Understanding Vedas (Part-2)

In this thread I will try to explain Trividha (त्रिविध) Bhashyas of Vedic Mantras.

Here we have three different approaches to derive 3 different meanings of same Mantra.

That means one mantra has 3 meanings and all 3 meanings are different this is possible only because of Yaugika terms of Vedic sanskrit.

The three types of Bhashyas are -

1. ādhidaivika
2. ādhyātmika
3. yājñika

First let's understand the meanings of these terms,

1. ādhyātmika means one that is related to ātmā,
It includes īśvara, jīva, śarīra, meaning of terms are taken according to them. This Bhashya is most prominent as Moksha is final objective of vedas

2. ādhidaivika means one that is related to devtas, devtas such as sūrya, bhūmi, vāyu etc.
In this approach the meanings of yaugika terms are taken according to devtas.

3. yājñika means one related to Yajñas ( what are yajñas and their significance require a separate thread)

So these are the three bhashyas now let's see how they work with an example

Nirukta 3/12 explains ṛgveda(1,164,21)

यत्रा सुपर्णा अमृतस्य भागमनिमेषं विदथाभिस्वरन्ति । इनो विश्वस्य भुवनस्य गोपाः स मा धीरः पाकमत्रा विवेश॥

According to ādhidaivika bhashya here -

सुपर्णा (suparṇā) means "Sun Rays" and अमृत (amṛta) here means water, it says Ishwar is protector of all jīvas (जीव) and he is āditya

According to ādhyātmika bhashya-

सुपर्णा (suparṇā) means "Sense organs" and अमृत (amṛta) means "Knowledge" , it says Ishwar is protector of all sense organs and he is ātmā.

See same mantra and 2 different meanings and both are correct. In ādhidaivika Yaugika terms are related to Devtas such as Sun and Water, in ādhyātmika Yaugika terms are related to body (sense organs) and Aatma

This shows Vedas are so Vast one needs to have proper knowledge of Sanskrit and the basic concepts to understand them.

That's why I always say, don't believe in random internet translations. Most modern translators(especially western) fail to understand Vedas. Their translations are laughable.

ॐ नमो नारायणाय।।

For example see translation of this Mantra by Griffith.
He totally failed to understand what this Mantra actually means.