Review
The Reality of Folk Life in the Vedas: In the Light of
Dr. Rati Saxena’s Research
Dr. Dushyant Kumar Shah1
1Assit.Prof.
Kirorimal College, University of Delhi
The
present paper, “The Reality of Folk Life in the Vedas: In the Light of Dr.
Rati Saxena’s Research,” explores the humanistic and socio-cultural
dimensions of the Vedas as interpreted by renowned scholar Dr. Rati Saxena. Her
research challenges the traditional perception of the Vedas as esoteric,
ritualistic, and purely religious texts, revealing instead their deep
connection with the everyday life, emotions, and intellect of the common
people.
Dr.
Saxena’s study reinterprets the Rigveda and Atharvaveda beyond
temple rituals and priestly traditions, highlighting them as living documents
of human curiosity, social consciousness, and scientific thought. Her findings
suggest that Vedic hymns not only invoke divine forces but also reflect social
structures, health practices, agriculture, warfare, marriage, and death—making
them vital sources for understanding ancient Indian civilization.
She
further critiques colonial theories such as Max Müller’s “Aryan invasion,”
arguing instead for an indigenous and evolved Vedic culture. Linguistically,
she distinguishes Vedic Sanskrit as distinct from classical Sanskrit,
demonstrating its organic, lived quality.
In
essence, Dr. Saxena’s research positions the Vedas as a dynamic and
multidimensional record of life—where ritual merges with realism, poetry with
philosophy, and faith with reason. This paper underscores her contribution to
Vedic studies as an effort to reconnect ancient wisdom with modern intellectual
and scientific inquiry.
There
exist numerous misconceptions in our society regarding the Vedas. The primary
reason behind this is the long-standing restrictions imposed on their study and
recitation. Consequently, exaggerations and misunderstandings have flourished.
One section of society believes that all knowledge in the world originates from
the Vedas, while another dismisses them as irrelevant to modern life. The Vedic
Brahmin community has historically emphasized rote memorization and recitation
in a specific tone, rather than understanding the meaning. Hence, the Vedas
have often been perceived as complex, ritualistic, and mystical texts,
seemingly detached from common human life.
Dr.
Rati Saxena’s research challenges and dispels these misconceptions. She is an
internationally renowned scholar, translator, and Hindi poet, widely recognized
for her deep studies in Vedic literature. Dr. Saxena brings the Vedas out of
the confines of temples, gurukuls, and religious faith, reinterpreting them
through the lenses of human curiosity and scientific reasoning.
Dr.
Saxena establishes that the Vedas—especially the Rigveda and Atharvaveda—present
a vivid reflection of real-life experiences and social realities. Her research
stands out for its freedom from ideological bias, offering a balanced
integration of facts, logic, and emotion. She believes that even in today’s
highly technological and materialistic age, revisiting the Vedas is essential,
for they form the foundation of a culture whose influence remains evident in
contemporary life.
According
to her, Vedic literature cannot be confined to mere ritualistic or sacrificial
practices. The Vedic “conduct” (achara) was, in fact, part of the daily
life of ordinary householders. She emphasizes that the vast corpus of Vedic
literature must not be reduced to a single school of thought, but understood in
its entirety as a reflection of the collective human experience.
Dr.
Saxena’s research reveals that among the four Vedic Samhitas, the Rigveda
and Atharvaveda primarily engage with aspects of daily life. She points
out that most hymns of the Rigveda belong to the category of songs,
while many verses of the Atharvaveda deal with healing and medicinal
practices—though both remain deeply poetic in essence. In contrast, the Yajurveda
and Samaveda focus more on the elaboration of ritual procedures.
Dr.
Saxena argues that in the Rigveda, apart from hymns dedicated to Indra’s
valor, Varuna’s devotion, or those concerning marriage and death, very few
hymns were composed purely for ritualistic purposes. Simple, heartfelt prayers
arise naturally and do not depend on rituals.
She
considers the Atharvaveda a vital source for understanding the reality
of folk life. It is filled with life-oriented and medicinal hymns, but also
contains several philosophical reflections. Dr. Saxena identifies in the Atharvaveda
a vision of urban life and descriptions of a civilized society—where proper
agriculture and multi-storied houses were already known. This provides a
glimpse of social and cultural development during the Vedic age.
The
Atharvaveda also includes hymns for victory in battle, where the king or
patron prays that the enemy’s army might fall asleep—showing that concerns for
security and warfare were integral to daily life, and solutions to such
challenges were sought through the Vedas.
In
Dr. Saxena’s analysis, the Vedas also explore profound aspects of life such as
marriage and death. The Rigveda’s Tenth Mandala and the Fourteenth Kanda
of the Atharvaveda include marriage hymns that instruct a bride to
select fire daily for Agnishtoma rituals to keep away evil spirits. This
was part of ordinary domestic life. The bride is also blessed that “Rik
and Sama may stay with you like cows”—symbols of prosperity.
On
death, the Atharvaveda’s Eighth Kanda contains hymns that worship death
in one section and express detachment toward it in another. Dr. Saxena views
this paradox as the very essence of the folk spirit—respecting divine order
while still expressing attachment to life. This reflects not only an awareness
of mortality but also a celebration of life’s hopeful aspects. It demonstrates
that Vedic seers, too, were human beings with curiosity and apprehension about
life and death.
Dr.
Saxena notes that the Vedic hymns were composed by various poets or rishis
at different times and later compiled for ritual purposes. Each mandala
of the Rigveda, except the Tenth, pertains to a specific family or
lineage; the Tenth Mandala, however, contains the most intellectually
stimulating hymns.
She
emphasizes that Vedic literature never adheres to a single ideology; rather, it
provides space for multiple viewpoints. She discusses the concept of the Vedic
nāstika (non-theist), which differs from the English term atheist.
Using the Sāṃkhya philosophy as an example, she points out that it does
not deny the existence of God but offers a more scientific explanation of
creation—based on the triad of Prakriti (nature), Purusha
(consciousness), and Jiva (living being).
Dr.
Saxena cites a beautiful Vedic metaphor: “Two birds sit on the same tree; one
eats, the other watches.” The tree represents Prakriti, the observing
bird is Purusha, and the eating bird is Jiva.
For
Dr. Saxena, Vedic hymns are not merely prayers—they are intimately connected
with life, the cosmos, and the human experience. She distinguishes the Vedas
from the later Upanishads, which strive to understand abstract and
metaphysical realities, whereas the Vedas are grounded in the tangible world of
human life. She also interprets “devas” not merely as benevolent divine forces,
but as all natural powers—both favorable and adverse to human existence—such as
krodha (anger) and takman (disease).
Dr.
Saxena also refutes Max Müller’s “Aryan invasion” theory, arguing that it was a
speculative construct based on phonetic similarities and the socio-political
context of British India. She cites modern archaeologists who consider this
theory largely imaginative. She asserts that while civilizations and languages
travel, entire populations do not necessarily migrate together. The term Arya,
she explains, originally denoted a title of respect rather than a racial
identity.
She
observes that the language of the Vedic Samhitas is markedly different and more
complex than Pāṇinian Sanskrit, which is why most historians have relied
heavily on translations. According to her, the references in the Atharvaveda
to organized agriculture, house construction, and trade journeys clearly
indicate that the Vedic civilization was already highly developed.
Dr.
Rati Saxena’s research opens up a new perspective on the Vedas. She asserts
that the Vedas are not merely compilations of religious rituals, but mirrors of
a living society—where people sought to understand life, death, marriage,
disease, and the mysteries of nature. The essence of folk life is deeply woven
into their poetry, social awareness, and philosophical inquiry.
Her
study demonstrates that the Vedas are not static scriptures of dogma but
dynamic, living literature addressing the most fundamental questions of human
existence. The core aim of her research is to present the thought of ancient
seers to modern scientists and the younger generation—showing that even if
their ideas were not “scientifically proven,” their reasoning often approached
the insights of modern research.
In
essence, Dr. Saxena’s scholarship reveals that the true essence of the Vedas
lies not in ritual but in the everyday lives, struggles, hopes, and natural
harmony of the people. Her work highlights the Vedic corpus as a multifaceted
and profound human document that resists any narrow interpretation.
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