HINDUISM

(The source of all credulous beliefs)

The Early Vedic Age

Obscurity still exists in the minds of Western Historians about the origin of the Vedas (revealed knowledge). The earliest written evidence was given at about 1500 B.C. by Western scholars. The assumption was that the ancient Rishis (altruistic teachers) must have passed it down orally. This ancient religion of the Hindus of India was known as the Vedic religion, the revelation given to the Aryans (noble) in the beginning of creation.

The first age of complete piety of the Indo-Aryans depicted God as formless. He was without a corporeal body, no veins, and no arteries. He could not be depicted by any image or idol. He could be worshipped at any place where one could sing the glory of His nature in any place where serenity prevailed, in a forest, at the foot of a hill or on a riverbank.

The Vedic theism was of a natural form, pure monotheism. They believed that the worship of only one God who was father, mother and friend to all animate and inanimate things. Humankind prayed to Him for peace, prosperity, strength, long life, intellect, food, progeny, defense, protection and everything worth aspiring for. He was and still is, here, there, and everywhere.

Vedic religion was individual as well as social with a few simple laws of society, which consisted of well-set and sturdy families. Families owned cattle, horses and many other domestic animals. These animals were treated with kindness and warmth. It was total harmony between man and animal. Whenever there was violence it was in self-defense. There were vibrant and striving communities where a simple social order was classified into four groups.

The classifications depended on professions, uniqueness and preferences. The highest class were teachers devoted to learning, education, philosophy and such disciplines. The second group were dedicated to the protection of society, administration and the like. The third class engaged in agriculture, trade, and business or creation of wealth, and the last group served society with manual labor and were treated with dignity.

One had the option to choose to belong to any group according to ones inclinations and accomplishments. These classes were introduced at sometime in the beginning. These now abhorred applications were irrelevant to that age where everyone was imbued with piety.

A person's life was cleaved into four stages:-

The student life or the creative period where he or she was brought up in the teacher's academy (entering at the age of eight years old). This is the period of celibacy, which can continue through out life or until marriage. Celibacy means the practice of total control of the loss of the seminal fluid.

The married life or the life of householder (between the ages of twenty-four and forty-eight years old).

I.the retired life of meditation, service and devotion and more learning. (Usually between age fifty and seventy-five years old).

II. Renouncement or the life solely devoted to service of a fully righteous society without attachment to family, property and public approbation (usually at seventy-five years old). The first stage was mandatory, the others were optional.

The philosophical age was when man became more inquisitive in the verses of the Vedas (Vedic revelation). Man looked at the wonders of God's creation and tried to understand them in terms of the revealed knowledge. There were two types of knowledge being sought:-

III. The knowledge pertaining to mundane disciplines which included grammar, prosody, etymology, astronomy, mathematics, logic, elementary physics or physical sciences, medicine and the like.

IV. The knowledge of the Absolute, the Supreme God or Teacher.

In this most studious and academic periods of human history, the Upanishads, the Brahmanas, the Darshanas and Smritis, all systems of Vedic philosophy (commentaries on the Vedas), were written. Metaphysics prevailed over material sciences, which was considered the intellectual approach to God. Yoga of Patanjali provided an austere method of psychic approach to God.

As the period progressed, man became more and more analytical and logical, and more academic advancements were made. This led to further studies and a new culture, of which man was proud, sprung up. God created the sun, and man discovered fire which became symbols through which God manifested Himself to man.

Fire was not simple to produce but once produced, attempts were made to keep it alive by whatever kind of fuel was obtainable. So man developed a ritual to keep it alive and this was the origin of fire worship. It was not meant to replace God, but merely became a center of activity. Around fire, great thinkers raised their academicianship. The sacred fire became the central figure in open-air laboratories and observatories and all sciences were pursued around this ritual. Geometry, human and animal anatomy, science of agriculture and farming were developed around these ritualistic laboratories.

It was a glorious period in Indian history where man was monotheistic and loved his God. Through dedication, earlier man established a society of brotherhood and righteousness and this was his religion. Man was non-credulous and ever progressive in the field of knowledge and the seers in this period were held in supreme esteem for their devotion to knowledge and sublime ethical life as they worked to unearth the mysteries of nature.

No reasonable person will deny to the Hindus of former times the praise of very extensive learning. The variety of subject upon which they wrote proves that almost every science was cultivated among them. The manner also in which they treated these subjects proves that the Aryan learned men yielded the Palm of learning to scarcely any other of the ancients. The more their philosophical works and law books are studied, the more will the enquirer be convinced of the depth of wisdom possessed by their authors. [i]

The early Vedic period, Philosophical and the ritualistic period were indeed glorious periods of Indian history and for all mankind. Society was occupied with developments in all aspects of life. Advancements were made as a result of pursuits in open-air laboratories and observatories centered around the sacred fire. Unfortunately, at this time, the drive for knowledge became secondary and attention was centralized on the sacred fire and all types of fire rituals were adopted. This led to the ecclesiastical or ritualistic period.

BIRTH OF FALSE DOGMAS

Rituals became primary, and study, investigation, and reasoning became secondary. Society became static, no longer dynamic and progressive. The interpretation of the rituals was reduced to lower standards. Society had plenty to enjoy, the individual had leisure and could give time to indulgence. In this age, Vedic mantras were utilized for non-sacred practices. Vedic verses were separated from their sublime ideas and chanted at animal sacrifices.

The word, sacrifice, is sacred (non-violence) and does not mean the killing of animals, which were offered to different gods. The sacred names of God, which etymologically implied either some of the characteristics of God or referred to His noble actions were used to represent the many deities. The pure monotheism of the ancient Vedic religion was transformed into polytheism, the worship of many gods.

God is great and therefore known as Brahma. He is adorable and is known as Agni. He is the supreme consciousness and is, therefore, known as Indra. These names came to represent deities of independent heads. Sometimes they became presiding deities. There were different gods presiding over heaven, earth, water, rain, wind, fire and forest. Once this practice started there was no end to it.

After the ritualistic period came the impact of Art on religion. The Vedic mantras or verses were natural, beautiful poetry in their words, concepts and expressions. The misinterpretations of the philosophic discipline of these beautiful verses occurred over and over. The leisure and the static condition of society gave way to the development of art and aesthetics which spread to Egypt, Greece and Persia. During this period allegories and metaphors were already in Vedic literature and later in philosophical time the literature was used to illustrate certain view points.

These poetic metaphors were then stretched further by poets, painters and sculptors. In Greece, there were statues depicting such abstract ideas as love, passion, wrath and so on. In India abstract ideas were given special configurations. So imagination gave rise to many queer combinations. One can hardly resist the conclusion, at least in India, that mythology rose as a rotten remnant of the old philosophical living religion of the ancient Aryans.

Lord Shiva has the figure of a beautiful youth with serpents around his neck and a crescent on his head. His son Ganesha has the body of a man but the head of an elephant and he rides a rat. Brahma, the creator, has four faces. Lord Vishnu is shown as relaxing on the surface of waters. Goddess Sarasvati is a charming young lady with forehands playing the Veena, and Lord Sesa has the form of a serpent. This period of art, which had a mass appeal, made an enormous impact on religion. It became popular and naturally had a future.

Art dominated the advancement of Indian thought and gave rise to a form of worship. This was how idolatry started. In many countries it still persists in various forms today. The Greeks had their own deities; so did the nations of the Middle East. Roman Catholics also succumbed to the circumstances of art. Christ and the Holy Trinity, the Cross, the Mythologies of the Old Testament, old stories and some historical incidents, all became idolized in the hands of these artists. Central ideas were thrown into the background and spatial configurations dominated the worship. Music was introduced and also became an added luster.

The pure approach to the monotheistic concept was replaced by the devotional approach of a new kind. This was based on fancies and by and by, superstitions grew around aesthetics. Art led illiterate masses to credulity. Then credulity was exploited by those who has vested interests in churches, temples and the so-called places of worship. This happened in Jainism Superstition got further backing from non-philosophic concepts of God assuming forms of incarnation or of special messengers called prophets.

Thus the concept of a mediator between man and his God arose. Man became dominant and God was thrown in the background. Each church had a master and the master became more important than God Himself. Each church had a priest and the priest had his followers. The innocent masses were exploited by those who had vested interests. Conflicts after conflicts followed. History is rich in the accounts of these prejudices and quarrels which still continue to this day and seem never-ending.

FALL OF THE ARYANS

Superstitions in the form of religion became deep rooted in Indian society. This had a prejudicial and adverse effect on Indian society. Idol worship gave rise to temples which had the vested interests of the priests. The priests dominated the ideas of the masses and exploitation became rampant.

In ancient Vedic times India was known as Aryavarta till 5,000 years ago. The Aryans were the sovereign rulers of India and the rest of the world. It is from this country that all philosophy, arts and sciences that are extant. Amidst sporadic alternations of retrogression and decadence of civilization it will again fan out to different parts of the world.The English derived the rudiments of their civilization from the Romans, they from the Greeks, and the Greeks from the Egyptians, and the Egyptians from the Aryans.

Today scientists have no hard evidence for the origin of the advance technology that built the pyramids of Egypt, 4,000 years ago. Many wild theories were thrown out but there is one that stands out. The pyramids are assumed to be beacons containing some kind of energy force for guiding in some kind of air crafts. This high level of science introduces the wild assumption of alien space craft.

The striking analogies between the institutions of both India and Egypt, can probably attribute their construction to the advance Aryan science. These ancient scientists may have traveled by air. The word Vamuna, which means balloon, was frequently used in every Sanskrita (ancient history) work. This strongly supports the means by which Egypt was the first to receive Vedic Science from India.

French philosopher prayed to God thus:-

Mayest thou, O Lord, raise my country to that height of civilization and progress that had been attained by India in ancient times. [ii]

It is also recorded in the Indian epic Mahabharat (history of the great war) that Krishna and Arjuna went to America, known as Patala then, in a vessel propelled by electricity and brought the sage (altruistic teacher) Uddalaka to Emperor Yudhisththira's coronation. The king of Pandu was married to Madri, the daughter of the king of Persia (Iran). Prince Arjuna was married to princess Ulopi of Patala (America).Shuka, the son and student of the sage Vyaasa in America, travel to India through Europe, Middle-East and China.

It was the one only paramount power whose supremacy was acknowledged by the rulers of the whole world. The Great War occurred between the proud, unjust and ignorant and the righteous as described in the Mahabharat (The Great War). However, it was this event which brought King Bhagadatt of China, Babruvahan of America, Vidalakha (blue-eyes) of Europe - the ruler of Greece, King Shalya of Persia and various other leaders together.

Today ancient thirteen to eight thousand-year-old skeletal human remains discovered in North and South America, are confounding anthropologists. The dispute is whether they were Asians or Caucasoid or both. These discoveries are not about whether there was a creation or not, but it is solid proof of civilization in existence long before the Biblical account of creation. In the Archaeological discoveries of the Americas, the remnants of the Mayan and Inca have already shown the previous existence of an advanced civilization.

In Nevada, the wonder-house of Dame Nature's relics, John T. Reid has discovered a human footprint, a well made shoe-sole, he claims to be five million years old. In the Colorado Rockies, a figure claimed to be of pre-glacial man was discovered. It was represented as seated, with a tablet on which are drawn characters and figures. Beautifully wrought golden images were found in the Ohio Valley. The famous image from Narupa, Idaho is another puzzle that defies the theory of man's recent appearances. Pottery, mastodon's tusks and horses teeth was discovered at Charleston. These finds and new explorations authenticate the downward trend of an advance civilization.

It is the law of nature that the accumulation of wealth in a community above its needs and requirements brings in indolence, jealousy and mutual hatred. These combined with lustfulness, luxury and neglect of duty put an end to all sound learning and education.Society became usurped by evil customs, manners and practices like the use of meat and wine, child marriage and licentiousness.

It was a pity that such a jewel of a country (India) received such a rude shock that even to this day it has not recovered from its effects from the great war. The law of nature again dictates the sign of the decay of creation, for when the time of destruction is at hand, the intellect becomes perverted and people do foolish things. When most of the learned men, Kings and Emperors, sages and seers were killed or died in the Great War, the light of knowledge began to grow dim, and with it the dissemination of the Vedic Religion came to an end.

At the time, when the Europeans were no more than barbarians, the Africans, cannibals, and the natives of the Americas, belligerent, the numerous kingdoms of India, were an advanced civilization, ruled by kings and emperors. Excavations at Harappa in Punjab and at Mohenjodaro in Sindh province point also to the civilization in ancient India. Writes Sir John Marshal, Director General of Archeology in India:-

The drainage system in particular is extraordinarily well developed. Every street and alley way and passage seems to have had its own covered conduits of finely chiseled brick, laid with a precision which could hardly be improved on.

Most of the buildings are divided into good-sized rooms, furnished with their own wells and bathrooms, floored over with brick, and provided with covered drains connection with larger drains in the side streets. The existence of these roomy and well-built houses and relatively high degree of luxury...........seem to be taken a social condition of the people much in advance of what was then prevailing in Mesopotamia or Egypt.

The gold ornaments are so well furnished and so highly polished that they might have come out of a Bond Street jewelers of today than from a pre-historic house of 5,000 years ago. [iii]

Much later the tales of an advanced civilization sent European explorers scurrying in all directions of the globe for new wealth. The English, Dutch, Spanish, French and Portuguese, all made discoveries of a new world, new wealth and new land. This new found affluence gave rise to new nations and new empires, some small and some vast. More important, in the end, it brought coherency to an uncivilized world.

In 1517 the Spanish explorers were struck with disbelief by the advanced state a civilization far away from their own in Central America. Instead of naked and timid savages they were found to be governed by powerful monarchs. A system of government and established laws that promoted organized societies. Their skill in arts and manufacturing of magnificent dwellings dazzled the eyes of the new comers.

The city of Mexico with roads, thirty feet in width and extending two to three miles in length. The temples, the palaces and the houses of the aristocrats were gigantic and magnificent structures and the poorer class lived in little huts. The most striking was the great temple in the principle square called Teocalli[1], that is, the house of God. It was built in honor of Tezcatlopia, the Supreme Being and Maritli[2] the god of war. It consisted of a substituted pyramid formed by five terraces ascended by broad flights of steps. Its base was 318 feet long, and its perpendicular height 121 feet. On top of the pyramid were seated the sacrificial stone and statues of the Gods covered with plates of Gold.

All the continents were inhabited by Aryans. They were of Caucasoid, Asians or Orientals and Negroids of very early migration from Asia. But irreprehensible acquisitiveness and concupiscence for power destroyed what was a beautiful and benevolent world.

It is fully recognized today that when a country acquires perfection in military science, art of war and the army becomes powerful, pride and party spirit increase, and the ruler becomes unjust. They then lose all power either through mutual dissensions, or to a strong militaristic and power-thirsty man. This manner of despotism and totalitarianism continued on for over five thousand years as kingdom after kingdoms were seized.

ARYAN EMPEROR AND KINGS

A very ethereal and civilized era was on a gradual atavistic course. As recorded in The Light of Truth a total of about 124 Aryan kings and emperors ruled in Indraprastha (Modern Delhi), for a period of 4,157 years, 9 months and 14 days. This was from the time of the Emperor Yudhishthir, (approximately 5,000 years ago) down to that of the Emperor Yashpal (approximately 750 years ago).

Thirty Emperors belonging to the house of Yudhishthir ruled collectively for 1,770 years, 9 months and 10 days, and the last Emperor Kshemaka was killed by his prime minister, Vishrava who began to rule. Fourteen Emperors belonging to his house, ruled collectively for the next 500 years, 3 months and 1 day until Virasalasena was killed by his prime minister, Viramaha. The dynasty of Viramaha consisted of sixteen emperors who ruled for 445 years, 5 months and 3 days until King Dhanadhara of Prayag (Allahabad) killed emperor, Adiyaketu and began to rule in his place.

Dhanadhara's house of nine kings lasted for 374 years, 11 months and 26 days, when Samanta Mahanpal killed the Emperor Rajapala and reigned for 14 years until his death at the hands of King Vikramaditya of Avantika (Ujjain) whose reign lasted for 93 years. He was killed by Samudrapala Yogi of Paithana. Sixteen kings of his house ruled collectively for 372 years, 4 months, and 27 days.

The last of his dynasty, Vikrampala was killed in a battle against Malukh Chand, a king in West India, who house of sixteen kings ruled for 191 years, 1 month and 16 days. The last of his line Queen Padmavati was childless, and all her ministers unanimously placed Hari Prem Vairagee (a mendicant) on the vacant throne and began to rule. Four kings of his house ruled collectively for 50 years and 21 days.

King Mahabahu abdicated his throne and went to live in a forest in order to engage himself on Divine contemplation. Adhi Sena, King of Bengal, then took possession of the capital and began his reign. The oppressive Damodara Sena, the last of the line of twelve kings who ruled in Delhi for 151 years, 11 months and 2 days, was overthrown and killed by Dipa Singh, an ordinary nobleman, who convinced the army to join him.

There were 6 kings of his dynasty who collectively ruled for 107 years, 6 months and 22 days. Raja Jivan Singh was killed in battle against Prithvi Raj Chauhan, King of Vairat whose dynasty of 5 kings ruled for a period of 86 years and 20 days. During this era, many battles were fought against Muslim invaders beginning with Mahmud of Ghazni. The reign of the Aryan kings finally came to an end when Yashpala's kingdom was invaded by Sultan Shahab-ud-din Gaur. He was defeated, imprisoned in the fort of Prayaga in 1249 A. D. and thus began the Muslim dynasty of 45 kings which lasted well into the last century, a period of 613 years.

India was a great nation that came in contact with all types of influences, which reacted with our mode of living to a large extent during various ages. People became prey to mutual jealousy, hatred and vanity. The strong and power-hungry seized the country and proclaimed themselves, kings (dictators). Unity was destroyed and the country was divided into small independent states, which then became very weak and susceptible to foreign invasions from Greeks, Mongols, Muslims and finally the British.

The teachers (Brahmans, the highest caste) became destitute of knowledge; they learnt the Vedas just enough, in theory, to earn a livelihood and even that much they did not teach to the rest of the people. They became lascivious, deceitful, licentious, lazy and irreligious and declared themselves (Brahmans) worthy of homage.

As the ignorant became the teachers of the people, deceitfulness, fraud, hypocrisy and irreligion began to increase among them. The Brahmans began to teach that no one could go to heaven or attain salvation unless he had done service to the holy (Brahmans). Whatever they connived, the lower castes believed and so all were in their ensnared net of hypocrisy. They wrote many books, containing false statements. They attributed authorship of the great sages and seers of the past in order to stamp them with authority.

These books, containing irrational teachings, were passed off as the writings of the great Vedic seers and they were read out to the people. The Brahmans considered themselves the authority and none was above them, not even the rulers of that time. These false practices were not only flourishing in India but also the whole of Europe in a thousand different forms. The popes of Asia and Europe cast their net of hypocrisy and fraud, keeping the rulers and the ruled from acquiring new learning and associating with the good.

It is said in the Vedic text that only when teachers of the highest type are found in a country righteousness, wealth, gratification of legitimate desires and salvation are attainable, but the absence of good teachers and good disciples dense ignorance will prevails. Whenever good teachers are born who preach the truth, ignorance is dispelled and the light of truth begins to shine forth.

When the people were completely brought under subjection, knowledge, intellectual power, courage, and all other good qualities were lost. They became very negligent in their duty, and immersed in sensuality thus started the many sects of Hinduism in its most sensual forms. A few of these sects still exist, such as Jainism, where the priests practice their doctrine in complete nudity, and Shivling, worship of the Penis and Vagina of Lord Shiva and his wife Parbati respectively.

Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world. This is the unanimous view of all Eastern and Western scholars. The age of rituals, mythology, art, and music be-came part of Hinduism as we approached the space age. Sir Yamin Khan in his known work God, soul and Universe in Science and Islam wrote:-

"Originally the conception of God among the Hindus was right, when they believed Him to be Unit and Omnipresent, but when they started dividing Him into different shapes according to different functions which they considered He performed, they strayed far from their original conception. The result was that many who were heroes in their life time, were gradually turned into incarnations of God and idolatry increased." [iv]

He continued to write:-

"Many Hindus believe that all their sins are washed away by having a dip in the holy water of the Ganges. Thus it is seen that the great philosophical religion which conceived Unity of God in the beginning, brought up corruption and degradation of high ideas, when His attributes as the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer were divided and allotted to different deities possessing separate entities in different forms. Swami Dayananda Saraswati a man of great learning started preaching the old Religion of the Vedas which conceived Unity of God." [v]

It is clear from these passages that the inhabitants of India have, through ignorance, fallen into the abyss of superstitions and idol worship; the source of all other religious dogmas.

There are many forms of deity worship, practiced by many denominations and which consists of their numerous gods which took many forms; human (male and female) and animal (Elephants, monkeys, snakes, rats, etc.). Each form is said to represent the different attributes, characteristics and nature of One God. The largest denominations consist of the Jains, Charvaka, Vama Marga, Puranics, Krishna Consciousness and Vedanta.

The followers of Hinduism are taught that only the Saints and Sages of yore can comprehend God as All-pervading and Omnipresent. However, for them, idol-worship is a lower stage in attaining higher truths. Still, these ideas of many gods have become so soothing to the eyes and ears that the intoxication is irresistibly strong. Believers who are imbibed in divine vibrations and sanctity will continue to accept such an irrational dogma even if it should cost them their lives.

But unlike other religions Hinduism does not encourage converts. It preaches secularism and no one is bound by it or compelled or forced to join. The degraded system of idol-worship did not deter India from adamantly upholding the true principle of non-violence. It was a principle that failed her many times too during her years of decadence through disrespect. History speaks of her battles only in the self-defense of her culture and sovereignty. Hinduism never claims that the Hindu alone will be saved and not others. Says Vyasa,

"We find perfect men even beyond the pale of our caste and creed." [vi]

A Hindu worships many Gods in various forms strictly through devotion. In this way, they will always remain static. Many Hindu scholars contend that man can realize his divine nature with the help of an image. They further contend that it is not an error to truth, but, a step from lower to higher truth. They maintain that the many attempts of the human soul to grasp the Supreme Brahman can be realized by all religions, from the lowest fetishism to the highest absolutism, each determined by its stage of progress at the different conditions of birth and association.

There is some truth in this, but life imprisonment can never be preferable to five or ten years in jail. One must always grasp for higher learning. The knowledge of only the alphabet in one's whole life won't be of much benefit to one. It is definitely to one's advantage in one's endeavor to make a strenuous effort to advance oneself always.

A solid effort must be put forth to explore the truth by reasoning. The Vedas are a very disciplined path to spirituality in its true sense and leaves no room for compromises. The truth is the truth in every conceivable way; there is no lesser truth or higher truth. The Vedic religion is a confident assertion of Supreme manhood, an assertion full of dignity and independence.

Hindus perceived that heaven as very simple to achieve through devotion; e.g. taking a dip in the Ganges (in this way many animals can go too), renouncing all material wealth at old age, and going on Holy pilgrimage. Many believe salvation can be gained from a priest through formulas and rituals and not necessarily through austerity. The heavens of the different sects of Hinduism differs in many respects.

The Jains believe their heaven consists of going to Shivpuri and sitting there quietly on a platform called the stone of salvation. The religion of the Vama Margis flourished in the eighteen century and their heaven is goingto Shripur. Amazingly, what would be deemed sudden hell for us now, was the criteria for their heavenly abode. Their salvation consisted of consuming meat and alcohol, listening and singing romantic songs and enjoying promiscuous sex with women who could even be their mothers or sisters.

They look upon all men as Mahadeva or Vishnu (Gods), and all women as Parvati or Lakshmi (Goddesses) and enjoy themselves with one another. They maintain that there is no disease in heaven and that you will always remain young. When the ignorant are guided by such sensual enjoyment to salvation is it any wonder why so many are attracted to it?

The Shivites, Vaishnavites, and the Gosaaeens are promised enjoyable life by means of beautiful wives with pretty dresses. The dwelling consisted of luxurious houses and dining in delicious food and drinks.

The Puranics believe in many kinds of salvation. They find residence in the same world with God, living with Him as His younger brother and becoming Godlike in nature. The closeness to God is like a servant living near his master brings an intimate union with God.

This particular sect of Hinduism is surrounded with mythologies. But it does not bother the faithful in any conceivable way as they stress devotion and not reasoning. To a Hindu, the chanting or listening to chants of mantras of the Puranas, Ramayan and Gita, accompanied by music is devotion enough. For him, there is no need to enter into an intellectual debate with logics.

The mythologies of the Puranas (one of Hindu's sacred scripture) are mystically intriguing and to dispute such myth is considered blasphemy. Many of their incarnations and saints were not born but created one after the other out of thin air. Anjani was impregnated by seminal fluid poured into her ears. She gave birth to Hanoman, their monkey-God who swallowed the sun at one time and the earth is supported by a bull, standing on a turtle. There are many such myths present in the Hindu theology.

The sacred book, the Bhagvat, gives the story of creation as a lotus sprung from the navel of Vishnu (God of sustenance) and Brahma (Creator) out of the lotus. Swayambhava (One who is self-existent) came out of the right big toe of Brahma's right foot. The queen Satyrupa came out of his left great toe. From his forehead were born ten sons such as Rudra and Marichi who begot ten Prajapatis whose thirteen daughters were married to Kashyapa.

Out of these thirteen wives of Dashyapa, Diti gave birth to fiends, Danu to demons, Aditi to the sun, Vinata to Birds and Dadru to snakes. Sharma gave birth to dogs and jackals, and others to elephants, horses, donkeys, buffaloes, grass, straw and trees, etc.

In this modern age is there anyone who really believe such nonsense from the idiotic authors of the Bhagvat. This was the backwardness of the masses, when true knowledge died. The cunning imbeciles took advantage of this scenario to enhance their own greedy life styles. This pattern of greed and ignorance became the stigma of future dogmas to come.

In the Markandeya Purana, the section devoted to the goddess Durga, it is stated that out of the bodies of the gods came forth light. This light formed a goddess who killed a demon called Mahishasura or Raktabija. A drop of blood fell from his body and many demons were produced to fill the whole world.

In the second chapter of the Shrimad Bhagavat, Narayana blesses Brahma saying, Thou shalt never be a victim to infatuation, either during Creation or Dissolution.� In the tenth chapter, it says Brahma stole calves through infatuation. When this book teaches that there is no love, hate, anger, jealousy or pain in heaven (Baikuntha), why did Sanaka and others become angry at the gate of heaven. It is simple logic that if anger was there it was certainly no heaven.

In the Bhagavat, Hiranyaksha folded the earth and made a pillow of it which he placed under his head and went to sleep. Vishnu incarnated himself as a boar and caught hold of the earth from under his head. This woke him. A battle began and Hiranyaksha was killed. When Hiranyaksha rolled up the earth into a pillow and placed it under his head, what did he sleep on and what did the boar walk on to engage him in battle? There was no end to irrationalities, as the Puranas and other such books were put together by these misguided infidels.

Prahlada, the son of Hiranyaksha was a great devotee of Narayana. When his father sent him to school he would ask his teachers to write the word Ram (another Hindu God), his father's enemy, on his slate and it would infuriate his father. He simply would not obey his father who had him tied up and pushed from the top of a mountain into a well. He remained unhurt.

The father's second attempt to punish him fair no better, by embracing a red-hot iron pillar, daring his God, Rama to save him. Prahlada had doubts, but Narayana (a God) made rows of ants to crawl on the pillar as a protector from the heat.

The pillar then burst and a lion came out of it and ripped open his father's abdomen. It then began to lick Prahlada lovingly and ask him to make a wish. He then requested his father to be saved and the lion blessed him saying that twenty-one of his forefathers have been saved. How on earth can these things be true? It is beyond comprehension that people in this day and age believe and accept such ridiculous stories.

Another story of the Bhagvat was about Ajamil who named his son Narayana at the sage Narada's advice. When he was dying, he shouted for his son (by name) and in came Narayan (the God) instead of his son. Since Narayana was supposed to be God he should have known that Ajamil was calling for his son. If calling the name of the Lord is such a meritorious act as evidenced by the above story, why does Narayana not come now and relieve those who call his name of pain and misery?

The dimension of the Sumeru mountain given in the Bhagvat Puran differs a great deal with the teaching of the Science of Astronomy. Oceans were caused by the tracks of the wheels of King Priyabrata's carriage. The earth was 2,450,000, 000 miles in diameter. There are countless numbers of such absurdities in all the Hindu Puranas.

In a land where ignorance has no bounds, even a rogue with a few of followers can be called a saint. This happened all over India in the past centuries and is still prevailing in our supposedly modern world where sciences and logics have rightly disputed these irrationalities. Many of these swindlers like Prabhupada, Rajnishi and Sai Baba were able to make their cult known in a gullible Western society where they amassed great fortunes.

To do good to the world is to enlighten mankind and bring them out of pain and miseries, rather than leaving them to the grace of God. It is only through the wisdom of God, can man understand his mistakes. It is imperative to disseminate the Vedic knowledge and assist in liberating souls and at the same time elevate your own soul.

However, in Hinduism, Hindus are known for punishing the body through several means like hunger, thirst, child labor, lack of medical care and destitution. Relief from these impediments they believe is denied them not intentionally but condemned to such miseries through faith or karma. The consolation of a better life in the next birth, absorbs the present pains and miseries.

There is profound awareness that a past sinful life is the cause of the present miseries and they have come to reap the fruits of those sins. The Hindus believe that the soul is divine and is only in bondage of matter (the body). When this bond of imperfection is broken, one will enjoy freedom from death and misery. Their belief in reincarnation and their sacred respect for the cow gives them hope for prosperity in the next life to come.

The miseries that predominate these believers are on the rise as the population increases but the mode of worship continues the same way. The true path, which they have strayed from over the centuries is still within their grasp and it seems that only a handful will seek it. They were taught that external worship, material worship is the lowest stage; struggling to rise high. Mental prayer is the next stage, but the highest stage is when the true Lord has been realized.

This concept of divine upliftment is perfect for the weak, but the second stage must be achieved to reach a higher level in the next birth. Devotion of their whole lives to idols or material worship is condemnation to further miseries in this life and many to come. But those who profess to be teachers, prophets and saints are the astronomical sinners. They are preparing bags of miseries for the future, since their irrational teachings are solely responsible for the ignorance of the masses.

"They are enveloped in darkness in other words are steep in ignorance and sunk in the greatest depths of misery who are wedded to the path of ignorance (rituals without knowledge); but those who wedded to knowledge without action are enveloped in still greater darkness." [vii]

These incarnations of false Gods will have to shoulder the burden for all the miseries of the world. Many such prophets have appeared through out the ages in all religions. The abundance of illiterates due to poverty and destitution became the gullible multitudes, the main source of recognition for these hypocrites. The display of large gatherings by the poor unfurls a counterfeit quality of reverence. This places the onus of giving to put gold in their coffers. The intention of inclining towards the affluent has also become a common mission for these transgressors as they are heavily rewarded in return for a promised salvation.

Their wealth which was accumulated in all disdain for health and piety has brought many worldly fame and momentary pleasure, but no real (inner) happiness. Many of the rich are now trying to find a place with God in the hereafter by donating large sums of money to these messianic deceits. The government, on the other hand, lends a helping hand by blessing it with tax deductions for the donors and tax-free for the institutions that receive it.

SIRDI SAI BABA

Another such recreant in India, is Sirdi Sai Baba who has a following of perhaps one or two million people. They see him as God, the creator of the universe or cosmic avatar (God incarnate). The number would have been greater, had he not erected a well-guarded compound to keep the hungry poverty-stricken masses out. If it is true that "God helps those who help themselves" then who helps the helpless? Naturally not Sai Baba. Why would God want to fence himself in to avoid the poor? It is very simple he is not God, which is difficult for the gullible to recognize.

His followings are scattered throughout the world and invitations to visit the West are usually turned down because of a busy schedule in India. How busy can God get? Sai Baba does not welcome any debate on his omniscient or omnipotent attributes as English is not his language and no interpreter can be accurate he claims. The slow process of learning English holds a great expectation for his western followers in the future.

He has healed the sick, raised the dead, brought gold and food from a piece of rock, and foretold the future for many. Is Sai Baba God or Magician? If this God can do all these things, why is India not free from hunger and poverty, and diseases and death? Sai Baba has been incarnated three times but does not know if he will be incarnated again. If this god does not know his future how can he tell the future of others?

MAITREYA

Maitreya, who is deemed the planetary incarnation of Krishna, is a new comer who bluntly countenances devotees to follow their present dogmas. If this is his message why do we need him to tell us so? It seems that the prophets of the past were not very persuasive in their messages. All prophets and incarnations of the past and present were given recognition by the number of followers they had. How this imbecile is going to make it without followers is beyond all that is intelligent.

It is repugnant to the Western world to decry the poverty and calamities of the Hindus since the Christian doctrine of a Merciful and compassionate God is helpless in their times of troubles also. Would they be able, with their God and all the technology available to them, to find a solution for such rampant dearth and destitution when their population reaches a billion? Wherever there is misery, it is the result of man's ineptitude to grasp the truth.

The pain and suffering that follow must be rationally and courageously accepted as God's divine justice. On the other hand, when there are only virtuous actions, no one has to endure pain and suffering throughout one's life. The past is gone, and the present is here to take care of the future. Accepting the moral and ethics of the one true religion, which is in harmony with science, can best prepare the mind, body and soul for a future of happiness.

Undoubtedly, India can boast or pride herself in being the most secular nation in the whole world. Refugees of religious persecution in all religions including Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Muslims and Buddhists all took refuge in India. Throughout the ages, religious tolerance has become a universal message. There are thousands or perhaps millions of temples, churches and mosques, an exploitation no other nation in the world can surpass.

Almost a billion people engage in some form of spiritual worship. This takes place in temples, mosques, synagogues and churches, homes, factories, along river banks, in forest or mountains, streets, in trains, buses, wherever they may be. One can easily relate to such profound symbolatry as truly a divine paradise for the seekers of spirituality. But strangely and unfortunately, it was not meant to be so.

The prevailing conditions of India have cleared the oppugnancies that all religious dogmas do lead ultimately to God (Salvation). The practices of these doctrines have definitely proved that destitution is a languishing pain for the poor, and happiness, a distant dream for the privileged. The diminished glorious ages of India, once the cradle of civilization, where only one people worshipped one God, is long gone.

Our civilization is on an inevitable destructive course, which will eventually lead to the beginning of another primitive era. Again, many will be led to believe that it is the beginning of creation, and credulity will continue to rear its ugly head as it happens before. Nevertheless, it will be India, without doubt, that will always continue to be the progenitor of the human race.Speaking about the religion of the Vedas and the Bible, Schopenhauer, who has washed himself clean of all philosophy that cringes before these superstitions, says:-

"In India, our religion (Bible) will now and never strike root; the primitive wisdom of the human race will never be pushed aside by the events of Galilee. On the contrary, Indian wisdom will flow back upon Europe, and produce a thorough change in our knowing and thinking." [viii]

The ancient civilizations of the Romans, Egyptians, the Aztec of Central America, Minoan the civilization of Crete and those in South Western Europe have faded into oblivion. The advance and magnificent architectures, arts and even their culture has completely disappeared with the only history to remind us of their glorious past. The same cannot be said of India. She stands tall with her culture still intact, ready to begin her gradual ascent once again.

During her years of thralldom India was able to re-ignite some of her glory in some form of dignity and always free herself of foreign subjugation. This can mainly be to the credit of the divine motherhood qualities still practice by virtue of her once glorious culture. As Dayanand boldly put it.

"If the Hindu States have not yet been blotted out of existence, it is because the Hindu Ranis (Queens) are still patterns of virtue. But for this the debauchery of the nobles and chiefs would long have worked their ruin!" [ix]

Whatever optimum of sanctity the world holds today in society and family can be to the credit of women who are undeniable the epitomes of ethics and morals. The incorrupt and moral quality of leadership, in comparison to their male counterparts, is always impeccable and incontestable and their role as should always be encouraged.

India's destitution is the nemesis, the well-deserved hell, for the great masses of souls responsible for its decadence. Her graceful but reluctant submission to foreign invasions has failed to shake her indelible mystery. Although, the mass failure, by outside expectations, only she holds the mystery of all ethics, morals and sciences, the one true path to salvation. Is it tenable on the part of anyone to tread the credulous paths of miseries, births after births, ages after ages?

[1]This word is directly related to the Sanskrit word Devalaya with the same meaning. This is the link to Indo-Aryan civilization.

[2] This word is connected with the Sanskrit word Marutvan, one of the names of Indra.(One who is All-powerful)