Arya Samaj

Ayush · Posted: Thu Nov 16, 2006 11:37 pm Post subject: Scriptures

What are the scriptures that are to taken literally according to the Arya Samaj?

The 4 Vedas & the first 10 (mukhya) upanishads
OR
The 4 vedas and all 108 upanishads?

What about Manu Smriti? I've seen a lot of Arya Samaj people quoting the Manu Smriti. Isn't Manu Smriti the scriptures that caused the discrimination based on casts?

And are there any other scriptures that the Arya Samaj people take literally?

Shyena · Posted: Fri Nov 17, 2006 2:33 pm Post subject:

From what I know....
ONLY vedas. Whatever is compatible with vedas, can be accepted. What is opposed, is rejected. Therefore only the eternal knowledge i.e., the vedas are authentic. All the other are considered canons, ancillary texts. Swamiji Dayananda accepted some of the brahmanas as authentic, and 12/10 of the upanishads which adi sankara considered as prime scriptures.

When it comes to law-book, Manu Smrti is considered authentic and accepted by the Swami Dayananda, and denounces all the other smrtis.
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Krinvanto Vishwam Aryam meditate

Namaste

Mitra · Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 2:06 am Post subject:

Yes The Vedas are Swatah-pramaan. As they are Divine Revelation they are evidence by themselves.
All the other vedic literature is the work of Rishis and so human. These sources are accepted as far as the content is in accordance with the Vedas.
The Mimamsa states that "The smrti texts (documents on traditions or customs) are supposed to have corresponding sruti texts (Vedas). If certain smrti is known to have no matching sruti, it indicates that either the corresponding sruti was lost over time or the particular smrti is not authentic. Moreover, if the smrtis are in conflict with the sruti, the formers are to be disregarded. When it is found out that the smrtis are laid down with a selfish interest, they must be thrown out."

We accept 10 Upanishads which have the commentary of Adi Shankaracharya. The rest are so rife with interpolations and unvedic
thought that they are not considered standard.

Swami Dayanand held Manusmriti to be authoritative but again based on the above Mimamsa principle. Also, Manusmriti has many interpolations which can be spotted . Many verses in Manusmriti contradict each other.
The Varnas as described in Manusmriti are not to be based on birth but on merit. http://aryasamaj101.googlepages.com/varna
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Namaste
Manurbhava

Shyena · Posted: Sat Nov 18, 2006 1:44 pm Post subject:

As a sidenote, for most of these interpolations check these two articles:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manu_Smriti
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Manu_Smriti
_________________

Krinvanto Vishwam Aryam meditate

Namaste