Arya Samajist's (Mis) Interpretation of the Vedas

How Arya Samajists have differently (mis) interpreted many Vedic rituals:

It is evident that without the explanation furnished in the Puranam, the whole passage quoted from the Vedas would be ridiculously absurd if literally interpreted. The condemnation of the sacred Itihasas and Puranas without understanding their technical character by the Arya-samajists who pose themselves as the followers of Vedic religion in its pristine purity, displays their utter ignorance of the true import of the Vedas themselves. 

Their interpretation of the Agni-hotras and other religious rites as mere physical acts to purify the atmosphere seems to be silly and destructive. It is simply a foolish idea borrowed from the Anti-Hindus like the modern Theosophists. A sanitary department provided with up-to-date disinfectants might then prove more useful than all the Homas prescribed in the Vedas. Whatever may be the political aim of this Samaj, no Hindu could accept its whimsical elucidations as in any manner useful to Hinduism. 

They mistakenly thought that it was somehow necessary to prove to the satisfaction of the alien religionists who criticized the Hindus as idol worshippers, that the Vedic Hinduism did not prescribe idol-worship. They did not understand that the Vigaraha-aradhana prescribed for the less qualified is no idol-worship at all. ivze;e[ g&ýte #it iv¢h>,   Viseshena Grihyathe Ithi Vigraha. The spiritual idea intended to be conveyed by the symbol is alone required to be meditated upon in the performance of the Poojas at home and in public temples.

They foolishly took it into their heads to improve upon the wisdom of our ancients and turned out to be worse lconoclasts than the Mohamedans and Christians. Their mistaken theories and propagandas could never appeal to any sensible Hindu. To establish their perverted Iconoclasm, they hesitate not to misinterpret even the contents of the Vedas in a ridiculous style. n tSy àitma AiSt ySy nam mh*z>. Na Thasya Pratima Asthi Yasya Nama Mahadrisha

This for instance simply and clearly means that there is nothing to be compared with eternal Brahman. The word Pratima is irrelevantly interpreted by the Arya-Samajists as referring to an idol, and Vigraha-Aradhanam is explained as condemned by theVedas. If the idol-worship did not belong to the Vedic period as the Samajists contend, how could it be condemned in the Vedas?  Let me reproduce the famous couplet from the Sootasamhita: - ywai¶manyeTyuKte JvlTkaóa†te Svymœ, na=i¶ranIyte tÖTpUJyae mUTyaRTmna izv>. 

“When fire is asked to be brought, it is brought only through the medium of a burning piece of fuel, but not fire by itself. Similarly, Siva could not be worshipped except through the medium of a Moorthi or Vigraha.”

It is now certain that the Arya-samajists have misinterpreted the Vedas to suit their political objects and that in the quotation under reference regarding the Sandhya-Vandanam, they are compelled to admit the importance of Itihasas and Puranas which they have completely abandoned. Evidently they throw away similar passages from the Vedas which do not contribute to the advancement of their political propaganda. Their work is therefore not propagation of Hinduism but prostitution of it.

Before translating the above it is desirable to remind you that the Upanishads never contain any human histories. Stories are seldom introduced even as Itihasas. The apparent personalities and incidents occasionally found, have however their Itihasic meanings directly relating to the subjects dealt with.  Unless they are understood at the outset, the exact import of the Upanishads could not therefore be completely grasped. The very name mEÇay[I Upanishad suggests that it is intended for the edification of high class religious students who have attained a stage of development in which they look at all living creatures with the feelings of universal brother-hood mEÇI. (Maithree)

Besides, the Upanishads as a rule are meant to be understood as dialogues between competent Gurus and qualified Sishyas, whether any Itihasic names for them is mentioned or not.  The Upanishad must thus be taken to be addressed to those who have developed the feelings of Ahimsa and universal love and sympathy (Mytri) not only towards mankind but towards all living creatures.  The modern political trick of the Aryasamajists in pretending to teach and preach the Gayatri-mantra without regard for its sanctity could not but appear as a meaningless farce to the discerning eye of every earnest student of the sacred religion. 

Conversions and reconversions to Hinduism do not require insulting and degrading perversions which virtually destroy the very essence of the religion (read dharma) itself. The important use of the Gayatri-mantra has been found described in an Itihasa within the Vedas themselves.  Its meaning and application have also been found clearly explained in the sacred Puranas.

Ø  How could the Arya-Samajists pretend to have understood the Vedas without the help of their legitimate and ordained commentaries the Itihasas and Puranas? 

Poor Gayatri forsaken as it is by its owners has also fallen into unwelcome hands.  The so-called conversions and reconversions to Hinduism by the Arya-Samajists with the use of cotton thread and Gayatri virtually look to be a  meaningless farces.

Many pious and true Hindus already exist without them; in fact they form the majority in the land. Whatever might be the ultimate object of the proselytizing work of the Arya-samajists, the rituals adopted for conversion with a promiscuous use of the cotton thread and the muttering of Gayatri, are unnecessary and unmerited insults to Hinduism and to its scientific philosophy.

HariOM

hari vishwanathan

Ahimsa- a note on the pillar of Hindu Dharma

( Please  download the sanskrit 98 font to view  some of the sanskrit mantras mentioned  in the note)

Wishing you and your dear  ones a safe and healthy life ahead

AHIMSA

One of the main pillars of Hindu Dharma is Ahimsa. Ahimsa of thought, words and action. Thus any one practicing Hindu Dharma is supposed to abstain from any violent thoughts in mind, avoid speaking harsh words to others avoid eating the flesh of dead animals and creatures as it entails Himsa (Violence)

One can never obtain meat without causing injury to living beings; Reflecting on how meat is obtained and on how embodied creatures are tied up and killed; s/he should quit eating any kind of meat. The person who authorizes, the person who butchers, the person who slaughters, the person who buys or sells, the person who cooks, the person who serves, and the person who eats – all these persons are said to be involved in doing Himsa. There is no greater sinner than a person who wants to make his own flesh thrive at the expense of someone else's.  So even to authorise, buy, sell, cook, serve and eat meat entails Himsa (Violence). In this way using any animal products which is produced after causing harm to the animal itself need to be avoided. For example in olden days ( I am talking about 30-50 years ago) the cows and buffaloes were treated well, taken care and with utmost care the milk was extracted ( though it is a known fact that the cows and buffaloes give milk to their respective calves and not for human consumption) and such milk was consumed in various forms. Nowadays in most of the dairy farms the treatment is different and the milk is extracted by machines causing harm and pain to these innocent animals. So we may have to even reconsider our practice of drinking milk.....

Religion and Spirituality is a "Farce" without Ahimsa of thought, deed and action (this includes Ahimsa to all living beings).  The best and the highest dharma (religion) consist in complete harmlessness.

The very first duty in Yama (the first principle of Yoga) itself being Ahimsa, the assumption of the title Yogi and Rishi by flesh-eaters who are virtually semi-cannibals is silly and useless. The first duty ordained can therefore by no means be permitted to be thrown out of account from the sacred Hinduism.

Ø  Why is our Vedic religion known as Hinduism at all?

We have had enough of ignorant, prejudiced and mischievous interpretations offered gratis by Western Christian savants. The clear definition furnished within our religious literature will baffle every alien unwelcome attempt to ridicule the Hindu by such means. Let me reproduce the sloka from Gayatri-Tantram.

ih<saya< dUyte ySmatœ ihNduirTyi-xIyte.

(Himsayaam Dhooyathe Yasmaath Hindu-rithya-abhidhee-yathe).  

This means; He who feels aggrieved at the very thought of Himsa is a Hindu. There is no doubt that the practice of Hinduism begins with Ahimsa and could not therefore proceed without it.

Ø  Why bring in the name of river Indus and the unhistorical invasions of beef-eating races in this connection?

No Hindu in India stands in need of such voluntary and abusive explanations. The barbarous butchering of innocent animals for food is strictly prohibited in Hinduism as the name itself signifies.  Even some of the non-vegetarian Hindus accept this principle and avoid fleshy food on religious occasions. The false plea that animal food is necessary for human existence has long been blown up as a wicked one both in the East and the West. Butchering  of living creatures whether human beings or animals is certainly a sinful crime and any talk of religion associated with it is but a camouflage.

ih<saya> siht< kmR ýxm¡ c ivdubRuxa>. 

“Every performance in the name of religion accompanied by Himsa is declared Adharma.”

Several anti-Hindus for a long time questioned this fundamental principle of Hinduism by various mean methods. The performance of Yegna with animal sacrifice by a few illiterate miscreants has been gloriously pointed out as a proof for the non-existence of Ahimsa in Hinduism. Such criticisms could be easily retorted if only one is similarly inclined without a sense of self-respect.

That the religious Yegnas refer only to the sacrifice of human passions and evil desires is proclaimed in every nook and corner of our sacred literature. Such malicious criticisms therefore could never affect any sensible and religious Hindu. It is now too late to practise deception by such despicable means. The anti-Hindu carrion-eater who is smarting under his moral turpitude only makes his position worse by his attempt to advocate cruelty and immorality.

Ø  What do we find in the alien creeds on this point?

The Bible no doubt says. ‘Do not kill’. But what does this mean? The number of dumb animals sacrificed daily to the highest religious authorities alone is so huge that it could not be easily depicted in arithmetical figures. ‘Do not kill’, probably means ‘Do not kill human beings’. If this is true, then, the Bible is only a criminal law book. The Quran is more honest and explicit in this matter. It does not ordain non-killing at all. (Surah 2-173) This fact has all along been practically proved ever since the origin of Islam. It does not prohibit even killing of human beings for the purpose of proselytizing Islam.

Ø  What Islam actually means in the context of killing?

With regard to food, prohibit the use of flesh of the dead animals and of the animals sacrificed to idols. That animals must be killed and eaten is therefore one of the important ordinances of Islam. But, some of the Sufi mystics of Islam say, Jihad/Qurbani (Killing/Sacrifice) is the same as our Yegnas where only the beastly passion need to be sacrificed nor killed and not beasts. But we don’t how many of them actually follow these.   

It is however an undeniable fact that without Satwic food, any pious practice of religion (read as Dharma) is both physically and mentally impossible.

Until the barbarous, cruel and filthy habit of eating the dead bodies of dumb animals by human beings is completely stopped, no nation however advanced in material sciences can even have the privilege of being called a "civilized one".  This applies to all whether a person from India from the Hindu world to the outside world.

Ø  Doesn’t Gita advocate Violence (Killing of the enemies)?

Yes, Gita does advocate killing; killing of our ‘Kuru’s (lower and material desires) and not any other human being. These enemies can be killed only by Arjuna (Satvik mind) and Bhima (breathing out an exhaling out) under the guidance of Krishna, the Supreme Being within us who drives our Buddhi (Intelligence)

HariOM

                                                                                                                                     

Adapted from the book: 

INSIDE-OUT-  a  philosophical enquiry of Hindu Dharma by K V Vishwanathan