Vedic definition of atheism

[Guest guest]

> Pamho, agtSP!

>

> I would like to hear your opinion on what the Vedic definition of atheism

> would be. To me it seems that you can use different definitions according

> to the point you want to emphasize. In the gita it is said, that anyone

> who does not follow the regulations in the Vedic scriptures is a demon -

> an atheist. Also mayavadis, demigod worshippers etc. are atheists

> according to Prabhupada.

>

> Sometimes even devotees fail to follow the scriptures, but how can they be

> atheists? I think, then, we could say that even theists can exhibit

> atheistic behavior sometimes if they are not pure devotees.

>

> Also, another interesting point is that Prabhupada often uses the term

> atheist in a very broad sense. I can't give any quote now, but he seems to

> categorize anyone who is even unaware of God as an atheist. Ignorance of

> God is enough to qualify as an atheist. It does'nt have to be a conscious

> commitment to atheism. That's also quite in accordance with many of the

> standard definitions of atheism - to not believe in God or gods (e.g. to

> lack belief in God or gods.) That's not necesarrily a conscious commitment

> to atheism. This definition also includes babys as atheist, because they -

> at least according to what the atheists believe - can't know anything

> about God. Their ignorance of God makes them atheists.

>

> I would like to hear your thought about this!

 

In the Vedic times nobody was so stupid so as to not believe in gods or

higher realities, so then atheists were those who rejected the Supreme

Personality of Godhead. As far as I know the sanskrit word for an atheist is

asura, ei. a demon, or they are called pashandi.

 

The Supreme God is one -- Krsna -- and the demigods are delegated with

powers to manage this material world. These demigods are all living entities

(nityanam) with different grades of material power. They cannot be equal to

the Supreme God -- Narayana, Visnu, or Krsna. Anyone who thinks that God and

the demigods are on the same level is called an atheist, or pasandi.

 

>>> Ref. VedaBase => Bg 4.12

 

Anyway, as you point out, buddhists and mayavadis are also considered

atheists. In fact, most Christians are atheists because they decry Krishna.

In the CC it says that those who worship Krishna without Radha, or even

those who don't accept Chaitanya Mahaprabhu are demons, so they must also be

atheists.

 

In ISKCON I would say that anyone who has doubts in Prabhupada is an

atheist.

 

ys, jdd