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1. The average Hindu is misled as he is not motivated to explore the vedic texts as seriously as he explores other aspects of his life - career, family, job, business, enjoyments etc.

2. Shiva, Ganesh etc are different names of same Ishwar. Later people started making idols and worshipping them - which is not a vedic recommendation.

3. Devata means any entity which gives. as per vedas 4 living Devatas are Mother, father, spouse, scholar and teacher. All other are inanimate devatas like various parts of nature. They are NOT to be worshipped. Instead they are to be fruitfully used.

4. Priests are priests due to heritage. naturally they have a soft corner to what they practice. But in process, they are distracting masses and themselves from path of Vedas.

5. the only way to achieve Ishwar as per Vedas is through Yoga. Yoga is not what Swami ramdev teaches. That is simply physical exercises. Yoga is scientfic process of mind control and knowledge enhancement through right actions. This includes correct form of meditation on Ishwar. This is the only acceptable path as per vedas to achieve Ishwar.

6. Rudra means one that causes weeping. Shiva means one that does benefit. Both denote two different qualities of same Ishwar. But they are not Bhole Baba like masses are misled into.

Namaste Siddharth. Your questions demand detailed explanations. But I shall try to provide pointers in brief. Would try to write in detail on each of the points subsequently. I shall write chronologically

1. The Nityakarma and prayers are for our own benefit. The Vedic method of Nityakarma and Prayers are designed in such a manner that they help remove layers of ignorance from our minds, increase our will-power, improve our health and hence enhance bliss. That is why benefits are not observed by those who do it mechanically, but those who do do with these objectives in mind. The Nityakarma are like regular exercise for mind and soul. They keep them toned. Regularity is necessary as in case of exercise. When you pray for blessings, you also commit yourself - that you would do all necessary acts that would make you eligible for the bessings. When we pray, "May Ishwar grant us wealth!", it means, "May we do such noble deeds that provide as wealth!" because all Vedic prayers imply "Kurvannaveh Karmani" - continuation of efforts.

2. Remember there are number of such earths like ours. When we die, our next birth can happen on any of them, based on whatever is best fit for us as per our Sanskaars - traits. Thus, the people born in our earth are those who required such situations to progress to next level. These cults are gaining popularity because people are not doing sufficient purusharth to rise above their lure. And those who know that they are in wrong path are not doing sufficient purusharth to awaken the people. Depending on the level of purusharth we make, we would get the next life and even situations in this life.

3. 'Jeev' is independent to extent that it exercises its free will to remove layers of ignorance. Yajurveda 40.17 states that truth shines bright but is covered with layers of ignorance. As we work to remove this ignorance, our ability to use free-will increases. This is like muscles of our body. We all can lift 100 kg of weight. We have this potential. But only those people cane exercise it who have practiced and strengthened their muscles. If a person truly desires to seek truth, law of Ishwar ensures that he would rise above his immediate situations and progress towards it. Many legends were born in illiterate families but could make themselves scholars through free-will. The level of effort required may vary, but there is never a full-stop.

Swami Satyapati was an illiterate Muslim. He adopted Vedic Dharma, and became a servant in Gurukul. He learned Shastras in night after serving the gurukul and in spare time. None could stop him and today he is known as a great authority on matters of Yoga.

4. Events like that of Ruchika are lessons for us to put efforts to reform the society. And the culprit never enjoyed. The blunders one makes never lets one stay in peace. Though he may avoid physical torture, mental torture continues so far we continue to break norms of Yam and Niyam. I would not say that Ruchika suffered because of her past Karma. Instead, in human society, several forms of pain do come which are random in nature, nothing to do with past Karma. But pursuit of knowledge helps face these problems more smartly.

And most importantly, none of these problems can stop your progress on path of bliss These problems relate to mortal body and mind, and not to soul. If one is able to dissociate himself in this manner, he or she can tackle these problems much more efficiently. Then you would realize how our thoughts can change the reality around us. By Power, I do not mean merely wealth or authority. They come second. The first essential point is to have the capability to use that power rather than getting yourself used by that power.

I have put the replies briefly. But we can have more detailed discussions. This is one of the most subtle subjects and if this framework is understood, no one can stop us from our goal of bliss like Dayanand was unstoppable.

I would like to add: there is no guarantee that one gets justice from among humans for crimes of humans. But justice as per Law of Karma is guaranteed and begins from very moment one starts a wrong thought. However, if we do not do sufficient Purusharth to ensure justice in human society, even after knowing about such stories of injustice, we are allowing the Law of Karma to damage or retard our own progress towards bliss.

Remember, it is a completely interconnected world and we will have to accept responsibility of entire world gracefully, and perform actions accordingly to obtain our personal bliss.

Om

Namaste,
1. Vedas do not talk of Heaven or Hell in the way other religions speak of. Swarg is accumulation of objects and thoughts that bring happiness and Narak is accumulation of objects and thoughts that bring sorrow.
2. As per Vedas, each act of ours lead us either towards or away from ignorance which is the cause of all sorrow. This continues without any interruption. This forms the basis of Yoga as means to achieve Ishwar and ultimate bliss.
3. Vedas speak of death as a temporary stop where the material objects required by soul to perform actions are replenished. After death soul again takes birth and starts the journey. While it no more carries memories of past birth, because that is irrelevant, it carries the sanskaars from previous life.
4. In Semitic religions, there is only one life and after that eternal Hell or Heaven. This was because this concept was easy to spread among uneducated and coax them for battles. In Eastern religions, the concept of life and death is largely as per Vedas. Buddhists also believe that Karma causes rebirth and that would happen till ignorance is removed. Same with Jains and of course other cults of Hindus. Some believe in there being multiple such worlds like that of humans, and that soul passes through them as per its deeds but finally reaches salvation.
5. The concept of one life only is full of glaring loopholes. Look for 'God must be crazy' post on this site for that. The Vedic concept is most rational and supported by almost all Eastern beliefs.

Namaste. Uttar Ramayan is a later day text and not considered authentic. Further even the original Ramayan has many interpolations that can be observed by reading it. The whole episode of Sita Agni Pariksha and all stories of Uttar Ramayan are false. Due to blind beliefs, Hindus stick to them and cause internal conflicts as well as mockery from others.

Purush Sukta nowhere states that Ishwar has a body. Because if we take Purush Sukta the way many take as per later day menaings of words, then it means that from different parts of body of Ishwar different people took birth. This itself implies an incredible imagination.

Purush means one who fiils of exists in entire cosmos (Puri) Nirukta 2.3 states clearly this concept. Thus soul is purush of body and Ishwar is purush of universe.

Sahasra as per Shatpath 7.5 means All: Sarvam Vai Sahasram Sarvasya Daataasi. Later Sahasra being a large number started being used for 1000.

Purush or Ishwar is Sahasra Sheersha because all the heads of all the beings lie within Him. Similarly he has sahasra eyes and feet.

He pervades everywhere in all elements and nature. Dashaangulam means 5 gross and 5 subtle elements, or 5 prana, mana, buddhi, chitta, ahankar and soul. Shankaracharya and Sayana have taken it to imply space in Heart.

Rest of the sukta is allegorical description of how creation happens. I can provide you interpretations of the entire Sukta which is logical and reasserts formlessness of Ishwar.

Problem happens when we start interpreting mantras literally through later date meanings of words.

Dhanyavad

No, in fact in another video he has justified that no other religion should be allowed in Islamic countries, because Islam is the best. He also states that Islam should be however allowed in non-Muslim countries because Islam is the best! Heights of fanaticism.

1. Idol worship is definitely not as per Vedas. In fact I believe that it has been cause of our downfall because it drifted us apart from the core message of Purusharth as given in Vedas.
2. Idol worship started much recently, more out of ignorance, superstition and/or shortcut ways to earn money by fooling simple uneducated people.
3. However, I do not recommend a blanket stop on idol worship in lines of fanatic Muslims. This has to be cured through spreading awareness and friendly enlightenment. I would also state that idol worship has at least served the purpose of keeping people disciplined and dedicated.
4. But as education and enlightenment increases, one should definitely rise above this practice which has no sanction in Vedas. Vedas state that believing something the way it is, alone can bring happiness and inverse will ultimately cause sorrow. Thus worshipping shapeless omnipresent Ishwar through idol will be cause of sorrow. And we witness that in our society since so many years of slavery and misrule.
5. Pandits in mandir are primarily birth-based Brahmins - a practice that is again, against Vedas. Majority of them know nothing of Vedas. Only a few are scholars in vedas and they would prefer to interpret Vedas as per their own tendencies and preferences. After all temples and idol worship are linked to family history, money and social system as well.
6. Since God is present everywhere, what is so special about idol? why waste crores in temples and idols. Why not see Ishwar in all His creations and worship Him every moment? In fact this is the Vedic way - seeing Ishwar and worshipping Him everywhere with full Anand.
7. The world and its management itself is the greatest miracle of ishwar. Ganesh-milk episodes are too petty gimmicks for that great Ishwar. Study about human body and how it functions and you would realize that nothing can be greater miracle. Ishwar is never impressed or unimpressed by what we do. He simply manages us accordingly. And its we who reap the benefits. The ganesh milk episode was simply a capillary action blown out of proportion. If indeed He was impressed, why would he drink away all the milk in a country which is so poor and cause blackmarketing of milk that benefitted only those who are rogues? Is God so dumb that he would choose such wasteful means to show he is impressed instead of fighting terrorists, feeding hungry children, saving innocent women from rape, killing corrupt politicians etc?

If this be the way of ishwar's blessings, God forbid us from that! Or we would turn bankrupt in few months of his continuous blessings!

Dear friend, this life is the greatest blessing of Ishwar. And He has gifted it to us so that we can perform noble miracles from this miracle of Ishwar through our noble actions.

Not at all. Vedas state that earth revolves round the sun.

Vedas do not discuss idol worship. It considers God to be all-pervading and shapeless. It also states that only by worshipping God in its correct description, can one attain victory over death. However, since Vedas believe in an evolutionary approach, they also do not call for forcible subjugation of those who are unable to comprehend the true perspective of God. It instead suggests a more rational friendly way to dispel ignorance from masses.

So while a lot of content in Quran matches with Vedas, problem comes when people also start taking those verses of Quran seriously which say that there is only one life and then Hell or Heaven forever, and that only Islam will be accepted by Allah to allow entry into Heaven. Thus bulk of world population is condemned to Hell forever by such verses, and also those which call for destruction of those who do not believe in Quran and Muhammad.

If Muslims stop considering Muhammad as a necessary agent to reach Allah, and stop believing that all non-Muslims will burn in Hell forever, Islam would be much closer to Vedas and world would be a much more peaceful place.

This is an imaginary statement. Swamiji's entire ideology is based on the fact that the original Vedas are available to us 100%.

What many misinterpret is regarding the Shakhas or explanations of Vedas which have been lost. But 99% is again too far fetched. While these Shakhas are useful, but with original Vedas, one can reconstruct the Vedic framework, with help of supporting texts like Brahmans and Aranyaks, and would no way be deprived of Vedic knowledge.

Dhanyavad

The first four rishis were necessary to start the process of knowledge dissemination and establish benchmarks from very beginning. Had Ishwar not used their medium, every other person would have stood up to claim that he has received some special knowledge from Ishwar. That is exactly happened in Arab when Prophet stood up to claim that Allah gave him some special knowledge. It is always necessary to set benchmarks from very beginning before we start any project.

But once that happened in inception of civilization, that is no more necessary. That is why the rishis preserved Vedas in unchangeable format.

Further, Rishis were those people who had reached highest level of knowledge and had destroyed all forms of ignorance in previous cycle of creation. If anyone else attains that level, he or she would simply repeat what Vedas state and not add anything new.

Also, prophet is one who makes prophecies. Vedas are eternal knowledge and not a book of prophecies. So the 4 rishis are not prophets. They are simply rishis - who know rit or eternal truth.

Micro-organisms are supposed to have Prana -exchange of matter and energy for sustenance. But they do not have "dehabhimani soul" which feels that "I am this bacteria", "I am this virus" like humans and animals. So the concept of killing is not applicable there.

When we say that plants and micro-organisms have life, we only imply that similar matter-energy exchange takes place in them as in animals. Its at chemocal reaction level only.

I agree that mere philosophy cannot appeal to all sections of society. But wastage of so much money and efforts on so many festivals and temples is also a sin, when the country is so deprived. further emphasis on microscopic cults prevent our unity. Why not instead turn temples to research centers and actually help produce gems of vedic science? There is no fund for these more important activities and crores are spends on wasteful ploys of satisfaction. There can be multiple formats for socialization. I would not debate on what was appropriate for past. But time of hour is to adapt to new ways of socialization that strengthen the roots of our Dharma.
Perhaps the ritual of Yajna would be more beneficial and economic and environment-friendly than billions spent on glitz. Its a personal opinion though and I am not in favor of sudden destruction of idols and social customs like a fanatic. It has to be a sensible compassionate transformation. To me it should start with some amount being allocated for research and noble activities in a unified manner. And with more and more awareness these formats would automatically change. I would always believe in organic change through eradication of Avidya and never on brute force measures. Brute Force approach should be reserved to tackle external attacks during emergency.

Contact Dr Vivek Arya in Arya Samaj orkut group. Dhanyavad

Dear Jacob, May Peace be upon you! We have requested Dr Zakir Naik for a debate officially several times. We have sent formal letters, published invitations, even had email and telephonic exchanges with him, but he refuses to accept the invitation. You can search for "Zakir Naik challenged" and get many search results. If you can help arrange a face to face debate, world would indeed be grateful to you for giving it a chance to expose the false. Meanwhile, if we is busy, we are ready for a written debate as well that would be posted on internet.

Yes, but scholars interpret it as submission for Peace. Dr Javed Jamil recently wrote a book by this title.

My point is thus, that if Islam means Peace as admitted by Muslims, then all non-peaceful activities including animal slaughter should automatically be haram.

Namaste, There is a translation by Pandit Dharmadev Vidya Martand that is available for 7 Mandals of Rigveda. You can have it from www.vedicbooks.com. For yajurved, the one by Devi Chand is good. Sama Veda is covered mostly in Rigveda. For Atharva Veda, I am yet to find a good English translation.

I admit that good English translation of Vedas is an important pending task for our society.

Dhanyavad