Know the difference between Hinduism and Vedic Religion or Sanatana Dharma.+

Know the difference between Hinduism and Vedic Religion or Sanatana Dharma.

Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma deserves to be treated on its own as a distinct religion with its own sacred texts and practices without interlinking it with Hinduism.

 As we peep into the annals of religious history: ~

Hinduism came into existence with its own code of conduct beliefs, and rituals after the 8th century. Hinduism, as one knows it today, is of recent origin.

Hinduism did not really achieve its status as a coherent though still baffling, religious complex until after the establishment of British rule in India.

Hindus are not in contact with their religious history therefore, they believe their inherited beliefs as the ultimate truth.

Hindus traditionalists refuse to debate whether the Vedic people practiced cow slaughter and ate beef. They believe such debate is irreligious.

In discussing the Vedic religion it is also to be remembered that in the course of history, many non-Aryan elements entered into the Vedic religion. The Vedic Aryans freely borrowed elements from the culture and the society around them. But we cannot say with precision, which are the non-Aryan elements in the Vedic Religion.

Therefore, the thesis of the direct ancestry of Hinduism of today from the Vedic religion is to be considered as a myth purported by orthodoxy.

Vedic religion or Santana Dharma is distinct from Hinduism. The Vedic religion or Santana Dharma deserves to be treated on its own as a distinct religion with its own sacred texts, rites, rules of social life, beliefs, and practices without inter-linking it with Hinduism. Perhaps it is right to maintain that the Mimamsa School which is concerned with the investigation of the Vedic texts, their correct interpretation, and the meticulous performance of the Vedic rituals and ceremonies has preserved and defended a part of the heritage of the Vedic tradition.

The Vedanta school also may have received a part of the inspiration from the Vedas. For the rest of the Hindu philosophical schools and religious sects, the influence of the Vedas is nominal. However, in as much as elements from the Vedas have influenced some aspects of Hinduism, it may be considered as one of the many factors influencing Hinduism.

But by no means can it be maintained that Hinduism has its direct ancestry in the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma. Therefore, Hinduism of Vedic times is an imagined community. Hinduism is of a much later origin, and a historical view of Indian religions would endorse a dichotomy between the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma and contemporary Hinduism.

Hinduism does not have a long ancestry as is often presumed or propagated by the Hindu ideologues. In fact, historically, religions like Buddhism and Jainism can claim greater antiquity than the Hinduism of today. Hinduism began to take a systematic form from the time of Sage Sankara (8thcentury A.D). In this sense, he may be considered as the ‘founder’ of Hinduism.

Temple worship, pilgrimages, Gods, and Goddesses are important to the Hindus. Hindu Gods are Rama, Krishna, Kali, Ganesh, Hanuman, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the respective consorts of the last three, namely, Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Shakti. None of these deities figured prominently in the Vedic pantheon and some of them are clearly non-Vedic. 

The major Gods of Hinduism like Vishnu and Shiva are non-Aryan in origin. Though they may have belonged to the Vedic tradition they played no major role in the Vedas. The more important religious sects among the Hindus, like Vaishnavism, Saivism, and so on, did not have a Vedic origin but had come into existence in much recent times.

Originally Shiva and the cult of the Mother Goddess belonged to the religion of the Indus Valley people. As one goes in deeper into the annals of the Indian religious history Vishnu and Shiva cult is a melting of at least two cultures, if not three, namely, the Aryan culture, the pre-Aryan culture of the Ganges Valley, and the Indus Valley culture. These three cultures were closely knit by the first century of Christianity and in the later period underwent further developments, and probably also a fourth tradition of the indigenous tribes that stood outside the four classes of the caste system as outcastes.

Vedic worshippers did not use temples and idols as Hindus of today do. For them, the sacrificial rituals were more important than temple or idol worship the major Hindu feasts of today are based on the epic feats of Rama and Krishna and the Puranic lore pertaining to Shiva and the Goddess.

Hindus are idol worshipers of a large number of non-Vedic God s and Goddesses, whereas in Vedas the God has been described as ~

Hinduism is generally associated with a multiplicity of Gods, and it does not advocate the worship of one particular deity. The Gods and Goddesses of Hinduism amount to thousands, all representing the many aspects of only one supreme Absolute called “Brahman”. However, people who don’t know this misinterpret the fact that Hinduism has a multitude of Gods!

v  Who are Hindus?

v   

v  What are the broad features of the Hindu religion?

The historical and etymological genesis of `the word `Hindu' has given rise to a controversy amongst indo-legists, but the view generally accepted by scholars appears to be that the word “Hindu” is derived from the river Sindhu otherwise known as Indus which flows from Punjab.

Hindus are idol worshipers of the large numbers of Gods and Goddesses whereas Vedas declare God is ‘ONE’ and that God is Atman. 

As one goes deeper into annals of the history he becomes aware of the fact that the so-called present Hinduism has adopted many things from Buddhism, the religion of Abraham, Jainism, and Islam. If one goes deeper enough he will become aware everything is mixed up and messed up in time.

Sage Sankara endeavored toward establishing the Vedic religion and overthrowing Buddhism. But even he was not able to avoid the influence of Buddhism. The influence of the revolutionary atmosphere of Buddhism has reappeared in the Advaita of Sage Sankara. His inability to revive the Vedic religion that flourished before the Buddhist revolution in its pure form is discernible.

No one is taken pains to rectify it because; because people have inherited them, from their ancestors and they think it is blasphemy even to hear anything against their inherited religion and belief. Once one gets involved with the religious class it is the end of the pursuit of truth.

The theistic (orthodoxy) Advaita is based on a dualistic perspective, but Advaita philosophy is based n the non-dualistic perspective. The theistic (orthodoxy) Advaita bifurcated from Advaitic philosophy. The theistic (dualistic) Advaita is meant for the ignorant populace.

Sage Sankara and Sage Gaudapada are independent thinkers other schools of Indian philosophy are mere theologies. Advaitic philosophy is real philosophy. The dualistic

Chandogya Upanishad Chapter: ~ ekam evadvitiyam ~ God is only one without a second. (6- Section- 2- Verse- 1)

According to Vedas, Atman the ‘Self’ is God in truth.

Shiv is not a Vedic God. All the Gods and Goddesses with form, name, and attributes belong to Hinduism, not of the Vedic religion or Santana dharma 

God and Goddesses are religious concepts. Whatever is seen, known, believed, and experienced as a person within the dualistic illusion (world) is a falsehood. 

Thus, it a refers to formless and attributeless God, which is the Atman (Soul), the ‘Self’  within the false experience. Thus, it indicates clearly all the Gods with form and attributes are mere imaginations based on the false ‘Self’. Thus, Atman or the Soul, the ’Self’ is God in truth.

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship. In fact, till about 2000 years ago followers of Vedism never worshiped idols. Idol worship was started by the followers of Buddhism and Jains. There is logic to idol worship. Vedas speak of one God that is the supreme ‘Self’ i.e. Atman or Soul but Hinduism indulges in worshiping 60 million Gods.

It indicates clearly all the Gods with form and attributes are mere imaginations based on the false  Self.

The Vedas as a body of scripture contains many contradictions and they are fragmentary in nature. For Hindus, scriptures like the Bhagavad-Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas are more attractive and appealing than the Vedas. And also the Gods and Goddesses they worship differ considerably from the Vedic ones. The collection of hymns called Vedas is written in praise of certain deities by poets over several centuries and does not seem to have much significance for the Hindus.

From the Vedic perspective, all  Hindu Gods people believe in and worship is non-Vedic Gods based on the Puranas.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman the innermost self. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Rig-Veda 1-164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”. 

Rig Veda says God is ‘ONE’ and that God is Atman, so why believe and worship anything else in place of real God.

Yajurveda – chapter- 32: - “It has been said that God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions.

Hindu Gods are based on mythology and they are nothing to do with the Vedic Religion or Sanatana Dharma. Puranic Gods with form, name, and attributes do not find any support from the Vedas.

Yajur Veda says: ~

Translation 1

They enter darkness, those who worship natural things (for example air, water, sun, moon, animals, fire, stone, etc).

They sink deeper into darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc.) (Yajurveda 40:9)

Translation 2

Deep into the shade of blinding gloom fall asambhuti's worshippers. They sink to darkness deeper yet who on sambhuti are intent." (Yajurveda Samhita by Ralph T. H. Griffith pg 538)

Translation 3

"They are enveloped in darkness, in other words, are steeped in ignorance and sunk in the greatest depths of misery who worship the uncreated, eternal prakrti -- the material cause of the world -- in place of the All-pervading God, But those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time." (Yajurveda 40:9.)

So, Yajur Veda indicates that: ~

They sink deeper into the darkness than those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc. (Yajurveda 40:9)

Those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, and bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time." (Yajurveda 40:9.)

 Hindus believed in polytheism, believing all of their Gods to be separate individuals, which was introduced much later by the founders of Hinduism which contains diverse beliefs caste, and creed.  

When the religion of the Veda knows no idols then why so many Gods and Goddesses with different forms and names are being propagated as Vedic Gods. Why these conceptual Gods are introduced when the Vedic concept of God is free from form and attributes.

Vedic religion or Sanatan Dharma existed prior to Buddhism and Jainism.   Sage Sankara a great Sage introduced a new religion suitable for the mindset of the populace of that time.  

 18 Puranas are introduced in the name of Veda Vyasa the dualists' Sages because the Puranic Gods are non-Vedic Gods. Worship of Such Gods has barred Vedas.

 As one goes deeper in the annals of history, it indicates the fact that somewhere someone has added the Puranas in the name of Veda Vyasa the grand master of Vedas. It is impossible to accept and believe that Veda Vyasa authored and introduced Puranas which have all conceptual Gods.

The Avatara and caste system are not Vedic in origin. The theory of Avatara (‘descend’) of God s which is very important to modern Hinduism is non-Vedic. The term Avatara (…) is not found in the earlier Vedic texts, and is absent from the older Sanskrit glossaries”.

Vedas are not the important sacred scriptures for the Hindus. The Vedas as a body of scripture contains many contradictions and they are fragmentary in nature. For most Hindus of today, scriptures like the Bhagavad-Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas are more attractive and appealing than the Vedas. In addition, God s and Goddesses they worship differ considerably from the Vedic ones.

The collection of hymns called the Vedas written in praise of certain deities by poets over several centuries does not seem to have much significance for the Hindus of today. Most Vedic Gods do not find a place in Hinduism.

Rig Veda ~ consists of about 10,500 verses ― there is only one occasion where there is mention of a return to this world after death. What is implied here is that it cannot be taken as important teaching of the Rig Veda.

Remember:~ 

Santana Dharma deserves to be treated on its own as a distinct religion with its own sacred texts and practices without interlinking it with Hinduism.

 As we peep into the annals of religious history: ~

Thus, Hinduism came into existence with its own code of conduct beliefs, and rituals after the 8th century. Hinduism, as one knows it today, is of recent origin.

“Hinduism did not really achieve its status as a coherent though still baffling, religious complex until after the establishment of the British rule in India.

Hindus are not in contact with their religious history therefore, they believe their inherited beliefs as the ultimate truth.

Hindus traditionalists refuse to debate whether the Vedic people practiced cow slaughter and ate beef. They believe such debate is irreligious.

In discussing the Vedic religion it is also to be remembered that in the course of history, many non-Aryan elements entered the Vedic religion. The Vedic Aryans freely borrowed elements from the culture and the society around them. But we cannot say with precision, which are the non-Aryan elements in the Vedic Religion.

Therefore, the thesis of the direct ancestry of Hinduism of today from the Vedic religion is to be considered as a myth purported by orthodoxy.

Vedic religion or Santana Dharma is distinct from Hinduism. The Vedic religion or Santana Dharma deserves to be treated on its own as a distinct religion with its own sacred texts, rites, rules of social life, beliefs, and practices without interlinking it with Hinduism. Perhaps it is right to maintain that the Mimamsa School which is concerned with the investigation of the Vedic texts, their correct interpretation, and the meticulous performance of the Vedic rituals and ceremonies has preserved and defended a part of the heritage of the Vedic tradition.

The Vedanta school also may have received a part of the inspiration from the Vedas. For the rest of the Hindu philosophical schools and religious sects, the influence of the Vedas is nominal. However, in as much as elements from the Vedas have influenced some aspects of Hinduism, it may be considered as one of the many factors influencing Hinduism.

But by no means can it be maintained that Hinduism has its direct ancestry in the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma. Therefore, Hinduism of Vedic times is an imagined community. Hinduism is of a much later origin, and a historical view of Indian religions would endorse a dichotomy between the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma and contemporary Hinduism. :~Santthosh Kumaaar