 |
 |
|
|
|
|
TEXT 46 yavan artha udapane
SYNONYMS  yavan--all
that; arthah--is meant; uda-pane--in a well of water; sarvatah--in
all respects; sampluta-udake--in a great reservoir of water; tavan--similarly;
sarvesu--in
all; vedesu--Vedic literatures; brahmanasya--of the man who
knows the Supreme Brahman; vijanatah--of one who is in complete
knowledge.
TRANSLATION All purposes
that are served by the small pond can at once be served by the great reservoirs
of water. Similarly, all the purposes of the Vedas can be served to one
who knows the purpose behind them.
PURPORT The rituals
and sacrifices mentioned in the karma-kanda division of the Vedic
literature are to encourage gradual development of self-realization. And
the purpose of self-realization is clearly stated in the Fifteenth Chapter
of the Bhagavad-gita (15.15): the purpose of studying the Vedas
is to know Lord Krsna, the primeval cause of everything. So, self-realization
means understanding Krsna and one's eternal relationship with Him. The
relationship of the living entities with Krsna is also mentioned in the
Fifteenth Chapter of Bhagavad-gita. The living entities are parts
and parcels of Krsna; therefore, revival of Krsna consciousness by the
individual living entity is the highest perfectional stage of Vedic knowledge.
This is confirmed in the Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.33.7) as follows:
aho bata sva-paco 'to gariyan
"O my Lord,
a person who is chanting Your holy name, although born of a low family
like that of a candala [dog-eater], is situated on the highest platform
of self-realization. Such a person must have performed all kinds of penances
and sacrifices according to Vedic rituals and studied the Vedic literatures
many, many times after taking his bath in all the holy places of pilgrimage.
Such a person is considered to be the best of the Aryan family."
So one must
be intelligent enough to understand the purpose of the Vedas, without
being attached to the rituals only, and must not desire to be elevated
to the heavenly kingdoms for a better quality of sense gratification. It
is not possible for the common man in this age to follow all the rules
and regulations of the Vedic rituals and the injunctions of the Vedantas
and the Upanisads. It requires much time, energy, knowledge and
resources to execute the purposes of the Vedas. This is hardly possible
in this age. The best purpose of Vedic culture is served, however, by chanting
the holy name of the Lord, as recommended by Lord Caitanya, the deliverer
of all fallen souls. When Lord Caitanya was asked by a great Vedic scholar,
Prakasananda Sarasvati, why He, the Lord, was chanting the holy name of
the Lord like a sentimentalist instead of studying Vedanta philosophy,
the Lord replied that His spiritual master found Him to be a great fool,
and thus he asked Him to chant the holy name of Lord Krsna. He did so,
and became ecstatic like a madman. In this Age of Kali, most of the population
is foolish and not adequately educated to understand Vedanta philosophy;
the best purpose of Vedanta philosophy is served by inoffensively
chanting the holy name of the Lord. Vedanta is the last word in
Vedic wisdom, and the author and knower of the Vedanta philosophy
is Lord Krsna; and the highest Vedantist is the great soul who takes pleasure
in chanting the holy name of the Lord. That is the ultimate purpose of
all Vedic mysticism.
|
