Term VEDIC and word Hindu - Part I

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Sri:

Humble Pranam to all Devotees:

 

An Exerpt from the Vedic Info Booklet:

 

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The Term VEDIC and word Hindu : Q & A Session with Students in Chicago

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Q1: In the USA, bhakti, Yoga, Kundalini, Vedas, etc., all seemed to be labeled

under the umbrella of Hinduism. What is Vedics and where do you stand with the

term Hindu? How can we understand the Hindu religion?

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Vedics: What you say is somewhat true. All of these various practices and

beliefs can be labeled under as coming from one source. But, this source is the

Vedas and the universal truths that are contained in them, not the religion

that we now call “Hinduism”.

 

Most lay followers of Vedic truth today take it to mean rites, rituals,

traditional foods, and cultural celebrations of selected holidays, in which one

wears dressy costumes and dons a religious mark on his/her forehead. Others

see it to be some sort of mystical meditation that awakens one to a higher

sense of human potential and power.

These cultural understandings of our ancient truths describe what has come to

be known as Hinduism. But, virtually all of these are based merely on popular

customs, notions that are the result of talking, speculating, or reading

books. They have little to offer in terms of spiritual fulfilment or God

realization.

 

One can NOT learn Vedic religion in the true sense simply by reading up and

following these customs.

 

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Q1A: Can you explain why we cannot understand this by reading up?

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Can you understand the taste of sugar without actually experiencing it

yourself?

Can you understand the feeling of being asleep, without actually sleeping?

Can you know what it is to feel joy without actually experiencing it?

Think about it.

 

One cannot become a doctor without first learning medicine from another doctor;

one cannot become a lawyer before apprenticing under an experienced attorney.

 

In the same way one has to Learn the Vedic religion from a True Teacher,

and Live and practice the Vedic religion in order to fully experience and

appreciate it.

 

Vedic religion is one that is based on the Vedas, and all Vedics believe in the

Vedas and strive to apply the Vedic age-old wisdom in their lives.

 

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Q 2: Then Hinduism and Vedics are not opposed to each other?

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No, not at all. It is only that Vedics are seeking to understand the Vedas

in a more meaningful way, a way that can be more applicable to daily life.

 

And the first step towards this is to recognize how Vedic life is different

from the so-called “Hinduism” of today.

In fact, our Acharyas never use the term “Hinduism” when they speak of our

faith or its followers. They all prefer that we use the term Sanathana Dharma

(everlasting path) or Vaidikam when we refer to our faith, and prefer that we

call ourselves Vaidikas or Vedics.

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Contd on part II

 

azhwAr emperumAnAr JeeyAr thiruvadigalE sharanam

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

 

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