Citation seeking vs sustained Shravanam

[Prashant Parikh]

Deepa Bhaskaran Salem writes: We are increasingly facing the troubling trend of quoting standalone verses from Hindu shastras.

When an idea is proposed, people jump in asking for the source - which text, chapter, verse? After learning that source, we jump to find the easiest available translation from google and counter based on that translation. The extreme case of this is the complete trashing of Manu Smriti after reading, like 5 out of the >2500 verses in it

That is not how shastra works. It is a gentle, slow and systematic unfolding in the vedanta teaching tradition.

For example, with Swami Paramarthanandaji, it is first a introduction to vedanta, several prakarana granthas, Gita summary, then a chapter-wise Gita summary, then the Gita mulam, then Gita mulam with bhashyam, all interspersed with revisions. And also inserting dharma shastras (for chittha shuddhi), meditation lectures/yoga shastras (for nirodha), upanishads and naishkarmaya siddhi/brahma sutras, etc, again with revisions of every text. It's 8-9 years now and I am still not done It is similar within Chinmaya mission with prakarana granthas, Gita and upanishads in a discussion-oriented, study group format with active Guru's guidance.

All the texts gets clarified (mananam), discussed (in study group formats), and contemplated upon (nidhidhyasanam) for years. Notes get written, revised, clarified and referred to when we study a new text. For example, we are revising Vaithatya prakaranam and studying Vedanta dindima now - and for each verse, we connect to verses from Tattva bodha, Viveka chudamani, Gita to upanishads, and refine/deepen the understanding of every nuance.

While individual verses have value, the deepest essence of that verse does not just come from the verse alone, but from the entire system of the knowledge that gets layered in us.

As a Vedanta beginner, I have made the mistake of superficial single-verse understanding and quoting it to suit my bias. Now, I realize the marvel of this teaching tradition that layers the knowledge firmly and deeply, creating all the neural networks between the concepts, so that the knowledge is not only clear, but comes to our aid when we need it.

Swami Paramarthanandaji hence asks us to embark on "a consistent and systematic study of the shastras, for a length of time, under the guidance of a competent guru". And in parallel, undertake sadhana for chittha shuddhi and chitha ekagrata through karma, bhakti, and raja yoga. And, intensifying shraddha and bhakti - parama prema - that both softens the heart and sharpens the intellect (seems like a contradiction, but is not!)

Hence, it is a lifetime pursuit of the truth, not a google search for a single verse.

Om namah parama rishibhyo namah parama rishibhyah!