Sruti, Smriti ad Purana

Sruti: Heard.
This is not written by some one. That’s why it is called Apourusheyam. Vedas are srutis. Vedas are books with out a beginning and with out an end. How can a book be with out a beginning? So Vedas mean no books. It is accumulated Knowledge passed from one generation to another by great Rishis of our country. Till the time of Vyas Vedas have no division. How ever Vyasa recognized that by the end of Dwapara people become weak and their intelligence is going to be diminished. They can’t handle the huge knowledge in Vedas. So he has partitioned them into – Rig Yajur Sama Adharvana. His intention being people who can handle only one veda will handle one. Etc., The sur names Trivedi and Dwivedi came from this only. Those are family who had expertise in 3 and 2 vedas respectively.



Now we are in a time when knowledge of Vedas is rarest. People blame Brahmins for leaving Vedas behind and getting on with other professions. How ever argument in favor of them is simple and candid. Who is ready to give food to a Brahmin who gains authority on Veda? I have witnessed with my own eyes Veda pundit in Bhadachalam temple who sit in a corner and wait for somebody to give sambhavana (Dakshina) and who can’t beg money live on small salary temple pays out to them(imagine case of others who don’t have sucha job also and working as Sanskrit pundits in colleges. They are never on par with Physics/math lecturers). On the contrary a vyartha(useless) Brahmin like me who cannot even recite a single verse in veda with swara is filled more than enough money in my pocket. At least it is because of TTD which pays Rs3000 as stipend for students who learn veda vidya we still know that there are Vedas.


Smriti: Remembered


Smritis are at a lower level than Sruti and are written/professed texts that aid humans in regularizing lives. These are given to aid people who cant read/understand Vedas. These are mostly generated by great people who have authority on Srutis and try to help people by giving easy access. In case of any contradiction between Smriti and Sruti, one has to remember that Vedo Dharma Mulam (Gautama Smriti). Manu smriti is most popular of them which was adopted loosely for hindu law today. To be honest today's law contains very less of Manu Smriti and more of today's intelligence.

Smritis for each Yuga

Mau Smriti ->> Manu is first Man as per hindu mythology. He has given Dhrama Sastra that every one must adhere to. His is more suited to Kruta Yuga

Gautama Smriti ->> is written with slight customizations for Treta Yuga (Customizations based on Yuga Dharma) In Treta Yuga itself deterioration started in terms of following Karma

(Don’t remember name) but suited for Dwapara Yuga
Parasara Smriti ->> Suited for Kali Yuga. I am trying to find a copy of this book if available.


Purnas

These are main sources that are with in our reach now. Ramayan, Bhagavatam, Bharatam etc.,

Ramayanam is Ideal Life

Bhagavatam is Divya (blissful) Life (Lifes of great devotees )

MahaBharata is Practical Life.

If one sees Characters in these Itihasas they understand what to do and what not to do. Vyasa has proclaimed that what ever is present in MahaBharata is present in reality and what ever is not written is not any where. He writes with sad feeling that people are becoming bad and bad. If we read 2008 New Year days news in Mumbai where a mob of 70-80 people molest two young girls by stripping their dresses and attacking them in public, are they not reminding the kauravas(100) who try to strip Draupadi in Kuru Sabha? (In 2007 same incident repeated in Gateway of India location where a woman was molested by Mob in front of her boy friend/hubby which is sickening)