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 that his 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.