मेरे वीतराग सन्यासी दयानंद

दिन काशी शास्त्रार्थ। सांय काल का समय था।

आज प्रात: काशी के प्रमुख पंडितों से बनारस के महाराजा की अध्यक्षता में, करीब ५०,००० काशी के निवासियों के समक्ष वेदों के प्रकाण्ड पंडित स्वामी दयानंद की वीर गर्जना की "वेदों में मूर्ति पूजा का विधान नहीं हैं " को कोई भी जब असत्य न कह सका तो धोखे का प्रयोग कर सत्य को छुपाने का प्रयास किया गया था।परन्तु अपने आपको विद्वान कहने वाले कशी के प्रकाण्ड पंडित यह भूल गए की सत्य सूर्य के समान होता हैं जो कुछ काल के लिए बादलों में छिप तो सकता हैं परन्तु उसके बाद जब वह अपनी किरणों से बादलों का छेदन कर चमकता हैं तब उसका तेज पहले से भी अधिक होता हैं।

स्वामी दयानंद शास्त्रार्थ स्थल से लौट कर अपने निवास स्थान पर आ गए। उनसे मिलने नगर के एक प्रतिष्ठित व्यक्ति आये।

स्वामी जी तब एक उद्यान में टहल रहे थे। कई देर तक स्वामी जी के साथ विचार विमर्श करने और सत्संग करने के बाद भी उन व्यक्ति का कहना था की आज स्वामी दयानंद के साथ इतना बड़ा अन्याय शिक्षा और धर्म की नगरी काशी में हुआ था पर स्वामी दयानंद के चेहरे पर तनिक भी शिकायत का आभास तक नहीं था।

धन्य हैं वीतराग सन्यासी जो परनिंदा से अपने आपको सुरक्षित रखे हुए थे।



आज सभी आर्यों को स्वामी दयानंद के जीवन की इस प्रसंग से शिक्षा लेनी चाहिए की सदैव परनिंदा में अपने बहुमूल्य और कीमती समय को न लगाकर तप, स्वाध्याय और ईश्वर उपासना से जीवन का उद्धार करे।

स्वामी दयानंद के जीवन के इस सन्देश को आर्यों को अपनाने की प्रबल आवश्यकता हैं तभी देश,  जाति और धर्म का कल्याण होगा।


डॉ विवेक आर्य

"दयालु दयानंद"

स्वामी जी का नाम दया हैं , इससे भी बड़े ये दयालु थे। स्वामी जी के जीवन में अनेक घटनाएँ हमें सुनने को मिलती हैं जिनसे यह सिद्ध होता हैं कि स्वामी जी कितने बड़े दयालु थे। बुलंदशहर के कर्णवास में जब ठाकुर कर्ण सिंह ने तलवार से जब स्वामी जी पर आक्रमण किया तब स्वामी जी ने उसका हाथ पकड़ कर तलवार छीन ली और उससे कहा कि क्षत्रिय कि तलवार अगर म्यान से निकलती हैं तो शत्रु का वध कर ही वापिस लौटती हैं। स्वामी जी के शिष्यों ने उन्हें स्थानीय दरोगा से इस घटना कि शिकायत करने को कहा परन्तु स्वामी जी ने दयालुता दिखाते हुए ऐसा करने से मना कर दिया।
      जीवन जी गोसाईं ने बलदेव सिंह के द्वारा स्वामी जी को विष दिलाने का उपक्रम किया परन्तु उसके विरुद्ध भी स्वामीजी महाराज ने कोई कार्यवाही नहीं करी। अनूपशहर में एक व्यक्ति ने पान में विष दे दिया था।  स्वामी जी ने विष को यौगिक क्रिया से निकाल दिया परन्तु उस व्यक्ति को मना कर दिया। जब उस शहर के तहसीलदार सैय्यद मुहम्मद जो स्वामी जी का भक्त था ने उस व्यक्ति को हवालात में बंद कर दिया।जैसे ही स्वामी जी को इस घटना के विषय में पता चला तो स्वामी जी ने उसे हवालात से मुक्त करा दिया और कहा कि "मैं किसी व्यक्ति को कैद कराने नहीं अपितु मुक्त करवाने आया हूँ।"
धन्य हैं दयालु देव दयानंद।
कुछ पाठकों के मन में शंका होगी कि क्या अपराधी को दंड न दिलाना दयालुता हैं ?
इस शंका के समाधान के लिए हमें स्वामी जी के जीवन चरित्र के दर्शन करने पड़ेगे।
स्वामी जी द्वारा स्थापित वैदिक यंत्रालय में मुंशी भक्तावर सिंह ने कुछ रूपये का प्रेस में गबन कर दिया।  तब स्वामी जी ने सेठ कालीचरण को पत्र लिखाकर सारा हिसाब समझ कर पहले पंचायत करके फैसला करने को कहा फिर उससे भी न सुलझे तब अदालत में मामला ले जाने को कहा। स्वामी जी इस पत्र में आगे लिखते हैं "जो यह केवल हमारा ही धन होता तो कुछ परवाह न थी , परन्तु यह सब संसार का धन हैं। "
 
स्वामी जी अगर कोई अपराधी उनके व्यक्तित्व पर आक्रमण करता अथवा उनकी व्यक्तिगत संपत्ति का अपहरण करता तब तो दया का दरिया बहा देते। जब कोई सार्वजानिक जीवन के सुंदर सिद्धांतों को समाप्त करने कि कुचेष्टा करता अथवा सार्वजानिक संपत्ति को स्वाधिकार में करने का प्रयास करता तब उसे दण्डित करने से पीछे नहीं हटते थे। ऐसे व्यक्ति को सजा दिलाना भी दयालुता हैं क्यूंकि अगर ऐसे व्यक्ति को दंड न दिलाया जाये तो वह व्यक्ति उग्र आघात करने पर उतारू हो जायेगा। वह व्यक्ति अपने उग्र पापों का फल जन्म- जन्मान्तरों तक भोगेगा। इसलिए ऐसे व्यक्ति को दंड देना उस व्यक्ति का हित करने के समान हैं इससे वह जन्मों तक दुखी होने से बचेगा। दंड में कैसी सुन्दर दयालुता हैं। इसीलिए स्वामी दयानंद जी का "दयालु दयानंद " नाम सार्थक हैं।
डॉ विवेक आर्य 

Did Aryasamaj cause Hindu Muslim tension in the pre-partition era?

 

 A person who is a renowned writer has expressed his views that the Hindu-Muslim relations in the pre-partition era became tense due to Provocative Literature published by Aryasamaj. I want to inform the writer to not to read the one sided story regularly repeated by a selected class but also learn who were the real culprits behind the tension prevailed between Hindus and Muslims in pre-partition days.
Almost for half a decade after its establishment in 1875 Aryasamaj faced maximum challenges and even recorded unpredictable growth. The social and religious conditions in those days, the Hindu Muslim relations and the role of Britishers were not in favor of Hindus. Since Britishers gained rule over India in 1857 they planned the measures to prevent the unity among Hindus and Muslims. They predicted that if both of them will unite they will drain out the Britishers out of this country. So, they started the new policy of Muslim appeasement with Sir Sayyed Ahmed Khan as the moderate face of their policy. Muslims were promoted by Britishers in different fields like education, government jobs, court decisions and laws, cow sacrifice on Eid (which was even banned during shahjahan short regime), conversion of Hindus to Islam (also Christianity) etc. Hindus were a helpless class felling like an easy prey to them due to its inert spiritual, social and political weakness.
Swami Dayanand analyzed these dreaded conditions and found the root cause of these prevailing problems. He established that the main cause of Hindu constant defeat was Lack of Vedic knowledge, untouchability, inferior status of women, child marriage, lack of widow remarriage, No way for bringing back the lost brothers, Lack of defence against predator sects, multiple sects dividing the resistance power of protective forces, Lack of education, poverty and social unity, Lack of Brahmacharya practice, polygamy, superstitions, cumbersome money wasting ceremonies on name of Dharma etc.
Swami Ji gifted defensive sword in the hands of helpless Hindus. Even the Christian missionaries have admitted that more than 90% of their arguments which were used by them to convert Hindus, which showed the poor Hindu man downwards when he was criticized of his faith, which made common Hindu man a toothless creature were complete failure in front of the Logical and analytical thought process of Swami Dayanand.
Swami Ji converted the poor Hindu sheep mentality into lion roar by teaching them the loopholes of others and superiority of ours. Biggest agony was that the Hindus were not even aware of their own texts, knowledge of others texts was something like dreams of wonderland.
For almost half a century followers of Swami Dayanand defended continuous attacks on Hinduism (and are still defending latest is internet crusade by Agniveer.com). They were opposed not even by Muslims and Christians as they were losing their fertile grounds for conversion but also by so called Sanatni Hindus who was being misguided by the ignorant class of Brahmins as they were losing their livelihood based on superstitions.
Thousands of books were written to explain the true meanings of the Vedas, to remove the dirt of superstitions and ignorant practices in the society and in answering mud slugging by non Hindu sects. Dozen’s of prominent persons like Swami Sharddhananda, Pandit Lekhram, Bhagat Phul Singh and others sacrificed their life in the Shuddhi campaign to bring the lost brothers.
The famous sacrifice of Mahashya Rajpal, whom you are referring, was provoked by Mahatma Gandhi to appease Hindus lead to riots in the Lahore and other country parts. It even left more than hundreds injured including Bhai Parmanand the famous freedom fighter. Government had to place curfew in different cities of North India. Dalip Singh a converted Christian judge in this case was placed under full security as he received death threats; Hindus in the NWFP were driven out of homes by Afridi Muslim tribes. A large scale rally in Delhi by Muslim leaders challenged government that if Britishers were not able to justify Muslims than Muslims have know how to take revenge even if it lead to riots. It was an open threat to British Government.
Only after the situation went out of control government enacted the law of control of press on in 1929.
To sum up
Step 1 British government patronized Muslims to attack Hindus by various methods like inflammatory literature, speech etc.
Step 2 Hindu like a butcher’s goat just blinked helplessly.
Step 3 Advent of Swami Dayanand at the national scenario.
Step 4 Impact of his teachings led to revolution in Hindu consciousness, its upliftment and its transformation into intellectual defending force.
Step 5 Muslims brainwashed by radical mindset started physical attacks on the Aryasamaj leaders especially in the post khilafat era.
Step 6 In spite of all threats Aryasamaj did a commendable job in different riots in Northern India and even did a remarkable job in Moplah riots of Malabar in 1921.
Step 7 Britishers banned the publication of any provocative literature as they felt that the seeds sown by them have given bad fruits.
The main culprits were Britishers who exploited Muslim mentality against Hindus and Arya samaj played its role as defender and Hindu saviour.

Dr Vivek Arya

How I became an Arya Samajist?

How I became an Arya Samajist?[i]

(Story of An American Christian transformation to Vedic Dharma)

By Federick G. Fox, MD, Chicago[ii]

When I stop to think and to bring back to memory my life before I became an Aryasamajist[iii]; my life for instance as a Sunday school pupil in the Christian church before the age of fourteen, I can well remember the interest I always had for foreign people. I was always eager to hear and read stories and events happening in foreign countries. There was no one more willing to hear a missionary’s story than I. Every year, it seemed to me, there would come the story of a famine or a plague[iv], either in India, China, Africa or some other mysterious and little known of country, with requests for financial help for these people[v]. Their religions would also be spoken of and pictures of idols shown with a class of people that worshipped them[vi]. Poor people, I used to think why they are not Christians and believe as Christians do. I thought this because I believed Christianity to be the only true religion, for I never heard of a better one as I know of now, and then, was I not born a Christian, are not my parents Christians, and all other people around me? But Christians as a rule, are not broad minded, and rarely care to discuss religion, especially if the source of the other religion is from a foreign country, and for this reason will say they are satisfied[vii]. At the same time they are always finding fault with one another:- Some don’t like the pastor or minister saying his ideas are foolish; or, he is to strict; others get tired of listening to his sermons and say:- It’s the same old thing ever and over again; others get angry because they say the church only wants their money, (showing perhaps that they don’t believe in the principles of the Christians church); others haven’t got good enough cloths and are ashamed to go to church in clothes not even torn, but which are simply out of style, etc. Well, anyway, years rolled by and I tried to be as good as I could, even so far that one person, when I perused as to what I should do for my future and I always thought of that suggested that I study to become a protestant pastor. But I could not see things that way. I suppose if I would have started it, I would never have finished it, for how can any men, if he wants to be true to himself and god, believe and practice the many bad principles set forth in the stories of the bible, and at the same time believe them to be the work of god. I must confess that when I was a Christian, and such is the case with most of them, I never read or never yet heard a pastor read the immortal stories of the bible and teach them to his people. It is indeed true that there is very little in the bible which could be of use to people and teach them how to live a righteous life, for many is the time that I heard a Pastor quibbling over a subject trying to get some sense out of it, yet being unable, would do the best he could and perhaps leave forth a loud shriek now and then to keep his flock from falling asleep in their seats. I often wanted to read a Bible, but those in my home were all in the German language, and not being very well versed in that language. I lost interest in reading it. But sine I have become interested in religion in a new light, I bought myself an English Bible. I bought it not because I would get any good out of it, but because I want to be prepared to show the poor blind Christians what is in their religious book. After finishing high school, most with money earned myself, I joined at medical school. Most students in this school were of a rough sort, but I kept to myself as mush as possible and finished successfully. It was in this medical school, in my senior year, that I met a gentleman whom I seemed to pick out from the whole class of four hundred as being a person of ideas very similar to my own. This is no other than my dear friend whom I now look upon as a messenger from god sent to open my eyes and show me the beautiful things in this world, and that there is a religion from God which has no faults; in which there is always something’s to learn; and with which a man can say- I believe this because I can prove it. I met my friend whom I shall make known as Khan Chandar Dev[viii], M.D., a native of India, in the beginning of my last year in this school.  One day I met him in the school dispensary, there being no patients we were lounging around in the hall. Seeing he was a foreigner, and I naturally having an interest for them, I approached him with questions of where he came from, how long he‘s been in this country, where he learnt to speak English, etc. I ask these questions because, as a rule, people in America, know very little of the truthful conditions in foreign countries excepting perhaps Europe. I became very interested in him for he appealed to me in many ways. I had no prejudice against any man as long as he led a righteous life, unlike many others here who are very prejudiced. At the end of my school year I asked Dr. Dev to come to the young people’s meeting in the church I attended[ix]. He came, and was no sooner in room, when the pastor got interested. He started a conversation with Dr Dev and asked him to speak. Dr. Dev spoke a few words about India in general after which the pastor again conversed with him. The pastor seemed to be very interested. Some days later I got an idea of asking whether Dr. Dev. Could speak again. His answer was that he could if he would not mention anything of his religion. We granted this, but never heard from him. These few words will show the prejudice and narrow-mindedness of the pastor[x], for he would not even consent to let me hear him and Dr. Dev argue on religion. After many little talks with Dr. Dev on religion, for we were together very much after our graduation, he finally gave me some books to read.  The first book I read was the Foundation Head of Religion by Ganga Prasad[xi] and was very interesting to me. I also read a little of the life of Swami Dayanand Saraswati[xii] and his work for the Aryasamaj, and was wonderstruck at his arguments, principles, ideas and eagerness in the Aryan Religion. Later I read Hindu superiority[xiii] and was so wonderstruck at what I read that I cannot find words to express it. I would sometimes read this book, but would get so eager to argue with someone that I had to lay the book down and wait to read it another time when I was more calm. In the meantime I would argue with Dr. Dev, and there was no argument I could give him, but that he proved it to be unreasonable. So gradually and theoretically I was being converted, for I could not but help admit that he was right, and I told him so. After this I got angry with him because he called me a Christian, for he was teasing me I knew, and I told him that henceforth I am a heathen Hindu. He took this joke in a good natural way and I have been an arya ever since. With me was converted also my sweetheart, whom I dare not forget to mention, and later a brother of hers, and also a friend. So at the present writing we are five including Dr. Dev, and have organized the first Aryasamaj in Chicago.

    

(Edited by Dr Vivek Arya)

---

[i]  This tract was published in The Vedic Magazine issue of March 1915.This tract was also published in 1922 under Ved Prachar series.

[ii] Dr. Federick G. Fox was first American native to embrace Vedic dharma and he was also founder of Aryasamaj in Chicago, USA.

[iii] Many non Hindu persons from Christianity were inspired by the Vedic Doctrine of Aryasamaj and the Philosophy of Swami Dayanand like Satyanand Stokes, C.F.Andrews and Principal Sushil Kumar Rudra etc.

[iv] Epidemics were common in British ruled countries due to poor administration, draining of wealth leading to poverty and hunger, lack of caretaking policy for common man.

[v] Swami Dayananda had a discussion with a Christian missionary on methods to preach Gospel. Swami Ji said there are 3 ways to make Christianity popular. 1. By the help of sword forcibly, this was used by the followers of Islam in past. 2. By praying to God for sending famines, plagues, earth quakes etc natural calamities to harvest new crops for conversion of poor people in need 3. By aggressive marketing of the message of bible by lectures, books etc. I consider the latter one as better one. Swami Dayanand had closely watched and analyzed the methods used by Christian missionaries to promote conversion.

 

[vi]  This is common practice in church to show non Christians in bad light and their belief as superstitions calling them as pagan worshippers. This is for mass appealing for funds to preach them the message of Jesus. Christian literatures are full of such opinion and remarks.

[vii] This is indeed an honest remark and readers will agree with me.

[viii] Dr Khan Chandra Dev was a medical student in USA who was member of Aryasamaj in India.

[ix]  Inviting non Christians to church or non Muslims to mosques is a rare behavior among Hindus. Aryasamaj is an exception to this policy of Hindus.

[x] This is common behavior among Semitic sects to speak to everyone but listen to none.

[xi] Foundation Head of Religion was first published in episodes in the Vedic magazine and authored by Ganga Prasad chief judge (Ex. President of Sarvdeshik Arya Prathinidhi Sabha and Arya missionary). It was later published in book form in1909 from Arya Prathinidhi sabha United Provinces. The books prove that Zen Avesta of Parsi community derives its basic teachings from the vedas and in similar way the teachings of Buddha are also derived from The Vedas, Upanishad, Geeta and Yog Darshan. The books was welcomed as remarkable treat not even in the Aryasamaj circles but also outside Aryasamaj by The Leader Allahabad, Induprakash Mumbai, Indian social reformer etc. while it was first opposed by both Muslims as well as Christians. The Muslim Review newspaper published from Allahabad first published series of articles which was followed by articles from Rev. J. R. Ray in The Indian witness. They tried to say that neither the vedas are the oldest religious text in the world nor they are fountain head of all religions. This book was translated to Hindi by Pt Harishankar Sharma and Urdu by Pandit Ghasiram. It will be no exaggeration to assume that after Satyarth Prakash and works of Swami Dayananda Foundation Head of Religion is the most debated book of Aryasamaj proving its popularity beyond doubts.

[xii]  This seems to be works authored by Baba Chajju Singh which was most popular English biography of Swami Dayanand in those days.

[xiii] Hindu superiority is a book by HarBilas Sharda published in 1906 to determine the position of Hinduism in the scale of nations.

Swami Dayanand and Monotheism

Vedas and Monotheism

Dr. Vivek Arya

I found western writers quoting that Swami Dayanand and Aryasamaj learned the very idea of Monotheism i.e. there is only one God from Christianity. They also says that the Vedas support Polytheism means worship of multiple God. The latest entry in in this list of Koenraad Elst. He published an article on Monotheism and its relation to swami Dayanand. He assumes that Swami Dayanand is influenced from the monotheism in Christianity and Islam. That’s why he tried to interpret Vedas as supporter of Monotheism.

Koenraad Elst writes...


Is there a Vedic monotheism? The occasion for this paper on monotheism and its presence or absence in Hinduism is an upsurge in the Arya Samaj long-standing campaign to convince Hindus of the superiority and Vedic basis of monotheism.
Unfortunately, in its opposition to the predatory religions of Islam and Christianity, it interiorized some of their beliefs and attitudes. Foremost among these was the assumption that monotheism, the belief in a single God annex the condemnation of all worship offered to any being but Him, is the supreme form of religion. Hence, the Arya Samaj decreed that the Vedic religion had always been monotheistic, so that Islamic and Christian missionaries had nothing to teach the Vedic’s about the true religion of the One God. If Hinduism now seemed like the polytheistic religion par excellence,
this was partly due to post-Vedic degenerative developments and partly to textual misinterpretation of the seemingly numerous god-names in the Vedas. In reality, or so the Arya Samaj claimed, these many gods were only different faces of the One God.

This monotheistic reinterpretation of the Vedas could be excused as a tactical device useful in the Arya Samaj main struggle, viz. against the predatory monotheistic religions.

Ref-Koenraad Elst, online essay Hindus and Monotheism

There is nothing new in the views of Koenraad Elst. Many Christian missionaries had authored similar views. Hervey De Witt Griswold in The Religion of the Rigveda, Christophe Jaffrelot in Religion caste and politics in India, John Campbell Oman in Cults, Customs and Superstitions of India have quoted in similar way.

Interestingly most of them merely copied each other. Truth is that they never tried to to do the in-depth study. Whether what they have embodied in these volumes is wholly true and nothing but true or their verdicts are to be accepted at once as gospel truths, a critical and unprejudiced student of history alone can judge. Some of the authors have no courage to wipe the dust of prejudice from their eyes and have obliged to draw hasty conclusions and wrong inferences. Such writings have done more harm than good.

John Campbell Oman in his book devoted one chapter to Aryasamaj in his book.

He writes


The theistic reforms now agitating India bear the unmistakable stamp of Christian influence and of English political and social ideas and principles.

Analysis of his claim

1. Perhaps this may be true of the Brahmo samaj but to say that the Aryasamaj is the product of Christian influence and English political ideas reminds me one of some grand old lady who attributed the dawning of the day to the crowing of the particular cock reared by her.

2. Swami Dayanand the reviver of the Vedas was not familiar with the English language. Interestingly none of his biographies says so. So this assumption that Swami ji studied western indologists and established his Vedic beliefs after drawing inspiration from west can never be proved.

3. The principle of sociology enunciated by swami Dayanand are essentially Vedic in character and purely classical in character. The system of polity advocated by him is based entirely upon Manu and other smritikars. The system of philosophy and ethics is the system preached and practiced by Kanada and Kapila. Everywhere whether he speaks of the system of education or of the laws of society, he quotes freely from Patanjali, Gautama and Manu and never Miller or Spenser of other Western scholar. Swami Dayanand in his work Rigvedadibhashyabhumika or The Introduction to the Commentary of the Vedas says that the western scholars like Maxmuller are hardly incapable of understanding the deep meanings of the Vedic mantras as knowledge of Sanskrit language is in primary stage.

4. Swami Dayanand condemned idolatry upheld the worship of one god, not because Christianity held similar beliefs but because it was the only rational form of worship sanctioned by the Vedas and the Upanishads.

5. Even the Ten principals of the Aryasamaj do not bear the unmistakable stamp of Christian influence. The tenth principle –“in matters which affect the general social well being one ought to discard all differences and not allow his individuality to interfere but in strictly personal matters every one may have his own way.” Is derived from the Vedic mantra “स्वस्ति पन्थामनुचरेम सूर्यचन्द्रमसाविव”- The Rig Veda.

6. Mr Oman relying upon the observations of Professor Maxmuller and Monier Williams find many inconsistencies in the Vedic Hymns and is inclined and is unwilling to accept that the Vedas treat of Monotheism.

How can anyone ignore the straightforward meaning of Vedic mantra speaking of One God or Monotheism?

I am quoting here few mantras speaking about Monotheism in the Vedas.

Yajurveda 40.1:
This entire world is embedded within and managed by the One and Only One Ishwar. Never dare do any injustice or desire riches through unjust means. Instead follow the righteous path and enjoy His bliss. After all He alone is source of all bliss!

Rigveda 10.48.1:
Ishwar alone is omnipresent and manager of entire universe. He alone provides victory and eternal cause of world. All souls should look up only to Him in same manner as children look up to their Father. He alone provides for our sustenance and bliss.

Rigveda 10.48.5
Ishwar enlightens the entire world. He is undefeated and undying. He alone is the creator of the world. All souls should seek bliss through seeking knowledge and acting there upon. They should never shun the friendship of Ishwar.

Rigveda 10.49.1

Ishwar alone provides true knowledge to truth seekers. He alone is promoter of knowledge and motivates virtuous people into noble actions to seek bliss. He alone is the creator and manager of the world. Hence never worship anyone else except one and only Ishwar.

Yajurveda 13.4
There is one and only One Creator and Maintainer of the entire world. He alone is sustaining the earth, sky and other heavenly bodies. He is Bliss Himself! He alone deserves to be worshiped by us.

Atharvaveda 13.4.16-21
He is neither two, nor three, nor four, nor five, nor six, nor seven, nor eight, nor nine, nor ten. He is, on contrary, One and Only One. There is no Ishwar except Him. All devtas reside within Him and are controlled by him. So He alone should be worshiped, none else.

Atharvaveda 10.7.38
Ishwar alone is greatest and worth being worshiped. He is the source of all knowledge and activities.

Yajurveda 32.11
Ishwar resides at each point in universe. No space is devoid of Him. He is self-sustaining and does not need help of any agent, angel, prophet or incarnation to perform His duties. The soul which is able to realize this One and only One Ishwar achieves Him and enjoys unconditional ultimate bliss or Moksha.

So, on the basis of above logic and reference’s from the Vedas its proved that the Vedas speaks of only one God.

The interpretation by Mr. Oman is often quoted by other authors. They simply misinterpret the concept of Monotheism. Most probably they were influenced by their Biblical upbringings. Mr. Elst repeated the same mistakes as done by his predecessors.

Overall Vedas speaks of worship of only and only one God

VALMIKI-—THE IMMORTAL BARD

 

“Whoever has done or willed too much let him drink from this deep cup a long draught of life and youth. Everything is narrow in the West—Greece is small and I stifle, Judea is dry and I pant. Let me look forward to lofty Asia, and the profound East for a while. There lies my great poem, as vast as the Indian Ocean, blessed, gilded with the sun, the book of divine harmony wherein is no dissonance. A serene peace reigns there in the midst of conflict, an infinite sweetness, a bound fraternity, which spreads overall living things, an ocean of love, of pity, of clemency.” These were the observations of Michelet, the French historian about the Ramayana as early as A.D. 1884. There can be no truer description of the work in which lies enshrined the very soul of India.

Its Creator, the poet Valmiki, has created it with the flood of life's experiences. He, the immortal bard, has sung the song that has sprung from the innermost recesses of his heart when it was touched by a circumstance which would have left many others cold. In the Ramayana the experience became the language and the language became the experience. Out of this happy intermixture of the two the primeval bard was able to create a song and sing it so melodiously, so sonorously, that it has continued to inspire generations of mankind for thousands of years. From the depth and the fullness of his heart flowed

Forth poetry which had a universal appeal and which in its sweep was simply unrivalled. Valmiki was a genius, if there was one, and all this genius, all this prophetic vision, was poured into his poetry Valmiki was not merely a student of the shastras, he was a poet and a poet in his own right. He could delve deep into mysticism, he could climb up the greatest heights of poetic fervour, he could go into ecstasies and entrancing raptures and there would then flow forth a flood of words, of images, of tears, to which all he gave the name Ramayana.

 

People have been and are the greatest poets. With their beliefs, their superstitions, their customs and rites they are able to create songs which have a special appeal for the human heart. Valmiki was one such poet rooted in the soil, the people's poet.

To the popular image he gave the form of a finished product; to the inartistic framework he supplied the body, gave daubs of colour and then it became a piece of art, a work of magic drapery.

 

One of the strangest characteristics of the Ramayana is the quick transition in emotions that it delineates. Valmiki sometimes is seen to be gay and vivacious, at other times he is grave and melancholy, and at still other times he is brooding and

deliberative. The reason for all this probably lies in the nature of his theme. The Ramayana purports to describe the eternal conflict of mankind, the conflict between the good and the evil, the conflict in which the good have to suffer all misfortunes and

privations till at last they are able to conquer the evil. The victory of Rama over Ravana is symbolic of the victory of the good over the evil. But look, what trials, what tribulations the good are put to! This is as it happens in this world. The

conflict is a part of the Cosmic order. There is no escape from it. It is this conflict, this dualism, which is responsible for confiicting emotions which not unoften crisscross each other.

It is these which make Valmiki go into ecstasies and then in a matter of minutes make him sad and melancholy. It is this constant seesaw, this constant swinging between the emotions often contrary to each other, cutting into each other, that has made the Ramayana what it is, a song of the human heart, with all its joys and pleasures, with all its sorrows and sufferings. Valmiki had a message for the mankind which he wanted

it to learn and which he was able to impart to it most effectively. He was no mere preacher, a priest delivering sermons from the pulpit, nor was he an old man of the village pouring out a mass of genomic and didactic poetry. He was a poet, a bard, a

musician, all rolled into one. He did not say anything directly and yet everybody understood him, appreciated his message, learnt it, digested it and translated it into practical life. For centuries has this message of love, of pity, of devotion to duty, of fidelity and self abnegation been recited day in and day out in every Hindu household and yet it has not lost its appeal; it is as fresh as when it was first delivered by Valmiki, nay, it has an added appeal. Riding on the wings of poesy it has reached the places where even the rays of civilization dare not enter. From the grandest palaces down to the humblest huts it has been recited and has become the common property of all. Men and women, the young and old—all rejoice in it, for it is in it that they find the image of their own heart. So it is no wonder that they have come to identify themselves with the heroes and heroines of this work. When Rama and Sita feels happy they too feel happy; when they feel unhappy and shed tears, they too feel likewise and shed tears. Such is the identity they have developed, such the communion! And herein lie the real secret of Valmiki’s success who knew the real art and the use to which it should be put. He was a real artist who used his pen for delineating his emotions and experiences.

 

(Source:- The Ramayana A linguistic Study by Satyavrat)

Vedas and Corruption

 

 Corruption! Day to day every common man engaged in daily routine encounters this word through different channels. After thinking for a while he or she just remembers god to make our society corruption free. Also we hardly ever thought that does our holy Vedas guide us over the very issue of corruption or not. Answer is quite fantastic! Yes they do.
Yajurveda 40.../1 or first mantra of Ishopanishad clearly says
O Human! The entire world – static as well as dynamic – is pervaded by Ishwar – the Supreme Lord. Hence enjoy the pleasures in a detached manner. Do not be greedy. This wealth does not belong to anyone. We (the soul) do not own the world around us. The owner of this universe – the Ishwar – pervades every point that He owns. Now since we do not own the world, the way we should use the facilities of the world should be without a sense of ownership. Greed is the highest level of ignorance. Neither do we own the world around, nor can we take it with us after we die. Hence running after what eventually would be lost is indeed stupidity. The Only way to enjoy the world is by getting detached from it. This may seem counter-intuitive on surface but in fact it is not. If you think deeply, you would find that it the lust to own that causes all the worries. Worries start from the very desire of owning something. Hence, we should stop acting like an ignorant and start enjoying the world in the true sense and you cannot enjoy unless you are detached. In summary, nothing in the world ever belonged to us and nothing will go with us despite whatever efforts we may exert to acquire them. If we understand this very concept we will never engage in any such act of corruption. Corruption happens only when we stop hearing our own inner conscience.
Vedas never mentions not to earn instead of that vedas says earn with hundred hands and spend with thousand hands.This is quite interesting in understanding. It means we should earn with cooperation with honesty and spend not only on self but invest that money for benefit of others. A corrupt person earns only for self and do not want to invest for others. Vedas also mentions the fate of corrupts.
Atharvaveda 5/18/2 says Kings/Rulers overpowered by their personal desires, who ignore the wise counsel by the learned are self defeated, they may have the present but they have no future.
Atharvaveda 5/18/5 says Greedy rulers who give importance to money, ignore and smother truth and the sane voices that oppose corrupt practices involved in illegal amassing of personal wealth, by ignoring sane voices considering them as soft and weak, do not realize that they are stoking great violent fires. At last we pray to almighty god
O Ishwar, may my ignorance that leads me to ignoring you and chasing the world that was never mine be destroyed forever. I promise to put my best efforts for this. With Your blessings I promise to seek you and you alone because you alone are source of bliss! May this noble thought always prevail in me!

 

Dr Vivek Arya