संस्कारः कल्पश्च

Title: “Saṁskāras : Hindu self cultivation - it’s is not out of fashion.”

Abstract: A practicing Hindu is a Hindu who observes Hindu rituals and festivals of his choice, with the belief that they make him a happier and a better person, embedded in a joyful and thriving community. These practices, together with their impact on the psyche of the practitioner and his surroundings, are called saṁskāra-s (refinement). Several people are unable to appreciate saṁskāra-s and cease to be practicing Hindu-s as a result. This has several negative consequences, the most poignant of which include an erosion of the Hindu identity and a crasser society. This talk examines the problems people have with appreciating saṁskāra-s (atheism, anti-ritualist bias, lack of artistic sensitivity, social and peer pressure), and makes the case that Hindu self-cultivation is both natural and desirable, and is not out of fashion.

[audio]()

YT old.

Outline

उपेन्द्र!

तवास्मि दासः।

त्वदाराधनायेदम् अस्तु

  • त्वद्-अनुज्ञया 🙏

Intro

kalpa - Art and grammar of ceremonies

  • Connect to the Gods and Ancestors
  • Refine yourself.
  • “Install” philosophy.

Entire life as a “ceremony” - dharma.

Ritual components

  • External actions, sounds and accessories (includes performers!)
  • Internal imagination

Varies with philosophy!

Core part (hands) of religion

छन्दः पादौ तु वेदस्य, हस्तौ कल्पोऽथ पठ्यते ।

Kill ceremonies → kill awareness of philosophy → kill religion.

Kill →Dilute/ twist etc..

Saṁskāras

Hindu self cultivation - it’s is not out of fashion

(gmail: vishvas.vasuki Web: https://vishvasa.github.io/)

Rituals are effective

Claim 1.
Rituals are effective. Hindu rituals and festivals do affect the psyche of its participants.

Effective rituals: rakṣā-bandhana

Effects of rakṣā-bandhana
What expectations do they cement?
What are the feelings of the brother?
What are the feelings of the sister involved?
What if they are participating wholeheartedly (as sah.rdaya-s)?
What if they are not?
Note: effects not in physique / intellect.

Rituals are effective.

Rituals are effective.

Effective rituals. (Insert pics)

Universality

“The former sage kings realized that words alone were insufficient to edify people, and therefore created ritual and music.”

Sorai, Japanese Confucianist

“live together peacefully and harmoniously”

Explicit aspects (abhidhā)

What do the mantra-s mean? Gibberish?
Suggestive aspects (dhvani)
What is suggested by the act of tying a maṅgala-sūtra or a rakṣā? Wearing a upavīta?
Power of shared context (like kavi-samaya-s)
Whence the effectiveness?

increase happiness

Claim 2. Ritual celebrations increase happiness. Hindu rituals and festivals do affect the psyche of its participants.

happiness++ : context switch

happiness++ : art exercise

happiness++ : people effect, play

Theory of saṁskāras

Two important definitions

Defining: A practicing Hindu A Hindu who observes Hindu rituals and festivals of his choice, with the belief that they make him a happier and a better person, embedded in a joyful and thriving community.

Defining: saṁskāra-s (refinement) Rituals and festivals, together with their impact on the psyche of the practitioner and his surroundings, are called saṁskāra-s (refinement).

Whence the humbuggers?

sahṛdaya precondition
A humbugger can resist the effects of a ritual by considering it:

  • silly.
  • useless.
  • no time.
  • evil.

How to resist being moved by Rāmāyaṇa?

“That’s not Rāma - it is just an actor!”
“What? Monkeys can talk? Eagles too?”
“There never was a Rāma. All made up.”

“Do you want to know whether the story is true, or merely whether it occurred?”

(A pestered Balinese Hindu to a German Christian)

“I don’t need this refinement.”

Extraordinary! What of your children?

“I’ve crossed the river. So I’ll burn the boats.”

No time for feeling? All time for analysis?
Most of life is in “default mode”.
What are the “defaults”?

No time for “refinement”.

“You should sit in meditation for twenty minutes every day — unless you’re too busy. Then you should sit for an hour.”

Why not practice it habitually? Ritually?

That is why festivals and rituals specify when you should make time.
No time for “refinement”.

What of the “evil” baggage?
Be creative, dynamic!
Be selective, yet sympathetic - assume good intent, effectiveness.

They wanted a happy society too!

How much is too much?

Find your balance.
Something non-zero.
Structure vs “feeling” tension.
If rituals make you more irritable, you’re doing it wrong.
Gratefulness (ṛṇa-prajjñā), Responsibility, Wonder, Happiness. Philosophy is primary.

The choice.

  • No refinement.

  • Crassness.

  • Less art, happiness.

  • No time-tested defaults.

  • No continuity with the past.

  • Saṁskāras

  • More happiness.

  • More harmony with society.

  • Better cultural memory.

  • Withstand threats.

How to start

Some saṃskāra-s (insert pic)
Try a variety of techniques - be partial to ones in your tradition.
5 mahā-yajña-s corresponding to you ṛṇa-s -
dēva, pitṛ, ṛṣi, manuṣya, bhūta.
Look them up online!
Learn some mantra-s, and some songs.
Play with mūrti-s (manifestations of the unmanifest)!

Boundaries of kalpa

Boundaries of veda → of vedAnga
मन्त्र-ब्राह्मणात्मकः। कर्म-ब्रह्मात्मकः।

Does grammar describe only vedic skt?
Does vedic life extend beyond rituals?
Vedic roots & claims of tantra-s and smRti-s

Sources for Rituals

  • Kalpa Texts
  • Vedic: brāhmaṇa-s, gr̥hya, śrauta, śulba, dharma sūtra-s (fading into the upāṅgas)
  • Extensions: āgama-s and tantra-s - esp. kriyāpāda-s. dharmaśāstra-s. āhnika-s.
  • Observed Practices

Checked against each other. Controlled change.

Preservation and propagation

  • Guild of ritual specialists
    • Eg. brāhmaṇa-s - a matter of honor to specialize.
  • Persons and animals are ritual components!

Kalpa Texts

Text preservation/ publication : SV examples

  • गोपालदेशिककृतम् आह्निकम्, आह्निकार्थ-प्रकाशिका, श्राद्ध-प्रयोगः आपस्तम्ब-गृह्य-सूत्रस्य टीकाः, अनुवादाश् च माडभूषि-वीरराघवः - अपर-प्रयोग-दर्पणः शतपथ-ब्राह्मणम्

ApGr

Challenges

  • Proofreaders - Able and consistent
  • Job Security
  • Funds
  • Scans of rare texts

Contribute

To help/ contribute: Contact.
gmail: vishvas.vasuki

॥आम्, न-मः॥