Mundaka Upanishad : Chapter 1: Section 1 : Discussion-7

07/08/2018
Mundaka Upanishad : Chapter 1: Section 1 :  Discussion-7
Mantram -5.


The Kalpa Sutras are of four types: Shrauta Sutras, Grihya Sutras, Dharma Sutras and Shulba Sutras. The Shrauta Sutras describe the manner of the performance of sacrifices according to Vedic injunctions. The Grihya Sutras are connected with sacrifices and performances to be undertaken in one’s own house, and not in some big yajnashala. The Dharma Sutras give us the rules and regulations of social and ethical life, such as Varnashrama dharma, etc. The Shulba Sutras describes the length, measurement, etc., of certain articles that are to be used in Vedic sacrificial methods. These are the four types of Kalpa Sutras.

Vyakarana is grammar. There are two types of grammar: classical grammar and Vedic grammar. In Panini’s method, both types of grammar are found. Vedic grammar is studied only in advanced stages. Students of Sanskrit usually study only classical works and the well-known Vyakarana. Unless we know the technology of the method by which words are used in the Veda mantras, we will not make any sense out of them, and so Vyakarana, the study of grammar, is necessary.

Nirukta is the etymology of the word—how the word has been formed. Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, and so on—what is actually meant by these words? They have a root. As every word in a language has a root from which it is derived, Vedic words also have a root from which they arise. The Nirukta Shastra of Bhaskaracharya is the great textbook which goes into the details of the etymology, or the roots of the words, used in the Veda mantras.

Chandas is the metre. Every verse, every mantra of the Rigveda Samhita particularly, varies in its metre. It is long or short, it is Gayatri Chandas or Tristubh, and so on, and accordingly the intonation also changes.

Jyotisha is the astronomical science which tells us at what particular time of the conjunction of the stars or the planets we have to undertake a particular ritual or a sacrifice. It does not mean that on any day we can do some worship and on any day we can do some havanam, and so on. A particular yajna, or havan, should be done at a particular time, in consonance with the respective conjunction of the planets and the stars. That is Jyotisha, the shastra of astronomy.

To be continued ...