Principles and Practice of Hindu Religion
Chapter - VI : The Daily Practice of the Faith

An Applied Method of Practice of the Agamas and
the Vedas to lead a Pious and Peaceful Way of Life
 
   
 
Lesson - 85 :
The Practice of Hinduism as in Scriptures
Vedhantha, a Philosophy in Practice
 
 
 
 

 

 

The daily practice of the religion is given to us in the Upasana and Karma kanda portions of the Vedas, which describe most of the rituals and prayers and their principles in daily practice. The knowledge portion of Vedic teachings which is the philosophy is found in the "Veda-antha" or the end part of the four Vedas, which are the Upanishads. "Vedantha Dharsana" or "Uttara Mimamsa Dharsana" is the Philosophy based on Upanishads developed by Sage Vyasa. Most of the daily worship rituals for the masses are also described in the Agamas and later texts called Smrithis. This great tradition and teachings are given to us by our forefathers and great saints and sages who have given treatises on every aspect of Science, Mathematics, Philosophy, Sociology and Astronomy. This knowledge came to us in the Vedas many centuries before they were 'rediscovered' in the Western world.

 

The practice of the Vedic rituals is given to us in the Samhitha and Manthra portions of the four Vedas. Later the six Dharsanas explained the teachings. The logical and analytical approach is given in the Nyaya by Gauthama Rishi and Vaiseshika by Kanada Rishi. The control of mind, thought and action is explained in Sankhya by Sage Kapila and Yoga by Sage Pathañjali. The ritualistic practice is given to us in Poorva Mimamsa by Sage Jaimini. We get the prayers with philosophy in Vedhantha or Uttara Mimamsa by Sage Vyasa. The Poorva Mimamsa Dharsana did not accept a major place for the Supreme God as bestower of all our life and happiness. They stressed only Vedic rituals to natural forces and Vedic Deities blindly. They prescribed the Vedic rituals to get all the effects by themselves. It does not deal with problems of ultimate reality and its relation to the soul and matter. This was also rejected by the people and was later modified by Prabhakara and Kumarila to make it more acceptable. All these dharsanas are not contradictory but complementary to each other. One can not get the full meaning and benefit of any one Dharsana without an understanding of the others.

 
    
 
 
   
 
Lessons: - 81, - 82, - 83, - 84, - 85, - 86, - 87, - 88, - 89, - 90, - 91, - 92, - 93, - 94, - 95, - 96 .