Sage Sankara endeavored toward establishing the Vedic religion and overthrowing Buddhism. But even he was not able to avoid the influence of Buddhism. The influence of the revolutionary atmosphere of Buddhism has reappeared in the Advaita of Sage Sankara. His inability to revive the Vedic religion that flourished before the Buddhist revolution in its pure form is discernible.
Hinduism has a multiplicity of Gods and Goddesses. Hinduism abjures all divides and separates. Hinduism is a group of sects with different beliefs and ideologies founded by different founders in different regions of India.
India has never attacked any other country in past history but has been invaded again and again and again.
Hindus believe in the doctrine of reincarnation. This is the belief that each of us has a soul and that our souls are involved in a cycle of birth, death, and rebirth.
Reincarnation is tied closely to the doctrine of karma. Karma is the belief that the actions during the previous life determine the conditions of each person's birth.
Hinduism is the only religion that has not reduced itself to one man, one scripture, and one faith because it has many sects, diverse beliefs and many founders of the sect in different regions of India.20% of the people on this planet are Hindus. Hinduism is non-Vedic. "Know Thyself" is the quintessence of Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.
Vedic religion or Santana Dharma has no founder, whereas Hinduism is identified with its founders.
Vedic religion or Santana Dharma is the world's oldest religion. Sanatana Dharma encourages people to seek the ultimate truth and each individual must realize this truth through his or her own systematic effort. The Upanishads are based on the insights of the sages and seers and serve primarily as a guidebook. One has to accept Ultimate reality as Brahman or God.
The Aryans of north India were later influenced by the Dravidic-Mundic natives giving birth to Hinduism. Of course, in later centuries other peoples also invaded/migrated bringing other influences/mixing.
The Aryans associated with the Rig Veda and Sapta Sindhu were definitely not Hindu because they did not follow the Hindu caste system, they ate beef, sacrificed cows, culturally were closer to Avestan Iranians, forbade idolatry, etc. Also, not a single Hindu idol/temple has been excavated from the Rig Vedic Aryan period.
As per Prof. Norman Brown:~ “The evidence of the Rig Veda shows that during the centuries when the Aryans were occupying Punjab and composing the hymns of the Rig Veda, the northwest part of the subcontinent was culturally separate from the rest of India. The closest cultural relations of the Indo-Aryans at that period were with the Iranians, whose language and sacred texts are preserved in the various works known as the Avesta, in inscriptions in Old Persian, and in some other scattered documents. So great is the amount of material common to the Rig Veda Aryans and the Iranians that the books of the two peoples show common geographic names as well as deities and ideas”.
As per A. L. Stravrianos on the non-Hindu nature of Rig Vedic Aryans:~ "The word Veda means knowledge. There were originally four Vedas, but the most important is the Rigveda, which is also the oldest. The Rigveda is a primary source for the study of the early Aryans; it is, in essence, a collection of 1028 hymns arranged in ten books. Per the Vedas, Aryans worshiped elements of nature in personified forms, and idolatry was forbidden.
"In Rig Veda, the Gods of Dyaus is the same as the Greek Zeus (Roman Jupiter), Mitra is the same as the Graeco-Roman Mithras, Ushas is the same as the Greek Eos (Roman Aurora), and Agni is the same as the Graeco-Roman Ignis.
"The image of the Aryans that emerges from Vedic literature is that of a virile people, fond of war, drinking, chariot racing, and gambling. Their god of war, Indra, was an ideal Aryan warrior: ‘he dashed into battle joyously, wore golden armor, and was able to consume the flesh of three hundred buffaloes and drink three lakes of liquor at one time.
"When they first arrived in South Asia the Aryans were primarily pastoralists. Their economic life centered around their cattle and wealth was judged based on the size of herds. As the newcomers settled in fertile river valleys, they gradually shifted more to agriculture. They lived in villages consisting of several related families. Several villages comprised a clan, and several clans a tribe, at the head of which was the king. The king’s authority depended on his personal prowess and initiative and was limited by the council of nobles, and in some tribes by the freemen.
"The outstanding characteristic of this early Aryan society was its basic difference from the later Hinduism. Cows were not worshiped but eaten. Intoxicating spirits were not forsaken but joyously consumed. There were classes, but no castes and the priests were subordinate to the nobles rather than at the top of the social pyramid. In short, Aryan society resembled much more the contemporary Indo-European societies than it did Hinduism that was to develop in later centuries in the Gangetic Valley."
Further supports how a few Aryans who later migrated eastward towards India slowly became Hindu because of Dravidic-Mundic influences: - ”The castes were hardened by the time the Aryans occupied the middle land i.e., the Gangetic Valley and distinguished themselves from their brethren in Sind and the Punjab who were despised by them for not observing the rules of caste .... and for their non-Brahmanical character.” (Sindhi Culture, By U.T. Thakur)
While some Aryans had by now expanded far into India, their old home in the Punjab, Sind, and the northwest was practically forgotten. Later Vedic literature mentions it rarely and then usually with disparagement and contempt, as an impure land where sacrifices are not performed.” (The Wonder that was India, By A.L. Bhasham)
Dr. Gurupdesh Singh: ~ "From geographical information in the Rig Veda, the Vedic Period (1500-500 BC) was confined to the northwest. The hymns composed by Vedic mystics/poets of the northwest (Saptha Sindhva) tell that the Vedic peoples worshipped non-Brahmanical Gods (Indra, Varuna, Mitra), ate cows, elected their chiefs, drank liquor, considered the Punjab rivers to be sacred, and refer to people living to the south in the Gangetic region as 'Dasyas'! None of the Gangetic Brahmanical Gods (e.g Ram, Krishna, Vishnu, Brahma, etc.) are mentioned in Rig Veda hymns nor do they appear in connected Aryan Avestan texts and Hittite tablets. Avestan terms for soldiers ('rathaestar') and citizens ('vastriyo') are similar to Vedic-derived terms (Kshatriyas, Vaishyas) but the Avestan term for the priest ('athravan') is not even close to 'Brahmanas'. Moreover, central Gangetic religious texts like the Mahabharata and VarnaAshramDharma of Manu call the Vedic Aryans in Saptha Sindhva 'mlechas', 'Sudra' and 'vratyas'; 'forbid Brahmins' from even visiting the northwest country ('Vahika-desa'), and depict dark Dravidian Gods like Krishna fighting and defeating Vedic Aryan Gods like Indra (Mahabharata). Similarly, the Rig Veda contains taboos and injunctions against the 'dasya-varta' region to the south of Saptha Sindhva and praises Indra (god of the thunderbolt) for victories over 'dasya-purahs' (dasya cities).
"Both early Rig Vedic and Gangetic Puranic sources clearly point to ethnic, cultural, and religious differences and a 'clash of civilizations and nations' at the Ganga indicating that the Vedic people and culture of the northwest did not accept the Gangetic priests, their Gods, Shastras, religion, culture and Brahmanical caste ideology. The eastern Gangetic heartland is not only historically a separate region but geographically resides over 1500 miles to the southeast of the Saptha Sindhva country. Uptil the advent of Mohammed Ghori in the 13th century, the northwest was politically unified with South Asia only 92 years under the Mauryas (out of 27 centuries) since the start of Saptha Sindhva’s Vedic period (1500 BC).
"A few Vedic tribes from Saptha Sindhva broke Rig Vedic norms and migrated southward. These numerically outnumbered groups expanding into the trans-Gangetic region near the end of the Vedic period (8-6th century BC) tried to use the indigenous Dravidian priesthood to entrench themselves as the new ruling order. Within a few generations of acquiring control over the foreign Gangasthan, the minority Vedic tribes were usurped by the indigenous 'borrowed' priesthood; their Aryan religion, Gods, and customs were mostly deposed and supplanted with indigenous Gangetic Gods and mythologies, and their new social order (varna or color based) replaced with the pre-existing profession (jati) based Brahmanical caste system ('chatur-varna' ). Through religious manipulation and intrigue, the Vedic in-comers to Gangasthan were usurped and made to surrender their political rule and soon pigeon-holed into becoming the loyal obedient chowkidars of their 'superior' dravidic Brahmanas."
Now coming to idolatry which is an integral part of Hinduism there is clear evidence of early Aryans rejecting it:
“They are enveloped in darkness, in other words, are steeped in ignorance and sunk in the greatest depths of misery who worship the uncreated, eternal prakrti~the material cause of the world place of the All-pervading God, but those who worship visible things born of the Prakrti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God are enveloped in still greater darkness, in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time.”~Yajur Veda 40:9.
“The Formless Supreme Spirit that pervades the universe can have no material representation, likeness or image.”~ Yajur Veda 32:3.
Also, early Aryans had a Monist belief in worshipping elements of nature (in non-idolatrous personified forms): “There is only one God, worship Him” (Rig Veda, Vol. 6, Hymn 45 vs 16) and “Do not worship anyone besides Him” (Rig Veda Bk. 8, Hymn 1, Vs 1)
Then there is clear evidence in the Rig Veda that Aryans regularly ate beef and sacrificed cows for religious purposes which are strictly forbidden in Hinduism:-
Hymn CLXIX of the Rig Veda says: ~ "May the wind blow upon our cows with healing; may they eat the herbage ... Like-colored various-hued or single-colored whose names through sacrifice are known to Agni, Whom the Angirases produced by Ferbvour - vouschsafe to these, Parjanya, great protection. Those who have offered to the Gods their bodies whose varied forms are all well known to Soma" [The Rig Veda (RV), translated by Ralph H. Griffith, New York, 1992, p. 647].
In the Rig Veda (RV: VIII.43.11):~ Agni is described as "fed on ox and cow" suggesting that cattle were sacrificed and roasted in the fire.
Rigveda (10/85/13):~ “On the occasion of a girl’s marriage oxen and cows are slaughtered”, and Rigveda (6/17/1) states that; ~ “Indra used to eat the meat of cow, calf, horse, and buffalo.”
Quoting from Rigveda, historian H. H Wilson writes, “The sacrifice and consumption of horse and now appear to have been common in the early periods of the Aryan culture.”
Conclusion:~
Every religion is identified with a set of beliefs and customs making it distinct and recognizable from others, including Hinduism.
Different people and different religions can claim their beliefs and customs evolving, but when a change occurs it represents a new identity. For example, Catholic Christianity is not the same religion as ancient Roman Paganism. Therefore, since the Vedic religion or Sanatana Dharma was very different from Hinduism's beliefs and customs, Vedic people cannot be Hindus. Hinduism was born in later centuries. Vedic people never call themselves Hindus.
Hinduism is based on myths and thus people of India are unaware of the facts of their inherited religious history. The Vedic Culture and Vedas are complete in themselves, but Hinduism which is a non-Vedic belief system with all its ritual and conduct-oriented practices has been contributed largely by the orthodox priests to suit their convenience!
Vedas are in the Vedic language which was a high-class language. Rig Veda (excluding chapters II and X) were written before the Christian Era in the Vedic language. Vedic language is not Sanskrit. It is the same language in which the Zoroastrian Scripture Zend Avesta is written – a form of Persian language. All the other scriptures of India are written in Sanskrit.
These include Rig Veda Chapters II and X and the Upanishads, Brahmanas, Puranas, and the Vedantas. These were written during the Christian Era after the Thomas ministry. As the use of this language diminished, it became a tough language for the commoners. The priests, who were supposed to be an expert in this language, translated it into the Sanskrit language and manipulated the meanings in time, and gradually, all the practices changed.
The DaVita, Vedanta borrows the concept from Abrahamic religions, such as Eternal Damanation (of certain souls destined to hell forever) which goes against the belief of most Vedanta schools, which state that soul attains liberation.
It looks like the creator-creation theory is also borrowed from Abrahamic religion and on the base, a new belief system has been introduced giving it a Vedic outlook and propagating all non-Vedic rituals and worships by someone in the past.
St. Thomas is said to have come to India to spread Christianity in the first century AD. It first spread among the people of the Malabar coast and in areas near present-day Madras.
There is a total discontinuity in the concept of God before and after the entry of St, Thomas. As one goes in deeper into the annals of religious history then we become aware of the fact that the Vedic gods were personifications of Nature and their worship essentially sacrifices to these Natural Forces to appease them. All of a sudden by the first century, we encounter Vedantas. Vedanta literally means “End of the Vedas,” though it is today interpreted as "the essence of Vedas."
Vedanta, which appeared as theological discourse, presents a supreme Godhead, “Para Brahman’. Such an idea was not even remotely conceivable in the Vedic context.
New Gods like Maheshwar and Vishnu appeared. The concept of Maheshwar. Vishnu means Sky or Heavens. Vishnu simply means the God of Heaven lies or one who pervades everything. Then we have the concept of incarnation – God taking flesh in human form to save humanity. All these suddenly appeared after the entry of St, Thomas.
This was also the time when most of the Vedic gods passed into oblivion. Their place was taken by the trinity of gods, with Brahma as the creator, Vishnu the preserver, and Shiva the destroyer. It is believed that when evil is rampant, various incarnations of Vishnu enter the world of men to save them. Krishna is one such 'avatar'.
There are many contradictions, Brahma Vishnu and Maheshwar are the three main GODs but they are one. Brahma is the creator of this universe (Generator), Vishnu is responsible for the smooth conduct of the same (sustainer), & Maheshwar is the Destroyer! But if you go and read Vishnu Purana, he is characterized as the supreme power.
Further, due to many castes and sub-castes prevailing in the society, some more rules and principles were added for the benefit of these priests. Can you imagine how would you get rid of the sin you committed by killing a cat? You will have to make a golden cat weighing equal to the dead cat and hand over this golden cat to the priest chanting for the purification of an individual soul! Hinduism is different from the Vedic religion.
A new religion was introduced in the name of Vedic religion with non-Vedic beliefs and rituals in the name of Sage Sankara a great Sage to uplift the Vedic culture and Santana Dharma which was in ruins in the clutches of Buddhism. 18 Puranas are introduced in the name of Sage Veda Vyasa.
As one goes deeper into the annals of history, it indicates the fact that somewhere someone has added the Puranas in the name of Veda Vyasa the grandmaster of Vedas. It is impossible to accept and believe that Veda Vyasa authored and introduced Puranas which have all conceptual gods because:-
