11.01.2011

Vedas : The Divine Order for World Peace

                                        Dr. Satyapal Singh

                                        allsatya@gmail.com

 

    In this age of knowledge explosion, communications' super highways, and proliferation of religions, peace has become a distant dream. Individual stress, family tension, communal/racial riots, and terrorist strikes, have shattered even the semblance of World Peace.

    Almost every religion claims to have a divine origin and was to be started. for social solidarity, communal co-existence and global peace and bliss. But today, despite the plurality of religions, we are in an age of conflict and confusion, discords and disputes, bickering and battles among various communities and countries. In the name of religion so much blood has been shed in the world that all wars put together could not devour so many lives and properties, Many caste and class leaders and religious preachers and missionaries have turned, at least covertly, into merchants of hate. Many acts of terrorism and suicide bombings are also taking place in the name of religion. Global peace has become a far cry for world leaders.

    The peace depends on individual happiness and co-existence. Co-existence implies two things – diversities and mutual love. It is unfortunate, as Maxim Gorky has mentioned, that man has learnt how to fly in the sky, how to sail on the sea but not learnt how to live together on earth.

    Any religious order which can ensure individual holistic development, foster mutual coexistence and lead to world peace must satisfy 3 acid tests. It has (i)to be divine in nature, (ii) equal in behaviour and (iii) deterrent in character.

I    

A.
Divine Nature:

     In fact, the peace resides in divinity. Individual peace is achieved when one realizes his/her divine nature and the world peace will be possible only when most of the intellectuals would believe in divine common or cosmic consciousness

    I have no intention here to analyze the different religions in the world, but it would be necessary to understand the characteristics of anything called divine. There are many things in the world like air, earth, sun, water and other acts/arts of nature, which are considered to be of divine origin. Divine creation is a product of choice and not of chance,

as many people believe.

 

1. The divine things are generally beyond the concept of time and space. It is given in the beginning of creation.
   
2. Anything having divine origin is pure and perfect, different and distinct, serene and scientific.We cannot improve it or find fault with it. e.g. human body. About 7 billion people (world population), having 70 billion fingers and none matching another.
   
3. Any material of divine origin has multiple and multifarious utilities (like stone, sugar cane, flower) while a man-made material has limited uses (like brick, sugar, scent).
   
4. The deletion of a name or contribution of any historical personality is not material to a divine religion.
   
5. Any divine origin/thing will necessarily have an Universal appeal irrespective of caste, class, colour, community or country. It cannot afford to be sectarian or sectoral/regional.
   
6. A divine religion must give a plan for harmonious development of man from conception to cremation or from birth to burial.
   

B.Test of Equality:

     In God's domain, everything is pure, perfect, beautiful and purposeful. One creation cannot be belittled in comparison to other. The thread of equality runs through the whole creation. For growth and peace, no one should be dubbed as inferior or junior and all should be given equal importance and opportunities. A few religious denominations do not embrace equality even between the co-religionist man and woman. The origin of their philosophy stems from the misconceived belief that inherently a woman is soulless and sinful. In medieval ages, even Hinduism also harboured such notions.

    A true religion must talk about love, harmony and co-existence in the environment. It has no place for competition or violence but co-operation, collaboration and co-existence. The Darwin's theory of survival of the fittest has no place or support here. On the contrary, it must ensure the survival of the weakest.

    In the matter of faith, tolerance must rule supreme. Harbouring hate towards non-believers runs contrary to the spirit of co-existence and peace. Compassion, love and help for the weak and small are the essential ingredients of equality and co-existence.

    The sacred places of prayers, worships, rewards, bilss, heaven or salvation of a true religion cannot be discriminatory or partial for men and women; so called higher or lower categories of human beings based on birth, wealth and status.

    Such religions, which do not believe and practice equality, tolerance and compassion towards others, can not foster co-existence and world peace though overtly they might pretend to profess and preach to do so.

C. Factor of Deterrence:

    Why do have people tensions or disputes? May be due to some lurking fear in their minds. Why do some people commit crime? Either due to extreme poverty, or greed, selfish-material pursuits, carnal, communal or religious motives. We have two types of religions in the world – one believing only in one human life and the concept of faith and forgiveness. If one has committed many crimes and sins, but has complete faith in his/her prophet or local lord/deity he/she will be forgiven, all sins washed away and heaven rewarded. Similar are the beliefs about a dip in holy water and worships, prayers in temples, mosques, churches, mazars or japs by others.

    The other cagtegories of religions believe in the theory of Karma (action) and transmigration of soul. The theory of Karma dictates the inevitable and unavoidable consequences of one's actions – whether wrong or right and no pardon. One has to face the consequences sometime immediately or later either in this life or the next one. This is the insurmountable law of divine justice everywhere. This kind of religion acts as a deterrent for wrongdoing.

    The religion of faith and forgiveness indirectly induces one to violate the principles of humanity, the rules of co-existences, norms of good civilized society and ideals of peace.If a Court/Judge starts forgiving criminals the whole society will be chaotic and unsafe. Who would not like people to be subjected to laws of land? If all people of world embrace the religions of faith and forgiveness, the world would be full of crimes, sins and disturbances.

    Based on the above 3 criteria, the claims of most of the religions that they exist and work for co-existence and peace get non-starter. There is only one religion called Vedic Dharma, which can stand to these tests. The 3 tests of divinity, equality and deterrence also amply prove that Vedic religion only is the true religion of humanity - irrespective of Caste, Class, Creed, Community or Country. It must be emphasized that all the religions have some elements of truth in them but no religion is perfect. The commonality of different religions, where they all agree meaning the essence/core of all religions is called Dharma – the true vedic religion.

    Vedas are eternal and their appeal universal. Nowhere in Vedic literature, it is mentioned that this knowledge is meant only for Bharat / India or to a particular Caste or Class. Vedas talk about equality, universal brotherhood, harmonious development of life and a rational thinking. Its teachings are eternally relevant and capable of ensuring world peace. That is why our seers and Vedic scholars of yore announced - Vedas are source of true religion. A true religion sustains the world, preserves the humanity and binds the society together. As Yogi Aurobindo has stated "experiences of the seers and experiments of the scientists are two pillars of world peace".

    Vedas form the bed rock of culture. Their authority is supreme, self-evident and final. The Vedas have been regarded as divine revelation to humanity since time immemorial. The truth seekers and truth personified seers of yore never doubted this basic premise. In fact, they presented irrefutable arguments to satisfy the anxious minds. The many modern 19th 20th and 21st Century) Sanskrit, Archaeology, language and history scholars who tried to find holes in this claim have worked with preconceived notions and prejudiced minds. Fact is that most of them are not even qualified to understand the Vedic language and philosophy.

    In July, 2007 one book titled "Invading the Sacred: An Analysis of Hinduism studies in America" edited by Krishana Ramaswamy, Antonio de Nicolas and Aditi Banerjee was released in Mumbai. The book has stated, "Unlike in India, the academic study of religion is an important undertaking for intellectuals in America and a few hundred scholars study Hinduism and other Indian religions. Many of them have continued to perpetuate myths and biases about Indian culture and religion through misinterpretation and mistranslations. These are in line with the colonial and missionary caricature of India." The book is the product of a multi-year research project that uncovered shoddy and biased scholarship driven by certain power cartels, its authors said.

    I pose a question to all the distinguished scholars and the other intellectuals of world. Should we believe our seers and forefathers, who always practiced and preached truth. Satyam Vad Dharm Char" was the life breath for them. Or should we believe the modern scholars and professors many of whom work for publicity or money, mortgage their talents, sell their conditioned and borrowed knowledge like other professionals, and carry out biased, selfish or sponsored research.

    "To understand the Vedas", in the words of Pandit Gurudutt Vidyarthi - one of the most profound Vedic Scholars of 19^th Century, "one must be a complete master of the science of morals, the science of poetry, and the sciences of geology and astronomy; he must be well-versed in the philosophy of Dharma, the philosophy of characteristics, the doctrines of logic or the science of evidence, the philosophy of essential existences, the philosophy of yoga, and the philosophy of Vedanta; he must be a master of all these and much more before he can lay claims to a rational interpretation of the Vedas. Such then, should be our Vedic scholars though adepts in science and philosophy, unprejudiced and impartial judges and seekers after truth. But if impartiality be supplanted by prejudice, science and philosophy by quasi-knowledge and superstition, and integrity by motive, whereas predetermination takes the place of honest inquiry, truth is either disguised or altogether suppressed." (The Terminology of the Vedas and European Scholars, page, 29-30).

    Vedic religion has always stood for peace from individual enduring happiness and eternal bliss to world peace. Vedic seers have, therefore, laid greater emphasis on education, justice, prosperity and physical/mental alertness to defeat the four eternal enemies of peace (i)ignorance (ii)injustice (iii)insufficiency/deprivation (iv)lethargy/ complacency. All these four singly and conjointly disturb the mind, prompt one to feel fearful or unconcerned, harbor hate, commit crime, kill others and endanger the local and global peace.

    In the words of Swami Dayanand, "The learned men among the followers of every religion should free themselves from prejudice and believe in a religion based on universal and all embracing principles……… Such religion based on truth and all embracing principles can only be the primeval eternal Vedic religion. There is no other way of elevating the human race and building world peace."

    I would like to sum up as all Vedic rites and rituals end with prayer for peace. Even daily prayers end with invocation to Almighty for peace and only peace, not for self or one creed, community or country but for the entire humanity.

    ²ããõ: Íããã䶦㶦ããèãäÀàã½ãáÍããã䶦ã

    ¹ãðãä©ãÌããèÍããã䶦ãÀã¹ã:Íããã䶦ãÀãñÓã£ã¾ã:Íããã䶦ã ý

    Ìã¶ãÔ¹ã¦ã¾ã:Íããã䶦ããäÌãÃÏÌñãªñÌãã:Íããã䶦ãºãÆÃÙ½ãÍããã䶦ã:

    ÔãÌãýãá Íããã䶦ã:Íããã䶦ãÀñÌãÍããã䶦ã:Ôãã½ããÍããã䶦ãÀñãä£ã ýý (Yaj 36.17)

May the celestial regions, the firmament, the earth, the waters, herbs and vegetables, the divine powers, the infinite cosmos – all grant us peace. May there be peace and only peace.

    A child get the highest happiness, joy and peace in the lap of his /her mother. So let us sit in the lap of divine mother Veda to attain harmonious development and ensure peace in the environment.

    Let us all behold the divine poetry of the Lord which is beyond decay and death.

    ªñÌãԾ㠹ã;㠇ãŠã̾ã⠶㠽ã½ããÀ ¶ã •ããè¾ãÃãä¦ã
(Atharva 10.8.32)