Talk:The Vedas:Greatness of the Vedas

By Sri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swami

The glory of the Vedas knows no bounds. Their greatness is reflected in the affairs of the world in a manner beyond comparison.

Among all the sacred places on earth, Kāśī occupies the foremost place. When we praise any other kṣetra, we say that it is equal to Kāśī in holiness. From this alone we may understand the eminence of that city. In the South there is a sacred centre known as Dakṣiṇa Kāśī (Southern Kāśī). There is also an Uttara Kāśī in the Himalayas. Vṛddhācalam in Tamil Nadu is known as Vṛddha Kāśī, and in Tirunelveli district there is the town of Tenkāśi, which likewise means "Southern Kāśī". Whenever we extol the greatness of a sacred place, it is customary to compare it with Kāśī.

Yet Kumbhakoṇam is traditionally regarded as even greater than Kāśī. A well-known verse expresses this idea:

Anyakṣetre kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ puṇyakṣetre vinaśyati Puṇyakṣetre kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ Vārāṇasyāṃ vinaśyati Vārāṇasyāṃ kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ Kumbhakoṇe vinaśyati Kumbhakoṇe kṛtaṃ pāpaṃ Kumbhakoṇe vinaśyati.

"The sin committed in an ordinary place is destroyed in a sacred place. The sin committed in any sacred place is destroyed in Vārāṇasī. The sin committed in Vārāṇasī is destroyed in Kumbhakoṇam. And the sin committed in Kumbhakoṇam is destroyed only in Kumbhakoṇam."

The glory of Kāśī lies in the fact that all other sacred places are measured against it. Even when another place is declared superior, the comparison itself affirms Kāśī's unique greatness. A distinguished poet has expressed this beautifully:

Kṣetrāṇām uttamānām api yad upamayā kāpi loke praśastiḥ.

Its meaning is: "Even the most celebrated sacred places derive additional glory by being compared with Kāśī."

Similarly, when sacred tīrtha-s are praised, they are compared with the Gaṅgā or declared even holier than the Gaṅgā. Thus Kāśī stands foremost among sacred places, and the Gaṅgā among sacred rivers.

In the same manner, whenever any work is to be extolled, it is said to be "equal to the Vedas." The Rāmāyaṇa is one of the greatest poetic works. It exists in many versions, and in every language of India the story of Śrī Rāma has inspired poetry, drama, music, and other forms of literature. Such is the greatness of the Rāmāyaṇa that it is exalted to the status of the Vedas themselves:

Vedāḥ Pracetasād āsīt sākṣād Rāmāyaṇātmanā.

The Vedas themselves were born as the Rāmāyaṇa through Vālmīki, the son of Pracetas.

The Mahābhārata too is celebrated as a Veda and is traditionally called the fifth Veda (Pañcamo Vedaḥ).

The Vaiṣṇavas honour the Tiruvāymoḻi as the Tamil Veda. Its author, Nammāḻvār, also known as Śaṭhakopan and Māraṉ, is praised as the one who gave the Tamil Veda to the world.

The celebrated Tamil work on ethics, the Tirukkuṟaḷ, is likewise called the Tamil Veda.

During the time of Tiruvaḷḷuvar, the author of the Tirukkuṟaḷ, the last Tamil Saṅgam flourished at Madurai. There was there a seat said to have been bestowed by Sundareśvara Himself. Only those truly worthy could remain seated upon it; the unworthy would be cast aside. Such a thing may appear difficult to believe. Yet we readily accept that when a coin is inserted into a machine it dispenses a ticket.

[Here I have already narrated the story of Tiruvaḷḷuvar, the Tirukkuṟaḷ, and how the poets of his age came to regard Tamil as equal to Sanskrit because it now possessed a work equal to the Vedas. That account has been given earlier.]

The Śaivas regard the Tiruvācakam as the Tamil Veda.

The Vedic river is ageless. It flows across the length and breadth of our land as the very life-blood of our civilisation. This river must never be allowed to dry up. There is no greater responsibility resting upon a Hindu than preserving the Vedas as a living and vibrant tradition.

The sound of the Vedas must resound everywhere and fill all space. The truths enshrined in them must spread far and wide, and the rites enjoined by them must continue to flourish. It would be enough if Vedic dharma remains vigorous in this land. If a man's heart remains strong, he survives even when other parts of his body are afflicted. In the same way, if the Vedas flourish in this land, all nations will prosper and live in peace and happiness. This is the prayer of Vedic dharma:

Lokāḥ samastāḥ sukhino bhavantu.