For the past twenty-five years I have been engaged in teaching the Vedas. I have taught the Vedas to a number of students. 18 years ago I joined the Datta Peetham in Mysore. This is my 19th year as a Veda teacher in the Veda Patasala. I am very happy that “Sri Ganapathi Sachidananda Veda Patasala” has completed its 25 years with the blessings of Sadgurudeva Sri Ganapathi Sachidananda Swamiji. I am sharing my experiences as a Veda teacher on this occasion.
Parents who want their children learn the Vedas, have to perform the upanayana to their children and send them for Vedabhyasa. At that tender age, children will be free from the outside attractions. By the time they reach their puberty, the education will be completed. The child, who has learnt the Vedas, will have a focussed mind, and can easily excel in any other form of education. It is a difficult task to learn the Vedas after 17 years of age. The study at that age requires very high levels of commitment and concentration.
The person who is born in the Brahmin caste must learn the Vedas and the Vedangas. This is a rule; unfortunately, this rule is ignored in the present age. People find it difficult to secure jobs after Veda education. The present systems of education and marriage, discourage people from learning the Vedas.
It is important to note that the Veda education is not meant for making a living. It provides widespread knowledge and virtue, which will enable its student to construct his life, live happily and attain moksha in the end.
Rules for Teachers
Children are prone to commit mistakes. They are also mischievous during their schooling. The teachers should not become angry over these trivial issues. They have to remain patient, while dealing with children.
No two children behave in the same manner. There may be precocious children and slow learners. The teacher must realise this and teach them accordingly. The student and his parents have to cooperate with the teacher in this regard. Parents should not discontinue education, if the child fails in an annual examination or if the child fails to chant the verses correctly.
Rules for Students
They should wake up in the brahmi period every day. This is a good habit and it is indispensable for learning the Vedas.
They have to follow their swadharma always, and with commitment.
They have to recite the verses they learn, each and every day.
They should recite at least 60 panasas from the previous lesson.
Veda education requires the knowledge of Sanskrit. It does not associate with any other form of education. If anyone mixes other education with the Veda education, then it is not Veda education.
Veda education is very difficult, in comparison to any other study. A person who learns the Vedas, can easily learn other subjects, without much effort.
As one advances into the Vedas, one may find an increase in the level of difficulty. Each and every chapter has to be remembered. Chapters are called panasas. There is a chance that the student may forget the previous chapter. There is no need to refer to other literature to learn the Vedas. As such, references reduce in Veda education.
This is not the case with the other sciences. In those subjects, the student gets new ideas and thoughts as he advances in the study, and the content increases enormously.
This is the major difference between Veda education and other forms of education. The subject matter in the Vedas is limited.
It is mandatory that the student has to recite the Vedas until he learns them by heart.
The Study Plan of Yajur-Veda
There are 4602 panasas in the Krishna Yajur-Veda, including the Ekagnikanda of the Taittareeya branch.
There are 24 fortnights in a year. 18 fortnights have to be allotted for the purpose of learning and the remaining 6 have to be reserved for holidays and illness.
There are 10 santas and 10 valle in the main portion of this Veda.
The teaching should cover at least 50 panasas in the first fortnight. The number may be increased to 60 panasas in the subsequent fortnights.
10 hours per day have to be allotted for Veda study.
50 panasas per fortnight is the minimum, and this amounts to 18 x 50 = 900 panasas per year.
From the second year, 60 panasas have to be covered in a fortnight. That equates to 18x60=1080 panasas. In four years it will be 4x1080=4320 panasas. In the first year 900 panasas are covered. Adding these to the panasas covered in the remaining four years, we get 4320+900= 5220 panasas. If the syllabus is completed in this manner, the study will be completed in five years.
The text contains 2196 panasas, 6 santas and 6 valles. There are two guntus in a fortnight. In the beginning, in each guntu 40 panasas are to be completed. This amounts to 80 panasas per fortnight. In 4 fortnights, this will come to 4x80=320. From the third month, 50 panasas have to be covered per guntu. This completes 100 panasas per fortnight. In 19 fortnights19x100=1900 panasas will be completed. On adding the 320 panasas that are covered in the first fortnights, we have 320+1900=2200. As such, 2,200 panasas can be covered in 23 fortnights.
In this manner, the entire portion of pada and krama can be completed in one and a half years. The kramantham can be completed in 8 years. After that the examinations will be conducted for one year. Therefore, the study of the Vedas will be completed in 9 years. If the student is intelligent, he can complete the study in 8 years, without having to devote a year for theamnayam. Such a student can complete the amnayam during the course of the study.
Jata and Ghana
The study of jata and Ghana will be completed in three years. The student has to recite 5 ruvvas from the jata for 6 rounds. Three ruvvas from Ghana have to be recited 4 times. The examinations require another year for this subject.
As such, the complete Veda study up to Ghana will take nearly 13 years, and this is the time required for a student to graduate. After completing this study, the student can take advanced courses in the sastras of Lakshana, Varna Krama, Veda Bhashay, and others. The time required for this study depends on the capability and commitment of the student.
So far, 9 Kramapatis and 3 ghanapatis have graduated in the Ganapathi Sachidananda Veda Patasala under my supervision and teaching. A large number of other students who completed courses in this school have taken examinations conducted by different famous educational institutions across India. They have passed in those examinations with outstanding performance and received gold medals.
In Vishnudharmotharam epic, it is stated as follows:
Vedaksharani yavanthi patithani dwijathibhihi|
Thavanthi harinamani keerthithani na samsayaha||
There are several alphabets in the Vedas. The recital of each alphabet will provide the outcome of chanting the name of Lord Hari. No doubts need be entertined in this regard.