The Veda is an enigma.
Centuries have passed, several generations of scholars have tried to make sense
of it, but it continues to elude them all. Veda remains a mystery to the mass
of men. But where others failed, or succeeded only partially, one made a
triumphant breakthrough – Sri Aurobindo.
Sri Aurobindo was a
unique personality studying the Veda. In him, we find the confluence of
intellectual genius and spiritual experience – the Veda cannot really be
understood without this union as will become clear to the reader later. He also
had a very deep understanding of Vedic Sanskrit – a rarity and an indispensable
pre-requisite for decoding the Veda. The outcome of this unparalleled combination was ‘The Secret of the Veda’.
The Secret of the Veda
appeared as a series of articles between August 1914 and July 1916 in Arya,
a magazine that Sri Aurobindo wrote and published. The articles were later
compiled and published as a book by Sri Aurobindo International University
Centre in 1956. Today, it is held among the most important works on Vedic
symbolism.
Sri Aurobindo found that
many leading scholars of the past, who were considered authorities on Veda, had
not really understood the Veda at all. He critiques the ritualistic
interpretation of the medieval Indian scholar Sayanacharya, which had long
become the final word on the Veda:
“…he (Sayana) admits
in his method licences of language and construction which are unnecessary and
sometimes incredible... he arrives at his results, often, by a surprising
inconsistency in his interpretation of common Vedic terms and even of fixed
Vedic formulae.”[1]
He also points out flaws
in the methods of modern European Indologists, who utilized a host of new
scholastic disciplines to arrive at their conclusions. Regarding their work Sri
Aurobindo writes:
“This modern theory...
is upheld by a number of Sciences, unhappily still young and still largely
conjectural in their methods and shifting in their results,—Comparative
Philology, Comparative Mythology and the Science of Comparative Religion.”[2]
Sri Aurobindo himself had
a good understanding of these disciplines. His knowledge of western theologies
and mythology was as good as his knowledge of Indian scriptures and
philosophies. Therefore, he skilfully demonstrates the limitations of these young
sciences in interpreting the Veda - another reason why his study of Veda is
unique.
The one true basis for
understanding the Veda which these scholars ignored is psychological
experience. The Veda is not merely a compendium of rituals but the expression
of profound psychological experiences of the Rishis. This became evident to Sri
Aurobindo because he had himself had such experiences:
“But far more interesting
to me was the discovery of a considerable body of profound psychological
thought and experience lying neglected in these ancient hymns. And the
importance of this element increased in my eyes when I found, first, that the
mantras of the Veda illuminated with a clear and exact light psychological
experiences of my own for which I had found no sufficient explanation either in
European psychology or in the teachings of Yoga or of Vedanta, so far as I was
acquainted with them, and, secondly, that they shed light on obscure passages
and ideas of the Upanishads to which, previously, I could attach no exact
meaning and gave at the same time a new sense to much in the Puranas.”[3]
In The Secret of the
Veda, Sri Aurobindo painstakingly analyzes Vedic hymns to bring out the inner,
psychological import behind the seemingly ritualistic and naturalistic scheme
of symbols. The whole ritual of yajña becomes an inner journey aided and
abetted by psychological powers symbolized by Agni, Indra, Vayu etc.
Therefore, for anyone
interested in ancient Indian scriptures and symbolism therein, The Secret
of the Veda is a must-read. My attempt with these articles was to present
a summary of main ideas from the in a simple manner so that the material is
accessible to a wide range of readers, especially beginners. If the reader
finds the articles interesting, he or she should definitely read the original
work by Sri Aurobindo. Suggestions and comments are most welcome!
Download E-book: The Secret of the Veda
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