The aim of Vedic teachings

[Guest guest]

Dear Advaitins,

 

Om namo narayanaya,

 

Today we had a good discussion held here. The main purpose of it was to figure

out the aim of a religious book, like the Vedas or any book related to them,

like Upanishads or Gita, and I think it should be quite similar for other

religious books as well.

 

In one word, the purpose of these books is "dharma". The word is widely used and

surely every body having an acquaintance of Hinduism, knows or has heard this

word. But as many other religious words, this word too, is not understood in

it's real significance and is just taken as an equivalent of the word

"religion".

 

But according the Collins English Dictionary the word "religion" means:

 

belief in, worship of, or obedience to a supernatural power or powers considered

to be divine or to have control of human destiny.

 

I think, "vishvaasa" or "mata" would be better words to denote this meaning, but

not "dharma". Let us ponder a bit deeper in to this word, that we may be able to

understand the sole purpose of all these religious books.

 

"dharma" literally means that this which bears. In its wide implication it means

the powers which bear the universe or to be more conclusive, the conscious

world. The difference between the word "religion" and "Dharma" lies in these 2

points, 1. It is not a belief or worship etc. of a power, but it is itself the

power. 2. It is not only a supernatural power, but it also includes natural

powers. In fact there are some powers, which seem to be supernatural, but in

fact are natural.

 

Only because they seem a bit unconceivable to our human mind, we think "they are

supernatural". Flying an aircraft sounded supernatural before the 1900s, but is

it supernatural today?

 

Therefore, in this wide meaning, even preserving the pure environment is a

"dhaarmika" (religious) work and making our environment dirty is an "adhaarmika"

(non-religious) deed or "paapa" (sin).

 

Again coming back to the topic, these books tell us how to "interact" with our

fellow beings and with the nature we live in. Therefore they teach us, how to

behave towards others, towards other creatures, towards the environment. These

all together leads to a happy, blissful communal life, with spiritually,

mentally and physically healthiness. We can see, that how by violating these

"dharmas", the society of today has problems on every level. Indeed, the west

has cured much of it's physical problems, with accepting the Yogic way of life,

like doing Hatha Yoga or nourishing itself with Sattvik food. But what about

healthiness on spiritual and mental plains? What about living a peaceful and

balanced life? I think, it is this which still lacks with most of the people.

Much Yoga is still left untouched, which provides solution to these problems, as

effective as the solutions to physical problems.

 

In the same way to resolve our social problems, these scriptures teach us codes

of conduct.

 

In precise, if I quote a Vedic Mantra, "anything heard apart from the Vedas, is

in vain, because a person would never know the path to good deeds". Let me make

it clear, that the Vedas don't mean to say that hearing anything else than the

Vedas is useless, as some fools understand, but it means to say that if you hear

something different, leaving the Vedas and ignoring the rules described in it,

then it is useless. Isn't it like that? I think it is. We know so much, we know

how to fly, we know how to lend on the moon, we know how to brake atoms, but do

we really know how to be alive and how to give a better world to our following

generations? Do we know how to keep the humankind safe from wars and other forms

of violence? Do we really know at all how to live a successful life without

grief, mental tensions, problems etc.? I think, every day approximately hundreds

of new sorts of problems are being created everyday. Why all this? Only because

violating some fundamental rules of existence, called "dharma".

 

When we start to talk about any religious book or religion itself, we skip the

daily life and it's problems, and we start to talk about a life after death, we

start to talk about things like reincarnation, premortal existence or about

heaven and hell. But what about the heaven and hell in this life? Aren't we

ignoring a heaven in this life, for us and for others. If a religion or a

religious book fails to provide a heaven in this very life and in this very

mortal word, how may we be able to believe that it may be able to provide a

heaven in the next lives? I don't understand this fundamental fact. Therefore,

let us bring our feet on the ground and stop flying in the "heavens" as many

religious people do, and try to make this world first a better place to live,

with the help of these fundamental principles described in the Vedas and Vedic

scriptures.

 

For example, many among us do endless Japa and Pujaas to Lord Krishna. But have

we ever listened to Him, what he says and which sort of devotee he really loves?

Have we ever tried to be something similar to the description of a devotee given

by Lord Krishna Himself? If yes, then indeed we are a better devotee than those

who just keep on chanting the name of Lord Krishna and violating the rules

described by Him.

 

What are those rules and what is the description of His beloved devotee.

 

"He hates no beings, is friendly and compassionate; he is rid of all sense of

possession and of egoism; he is the same in pleasure and pain, and always

forgives." (Gita 12.13)

 

"From him the world does not agitate, neither he is agitated from the world"

(Gita 12.15)

 

etc.

 

I'm sure I wouldn't be able to describe in detail each qualities Lord Krishna

has mentioned here, and how are they essential for the happiness of everybody,

and with that, our own selves. But still I would like to state that if a person

wants to gain happiness, for the first he should never forget that every

individual, including his very own self, is a part of a collective society, i.e.

no one can become happy in it's true significance, by making other people

unhappy. Individual thinking, I mean selfish thinking, is a quality of an

undeveloped mentality and collective thinking or thinking not for one's own

self, but for the well-being of the entire society, is indeed a quality of a

highly developed mentality. These scriptures, if understood correctly, help us

to develop our mentality.

 

If we try to visualize the scriptures with this view, I'm highly convinced that

a day would come when these scriptures would be highly essential for the further

existence of humanity. Otherwise, the hearts and brains of flesh would change in

to the hearts and brains of steel and iron, as you might have read in many

science fictions.

 

However much work has to be done in this field and indeed much work has also

been done. But still one formula is being ignored constantly,

"science/technology + spirituality/obedience of Dharma = peace/happiness/further

existence of humanity."

 

Let us pray to the supreme almighty Lord, that he may give us the ability to

work in this field with cutting the edge of our powers.

 

I wish you all the best,

 

Siddhartha

 

-------

Om Shantih, Shantih, Shantih, Om

(Om Peace, Peace, Peace, Om)

° "da da da" (Control your self! Give to others! Have compassion towards

all! - The three Vedic commandments)

° ° my e-mail address: siddharthakrishna

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