3 qualities are essential in a जिज्ञासुः to understand the hidden तात्पर्यम् of Vedic passages. - Part 2.

3 qualities are essential in a जिज्ञासुः to understand the hidden तात्पर्यम् of Vedic passages. - Part 2.

Vedas being Apaurusheya (non person authorship). The Rishis who seen Veda mantras  - how can one see a mantra (sound) - yes one can see. It is the vision of a phenomenon and they recorded as it is. When Mathamatician Ramanujan can see formulas shown by Devi Namagiri, the same way Rshi has also 'seen' the mantra. The word seer is the wrong translation of the word - दृष्टा  (from dhaatu "दृश्"). How there is a difference between Hearing, Listening and receiving sound (the degree of selectivity is lost from one to another and the receiver of sound - receives everything voice, noice, music, etc.)  - the same way looking, seeing, and receiving - here also no qualifying of the received - it is just recorded as it is. What is received in one medium (sound vision) is converted and stored in another medium (sound word) - of course all mediums are of Pancha bhoota.  Here the word "Receiver" may be better. What these Rshis have "seen" [the word Rshi means - the one who knows the ways of 'ऋत'].

The word ऋत came from the धातुः ऋ (ऋ गतौ).  Add any suffix (form) "ऋ" -> "ऋत" Cosmic cyclic order (the principle) -> Cosmic cyclic order (the form) the process of knowing of ऋतम् is also referred to as ऋतम् in certain respect. The same way  "भू" -> "भूत" means life -> life form. (in between there is something - "भूः" - the आधारः - which means the अधिकरणम् of life).  'ऋत' is the manifested Satyam (not Sat or Sattaa - Sat is absolute (unmanifest) and sattaa is existence and satyam is manifested - again these words are loose translations). 

Such Rshis understood that Vedas will be subjected to deterioration and distortion. To prevent this and also for "samrakshanam" of Vedas they have created 6 Veda-anga. Many other tools are also created such as Various "paaTha" methods. The six angas are:

1) Shikshaa & 2) Chandas - svaroopa samrakshanam
3) Vyakarana & 4) Nirukta - artha samrakshanam
5) Kalpa & 6) Jyotisha - aacharana samrakshanam

So it is to be understood that - not just Chanting of Vedas but also understanding and living according to that is the objective of Vedic lifestyle - which as per the 'purushaartha" should culminate into "Moksha" - which is the 'only purpose' of Veda's taatparyam 

Now, it is to be understood that no 'artha' can stand with out the corresponding 'shabda' (word). Even if the word is not pronounced it gets flashed in our minds.  - so with respect to Veda samrakshanam it is shabda that needs to be preserved, referred to as 'svaroopa samrakshanam' which is of primary importance. Our Veda parampara and sampradaaya says that to do this first follow a Guru and learn Veda properly to do 'paarayaNam'. Else the 'form' the 'shabda' won't get protected

First, how to protect - One must learn Sva-shaakhaa first - and also approach the shaastri (the one who studied shastra after Veda-adhyayanam is shastri) for understanding the meaning, purpose and ultimate goal.

The "anubandha chatushtaya" method or the Shastra shikshaa paddhati has to be followed here. There are very subtle differences on many things only a 'ghanapaaThi' can guide one in proper shikshaa and svaroopa samrakshanam.

[anubhanda-chatushtayam method consists of 4 distinct prerequisites for studying any shastra, namely Vishaya (Subject /Topic), Adhikaari (required candidature of the veda-vidyaarthin), Sambandha (relationship between the candidate and the subject) and Prayojanam (purpose of the candidature and not candidate in this context) - the prayojanam here is Veda samrakshanam and loka kalyaanam.]

Bhagavan Patanchali in Mahabhashyam, Pashpashannikam says that - without any specific reason one has to study the 6 anga of the Veda (Veda is the Angi).  It is not possible to comprehend 'anything', without its parts - thus for understanding Veda one must study the 6 Veda-anga the limbs or parts. Study of Veda means to practice it. First and foremost of a Veda lifestyle means the aacharanam (daily practice of) of Sandhyavandanam and Pancha maha yajnam. 

In essence the तात्पर्यम् of Veda is hidden in आचरणम् and not in mere scholastic study.  

What is Vedic life:

In शीक्षावल्ली, तैत्तिरीयोपनिषद् - this mantra beautifully explains this:

वेदमनूच्याचार्योऽन्तेवासिनमनुशास्ति । सत्यं वद । धर्मं चर ।  स्वाध्यायान्मा प्रमदः । आचार्याय प्रियं धनमाहृत्य प्रजातन्तुं मा व्यवच्छेत्सीः । सत्यान्न प्रमदितव्यम् । धर्मान्न प्रमदितव्यम् । कुशलान्न प्रमदितव्यम् । भूत्यै न प्रमदितव्यम् । स्वाध्यायप्रवचनाभ्यां न प्रमदितव्यम् । देवपितृकार्याभ्यां न प्रमदितव्यम् । मातृदेवो भव । पितृदेवो भव । आचार्यदेवो भव । अतिथिदेवो भव ।

The important thing to note is that in this mantra Svaadhyaaya is stressed again. In the same Upanishad another mantra (couple of Mantra before in the same Valli) - svaadhyaya is stressed again and again - the word Svaadhyaaya appears 12 times. 

The word Svaadhyaaya means - "deep shastra study, teaching and contemplation"  (what is shastra I have posted earlier on this)

The easiest method to know the meaning of this mantra is to ask Google mama - but that is नीचमार्गः - the best is to approach a Vedic Shastri (not a Purohita / Pandit) and ask - this may be an opportunity to get to know a Vedic Shastri (of one's own sampradaaya) and that person will also be happy to share. 

Finally how to get the 3 qualities - प्रज्ञा, विवेकः, श्रद्धा - श्रद्धा is connected with संस्कार so one has to work a lot to get श्रद्धा (this is not belief or religious fanaticism). For the other 2 Bhagavan Bartrhari says a beautiful method in Vaakyapadiyam.

प्रज्ञाविवेकञ्च लभते भिन्नैरागदर्शनैः - this is also Maha vaakyam.  This means by studying other "darshana" - Yoga, Saankhya, Nyaya, etc. are other darshana. Generally it is considered that our darshana is "Vedanta or Uttara mimamsa"  the main text here is "Brahma sutra"

One gets प्रज्ञा as well as विवेकः by studying other darshanas. Bauddha and Jaina are also included in this as per many scholars. But before that one must have completed the study of one's own darshana.