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Dear Sriman Sudarshan,

Thanks for sharing your observation.
I have couple of comments:

FIRST on the apourusheyatva concept:

We have made too much out of apourusheyatva of the Vedas.
If we use the word revelation- they understand apourusheya better.
 After all every mantra in the Rg Veda has a RSHi associated with it.
It is considered inappropriate to utter a mantra without also invoking 
RShi's name.
It was revealed to them in deep contemplation.

Our religion is served  in at least 6 modes:
1. Taught directly by God in person (example: Bhagavadgita).
2.  Revaled to aspirants in their deep contemplation (example Vedas + 
numerous ashareera vANis).
3. Recollected by aspirants (Brahma Sutras, Puranas, itihasas, etc.)
4. Open  dialog/discussion between aspirants in a close setting 
(Upanishads)
5. Through the works of Innumerable number of Gurus
6. Intuition (Ramakrishna Pramahans, RamaNa MahaRshi, Rajaneesh...)

However, if we consider only Prasthana thrayas (Gita, Brahma Sutras, 
Major Upanishads) they arrived by Route #1,3, and 4.

In contrast to this:
Old testament arrived by route #2; Thus Judaism by Route #2
New Testamnet arrived by Route #1: Thus Christianity by Route #1 and #2
Koran by route #2 (Just one aspirant)

Seems to me that apourusheyatva is  true more so for the Abrahamic 
religions than for our religion!

Thus by giving examples from their own tradition, we can explain 
apourusheyatve of the Vedas.
Whole of Koran was revealed to prophet Mohammed. It is word of Allah 
and
not of the Prophet. So the Prophet here is just like our Vedic RSHi.
They offer prayers to Allah and not to the Prophet.
Likewise Moses and host of Prophets in the Bible. God spoke to them
(revealed to them). Like their  Ten commandments were given to moses by 
Jehova
and Moses put it  to pen (he wrote the first 5 books of the Old 
Testament).
They don't bow to Moses or Abraham, rather to God of Abraham!
Jesus is God in flesh who taught. He is the only example in the 
Abrahamic
religions. We have Krishna, God in flesh who gave us Bhagavadgita,
we do have numerous other instances of god appearing in flesh.


SECOND on their ignorance an dour wide knowledge:

>>>In comparison, the average
Indian mind's knowledge of Christianity or Buddhism, I
would venture to say, is almost encyclopaedic.<<

Just another way of looking at the situation!

My general observation is that the Hindus on the whole have very little 
comprehension of any religion,
including Hinduism. We know Jesus, Mohammed, Moses, Christmas, Id etc., 
because Muslims and Christians were
our masters.  A dAsa naturally knows more about the master, than the 
other way. For quite some time, we are
only preoccupied with defending our lands, even as we speak,  let alone 
not conquor any new territories.
When they say  Christmas, Id  or Hanukkah, we say festival of lights! 
Now we wonder how come we Hindus know Christmas,
but the Westerbers haven't heard of Deepavali, Srijayanti or Andal 
ThiruvAdipooram.

An average Muslim, Jew or Christian at least has better understanding 
of  essentials of their respective faiths.
They can explain to anybody in under 5 minutes the essentials of their 
faith, without making excuses
or sounding defensive. Try to get a Hindu explain Hinduism in a 
comprehensive manner and do justice to Hinduism
  at the same time. Let alone common folks, even our best scholars and 
Achaaryas can not do this. At the best they
may be able to explain  a particular sub sub-sect of Hinduism and 
proclaim that as the whole truth. Even
that they can not explain to a novice.

There are more noteworthy Western scholars of Hinduism (including the 
few you have mentioned), whom we
quote widely, than you can find a noteworthy Hindu scholar of Western 
religions. M.K. Gandhi said he did not
see any difference between Koran and Bhagavadgita (many run of the mill 
Hindus echo this conclusion);
  I have never heard a  Muslim, Christian or Jew or any western scholar 
who makes such claims!
Thus, you may say that Hindus have a broader knowledge even if it is  
wrong.
I would any time take a Muslim, Christian, or a Jew who says he has not 
heard of Vedas or Bhagavadgita
than a Hindu who says there is no difference beyween Vedas, Gita, Bible 
and Koran.

I have  pondered on how to explain Hinduism in a concise manner to 
anybody and have put together
three levels of presentations.
1. HINDUISM PDF
2. AEIOUY PDF
3. Hinduism presentation PDF

Hope the bhagavathas will find it beneficial.
This is a working document- any feed back to improvise it i smuch 
appreciated.

dAsan

K.S. tAtAchAr




 
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