Continuity and World-Influence of the Vedic Civilization

N. Kazanas

civilization? civilized?

Roman : civis citizen, civilis civil, civitas city:

ordered civil life in city.

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We think of

Civilized man : not violent, rapacious and selfish. Cultured : has interest in other nations, arts, etc. Care of Environment.

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Swami Viveknanda :

Civilisation is the manifestation of divinity in man.

Yoshinory Yasuda on the Japanese Jmon (11th millennium BCE):

Respect for and co-existence with nature proper relationship in accord with the features of the given region.
A. West on Ancient Egypt :

In civilization men are concerned with inner life to master greed, ambition, envy.

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Are modern nations

with their cupidity, injustice and selfishness civilized? in harmony with environment when they pollute it so severely? concerned to master greed, envy, ambition?

We see wars, piracy and genocide ;

pollution of the air and waters; exploitation of the weak by the rich and strong; widening gap between the wealthy and the poor.

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Platos Ideal Society (Republic 370Cff)

1. Simple agriculture and animal husbandry.
2. Essential crafts and exchanges (trade). 3. Feeding on barley-bread and bulbs; drinking moderately. 4. Singing hymns to the gods.

(Much like life in the gveda!)

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Desire for happiness, health, wealth and heaven. But beneath:

Axis of Vedic culture: divinization or Self-realisation : aha brahma-asmi (Bh Up 1.4.10) & yas tu sarv i bhtny-tmany-eva-anupayati / sarvabh te u ca- tm nam ( Up 6). This divinization tmaj na or brahmavidy , is achieved through ethical behaviour ( dharma, suk t ni, d na ) , yoga-practice and Soma-drinking.

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RV 1.164.25:

ino vi vasya bhvanasya gop s m dh ra p k am atr vive a.

The mighty Guardian of this entire world, He, the wise One has settled in me, the simpleton.

RV 8.6.10:

ahm d dh pits pri medh m tsya jagrabha ; aha s r ya iva-ajani.

Kava says: Having received from my father/teacher the essential knowledge (medh ) of the Cosmic Order (ta) I was (re) born like the Sungod Srya!

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In RV : the One tad-ekam (10.129.2). Also 1.164.16,46; 3.54.8; 8.58.2. Also Many deities, worlds, phenomena. One and Many synchronically. Most interest shown in the Many, less in the One!

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Spiritual concern : Self-realization; Devotion to divinities.

Mental level :

anumati agreement

asuratva lordship

dna liberality

pakti fiveness (also row)

vasut wealth-iness;

jigi desire to win.

Mathematics : algebra, geometry. Complex grammar: dhtus and derivative noun and verbs with many tenses and moods. Measure and rhythm in poetry and music.

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Material world :

Astronomy: constellations and calendar. Geometry (ulbastras) in building Harappan cities and altars. Medicine with herbs and mineral substances. Chanting of hymns; dancing. Weaving, Metallurgy, Pottery and other crafts (household utensils and weapons like bows. Agriculture and Animal husbandry. Trade with ocean-going boats.

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 ulba S tras

Forming part of the rauta S tras (pastamba, valyana, Ktyyana, Baudhyana): they belong to the Kalpa Stras which are one of the Six Vedgas (=limbs of Veda).

What is their date?

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It is very difficult to derive the Vedic ritual application of the theorem [of Pythagoras] from Babylonia. (The reverse process is easy.) The application involves geometric algebra and there is no evidence of geometric algebra from Babylonia. And the geometry of Babylonia is already secondary whereas in India it is primary. Hence we do not hesitate to place the Vedic altar rituals, or, more exactly, rituals exactly like them, far back of 1700 BCE. The elements of ancient geometry found in Egypt and Babylonia stem from a ritual system of the kind observed in the Sulvasutras
(Seidenberg 1962: 515).

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Seidenberg reiterated his finds in another paper in 1978. Note that the Mesopotamian ziggurats (=temples with steps) and the Egyptian mastamba-tombs and the step-pyramid of Djoser, all in the 3rd millennium BCE, are based on trapezoid figures which are found in the ulbastras and those figures are at the basis of Vedic altar brick-constructions like the maana-cit.

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Foundations of linguistic studies:

Yska (Nighau & Nirukta);

Pini (Adhyy). Patajali : Mahbhya (comments on Pini). Bharthari : Vkyapadya Concepts (of Vibhakti and) kraka in West only in 19th cent i.e. surface and deep structure grammar and meaning.

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After internecine wars some people are scattered far over the earth (abh km 7.18.16) and some pushed to the West ( prva cakra parm 7.6.3).
5.10.6 asmkasa ca sryo vv s tarni

that our sages may pervade all regions

6.61.9 s no vv ti dva svsr any tvar / tann heva srya //

She [Saravati] has spread us beyond enmities, beyond the other [seven] sister[-rivers], she who follows Cosmic Order, as the Sun spreads out the days.
10.65.11 : srya div rohyanta nava sud ry vrat visjnto dhi kami

the bounteous gods made the sun mount in heaven and diversely released (vi-sj-) the Aryan laws over the earth.
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Vedic Tradition in Near East

a) c3000 possible influence on Egypt: Affinities in religion : creation through Speech; Sungods boat; Cow of plenty; Lotus-born one; Creators eye running off and being brought back; etc, etc. (Kazanas 2009, ch8.) Also, the ulbastra geometry and trapezoids for mastaba tombs and step-pyramid, etc. (Rajaram and Frawley 1997)
b) c2600 on Mesopotamia : Actual trade links. Affinities in religion: Seven is; flood legend; horse sacrifice; magical rituals; etc, etc. (Kazanas 2009, ch7) Also the ulbastra geometry and ziggurats. (Rajaram and Frawley 1997)

c) Perhaps Judaic culture with monotheism. (Kazanas 2009, ch7)

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Kassites & Mitannis in the Near East (17th-16th centuries BCE).

Apart from Indoaryan names and horse-husbandry, under Agum II in early 16th cent. A surge of literacy invention, collection and recording (Dalley S. 1991: 47, 229). A rennaissance with perhaps ideas of Vedic origin.

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Unity of Being in 1st & 2nd cent CE: Hermeticists and Christian Gnostics 1st & 2nd cent. Neoplatonists and Neopythagoreans 3rd cent. (Enneads of Plotinos; Porphyry; Iamblichos).

Influence of Vedic Tradition (?)

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Influence on Persians : Perhaps some influence after Persian conquests in 6th cent BCE. Certainly there were translations of literature 5th cent CE (some of these tales reached Syria in the NE). Also translation of 50 Upanishads in 17th cent CE under Prince Mohammed Dara Shakoh. (From this a French translation.) 1200 CE Decimal system and numbers 0 to 9 via the Arabs into the West: Leonardo Fibonaccis Liber Abacus (in Algiers).

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Spread of Buddhism and Hinduism

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Sanskrit vocabulary in South East Asia argha > haliga/harga price; kya > kya body; buddhi > buhi/budi inclination/character. agula finger, yus life, gaja elephant jala water, dna charity, gift, vel limit, etc.

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Buddhism into China 1st cent CE. Sanskrit into China 3rd cent CE. Buddhism into Korea 4th cent CE. Buddhism into Japan 6th cent CE. Buddhism into Thibet 7th cent CE.

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JAVA from 1st cent CE CHAMPA (=todays Vietnam) 2nd cent CE SUMATRA, BORNEO 4th cent CE BALI (still much Hinduism) 6th cent CE

Valmikis Rmyaa found in LAOS in dance-dramas and sculptures in temples THAILAND in paintings and sculptures; capital of Siam Ayothya (< ayodhy) CAMBODIA sculptures and reliefs in temples; temple Angkor-wat with its Hindu cosmology.

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The Ramakrishna Mission.

Shri Vivekanandas visit to the USA & UK; Sept 1893 Sisters and brothers of America speech in Parliament of Religions in Chicago. 1899-1902 2nd tour in the West. Many others subsequently Tagore et al.

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Exports to the West from 19th cent onward :

Literature and Linguistic ideas;
(e.g. Emerson in the US, Schopehauer in Germany, Eliot in Britain; Comparative Philology.)

Vednta and Buddhism; yurveda, Meditation and Yoga

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ast ga-yoga of Patajali (2.29).

EIGHT STAGES (LIMBS) OF YOGA

8) sam dhi 7) dhy na 6) dh ra 5) praty h ra 4) pr y ma 3) sana 2) niyama 1) yama

ABSORPTION MEDITATION CONCENTRATION OF THE MIND WI HDRAWAL OF THE SENSES BREATH REGULATION BODY POSITION INTERNAL RULES EXTERNAL RULES
(CODE OF CONDUCT)
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yoga citta-vtti-nirodha (1.2)

Yoga effects the cessation of mind-movements. (All such movements of thinking and feeling are caused, says Patajali, by 5 kleas.)

5 kleas afflictions (2.3)

avidy
ignorance

asmit
egoism (separate ego)

rga
attachment, passion

dvea
abhorence

abhinivea
attachment to the world

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5 regulations (yama) (2.30)

ahis
non-injury

satya
truth

asteya
non-stealing

brahmacarya
life of purity

aparigraha
non-grabbing, non-amassing

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gveda 10.117 Bhadrayaka Up Manusmti 1.86 Bhagavad Gt

Hymn to Generosity datta [humans], give! dnam eka kalau yuge giving alone in the kali yuga 8.28; 16.1; etc

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Cycle of Four Yugas

Kta- or Sad-yuga : Tret-yuga : Dvpara-yuga : Kali-yuga :

tapas jna yaja dna

Deterioration

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Depletion and pollution of Ganges waters Himalaya glaciers diminish. Tehri Dam absorbs tributaries. Increasing canals for supplying agriculture and cities. Uncontrolled, explosive growth of cities. City sewage and industrial toxins into the river. Drop of average level at Varanasi from 60 down to 10 metres. Other problems: Caste system; cruelty to girls and widows; Increasing gap between rich and poor.

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Studies in 2002 reveal that :

In Germany youngsters could before 1970 distinguish

< <

350 colours 300 000 sounds 130 colours 180 000 sounds

today only

In France & USA youngsters had vocabulary

25 000 words .

today only 10 000 words.

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5 regulations (yama) (2.30)

ahis
non-injury

satya
truth

asteya
non-stealing

brahmacarya
life of purity

aparigraha
non-grabbing, non-amassing

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Swami Vivekananda :

Civilisation is the manifestation of divinity in man.

(See H. P. Kanoria 2012: 8)

Yoshinory Yasuda on the Japanese Jmon (11th millennium BCE):

Respect for and co-existence with nature proper relationship in accord with the features of the given region. A. West on Ancient Egypt : In civilization men are concerned with inner life to master greed, ambition, envy.
(For Yasuda, Rudgley 1998: 31-33. A. West see his publication of 1993: 6-7.)
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