Vedas, Indian Vedas

A Bird’s Eye View on Veda & Introduction – IV

(Copy right protected by Dr. G.S. Tripathy)

Orientalists have expressed learned opinions about their defects as primitive poetry having presumed that the Vedas belong to primitive times. In accordance with Cowell “the language and style of most of the hymns of vedas is singularly artificial. The poetry of the Rigveda is singularly deficient , we naturally look for in the songs of an early period of civilization in that simplicity and material pathos ”

Now the critic is disappointed at the artificiality of the vedic language expecting to find qualities of the primitive ballad including neutral pathos and puerile simplicity. Though belonging to early times , the Rigveda might also belong to a highly advanced sophistical age, could not come to his mind. Till recent times , the Indian historians have followed in the wake ofspencecerian progressivists as a rule, as per the statement of Radhakumud Mukharjee which goes as follows.

“The first point of distinction is that the veda and especially the premordial work known as Rigveda , represents not merely the dawn of culture, but also it’s zenith . Indian thought is seen at its highest in the Rigveda…. On the one hand it is the first book of India also of mankind . At the same time it shows the highest point of human wisdom. We see in it the whole process of evolution from its beginning to its completeness.” (Indian P.E.N, March 1942).

The sense of certitude that has marked the temper of the average oriental scholar in the last but not the least. Not to have any mental reservation in any thing , nor to have allowed the benefit of doubt in respect of any of his conclusions in which he often seems over. That the very backward conditions in which Indian masses were found to live it will not wrong to believe. In the eyes of western observers their political subgugation tended to prejudice in case of their ancestors.

As the basis of a religion that has vitality affected the lives of hundreds of millions of people , in order to make an attempt to understand, in a critical spirit . We should approach the orientalists. In vedic studies, these researches are can never be ignored. For their prepossessions sufficient allowances must be made. In respect of the trend of religious thought, the evidence of genuine Indian authorities, should by names be set aside. The later Vedas will provide useful commentary on the earlier in this case. For the interpretation of the Vedas even when they do not agree with the vedic stand point , will later developments of the vedic religion in the upanishads ,in the Buddhism, in the Bhagabat cult , in the Yoga cult, provide valuable material. It’s legitimate contribution should be made by the traditional vedic scholarship.

In spiritual content , the vedic view of the divine is much more subtler and deeper than the cults ordinarily known as monotheism and polytheism. By calling it henotheism. Max Muller distinguished the vedic out look from these isms. As to explain the full significance of vedic theism , he has not defined the term in such a way. By extending it’s connotation any other term in English shall be used in its absence. It will be found useful to study monotheism and polytheism as religious cults, before considering the same.

The belief in one god and in be gods to the philosophers, it may be termed as monotheism and polytheism respectively. This may mean much more than this in relation to practical religion to which the terms apply.

That monotheism is superior to polytheism, it is customary to think about.

Polytheism respects itself in to monotheism by a process of growth comes from the theory of progress that has led to belief.