Dear Friends,
I came across the enclosed and is fascinated by its contents that show ancient connections between Vedic, now called Hindu and Jewish cultures , sacred books and languages. We rarely come across sages , scholars like Swami Chandrasekharananda Saraswathi pictured in the brief article below. I thought you might be interested in pursuing research in the direction noted .
Let me share what ever little I came to know in this regard. The word ‘Hebrew’ itself is said to be from
‘Hari brew’ which means spoken by Hari. Hari is one of names of Sri Krishna. Apparently original Jewish people belonged to same clan of Sri Krishna who was a Yadava or Yadu which became Juda for Israelis. When at the end of Mahabharat war, similar internecine war between Yadavas took place in Prbhas Tirth, that is off the coast of sea near Somanath temple in Saurashtra. Many have perished and some have escaped ,migrating to west, they became forefathers of Jews.
Jewish holy book is Torah and it is regarded same way we accord reverence to Veda.
Traditional view of Veda is, it is self standing, it was there before the manifestation of this universe and will be there after dissolution and will continue during next creation cycle as well. The sages who receive Vedic mantras may change but the mantra will remain same. Even Supreme being is not the ‘author’ but a guardian of knowledge of universe contained in seed form in mantras, protecting it. Similar to various sages to whom Vedic Hymns were revealed at different times , there are several prophets in Torah who were recipients of Torah verses. Also like Veda, it is believed that Torah (Hebrew word meaning instruction) precedes creation itself, hence God himself preserved it and then transmitted to Moses on Mount Sinai.
Here in the article below Sri Chandrasekharaananda Saraswathi pointed out close connections with mantras or hymns of Rg Veda and Hebrew Torah.
Hope some scholars will do further research into these aspects.
Besides ancient links with people Israel, our ancient connections with people of Iceland, who call their sacred book Zedda, an altered term for Veda, or with native Indians of Americas are mentioned now and then but the evidence apparently exists in fragments here and there for no serious research is permitted or possible for centuries in India due to alien domination. Hope some scholars especially of India, now that country is shaking off long period of stupor, take further interest and pursue these matters which will help to firmly establish the truth of Vasudaika Kutumbam. our world is one family.
Best wishes,
G V Chelvapilla
G V Chelvapilla
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In the article below the word “Maha Periyavaa” or simply “Periava” refers to the Shankaracharya Swami Chandrashekharananda Saraswati of Kanchipuram Math, who was one of the most highly regarded Saints of India and left his body in December, 1993. A life-like statue of him, pictured above, was made by Sri Dhriba Das of Purulia and it was installed at Kanchipuram in 1994.
THE OLDEST LANGUAGE
It is common knowledge now that a spate of data on Maha Periyava is flooding emails and face book nowadays to the extreme joy of Periyava devotees. It does not matter who wrote what and which was the source of the information, inasmuch as the contents of such messages speak of the supreme soul who lived with us and there is rich and rewarding benefit ensues to the readers
I have summarised the information fitting conversation wherever needed to make it easy to follow:
Once four foreigners visited Kanchi Mutt to have dharshan of Maha Periyavaa. They were an Israeli, an Italian, a German and a British. They had come to do their Ph.D., in Philology on the topic of ‘the most ancient languages in the Occidental and the Oriental world’. They were studying Latin, Hebrew and Greek languages in the Occidental part and Sanskrit and Tamil in the Oriental part.
Periyava was in his private quarters, performing his nithya karma and anushtanas and elaborate poojas ; they had waited and desired to take a photo of Him but His kaingaryams refused permission to photograph the Periyavaa. They were heartbroken that they could not take a picture. All the four of them were standing near a tree since morning waiting for the Periyava to finish his poojas and give dharshan. Many were already waiting like them.
Some one asked them ” how come you all have been standing for the past 6 hours? One of them looked at his watch and exclaimed, ‘oh my God, has it been 6 hours? He is a Man of Certainty and is Beyond Time!’
Periyavaa came in after 10 minutes. All went and prostrated to Him. Looking at the man (who had the camera hanging on his neck) who had wanted to take the photos, Periyavaa gestured with His hands indicating that he can take pictures now. He posed for three photos and stopped him before the fourth.
”Why have you all come here and with what purpose? ” asked Periyavaa.
”We have visited many places regarding our research on the most ancient language”
“Oh I see. Did you arrive at any conclusion as to which is the most ancient language?”
The Israeli replied, “Hebrew is the most ancient in the Occident; but in the Oriental, people say that both Sanskrit and Tamil are the oldest; we are confused and that is why we are here for Your opinion”.
Periyavaa added “There is another language which is the more ancient than all these, it is the Vedic Language. It is the Source of even Sanskrit and Hebrew.” Periyavaa thought for a while and then added:
“There is a verse about Rebirth in Hebrew, can you recite it completely?” He asked the Israeli by giving the man the first two words.
The Israeli recited it for 3 to 4 minutes. Swamigal looked around and asked some Mutt student boys, and addressed them
” You have all learnt Rig Veda, can you recite this particular verse? He suggested certain manthras to the boys.”
Those boys recited the Veda manthra for about 5 minutes.
Periyavaa then addressed the Israeli ”Did you understand what these boys recited now?”
The four men remain quiet.
Maha Periyava smiled and turned to the boys and said “You all will definitely not understand what this man had recited in Hebrew!”
He then turned to the Israeli and said, ” what you have chanted before is the same as what these boys chanted!”
The 4 foreigners were stunned and did not know what to respond. Periyavaa told them that he will prove it and asked for a paper and a pen.
“In Vedas it is mentioned that the world has been classified into 32 portions/regions. And in each of the 32 geographic regions, Vedas say how the Veda Aksharas have changed/pronounced in those places!”
He asked each of them which region they came from and then explained how a particular Veda Aksharam has been changed in the individual places! He asked the boys to recite the particular verse from Rig Veda again and told the men how each Aksharam in Rig Veda in that verse will sound in their Regions!
“I will now say this verse with some difficulty as it has been a long time since I had Abhyasam. and the Mahan started to chant the manthra slowly, slightly differing from the basic sloka aksharam so that it matched how it will sound in Hebrew. After he recited the aksharams he asked the Israeli if he understood the recital of the manthra and aksharam and observed any familiarity.
To the Vedic boys He said, “I said the slokas in a slightly different form based on how each Aksharam will sound in Hebrew. Please do not think it is wrong; there is this injunction in the Vedas that it can be recited this way also.”
To everybody’s astonishment and surprise, the Israeli started to recite in Hebrew what exactly Periyavaa chanted the aksharas in a modified form, as it resembled Hebrew language. The Israeli therefore chanted it together with Him!!!
After this demonstration Periyavaa addressed all assembled there “I told you earlier, the same verse in Rig Veda is present ditto in Hebrew, but the Aksharas have changed slightly. (like we say “Yamuna” but in the North it is “Jamuna”, “Va” in the south is “Ba” in West Bengal, “Paa” in Tamil is “Haa” in Kannada etc)
Therefore, the most ancient language in the world is the Vedic language!” Swamigal asked the the paper and pen to be supplied to the four men to prepare a table and fill it with how the Rig Veda Aksharams sounded in their language. This was completed in 15 minutes.
The Israeli was shocked and exclaimed, “this is something unimaginable!”
He asked him, “what do you think now? Do you now agree that everything has sprung from Vedas?”
The look on the Israeli was not convincing.
Periyavaa interpolated ”what are you thinking. May be the Vedas could have originated from Hebrew?”
The man nodded his head “Yes, it could have been the other way also; may be the Vedas could have come from Hebrew”.
Periyavaa replied smilingly “you have only the lock, whereas we have both the key and the lock! It is even mentioned in the Vedas as to which Maharishi from here in India went to your region and spread/taught Vedas in Israel!”
The man seemed to be convinced in the end that the Vedic language is the oldest and time honoured”
Source: WHN Media Network