The word "Bhakti" is not in the Vedas

[Onkara]

The word "Bhakti" is not in the Vedas

Namast�
I came across this suggestion in Denis Waite's book "Back to the Truth" page 226 and thought I would share a smaller quote here as it may be interesting to the discussions on bhakti yoga in contrast to other yogas:

"According to Swami Chimanayananda the word Bhakti does not appear in the Vedas. (In fact it occurs first in the muktikopaniShad from the shukla yajur veda[...]. The word does occur twice in the Bhagavad Gita, which is smiRRiti.) Instead, the word that is used for devotion is upAsana, meaning homage, adoration, worship or litterally 'sitting or being near or at hand.' "

Mr Waite then goes on to suggest that:

"The idea of bhakti as a seperate path came much later, possibly not until the sixteenth centry, with the Hindu ascetic, Caitanya." A source is quoted for this suggestion in the book.

One thought arises from this, could it then be that there was only "upAsana" or worship before the 16th Century and the debates on bhakti versus other paths were not the equivalent as they are today?

Are we not making things harder for ourselves than necessary by the afirmation that bhakti is the main path of worship? It might be said upAsana has never changed but was given greater empahsis under the name of "bhakti" by later Vedantins as a way to acknowledge it as a way to moksha e.g. Caitanya?

I offer these as ideas only

[Ganeshprasad]

Pranam Snip

I think if you research a bit more on bhakti you would find that it has its roots a lot long before Sri Chetanya MahaPrabhu although he did popularise the path a lot, but then he is not the only one around that time.

Before that the Alvars of south India are know for their great Bhakti in their songs.

Even Sankaracharya acknowledges Bhakti, if you consider his song Bhaja Govinda.

As you rightly point out Bhagvat Gita mentions Bhakti, in fact whole chapter 12 is about Bhakti. so how can you deduce that bhakti is a new path?

And he promises my Bhakta will never perish.

Vedas for great part deals in Karma kand result of all the effort and tapas eventually leads to gyan or bhakti.

�upAsana, meaning homage, adoration, worship or litterally 'sitting or being near or at hand.' "

now can this be sustained without the love for it?

What can be more evident for the bhakti to be an eternal path then the existence of Narad Muni and Hanuman, as a Hindu I need no more evidence.

So no its not a new path recently given
�greater empahsis under the name of "bhakti" by later Vedantins as a way to acknowledge it as a way to moksha e.g. Caitanya?�

These literatures Ramayan, MahaBharat and Purans are full of Bhakti, long before the appearance of Chetanya MahaPrabhu.

Jai Shree Krishna

[Eastern Mind]

Vanakkam Snip:

The term 'bhakti' may not have been there long ago, but I am led to believe the idea was. Tirumular was the Tamil Saiva Bhaktar who composed this. Currently there is only one complete translation. (Dr. Natarajan) (Saidevo may correct me here.) If the following isn't an expressin of bhakti, please give me an example of what is.

Aum Namasivaya


113: He Descended From Heaven and Filled Me With Grace
He come down from Heaven, clothed in body,
Karma to match, stretched forth His cool Feet of Grace, planting them firm
On my head; and lo! inside me He stood, melting my yielding heart;
And filled my eyes with peerless bliss, past all compare,
All impurity dispelled.

[atanu]

The word "Bhakti" is not in the Vedas
I offer these as ideas only

Namaste Snip,

However, you bring a subtle idea of profound importance. Let me relate a story.

Twenty years back, i was entrusted to measure hydrocarbon content in a widespread gas seepage that was leaking from every nook and corner of a village in Gujarat. We had dug pipes into the ground and flared the gas to avert danger. So, I was to collect gas from the top of the pipe for analysis. We were thinking how to accomplish the task as simply as possible. I suggested "Let us get a 'ghora' from the nearest processing centre, where I have seen a tall 'ghora', which will allow us reach the top of the pipe easily."

A partner of mine stood there with hung jaw and kept looking at me as if I was mad. We argued and argued for ten minutes. He finally said "It is the most mad idea". I asked him "Why is the idea mad?". He retorted "Simple. As we stand on the ghora, it will move away". Now, my jaws hung down. My ghora was a ladder. And my friend's ghora was horse.

Om Namah Shivaya

[Ekanta]

Rig Veda, Mandala 10, Mantra 151 (Faith/ Sraddha)
1. By Faith [Sraddha] is Agni kindled, through Faith is oblation offered up.
We celebrate with praises Faith upon the height of happiness.
2 Bless thou the man who gives, O Faith; Faith, bless the man who fain would give.
Bless thou the liberal worshippers: bless thou the word that I have said.
3 Even as the Deities maintained Faith in the mighty Asuras,
So make this uttered wish of mine true for the liberal worshippers.
4 Guarded by Vayu, Gods and men who sacrifice draw near to Faith.
Man winneth Faith by yearnings of the heart, and opulence by Faith.
5 Faith in the early morning, Faith at noonday will we invocate,
Faith at the setting of the Sun. O Faith, endow us with belief.

Sounds like Bhakti?

[saidevo]

• The word 'bhakti' with its meaning 'devotion', is emphatically mentioned in the concluding verse 6.23 of the shvetAshvatara upanishad of the 'kRShNa yajur veda', thus:-

यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ
तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः
प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः इति

yasya deve parA bhaktiH yathA deve tathA gurau
tasyaite kathitA hyarthAH prakAshante mahAtmanaH
prakAshante mahAtmanaH iti
--shvetAshvatara upanishad 6.23.

VI-23: These truths, when taught, shine forth only in that high-souled one who has supreme devotion to God, and an equal degree of devotion to the spiritual teacher. They shine forth in that high-souled one only.

• 'bhakti' with the same meaning of 'devotion' figures in the kaivalya upaniShad, where the threefold path of karma (shraddha), bhakti and yoga is also mentioned:

तस्मै स होवाच पितामहश्च श्रद्धा भक्तिघ्यान योगादवेहि ।
न कर्मणा न प्रजया धनेन त्यागेनैके अमृतत्वमानशुः ॥

tasmai sa hovAcha pitAmahashcha shraddhA bhaktighyAna yogAdavehi |
na karmaNA na prajayA dhanena tyAgenaike amRutatvamAnashuH ||
--kaivalya upaniShad 2.

2. And to him, the Grandsire (Brahma) said, “Know (this) by means of faith, devotion and meditation. Not by work, nor by progeny, nor by wealth, but by renunciation, some attained immortality.

[kd gupta]

Namaste Snip,

However, you bring a subtle idea of profound importance. Let me relate a story.

Twenty years back, i was entrusted to measure hydrocarbon content in a widespread gas seepage that was leaking from every nook and corner of a village in Gujarat. We had dug pipes into the ground and flared the gas to avert danger. So, I was to collect gas from the top of the pipe for analysis. We were thinking how to accomplish the task as simply as possible. I suggested "Let us get a 'ghora' from the nearest processing centre, where I have seen a tall 'ghora', which will allow us reach the top of the pipe easily."

A partner of mine stood there with hung jaw and kept looking at me as if I was mad. We argued and argued for ten minutes. He finally said "It is the most mad idea". I asked him "Why is the idea mad?". He retorted "Simple. As we stand on the ghora, it will move away". Now, my jaws hung down. My ghora was a ladder. And my friend's ghora was horse.

Om Namah Shivaya

I know and use ladder , but it is called ghori and not ghora .

[devotee]

Namaste,

Out of Six Darshanas within Sanatan Dharma, Vedanta Darshana holds supreme. Within Vedanta Darshana, there are many schools & the most important ones are : Advaita Vedanta, Vishishta Advaitavada, & Dvaita. All these schools hold Shruti i.e. Vedas as Sabda Pramana.

Bhakti is common to all the above three schools. So, how can it be said that Bhakti as a concept ( & as Saidevo ji has shown that the term, "Bhakti" too is there in the Vedas) has no roots in Vedas ?

Though Bhagwad Gita is a Smriti, it is considered the essence of the Upanishads & it is the only Smriti which has been considered as authoritative as any Shruti scripture by almost all great scholars/Saints within Hinduism (the only requirement is that Bhagwad Gita should not be interpreted in a manner so that it violates the Vedas).

OM

[atanu]

Namaste All

The following post may be somewhat related and of interest.

http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/sho...patha+brahmana

In the above post, there is a story from Satapatha Brahmana of Bhrigu being taught by Varuna, who teaches that belief, unbelief, and wrath consitute the quarter of the North-East (the quarter of the Lord, the Ishana corner). Lord Varuna teaches Bhrigu to transcend all three qualities.


http://www.hindudharmaforums.com/sho...39&postcount=5.

Om Namah Shivaya

[chandu_69]

Rigveda first book:

1. I adore Agni, placed in front, the deva of the yajňa, the invoker or the summoner in the yajňa and carrier of felicities.
2. Agni, adorable by the ancient seers, is adorable by the later ones also. He brings here the devās.
3. The treasure obtained from Agni is full of hearing and strength, Increasing day by day; not subject to dwindling like ordinary wealth.
4. Only the yajňa, which is guarded by Agni, all round reaches the devās.
5. Endowed with Vision and Audition, wise and firm of will Agni is the associate of the gods.
6. Agni's special Truth is his power of conferring happy and good bhadra, which averts falsehood.
7. We approach thee day by day, in the night and in the light, carrying our surrender by our thought.(surrender sounds like bhakthi?)
8. The (vast) Truth is the own Home of Agni. There he increases for the yajamāna; That he protects.
9. O Agni, cling to us like a father to the son, be easy of access to us.