Arya Samaj

Shishya · Posted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 7:52 pm Post subject: Vaidika Dharma: True Religion

Vaidika Dharma: True Religion
by
Varoon Arya
The Arya Samaj Forum
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What is True Religion?

Vaidika Dharma or True Religion is communion of the individual Soul with the Divine Spirit, God (OM). It is living in tune with the laws of reason and nature, which operate according to God’s Infinite Wisdom. True Religion is the highest expression of the capacity of man, and it alone has the power to lead him to the fulfillment of his purpose.

True Religion has always existed. It was taught by God to man at the beginning of creation for his spiritual and material prosperity. God desires the good of all, and He has clearly defined the path which leads unto this good in the form of the Holy Vedas. For millennia, man lived according to the principles of True Religion, in harmony with God and His creation. With the passage of time, however, the principles of True Religion became obscured by mischievousness in the priestly classes of society and a resultant ignorance in the general population. The last 5000 years has seen an veritable explosion in the number of cults claiming to be the sole possessors of the Truth concerning God, the Soul and the purpose of creation. These cults have been the cause of untold suffering and calamity, causing hatred and even wars. The only remedy for this deplorable situation is for man to abandon the various rivaling creeds to their own self-destruction and to once again embrace True Religion in it’s original form.

The goal of True Religion is bliss (Ananda), which is attained by living in harmony with God and the laws of His creation. One need not wait until death to experience the Bliss of the Divine. Bliss can be realized while here on this earth. Yet it requires dedication and devotion to the Will of God, as well as steadfastness in the performance of one’s duty (Dharma). There are many sects and cults in the world that advertise an easy, quick way to escape from the miseries of life. Yet these are nothing more than empty promises aimed at creating a large following for the empowerment of a select few and which will eventually lead to disappointment and despair. There are no ‘shortcuts’ to the realization of God and the attainment of liberation (Moksha). Only by the steadfast execution of our duty (Dharma) as laid down by God and by remaining tireless in our performance of the spiritual discipline of Communion with the Divine (Upaasanaa Yoga) - which is the very essence of True Religion - can we hope to attain True Bliss.

Does True Religion conflict with science?

True Religion, as it is based on the revelation of the Wisdom of God (OM), the Creator of this manifold universe, can never conflict with science. As stated in the first principle of the Arya Samaj, “God is the original source of all true knowledge and all that is known by the physical sciences.“ Any scientist who believes his that work stands at variance with the principles of True Religion has simply failed to seek out the true cause of the effects he studies, which is none other than God Himself.

While it may be true that the doctrines of many modern sects and cults stand in conflict with science, this can never be the case with True Religion. True Religion as it is revealed in Vedic literature is true source of all science, for it deals with the ultimate causes behind this manifold universe in the thorough and systematic fashion which has inspired all later scientific endeavors.

The Vedas are, in fact, the Primordial Science. This is evident from the very word ‘Veda’, which means nothing other than ‘wisdom’, ‘knowledge’ or ‘science’. The Vedas are so named for they are the original wisdom given by God to man at the beginning of creation, and they contain all true knowledge which is necessary for man to understand the cosmos. The most important of this knowledge is termed ‘Brahmavidya’, the ‘Knowledge of God’. Through this, man learns of the nature of the Creative Divinity, whereby he is enlightened as to his proper role and function in creation as a child of God.

Furthermore, Vedic literature encompasses many other branches of science as well. Mathematics, physics, astronomy, chemistry, medicine and many other scientific disciplines are developed in the supplementary texts to the Vedas known as the Vedangas, Upavedas and Darshana Sutras. In fact, there is no modern science which does not spring from or rely upon the wisdom laid down in the Vedas.

Does True Religion have a place in the future?

It might appear to some that the age of religion is drawing to a close. As recent technological advances have proven themselves capable of easing the efforts of man in satisfying his material needs, many are beginning to ask whether or not the man of the future will still feel the need for Divine Help. Some have even gone so far as to question the very notion of Divinity as a valid concept in light of reason and the discoveries of the modern age.

Yet, while the false doctrines of myth and superstition which are to be found in so many modern cults may be in danger of having their actual nature exposed through the progress of science, True Religion has absolutely nothing to fear from neither reasoned analysis nor advances in technology. In fact, such things represent an aid in furthering the cause of truth - the central pillar upholding the principles of True Religion.

However, while such developments may have helped man satisfy his material needs, they have done nothing to fulfill man spiritually. Indeed, with the advance of technology, we have seen a corresponding increase in immorality, vice and corruption. In fact, one could say that technology has increased man’s capacity to perform acts of evil. And this is the proof that True Religion will always have a place in any noble society. For only True Religion can guide the intellect and will of man to an end beyond himself, whereby his actions are ennobled, and are given meaning and purpose. Regardless what technological advances the future will bring, there will forever remain an acute need for wisdom and guidance regarding man’s true purpose on this earth, and only True Religion can provide that guidance.

(To be continued...)

Prabhat · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 3:01 pm Post subject:

Namaste,
almost a year, where is the rest Wink

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Namaste,
Prabhat

Prabhat · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 1:39 pm Post subject:

Namaste, still waiting. Sad

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Namaste,
Prabhat