The Vedas (+Upaniashads) with/without Puranas? Completely bewildered!

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Namaste. Perhaps I should say Hare Krishna, as I would usualy do, but now I am not sure anymore. Not of anything really.

 

 

I'm new to the site&forums. Right down to the point, from age 10 onwards I have been introduced to the ISKCON community by my mother. Until the age 18 I have not really studied the Vedas (or anything else in relation to them), but in the last two years, I developed alot of curiosity for the Vedas and their teachings; not merely spiritual and philosophical teachings, but also those of science and material welfare. This was mainly due to the fact that my consciousness started to grow up and I required logical "evidences", or historical references. Gladdened, I found all I needed to convince myself, that the Vedas are the origin of all, in the Vedas (through means like the internet).

 

But since my roots are buried within the Bhakti Yoga, I have become bewildered and confused, once, having read that the Puranas might not be the fifth Vedas and that idol worship is not encouraged/prohibited in the Vedas and the fact that Avatara or the meaning of it is misinterpreted in the Puranas.

 

I find all this hard to digest. I am thristing for truth, but at the same time it feels as if my heart is being ripped out of my chest on a cold winter night. It's indescribable.

 

That's why I humbly approach this forum with a request to people, if you would, to try and enlighten me?

 

I have alot of questions that I could not answer from reading articles around the internet, that is why I approach this forum, who wonderfully supports all different sects of Hinduism. With that said... shall we?

 

 

1. I have read that Sri Krishna is mentioned in the Upanishads, but there seems to be alot of controversy here. Is there nowhere within Vedas stated that the Puranas act as the fifth Veda, superior in Kali Yuga due the fact it's form is more easily comprehandible for the masses whose intelligence has degraded?

 

2. Did Vyasadeva not compile the Vedas and after that the Puranas, containing history from the beggining of the creation of this universe until the end? Is this history fake? Why would Vyasadeva misdirect thus? Were the Puranas actualy not compiled by Vyasadeva? Who is Vyasadeva?

 

3. What is the meaning of Avatara from the prespective of Vedas? What of persepctive from the Puranas? Can these two be linked?

 

4. I have heard conversations in which people talk of two Krishnas, and two Ramas; one material, one spiritual. Kind of interlinked, but not really. What is the truth on this?

 

5. If the Puranas are fake, then does the concept of Hell and Heaven fall flat? All of the history recorded (or plainly written) is then untrue? Is it true so also for the"facts" stated in them?

 

6. What do Vedas (ONLY Vedas, excluding Puranas here) say about the universe, and what of beyond? What of demi gods and amongs those the principle ones such as Bramha, Vishnu and Shiva? What of the beggining of creation and the end of it? What Yoga is the most appropriate one and why?

 

7. It is known that in Bhakti Yoga, samadhi should typicaly be achieved at the moment of death, remembering Lord Krishna thus attaining his abode, OR, achieving samadhi before death (constant, loving, remembarance of a Krishna) and attaining his abode at the moment of death still. But what is true in the Vedantic theory? When one reaches samadhi through Raja/Hatha/Ashtanga Yoga, what happens to the soul after? Does it merge with the impersonal Ishwar?

 

8. Were Sri Krishna and Sri Rama Avatars or people who were great Yogis and followed Vedic dharma to the letter? If the latter is true, why do then the epics (Ramayana & Mahabharata) describe them as Gods. Or are these texts edited as well?

 

9. I have heard that the Vedas reccomend Hatha Yoga, or perhaps Raja Yoga, or perhaps Ashtanga yoga? And what then of Karma Yoga and Jnana Yoga? Do these also hail from Puranas?

 

10. What do the Vedas say of creation and start of the soul and the meaning of its existance in the mundance material world?

 

11. Is no astrology mentioned in the Vedas?

 

12. Why are the Vedas not studiable in Kali Yuga? Or is this only the Puranic view? If so, is it wrong and why?

 

13. Is not more then 90% of the Vedas lost? How then can we be sure about impersonal and personal aspects of God? What can we then know of the Puranas? Where is history truly written?

 

13. If the Puranas are fake, who would've compiled such massive volumes of hyms and verses? And for what end or purpose?

 

14. The Puranas seem to contain information in accordance AND in contrdiction to the Vedas. Why is this so?

 

15. Finaly, I wonder about one more thing. Is it possible to achieve samadhi through Raja (or Hatha/Ashtanga) Yoga in Kali Yuga?

 

 

That's about it. Thank you for taking your time to read through this post. I hope I'll be able to find my path once again.