The vedic civilization and evolution of society in India

The garam masala - hot spice

Vedic food does not use green or red chillies. It is hard to pinpoint how use of chillies started in Indian food, but it is due to imported food habits.

The garam masala is the original spice mixture from Vedic time. It is a powder that contains many spices and herbs. This powder gives a distinct flavour to lentils and vegetable soups. This powder is always sprinlked, never fried. Typical food preparation is boiling a lentil in water with salt and turmeric. The ghee and garam masala is added after the lentil is cooked. No onions or garlic is used in Vedic food. (onion and garlic are used as medicines, but not as regular food)

The garam masala contains black pepper, cumin, aniseed, ginger, star anise, black cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, nutmeg, bay leaf etc.

Ayurved advises against eating very hot (chillies), very sour (vinegar), and very bitter foods.

A pinch of 'garam masala' on any food makes it tastier and fragrant. I advise you to try it with soup, and let me know.

Recipe : Lentil soup

Lentil soup is the most basic food item in India. The Vedic lentil soup is very simple. One recipe is given below.

Ingredients:

a. One cup of whole moong beans (150 gm)
b. 1 tea spoon salt
c. 1/2 tea spoon turmeric powder
d. 1 tablespoon cow ghee
e. 1/2 tea spoon garam masala

1. Soak moong beans overnight, or for at least 6 hours. Wash and drain.
2. Put the beans in one liter water in a sauce pan. Cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
3. Add salt and turmeric. Add one cup water. Cook on low heat for another 20 minutes.
4. Check if beans are cooked, by crushing a few beans with a spoon on the side of the sauce pan.
5. If done, add ghee. Mix well.
6. Sprinkle garam masala and stir lightly.

The moong beans soup is ready.

Vedic food does not have 'tadka' or fried onions in soup. If you like sour taste, you can add a pinch of mango powder, or little bit of tamarind paste, along with turmeric.

Vedic recipe: Steamed vegetables

Vedic people did not eat uncooked vegetables. Vegetables like cauliflower, gourd, pumpkin etc are steamed in a covered pot. Vegetables require very little water to be added to the pot, as these vegetables have a lot of water. The ghee, salt, turmeric, mango powder, and garam masala is added once vegetable is cooked, and stirred well in the pot, then left to cook for a couple of minutes more.

The most important cooking utensil is 'haandi'. 'Haandi is very good for steaming as it has spherical bottom, and narrow top opening, so that little water builds up steam throughout the pot, and cooking is very fuel efficient.

'Haandi' is best for cooking soups as well. 'Haandi' is the indian equivalent of a sauce pan. The curved bottom of haandi fits on wood stove and gas stoves nicely. It is not suitable for electric cooktops.

Vedic recipe - saag

The most important saag is cooked from mustard leaves (sarson ka saag).

Other greens used are 'bathua' and 'rai'. These are local names and I am unable to translate.

Following is a recipe of saag popular in north India, and is authentic Vedic recipe.

You need:

a. One kg mustard leaves (tender stems can be used, do not discard them)
b. One cup soaked hulled gram lentil.
c. 2 tea spoon salt
d. 1 tea spoon garam masala
e. one inch of ginger finally chopped
f. 2 tablespoon ghee (cream can be used in place of ghee)
g. 1 teaspoon mango powder

1. wash and drain mustard leaves.
2. Cook in 'haandi' or pressure cooker - mustard leaves, soaked gram lentil, salt, three cups of water (one cup extra for haandi), one teaspoon turmeric powder (30 minutes for haandi, 20 minutes for pressure cooker).
3. Let in cool somewhat. Crush the cooked leaves with a hand mixer, so that you get a smooth texture soup.
4. Put it back on fire. Add mango powder, garam masala, chopped ginger. Mix well and cook for couple of minutes.
5. Switch off heat. Add ghee/cream. Mix lightly. Saag is ready.

Saag is eaten with 'roti' or flat bread. Vedic 'roti' was made of grains like maize, gram lentil, jwar, bazra etc. These are grains with high amount of ruffage, and the flour was ground in home on a hand operated stone mill ('chakki'). The coarse flour made an inelastic dough. The roti was shaped with hands using a little ghee, and were cooked over smouldering cow dung cakes. These rotis have a truly unique flavour. These rotis are now a rarity as wheat has overtaken other grains.

The Sanskrit Language - Same yet Different during different Ages

The Sanskrit language is truly ancient. The 'Manusmriti' is considered 1.9 billion years old. The 'Upnishad' may have similar origins.

The Vedic education system is older than Manusmriti. Manusmriti was written by King Manu when Earth already had a settled civilization.

The grammatical rules, the alphabet, and the way of writing of Sanskrit has essentially stayed the same over ages.

The language of the scriptures - 'Veda' and 'Upnishad' has stayed same.

However the vernacular language has clearly been dynamic. The vocablury changed with the time.

Manusmriti, Ramayan, Mahabharat, and Puranns are written in vernacular language of the time. A sharp and intelligent researcher can detect the later additions to Mahabharat etc. by the use of vocablury.

The Pundits of India have been a hinderance to purification of historical books. It is purely due to profit motive, as Veda does not sanction any temples. The only building used in Vedic society is 'Yagna Shala' which does not have any statues or pujari. There are no horoscopes or predictions. There are no multitudes of rituals to be followed. The entire edifice of Pundithood is built on lies of wrong interpretation of Veda, and prevention of others to learn Veda. Shri Rama warns Bharat against such Pundits in Ramayan. Shri Rama says never take advice from Pundit who has studied Veda but does not follow, as such Pundit misleads people into taking the way to hell.

The basis of Vedic religion is 'yama' and 'niyam'. The five rules of 'yama' is the acid test of a follower of Vedic religion.

'Veda Ninda' - Speaking ill of Veda by falsifying meaning of mantra, and 'gau hatya' - killing cows are the worst sins - worse than killing innocent man

India has been ruled by Muslims and British. Muslim rulers had at least some fear of Yogis as Muslims (Arabs) had much greater contact with India. So Muslim rulers killed Indians, put high taxes etc., but stayed clear of Yogis and Veda.

British crossed that line also. British engaged in active propaganda to denounce Veda which was completely unwarranted.

British have amassed sins unparalleled in the history of men. I do not see how this civilization can survive for long. God has strange ways to give punishment, but the punishment He does give and for sure.

Haandi (Degchi)

Cooking in clay pots

Vedic people used baked clay pots for cooking. Baked clay pots are good for steaming rice and vegetables, or making bean soups. Most poor people had only clay pots in kitchen.

Rich people used copper or silver pots for cooking. Iron pots are not considered good (including steel). Clay is considered good as ceramics are neutral to acidic or basic flavours. Food cooked in clay pots retains its true flavour. Clay pots were also used for curding milk to make butter (and ghee).

Clay pots go well with wood stoves. The pot takes longer to heat up, but retains its heat longer as well, thus slow cooking the food even after pot is removed from heat.

The wood ash was used to scour the pot when washing. This type of cooking is truly in tune with nature.

Food cooked in clay pots tastes better compared to the food cooked in metal pots. Worth a try.

Politicians fool citizens

Politicians have created a system of very high taxes, impossible regulatory environment, and deep ineqality that makes an honest person suffocate to death. The small indiscretion of a common citizen are used to justify millions of sins of the powerful. It is like saying - the politicians are doing what everybody else is doing.

Small crimes of common man are sufficient to put him in jail, whileas the leaders go scot-free for much bigger crimes.

When we define a crime, we have to see what God thinks as a crime. The arbitrary rules of today's leaders do not make crimes in God's eyes. Punishing a person for crimes that are not crimes in God's eyes is pure injustice, and great sin for the leaders.

God has never allowed earth's leaders to make arbitrary rules. Any country's law that is not in accordance with God's rules is nothing but sinful behaviour by the leaders of that country.

The max income tax allowed to king is 1/6th of income. Any more is stealing on part of the king.
The sales taxes, value added taxes, financial transaction taxes etc. have no justification whatsoever.
The king issues the currency. This funny concept of 'reserve banks' which issues the currency and 'lends money to Govt' has no justification or basis.
Any interest above 1.25% per month is usury.
Stock markets are manipulated to cheat genuine investors, who invest in productive companies in good faith.
Savers are punished by devaluation of currency.

The massive government payroll with layers at the federal, state, and city level and massive military expenditures have no basis or justification.

The public is being fooled left and right. The police that is raised by public money is used to silence the genuine demands of the people.

One must reflect deeply - is this what God intended for men. If you believe in God, do you believe in God of such violent and unjust people?

The big business and job creation

Many people have bought into the myth that big business create jobs? The fact is just the opposite - Most of the labour force is engaged in professional or family owned businesses. Big business has driven innovation - or machines of convenience - that are mostly unnecessary and resulted in destruction of the planet in just 350 years of industrialization.

Industrialization has created super-wealthy - a class of people above the national governments. This class of people have brought in terrible loss of moral values - by corrupting every institution that supported humanity.

God advises social systems that are stable, in tune with nature, self-balanced and self-restoring. God has provided every resource that humans need in the natural world itself. People lived on this earth without coal and petroleum for more than 1.9 billion years. People lived healthy and long lives without digging deep into earth. So the assumption that humans need minerals resources like coal/petroleum is flawed.

The planet can support a certain size of population. The artificial catalyst of oil and coal has increased this to much beyond reasonable number. It is a question to ponder what will happen when these mineral resources run out?

A society that thinks goal of each human is to realize God, always lives in harmony with nature, and with minimum physical possessions. It is also a fact that God showers wealth on such society. Agriculture yields bumper crops with little effort, cows give plentiful milks, horses and elephants are strong and can do better work than machines etc. Everybody gets results of effort made.

Two primary means of liberation of soul

a. KarmYoga
b. Ashtaang Yoga (DhyaanYoga)

KarmYoga means good deeds or 'tapashcharya' as defined earlier in this thread under the explanation of 'tapa'. Tapa is possible only for a person steadfast in 'yama' and 'niyam'.

Rituals like 'Agnihotra', 'Yagna' are beneficial only for a pious person, who can focus his mind in God during such rituals. Rituals are designed to bring regularity to worship of God. Ritual by itself has no meaning. Nobody should think that just chanting a Veda mantra will do any miracle.

Ashtaang Yoga is self-realization by practice of 'dhyaan' or worship of God in thoughtless state. This requires hard-practice of 'asan', 'pranayam' and 'pratyahaar' after achieving 'yama' and 'niyam' for considerable time. Ashtaang Yoga is more difficult than KarmYoga but much faster.

'KarmYoga' requires knowledge of scriptures (Veda), as only a learned person can know difference between a good deed and a bad deed. Ashtaang Yoga is the way of the ascetics where knowledge of Veda is not required. However Ashtaang Yoga requires guidance of a Yogi.

Selfless service of Rishi can also get a seeker to liberation by power of the Rishi.

So it is clear that a Shudra has as much opportunity to gain spiritual progress as a brahmin, if he adopts a pious lifestyle.

Sikhism is based on DhyaanYoga

Sikh Gurus were practitioners of 'DhyaanYoga' as explained by Bhagwan Krishna in Geeta. So while we can argue about current practices of Sikhism, it is true that Sikh gurus taught Vedic religion.

The story of religion in the last 2500 years has been that politically motivated people have been quick to take advantage of saints, and teachings quickly degenrated into organized religions with a host of practices not sanctioned by original preachers.

There is no true knowledge but what has come from Veda. This is what has been taught by so many people in India, and continue to teach.

If we want to find a religion closest to Vedic thought, it is Sikhism no doubt as taught in the original sermons of the ten gurus. The preachers after the ten gurus have added non-Vedic ideas, and Sikhism has become just like any other religion rather than the true path it was supposed to be.

Gayatri Mantra

Gayatri mantra like other mantras should be learned from a Guru. A mantra is more than pronunciation. A Guru not only tells the correct way to recite the mantra, but also the meaning of the mantra. The meaning is very important as the mantra is recited while reflecting on the meaning of the mantra. This is the way thoughts are stopped and mind is controlled.

Gayatri mantra is considered very beneficial to seekers.

Geeta verses on 'karma' (deeds)

"karma brahma-ut-bhavam viddhi brahm-akshar-sama-ut-bhavam|
tasmat-sarvagatam brahm nityam yajje prathishtitam|| (3/15)"

Karma (deeds) are borne out of Veda, Veda is borne out of indestructible God. That all-pervading God is always present in Yajja.

This verse means that the actions or deeds of humans should be according to Veda. All good deeds are explained in Veda. Veda is the preach of God. Every action of man is witnessed by God. No man can ever do anything hidden from God. It is meaningless to go to a temple/church/mosque for prayers as you can do prayers at home only. God is present in your home as much as any temple etc. The key is good deeds.

"Evam pravartitam chakram na-anuvartyatih yah|
Adhayuh-indriyaramo mogham parth sa jivati||" (3/16)

The man who does not live as per the rules defined by God (rules defined in Veda), that person who lives only for pleasures of the senses, destroys his precious human life by sins.

Veda vs. Social Systems

The class system has originated from Veda. However the caste/clan system is completely non-Vedic.

I have explained that class system worked very well for millions of years. Class system works well when coupled with social justice. Class system is not a system where each class becomes a closed society. Class system works when classes are interdependent.

Brahmin: educates children of all classes, even shudra.
Kshatriya: protects people of all classes including ensuring economic opportunities
Vaishya: engages in honest and organized agriculture, industry and commerce
Shudra: are able to serve well by getting proper wage and food

The class system will not work if:

a. Brahmins teach only brahmins
b. Kshatriya corner all the land
c. Vaishya engage in corrupt and sinful agriculture and trade practices
d. Shudra, devoid of proper wages and food, become kind of slaves

If Brahmins do not teach all classes, illiteracy will result into degradation of society and then decay and destruction.

A society is like a vehicle. It has to be constantly serviced, repaired and repainted to keep in good health. Without care, the society dies just like a vehicle due to the effect of dissent, injustice, poverty, and other ills.

reply to post by 547000


Its interesting to point out that the Biblical word for India is "Hodu" - which has the sounds of H-D-U found in the word Hindu.

The word itself comes from the Hebrew root "hod", which means to acknowledge. This tense of the verb has an active connotation, as in other Hebrew words that finish with the U sound. Thus, it could connote, to 'probe reality', or to 'assess reality' to gain knowledge of it.

This seems to be the particular forte or strength of the Indian civilization.

Mahabharat war is a result of dishonesty and injustice

Various stories and sub-stories of Mahabharat tells us of kings who did not perform their duties due to effect of the five defects of man - desire, anger, greed, attachment, and ego (and jealousy). The quality of Vedic king is - 'Indriya Sanyam' - or getting rid of these defects. The description of a king is given in Ramayan and I have posted that in this thread. If king does not have these qualities, the king will be unable to do justice. Lack of justice leads to all the other problems.

If king is unsuitable, it is the job of 'sabhya samaj' or educated class to remove the king, and elect another one. This is possible only if enough people are educated. So it all boils down to education. If educated people are numerous and enabled politically, they will ensure that king is always worthy of his position.

Here education refers to Vedic education. A king can never be just if education itself in non-Vedic. Rakshas people were educated too, but in sciences, crafts only, and not in religion. If people lack the knowledge of 'dharm', they cannot distinguish between good deed and bad deed. Such people can never establish a Vedic society.

reply to post by dontreally


Your point is interesting, but the word 'Hindu' is considered corrupted form of 'Sindhu', the river that was the major entry point for Arab traders. The river Sindhu was navigable, and boats could access inland ports several hundred kilometers from the coast. There was a big civilization on the shores of this river.

Most of these people ran away/migrated to Gujarat, Rajasthan, and other areas after the defeat of local kings in Sindhudesh by the Arabs.

The same happened to communities in Afghanistan and central Asia which were pushed by Greeks, Kushans, and Huns. These people increasingly migrated to Punjab, and then other places of Bharat.

There have been a fairly large number of displaced people in last 2500 years due to wars. It has constantly changed composition of populations in various regions.

Vedic education - and collecting food by alms ('bhiksha')

'brahmchari' - student, 'vanprasthi' - ascetic, 'sanyaasi' - preacher are allowed to ask for alms ('bhiksha') as per 'dharm'.

'grihasthi' or householder is not allowed to beg.

A student should not need to beg. It is actually king's responsibility to provide for teachers and students. However reality is not as rosy, as kings do not always provide enough. The State support to Gurukul varies from king to king. Brahmchari works in fields, rears cows etc. to raise food, but the amount of food grown is dependent on land availability etc. in the Gurukul, and number of students. So it is allowed as per 'dharm', that a student can ask a householder for 'alms'. A householder can give foodgrains, ghee/oil, money etc. as per his desire. Any such donation is considered good karma for the householder, and it is said that a householder will get much more foodgrains that he donated.

Vanprasthi (ascetic) try to be self-sufficient by living in the forest. Once forests were abundant in south Asia, and these forests were source of almost anything an ascetic would need. There was enough food - fruits and roots etc. and firewood, broad leaf trees to build huts etc. As forests declined, in tune with growth of population, the ascetic became more dependent on householders. Hardly any forests are left nowadays, and whatever remains are 'reserve' forests, means human settlement is not allowed. It has become virtually impossible for an ascetic to survive off forest resources. Vanprasthi are allowed to ask a householder for 'alms' just like a student. (Spiritually a student and an ascetic are similar - the only difference being that student is under the command of a teacher).

A 'Sanyaasi' is same as a teacher in Vedic system. Sanyaasi does a service to the society by giving knowledge of 'dharm', even knowledge of sciences. I have already explained that most people in Vedic society, specially people in rural areas had only Sanyaasi as their guide. Sanyaasi can perform 'sanskar' or 16 major rituals associated with vedic life. Sanyaasi were held in high esteem and people were very keen to serve them. All our traditions are almost destroyed in modern world, so it is very hard to be a 'sanyaasi'. 'Arya Samaj' has done very good work by re-establishing the prestige of Sanyaasi. It is very hard to become a 'sanyaasi'. Knowledge of Veda is a pre-requisite. Ability to conduct 'sanskar' is another. There are a lot of 'self-declared' sanyaasi who do not meet the criteria, and only mislead people. Arya Samaj has a system of recognition for sanyaasi, which I believe is appropriate for the times.