Saturday, October 15, 2011

Rigged Vedas.

The real purpose of the Vedas is to prepare and qualify the individual for Vedanta and help him to climb to a higher realm. It teaches us to attain a balance between the perishable external world and the imperishable ground within us. Those who pursue the perishable go into darkness and those who pursue the imperishable, go into more blinding darkness. Most people tend to get grounded by too many lesser, Gods and Tantriks, simply memorizing and chanting extensive mantra’s without understanding their meanings only stills the mind and tranquilizes the intellect. The sonorous chanting hypnotically, by flickering flames, amidst the scent of incense; all help the seeker transcend the physical and get into a sublime mood. So only if you develop a balance will you be happy in this world and the next. When one studies the Veda’s one understands that the flimsy foundations on which inferior destiny rests if it is devoid of profound knowledge.
Since my teen years I have seen friends family and people frittering away precious time and money on all sorts of Puja’s, offerings visit to temples, shrines and tantriks, donating money, jewellery for favors and to ensure that no harm befalls them. I wanted to share some of my views as an atheist, rationalist and agnostic. As you know in our Hindu context with a pantheon of god’s, goddesses, deities, it will be difficult in one life time to appease the more than 500 Idols. The religion of fear has never been advocated, in any of the Vedas. It is a primitive and destructive stage to try and bribe deities for good luck, wealth and well being, I cannot imagine a god who rewards people who pray and offer money and punishes those who don’t believe in god. This would put god in the mould of man with all his frailties. I have never prayed nor believed in god all my life. God does not play dice with the universe and the path for spiritual evolution does not lie through the fear of life, or death; or money or blind faith without even understanding the meaning’s of our offerings. It is only out of great suffering that peace comes.The whole idea of religion was to help those with less confidence to deal with the important human spirit values, meaning, purpose and quality of life. It won’t help if we blindly follow history and dogma in our offerings and prayer, and try to bribe the creator.
According the Vedas the following offerings represent different thing and are merely representations in the rituals, Betel leaves represents, satisfaction with worldly pleasures ~ cooling bel for purification of soul~ vermillion paste represents virtue~ Incense for reverence~ while flowers denote devotion, and food offerings represents gratification of desires and longevity. The wick in the oil lamp represents the ego, while the oil itself is our negative tendencies. The flame flickering and pointing up represents spiritual knowledge which goes higher towards greater consciousness. Knowledge drains the oil or innate tendencies as it burns the destiny or wick depriving it f ego and when the flame stops flickering calmness descends. These symbolic representations may change in different rituals and religions but the essence is the same.
The goal of life is to avoid suffering and find happiness, beyond all this quality time spent with ones, family, friends and humanity with benevolence is the greatest offering one can give. It is a cruel paradox that despite all these prayers, pilgrimages, offerings and donations bad luck seems to dog most everyone’s footsteps. If people convinced themselves that today is the most important of days; they would have a greater chance of being happy. You don’t need wealth to be generous, true giving happens when we give from our heart and not to holy shrines but to the real needy and not expecting anything in return. So I think you should start enjoying life and forget your temples/church /mosque donations for sometime, and enjoy true freedom, true wealth, which can never be lost. The setbacks you have today should not keep you from having an enjoyable life.
True wealth and freedom comes as a result of a powerful state of mind, which tells us that we are worth far more than our wealth, money can never make you free. At best it can keep you financially unencumbered.This is a lesson I learnt from my father, without much money, he was confident and happy and enjoyed a full life. As they say in the Rig-Veda Tattvarthasutra 7.11, have benevolence towards all living things, joy at the sight of the virtues, compassion and sympathy for the afflicted and tolerance towards the ill-behaved and indolent.

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