Why SHABDA?
SHABDA aims to bring the science, philosophy, practices, and conclusions of the Vedic times to the modern world. We present the traditions authentically through the time-tested system of knowledge descending from spiritual masters to disciples. We rely on the descriptions found in the Vedic texts and try to make them accessible to the inquisitive reader, especially those with a background in modern science.
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The books from Shabda Press are dedicated to the presentation of Vedic philosophy in a scientific yet accessible manner. They critique problems of materialism in modern science and present the Vedic alternative.
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The posts on Shabda Blog delve into a wide ranging topics of current interest. They have proven useful for beginners to Vedic philosophy who are often curious about its differences from other systems of philosophies.
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The articles on Shabda Journal contain material for the advanced reader of Vedic philosophy. The articles discuss issues of modern sciences, religions, and philosophies and contrast them to Vedic thinking.
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The videos on Shabda Media contain both beginner and advanced level information for those who prefer to watch and listen. It includes the issues of modern science and their solutions in Vedic philosophy.
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The discussions on Shabda Forums delve into specific topics of interest to readers and seekers of Vedic philosophy. Since they originate from curious people, they are useful to people with similar curiosities.
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The material on Shabda Stories brings to the reader the life stories of great personalities from the Vedic texts and recent history. They depict inspiring qualities that can motivate everyone serching for perfection.
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The presentations on Shabda Media delve both into beginner and advanced level topics for people who like to assimilate knowledge visually. They cover topics of both theoretical and practical interest.
Inspiration
Scientific Commentaries on the Six Systems of Philosophy
There is a widespread misconception at present that Vedic philosophy comprises many incompatible doctrines created by different people at different times. Ignorant and malicious interpretations have created this misconception. The fact is that in Vedic philosophy, reality must be described from six complementary perspectives. Each perspective is necessary and they are collectively sufficient. These are called modalities of reality. Any philosophy that tries to describe reality from only one perspective will be incomplete. However, if it tries to fit multiple perspectives into one, it will be self-contradictory.
The Six Systems of Philosophy Series illustrates this view. Vaiśeṣika describes reality as atoms, Nyāya as logic and inference, Sāñkhya as the components of experience, Yoga as bondage and liberation, Mīmāṃsā as rituals and symbols, and Vedānta as a Complete Person, leading to six complementary perspectives. Like blind men see their perspective of the elephant as the whole truth, and consider other views of the elephant false, similarly, problems attributed to Vedic philosophy are problems of blind men.
The commentaries present (1) the original Sanskrit text, (2) English transliterations of the text, (3) word-to-word Sanskrit to English word-meanings, (4) English translations of the text, and (5) a scientific commentary that explains the meaning of the text and its implications in an accessible manner.
Alternative Vision of Knowledge
The Six Systems of Vedic Philosophy are counterparts of a modern system of division of knowledge into six broad subjects. Of course, the Vedic system treats these subjects quite differently than the modern thinking.
Knowledge is fragmented in modern thinking and integrated in the Vedic system. Fragmentation leads to contradictions and integration leads to consistency. Because it integrates all areas of knowledge consistently, the Vedic system is a complete and consistent system of knowledge. The Vedic system is thereby also the method for establishing the unity of knowledge.
God is the Perfection of Knowledge
This book defines God as perfection and discusses the 12 attributes that constitute perfection. These are consistent, complete, simple, parsimonious, necessary, sufficient, empirical, rational, operational, instrumental, stable, and novel. They divide into six pairs of antinomies, called knowledge, beauty, renunciation, power, wealth, and heroism. These antinomies create tradeoffs in the material world, such that nothing has all the qualities of God, which means that nothing is perfect. The search for God is the search for perfection, devoid of these tradeoffs. By studying the qualities that make something perfect, we study God scientifically, in answer to the question: What is that which is devoid of all imperfections?
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