  It asks for the abundance of those sources. It indicates the requirements for the success of Agriculture, growth of the plants and creepers. For the reputed food, the Annam, revealed the major, minor food grains, legumes and an oil seed crop that would give relief from hunger. Here, seven cereal crops, four legume crops and one oil seed crop are revealed (TS 4-7-4, see Figure 02).

……व्री॒हय॑श्च मे॒ यवा”श्चम मे॒ माषा”श्च मे॒ तिला”श्च मे मु॒द्गाश्च॑ मे ख॒ल्वा”श्च मे गो॒धूमा”श्च मे म॒सुरा”श्च मे

प्रि॒यङ्ग॑वश्च॒ मेण॑वश्च मे श्या॒माका”श्च मे नी॒वारा”श्च मे || – TS 4-7-4.

Figure 02 – Cereal, Legume and Oil Seed Crops Revealed
in the Śrī Rudram

The different qualities of cereal grains and their progressive increase in growth of food grains are detailed in this Anuvāka (TS 4-7-4). It prays for the condition in which one never has to go hungry (akṣut) and the condition in which one never runs out (akṣitiḥ) of any item required in a given day. One also gets the message that having food and drink with many more people is more elevating for the nourishment of the body and mind. All these actions are energy-imbibing (eating, drinking etc.) are to be done with a sweet and pleasant manner of speaking, which will definitely reflect in the subtle portion of the food which goes to the mind.

The plants/trees and their derivatives are the key for the ritualistic activities and their significance is described in the Yajurveda. Yajña is the subject matter of entire Vēda. The general requirements to perform Yajñas and are detailed in the Śrī Rudram. The general requirements of Yajñaand Yāgas, in the form of preparation of Yajña Vēdi, Samidhas (kindling wood), Yajña implements (manufactured from different wood of trees), plant-derived oblations, and others are clearly indicated in the Camaka Praśna of Śrī Rudram (TS 4-7-8).

This brief article explains some significant botanical aspects of the Śrī Rudram. An exhaustive explanation of all botanical and agricultural facets is available in the article titled, ‘Agriculture Crops, Plants and Trees Revealed in the Śrī Rudram’ (Raghava S. Boddupalli (2019) Asian Agri-History, 23(4): 261-281). In summary, the flora of Śrī Rudram contains, one (01) wild grass, seven (07) cereal crops, four (04) legume crops, one (01) oil seed crop, two (02) creepers, five (05) shrubs and fifteen (15) trees. The plants and trees mentioned in the Camaka Praśna are more in number when compared with the Namaka Praśna. The reason for this is that in the Camaka Praśna we pray to the Lord Rudra to provide various crops, plants and trees required for our living and also to perform Yajñas and Yāgās. The crops mentioned in the Śrī Rudram are being cultivated even today for food and fodder.

Dr. Raghava S. Boddupalli, Institute of Sanskrit and Vedic Studies (ISVS)

Editor's note: The above mentioned author's article titled, ‘Agriculture Crops, Plants and Trees Revealed in the Śrī Rudram’ published in Asian Agri-History journal has received 'Dr. KL Mehra Memorial Award'.

The Fortune of Being a Senior Citizen

Dr. C.L. Prabhakar

‘sataminnu sarado anti devahyatra nascakra jarasam tanunam

putraso yatra pitaro bhavanti mano madhyareerishatayurgantoh‘

“Oh you Gods! A lovely hundred years (Śarad seasons) stand before us with in the given span of lifetime. Kindly, do not trouble our mortal physical frame, until we reach to a certain age. The next generation can take charge and get ready to bear the responsibilities of becoming fathers in turn.”

Rigveda 1.89.9

Source of Image : https://in.pinterest.com/pin/847169379882541348/

Ramayana expressed a truth that death is natural to all beings while life and living is change. But if a being lives long breathing (svāsan) healthily then we consider him to be fortunate. In other words, if prāṇa-śakti is live, healthy, it is a blessing and the person would be able to witness many things for long time upon this Earth. Therefore, to grow into the stage of senior citizen for any being born on Earth is Fortunate. Here when Valmiki employed the word ‘Svāsa’ he seems to imply health, active life in the granted span of time. Svāsa is the prāṇa and when it is intact activity could be done with such vigour and enthusiasm. Further we have a prayer to Rudra ‘Prathamo Daivyo Bhishak’ (SYV 16 Ch). He needs to bless us long life followed by assurances of health and detachments of unwanted strings of responsibilities. This would help for all to subsist that period of life to go for gains like: friends, health, wealth, and above all sustained memory. In Camaka prasanga of Yajurveda, we have many articles of life programs enlisted. All of them are lending support for hope and optimistic aspirations for necessary comfort. Thereby our faculties and activity shall not be passive. In principle, we have asked for 35 optimistic desires and conditions to go safe with us until the end of being a senior citizen. There are hundreds of positive desires to stay and be fruitful to us in life. For example, one can see developments in various dimensions of life like, family, profession, contacts, religious and spiritual events and distinctions. Such long life leads to growth into being a ‘Śatāyuṣī’ (of hundred years). Right from the age eighty and more years of age, the person is styled as Śatāyuṣī and there are many āśirvāda mantras Veda and other scriptures to confirm health and peace in the life thereafter for the persons in. Prayer is unfailing measure of attainments being proved a Boon and Bonus.

As we are born and brought up as the child of the creator Prajāpati, Atharvaveda, lends a scope by confirming a blessings thus: to reach the old age. Kalidasa too has given the scheme of life:

Saisave abhysata vidyanam Yauvane vishayeshinam!

vardhake muni vruttinam yogenante tanu tyajam!!

Raghuvamsa 1.8

Which means from boyhood to 25 years, earn knowledge as much as possible. Learn arts and sciences as much as possible further. Growing young (25 to 50 years of age) one would enjoy the pleasures, acquisitions and stabilization for richness and sharing, etc. It is stage to gather wealth and properties and discharge responsibilities in many fronts. While at advanced age from fifty years and more; one has to live like a saint and finally with the practice of discipline of Yoga one to prepare to leave the body at the conclusion of living. Moreover, in old age practice the activities gravitating towards those activities of sages and saints and at end yoking the mind with the Absolute. Later evict the soul from body to attain Emancipation.

The motto of life need be, as Kalidasa continues to advise: whatever riches or wealth amassed, gift away at senior age. For a balanced safety, ‘talk judiciously’, eat fewer amounts of food for health. Thus, prepare for peaceful existence and exit.

Tyaagaya smbhrutarthanm Satyaya mita bhashinam!

yasase vijigeeshunam prajayai gruhamedhinam!!

Raghuvamasa 1.7

Taittiriya Upanishad too exhorts the same in its section on Vedic Convocation (vedamanucyacaryo antevasinamanusasti…). In this manner, on the one hand, we can also follow the instructions provided by our great thinkers and on the other gain indications and measures done profusely from our scriptures for an aspirant course of life at old age.

Moreover, the set of four aims marked for people namely Dharma, Artha , Kāma and Mokṣa constitute as their pastimes. An urge is cultivated to make them fulfilled greatly. Also four āśramas (stages of life) are suggested to individuals keeping reverence to worldly life, past times and workable activities, which are – Bhrahmacarya, Gruhastha, Vānaprastha and sanyāsa. Vānaprastha considers as the high time to go up to Śatāyuṣī. It is a stage to elevate mind and adopt the spiritual practices like Yoga, worship, dhyāna, jāpa, prāṇāyāma and more for peace and complacency. When a person turn older, they have to attend personal upliftment which they could not attend during their age of storm. At advanced age it is necessary to turn to Vedanta and mingle with the divine interest. Yajurveda Chapter 18 opens with the mantra that one has to look for the divya vajas that uplifts the life. Divya vajas are the things that would be of utility, personal, impersonal and universal. This is the most crucial time as the parents are in at the edge of old age which is full of experiences of life and eager to enlighten their next generation.

Every day is precious, a gain and a bonus after certain senior age for everybody. Personal ego need at least be reduced and in its place the divine importance is to be installed. So, to live the age of any senior for long with health and peace one needs ‘śānti karmas’ religiously. They begin from Ṣaṣṭhi purti (60 years) of age and go up to Śatāyuṣī. Every decade, after sixty years all need śānti ceremonies. This involves invoking the blessings of elders, gods and the departed ancestors in the lineage on installment basis. Religious observances (tapas of convenient order) add to the effort of seniority.

The flow of time (Kāla) is like river which never turns back. The clock for a senior person is very important and so one has to be mindful. There is a suggestion that one has to do dharma –

Ajara amaravat prajnah vidyam artham ca sadhayet|

gruhita iva keseshu mrutyuna dharma macaretḥ||

Hitopadesa

The verse suggests in the course of life, vidyā and Artha need be earned as though mṛtyu is grasping hairs.

Āchārya Śankara says in one of his stotras advises- ‘please reduce the ego and pride everyday little by little to reach zero level (aharahar va garvam parityajyatam). When ego is removed scope for benefits would be at gain. Here, Śankara hints that it is in our hands to send away ego and negativity from us. Śṛi Kṛśṇa gave the importance to a fact that one should uplift by himself as self is all in all and never self be demeaned.

uddharet atmana atmanam naatmanam avasadayet

atmaivahyatmano bandhuh atmaiva ripuratmanah  !!

Bhagavadgītā 6.8

One has to help oneself to uplift. Never one should demean his own self. Self is the friend to self, but self is enemy to one’s own self. Kṛśṇa means here self-reliance is the formula of happiness and more so when people reach senior age. Relations usually neglect the requests.

Self is noble and personal too. Seniors are at the verge of evening walk of life, meaning exit remains closer. Realizing that, they should monitor their time with care and commitment. They must take assistance only when they should. Kṛśṇa said in the Bhagavadgītā that one should uplift oneself. Such instruction is a mark of wisdom to the people, more so at senior stage since children and relations grow busy in their own way.

When seniors practice Vedāntic way of life, realizing its worth in reality, then they would be near peace and in peace too. This piece will help happy ending, the conclusion of life on earth. For any senior individual, death without any hazels and life with no dependence is desirous.

These two are possible when we turn spiritual and revering the divine. This fortune is obtainable by Yoga, which includes dhyāna and accessories to them. Also, one should adopt the inclination of mind to vote for the sense of vairāgya. The awareness of the body, house and township, etc. need not be bothered at invariably. Truly speaking our body is a Traveller’s’ Bungalow taken for lease for a period. But while enjoying ‘be neutral and uncommitted’ like the lotus leaf in a pond (Padmapatra iva ambhasa). For this way of adopted living the mind is to be disciplined and that is possible through the instructions by a guru and practice of them regularly.

The constant prayer is:’ whatever advancement in age and wealth possessed should be prosperous and helpful owing to the effort which is the form of Yajña. One always need to remember the Upaniśadic truth:

 ‘mrutyorma amrutam gamaya’

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad

 move from material problems to ultimate pathway of spirituality and the immortality

When God’s grace subsists life of a senior is a FORTUNE and a true BONUS. It is so because Earth, the bhuloka, is the most beautiful loka of lokas. We have attestations given to us in the works of great sages, authors like Kalidasa, Bana and several others in the world Literature. Added to that there would be scope to wash off follies and sins in order to get higher planes of happiness and Nirvāṇa.

In a nutshell, to live a full period of Senior citizen as granted by the providence is a boon. It should be appropriately employed for personal and universal welfare by controlling emotions. Mind can be managed pleasant by studying relevant scriptures. He would have the scope to experience Bhoga, Bhāgya, Saubhāgya and Mokṣa.

Dr. C.L Prabhakar, Professor, Sanskrit & President, WAVES, Bangalore Chapter

Vedic Shield against Visible and Invisible Organisms

–Dr. Raghava S. Boddupalli

Introduction

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses, including some that cause the common cold to some that cause major diseases such as the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). In December 2019, the pandemic outbreak of a novel ‘Coronavirus disease’ (COVID-2019), later termed as SARS-CoV-2, is potentially fatal and a highly contagious disease. Given that in absence of a definitive COVID-19 treatment and the presence of asymptomatic carriers, the conventional intervention measures to curb the rate of infection and deaths are highly challenging. This novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV) is a new strain that has not been previously identified in humans. Respiratory involvement, presenting as mild flu like illness to potentially lethal acute respiratory distress syndrome or fulminant pneumonia resembling that of SARS-CoV is the dominant clinical manifestation of COVID-19. Like other respiratory tract infections, pre-existing comorbidities are reported to enhance vulnerability to COVID-19 patients. Although the pathophysiology of SARS-CoV-2  is not  well  studied  yet,  existing  evidences  suggest likely  resemblances  to  other  SARS-CoVs’ infection; the  acute  lung  injury  resulting  from  aggressive  inflammation  triggered  by  viral replication. People with compromised immune systems, the very old and young and those with diagnosed heart and lung conditions are most at risk of developing complications if they contract an infection like this. While currently there is no cure for this, we can work with our mind and body through natural remedies to greatly strengthen our immune system. If our immune system is strong, then we can fight and prevent any infection.

Homa oblations to control bacterial and fungal pathogens 

According to Vedic scholars, the combination of the powerful energy of the fire and the Vedic mantras/liturgy creates extremely auspicious and purifying vibrations that are beneficial to the people attending yajña or hōma. The homa-ājya that is used in the yajñas is made only from the cow’s milk. Research reports indicate that the cow-ghee contains many essential nutrients, anti-oxidants and saturated fatty acids. These reports provided experimental evidence that the cow-ghee is having anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties. The practice of Agnihotra and placing havan (fire offerings) purifies the house and the outside environment. A scientific report states that homa is an effective method to reduce the fungal spores load in small office or room. As per the experiments conducted, the homa fire smoke has the potency to kill fungal spores. In another study, it is experimentally shown that the medicinal smoke emanated by burning wood (samidha) and a mixture of odoriferous and medicinal herbs has the ability to effectively reduce pathogenic bacteria in the air. Another report conceptualizes the principle of Agnihotra yajña as having potent pharmacological action. The anti-viral property of the homa needs to be experimented and tested.

Microorganisms in Vedas

The word krimi occurs in the Vedas for different macroscopic and microscopic creatures. Right from germs like bacteria, viruses and others, various insects like kīṭa, pataṃga are referred as krimi. There are two types of krimis viz., dṛṣta (visible / macroscopic) and adṛṣta (invisible / microscopic) were described in Atharvaveda (AV) as an entire hymn [5-5-23].

yō akṣyau parisarpati yō nāsē parisarpati।

datāṃ yō madhyaṃ gacchati taṃ krimiṃ jaṃbhayāmasmi ॥

AV 5-5-23(3)

नेत्रों में घूमने वाले, नाक के नथुने में घूमने वाले तथा दाँत में रहने वाले कृमियों को हम नष्ट करते हैं।

utpurastātsūrya ēti viśvadṛṣṭō adṛṣṭahā।

dṛṣṭāṃśca dnannadṛṣṭāṃśca sarvāśca pramṛṇākrimīn ॥

AV 5-5-23(6)

सब प्राणियों के लिए दर्शनीय सूर्य अदृश्य कीटों को नष्ट करते हैं। वे दृश्य, अदृश्य सब प्रकाश के कृमियों को मारते हुए पूर्व से उदय हो रहे हैं।

We pray that both the worms (krimi) that we can see, and that we see not, be destroyed. These two categories encompass nearly all krimi (microbes / pathogens). According to their origin and habitat they are categorized as praṇyaśrayī and anyasthānaśrayī. Different śārīrika, mānasika and ādhyātmika vyādhis were thought to be originated from these krimis. These harmful and debilitating (puṣtināṣaka) organisms are recognized by various names based on troubles/sufferings they produce. Sun and fire (agni) were described as internal source of treatment (krimi cikitsa). Today, science also confirms these facts that early morning ultraviolet light rays emanating from sun can be used for various krimijanya-vyādhis. Apart from this, various treatment modalities by using various natural resources, herbal drugs, mineral drugs, fumigation, cleansing (mārjan-prōkṣaṇa) and hymns are described for krimi and diseases caused by them in Yajurveda and Atharvaveda.

Prayer to Soma (god of medicinal herbs), Rudra (primordial doctor) and other deities

sōmārudrā vi vṛhataṃ viṣūcīmamīvā yā nō gayamāvivēśa।

ārē bādhēthāṃ nirṛtiṃ parācaiḥ kṛtaṃ cidēnaḥ pra mumuktamasmat॥

Yajurveda [TS 1-8-22(22)] 

Oh Soma (god of medicinal herbs) and Rudra! Enter our homes and eradicate morbidity. Drive away and trouble the unfavorable disease from afar. You will remove from us the sin (which is in the form of disease) that is stuck to our bodies.

adhyavōcadadhivaktā prathamō daivyō bhiṣak।

ahīgśca sarvāṅjaṃbhayaṃthsarvāśca  yātudhānyaḥ॥

Yajurveda [TS 4-5-1(2), MS 16-5]

The first anuvaka of Namakaṁ in Śrī Rudram is not only chanted for all-round development of the community as well as the well-being of the chanter, but will also provide protective shield (kavaca) against the visible and invisible enemies like virulent fevers, fatal disorders, absolution from evil stars and bad karma.

udgrābhaṃ ca nigrābhaṃ ca brahma dēvā avīvṛdhann।

athā saptnāniṃdrāgnī mē viṣūcīnānvyasyatām॥

Yajurveda [TS 1-6-4]

Brahma and other devatas improved the two-fold nature (udgrābha and nigrābha) of the ladle, increasing its prosperity. Using this, Indra and Agni drove away and destroyed cholera.

Remedy for germs

atriṇā tvā krimē hanmi । kaṇvēna jamadaggninā। viśvāvasōrbhrahmaṇā hataḥ। kriṃīṇāguṃ rājā। apyēṣāgsthapatir hataḥ।  athō mātāthō pitā। athō sthūrā athō kṣudrāḥ। athō kṛṣṇā athō śvētāḥ। athō āśātikā hataḥ। śvētābhi ssaha sarvē hataḥ॥

Taittirīya Āraṇyaka [TA] 4-36

O Germ! I kill you with the mantra revealed by the ṛṣis Atri, Kaṇva and Jamadagni. The leader of the germs was killed by the mantra revealed by Visvavasu, a Gandharva. The other germ leaders were also killed. The mother and father of the germs were destroyed. All types of germs – big and small, black and white were killed. Moreover, the germs in the bodies of animals like cows and horses were also killed. We offer the havis in the hōma, in the yajñaśāla. Similarly, through this mantra, we keep the enemies, in the tooth of Yama. We can listen to the crushing sound of the enemies, while they are killed.

yā vyāghraṃ viṣūcikā। ubhauvṛkaṃcarakṣati। śyēnaṃ patatriṇaguṃ siguṃham। sēmaṃ pātvagumhasaḥ॥

Taittirīya Brāhmaṇa [TB] 2-6-1(5)

व्याधियों को दूर करने वाली विषूचिका यजमान की उसी प्रकार रक्षा करें जिस प्रकार व्याघ्र, वृक, सिंह और पक्षी को जरण दोष नहीं होता।

This mantra implores the deity of cholera, viṣūcikā, to protect the sacrificer from distress in the same way that the tiger, wolf, winged hawk and the lion are protected or spared.

Prayer to Vayu and Prajapati

vātaṃ prāṇaṃ manasānvārabhāmahē। prajāpatiṃ yō bhuvanasya gōpāḥ। sanōmṛtyōstrāyatāṃ pātvaguṃhasaḥ। jyōgjīvā jarāmaśīmahi॥

TB 3-7-7(2)

प्राण रूपी वायु और प्रजापति जो इस भुवन के स्वामी है। वे हमारे मन से मृत्यु के भय को हटाये। हम चिरकाल तक जीवन जीये अर्थात् वृद्धावस्था तक ।

It is a prayer for vāyu (custodian of vital air – prāṇaṃ) and Prajāpati, who is the creator and protector of the universe (bhuvanās) – heaven, earth, and hell – (bhuvanasya gōpāḥ) and the people living in them. They relieve us from the attack of mṛtyu (dangers and untimely unhappy occurences) as well as from the sins (aguṃhasaḥ). These may be carried on by the jīva even to the next birth. We have to mark the definite hope expressed in the expression: ‘jyogjīvā jarāmaśīmahi’. This desire is also mentioned as prayer to Sun God in Śaura sūkta. As there are many uncertainties in one’s life, there no guarantee in reaching old age. From birth to death, many mayantarayas (mṛtyu) occur. Hence, they need to be curbed periodically. When this mantra is performed as japa, surely the deities under prayer shall focus this care on the devotees. They promote health and save us from death and distress (Prabhakar, C.L., Veda Nada Sarit, 27(228), April 2020).  

Cure for respiratory diseases

jarāyujaḥ prathama usriyā vṛṣā vātābhrajā stanayannēti vṛṣṭyā।

    sanō mṛḍāti tanvaṛujugō rujan ya ēkamōjastrēdhā vicakramē॥

AV 1-3-12(1)

जरायु से उत्पन्न जगत् से पूर्व सृष्टि में सबसे प्रथम उत्पन्न वायु के समान शीघ्रगामी और अनंत बल संपन्न सूर्य मेघों  को गर्जाते हुए वर्षा के साथ आते हैं। वे सूर्य हमें त्रिदोष जनित रोगों से मुक्त कर। वे सीधे चलने वाले सूर्य जो एक होकर भी तीन प्रकार से प्रकाशित होते हैं, हमारे शरीर को सुख दें।

We pray the Sun, who shines strong even through the heavy clouds and rain, and provide comfort to our body by curing many diseases.

añgē añgē śōciṣā śriśriyāṇaṃ namasyaṃta stvā haviṣā vidhēmal

      añkāṃtsamañkān haviṣā vidhēma yō agrabhīt parvāsyā grabhītā॥

AV 1-3-12(2)

प्रत्येक अवयवों में अपनी दीप्ति रूप से व्याप्त हे सूर्य! हम स्तुति, हवि आदि से आपको पूजते हैं। आपके समीपवर्ती देवताओं को भी हवि द्वारा सेवा करते हैं। रोगों से ग्रसित इस पुरुष की रोग निवृत्ति के लिए हम आपको पूजते हैं।

In this mantra, salutations are offered to the Sun, who pervades in full brilliance in all creatures. Oblations are offered to the Sun, His followers and other deities to cure us all from the virulent diseases and viral fevers which affect our body.

Remedy through Cow-Urine

idamidvā u bhēṣajamidaṃ rudrasya bhēṣajam|

      yēnēṣumēkatējanāṃ śataślyāmapabravat॥

AV 6-12-57(1)

इस रोग को दूर करने वाली औषधि को मैं करूंगा यह रुद्र की औषधि अंत काल में सबको रुलाती है। इसका शिव ने प्रयोग किया था।

To cure wrana i.e., all diseases the medicines made available by Rudra are indeed the only cures. According to Monier Williams, wrana stands for wound, sore, ulcer, abscess, tumors, cancer, boil, scar, cicatrix, cracks etc.

jālāṣēṇābhi ṣiñcata jālāṣēṇōpa siñcatal

      jālāṣamugraṃ bhēṣajaṃ tēna nō mṛḍa gīvasē॥

AV 6-12-57(2)

हे परिचारको! तुम गोमूत्र के फेन जल से घाव को धोओ, यह रोग को दूर करने में श्रेष्ठ है। हे रुद्र! इस औषधि से हमको सुख दो।

The body parts affected by disease and nearest to the disease parts should be thoroughly washed with the mixture of cow urine (gō-mutra) and activated water. This is the most potent remedy blessed by Rudra for giving healthy life to us for the treatment of these diseases.

saṃ ca nō mayaśca nō mā ca naḥ kiṃ canāmamatl                    

        kṣmā rapō viśvaṃ nō astu bhēṣajaṃ sarvaṃ nō astu bhēṣajam॥

AV 6-12-57(3)

हे देव! हमको सुख मिले हमारे पशु-मनुष्य रोग-ग्रस्त न हों और पाप का नाश हो। संपूर्ण विश्व और उनके श्रेष्ठ कर्म हमारे लिए औषधि के समान हों।

Let there be health for us, peace for us, pleasure for us, let nothing cause injury and harm to us, let all diseases be banished, let all the objects in this world be promoters of our health.

The above mentioned three Atharvaveda mantras [11-13] describe how the urine of cow can be used in treating against unicellular amoeba-like organisms (Vedas call them creatures without mouths). Use of the cow urine is suggested as a mixture with vigorously stirred – foaming water – activated water, similar to the making of homeopathic and bio-dynamic preparations. Research reports indicate that the cow urine has antimicrobial activities and particularly on fugal pathogens. As of now, there is no published report with regard to the measures to fight the virus by using cow urine. It is time to investigate the effectiveness of cow urine against even the coronavirus.

Conclusions

It is unfortunate that now-a-days, humans are facing many diseases. The outbreak of coronavirus has been detected a few months ago. Ishvara being our real inspiration has given us the knowledge of four Vedas to destroy illusion and solve all kinds of problems, including those of medical science. Many fatal infections can be destroyed by performance of yajñas and yāgyās. When we obey the Vedic principles, diseases are either destroyed from its roots or do not even generate. Vedic mantras state that agnihotra purifies food grains, water, and bestows mental and physical strength so that people can enjoy prosperous life. Veda mantras have the ability to drive away the health hazards and sādhana is important for siddhi. 

Dr. Raghava S. Boddupalli, Institute of Sanskrit and Vedic Studies (ISVS)

‘कोरोना-अभिशाप’ : प्रकृति के लिए वरदान!

डा. अपर्णा (धीर) खण्डेलवाल

हमारे जीवन को सरल बनाने वाले औद्योगिकरणों एवं वैज्ञानिक सफलताओं ने कहीं न कहीं हमें प्रकृति से कोसों दूर कर दिया। आज हम हरे-भरे उद्यानों की छाया एवं मनोरम छवि, नदियों की तरंगपूर्ण शीतल लहरों की  कल्कलाहट, शुद्ध वायु, सूर्य की निर्मल पहली किरण से जगमगाते हुए आसमान की लालिमा, पक्षियों की चहचहाहट, भ्रमरों का गुंजन, तित्लियों के रंग-बिरंगे पंखों का फैलाव, फूलों की सुगन्ध, चांदनी रातें, टिमटिमाते हुए तारे आदि प्राकृतिक अनुभूतियों को छोड़ अत्यन्त व्यस्त जीवन जी रहे थे। इस जीवन में न तो प्रकृति के लिए समय था, न ही परिवार के लिए। समय था तो केवल चुनौतियों से भरे हुए अहंकार-पूर्ण जीवन के लिए। इन चुनौतियों को पूरा करने और लौकिक सुखों के उद्देश्य में मानव यह भूल गया कि वह अपनी लापरवाही से प्रकृति का अनजाने में कितना दोहन प्रतिदिन प्रतिक्षण किए ही जा रहा है। जिसके परिणाम स्वरूप आज हरियाली खत्म होती जा रही है, वायु में सांस नहीं लिया जा रहा, नदियों का जल पय नहीं रहा, अत्याधिक वर्षा भूस्खलन का कारण बन गई इत्यादि। इन्हीं सब चिन्ताओं से आज हमारे शरीर रोगग्रस्त हो रहे हैं।

2020 के दस्तक देने से पूर्व ही ‘कोरोना’ विश्वपटल पर धीरे-धीरे चुपके-चुपके पैर पसार रहा था। पहले चीन फिर यूरोपीय देश फिर समस्त विश्व का सिकंदर बना अमेरिका इसकी चपेट में आते जा रहे थे….. और फिर बारी आई अपने भारत की। अत्यन्त घातक यह ’कोरोना’ समस्त विश्व में कोहराम मचाकर लाखों की संख्या में मानव जाति को पीड़ित कर रहा है। यह स्थिति कहलाई जा रही है ’कोरोना-महामारी’। इस स्थिति पर नियंत्रण पाने के लिए अथवा उसके संक्रमण से सम्पूर्ण मानव-जाति को बचाने के लिए…….सभी देशों में धीरे-धीरे सम्पूर्ण बंद (lockdown) की स्थिति आ गई। देखते ही देखते देश-विदेश के समस्त बड़े-बड़े उद्योग, यातायात के साधन, लोक-व्यवहार, बाज़ार, उत्पादन, खरीद-बिक्री एक के बाद एक बंद होते चले गए। कोई इसे प्राकृतिक-आपदा कहने लगा तो कोई मानवीय त्रुटि। किसी का भी ध्यान प्रकृति के कायाकल्प की ओर नहीं जा रहा। सब ओर हाहाकार ही सुनाई पड़ता रहा। अगर हम ऐसा मान लें कि शायद प्रकृति हमारी व्यावहारिक ज़िन्दगी से थकने के कारण थोड़ा विराम लेना चाहती थी……तो शायद ’कोरोना-महामारी’ सहज लगने लगे।

वास्तव में प्रकृति केवल वही नहीं जो सम्पूर्ण ब्रह्माण्ड के चारों ओर आच्छादित है, जिसे हम ‘पर्यावरण’ के नाम से जानते हैं अपितु प्रकृति के दोनों रूप हमें जानने चाहिए – बाह्य प्रकृति और आन्तरिक प्रकृति। बाह्य प्रकृति में समुद्र-नदियाँ, पर्वत, वृक्ष-पौधे, वायु आते हैं। आन्तरिक प्रकृति में हमारे विचार आते हैं। दोनों प्रकृतियों को सहेज के रखना ही हमारा कर्तव्य है, तभी प्रकृति और हमारा आपसी संतुलन बना रहता है।

बाह्य प्रकृति –

प्रकृति के साथ सम्बन्ध की अनुभूति ही सिद्ध करती है, हमारा प्रकृति के प्रति स्वभाव। प्रकृति और मानव जीवन का सामञ्जस्य एवं संतुलन ही पर्यावरण का संरक्षण कहलाता है। इसका सबसे बड़ा उदाहरण अथर्ववेद (12.1.12) का मंत्र है-

माता भूमिः पुत्रोऽहं पृथिव्याः।

भूमि मेरी माता है और मैं भूमि का पुत्र (संतान) हूँ।

जब हम सम्पूर्ण पृथ्वी की ही कल्पना अपनी माँ के रूप में कर लेते हैं तो कभी भी पृथ्वी के अंगभूत उसके वृक्ष, नदियाँ, वायु, पर्वत आदि को प्रदूषित नहीं करते और उनके प्रति स्नेहमयी दृष्टि रखते हैं।

(Source of Image : https://www.pinterest.com/pin/563794447101937319/)

‘कोरोना-महामारी’ से पूर्व खानों की खुदाई; तेल, कोयले, लकड़ी जैसे ईंधनों की खपत, समुद्री जीव-जन्तुओं का जीवन, जंगलों की कटाई, दूषित नदियाँ, मांसाहार आदि प्रदूषण पर्यावरणविदों की गम्भीर चिन्ता के विषय थे। विश्व स्वास्थ्य संगठन जैसी संस्थाएँ प्रतिदिन प्रदूषण से होने वाली अनेक प्रकार की व्याधियों के रोकथाम एवं जागरूकता के लिए नए-नए चिकित्सीय दिशा-निर्देशों को निर्दिष्ट करता रहता था। 

(Source of Image : https://www.who.int/airpollution/infographics/Air-pollution-INFOGRAPHICS-English-1.1200px.jpg)

अभिशाप बनकर आये इस ’कोरोना-काल’ में अर्थशास्त्री बाज़ार के उतार-चढ़ाव देखते रहे परन्तु चिरकाल से चोट खाई इस प्रकृति ने समस्त हानिकारक प्रदूषको में भारी गिरावट कर खुद को ही नया सा कर लिया।

‘नमामि गंगे’, ‘स्वच्छ वायु परियोजना’  एवं ‘स्वच्छ भारत अभियान’  जैसी योजनाओं के चलने से भी जहाँ असर नहीं आ रहा था, वहीं इस ‘कोरोना-अभिशाप’ की गोद में छिपा था साफ आसमान, साफ नदियाँ, स्वच्छ वायु का वरदान (https://www.ndtv.com/news/view/ndtv/2216600/site=classic/?device=androidv2&showads=no)। कहने में अतिशयोक्ति न होगी कि ’कोरोना’ ने मानव को प्रकृति की नूतन छवि के दर्शन करा उनके परस्पर सम्बन्ध को और अधिक क़रीबी बनाया।

आन्तरिक प्रकृति –

व्यक्ति के सोच-विचार ही उसकी आन्तरिक प्रकृति की नींव है। मनुष्य के विचारों से ही उसका स्वभाव बनता है इसीलिए ‘कोरोना-काल’ में स्वयं को तनाव मुक्त करने के लिए तथा सद्विचार हेतु ‘ताली’ और ‘थाली’ की गूँज के साथ दियों की जगमगाहट दिखाई दी। वैदिक मंत्र – ‘तन्मे मनः शिवसंकल्पमस्तु’ (वाजसनेयी संहिता 34) का सकारात्मक दृष्टिकोण भारत के प्रधानमंत्री जी ने कुछ इस प्रकार प्रकट किया-

शुभं करोति कल्याणमारोग्यं धनसंपदा।

शत्रुबुद्धिविनाशाय दीपज्योतिर्नमोऽस्तुते॥

यही दर्शाता है कि ‘कोरोना’ को संकट नहीं अपितु उस अंधकार के रूप में माना गया है जिसके बाद सवेरा निश्चित है- ‘तमसो मा ज्योतिर्गमय। मृत्योर्मा अमृतं गमय’ (बृहदारण्यक उपनिषद् 1.3.28)। वैदिक विचारधारा से ओत-प्रोत भारत आपद-काल में यही सकारात्मक संदेश समस्त विश्व तक पहुंचा रहा है।

संगठित समाज और संयुक्त-परिवार-व्यवस्था ही ‘वसुधैव कुटुम्बकम्’ की नींव है। भारतीय सामाजिक व्यवस्था प्रारम्भ से ही इसकी सराहना करती है। वर्तमान ‘कोरोना-संक्रमण-काल’ के कारण सम्पूर्ण विश्व में चल रहे बंद (lockdown) ने समस्त विश्व को सामाजिक एकता एवं पारिवारिक सम्बन्धों में परस्पर सामंजस्य का पाठ पढ़ाया है। तनावपूर्ण वातावरण में परस्पर सौहार्द ही मानसिक बल प्रदान करता है, जिससे आत्मघाती अवसादों को नियंत्रित किया जा सकता है।

स्वयं को पहचानना अर्थात् अपनी क्षमताओं और कमज़ोरियों का ज्ञान परमावश्यक है। आज हम कहीं न कहीं आत्म-मूल्यांकन भूल चुके हैं। इस ‘कोरोना-संकट’ ने हम सभी को भागदौड़ से हटाकर ’स्वाध्याय’ के लिए प्रेरित किया है-

‘स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमदः’ (तैत्तिरीय उपनिषद् 1.11.1)

सांसारिक क्रियाकलापों से परे आत्म-निहित साधना ही हमें योग और ध्यान की ओर ले जाती है- ‘असंशयं महाबाहो मनो दुर्निग्रहं……वैराग्येण च गॄह्यते’ (गीता 6.35) | इस आपत्ति-काल ने ‘आत्मानुशासन’ भी सिखा दिया।

इस प्रकार ‘कोरोना’ ने बाह्य और आन्तरिक दोनों ही प्रकृतियों में नूतनता के दर्शन कराये हैं। ऐसा लगता है कि ‘कोरोना-काल’ के बाद विश्व में कई बदलाव दिखेंगे, यथा- पारिवारिक-सम्बन्धों में, पर्यावरण-संरक्षण के प्रति, आत्म-विश्लेषण में, तथा सकारात्मक ऊर्जा के रूप में।

हम जीवन के प्रति उदासीन हो रहे हैं पर

प्रकृति स्वयं को हमारे लिए पुनर्जीवित कर रही है……….

Dr. Aparna (Dhir) Khandelwal, Assistant Professor, School of Indic Studies, INADS, Dartmouth

Modern Science Validates our Scriptures on Nutritive Value of Cow-Milk

Sh. I. K. Narang

Milk has been recognized as a complete food by nutritionists all over the world. It has all the ingredients and nutrients necessary for growth and maintenance of a healthy human body.  Modern science as well ancient Indian texts and scriptures are full of references eulogizing the virtues of milk as a complete food. Indian scriptures have described milk as the elixir of life or Amṛta.  

अमृतं वै गवां क्षीरमित्याह त्रिदशाधिप:।

तस्माद् ददाति यो धेनुममृतं स प्रयच्छति॥

(Mahābhārata 65-46)

Similar reference which means ‘Cow-milk is Amṛta, It protects us (from disease). Therefore, if someone donates a cow, he actually donates the Amṛta.

Goshu priyamamrutam rakshmana

(ṚgVeda 1-71-9)

ṚgVeda in another Mantra (5-19-4) describes Cow-milk as the most desirable and likeable drink. There are several similar descriptions in other scriptures, which enumerate the health-providing, prophylactic and curative properties of milk. Milk has been described as a drink providing vitality, immunity, (the inner strength to fight diseases), a complete balanced diet, which gives ‘Subudhi’ or the right thinking power or wisdom. Charak has described milk as:

स्वादुशीतं मृदु स्निग्धं बहलं श्लक्ष्णपिच्छिलम्।

गुरू मन्दं प्रसन्नं च गव्यं दशगुणं पयः॥

(Charka-Samhita 27-217)

This describes the Organoleptic and nutritional properties of milk. It says Cow’s milk is tasteful, sweet, has a fine/subtle flavor, is dense, and contains good fat, but light, easily digestible, and not easily spoiled. It gives us tranquility and cheerfulness. Charka 27-214 states ‘kshiryojaskar pusam’ which means milk increases the vitality and Virility in man. Dhanvantri another ancient Indian physician has described cow’s milk is a desirable and preferred diet in all types of ailments and that its regular use protects the human body from Vātta, Pitta, Kafa. ‘Raj Nighantu’, another authoritative treatise on ‘Ayurveda’ also describes milk as Amṛta or Piyush. Similar properties of milk as provider of vitality and strength are –

यूयं गावो मेद्यथाम कृशं चिद्श्रीरं चित कृणुथाम सुप्रतीकम

भद्र गृहम कृणुथ भद्रवाचो बृहद वो उच्यते सुभासु

(Atharv Veda 4-21-6)

The Cow, through its milk, transforms a weak and sick person into an energetic person, provides vitality to those without it and by doing so, makes the family prosperous and respectable in the ‘civilized society’.

The curative value of cow milk in heart diseases and Jaundice like diseases (Hriday Rog and Pāndu Rog), milk from cows of red colour was considered to be the only remedy for this.  

अनु सुर्यमुदयतां हृदयोतो हरिमा च ते।

गो रोहितस्य वर्णेन तेन त्वा परिदध्मसि॥

(Atharv Veda 1-22-1)

Validation of the above claims by Modern Science:

What is for consideration here is whether Cow-milk has been compared with or described as ‘Amṛta’ only on sentimental/emotional or religious grounds or whether there is any description of certain specific qualities or properties of milk and milk products which enhance the longevity or vitality of life to the extent of making the regular consumer of milk a healthy person with a long life and help cure certain ailments.  Let  us therefore have a look at the findings of modern science to validate what our scriptures have stated.

 Source: National Institute of Nutrition – Hyderabad

In modern science Cow-milk occupies a special position among foods as it is an animal food that has a vegetarian connotation. The above table shows the various nutrients found in milk. All these make the milk a complete food. It carries almost all nutrients needed by any human being for growth and development be it children, adolescent, elderly people, pregnant and nursing mothers. It is considered as a protective food. Milk helps to balance human diet by supplementing good quality fat, protein, calcium and vitamins particularly, vitamin A, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid. In addition milk contains several bio-protective molecules that ensure health security to humans. Component wise discussion is given below:

1. Milk fat

• The average cholesterol content in cow- milk is only 2.8 mg/g fat. Moreover, humans absorb 10-14% of dietary cholesterol, thus only 20-40 mg cholesterol will be absorbed from 50g of dietary milk fat. On the other hand, the body itself synthesizes cholesterol (1-4g daily) in much higher amounts than what is absorbed from the diet.
• Milk fat has high proportion of short and medium-chain saturated fatty acids, which do not raise serum cholesterol levels. Experiments with volunteers have shown that cholesterol levels do not rise when as much as 2 litters of milk is consumed daily. On the contrary, the cholesterol level is reduced. It has been suggested that the regular intake of milk keeps blood vessels healthy.
• Compared to other fats and oils, milk fat is easily digestible. The digestibility of milk fat is 99%. The excellent digestibility of milk fat is due to dispersion of fat globules in the aqueous phase of milk forming an emulsion. They are absorbed directly unlike other dietary fats that have to be emulsified by bile, pancreatic enzymes and intestinal lipases before they can pass through intestinal well. The easy digestibility of milk fat makes it a valuable dietary constituent in diseases of stomach, intestine, liver, gall bladder, kidney and disorders of fat digestion. Milk fat has a protective effect against human tooth decay.
• Protective effect of milk fat against some types of cancer (colon, breast and skin) has recently been reported. A specific fatty acid (a cis-trans isomer of linoleic acid) has been identified in milk fat, which appears to be an inhibitor of cancerous growth.

2. Milk proteins

• Milk proteins are rich in essential amino acids. The digestibility of milk proteins is rated higher (96%) much more than that of plant proteins (74-78%).
• The milk proteins are useful in the diet of patients suffering from liver and gall bladder diseases, hyperlipidemia and diabetes. Patients with impaired kidney functions rely on protein with high BV for relieving strain on the excretory function of the kidney.
• Modern medical science tells us that milk helps in curing uric acid problems and acidity conditions in stomach, treatment of inflammation of mucous lining of stomach and of stomach ulcers, preventing hyperacidity. This due to buffering effect of protein in milk.  Drinking milk is, therefore, advised in case of hyper acidity or peptic ulcer formation.  
• Immunoglobulin, lactoferrin, lysozyme, lactoperoxidase and vitamin B12-binding protein have antimicrobial effect also. They not only act against the microorganisms in the intestine but also prevent the absorption of foreign proteins.
• Lactoferrin is an iron binding glycoprotein that occurs in cow milk at a level of 0.2 mg/ml. It plays an important role in the resistance against intestinal infection, particularly Escherichia coli.
• The milk proteins are used in slimming diets also.

3. Milk sugar

• Lactose, the principal milk sugar, is slowly metabolised and therefore, a considerable portion of it passes into the large intestine where it promotes the growth of lactic acid producing bacteria. lactose promotes the utilization of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.
• The blood glucose does not rise rapidly on lactose diet.
• Milk consumption, therefore, enables the diabetic person to obtain the biologically highly valuable milk proteins without running the risk of rise in blood glucose levels.

4. Minerals in Milk 

• Milk and dairy products are the most important source of calcium in readily available form. A 250 ml serving of cow milk contains calcium equivalent to 60% of ICMR’s Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for adults. Incorporation of milk in the diet also improves the bioavailability of calcium from vegetable foods.
• Recent research has shown that poor nutritional status with respect to calcium is related to diseases like osteoporosis, hypertension and colon cancer.
• The hypertensive patients have shown significant reduction in blood pressure in response to increased calcium intake.
• Introduction of increased dietary calcium through dairy products has been shown to reduce incidences in colon cancer and hyper-proliferation in the colonic mucosa in rodents.
• Milk is rich in phosphorus that reduces urinary calcium excretion. Milk and most dairy products,  have a near 1:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio considered to be ideal for retention of calcium in the body

5. Rich source of vitamins

• Milk is a rich source of vitamins not only in terms of their contents but also their better bioavailability.
• Milk is one of the richest natural sources of riboflavin (vitamin B2). A 250 ml serving of cow milk contains riboflavin equivalent to 50% of the daily requirement of a pre-school child.
• It is a very good source of niacin (Vitamin B3) though in small amounts. Indeed, milk is used as dietary ingredient for patient suffering from pellagra, a niacin deficiency disease.
• For vegetarians, milk is sole natural source of vitamin B12, as this vitamin is present only in animal foods.
• Milk is also a good source of folic acid. / Vitamin A.  

6. Enzymes :

A number of enzymes in milk are involved in the milk immune system. These are lactoperoxidase, xanthin oxidase and lysozyme. The lactoperoxidase-thiocyanate-system  destroys the harmful  microorganisms.

Source of image : https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/agri-business/maharashtra-dairies-demand-subsidy-for-unremunerative-cow-milk-threaten-strike/article9951490.ece

 It is because of these qualities of cow’s milk that cow has been treated as “Gau Mātā”, a provider of Amṛta, provider of health, wealth, prosperity, fame and respect. This also made the cow an object of worship and reverence. While praying for freedom and prosperity for nation, the Aryans, prayed for high yielding milk cows –

दोग्ध्री धेनु

(Yajurveda 22-22)

OUR ANCESTORS WERE DAIRY SCIENTISTS  :

This analysis is a pointer to believe that our Ṛṣis were Dairy Scientists They understood the:

• The nutritive value of various components of milk & milk products
• The Curative – preventive and therapeutic  properties of milk,
• Therapeutic and Immunological  properties and extra-nutritional role of milk constituents
• Immunological aspects of proteins

NEED FOR FURTHER RESEARCH

This   discussion provides a lead to further investigate and validate the claims like producing medicated milks and research in to medicinal effects of milk drawn from different colour cows through modern methods of diagnostic medicine.

Mr. I. K. Narang, Former Assistant Commissioner (Dairy Development) Government of India

Indian Festivals based on the Concept of Yajña (Part-II)

Continued from Part-I

-Sh. Anand Gaikwad

Festivals based on the concept of Yajñā during Aświn and Kārtik :

Sh. Anand Gaikwad along with his wife performing Yajñā

Durgā Pūjā/ Navrātrī: During Durgā Pūjā, Mā Durgā i.e. Ādi Śakti is worshipped. Mā Durgā is worshipped in different forms starting with Śailputrī Devī on first day. The second day is Brahmachāriṇī Pūjā and subsequently Chandraghaṇṭā is worshipped for peace, tranquility and prosperity, Kuśmānḍā for cosmic energy, Skandamātā as a relationship between mother and son. She is also called as Padmāsīnī since she is seated on lotus flower. On day six she is worshipped as Kātyāyīnī, on seventh day as Kalvatri or Mā Kāli and on eighth day as Māhā Gourī the eighth form of Māhā Durgā.Durgā Saptaśati Japas and Havans are performed for “Nav Caṇdī”, “Śat Caṇdi “ Yajña. Durgā Pūjā is not considered complete without the performance of Havans. In these havans samidhās of Yajña-Vṛkśās are used and different types of havan samugrī are also used which is prepared from aromatic and medicinal herbs.

Daśherā: This day is celebrated as Vijayā Daśamī i.e. success of good over evil. It is considered as a very auspicious day as per Hindu calendar therefore new possessions are acquired. Some Naimittika Yajñas are performed for material well being, health, wealth, peace and prosperity. In agriculture sector, sugar factories worship and start boilers on this day for subsequent starting of new crushing season. This practice is prevalent in Maharashtra, which produces about 35% to 40% of the total sugar produced in the country.

Dīpāvalī:  Festival of lights celebrated by Indians all over the world. The first day of Dīpāvalī is called Vasubaras when, “Savatsā Dhenu“ i.e. lactating cow with young calf  or  entire cow family is worshipped. During ancient times the wealth and prosperity were measured in terms of or judged on the basis of number of cows one possessed. Therefore, ‘Godhan’ was first worshipped before worshipping any other type of ‘Dhan’. For establishing divine relationship and complete integrity with our Homa Farm and Family, we have started performing Havans on Rigveda 10.169, Atharvaveda 4.21 & 3.14 as a part of cow pūjā on Vasubaras day at our farm. Although no specific types of Yajñas are performed during Dīpāvalī days, the houses and surrounding premises are decorated with flowers, mango/ banana leaves, electrical lamps and oil/ ghee lamps are lit to celebrate it as a festival of lights. On Lakṣmī Pūjā Day and Kārtik Pratipadā, flowers, sweets and preparations made from new harvests, dryfruits etc. are offered to the deities as a part of pūjā.

Sh. Anand Gaikwad while worshiping cow

Sankramaṇ Kāl Festivals: This is a transition period when the Sun starts entering Uttarāyaṇa and Sankramaṇ. Festivals based on the concept of Yajña are celebrated throughout the country under different names.

Māgh Bihu and Meji Fires: Māgh bihu is celebrated in Assam during January to mark the end of harvesting season. It is a thanks-giving celebration to the nature’s bounty as the granaries are full after harvesting the first new crops of the year. On or before the day of Sankrāntī Bellaghars and Mejis are prepared by menfolk with Bamboo sticks and other wood / grass material. Beautiful make-shift cottages in the form of Bellaghars are prepared.People stay overnight in these Bellaghars, enjoys feasts and next day the Bellaghars are lit. The ashes are spread in the fields, rivers and trees for improving soil health and bringing luck for better harvesting next season. On the day of Sankrāntī people gather together in their fields at very early hours and do Meji fires. Meji fire is a ritual in which Agni is worshipped. All the offerings are placed in front of Meji and one of the elders of the community does the honour of lighting up the Meji. A thick cloud of smoke covers the area and the crackling sound of burning bamboos is heard. While the sacred Meji fires burn, people greet each other and enjoy the feasts. Womenfolk distribute the offerings placed before Meji fires as Prasādam.

Lohri: Every year on the previous day of Makar Sankrāntī in Punjab, Haryana and north-western region, the harvesting festival celebrated is known as “Lohri”. This commemorates the passing off of winter solistice and Lohri represents the largest night before the end of winter solistice followed by the shortest day of the year in Māgh as per Hindu calendar. Although Punjab is known for production of wheat, this festival is related to the sugarcane harvesting after the crop reaches the maturity. Sugarcane products such as jaggery and gachak are essential for Lohri along with groundnuts which are also harvested in the season. Traditionally people eat chikki, gajak, sarso dā sāg, makkai de roti, raddish, groundnuts and jaggery during the festival. Lohri celebrates fertility and joy of life. Harvested fields and farmyards are the central attraction. The farmyards are lit up with lights and bonfires. Folk dances are a part of the festival such as men perform Bhāngara whereas women perform graceful Giddā dance. People circle around the bonfires and offer sugarcane, puffed rice, popcorn etc. while performing folk dances with songs and prayers to Agni. The prayers to Agni Devatā are for his blessings for prosperity and fertility of land. The fire signifies the spark of life and prayers are said for goodwill and abundant crops. They also shout, “Ādar Āye Dilather Jāye” i.e.” Let the wealth, prosperity, honour come and poverty vanish.”

Pongal: Pongal is celebrated as a harvesting festival with glory in Tamilnadu, Puducherry, Sri Lanka and by Tamilians. This harvesting festival is dedicated to Sun God. In Tamilnadu it is a four-day festival called “Thai Pongal” usually celebrated every year from 14^th to 17^th January. It corresponds with Makar Sankrāntī which is celebrated throughout India. Thai Pongal is mainly celebrated to convey appreciation and gratitude to Sun God for bountiful crops and their successful harvesting. Part of the celebration is boiling of the first rice of the season as an offering to Sun God i.e. “Sūrya Mangalam”. The four day Pongal celebrations are Bhogi, Thai, Maatu and Kannuml. On “Bhogi” day, people discard old belongings and celebrate new possessions. Houses are cleaned, painted and decorated to give a festive look and the farmers keep medicinal herbs, neem leaves etc in the north-east corner of each field to prevent crops from diseases and pests.

The main event, “Thai Pongal” takes place on the second day of four day celebrations. On this day, milk is cooked in a vessel and when it starts bubbling and overflowing, freshly harvested rice is added and cooked, as an offering to Sun God. The day marks the start of Uttarāyaṇa i.e. when the Sun enters the 10^th house of Indian Zodiac viz. Makar or Capricorn. “Maatu Pongal” is celebrated to recognize and appreciate the cattle for providing dairy products to human beings and fertilizers, labour and transportation for agricultural operations. Cows, buffaloes, oxen are bathed, decorated and fed with mixture of Pongal, jaggery, honey, banana and other fruits. “Kannum Pongal”, the fourth day of the festival marks the end of Pongal. The word ‘Kannum’ in this context means ‘visit’. Many families hold reunions. Villagers visit relatives and friends while in the cities people gather on beaches, theme parks and gardens. The exchange of greetings and gifts take place and the joyful atmosphere prevails in all households.

Makar Sankrāntī: The sun’s entry  in Makar Rāshi and starting of Uttarāyaṇa is celebrated as Makar Sankrāntī or “Sankramaṇ Parva” in Andhra Pradesh, Bengal, Bihar, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh, while it is celebrated as, ‘Uttarāyaṇa’ in Gujarat and Rajasthan. In Andhra Pradesh, it is celebrated for four days like Pongal in Tamilnadu. The fourth day here is celebrated as “Mukkanuma” for worshipping cattle. Some people also take non-vegetarian dishes on the fourth day while they do not take any non-vegetarian food during first three days of Makar Sankrāntī.

In Maharashtra, Makar Sankrāntī is celebrated not only for three days but as a Sankramaṇ Parva it extends right up to Rathasaptamī, the 7^th day of Śuklapakṣa of Māgh. The previous day of Makar Sankrāntī is called “Bhogi”. On this day, Bājrā rotī of Til (Bread of Pearl Millets with toppings of Sesame Seeds) is prepared and a bold dish of mix-vegetables consisting mainly of green bengal gram, carrots and various types of beans, which are the produce of new crops is prepared. On the day of Makar Sankrāntī a delicacy of “Gul Poli” (rolled Chapatti/Roti with inside stuffings of jaggery and sesame seeds) is prepared and offered in Pūjā.

During the period from Makar Sankrāntī to Rathasaptami (except the third day which is called, ‘Kinkrant’) “Haldi-Kumkum” programmes are organized and celebrated by ladies. People meet their relatives and friends and offer Laddoo made from Sesame Seeds and Jaggery with greetings for auspicious days of Uttarāyaṇa and for establishing re-unions and good relationships with each other. On Rathasaptami day Sun god is worshipped in the form of “Sun riding the Chariot of Seven Horses”. On this day milk is boiled in small earthen pots and allowed to overflow as an offering to Sun God. Thus, Makar Sankrāntī with extended period up to Rathsaptami is the largest festival celebrated during Sankramaṇ Parva, while the Sun enters the Makar Rāshi.

In all these festivals the concept of Yajña is deeply rooted. The basic principle is expression of appreciation and gratitude to the nature, nature-spirits and deities for their benevolence and bounty. Sacrifice of something given by nature (Idam na mam!) for ‘Samaṣṭī Kalyān’ and ‘Mānav Kalyān’. The elements of, ‘competition’, ‘Brand building’ or ‘Conflict with Nature and others’; which are the basis of Western Approach to Agriculture or any Business activity , is totally absent here . On the contrary the concept of, ‘Sacrifice for Samṛddhī‘; i.e. overall prosperity, peace and happiness is very much ingrained in these festivals. Prayers for Bounty or Samṛddhī to Agni or Sun God are for the purpose of ‘plenty for all and sharing with all’. The concept of Yajñā in these festivals makes the fundamental difference in the Cultures.

to be continued….

–Sh. Anand Gaikwad, Krishi Bhushan Sendriya  Sheti  M. S. & Retd. Executive Director/Company Secretary