Scripture

All Glories to HDG Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Goswami Maharaj

All Glories  to HDG  Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Prabhupada 

The Shasa dhatu is used as  the root for the word shastra or scripture which mean to discipline or exercise control. We usually use our senses as  the olfactory senses(smell) ,that related to hearing, seeing with our eyes ,touching and lastly  our mind in order to determine the characteristics of an object. But by the bent of a restless mind and false interpretations with solely  using evidence based on comparison , original history, social norms ,evaluation derived from the gross senses or comparison by eradication, we are still unable to accept the existence of the Supreme Lord nor of His pure devotees. It is at this juncture that the  transcendental sound  or the revealed scriptures act as a guiding force to testify to the autocracy of a Superior Being. Even in normal material researches there has been some anomalies in terms of proper determination without error so what to speak of the  inconceivable ,infinite  spiritual platform ?Actually only the revealed scriptures free from the defects of  gross error, foolishness,  man's natural cheating tendency ,illusion due to imperfect senses can be  able to bestow the proper knowledge to the spiritual aspirant .The actual scripture describing the absolute truth is  none other than the age old scripture which is passing by natural succession. That which is construed individually  by one's mind or the remnants of some ideology from time and place can never be the original  imparted scriptural teachings.  We understand from the conversation between Yajnavalkya and Maiteri as written in the Brhadarnyeke Upanishad that the  four Vedas ,Puranas and Itihasas have come from the breathing of the Supreme Lord . The first verse of Manduka states sa brahmavidyam jyesha putaraya praha or from tene brahma hrda adi kavaye as in the Bhagavatam and before the main verses of the Bhagavatam we have this verse tathaivatatvavijnam aste mad anugrahat, The origin of the scriptures is discussed in the 3rd chapter of the Matsya Purana and also the same as on the Prabhas section of the Skandha Purana which has all been  summarized in the 13 chapter of the Tattva Sandharbha , that the revealed scriptures is the knowledge as  originally given by the Supreme Lord. Madhav Muni after explaining the verses of the Skanda Purana as rk sama yajurartavashcha   bharatam pancharatrakam ----- that the four Vedas Rk,Yajur,Sama and Arthava Veda plus the Mahabharatha and the Ramayana including the Sattva Tantras as the Pancharatra constitute what we refer to as revealed scriptures and every other scripture which is in line with these favourably are all included as genuine scripture while the rest are to be neglected. Usually there is three different types of scripture for humanity as in the fold of goodness, passion and ignorance.  This is mentioned in the Matsya Purana as the verse sattvikesu cha kalpesu mahatmayam adhikam hare .-----  In the scriptures relating to the modes of goodness, the Supreme Lord Hari is glorified as well what constitutes the greatest welfare of all the living entities.  Scriptures in the modes of passion describes the  glories of the demigod Brahma with  teachings on warfare while  scriptures in the mode of ignorance deals mainly with the  glories of demigods like that of Agni ,Siva and Durga with also specific  regulations  in connection with  the killing of animals and taking of intoxicants. In the lower scriptures too, the glories of Saraswati and the planet of the forefathers have been described. The  main object of the scriptures in the modes of passion and ignorance is to attract the bewildered living entities although firstly to impermanent ,secondary material  aims ,nevertheless  gradually to be attracted to  the lotus feet of the Lord. The aim here is to use a thorn to remove an imbedded thorn thereby finally throwing both thorns  away but for one who is not discriminative this could mean while trying to remove the thorn, one ends up in imbedding the other thorn as well. We understand that Rsis like Jaimini and others being bewildered by the flowery words of the Vedas were unable to understand in truth, the glories of the Supreme Lord. Sri Jiva Goswami has commented in Tattva Sandharbha that they  having failed to take completely the total conclusions of the evidence of the Vedas as in the Puranas instead have taken only knowledge   partially in context or that which constitutes the  glories of the worship of the  various demigods which are the segment  of those lower grade of worshippers who become  bewildered in respect to determining the the best mode of  spiritual practise for the living entity. Further in the 19 chapter of Tattva , SriJiva comments how Veda Vyasa after compiling all the scriptures was beset by disillusionment and then by the mercy of his guru Narada Muni ,he whilst  engaged in the state of samadhi was able to envision the highest scripture in the form of Srimad Bhagavatam or the  pure commentary of the Brahma Sutras. We can understand that the Bhagavatam is the essence of all the other scriptures .In the same way, the Geeta is the gist of all the other revealed scriptures as declared by the Acaryas. In the Brhat Samhita it is written ;that the beginning ,ending conclusion ,repeated instruction , highest fruit ,origin and  even in worldly gain,  in all respects, these two books best give out the actual conclusion of the revealed scriptures. Just as  in Geeta , Lord Krishna informed Arjuna in the beginning and in the end as well in between  repeatedly on the the highest spiritual  path as  solely devotion  There is fear of increasing the size of this essay so we are not going into all those very verses  of the above scriptures. The scriptures exonerates the paths of works and knowledge in many different streams. But it values understanding  of the constitutional position of the living entity as the highest and  knowledge and works wherever  applicable  to this identity it is to be utilized otherwise not at all in spite of the  profuse glorification given to these paths in the Geeta. Though initially where Lord says do everything for my sake yat karosi yad asnasi yad juhosi dadasi yat as actual glorification of works .Then in end of  the sixth chapter ,He glorifies the yogi who is always engaged in devotional service sa me yuktatomo matah .Nevertheless in the end of the Geeta ,mam ekam saranam vraja it is obvious that the highest path is devotion to the Supreme Lord in full surrender. The compassionate Lord in order to deliver the  living entities averse to Him manifested the scriptures as mentioned in Madhya Chaitanya Charitramrta 20.The Vedanta sutra 1/1/3 has this verse sastra yonitwat that the Lord appears to the aspirant in the form of the scriptures and not perceived by externally striving through the media of the senses. The Lord is eternally performing the pastimes of killing the demons and protecting the devotees, The Lord being most merciful to the living entities seeing the distressful situation of the struggling living entities then inspires them to seek knowledge from the revealed scriptures which  disseminates knowledge on the spiritual aspect or soul knowledge. At the same time with all the deluding  scriptures, He arranges for those in the bodily concept of me and mine to be more entangled in the  gross bodily conception of life as mentioned in the Kurma Purana. Uma devi in Himalaya Herself creates the scripture of   those of the crooked and left disposition as  those dealing in animal husbandry  ,in yoga practice, mongoose rituals or  dealing with the form  Bhairava Goddess to bewilder the materially engrossed living entities .In Varaha Purana ,the Supreme Lord instructs Mahadeva  to spread atheistic,  contradicting  scriptures. esa moham srjyamasu  esa moham ya janan mohayisyate ---As Mahadeva would himself preach a somewhat impersonal similar to  Boddha religion being  not genuine somewhat of highly impersonal nature   as evidence in the  Padma Purana of the verse spoken to Uma Devi by Mahadeva. : mayavadam sachastram prachannaboddham eva ca mayaieva vihitam devi kalau brahmanamurtina

In another place just as Jaimini was overwhelmed by the karma section of the Vedas, similarly the followers of Sankara became too much distracted  in  their search for knowledge. Just as the Buddhists were atheistic  due to rejecting the Vedas however the gross Impersonalists  though accepting  the validity of the Vedas were even  considered more atheistic. They had  accepted the obvious evidence at face value  but in  truth their primary consideration was evidence as  presented by the  external senses and hence  bewildered by the Lord 's material energy. The  insurmountable ,illusory energy can only be overcome by surrender to the Supreme Lord. The Upanishads declare : yamvaisa  vrnte tanum svam  Sastra jnana abhinna tanum Those who are surrendered to the injunctions of the revealed scriptures and in the mood of service to the same will qualify to understand the  conclusion of the scriptures. Only the realized devotee can be able to impart this knowledge to others   as  in  the instruction of Mahaprabhu  to study the Bhagavatam in the association of the devotees. In concluding, it remains to be said that one must humbly approach a self realized guru, well versed in the scriptures  together with the mood of  service with enquiry in order to actually  gain  knowledge,