February 13, 2011
The Vedic Dharma- an Adorable Unifier.
Subject: The Vedic Dharma- an Adorable Unifier.
Dear Spiritual Brothers and Sisters,
The ancient scripture for the guidance of mankind “VEDA” literally means storehouse of knowledge. The four Vedas containing over 17000 hymns/riks/mantras are omniform as they aim at one global family, universal brotherhood, sustainable global free trade, development of scientific temper, spiritual and economic prosperity of mankind etc. Their divine and spiritual metaphysics refers to ideal mosaic society, cosmic laws of necessity (Rta), and nine kinds of hydra headed evil/corruption, equality of men and women, scientific temper and many other subjects.
The term Dharma in Vedas has been used to in various mantras and hymns to denote righteousness, integrity, harmony, justice, faith in your self and selfless dedication to duty. Whenever Dharma falls from its pinnacle to its lowest ebb, the light contained in the omniscient soul gets dimmer and dimmer and the path to be tread becomes unlit. Meditation in such circumstance consequent to fall of Dharma takes a person from darkness to utter darkness(Yajur Veda Chapter 40 and Isa Upanishad.)
Thus Vedic Dharma based on TRINITY of harmonized material, spiritual and divine knowledge is an adorable unifier which aims at making enemies into friends (Rig Veda 1-59-7). Vedic rsis (metaphysicists) and munnis (wandering sages) found human body as “tri-ani-pada”- three bodies in one viz. causal, spiritual and material bodies containing two “Purusha” –the higher real self and lower body self. The body self is greatly affected by Vedic Maya (cosmic delusion- phantasmagoria). Yajur Veda in chapter 40 and Isa Upanishad tell us that face of truth is covered with a golden lid, which creates pair of opposites. Along with Flux in Prakrti (divine Nature), it becomes cause of confusion to our body-self as we tend to justify opposite pairs like violence and non-violence, tolerance and intolerance etc; at different occasions. Thus due to Vedic Maya we expect from others what we shall not do ourselves and prefer transitory pleasure to good.
Being an adorable unifier the various religions tend to unite to it and they compete with each other for the welfare of mankind who are members of Vasudhaivam Kutumbkam (Global Family) Rig Veda 1-62-2. In this global family there is no concept of superior or inferior person but perfect and imperfect person. Those who help God in the maintenance of world order move towards perfection (Yajur Veda 35-12). Six Indian Schools of Philosophy (sad darshna) Advait/Dvait Vedantism, Mimmansa and others including Shuniya Vadins also got glued to Vedic Dharma for the welfare of mankind. Followers of Vedic Dharma become free from the clutches of organized and institutionalized religion/s, which are now fast becoming appendix to modern materialism.
Vedic Dharma tells us that only inspired knowledge comes from outside and real knowledge comes from our higher-self (Vivekanada) The Litmus Test is if any work particularly social work does not provide happiness it is selfish work. Vedic Dharma aims at avoiding spiritual science (religion) drifting towards ecclesiastical power and materialist theology where godmen, clergy and priests do not live unto their sermons. Thus the adorable unifier helps an individual to become his/her own master when the higher self shines. In its absence a person loses real freedom and becomes many time servant- servants of his ego, fame, mammon, senses, biases and prejudices and even servant of unfounded fear etc. Very often such people resort to proxy and even ostentatious worship and go on paying to priest, clergy, godman with a belief that some one is doing whole things for you (Vivekananda).
Being a-priori and based on cosmic laws of necessity (Rta) Vedic Dharma is beyond the reach or realm of human reason based on sense perception, inference and experience. Seeking happiness in others and perfection in you is Vedic Dharma. It does not advise any human being to become recluse and renounce the phenomenal world of senses and thus it avoids a person becoming a burden to society. Bhagavad Gita makes it very clear that A Sanyasi is one who does not renounce the material world but renounces mundane and worldly desires and leads and active life of moderation. Followers of Vedic Dharma get very active after the age of 75 years (Sanyas Asharm) and devote themselves to divine social work for the welfare of mankind.
Moral tone of Vedic Dharma was found during freedom struggle like need based living of Gandhi ji, non violence of the morally strong, Vedantism of Vivekananda, Upanishadic and Bhagavad Gita’s philosophy of Lokmanya Tilak and Gokhle etc. Even the British who ruled over us for about 200 years left India as friends and not enemies and we continue to have excellent relations with them. This adorable unifier to a large extent became sheet anchor of our national awakening, unity and integrity. Even in the ancient period invaders like Greeks, Parthians, Kushans, Huns and many others including local tribes and Darvidians , following different religions, mumbo-jumbo of rituals/ceremonies and mythology got united to Vedic Dharma.
The most ancient spiritual faith Sanatan Dharma was largely based on Vedic Dharma and it became a spiritual adhesive to form a loose confederation of many sects, creed, sub religions in the form of Hindu religion. Arya samaj, Brahmo samaj, Kabir panthis, Parnamis, Ganpatias etc having different mode of worship, rituals, ceremonies etc, broadly all have one thing common viz. reciting Vedic hymns/riks/mantras on occasions like birth, marriages, death etc. This adorable unifier continues to guide the mankind on all aspects of human life- social, political and religious along with scientific temper. There is only One ineffable and formless merciful God. The ancient rsis (metaphysicists) and wisemen had named God as Indra, Varun, Savitar etc (Rig Veda 1-164-46 and Atharva Veda 10-10-28). In some parts of Vedas some epithets have bee used for God like VISNU- one who spreads in Vishva (universe), BRAHMA from Brahmand (both visible and invisible universe) etc. Chhandogya Upanishad 7-23 and 27 says God lives where one sees nothing but One, hears nothing but One and knows nothing but the only One.
For more details on Vedic Dharma, kindly see Glimpses of Vedic Metaphysics on Website http://www.sabhlokcity.com/metaphysics/ or www.google.com or yahoo.ccom or lulu.com and search for Vedic Metaphysics.
With kind regards,
Prem Sabhlok