Mundaka 1.05

तत्रापरा ऋग्वेदो यजुर्वेदः सामवेदोऽथर्ववेदः। शिक्षा कल्पो व्याकरणं निरुक्तं छन्दोज्योतिषमिति। अथ परा यया तदक्षरमधिगम्यते ॥५॥

In that context, the lower knowledge consists of the Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda, Atharvaveda, and the sciences of phonetics, rituals, grammar, etymology, metrics, and astronomy. The highest knowledge is that through which the imperishable truth is realized.

Bhāshya 1.05

Various testimonials are provided to substantiate - "All knowledge including the Vedas are considered as higher knowledge when they are interpreted to understand the supreme Lord Vishnu. But the same text is considered as lower knowledge when it does not convey Lord Vishnu". The Lord is worshipped by people with the three Vedas distinctly in Treta-Yuga. In Dvapara-Yuga, Vishnu is worshipped by people with Pancharatra only. But in the Kali-Yuga, the Lord Hari is worshipped by name alone.

ऋगाद्या अपरा विद्या यदा विष्णोर्न वाचकाः। ता एव परमा विद्या यदा विष्णोस्तु वाचकाः॥

"The Vedas, starting with the Rigveda, are considered inferior knowledge when they do not describe Vishnu. However, they become supreme knowledge when they do describe Lord Vishnu."

इति परमसंहितायाम्।

- stated thus in the Paramasaṁhitā testimonial.

"ऋग्भिर्हौत्रेण शंसन्ति तथौद्गात्रैः स्तुवन्ति ये। विष्णुमेव तथा तस्मै यजुर्भिरपि जुह्वति॥ स्तुवन्त्यथर्वणैश्चैनं सेतिहासपुराणकैः। न विष्णुसदृशं किंङचित्परमं वापि मन्वते॥ सर्वोत्तमं तं जानन्तस्ते हि भागवतोत्तमाः॥"

"The Hotṛ priests praise Viṣṇu with Rig Veda hymns, and the Udgātṛ priests sing his praises. They offer oblations to him with Yajur Veda hymns. He is praised with Atharva Veda hymns, histories, and Puranas. There is nothing like Lord Viṣṇu, nor anything superior. Those who know him as the best of all are indeed the best among devotees."

"वेदे रामायणे चैव पुराणे भारते तथा। आदावन्ते च मध्ये च विष्णुः सर्वत्र गीयते॥"

"In the Vedas, in the Ramayana, certainly in the Puranas, in the Mahabharata, also in the beginning, in the end, and in the middle, Lord Vishnu is sung everywhere."

"एतदन्ते च मध्ये च ब्रह्मैवोक्त्वा विजानताम्। ऋगादि पञ्चधा संस्थं शब्दब्रह्म प्रशाम्यति॥"

"The sound-Brahman, beginning with the Rigveda and in the middle, and at the end - the wise declare Brahman alone, established in fivefold form, comes to rest."

"यं वाकेष्वनुवाकेषु निषत्सूपनिषत्सु च। स्तुवन्ति सत्यकर्माणं सत्यं सत्येषु सामसु॥"

"Whom they praise in the words, in the repetitions, in the assemblies, in the Upanishads, and who is truthful in actions, truth in the truths, in the Sama Veda hymns".

"सर्वे वेदा यत्पदमामनन्ति तपांसि सर्वाणि च यद्वदन्ति। यदिच्छन्तो ब्रह्मचर्यं चरन्ति तत्ते पदं सङ्ग्रहेण प्रवक्ष्ये॥"

"I shall briefly explain to you that state which all the Vedas proclaim, which all austerities speak of, and desiring which, they practice celibacy."

"वेदैश्च सर्वैरहमेव वेद्यो वेदान्तकृद्वेदविदेव चाहम्।"

"I am to be known through all the Vedas; I am the author of Vedānta and the knower of the Vedas."

इति च भारते।

- stated thus in the Mahabharata.

"चतुर्दश महाविद्यास्थानानि वेदितव्यानि भवन्ति।"

"There are fourteen places of great knowledge that should be known."

इति च मूलश्रुतिः।

- stated thus in the Mūlaśrutiḥ Vedic testimonial.

"पञ्चरात्र्यागमाद्याश्च सर्वमेकं पुराऽऽभवत्। मूलवेद इति ह्याख्या काले कृतयुगे तदा॥ नैवर्क्सामादिनामानि तदा वेदस्य चाभवन्। नैव चेन्द्रादि नामानि विष्णोरन्यत्र कुत्रचित्। ब्रह्मरुद्रेन्द्रपूर्वैस्तु नामभिः प्रोच्यते हरिः॥"

"In ancient times, the Pancaratra and other Agamas were unified into one. This unified scripture was known as the original Veda during the Krita age. At that time, the names such as Rig, Sama, and others did not exist for the Veda, nor were names like Indra and others associated with Vishnu found elsewhere. However, Hari was referred to by names like Brahma, Rudra, and Indra."

देवतात्वेन चेज्यः सः ब्रह्माद्या मनुनामकाः। वक्तृत्वेन पितृत्वेन कारित्वेनैव चादरात्। ज्यन्ते देवताः सर्वा न तु देवतया क्वचित्। अनन्ययाजिनस्ते तु तस्मात्कार्तयुगा जनाः। प्राप्नुवन्ति हरिं तं च तस्माद्वेदे न किञ्चन॥ पारावर्यं हरेर्यस्मादुत्थितास्तुरगाननात्। ऋगाद्या अनुव्याख्यान्तास्तस्मात् सर्वैर्हरिं यजेत्॥

He only was worshipped as a deity, named like Brahma, Manu and others. He was respected for his roles as a speaker, a father, and a doer. All deities born at that time were not termed deities and thus, those who worshiped no-other than Lord Hari belonged to the Krita Yuga. As they saw nothing else in the Veda than Lord Hari, they attained Lord Hari. The superior and the inferior aspects of knowledge, having arisen from the horse-faced Hari, are explained in the Rig and other texts later. Hence, Lord Hari should be worshipped by all.

तस्माद् ब्रह्मादयः सर्वे मनवो मानवास्तथा। यजन्ति सर्ववेदैस्तं जानन्ति च विनिश्चयात्॥ अशक्तः पञ्चरात्रेण ऋगाद्यैर्वाथ तं यजेत्। ऋगाद्यैरेव स त्रैतैर्भिन्नैरिष्टो जनैर्हरिः॥ द्वापरीयैर्जनैर्विष्णुः पञ्चरात्रैस्तु केवलैः। कलौ तु नाममात्रेण पूज्यते भगवान् हरिः॥

Therefore, Brahma and others, all Manus and humans also worship him, Lord Hari, with all the Vedas and know him with certainty. If unable to do so with Rig and others, one should worship him with the Pancharatra. He is worshipped by people with the three Vedas distinctly in Treta Yuga. In Dvapara Yuga, Vishnu is worshipped by people with Pancharatra only. But in the Kali Yuga, the Lord Hari is worshipped by name alone.

एको वेदः कृते ह्यासीत् त्रेतायां स त्रिधाऽभवत्। स एव पञ्चधा जातो द्वापरं प्राप्य वै युगम्॥ उत्सन्नः स कलिं प्राप्य वेदः प्रायेण सर्वशः। मुख्यो धर्मः कार्तयुगो वर्तितव्यः कलावपि॥ त्रेतादौ तदशक्त्या हि धर्मोऽन्यः सम्प्रकीर्तितः।

In the Krita age, there was only one Veda. In the Treta age, it was divided into three parts. By the time of the Dvapara age, it had become fivefold. As the Kali age approached, the Veda was mostly lost. The main dharma of the Krita age should still be followed in the Kali age. At the beginning of the Treta age, due to certain limitations, another dharma was proclaimed.

कृते भागवताः सर्वे वेदाश्च पुरुषास्तथा॥ त्रेतायां भिन्नविषयाः ततस्त्रैविद्यतां गताः। तस्मादेकः सर्ववेदैर्ज्ञेयो विष्णुः सनातनः॥ पूज्यो यज्ञैः सोपचारैर्ध्येयो वन्द्यश्च सर्वदा॥"

In the Krita Yuga, all beings and the Vedas were devoted to the Lord. In the Treta Yuga, they pursued different subjects and attained threefold knowledge. Therefore, Vishnu, the eternal, is the one to be known through all the Vedas, worshipped through sacrifices and services, meditated upon, and revered at all times."

इत्यादि नारायणसंहितायाम्।

- stated thus in Nārāyaṇasaṁhitā testimonial.

"वेदवादाश्चानुयुगं ह्रसन्तीति हि नः श्रुतिः॥"

"Our scriptures indeed state that the doctrines of the Vedas diminish with each passing age."

इति भारते।

- stated thus in the Mahabharata.

"वेदैश्च पञ्चरात्रैश्च भक्त्या यज्ञैस्तथैव च। दृश्योऽहं नान्यथा दृश्यो वर्षकोटिशतैरपि॥"

"Indeed, I can be seen through the Vedas, the Pancaratra scriptures, by devotion, and by sacrifices, but not otherwise, even in hundreds of millions of years."

इत्यादि वाराहे।

- stated thus in the Varaha Purana.

अत्रापि 'तदेतत्सत्यं मन्त्रेषु कर्माणि कवयो यान्यपश्यन्' इत्यादिना कर्मविषयामपरविद्यामुक्त्वा 'येनाक्षरं पुरुषं वेद सत्यं प्रोवाच तां तत्त्वतो ब्रह्मविद्याम्' इत्यारभ्याथर्वणानेव मन्त्रान् परविद्यात्वेनाह। चतुर्वेद संस्कारवतामेव च विद्यायामधिकार उक्तः।

Even here, beginning with "That is the truth which the sages saw in the mantras as actions", having stated the lower knowledge concerning actions, commencing with "By which the imperishable person knows the truth, that truly declared the knowledge of Brahman", it is said that the Atharva Veda mantras are the higher knowledge. The authority in knowledge is said to be only for those with rites of the four Vedas.

"तेषामेवैतां ब्रह्मविद्यां वदेत शिरोव्रतं विधिवद्यैस्तु चीर्णम्"

"This knowledge of Brahman should be imparted only to those who have properly performed the vow of the head."

इति।

- stated thus.

शिरोव्रतमित्युपलक्षणत्वेन।

The vow of the head is thus considered as a sub-characteristic.

"स्ववेदव्रतयुक्तस्य सर्ववेदगतास्वपि । अधिकारोऽस्ति विद्यासु नावेदव्रतिनः क्वचित्॥"

"One who is engaged in his own Vedic vows has authority in all Vedic matters, but one who is not engaged in Vedic vows has no authority anywhere."

इति व्यासस्मृतौ ॥

- thus it is stated in the Vyasa Smriti.