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Arpan, Tarpan and Samarpan

8/24/2019

In Hindu philosophy, Arpan, Tarpan and Samarpan have big role for purification of self. Self-less sacrifice for betterment of humanity is Arpan. Remembering and offerings made to demised forefathers and parents particularly during Shradha (around 15 days period prior to Navratri is called Tarpan. Surrender to oneself to god and lead life according principles of dharma is Samarpan.

In Vedic dharma, every householder should perform five offerings or sacrifices viz. to devas (deities), pitras (ancestors), rishis (ancient teachers / scientists), human beings and brute creations. These offerings or sacrifices are the basis of spiritual development. It involves the offering of things that are precious to one-self and good to others, this eliminates the self-centeredness. These five offerings or sacrifices are as follows:

Sacrifice to gods i.e. performance of Havan, Agnihotra, etc.;
Sacrifice to risis i.e. study of the Vedas, performance of Sandhya and Japa of Gayatri, etc.;
Sacrifice to the Manes i.e. performance of Tarpana, Shradha etc.);
Sacrifice to Human Beings i.e. entertainment of guests;
Sacrifice to all created beings or performance of Balivaisvadeva i.e. offering a portion of the daily meal to creatures.

Arpan (dedication, presenting, offering)

Before the advent of cooking gas in the Hindu Kitchen, cooked food first was offered to fire. Thereafter, food was offered to deities and later taken as prasada. When the food was offered to yajna, it was called as Havya. The offerings or fire sacrifices made during Yajna are thanks-giving to deities for the benefits received from them or for welfare of humanity, are discharge of one’s duties. Fire is link between humans and deities.

Tarpan or Shradha:

Shradha means which is done with Shraddha (respect or reverence). Shradha or Tarpan is paying reverence towards the ancestors. It is a ritual of remembering our lineage and offering our respect. After dying, the gross body ceases, only the subtle body remains. There are many verses in Chapter 18 of Atharva Veda relating to appeasing the ancestors and funeral rites. The importance of Tarpan is emphasized in several Purans viz. Garuda Puran, Vayu Puran, Kumra Puran, Skand Puran Devi Bhagavad Puran etc. It finds mention in Mahabharata.

Tarpan is done for the happiness of their ancestors during Pitra-Paksh. It is performed for a fortnight in the 2nd paksha Hindu lunar month of Bhadrapada in southern and western India and in Ashwin month in north India & Nepal. It begins on the Pratipada (first day of the fortnight) ending with the no moon day known as amavasya (also known as Pitru Amavasya, Peddala Amavasya, Mahalaya amavasya or simply Mahalaya).
Shradha is performed at home normally. However, Shraddha performed at Varanasi, Prayaga, Gaya, Kedarnath, Badrinath, Rameswaram and Nasik, have special significance.
In the Shradha, after the invocation, and salutation, the reverence offering is done. Water is mainly used in tarpan. Other items are like barley, black sesame, rice, Ganga water, milk and flowers. With the help of the Kushas, the small Anjali mantra of the barley is satisfied by the mere pouring of the mantra. Subsequently, the offerings are also made to crow, dog, cow, begger and Brahmin.
As a result of performing Tarpan, the ancestors get satisfied and bless us with love, peace, happiness, good health, wealth and success. Also, one who is performing gets rid of the family dosha or Pitru dosha (if any).

Samarpan or Surrender:

External worship is symbolic. The true and the highest worship is total surrender, offering of oneself, one’s possessions, and one’s actions and even the sense of agency to Him and unwavering faith and devotion (अनन्य भक्ति). Whole hearted self-surrender (body, mind and soul) and love ensures attainment of Brahman.

Bhagawata Purana has classified god-centred actions into nine class’ viz. listening (श्रवणम), hymning/eulogizing (कीर्तनं), meditating/remembering (स्मरणम), service (पादसेवनम), worship (आर्कनम), salutation/greeting (वंदनम), servitude/bondage (दास्यम), comradeship/friendliness (सखयम) and total surrender (आत्मनिवेदनम).
The grace of the Supreme Being comes on those who surrender themselves whole-heartedly to him, and that grace accomplishes what one cannot do by one’s own effort. First attitude is “I am His”; second – “He is mine” and third – “He is I”. Surrender takes these forms according to one’s spiritual maturity.
The importance of offerings and self-surrender is emphasized in Shrimad Bhagavad Gita discussed hereinafter:

Offerings:

In Chapter 4, Bhagwan Shree Krishna has explained the various forms of offerings:
1. Some Yogis duly offer sacrifice only in the form of worship to gods, while others perform sacrifice by offering the self by the Self itself in the fire of Brahman i.e. attain oneness with Brahman (verse-25, दैवमेवापरे यज्ञं योगिनः पर्युपासते । ब्रह्माग्नावपरे यज्ञं यज्ञेनैवोपजुह्वति ॥ ४-२५॥).
2. Some offer as sacrifice their senses of hearing etc., into the fires of self-discipline. Other Yogis without attachment & aversions offer sound and other objects of perception into the fires of the senses (verse-26, श्रोत्रादीनीन्द्रियाण्यन्ये संयमाग्निषु जुह्वति । शब्दादीन्विषयानन्य इन्द्रियाग्निषु जुह्वति ॥ ४-२६॥).
3. Others sacrifice all the functions of their senses and the functions of the vital airs (Prana) into the fire of Yoga of self-restraint kindled by wisdom (verse-27, सर्वाणीन्द्रियकर्माणि प्राणकर्माणि चापरे । आत्मसंयमयोगाग्नौ जुह्वति ज्ञानदीपिते ॥ ४-२७॥).
4. Some perform sacrifice with material possessions; some offer sacrifice in the shape of austerities; others sacrifice through the practice of Yoga; while some striving souls, observing austere vows, perform sacrifice in the shape of wisdom through the study of sacred texts (verse-28, द्रव्ययज्ञास्तपोयज्ञा योगयज्ञास्तथापरे । स्वाध्यायज्ञानयज्ञाश्च यतयः संशितव्रताः ॥ ४-२८॥).
5. Others offer as sacrifice the outgoing breath in the incoming, and the incoming in the outgoing, restraining the courses of the outgoing and the incoming breaths, solely absorbed in the restraint of the breath (verse-29, अपाने जुह्वति प्राणं प्राणेऽपानं तथापरे । प्राणापानगती रुद्ध्वा प्राणायामपरायणाः ॥ ४-२९॥)
6. In chapter 5, one, who acts offering all actions to God, and shaking off attachment, remains untouched by sin, as the lotus leaf by water (verse-10, ब्रह्मण्याधाय कर्माणि सङ्गं त्यक्त्वा करोति यः । लिप्यते न स पापेन पद्मपत्रमिवाम्भसा ॥ ५-१०॥).
In chapter 9 - Shree Krishna says, whosoever offers Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) with devotion and pure mind a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, I, personally accept the offerings (verse-26, पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति । तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ॥ ९-२६॥). Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer as oblation to the sacred fire, whatever you bestow as a gift, whatever you do by way of penance, offer all that to Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) (verse-27, यत्करोषि यदश्नासि यज्जुहोषि ददासि यत् । यत्तपस्यसि कौन्तेय तत्कुरुष्व मदर्पणम् ॥ ९-२७॥). The mind thus established in the Yoga of renunciation (offering of all actions to Me), one shall be freed from the bondage of action in the form of good and evil results; will be liberated and attain Moksha (Verse-28, शुभाशुभफलैरेवं मोक्ष्यसे कर्मबन्धनैः । संन्यासयोगयुक्तात्मा विमुक्तो मामुपैष्यसि ॥ ९-२८॥)
In chapter17 – Shree Krishna explains types of offerings:
The sacrifice which is offered, as ordained by scriptural injunctions, by men who expect no return and who believe that such sacrifices must be performed, is Sattvika in character (verse-11, अफलाकाङ्क्षिभिर्यज्ञो विधिदृष्टो य इज्यते । यष्टव्यमेवेति मनः समाधाय स सात्त्विकः ॥ १७-११॥).
Sacrifice, which is offered for the sake of mere show or even with an eye to its fruit, knows it to be Rajasika (verse-12, अभिसन्धाय तु फलं दम्भार्थमपि चैव यत् । इज्यते भरतश्रेष्ठ तं यज्ञं विद्धि राजसम् ॥ १७-१२॥).
A sacrifice, which is not in conformity with scriptural injunctions, in which no food is offered, and no sacrificial fees are paid, which is without sacred chant of hymns and devoid of faith, is said to be Tamasika (verse-13, विधिहीनमसृष्टान्नं मन्त्रहीनमदक्षिणम् । श्रद्धाविरहितं यज्ञं तामसं परिचक्षते ॥ १७-१३॥)

Samarpan or Surrender:

In Chapter 3, Shree Krishna informs that to get rid of from the feeling of agency, one should offer all the fruits of action to the Brahman (verses -20-30).
In Chapter 9, Shree Krishna explains that one who fix his mind daily, continuously & unmoved on Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna); be devoted to Me, worship by listening, chanting, meditating & studying Me without motives; surrender everything to me with great devotion & love; make obeisance to Me and entirely depending on Me, he shall come to Me (Verse 34, मन्मना भव मद्भक्तो मद्याजी मां नमस्कुरु । मामेवैष्यसि युक्त्वैवमात्मानं मत्परायणः ॥ ९-३४॥).
In Chapter 10, Shree Krishna again mentions that those who meditate Me, (Brahman/Shree Krishna) listen & discuss My glories and surrender to Me, these devotees ever remain contented and take delight in Me (Brahman/Shree Krishna) (Verse 9, मच्चित्ता मद्गतप्राणा बोधयन्तः परस्परम् । कथयन्तश्च मां नित्यं तुष्यन्ति च रमन्ति च ॥ १०-९॥).
In chapter 12, Shree Krishna says, those, who depend exclusively on Me, and surrender all actions to Me, worship Me (God with attributes), constantly meditate on Me with single-minded devotion, I speedily deliver from the ocean of birth and death, their mind being fixed on Me (Verse6, 7 - ये तु सर्वाणि कर्माणि मयि संन्यस्य मत्पराः । अनन्येनैव योगेन मां ध्यायन्त उपासते ॥ १२-६॥ तेषामहं समुद्धर्ता मृत्युसंसारसागरात् । भवामि नचिरात्पार्थ मय्यावेशितचेतसाम् ॥ १२-७॥).

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Cosmology & Chemistry in Rig Veda

8/16/2019

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Cosmology & Chemistry in Rig Veda
The Vedas are regarded as the store house of ancient knowledge obtained through direct vision of reality by the Vedic seers. Mahrishi Veda Vayas compiled the Vedas around 5000 years ago. Prior to that, Vedas were transmitted through teacher-disciple tradition. Upon investigating, the Vedas reveal the discoveries made by the modern science. It is true that the verses of Vedas are symbolic in nature and require high level of intelligence and interpretation.

Rigveda Samhita is a collection of 1,028 hymns (suktas) in about 10,600 verses, organized into ten books (mandalas). The Rig Vedic hymns are dedicated to various deities, chief of whom is Indra. The others discussed are Vrtra, Agni, Soma, ,Adityas, Mitra, Varuna, Ushas (the dawn), Savitr, Vishnu, Rudra, Pushan, Brihaspati or Brahmanaspati, Prithivi, Surya (Sun), Vayu or Vata (the wind), Apas (the waters), Parjanya (the thunder and rain), Vac (the word), many rivers, Vasus, Sadhyas, Ashvins, Maruts, Rbhus, and the Vishvadevas ("all-gods") as well as the "thirty-three gods" are the groups of deities mentioned.

A number of Vedic researchers have decoded the various deities and certain Rig Vedic hymns to corroborate the discoveries of modern science. The details are discussed below.

Names of deities in terms of science defined as under:
Aditi – Space energy; Indra – Electric force; Agni – Cosmic force which converts energy into matter, Varun – Proton; Soma – gravitational force; Vishnu – rotatory motion; Brihaspati – nuclear force; Rudra – extremely hot nuclear furnace of the galaxy from where they originate; Maruts – high energy photons; Prajapati – the creator.

Prior to Creation of Universe:

Rigveda Verse 10. 129.1 clearly spell out that before the beginning of the creation, there was nothing existent (sat) or non-existent (asat). There was no realm of air (i.e. atoms and molecules), no sky beyond (i.e. no sun, planet or moon), no living being, and no manifested energy. It was all dark and void. Only Brahma (self-sustaining power permeated the entire infinite space.
Rigveda Verse 10.129.2 tells that at that time no death existed; no immortal, no day or night, only self-sustaining power existed. Verse 10.129.3 tells that at that time complete darkness existed. Due to deep concentration, he has power of doing (Brahma).
Rigveda Verse 10.129.4 tells that he has great will-power and it was his will power which became the seed of creation.

Process of creation of Universe:

Rigveda Verse 10.190.1 tells that from deep concentration (Tapas), Rit (means substance, which may become generator of motion) and Satya (Sat means quality of existence & stability) were born. Subsequently, day (day means light i.e. photons) and night (absence of photons, Tamas) were born. Thereafter, ocean of un-manifested energy was born.
Rigveda Verse 1.164.42 tells that from galactic core oceans of energy (i.e. the suns) flow out different directions.
Rigveda Verse 1.2.8 explains that Mitra (electron) and Varuna (proton) interact and creates most extensive yajna (formation of the suns and galactic core). Mutual interaction between electron and proton is responsible for the generation of extremely high temperature and pressure inside galactic core.
Rigveda Verse 10.190.2 tells that from foaming ocean, the year (time) was produced. Thereafter, it created day (particles of light i.e. photons) and night (particles of matter).
Rigveda Verse 1.1.3 tells that the cosmic yajna gets nourishment and riches i.e. elementary particles through Agni for production of suns and suns and ultimately for formation of the galactic nucleus.

Modern Science - Georges Lemaitre first noted in 1927 that an expanding universe could be traced back in time to an originating single point. He presented his new idea that the universe is expanding and provided the first observational estimation of what is known as the Hubble constant. What later will be known as the "Big Bang theory" of the origin of the universe, he called his "hypothesis of the primeval atom" or the "Cosmic Egg".

Formation of Sun, Planets and Moon:

Rigveda Verse 1.154.1,2,3,4 explain about the three steps of Vishnu. First step, creation of suns from galactic core; second, creation of planets from suns; third, creation of moons from the planets. Hence, the entire universe is born out of three steps of Vishnu.
Rigveda Verse 1.155.3 says that the processes enhances the mighty power of Vishnu (the rotatory power of Supreme Being) i.e. emission of energy and particle radiation and later of suns, the rotational strength, with the result that the galactic core begins to rotate faster and faster with the ejection of suns from her. As a consequence, three types of suns of Vishnu make their appearance out of the galactic core, which, in the bright orbit of the luminous sky, shine with high, medium and low brightness, in accordance with the quality they acquired from their father.
Yajurveda Verse 1.23 says that he unites with her for Trita, for Dwita and for Ekat i.e. three kinds of solar systems viz. the sun, planet and moon is Trit; the sun and planet is Dwit and the sun alone is Ekat. This means that three kinds of suns were born from galactic core. First those, which could give, birth to their planets and moons, both. The second, those gave birth to their planets but not their moons, and the third those which could give birth neither to the planets nor to the moons and remained single. Suns were constantly ejected from galactic core.
Rigveda Verse 1.164.50 says, God or natural forces extended the yajna with another yajna. They created the suns by the yajna performed inside the galactic core. Yajna inside the suns created planets. They further extended the yajna of creation by performing a third type of yajna inside the planets for creation of moons of the planets.
The second sentence of Rigveda Verse 1.164.1 tells that seven planets born out of the sun.
Rigveda Verse 10.27.15 says, seven planets thrown out by strong forces, eighth planet from upper part (of sun), ninth planet from behind and tenth planet from front. It means that seven planets came from sun and last three planets were captured by the sun from outside by its strong gravitational field.
Rigveda Verse 1.164.33 describes about creation of moon. It says, the sun is my father and earth is my mother.

Modern Science: Accordingly, astronomers often group stars by their mass viz. Very low mass stars, with masses below 0.5 M☉, Low mass stars (including the Sun), with a mass between 0.5 M☉ and 1.8–2.5 M☉ and Massive stars generally have a minimum mass of 7–10 M☉
Planetary Movements – Planets revolve around Sun:

Rigveda Verse 1.164.2 says, one wheeled chariot of sun is drawn by one horse having seven names. The wheel has three navels in which bhuvans (world) exist. It never gets old and is not dependent on anybody. Here, Chariot means planetary system of seven planets is connected to the sun by gravitational force (horse). The wheels are elliptical in shape. Their orbit is continuously maintained i.e. planets circulate around sun under the influence of gravitational force.
Rigveda Verse 1.164.11 describes that the wheel of motion with 12 spokes (denotes months or zodiac) goes round and round the sun continuously without tiring for 720 sons in pairs (360 days and 360 nights i.e. 360 full days). This proves that the sun is stationary with respect to this wheel, while the latter with the earth, completes one revolution around sun in 360 full days.

The riddle of 360 days in a year was explained as the revolution earth took 360 days before moon was born. The birth of moon made earth lighter so that its angular velocity of rotation increased and earth began to make 365.25 rotations on its axis during the course of revolution around the sun.

Rigveda Verse 1.164.48 further describes that twelve spokes, one wheel, three navels (denotes three centres of the elliptical orbit), three hundred sixty (denotes total days in a year) have been placed, neither moving nor stationary.

Modern Science - Nicolaus Copernicus, a Polish astronomer first put forth the theory in 1543 that the Sun is at rest and that the Earth, spinning on its axis once daily, revolves annually around the Sun.

Luminosity of Sun:

Rigveda Verse 1.164.40 symbolically describes that earth receives three kinds of radiations i.e. heavy particles like protons, alpha particles etc. (barley), light particles like electron, neutrinos etc. (grass blades) and light or radiant energy (water).
Rigveda Verse 1.164.44 tells that three kinds of radiations are coming from the galaxies towards earth viz. light radiation, the photon and other radiations. The photon which is a particle of energy, create wave system and while travelling in the medium, affects a shave i.e. loss of energy.
Last sentence of Rigveda Verse 1.64.4 tells that the Maruts (high energy photons) originated from sun with self-force.

Modern Science - In addition to light, infrared and ultraviolet "light", radio waves, x-rays, and gamma rays; the sun radiates heat and a steady stream of charged particles known as the solar wind containing mostly electrons, protons and alpha particles with kinetic energy between 0.5 and 10 keV.

Phenomenon of splitting light into Vibgyor rays

Rigveda verse 1.164.3 clearly spells out that seven rays of light of the sun of different colours are sisters and moves towards seven cows (planets) and illuminate. This shows that the planets are not self-luminous.

Modern Science - Isaac Newton in 1666 discovered that light is made up of seven different colours.

Formation of Atom and its constituents:

Rigveda verse 10.72.8,9 say, eight sons of Aditi or space energy viz. Mitra, Varun, Aryaman, Bhag, Daksh, Ansh, Tuvijat and Martand. These eight Aditiyas correspond to elementary particles of modern physics viz. electron, proton, neutron, meson (+), meson (o), meson (-), Neutrino and photon respectively. Seven particles with Aditi attained proximity of Gods i.e. sub-atomic particles and one particle (called as Martend, identified as photon) could manifest energy.
Rigveda Verse 7.33.13 tells that due to mutual interaction between mitra and varuna, atomic nuclei are formed.

Modern Science – Various sub-atomic particles have been discovered during the century viz. Electron (J J Thomson, 1897), Photon (Einstein, 1905), Proton (Rutherford, 1919), Neutron (Chadwick, 1932), Antiparticles (Anderson, 1932), Meson & leptons (Anderson, 1936), Lambda Baryons (Unv. Of Melbourne, 1950), Neutrino (Clyde Cowan, Frederick Reines, 1956) and Kaons (1947).

Reference:

The Cosmic Yajna, by Sh. M L Gupta
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bang; Stars;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subatomic_particle

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