Talk:Svādhyāya
From Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia
By Swami Harshananda
Svādhyāya literally means ‘repeated study’.
The Taittiriya Upaniṣad[1] stresses the importance of svādhyāya very much. Svādhyāya is the repeated study and understanding of one’s own branch of the Veda. Since a student of Vedic knowledge is expected to teach it to others and keep up the continuity of that tradition, a thorough study of the same is greatly stressed.
The subjects of study may include other branches of learning also such as:
- Vedāṅgas
- Itihāsas
- Purāṇas
Sometimes the word is even interpreted as japa[2] of God’s name or any mantra.[3]
References[edit]
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore