Talk:Kalpa:Hand of the Vedapurusa

By Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swami

The sixth limb or Aṅga of the Veda-puruṣa is Kalpa, his hand. The hand is called Kara since it does work (or since we work with it). In Telugu, it is called Sey. Kalpa is the Śāstra that involves you in “work.” A man learns to chant the Veda-s, studies Śikṣā, Vyākaraṇa, Chandas, Nirukta, and Jyotiṣa. What does he do next? He has to apply these Śāstra-s to the rites he is enjoined to perform. He has to wash away his sins—the sins earned by acting according to his whims. He does this by performing good works. For this, he must know the appropriate Mantra-s and how to enunciate them correctly, understanding their meaning. Also, certain materials are needed, and a house architecturally suited to the conduct of the rituals. The fruits yielded by these must be offered to the Īśvara. Kalpa concerns itself with these matters.

Why does a man learn the Veda-s? Why does he strive for perfection in purity and tone by learning Śikṣā, grammar, and prosody? Why does he learn Jyotiṣa to determine the correct time for rituals? The answer: to carry out the injunctions of Kalpa.

How is a rite to be performed? What are the rituals imposed upon the four Varṇa-s and upon people belonging to the four Āśrama-s (Brahmacarya, Gṛhastha, Vānaprastha, Sannyāsa)? What Mantra-s are to be chanted during these various rites, and what are the materials to be gathered? What kind of vessels are to be used, and how many Ṛtvij-s are needed for different rituals? All these come under the domain of Kalpa.

Several sages have contributed to the Kalpa-śāstra. Six sages have composed Kalpa-sūtra-s for the Kṛṣṇa-Yajurveda, predominantly followed in the South. Āpastamba, Baudhāyana, Vaikhānasa, Satyāṣāḍha, Bharadvāja, Agniveśa, Āśvalāyana, and Śāṅkhāyana have written Kalpa-sūtra-s for the Ṛgveda, but the former’s (Āśvalāyana) is most widely followed. For Śukla-Yajurveda, there is the Kalpa-sūtra by Kātyāyana. For the Kauthuma, Rāṇāyanīya, and Tālavakāra branches of the Sāmaveda, Lāṭyāyana, Drāhyāyaṇa, and Jaimini respectively have composed Kalpa-sūtra-s.

Kalpa contains Gṛhya-sūtra-s and Śrauta-sūtra-s for each recension. Both deal with the 40 Saṃskāra-s to be performed from conception to death. The cremation of the body is also a sacrifice—the final offering: it is called Antyeṣṭi, and it is performed with the chanting of Mantra-s. Iṣṭi means a sacrifice, and in Antyeṣṭi, the body is offered in the sacred fire as a Dravya or material.

A Brāhmaṇa has to perform 21 sacrifices: seven Havir-yajña-s based on Agnihotra, seven Pāka-yajña-s, and seven Soma-yajña-s. Of these, the seven Havir-yajña-s and the seven Soma-yajña-s are not included in the Gṛhya-sūtra-s—they belong to the Śrauta-sūtra-s. Together, these account for forty rites for a Brāhmaṇa—they are called Saṃskāra-s. A Saṃskāra is that which refines and purifies the performer.

Agnihotra is performed at home, while Yajña-s of a larger scale are conducted in specially constructed Yāgaśālā-s. While the Śrauta-sūtra-s provide instructions for grand sacrifices, the Gṛhya-sūtra-s concern themselves with domestic rites. The names given earlier are of the authors of the Śrauta-sūtra-s.

The Kalpa-sūtra-s deal with the 40 Saṃskāra-s and the eight Ātmaguṇa-s (qualities to be cultivated by individuals). Apart from the 14 (Havis and Soma) Yajña-s, the remaining 26 belong to the Gṛhya category. Among them are Garbhādhāna, Puṃsavana, Sīmantonnayana, Jātakarma, Nāmakaraṇa, Annaprāśana, Cūḍākaraṇa, Upanayana, and Vivāha—I shall explain these later.

The eight Ātmaguṇa-s are: compassion (Dayā), patience (Kṣamā), freedom from jealousy (Amātsarya), purity (Śauca), non-obstinacy (Anahaṅkāra), calmness (Śama), non-covetousness (Adambha), and desirelessness (Aparigraha). These are part of Sāmānya-dharma-s—universal virtues to be cultivated by all Jāti-s.

When we do Abhivādana (as we prostrate before the sacred fire or elders), we mention, among other things, the Sūtra we follow. For example, Sāmavedin-s mention the Drāhyāyaṇa-sūtra. Drāhyāyaṇa authored only a Śrauta-sūtra. Another, Gobhila, wrote a Gṛhya-sūtra. In earlier times, when Śrauta-yajña-s were common, the Śrauta-sūtra was mentioned in Abhivādana. That practice continues even now, although we mostly perform only domestic rituals like Vivāha, governed by Gṛhya-sūtra-s.

In the past, even poor people performed Śrauta rituals. They obtained required materials by begging. Brāhmaṇa-s called Prativasantasomayājin-s conducted Soma-yajña-s every year in spring—that is what the term means. If a man had saved enough for three years' living expenses, he would conduct the Soma-yajña in Vasanta Ṛtu (spring).

Now there is decay in all fields. People spend thrice their income, and ironically, despite economic growth, even the rich suffer from hardship. There must be Mādhurya (moderation) in everything. Modern ingenuity has led to indigence amidst abundance. With moderation, one finds the means to do good works.

The Śikhā, Puṇḍra, and religious observances vary with each Sūtra. Some wear Ūrdhva-śikhā (tuft on the crown), some Pūrva-śikhā (tuft on the forehead). Similarly, some wear Ūrdhva-puṇḍra (vertical marks), others Tri-puṇḍra (horizontal marks). These vary by tradition.

Cayana (altar construction) is an important aspect of Yajña-s. There are two types of Śulba-sūtra-s in Kalpa: Sāmānya (general) and Viśeṣa (specific). There are Śulba-sūtra-s by Kātyāyana, Baudhāyana, Hiraṇyakeśin, and others. In the South, there is the Āṇḍapiḷḷai-prayoga, from Tiruppanāntal, named after the deity Gaṇeśa ("Piḷḷaiyar") of Tiruvaiyāru. The Śrauta works in Tamil Nadu are followed according to this method.

Śrauta-Yajña-s are grand sacraments conducted in Yāgaśālā-s. The lesser domestic rites fall under Gṛhya. As Śrauta rituals became rare, Gṛhya-sūtra-s gained prominence. Meanwhile, alien Śāstra-s and practices are increasingly adopted.

All our Śāstra-s aim to place us at the lotus feet of Īśvara. Whatever we study must be an offering to Him, capable of bestowing Ātmic merit. It is regrettable that the performance of Śrauta rites (Havis and Soma-Yajña-s), central to the Vaidika Dharma, has become so rare.

Among authors of Kalpa-sūtra-s, apart from Drāhyāyaṇa and Kātyāyana, the rest—including Āpastamba, Baudhāyana, and Āśvalāyana—have written both Śrauta and Gṛhya-sūtra-s.

Apart from these two, we have Dharma-sūtra-s. These deal with a man's personal, family, and social duties. Dharma-śāstra-s like those of Manu, Mītākṣarā, etc., are based on these. The English word “law” owes much to them. The extant Dharma-sūtra-s are those of Vasiṣṭha, Viṣṇu (for Ṛgveda); Manu, Baudhāyana, Āpastamba, Hiraṇyakeśin (for Kṛṣṇa-Yajurveda); and Gautama (for Sāmaveda). The Atharvaveda has no prominent Kalpa-sūtra tradition in use today.

Kalpa addresses rituals in minute detail. A Brāhmaṇa’s every act has a Vaidika connection—how he sits, eats, dresses—everything is guided by Kalpa-sūtra-s. Even house construction is governed by it. Why? The layout must support his Śāstra-guided Dharma. If Vaiśvadeva-bali must be offered at a specific doorway, the house must accommodate this. Is a modern flat suitable for such rites?

A Pūjā space must be distinct, conducive to Śuddhi and Varṇa-Āśrama rules. All rooms in bungalows are identical. The Western-style home does not support this life. Traditional Vāstu arose from our Dharma needs. A cement floor cannot be ritually purified after meals; Eccil (saliva traces) spreads. Westerners eat at tables; we must build houses aligned with Gṛha-śāstra.

The term Gṛhastha comes from Gṛha (house). Those who follow Śuddhi in eating, clothing, and living must have homes built in line with our Śāstra-s. But we live in alien structures and gradually lose our religious disciplines. Instead of discarding ill-fitting houses, we discard our Dharma itself.