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Ramanuja List Archive: Message 00064 Sep 2002

 
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The Term VEDIC and word Hindu
Q1: In the USA, bhakti, Yoga, Kundalini, Vedas, etc., all seemed to be labeled
under the umbrella of Hinduism. What is Vedics and where do you stand with the
term Hindu? How can we understand the Hindu religion?
Vedics: What you say is somewhat true. All of these various practices and
beliefs can be labeled under as coming from one source. But, this source is the
Vedas and the universal truths that are contained in them, not the religion
that we now call ?Hinduism?. 

Most lay followers of Vedic truth today take it to mean rites, rituals,
traditional foods, and cultural celebrations of selected holidays, in which one
wears dressy costumes and dons a religious mark on his/her forehead. Others
see it to be some sort of mystical meditation that awakens one to a higher
sense of human potential and power. 
These cultural understandings of our ancient truths describe what has come to
be known as Hinduism. But, virtually all of these are based merely on popular
customs, notions that are the result of talking, speculating, or reading
books. They have little to offer in terms of spiritual fulfilment or God
realization. 

One can NOT learn Vedic religion in the true sense simply by reading up and
following these customs. 

Q1A: Can you explain why we cannot understand this by reading up?

Can you understand the taste of sugar without actually experiencing it
yourself?
Can you understand the feeling of being asleep, without actually sleeping?
Can you know what it is to feel joy without actually experiencing it? 
Think about it.

One cannot become a doctor without first learning medicine from another doctor;
one cannot become a lawyer before apprenticing under an experienced attorney.

In the same way one has to Learn the Vedic religion from a True Teacher, 
and Live and practice the Vedic religion in order to fully experience and
appreciate it.

Vedic religion is one that is based on the Vedas, and all Vedics believe in the
Vedas and strive to apply the Vedic age-old wisdom in their lives.




Q 2: Then Hinduism and Vedics are not opposed to each other? 

No, not at all. It is only that Vedics are seeking to understand the Vedas 
in a more meaningful way, a way that can be more applicable to daily life. 

And the first step towards this is to recognize how Vedic life is different
from the so-called ?Hinduism? of today. 
In fact, our Acharyas never use the term ?Hinduism? when they speak of our
faith or its followers. They all prefer that we use the term Sanathana Dharma
(everlasting path) or Vaidikam when we refer to our faith, and prefer that we
call ourselves Vaidikas or Vedics.


Contd on part II

azhwAr emperumAnAr JeeyAr thiruvadigalE sharanam

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan
Mukundan Vangkipuram Pattangi
http://www.radioramanuja.com




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