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:

  1. Vedāṅgas
  2. Itihāsas
  3. Purāṇas

Sometimes the word is even interpreted as japa[2] of God’s name or any mantra.[3]


References[edit]

  1. Taittiriya Upaniṣad 1.9,11
  2. Japa means repetition.
  3. Mantra means the sacred formula.
  • The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore