The vedic civilization and evolution of society in India

Fighting at night

The battle started at dawn and lasted till sunset. No warrior was allowed to fight at night.

But the above rule does not apply if battle is with 'anarya'. An Arya is asked to not return and not take any rest until the enemy of dharm is finished.

We are in such a sorry state in India because Priests mis-interpreted Vedic rules either intentionally or due to ignorance. Prithviraj Chauhan defeated Muhammad Gauri 6 times, and each time let him go. This is absolutely foolish, and against dharm. He should have followed Gauri to the end of world, and finished him off in the place where he came from.

Brahmin Cooks, and fighting at night

The Brahmins degenerated into Pundits when knowledge of Veda waned. They put arbitrary rules on the King like the cooks should be Pundits due to rules of 'shauch'.

It is true that Veda tells to take clean food and clean water. Cleanliness of kitchen is very important for hygeine.

However a Cook is not a profession prescribed for a Brahmin in Veda. Cooks are servants who are Shudra. A Shudra does not mean unclean, or incapable of maintaining hygeine. It only means a person who did not receive formal education of Veda.

The Brahmin is required to have a certain lifestyle and perform certain rituals daily which are not necessary for other classes. These are not suitable for an army on the march. An army has to fight while protecting itself. The rule of pundit cooks for kings is a silly reason for the failure of so many expeditions undertaken by kings of Bharat, as these cooks stuck to their routine. You cannot do that on a battlefield. A battlefield is a highly dynamic and unpredictable place, and a King should be prepared for anything.

Prince Rama won against Ravann because he was an expert of Veda and expert of politics and administration. He knew how to deal with all kinds of deceitful actions. Ravann's soldiers often attacked at night, and from planes which were not visible. Rama could not have won if he did not know how to deal with this. If Rama insisted on not fighting at night, we would be reading a different Ramayan.

Bhagwan Rama did not take his cooks with him to Lanka. He was not God, He needed to eat just like every human.

Laxman doubled as cook until Bhagwan Rama accepted hospitality of Sugriv, the Vanar prince. The cooks of Vanar army were Vanars, not Brahmins sent from Aryavrata. Rama ate food prepared by Vanars.

Bhagwan Rama was a practical man because he was learned of Veda. Vedic education makes a man down to earth. Vedic people do not believe in untruths and superstitions.

Can a vegetarian survive in forest, desert etc.

A persistent argument against vegetarianism is that meat is essential in a survival situation.

Bhagwan Ram lived in forests for 14 years, some of which was spent on the move while searching Sita.

He was a vegetarian and survived.

The trading community of India has a long tradition of preparing foods that last a long time, as traders went on long journeys, and there were no restaurants along the way in ancient times.

The Hindu dwellers of Thar desert of India are long used to living in harsh climate while being vegetarian.

The fact is grain lasts much longer than meat. Roasted grains are wholesome and last a long time. Puffed rice, roasted gram lentil, sugar cakes (gur) etc. are foods that were taken on a long journey, and people survived for months at a time on them.

Camels were used in Vedic India for transport. Food was carried in cotton bags, and water in either baked clay pitchers, or copper/brass vessels. Vedic merchants crossed Thar desert on caravans of camels on a popular route between Sindh and heartland of the country (Haryana/Western UP) regularly.

Forests yield a lot of vegetarian food like fruits, sugar-beets etc. Leaves and flowers of some plants are edible. The good thing is vegetarian food is easy to find and cook, and generally more hygeinic.

Kshatriya and caste system

It was not easy being a Kshatriya - the weapons training alone did not make you one. The kshatriya was expected to master Veda just like a Brahmin, along with science of building weapons, law and politics.

Only a few would have crossed such a high barrier in the Mahabharat time, meaning only the Kings and Generals were really Kshatriya. The bulk of the army would have been 'shudra' - people trained in weapons but not having a formal education of Veda.

When knowledge of Veda declined, the people in the army became self-declared Kshatriya.

The self-declared 'varnn' is the genesis of the caste system. People began to identify their family name (gotra) with the 'varnn' without caring to complete the qualification for that 'varnn'. Over time, this gave rise to castes and sub-castes. The races that moved in from other countries created their own castes like 'Jat', 'Khatri', 'Agarwal' etc. We have such a mess as India saw a lot of inward migration over last 5000 years, and foreigners adopted Indian customs only superficially while bringing in all of their bad habits.

reply to post by vedatruth


My dad's side are from this class....my mum's side is a different story..her dad was the Prince of Dewas.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


Indeed, completely agree about the working.
Yeah I'm glad she doesn't as well

Ramayan - Balkaand - Arrival of Rishi Vishwamitra - A glorious example of status of a Rishi

King Dashrath was attending court when Rishi Vishwamitra arrived. Rishi asked the doorman to give the news of his arrival to the King. (He came uninvited).

The King immediately went to the door along with Ritvij Vasisht to receive Rishi Vishwamitra.

King accosted the Rishi with traditional 'Pranam'.
Then King himself offered wash water to the Rishi - a bowl of water to wash face and hands, and then another bowl to wash feet.
Then brought the Rishi respectfully to the court and offered him a suitable seat.

Then King Dashrath spoke thus:

O Maharishi! I am so happy to see you as I got Amrit (freedom from getting born), or as a dry field is happy to receive rain, or a childless is happy to get a child, or a person is happy to find a lost object, or to go to a big festival. I welcome you. I am very happy that you set your feet here. Please let me know what I can do for you?

O Brahmin! You are worthy of receiving donation. It is my goodluck that you have come here. You have given me respect (by coming here). My life has been made purposeful by your arrival.

Please let me know which work of yours I can do to make myself useful.

Ramayan Balkaand chapter 13: Vishwamitra gives mantra-power to Ram

6. Dear son! Do the 'aachman' quickly and come to receive the knowledge of two powers called 'bala' and 'ati-bala'. (The power is invoked by reciting a group of mantra by a pious soul. A normal person will not get the power even if he recites the same mantra)

7. You will not get tired, will not get fever, and will not get body disfigurement due to effect of these powers. Rakshas will not be able to suppress you even while sleeping, or when not ready.

8. No warrier will be able to equal you on Earth after you receive these powers. What to say of Earth, nobody in triloka (Earth, Stars, and Space) will equal you.

9. Nobody will equal you in goodluck, cunningness, knowledge, steadfastness, speech, and argument in the entire world after getting these powers.

10. Even hunger and thirst will not affect you by the effect of these mother of all powers.

Celestial Weapons given to Shri Rama by Rishi Vishwamitra ('Divya Astra')

The seventeenth chapter of BalKaanda describes celestial weapons given to Shri Rama by Rishi Vishwamitra.

1. Danda-chakra
2. Dharm-chakra
3. Kaal-chakra
4. Vishnu-chakra
5. Indra-astra
6. Vrij-astra
7. Mahadev-astra
8. Brahm-shir
9. Ashik
10. Modki and Shikhri - maces
11. Dharm-pash
12. Kaal-pash
13 Varuna-pash
14. Painak
15. Narayan astra
16. Agneya astra
etc.

It is very difficult to understand the shape and properties of these weapons. As this is a very long list of weapons, and some of the weapons have effect on large number of soldiers, these can be termed as a mix of light and heavy weapons.

As Shri Rama is described as walking with Rishi Vishwamitra on his long journey, and kills many Rakshas along the way, it is logical to question how these weapons are being carried.

I believe that these are weapons that Shri Rama could command by wish, and did not have to carry physically. So these weapons can be called as celestial weapons.

This concept cannot be understood without understanding Yoga. A Yogi can command powers of nature - like fire, electricity, wind, water etc. to bring a change in the physical world. Shri Rama was a warrior and a Yogi, so only he could do it. These weapons were not given to Laxman, though he was also a great warrior in his own right. So Rishi is clearly differentiating capabilities of these two men.

Does this make Ramayan a myth rather than history, as existence of such weapons cannot be proven? No. It makes the story of Ramayan hard to believe for a person who does not understand Vedic culture. But a person who understands Veda, knows that such things do occur.

Shri Rama could not have killed Ravana without these celestial weapons. Dashrath himself acknowledges his inability to fight Ravann earlier in Balkaand, even with his entire army. So what was in Shri Rama that he took on Ravann alone. I think this is what has made Shri Rama a god. But he was not a god, but a human with exceptional power and talents, somebody who is very very rare on earth.

Rakshas and Yaksha - Large and fearsome

Yaksha are specially described as having large and fearsome bodies, who terrorize civilian population.

Ramayan is a story from a magical time, a time which was very different from the modern world. We see the movies of an earth full of dinosaurs and marvel at it. The same is true of Ramayan.

The Yaksh are failed 'tapasvi', people who asked God magical powers in place of liberation of soul. It was a time of tapasvi, when even ordinary men and women spent considerable time in 'tapa'. Our current society has no idea about such things, as we live in a materialistic world. The strength of body achieved from power of 'tapa' is something very hard to understand in modern times.

The power of Yoga - controlling hunger and thirst

The physical exercise that people engage in called 'Yog-asan' is just a small part of 'Yoga'. 'Asan' is the art of sitting still for a prolonged time, which is achieved by considerable practice. Each asan (Yogis advise only 6 basic and 6 advanced asan) should be engaged in for one minute roughly for a beginner.

A Yogi is actually a person capable of 'dhyaan'. Such a person starts to forget about body with practice. He synchronizes himself with the spiritual world.

The advanced stage of 'dhyaan' is such that a Yogi does not need food and water to maintain body. The body does not degrade due to 'agni' of 'yoga'. The chemical reactions of body almost stop. Yogi's breath slows down significantly. He can live without food and water for months.

Power of Tapa

Tapa is also called 'shubh karma' or good deeds like agnihotra, yagna, daan, japa (repeating God's name in mind in a thoughtless state) etc.

A tapasvi can use his/her tapa for getting a wish. Yaksha are tapasvi who got lured by great physical strength, or long life - and asked God and got that wish.

There is downside to getting a large and powerful body. All parts of the body do not grow equally (look at wrestlers). The basic instincts (like hunger, thirst, sensory pleasure etc.) overcome pious instincts (like calmness, sweetness of speech, control of sensory organs etc.) due to circulation of extra hormones.

Tadka is a Yakshi who got a big and powerful (though ugly) body as a wish. She was a former human who dropped to the rank of animals like lion and snake due to her wish. She got the body but now her hunger and anger is out of control. She takes to destroying property and lives of humans.

Aryavrata - The nation of 'Janapada'

The Aryavrata had a loose federal structure. 'Videha', "Kekaya' etc. are described as 'Janapada'. The most powerful 'Janapada' of 'Kosala' is the seat of the national Government.

The national government at Ayodhya was made up of 'Parishad' that had representatives of all 'Janapada'.

This conveys that Janapada was an independent unit politically and economically, but external security vested with the national Government at Ayodhya, and the Maharaja.

There was a single system of weights and measures and a single currency (gold/silver based) in the entire nation. The language was only one - Sanskrit. Even Vanar and Rakshas spoke Sanskrit.

This is similar to European Union in modern world (except the language).

Aryavrata - A nation held together by culture and religion

Aryavrata was a very diverse country. Ramayan only provides a glimpse of it.

Arya lived in 'mainland Asia' as it is called now, before the island of South Asia became joined with mainland Asia. The Himalayas have risen after this event. The Arya migrated to this joined island after these geographical changes occurred.

Himalayas were not as tall in Ramayan period, and not as impenetrable as now. The Saryu river originated in Tibet. Brahmputra river did not exist. Area north of Himalaya, as well as West of Himalaya was inhabited by Arya people in the time of Ramayan.

The island of South Asia was originally inhabited by tribal people. The descendants of these tribals still live today.

The east-west expanse of Aryavrata was more than 6000 km. The north-south expanse being more than 2000 kms. The Himalayas kind of ran in center of Aryavrata.

The total area of Aryavrata was many times that of current country of India.

The central part of South Asia was tribal and southern part of south Asia was composed of races like Riksh and Rakshas people. The Vanar kingdom was nestled in the mountains between them.

The nation of Aryavrata was a loose federation of independent states bound by culture and Vedic religion, as I have explained earlier. The emperor was the King of Kosala, the central 'Janapada' of the nation.

Democracy - The Vedic way

The King is NOT hereditary in Vedic system. The King is selected by the body of educated people, after voting.

The difference between current democracy and Vedic democracy is that current democracy is based on adult suffrage, whereas Vedic democracy is based on 'snatak' or educated people.

The candidates suitable for the King normally came from current King's family, or Head of Military's (Senapati) family or Chief Priest's (Ritvij) family. The must requirements for King was education of Veda, Law, and Administration along with proven weapons knowledge and valour, pleasing personality etc.

Our current democracies are failure because our Kings do not meet the Vedic criteria. Selection of King by uneducated and partially educated people makes no sense as these cannot apply reason as required for such sensitive matters.

reply to post by BlackPoison94


You should be proud of your Vedic roots.

I hope I could connect you to your history, your origin to a glorious nation.

Nobody could attack and decimate the nation of Arya till the time people followed Veda. The nation was conquered only after Vedic knowledge declined. The nation will come back if people start following Veda.

The reason is that God protects the nation that follows His laws.

Shri Rama came to Earth to protect Arya from Rakshas

Yes, it is true that Shri Rama was a liberated soul who took birth only to kill Rakshas, by the wish of Rishis.

My Guru says that if there are only one crore (ten million) followers of Vedic religion on Earth, the current poverty, injustice, prostitution, and so many ills will disappear and the glorious time will come back.

Because evil runs away from virtue, as darkness runs away from light.

BalKaand - 19 chapter - Marich etc. appear

Marich, Subahu etc. appear in a vehicle that flies as per this chapter, and try to disturb Rishi's yagna.

This is very logical, and according to tactics employed by Rakshas - hit and run attacks - now known as terrorism.

Rakshas were very secretive people, who attacked at night, or in a hideous manner. They did not believe in face to face battle.

Shri Rama uses divya astra given by Rishi Vishwamitra on these Rakshas and kills them all.

It is clear from this story that these Rakshas were very powerful, and needed special weapons to kill them. No doubt King Dashrath could not face them himself.

The killing of Tadka and Marich is the event that should be considered the genesis of Lanka war. What followed was a slow escalation and increasing hostilities between Arya and Rakshas people.

Abduction of Sita is just a part of the hostilities that followed.

Viryashulka Sita

Sita was the daughter of Raja Janak and his wife Yogini. The story of her coming out of earth is false.

Sita was a strongly-built girl. (This is the best translation of 'viryashulka' that I can do).

So Raja Janak put a condition on who could marry Sita. He had an old and heavy bow that belonged to Shivji. He said that a warrior who can stretch the string of this bow will be the suitable man for Sita.

(Shiv, Vishnu, Indra etc. are names of Kings as well as Rishis and occur repeatedly in mythology, because these are common names. It is like George can be a name of scores of kings in the last 2000 years. So when we say Shivji, that does not mean God. It could be a Rishi or a King)

Many Kings tried it and failed. Eventually Rama tried it and succeeded.

Please note that different people tried it at different times. It was NOT a 'swayamwar'. The marriage was fixed by Raja Janak, and Sita did not have any choice in the matter.