om gurave namah

BAVA Conference, 2006

Jyotia Sdhan

Sanjay Rath Friday 30 March 2006, 2.45 4.00 pm British Association of Vedic Astrology

Copyright Pt.Sanjay Rath, 2006

om gurave namah

BAVA Conference, 2006

The Veda
All Vedic literature is divided into two categories- the sruti (heard) and the smriti (remembered). Veda is from vid meaning to know and symbolizes perfect knowledge. The four Vedas including the k, Yajur, Sama and Atharva are the sruti and were originally heard by the Mahi or Vedic seers, perhaps during meditation from the mouth of Brahma. This was originally only one book. With the passage of time, the quality of the human mind deteriorated and so did the longevity of man as the Yuga changed from Satya to Dvpara, Treta and finally Kali. The maximum longevity also declined from 1000 to 500, 250 and finally 125 years during these four Yuga. Incompetent and unable to process the vast knowledge of the Veda, they were divided into three parts called k, Yajur and Sama Veda and later into four including the Atharva Veda at the start of Kali Yuga.

Just before the advent of Kali Yuga, the Brahmaas realized that the knowledge could undergo destruction or corruption due to complete deterioration of the human intelligence and it was necessary to have the Vedas recorded. The best among them was normally accepted as the Veda Vysa and given the task of dividing the Veda into books and this time around, Ka Dvaipyana the son of Mahi Parara and great grandson of Vasiha, was chosen as the Veda Vysa who added the fourth Veda called the Atharva Veda. This Veda included large portions of Ayurveda and such other branches of learning.

Copyright Pt.Sanjay Rath, 2006

om gurave namah

BAVA Conference, 2006

Sruti & smriti

The Veda is a sruti and there can be various commentaries on it based on the way it is interpreted by each human mind. Every being that tries to understand the Veda shall be using the six limbs or vedga and is limited by the extent it is trained in these vedga and shall also bring in the limitations of its own existence in the body. There can be no translation as every translator will be grossly limited by his understanding of the vedga and ability or skill in using them as well as suffer language problems as none of the languages can match the perfection of Sanskrit. The smriti includes the Upaniad, Epics, Pura etc. These were remembered as the teachings of the seers and form a crucial part of understanding aids for the Vedas. Unlike the sruti which have to be heard and felt, the smriti have to be read and understood to obtain the blessings of the knowledge they contain.

A lady who heard the Mtyunjaya mantra (k Veda VII maala) repeatedly recovered from Cancer to live for four more years when the doctors had given her a maximum of one month! She never heard of the Veda nor was ever exposed to any Vedic learning prior to this. The sruti have to be heard and once they are heard, they will have a transforming effect of the one who hears even if it is an animal. How can we hear the Veda if we do not recite them or play recorded versions? Silent recitations are meaningful if they are still being heard by the mind that is fully focused on them and is not straying. Of course, understanding of the Vedas will come when we get an understanding of the smriti literature and are sufficiently adept with perfect vedga.

Copyright Pt.Sanjay Rath, 2006

om gurave namah

BAVA Conference, 2006

Mind and faculties (indriya)

All knowledge and experience is the result of perception by the organs and senses called indriyas (faculty) which are ten in number. The mana (mind) is the field on which the indriyas work causing perceptions that becomes a vital input for learning. Memory of stimuli or perceptions is the language of knowledge. The faculties (indriya) are divided into two groups of motor faculty (karmendriya) and sensory faculty (jnendriya). Karmendriya /Jnendriya Tattva Motor Faculty /Sensory Faculty Speaking Hear ka Sky Vacuum (magnetic field) Grasping Touch Vyu Air Gaseous state Walking See Agni Fire Energy (all forms) Ejaculate Taste Jala Water Liquid state Evacuate Smell Pthv Earth Solid state

Vedga ik Chandas Vykaraa Nirukta Jyotia Kalpa

Manifested phonetics & phonology meter grammar etymology astrology & astronomy ritual

Body part Nose Mouth Feet/face Ear Eye Head/hands

Copyright Pt.Sanjay Rath, 2006

om gurave namah

BAVA Conference, 2006

Vedga jyotia
Vedga are the six limbs or body parts of the Veda. Just as the vowels are the most basic elements of all sounds and without which the other alphabets cannot exist independently, so also the body is most useless if without the sensory organs (indriyas) and the mind (mana). Similarly, the knowledge of the Veda is incomprehensible without the vedga or special sensory limbs of the Vedas that aid its complete understanding. The extent to which each of these six faculties is developed in the individual will determine this understanding and perception of the Veda.
Vedga ik Chanda Vykaraa Nirukta Jyotia Kalpa Translation phonetics meter grammar etymology astrology ritual Body partSense Ear Hear Mouth Taste Feet Touch Nose Smell Eye Sight Head Think

Vedga Jyotia is the eye of the Veda and would rank second only to Kalpa (the head of the Veda symbolizing the Mind). Any attempt to study the Veda without the Vedic eye or Jyotia would be akin to the five blind men trying to define the elephant! The scope of Jyotia should be learnt and understood from standard texts and our lectures including the three wings of Gaita (Mathematics), Hor stra (Astrology) and Sahita (Allied subjects), before undertaking the study of this vast subject.

Copyright Pt.Sanjay Rath, 2006

om gurave namah

BAVA Conference, 2006

Jyotia Sdhan
Sdhan refers to any action, object, path or knowledge that is leading straight to a goal, furthering goals or objectives (including all spiritual or material goals). Jyotia is a vedga and the most vital eye of the Vedas. It is that knowledge that leads to the ultimate spiritual goal and which bridges the great divide between the material and spiritual worlds. As a sdhan, Jyotia has the objective of mastering the knowledge associated with the ordering of the sapta loka (seven worlds) and sapta tala (seven netherworlds) including understanding of the quality of time through its five limbs (pacga), the graha and upagraha (planets), stars, precession etc. and their effect on life of the individual or group (lagna) and karma (tenth house the throne).

This is no simple task and among the six vedga, this is the most difficult to master and is figuratively called the ocean of knowledge. Even the most learned vednta scholars sometimes look for an escape route when it comes to jyotia - be aware that there is no escape from learning and knowledge. You can either restart now or defer it to another incarnation. The objective of jyotia sdhan is to develop that supreme ability of sight in the individual that he can see God - both in the complete manifested physical universe as well as the spiritual worlds, and perhaps even beyond. Jyotia provides the tools and means to open the third eye that enables this comprehensive sight. Such a person rises to the level of a Vedic seer and becomes a triklaja. Every Vedic seer, be he Parsara, Atri, Vasiha or any other seer, had comprehensive knowledge of each of the vedga including jyotia. This task seems impossible for one lifetime and that is because of its present stage of disorganization where we have considerable confusion about (1) its scientific roots, (2) philosophy, (3) definitions, nomenclature, methodology, (4) and lack of global coordination. A lot of work has already been done and is continuing with the hope that the future generations will get enlightened.

Copyright Pt.Sanjay Rath, 2006

om gurave namah

BAVA Conference, 2006

The Three Eyes

The three eyes available to every person are the right eye ruled by the Sun, the left eye ruled by the Moon, and the third eye ruled by Lagna (Jupiter /Agni devat). Females have the left ruled by the Sun and right ruled by Moon instead due to reversed count. The objective of any Jyotia sdhan or spiritual practice would be to open the three eyes to perfect vision and be able to see beyond the limits of the seven colors of the rainbow which is symbolized by the sight of the seven planets Sun to Saturn. y<b< yjamhe sugiNx< puIvxRnm!, %vaRkimv bNdnam! m&TyaemaeR]Iy mam&tat!. tryambakka yajmahe sugandhi puvardhanam| urvrukamiva bandanm mtyormokya mmtt||

The right eye (Sun) leads to sustenance, prosperity, good health, protection of body etc, while the left eye (Moon) leads to longevity, emotional stability, love for all, social success, family and friendship ties and everything that the individual needs. The third eye is situated between the eyebrows on the forehead and is vertically upwards (unlike the other two eyes which are horizontally placed on the face). It is created from the last two Sanskrit syllables ha and ka which represent iva[1]. While the two physical eyes manifest physically, the third eye does not manifest physically as it is the thinking eye and is that with which the mind sees things using the intelligence. The three eyes merge into the pineal gland which is at the center of the brain and regulate all activity of the animal. The k Veda speaks of the three eyes in the highest prayer to Lord iva by Mahi Vaiha called the Mtyunjaya mantra. Parara extols the use of this mantra in the Bhat Parara Hor stra and this is supported by even relatively recent works like Prana Mrga. By worshipping the tmaliga with the Mtyunjaya mantra, we can overcome even the hardest karma that causes terrible suffering by clouding the vision that leads to economic prosperity (Sun), social success and health (Moon) and supreme knowledge (Lagna/Jupiter).
[1] The beginning akara a in Acyutdi varga and ka in Kaapaydi varga represents Brahma, the creative aspect of God; the middle akara represents Viu the sustainer and the last akara ha and ka represent iva the dissolver or destroyer.

Copyright Pt.Sanjay Rath, 2006

om gurave namah

BAVA Conference, 2006

The Path

Mantra japa: Constant repetition of a mantra while concentrating or meditating on the deity (mantra devat) is called japa. There are two types of mantra japa Upsu japa mantra is repeated in a low voice by moving tongue and lips so that the practitioner alone can hear it. This is recommended initially so that the practitioner gets the feel of the mantra and energizes the atmosphere in the room where he is to chant. Mnasa japa mantra is repeated silently in the mind without producing any sound so that none excepting his mind hears it. This is recommended for the spiritual sdhan.

Copyright Pt.Sanjay Rath, 2006

om gurave namah

BAVA Conference, 2006

Sdhan Requirements
The texts say 1. Only a Brahmin should study Jyotish 2. Has mastery of the subject + mathematics including 10 types of planetary motions, 5 siddhanta, various Hor like BPHS or Garga etc. 3. Is very truthful 4. Well versed in mantras, Veda, tantra 5. Ability for logical analysis and inference, brilliant 6. Leads a pious life, is spiritual and god-fearing 7. Initiation into Siddhi mantra We understand this as 1. Gyatri mantra initiation and regular recitation 2. Worship Gaea {Gaja mukha} or any Vedamrti Nandi {Go-mukha}k Veda; Ajaikapda {Aja mukha}; Hayagriva {Haya mukha}; Hanuman {Hanu mukha}. 3. Perform Satya vrata or worship Ia devat Viu 4. Blessings of the Ia Dev 5. Yes. Brilliant like Srya 6. Grace of iva control 3D: Dama, Dna, Day i.e. self control, donation and mercy {for suffering not sufferer} 7. Gurus kindness

Copyright Pt.Sanjay Rath, 2006

om gurave namah

BAVA Conference, 2006

The seven steps

1. tat saviturvareya bhargo devasya dhmahi| dhiyo yo na pracodayt|| Gayatri: Visvamitra: RV 3|62|10 2. om lakalbhayutya siddhibuddhisahitya gaapataye nama|| Gaea: iva Pura 3. om namo bhagavate vsudevya| Viu: Viu Pura, Bhagavat Pura 4. pvak na sarasvat vjebhirvjinvat | yaja vau dhiyvasu || Sarasvat: RV 5. hrau| jyotirmantra vija 6. om nama ivya| iva packari or jyotirliga mantra 7. hare rma ka| Any mantra given by guru or any Dakimrti, Datttreya, Sadiva, Bhaspati mantra.

Copyright Pt.Sanjay Rath, 2006

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