Aupmanyav
Be your own guru.
What is wrong with my post or with Swami Krishnananda? Nobody is genuine. We are all 'maya'. Where is the head and where is the tail of your post? ![Frown :( :(](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7)
Hello!
Recently a Hindu friend of mine told me that Hinduism is actually monotheistic, and that all of the deities are parts of the one true god. Could any of you please elaborate on this for me?
The first verse in the first hymn in the first book of RigVeda says:
"Aghnimīle purohitam yajyasya devam ritvījam, hotāram ratnadhātamam;
aghnih pūrvebhirṛshibhirīḍyo nūtanairuta, sa devāneha vakshati."
I Laud Agni, the chosen priest, God, minister of sacrifice, the hotar, lavishest of wealth.
Worthy is Agni to be praised by living as by ancient seers. He shall bring hitherward the Gods.
(Rig Veda: Rig-Veda Book 1: HYMN I. Agni., translation by Ralph Griffith)
That much for monotheism in hinduism. There are various views which range from polytheism to atheism and all the isms in-between.
It is not Gods and Goddesses on which hinduism depends. It depends on 'dharma' (fulfilling duties and engaging in righteous action).
Ralph Griffith's translation is by far the best, being unbiased.
Check the Swami Krishnananda's link given by me: "Atha: now, then, afterwards; Atah: therefore; Brahmajijnasa: a desire for the knowledge of Brahman (the enquiry into the real nature of Brahman)." The translation is simple and without any ambiguity.
What is wrong with my post or with Swami Krishnananda? Nobody is genuine. We are all 'maya'.
I have no hesitation in saying Jaya Shree Krishna or Hare-Rama Hare-Krishna or Bhaja Govindam. There is a lot of advaita in BhagawadGeeta. Krishna is Brahman. You are Brahman (Tat Twam Asi). I am Brahman (Aham Brahmasmi). All things are Brahman. There is none other than Brahman in the universe. 'Eko Brahma, dwiteeyo nasti' (Brahman is one, there is no second).
Ok, this is me butting my non Hindu non Buddhist nose in. But in my understanding of Christianity...Jesus figured this out...we are all one...but we just don't know it. We call it Christ Consciousness, putting on the mind of Christ as Paul tells us.
So yeah, to me we are all Brahman, all Maya...but we don't know it....the opening is opening upto our connection to that allness, realizing it, grokking it, becoming it.
So now, you are going to teach me Hinduism? Check Mandala 10, Hymn 129, Verse 6 of RugVeda which says that Gods are post creation of the world.Did anybody notice this? Here is the very first quote from Rugveda showing Hinduism does depend on God(s) and immediately the quote is followed by a contradictory statement that Hinduism does not depend on God or gods.
I have written it, it is my opinion. You differ with it. That is OK. Go to whichever translation you like. Where is the problem?Who decides what is biased or unbiased? Based on what standards?
Do we know Brahman? I do not know what it knows and what it does not know. My books say Brahman and Maya are indivisible. The presence of Brahman is accompanied by Maya. Do you claim to know what no one knows in Hinduism? 'Maya' can do all kinds of things which we cannot even imagine. Even great sages could not understand 'maya'. 'Maya' can make us thirst for knowledge, it can even make us hate knowledge.If all things are Brahman, then who has a desire for knowledge of Brahman? Is it Brahman itself thirsting for knowledge of Brahman? That must be one ignorant Brahman then...
On the other hand if we are all "maya" then how can "maya" thirst for knowledge of Brahman, besides "maya" being same as Brahman as per your convoluted logic.
If it was so, why did he condemn the cities?Ok, this is me butting my non Hindu non Buddhist nose in. But in my understanding of Christianity...Jesus figured this out...we are all one...but we just don't know it. We call it Christ Consciousness, putting on the mind of Christ as Paul tells us.
So yeah, to me we are all Brahman, all Maya...but we don't know it....the opening is opening upto our connection to that allness, realizing it, grokking it, becoming it.
Well, we here in India worship Shiva, Durga, Rama, Krishna, Ganesha, Kartikeya, Hanumana. None of these entities are mentioned in the Vedas. They are not part of the Vedic pantheon. What do you make out of it? We are talking of Hinduism and not Vedic religion. Vedic religion can be a part of Hinduism, but Hinduism is not Vedic religion. The worship of Indra is banned in India. Any more questions?Vedic teachings do not teach one mind theory or universal consciousness. This is superimposition of Buddhist teachings on Vedic teachings by Adi Sankara of Advaita school. Vedic teachings believe in a strict hierarchy of celestial beings called Devatas and One Supreme God ruling over them eternally. The hierarchy exists even among human beings and this hierarchy is eternal. Vedic teachings are strictly theistic and NOT monistic nor panentheistic or whatever. It does allow worship of beings other than Supreme God as long as they are part of Vedic pantheon.
Entities from other religions can never be absorbed into Vedic system and is strictly forbidden.
So now, you are going to teach me Hinduism? Check Mandala 10, Hymn 129, Verse 6 of RugVeda
How many Gods? One, three, Ten? Or 'advaita' - 'Aham Brahmasmi'. All these are valid Hindu stances.
Does any one any where says so about 'dharma'. No. Dharma is most important in Hinduism. Dharma-Vyadha did not know any Gods of Goddesses, he just knew and performed his dharma and he found a place in Srimad Bhagawatham. The definition of Hinduism is dharma, not Gods.
So before you accuse me of not understanding Hinduism, first learn it yourself.
Do we know Brahman? I do not know what it knows and what it does not know. My books say Brahman and Maya are indivisible. The presence of Brahman is accompanied by Maya. Do you claim to know what no one knows in Hinduism? 'Maya' can do all kinds of things which we cannot even imagine. Even great sages could not understand 'maya'. 'Maya' can make us thirst for knowledge, it can even make us hate knowledge.
Well, we here in India worship Shiva, Durga, Rama, Krishna, Ganesha, Kartikeya, Hanumana. None of these entities are mentioned in the Vedas. They are not part of the Vedic pantheon. What do you make out of it? We are talking of Hinduism and not Vedic religion. Vedic religion can be a part of Hinduism, but Hinduism is not Vedic religion. The worship of Indra is banned in India. Any more questions?
Yes, one rishi said something, the other said something else. It always happens in Hinduism. 'Matas' (opinions). That is how we have so many varieties of 'advaita'.
"Vedic statements are void and meaningless": I am sorry to hear this from you.
Dharma, of course, is supreme. That is my opinion (Mata) and that of many other Hindus. Dharma-Vyadha is free to have his own opinion (Mata). That does not affect what I believe. "Tunde-tunde Matirbhinna".
"The very question "Do we know Brahman" assumes bheda between "we" and "Brahman".: No, it does not. Do we know what constitutes us. Molecules, atoms, sub-atomic particles, physical energy, then what? Where does this physical energy come from? Is it eternal or rises from an 'absolute nothing'? Science does not have answers for these questions.
Therefore, Brahman, which constitutes us and all other things in the universe at the 'Vyavaharika' level of reality, is not known.
"Worship of Indra is banned in India???? says who? you..": Do you have any temple of Indra in India? Invocation of Indra in Yajnas or in other rituals is a formality. The worship is for other Gods and Goddesses.
By the time of Shatapatha Brahmana, Aryans were in India and these adjustments were already made. Why are any of the Gods that Hindus worship today are not mentioned in the Vedas, particularly in RigVeda?
The simple answer which I have already given is that Hinduism is not Vedic religion, though the Vedic religion was accepted as a part of Hinduism. Upanishads too are post-RigVeda.