বেদের পরিপূরক হিসেবে বেদাঙ্গকে ব্যবহার করা হত। বেদের অঙ্গ বলে এর নাম বেদাঙ্গ। এই বিষয়গুলি বেদ পাঠ এবং যজ্ঞ অনুষ্ঠানে সাহায্য করত। এদের প্রথম উল্লেখ পাওয়া যায় ষড়বিংশ ব্রাহ্মণে ( বেদের আমলে বিভিন্ন প্রকার যজ্ঞানুষ্ঠান হত।এই সব যজ্ঞ কিভাবে করতে হবে, সেটা যার মধ্যে সবিস্তার বর্ণিত থাকত; তাকে ব্রাহ্মণ বলা হয়। যেমন ঋগ্বেদের ঐতরেয় ব্রাহ্মণে রাজসূয় যজ্ঞ কিভাবে করতে হবে, তার সবিস্তার বর্ণনা আছে।) ।“চত্বারোহস্যৈ(স্বাহায়ৈ) বেদাঃ শরীরং ষড়ঙ্গান্যঙ্গানি ।৪।।৭” অর্থাৎ ৪ টি বেদ হলো শরীর এবং ৬ টি বেদাঙ্গ হলো তাদের অঙ্গ। এই ৬ টি বেদাঙ্গ হলো:-
১। শিক্ষা ২। ছন্দ ৩। ব্যাকরণ ৪। নিরুক্ত ৫। জ্যোতিষ ৬। কল্প ১।শিক্ষা : - বেদ অধ্যয়ন সেকালে নিত্য কর্ম ছিল। যজ্ঞেও বেদ পাঠের প্রয়োজন হত। দৈনিক পাঠকে “স্বাধ্যায়” বলা হত।শিক্ষক বেদের শব্দরাশির নির্ভুল উচ্চারণ শেখাতেন।বেদের ‘সংহিতা’ অংশই প্রধানতঃ শিক্ষার আলোচনার বিষয় ছিল। (সংহিতা:- বেদের কর্মকাণ্ডে ‘সংহিতা’ অংশই প্রাচীনতম রচিত অংশ।) ‘সংহিতা’ দুভাবে পাঠ করা হত।অব্যাকৃত এবং ব্যাকৃত পদপাঠ।সংহিতায় পরষ্পর সন্নিহিত অবস্থায় যেমন পদগুলি (নামপদ ও ক্রিয়াপদ) আছে, তেমন ভাবে রেখে পাঠ করাকে অব্যাকৃত পদপাঠ বলে।ব্যাকৃত পদপাঠে প্রতি পদকে (নামপদ ও ক্রিয়াপদ) সন্নিবদ্ধ রূপ হতে বিচ্ছিন্ন করে নিয়ে পৃথকভাবে উচ্চারণ করা হয় বা হত। দক্ষিণ ভারতে এখনও এভাবে পাঠ করা হয়। গোটা পাঠকে শুধু পদপাঠও বলা হয়।সংহিতা পাঠের সংঙ্গে পদপাঠের সর্ম্পক নির্দ্দেশ করতে “প্রাতিশাখ্য” গ্রন্থের উদ্ভব হয়। এইগুলি শিক্ষার আদিগ্রন্থ। ২।ছন্দ : - ছন্দ শিক্ষার সঙ্গে স্বাভাবিক ভাবেই যুক্ত।ঋক্ সংহিতার এবং সাম সংহিতার সব মন্ত্রই ছন্দোবদ্ধ।অবশ্য সাম সংহিতার সব মন্ত্রই গাওয়া হত। অথর্ব সংহিতারও বেশীর ভাগ মন্ত্রই ছন্দোবদ্ধ। সংহিতা, ব্রাহ্মণ এবং উপনিষদে নানা সূত্রে ছন্দের প্রসঙ্গ আছে। সকল প্রতিসাখ্যের শেষে সামবেদের নিদানসূত্রে শাংখ্যায়ন শ্রৌতসূত্রে এবং বিভিন্ন অনুক্রমণিকাতে ছন্দ সম্বন্ধে উল্লেখ আছে। পিঙ্গলের ছন্দঃসূত্রকেই বেদাঙ্গ বলে বিবেচনা করা হয়। তবে এটিকে বিশুদ্ধ ভাবে বেদাঙ্গ গণ্য করা হয় না। কারন, এটির প্রথম ৪ অধ্যায়ে বৈদিক ছন্দের আলোচনা আছে, তারপর অতিরিক্ত ভাবে লৌকিক ছন্দেরও বিবরণ আছে।( এটা বিশুদ্ধবাদীদের মত)
৩।ব্যাকরণ : - ব্যাকরণের সঙ্গেও আবার দেখা যাচ্ছে শিক্ষার স্বাভাবিক যোগ আছে এবং থাকাটাই সঙ্গত।অব্যাকৃত এবং ব্যাকৃত পদপাঠের জন্য সন্ধির নিয়মগুলি জানা দরকার। মন্ত্রকে যজ্ঞে প্রয়োগ করার ক্ষেত্রে সন্ধির নিয়মগুলি না জানলে মুশকিল। তাই ব্যাকরণের জ্ঞান প্রয়োজন।
৪।নিরুক্ত : - নিরুক্তের সঙ্গে নিঘন্টুর ঘনিষ্ট যোগ রয়েছে।নিঘন্টু, বৈদিক শব্দভান্ডার। নিঘন্টুর মত তখন আরও শব্দভান্ডার ছিল, কিন্তু র্দুভাগ্য ক্রমে সেগুলো বিলুপ্ত। এই নিঘন্টুর ব্যাখ্যা যাঁরা করেছেন, তাঁরা হলেন- যাস্ক, স্থৌলষ্টিবি এবং পৌনঃপুনি। এর মধ্যে যাস্কের নিরুক্ত পাওয়া যায়। নিরুক্তের ব্যুৎপত্তিগত অর্থ- ভেঙ্গে বলা। অতি সরলীকৃত ভাবে বলা ভাল, নিরুক্ত বেদের ‘নোটস্’ বা টীকা। ৫। জ্যোতিষ : - জ্যোতিষ ৫ ম বেদাঙ্গ। যিনি যজ্ঞ করতেন, তাঁকে ঋত্বিক বলা হয়। ঋত্বিকের যজ্ঞের কাল নিরুপণ করতে হত। তাই তাঁকে শুভ কাল যজ্ঞের জন্য বের করতে হত। তাই জ্যোতিষের উদ্ভব। সোজা ভাষায় তিনি পঞ্জিকা তৈরী করতেন। ৬। কল্প : - কল্পগুলি সূত্রাকারে গ্রথিত। যজ্ঞের প্রয়োগবিধি এবং গার্হস্থ জীবনের প্রয়োগবিধির বর্ণনা এতে আছে।
ঋণ ও উৎস: - শ্রীহিরন্ময় ভট্টাচার্য্য রচিত “ঋগ্বেদের পরিচয়”। হরফ প্রকাশনী কর্ত্তৃক প্রকাশিত বেদের মুখবন্ধে প্রাপ্ত।
I was born at RAJSAHI, a town from erstwhile undivided Bengal. My father Late Ramnarayan Bhattacharya was a great scholar of repute in Sanskrit, English and Philosophy. A gold medalist, his record marks in MA (BHU) are still to be broken. So, I was brought to Varanasi, and thereafter via MAHISADAL (a small town in WB) I was at Parlakhemundi a bordering town of Orissa & Andhra, with my parents. Parlakhemundi is in Orissa. Father was brought to Sree Krushna Chandra Gajapati College, as a professor in Philosophy by the Raja of Parlakhemundi, Sree Krushna Chandra Gajapati himself. My father had a huge recommendation from the Raja of MAHISADAL, Sree Debprasad Garga. My father had this recommendation due to his pedanticity and also for the great ancestral scholastic background he had. We are the descendent of the Great GADHADHAR BHATTACHARYA, (17th century) post-Shiromani Nyaya philosopher. He was born in Nabadwip, WEST BENGAL, son of Jivacharya, a follower of TANTRICISM. GADHADHAR BHATTACHARYA’S annotations played a vital role in the practice of Nyaya philosophy, as it was almost impossible to understand the meaning of the original text without explanations.
GADHADHAR BHATTACHARYA acquired a Shiva Linga, which he got by the order of Shiva in a dream, as it goes in my family. Naturally the art of Pujas & other spiritual aptitudes was in our blood.
Now, in my childhood days I was a very mischievous (still continuing) boy, 7-8 years old with no intention to read any books, what to speak of text books! As I was the eldest son of the family, my father left no stone unturned to attract towards studies, but all efforts were in vein! Even story books, given to me was unread by me with the logic in my mind that this is also a kind of reading & education. I was uncontrollable at my house, and my father at last decided to take me to the college during his lectures, so that in my absence; my mother could accomplish her household duties. Sree Krushna Chandra Gajapati College had a huge library with many books in its collection, written in many languages. Father is to leave me in the huge library during his stay in the college, under the supervision of the librarian. Unfortunately I may not name correctly the librarian, most probably Mr. K. Patnaik an ORIYA gentleman, who was capable of speaking, reading and writing in Bengali as he spent some of his student life in CALCUTTA(Now: - KOLKATA). I used to tease him in possible manners I could invent. He was a very patient guy and always had a smiling face and bore my torture. Mr. K. Patnaik was a very good story teller and he had a magical flair of story telling. I was attracted very slowly towards him. Mr. K. Patnaik once told me: - Go to the field, and play football. You don’t read any books, so you lack exercises, while seating here. If you play football you will sweat and forget everything! This was an advice of my liking and I started playing football in the big playground attached to the college. Many senior students joined me. (Later on I came to know why Mr. K. Patnaik said so!) Then came a day, when respected Mr. K. Patnaik, showed me one book in Bengali. There was a black and white picture of a monk on the cover, whose eyes seemed glittering to me. The book was “Vivekananda for young ones” written in Bengali. Mr. K. Patnaik, told me- you are not interested in reading I suppose, so I am not going to share this book to you. I was not bothered. But the black and white picture began haunting me. Few days after, I told him to speak about the monk. Mr. K. Patnaik went on speaking about the monk and I was speechless! His way of deliberating was marvelous! (It may be understatement!). I was enchanted and asked for the book. Mr. K. Patnaik was amazed! He told: - Really! He murmured: - Let the divine intervention be there in your life! Jai Ramakrishna!!!! I was shocked! Why he is taking my name? (So idiot I was and still remaining). I was able to see his joy, but not able to sift and quantify it. Unknowingly I embarked a ship of the GREAT MAN, which I am not still able to span that embankment, which Mr. K. Patnaik helped to do so. By the time I mate Mr. K. Patnaik, I did not know that he was maintaining a strict abstention from meat, fish, and alcohol. How could it be? A boy of 7-8 years does not know what BRAMHACARJA is! What is alcohol!!! I was lost! I asked my father: - What is GOD? He smiled and said: - If we know that, we are through. What is BRAMHACARJA? His answer was: - Do you think, you will be able to read SAKHESPERE by learning A, B------Z? Go and read anything on this subject you want. First try yourself, and then come to me! I was shifted to my Maternal Grandfather’s place in Calcutta (Now Kolkata) to be admitted in a school. Now there was a vast difference in food culture and other cultures here at my Maternal Grandfather’s place. 1. My father used to take sun dried rice, but my Maternal Grandfather used to take boiled rice, which was much testier to me. 2. My father was a strict vegetarian (even not onion & garlic) but my Maternal Grandfather was strict Non –Veg. 3. My eldest maternal uncle was a communist.
Now through my eldest maternal uncle I came across a very big leader of erstwhile undivided Communist Party. I promised him not to disclose his name, so I am not disclosing his name although he has passed away a long time back He told me a true story in his own way: - “Once a Great Hindu monk was traveling in a ship. As the journey was time consuming, he used to have gossiping with his brother disciples who were accompanying HIM. At times they used to burst into laughter. A reverend who was a co-passenger on that ship, asked that Great Hindu monk: - Are you that Great Hindu monk who deliberated lectures on Hinduism in Chicago? Great Hindu monk answered: - I don’t know whether I am a Great Hindu monk or not. But, yes! I deliberated lectures on Hinduism in Chicago. You are diluting yourself by making this type of humour and laughing!-said the reverend. The Great Hindu monk answered: - Can your GOD laugh? I don’t know- said the reverend. Look if your GOD can laugh I believe HIM, if HE doesn’t I don’t believe HIM- The Great Hindu monk answered.” I asked the leader (I used to call him Mama): - Who was that The Great Hindu monk? Mama told- Wait! I am narrating the sequel! “The Great Hindu monk, by the virtue of his sweet behaviour, became chummy with the reverend in the long voyage. One day, he told the reverend, if you impose something which general people don’t like the out come is not fruitful. The reverend asked-Why? The Great Hindu monk replied: - Once in a small village in Great Britain, there came a Reverend in the only & one Church in that village. He imposed that no drinking will be allowed by anybody in the village; the inhabitants were sorry but maintained the statutory warning of the respected reverend. Now one day the reverend decided to go to the nearest town which was bit far from the village. A river was there in between. Generally if some one goes to the town, one will be back, in not less than 2 days. All the village people were happy and decided to have a cocktail party in the village head’s house in the night. Accordingly all arrangements were made and the party was in full swing in the night. Suddenly the Reverend burst open the door and came in!!! (Later on it was known that he could not go due to the flood in the river.) The entire people present over there were flabbergasted. At last the village head as-well-as host went in a tipsy mood to him and asked: - Sir, Do you like to have tea? Reverend- No tea!!! Host- Sir, Then please have some coffee! Reverend- No coffee!!! The host was back to the wall with no wall to his back. He asked –Sir, then please have a peg of whisky! Reverend- No SODAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Now, I asked Mama- Who was this Great Hindu monk? Mama told that, HE was Swami Vivekananda. I told mama you are a communist! And you know Him? If you don’t know Him then any movement is incomplete, came the reply. Swamiji also told: - STRENGTH IS LIFE, WEEKNESS IS DEATH. We require strength to have movements and that is life. Swami Vivekananda was a down to earth man. HE told that, “SUDRA JAGARAN” will be there and that is nothing but the movement and awakening of the down trodden class and that is what we do!-said mama. Latter on, in my life time I tried in vein to read the Swamiji’s works. One thing struck into my mind that He was not only a teacher, preacher, but also a management GURU. Bapuji, Sree Aravinda, they were great men, no doubt, but The BELUR MATH is still colourful and vibrant after 140 odd years. Yearly near about 100-120 Sanyasis are coming out regularly. Another thing, a complete Biography of this Great Monk is yet to come out. Probably, till today nobody dared to span the vast works & achievements, which Swamiji could accomplish in a span of 39 years only! At last, I will end with one thing. The headline of this writing should not have been HOW SWAMIJI CAME TO MY LIFE, but it should have been HOW SWAMIJI IS COMING TO MY LIFE or for that matter coming to everybody’s life!!! HE is not Past tense but always Present Continuous tense.
In wake of my present involvement in catering to the cause of assisting some children combating Thalassemia (major) mostly hailing from the underprivileged families I chose to contribute some pertinent facts, the product of my cyber hunting as an awareness strategy in my own small way.Though I personally do not comprehensively vote for the popular adage"prevention is better than cure" since its in the process of caring for the cure we do explore and unearth the preventive manuals for future.Thalassemia unlike its heinous allies AIDS & Cancer can be majorly avoided,curtesy "awareness".Coming to the cure of thalassemia the major operation involved is Bone marrow Transplantation (which is worth 6 to 10 INR).However there are also some respite if not the panacea in the form ofSplenectomy(Partial/Total) operation which can bring down the frequency of blood transfusion from weekly rate to a period of 6-26 months interval.Due to the high mortality related to infection after TS (Total Splenectomy), temporary treatment of thalassemia major by PS is highly recommended(ofcourse gor mean age of 7.5 years).The medication is based on intake of iron and follic acid compounds as well proteins( for alpha & beta thalassemia).I have cited below a fitting chronicle which clearly borders on the paramount relevance of the basic clinical knowledge associated with this SLOTH KILLER.
This is just to provide some awarness about a blood disorder called thalassemia which most people are not aware and can cause a major disease to the offspring. Me and my wife had an arranged marriage about 5 yrs back. My wife is pregnant now and the last 1 month was really a nightmare waiting for the test results. During the regular checkups with her OBGYN, they did a routine blood test and the doctor saw that her red blood cells were smaller in size than usual which is consistent with a type of anemia called thalassemia. This is very common among people of south asian decent like India, pakistan, bangladesh etc. So the doctor suggested that I get my blood work done. It turned out that I had thalassemia too and this is what most people don't know. There are 2 types of thalassemia (thalassemia minor & thalassemia major) Me and my wife have thalassemia minor. If both parents have thalassemia minor, there is 25 chance that their offspring can have thalassemia major, 50 chance that the baby can have thalassemia minor and 25 chance that the baby will not have any thalassemia. Thalassemia major is a terrible disease which is fatal. Max life span of the baby will be atmost 20 or even less and that too the baby will need blood transfusions every month and other complications can be caused. This is a cause of concern if both parents have thalassemia minor. If either one of the parents is normal there is no reason to worry. Fortunately, our baby fell in the 25 where it did not inherit any thalassemia causing genes but its a good idea to know it before hand. There are tests that can be done as eary as 10th week called Chronic Viral Sampling (CVS) and Aminocenthesis done between 16th and 20th week to determine the type of thalassemia the baby inherited. So the would be parents can make an informed decision after consultation with the doctors and counselors. Most parents in india do not know about this and they go into a state of shock after learning that their baby has thalassemia major and get devastated. I want to just create awareness among couples trying to have a baby so that they can talk to their doctors to find out if both have thalassemia minor or not and if so go for further test I mentioned above based on their pregnancy week.
Some important links which has undeniably broadened my horizon,its a must read for all I presume.
The earth’s climate and weather is driven by energy from the Sun. This energy heats the planet, which in turn radiates that heat back into space. However, much of this heat is retained by various greenhouse gases in our atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane and nitrous oxide—and this is a good thing. Without such gases contributing to this natural greenhouse effect, life as we know it would not exist. Temperatures would be similar to our airless moon, ranging wildly from 225°F during the day to negative 243°F at night. Obviously, this would not be an environment conducive for life.
But due to greenhouse gases, the earth’s average temperature is a hospitable 60°F. However, problems arise when the concentration of these gases increase.
Huge amounts of carbon have been captured by plants and buried in the ground in the form of coal, oil and natural gas, called fossil fuels. (In contrast to human beings, plants take in CO2 and expel oxygen.) These fuels have accumulated over the course of perhaps millions of years. With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, mankind began extracting and burning earth’s vast reservoirs of these fuels. This released millions of tons of carbon, in the form of CO2, into the atmosphere, thus increasing the levels of greenhouse gases beyond what the earth can safely handle. Since then, atmospheric concentrations of CO2 have increased nearly 30%, methane concentrations have more than doubled, and nitrous oxide concentrations have risen roughly 15%. These increases have enhanced the heat-trapping capability of earth’s atmosphere, and will continue to do so for years to come.
Fossil fuels burned to power cars and trucks, heat homes and businesses, and power factories are responsible for about 98% of U.S. CO2 emissions, 24% of methane emissions and 18% of nitrous oxide emissions.
Also contributing a significant share of emissions are increased agriculture, deforestation, landfills, industrial production and mining. In 1997, the United States discharged roughly one-fifth of the world’s total greenhouse gases.
Estimating how much of these gases will be emitted in the future is difficult, as it depends on demographic, economic, technological, policy and institutional developments. Based on differing projections of these principal factors, several scenarios have been developed.
For example, in the absence of emissions control policies, by the year 2100, CO2 concentrations are projected to be 30 to 150% higher than today’s levels. However, even if human beings were to cease emitting heat-trapping gases into the atmosphere, the climate still would not stabilize for quite some time, as the gases that are already there will remain for decades, even centuries.
At the very outset, I must honestly confess one thing! I have got a student of class V from Kendriya Vidyalaya, Dumdum. To-day evening he came to me for tuition. His to-day's subject was ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE! He is a sweet boy with more than average intelligence, named SAYAK MAZUMDAR, alias BANTUL. He was visibly enthusiast, when I told him that I am going to write about the ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE in a blog. He immediately copied a poem from his book and gave it to me to post. I liked it very much. So, for the first installment of this Himalayan task entrusted on me, I am starting with that poem!
DO YOU KNOW THIS?
From South America long ago! came a tomato, a potato and a green chili.
Do you know this?
A cabbage came from Europe, and also a pea.
From Africa came a coffee bean, and a green VINDI*.
They crossed the land. They crossed the sea.
Do you know this?
A mango sang, Come in! Come in! An orange smiled inside its skin. "WELCOME TO INDIA" A banana said.
The methi* and the spinach* brinjal* and radish* nodded its head Do you know this?
----by RAJESH UTSHAT Chakmal, May- June 2002 (translated by Anupa Lal)
* VINDI-It is known as OKRA(African term) in the rest of the world excepting India, where its English Synonym is Ladie's finger
*Methi- Fenugreek.
* Spinach- Sag ( a leafy vegetable).
* Brinjal- Egg plant as known as in rest of the world!
