Gayatri Mantra

[Jaldhar H. Vyas]

On Thu, 16 May 2002, Vishal Agarwal wrote:

> Your reasoning implies that the Vedas refer to Puranas, Itihasas, Smritis or
> assume their presence. This is not true.

Or rather you don't think it is true.  However that is demonstrably
incorrect.

For instances there is a mantra that asks "where have the descendents of
Parikshit gone?"  There is no further mention of who Parikshit is.  But we
know from the Mahabharata and puranas who he is.  Similiarly other
well-known stories from our shastras such as the three strides of Vishnu
Bhagawan are mentioned but only elliptically or in passing.  In the
upanishads there are several places where puranas and itihasas as seperate
works are mentioned.  Also the earliest works of Vedic commentary we have
such as Brhaddevata or Nirukta also interpret some mantras in a puranic
way.  Lastly, there is the attidue of the tradition itself.  All the Vedic
commentators regardless of sampradaya have accepted the essential
continuity of the Veda and Puranas.  This idea dates back to the 19th
century to Vedic fundamentalists like the Arya Samaja.


> There is no explicit authoritative Sruti that debars women from reciting the
> Vedas.
>

There is no Shruti that bars you from licking an electrical socket either.
what does that prove?


--
Jaldhar H. Vyas <jaldhar at braincells.com>
It's a girl! See the pictures - http://www.braincells.com/shailaja/