A bird’s eye view of Veda-XI

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

The religious experience is the contemplation of the Divinity in accordance with the conception of different sects and religions. OF contemplating the Divine not only in terms of ones own God but of everybody else‘s God. We find a religion _______ of the same type as Vedic Adroit.

As found in Vedas, thus henotheism is not a simple religious theory, but the symptom of a deep Spiritual experience. In the synthetic parl of the Avatar theory, the working of this henotheism principle is found in a very nice fashion. OF the same deity that all Avatars are incarnations only. The resolution of age long sectarian differences is the result of this. In opposition both Rama & Parsuram were Kshatriya and Brahmin heroes. But both are the incarnations of Vishnu in the melting pot of Avatar. Against Brahminism, Buddha was a rebel. Some of his followers tried to pose him as an Avatar which is totally wrong as Buddha was a reformer only in his him. Here the conflict of ages was composed but by acceptance not by simple toleration.

Including the Principles described as above, the success of henotheism as a religious cult is found to depend on the fulfillment of the essential condition only.

a) That the ritual should be in keeping with the idea of unity.
b) That the worshipper must bring a pure prayerful mind.
c) That the metaphysical basis of unity in diversity should be securely established.
d) That whatever deity he entertains should be conceived in terms of truth & goodness & beauty.
e) That the unity should not remain a mere abstraction but must find a concrete form in terms of social life, both internal & international.

To highly cultural concept of religion, Henotheism can therefore only apply as found in the Vedas. Polytheism is easily transferred into henotheism where this attitude Prevails. In different shrines, the worship of many gods becomes really the worship of God. In India, this has been the case.

We find that there are different attitudes from the examination of the different religious concepts regarding the Divinity that One religion can take up in expect of another. With its exclusive claim of its God as the only god, one is that of monotheism. Followed by Polytheism, then there is a method of accumulation in which all types of deities imagined at different terms by different people. They are allowed to exercise, fostered and entertained whatever influence they can on the religious life of the people. By the Vedic henotheism there is the method of spiritual synthesised represented finally. As the one Divinity there is no more hospitality to the God of another, there is no mere toleration but acceptance of another’s God as One’s own. It has been the Parl of mystic experience of great sages and saints at all times as the last is logically puzzling.

In the last analysis the henotheistic God is not jealous of other gods as all true worship is the worship or of God.

Geeta- the Adhyaya- twenty- third- sloke- says

“Though in an irregular or wrong way-even those dastees who worship other Gods with faith – worship ME”.

In its accepted religious sense, monotheism carries the imperialistic challenge of one social group against all the other groups while Polytheism is a federation of different grades of theism. By its Very logic, a plurality of monotheism creates a situation is which constant conflict is the rule of life.

To lie in henotheism as found in Vedas, this has been noticed the acceptance of one another’s Gods as the one Divinity through the spiritual effort and experience perfectuing the knowledge. As a powerful force in the spiritual life of India, this henotheism or Advaitic theism has worked in its comprehensive form though it is a special feature of the Veda.

There are some basic Principles of the Vedic Religion

Not so much the intellectual acceptance as the moral Conduct and the spiritual build, it may be said that the things that matters most, is not so much what one believes as to how one behaves with the different religious sects originating in India. With the spiritual discipline guiding life, the basis of religion is the moral law, then, of course.

A word cognate with form in English the common term for this law and this discipline is Dharma. The ideal form of conduct is Dharma. An older form of the term, meaning the eternal law is the Vedic theism which presupposes the existence of Dharman. For instance, Vishnu upholds the eternal statutes. President of the eternal Law is no other than Agni.

The Mahabharata has the root meaning of the word Dharma which says------

“It is called Dharma, because it upholds. In otherwords, Dharma upholds the creation.”

The great reformer Buddha (Karna Parva)(69.59) is slaked to the sentence above It is called Dharma-because is Pephols. ODIA Pua (son of ODISHA – the then Kalinga) has popularized the term in its PALI Form – “DHAMMA” signifying eternal moral Principle, unconnected with, and independent of , one’s faith in the Divinity. Whether theistic, atheistic or agnostic, the Dharma stands the fundamentals of religion by all religious order in ancient India that was accepted as the foundation of right living having the idea form of conduct. From the general outlook of a particular religious order, the contexts of Dharma are more or less taken for granted by the people from tradition. Their concepts in detail have been defined by the latter day leaders of religion as a rule. A comprehensive definition of Dharma in early religious literature would be very interesting to find having the basic principles that are believed to uphold society.

In Attarava Veda, such a statement about the contents of Dharma is noticed which speaks of the earth as upheld by Dharma.

The fundamental principles of religion according to Vedic ideal are as follows.

a. Truth, b. Eternal order, c. Consecration, d. austerity, e. Prayer, f. Ritual.

Truth: In religion, Veda Places Truth first and ritual last which is very important be note. In every age in the history of Vedic religion ungrudging supremacy has been conceded to truth. Like articles of faith there is nothing in this religion which is not without its special significance. Not to stick to belief in every age the problem has been to find out the truth is there. For the maintenance of the philosophical and spiritual outlook every period of Indian history has had its sage and seeker of truth wherein the freedom of their minds have been responsible.

As the essence of Divinity the truth has been described in Vedas. According to Atharva Veda, the Deity has truth as the law of His being Deity manifestation of truth is as for Rig Veda.

From a truthful life and true heart, prayer & ritual of the right type generally come out. The path of truth is the path of religious progress.

As for Mundak Upanishad, through truth Atma is to be realized.

In its moral sense truth is truthfulness. In a metaphysical sense reality and integrity are signified. Satya applied to conduct – it become SAT which is an object of search of knowledge or realization of vision.

Lead me from unreality to reality is the upanisadic Prayer. It is as for Brihad aranyak all uparisad.

As a metaphysical entity Satya is abstruse & mystical. The universe is united as man in the house when the sage of yajur Veda records his vision of sat. Knowledge passes like the information from one sage to another about an unknown land just like from one traveler to another. About sat and reality a traveller may remain silent with modesty who has yet a long way to go. At every moment of life, Satya is our concern, A state beyond sat and Asat, reality and unreality, the Vedic saga has contemplated. At the beginning there was neither reality nor unreality. As a value of life truth is abiding and ultimate. As For Rig veda, the universe is upheld by truth only. By asserting his spiritual disquisition, a sage of the unpunished begins – “SATYAM VADISHYAMI”-

Ethical aspect of Rita:

The truth is the first essential of Dharma; Rita is the second which is eternal order or Eternal Law. In modern times the word is obsolete. As negative of truth it has been used from ancient times, meaning literally disorder or Chaos. Rita is cognate with-truth in its moral aspect. AS being born in the beginning of things out of perfect spiritual ardour, Rita & Satya are spoken of by the Rig Veda.

Rita upholds heavens as truth upholds earth. The sage speaks of some of the offering of SOMA libation declaring LAW splendid by law which is truthful in action. Eternal order must be praised by us and we should think in a straight way.

Omission in typing is as follows:

In its moral aspect, Rita is wider than truth. As an ethical concept it includes gustice and goodness. It is almost synonymous with Dharma. Rita is spoken of as fierce and stern as it is opposed to evil as the opposition is severe.

Rita as cosmic order:- As essential part of the conception of the Divinity Rita, like, Satya forms like Guardian of law and has a wider implication than morality. For the immutable law of nature it stands for cosmic order. The universe becomes systematized and integrated By Rita only and it avoids confusion and chaos. As per Veda the songs of Rita is chanted by Gods only. Divinity is identified with Rita in one of the Verses of upanished. Rita leads to the triumph of gods over evil as on the moral plane. Hence on cosmic plane it Leads to the triumph of light over darkness.

A Co-ordination between moral law and natural law should exist. Good life is cognate with the cosmic law governing nature. This is the life lived according to Rita and moral law. Like the sun and the moon we will follow the path of goodness according to the Vedic saga of Rig Veda. From treading this path of happiness comes. Along the Path of eternal Law as per Rig Veda – so runs a prayer – “LEAD on Beyond All pain & grief.”