Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Re: Audio Nityanusandhanam (NS)

From the Bhakti List Archives

Mani Varadarajan • October 9, 2000 


Sri Sreekrishna Tatachar wrote:
> In my opinion, perhaps listening to an audio tape while
> driving to and back from work ... would be relatively more practical. 
> ...
> I have started the process of learning the entire Krishna 
> Yajur Vedam in this fashion (I am sure many others
> have used this approach) and has been working very well.

Dear Sri Tatachar,

This is no doubt well-intentioned, and a good way to learn
ordinary stotras, and perhaps even paasurams. But the point
should be made that indirect learning of the Veda (such
as audiotape self-instruction of Krishna Yajur Veda) is 
a terrible idea, and is expressly proscribed by the ancient
authorities. The reason is that errors can easily creep in,
the result being the greatest disservice to the Vedic corpus --
learning it and propagating it incorrectly.

Not long ago, even printed texts were forbidden in Veda
pAThaSAlas, the reason being that the books contained many
errors and were a much inferior substitute to direct learning
from a vAdyAr.

I urge us to stick to our old methods which ensured flawless
transmission of the Veda over the years, and not succumb to
second-rate methods because of restrictions of time and place.
There is no commandment to learn the Veda, if such learning is
done incorrectly. There are many other substitute prayers which
suffice.

dAsan
Mani




--------------------------------------------------------------
           - SrImate rAmAnujAya namaH -
To Post a message, send it to:   bhakti-list@eGroups.com
Search archives at http://ramanuja.org/sv/bhakti/archives/index.html#SEARCH