Veda gyan
Issue 3

In the last issue we decided to discuss further about Smrtis. We also knew that Smrtis are code of conduct books compiled by Rishis. There are also Sutras which serve the same purpose compiled by Rishis.

Smrtis are as follows:


1. Manu Smrti

2. Parasara Smrti

3. Yagnavalkya Smrti

4. Harita Smrti

5. Apasthamba Smrti

6. Atri Smrti

7. Angirasa Smrti

8. Yama Smrti

9. Usana Smrti

10. Gothama smrti

11. Sanka Smrti

12. Likhita Smrti

13. Satapata Smrti

14. Samvada Smrti

15. Daksha Smrti

16. Brhaspati Smrti

17. Prachetas Smrti

18. Vishnu Smrti

We shall discuss about Sutras in later issues.


The story of Kabirdas a great devotee of Lord Rama.

Kabirdas was born in Kasi and was brought up by a Muslim family. His father was Dhamal and Jiji bai his mother .The divine couple were living in kasi and were not blessed with a child. Being sorrowful they prayed to God to give them a child to their surprise Dhamal found a child on the banks of Ganga! He brought the child home and the two were happy.

Kabirdas from his childhood was very devoted to lord Vishnu and was attracted to his forms. Though his father and mother and his other relatives tried to convince him to adopt the Islamic way of life somehow he persuaded them to put up with his own way of doing things. Their family earned their living through weaving silk cloth! Once Kabir’s mother gave him a piece of cloth to be sold in the market so that she could get some money to run the family. Kabir took the cloth to the market but never wanted to sell it instead wanted to offer it to lord Rama! At that time an old man approached Kabir and asked him for that cloth and also offered to pay him. Kabir refused to sell. The old man immediately picked up a quarrel with Kabir and soon a crowd gathered around them. Both of them argued. He even told the people around that Kabir has offered to give him the cloth free! Kabir got frustrated and tore the cloth into two pieces and gave one half to him. The old man in return gave kabir only some pebbles! And spoke at length about doing dhana (donate). This speech made Kabir think deeply about it. Just about that time a Muslim Fakir came to Kabir and asked for the rest of the piece of cloth .Now Kabir had determined not to sell it at all. He started running towards his home. The Fakir chased him and finally he reached Kabir’s house and told Kabir’s mother that he asked for a cloth and Kabir had given it to a Brahmin and also spoke in an insulting manner and had hid himself in the house. Hearing this Jijibai felt ashamed and was furious and decided enough is enough. She told the Fakir that she would hand over Kabir to him to be punished. She searched and chased him and finally managed to catch him and gave him a severe beating!

To every one’s surprise all of them including the Fakir and other citizens of Kasi felt the beating. At the same time Lord Vishnu appeared in front of Jijibai and requested her to stop being harsh to Kabir. She realised the real nature of Kabir and prayed to lord to forgive her.

Kabir wanted to learn the scriptures from a guru named Ramananda, who had an ashram at Kasi; he would go to his ashram every day and wait outside his door. But Ramananda did not accept Kabir as a student. Finally Kabir decided to lie down on the steps leading to the river Ganga where Ramananda comes during twilight to take bath. Kabir succeeded in his effort and Ramananda as expected stepped on Kabir!

Kabir immediately shouted the name of lord Rama and pleaded to accept him as a disciple. Though Kabir was accepted as a student he was not admitted inside his ashram because he was not a Hindu!

One day Kabir waiting outside the ashram to be taught as usual saw his master performing a manasa pooja (performing a pooja only in the mind) behind a curtain to lord Rama. He had finished his pooja and adorned the lord with his crown. Only then he realised that he had missed a garland out and tried to put it around the lord’s neck but the crown did not allow it. But once the crown had been placed on lord it should not be removed immediately. Ramadasa felt very upset. Keeping the garland aside he completed the pooja and opened the screen and saw Kabir standing there. Kabir told him that he could still adorn the lord with the garland by untying the knot in the garland! This startled Sri Ramananda and immediately he realised the greatness of Kabir and from that day onwards Kabir was allowed inside his ashram to learn.

Now some tit bits!

Yad dhitamavigyatam nigadenaiva sabdyate|

Anagnaniva sushkaidh: na tajalati karhichit||



The above sloka states that ‘Even though the log is dry without fire it will not glow on its own’. Likewise a person may be intelligent but he requires the will to learn, only then he will become an intellectual.



Stanurayam bharavah:kilabhut adhitya vedam na vijanati yo artham|

Yo arthagyait sakalam badram asnute nakameti sa vidhutapapma||



The above sloka states weight bearing stone (meant for keeping the luggage along side the highway) does not know what is kept over it (be it chandan or cowdung) so is the person who does not know the meaning of what one learns. Those who know the meaning attain all mangala (merits)


A great scientist and philosopher of recent times from Japan called Yukava (1966) said that the world consists of infinite number of discrete (separate) elements of space called elementary domains….Reality is given (understood) by the transfer or exchange of energy between those elementary domains.


A Chinese poet LiPo said the natural world provides all things with temporary residences and Time is a wayfarer (traveller) for hundreds of generations travelling among temporary residences!


What is Panchanga ?

Panchanga is what is known as almanac in English. This is the calendar of a year

Listing all celestial events with astronomical calculations specifying all stellar positions accurately. This is in vogue in our country from vedic age! Much before all discoveries of modern scientists!


Panchanga means a combination of Titi (number of the current day in lunar calendar), Vara (the week), Nakshatra (the star in prominence on that day), yoga (periods of time that are auspices),Karana (a sub division of time period).


This helped people in planning their work according to the most appropriate time. There is also some more interesting information that Panchangas give, for example the forecast of rain for the year, general trend of forces of nature upon the earth,and also the way the society in this yuga particularly in that year will function! They also give occurrences of solar and lunar eclipse.


The more interesting and amusing part of Panchanga is the depiction of the deity of the year! For instance the deity of Dharana varsha. That is the current year’s is Makara Sankaranti Devata. She is a combination of Man and a Women having two faces, three eyes, four mouths, red teeth, long tongue, eight hands two legs red matted hair. Her name is Misrakai. She comes in the beginning of the year after taking bath with a conch as a dipper and she wears leather clothing! (Compare fashion trends of today). She takes tambula and wearing silver ornaments, adorning kurukatti flowers bearing an iron vessel, enjoying chitranna (A kind of vegetable rice!), riding on a cock! Sporting spear, sword as weapons, playing flute (a wind instrument of music), having a winnow (a sifting tool used by farmers and housewives) as the umbrella, sporting an angry look turning her face westward and moving toward north arrives on the first Friday of the year! Look at the richness of description of the Devata. Like this each year a devata of that year arrives and oversees the conduct of events of that year. This is our ancient belief! Imagine the deity!