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There
are many possible approaches to the Veda. The hymns of the Litany
are a record of the multiple experience of the seers and Rishis of
the early ages and they touch upon the life of man and Gods at
several points of their convergence. In the vision and Journey of
these hymnodists the universe is a cosmos governed by a Law of
Truth executed by the Gods who are the divine functionaries in
charge of this manifestation of the Supreme One. The hymns speak
of the material prosperity of the society the dynamic adventures
of the heroes the mental development of seers who could see beyond
time and space. They speak more of the spiritual ascent of man
towards the world of undying Light and the part played by the
various Gods assisting him on the way opening closed Doors on new
horizons breaking down obstructions with their shining weapons.
The
selection of the mantrās in this volume is made from this
spiritual angle. They show in what way the Gods of the Veda
participate in the life of man what is the nature of their
interchange and what is the Law of their operations. The century
of mantrās in the following pages delineate the sunlit Path laid
out for the aspirant and the precise way in which he calls upon
the Deities for their aid. The effort that he has put in the
impediments he meets on the way and the capital role played by the
Gods in their respective spheres becomes clear step by step. The
brief annotations that follow the text translations (by Sri
Aurobindo) are intended to help in understanding the full import
of these inspired utterances. The concepts are profound the
language ancient. An attempt is made to present the thought in
terms of the modern mind relating it to the psychological and
spiritual needs of the present day man. It is hoped that this
series will prove useful to all those who seek to improve their
quality of life elevate their aspirations and add a new spiritual
dimension to their existence.
M. P.
Pandit
Sri Aurobindo
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