Most people from the west think that Hinduism is a religion but it is not so. The Indus [Sindu] valley culture is named as Hinduism by the Muslim invaders in the past, who were not able to pronounce Sindu they called Sindu culture as Hindu culture.+

Most people from the west think that Hinduism is a religion but it is not so. The Indus (Sindu) valley culture is names Hinduism by the Muslim invaders in the past, who were not able to pronounce Sindu they called Sindu culture Hindu culture.

Thus name Hindu came into existence. Hinduism is mere culture, not religion. This Hindu culture consists of different castes, creeds, ideologies, beliefs, and ways of life in different regions of India.

Santana Dharma was pure Vedic religion prior to the existence of present-day Hinduism. Hinduism is not pure Vedic religion; it is a hotchpotch mixture of many ideologies adopted by other ideologies, cultures, and traditions.

As one goes deep into annals of the history, one becomes aware of the fact that the so called present Hinduism has adopted many things from Buddhism, the religion of Abraham, Jainism, and Islam. If one goes deeper enough he will become aware everything is mixed up and messed up in time.

No one is taken pains to rectify it, because, people have inherited them, from their ancestors and they think it is blasphemy even to hear anything against their inherited religion and belief. Once one gets involved with the religious class it is the end of the pursuit of truth.

Remember:~

Prior to Sage Sankara in the 8th century, there was no Hinduism. Santana Dharma existed prior to Buddhism, Jainism, and Hinduism. 

Sage Sankara never mentioned the word Hindu or Hinduism in any of his writing.  

The word Hindu was used initially to describe the people of India; it was never used to describe religion. Thus, Hinduism is not a religion it is the way of life of Indian people with different castes, creeds, cultures, traditions, and ideologies of the different parts of India under a single roof. 

Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru: ~ “The word Hindu can be earliest traced to a source a tantric in the 8th century and it was used initially to describe the people, it was never used to describe religion. (The discovery of India” on page -74 and -75)

According to Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, Its connection with religion is of late occurrence. The word Hinduism is derived from the word Hindu.

The word Hinduism was first used by English writers in the 19th century to describe the multiplicity of faiths of the people of India.

In Encyclopaedia Britannica, it says ~ The word Hinduism was first used by the British writers in the year 1830 to describe the multiplicity of the faiths of the people of India excluding the converted Christians. (Volume -20, Reference -581)

Swami Vivekananda says: - The word Hindu is a misnomer; the correct word should be a Vedantins, a person who follows the Vedas.

Hinduism today group of castes and creeds with diverse ideologies with diverse beliefs and codes of conduct in different parts of India. Hinduism is not the ancient Santana Dharma, the eternal religion, or the Vedic Dharma, the religion of the Vedas.

Max Müller says ~ “The religion of the Veda knows no idols; the worship of idols in India is a secondary formation, a degradation of the more primitive worship of ideal Gods."

Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma is not Hinduism. The word Hindu came originated from the word Sindhu which is another name for the river Indus. Maybe people who stayed along the Sindhu (Indus) valley came to be known as Hindus.

An exact date of the birth of Santana Dharma cannot be given. They say that Santana Dharma is as old as planet earth. Some claim it is 5000 to 7000 years old Ancient India consisted of indigenous people. Aryans, Dravidians, Jews, Christians, and Muslims invaded India and all ingenious people were converted to different faith from time to time. Thus, Hinduism is a group of different castes, creeds, and faith.

The Hindus believed in polytheism, believing all of their Gods to be separate individuals, which was introduced much later by the founders of Hinduism which contains diverse beliefs castes, and creeds.

Santana Dharma or Vedic religion has no founders whereas Advaita and qualified Advaita and Dvaita are identified with their founders. All of them have non-Vedic rituals barred by the Vedas.

Dualism came only in the 12th century. The orthodox Advaita and Dvaita are adulterated add-ons. Both Advaita and Dvaita schools claim that they are based on the Vedas and they condemn each other with the Upanishads and Puranic citations and try to prove they are right and others are wrong.

The religion, including orthodox Advaita, is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman because they worship idols, human worship, and symbol worship and indulge in non-Vedic rituals barred by the Vedas. 

Remember:~ Consciousness is the ultimate truth. There is no higher truth other than consciousness. To realize this truth, there is no need to follow any path.

There is no need to follow anyone. There is no need to become a wandering monk. There is no need to renounce worldly life. Realizing the consciousness (Spirit) is ultimate is spirituality.

There is nothing else to realize other than realizing there is no second thing that exists other than consciousness. Realizing consciousness is second to none is truth realization.

Even if you search for million years you will only come to the final conclusion and realization that the world in which you exist is nothing but consciousness.

If the world, in which you exist is nothing but consciousness, then what else is there to realize other than realizing consciousness alone is real and the world in which you exist is merely an illusion.

If the world in which you exist is merely an illusion the experience of the birth, life, and death that happens in the illusory world is bound to be an illusion.

If the world, in which you exist is an illusion then the division of the form, time, and space is merely an illusion because the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness is the Self. the Soul, the Self is the fullness of the consciousness.

Mentally reducing the world, in which you exist to consciousness leads to Self-awareness. Realizing the consciousness as the ultimate truth is Advaita. That is reducing the dualistic illusion into the nondualistic reality is Advaita.

Sage Sankara declared the Advaitic truth 1200 years back, but it is hidden and imparted only to a few.

Even if the scientists declare in the future that, the world is nothing but consciousness then Sage Sankara alone is qualified for the Noble prize, not the scientists because Sage Sankara already declared this truth 1200 years back.

Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom has been lost: people misinterpret and falsify it. Advaita is not a theory, but Advaita is the rational truth, the scientific truth, and the ultimate truth. But nobody knows it. The teachers of philosophy and the Gurus or religion do not want to inquire into the truth and have no time for it.

Sage Sankara’s Advaitic wisdom is nothing to do with religion. Thus, all his religious teaching which is meant for the ignorant populace has to be bifurcated from his wisdom. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Nirguna (attributeless) is the nature of the Soul, the 'Self’. Saguna (attributed) is the nature of the mind, which is present in the form of the universe.+

Nirguna (attributeless) is the nature of the Soul, the 'Self’. Saguna (attributed) is the nature of the mind, which is present in the form of the universe.

The Soul is the knower of the Saguna (mind). The Saguna (mind or the universe) is an illusion from the standpoint of the nirguna, which is the true 'Self’. Thus, the Saguna (mind/world) is a myth from the standpoint of nirguna which is the Soul, the 'Self’.

The Soul is the 'Self’ and eternal identity. The nirguna (Soul) can remain with or without the Saguna (mind) whereas the Saguna (mind) is dependent on Nirguna (Soul) for its existence

Nirguna and Saguna are classified only in duality. In non-dual reality there is neither nirguna nor Saguna, everything is one. Therefore, nirguna and Saguna are one, in essence, that is Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness.

The Saguna is the mind because when the mind is present then all the attributes are present, and when the mind is absent then the attributes are absent.

The Samadhi is the natural state of the Soul, the 'Self’. In the natural state, the attributes are non-existent and in duality (mind) all the attributes are present. Thus the duality and non-duality are the nature of the Soul, the 'Self’. The duality and the nonduality are not some theories. The theoretical duality and nonduality is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman.

The world in which we exist is present in the form of objective awareness. The whole objective awareness is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. The knowledge of the single stuff is “Self’ -knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana.

The dual (waking or dream) and nondual (deep sleep) experiences appear and disappear. The Soul is the witness of the coming and going of the three states.

All three states are made of single stuff. That single stuff is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. Thus, the single stuff alone is real and eternal and the entire three states mere an illusion created out of the single stuff.

The realization of the single stuff, which is the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness, is Self-realization.

Until ignorance is present the three states are experienced as reality. Thus, it is very much necessary to realize the fact that there is no second thing that exists, other than the Soul, which is present in the form of consciousness. :~ Santthosh Kumaar 

‘I AM GOD. Anal Hak or I AM GOD is the state of God in Sufism.+

Al Hillaj Mansoor was a great Sufi. He was killed by religious fanatics, because he said, Anal Hak- I AM GOD. Sai Baba of Shirdi also used to say, Anal Hak.

When Al Hillaj Mansoor asserted, ‘I am God,’ religious fanatics killed him. Sufism is always killed by fanatic religious believers – because religious fanatics cannot tolerate a man asserting that he is God! They feel offended because how can a man be a God?

Hafiz refers to orthodox believers and fanatics, wherein Hafiz says: "O God, forgive the orthodox and fanatics, for they do not see the Truth."

Meher Baba: ~ We find the people quarreling in the name of religion over their holy books. Is it not like dogs fighting for the bare bones which have no marrow in them?"

How can you believe the belief of God as a separate entity? That implies two ~ the believer and the belief, whereas God in truth is nondual or Advaita. One can worship his idea of God only or realize his unity with God when he can’t worship God as apart.

God is in the form of the Spirit, and God is indeed Spirit itself” then why accept another God in place of the Spirit or believe other than the Spirit.

God is the Supreme Being the One eternal homogeneous essence, indivisible consciousness and intelligence, which is hidden by the illusory form, time, and space. Which the Sages of truth describe in a variety of ways through diverse words.

When Al Hillaj Mansoor says, Anal Hak - ‘I AM GOD. Anal Hak or I AM GOD is the state of God in Sufism.    Only a person who has realized what God is supposed to be in actuality reaches the State of Anal Hak or the State of God. 

Third Mundaka Upanishad - Chapter 2 (9) - He who realized the Supreme Brahman (God) verily becomes Brahman (God).

God cannot be attained by one who is without strength or earnestness but if one strives with sincerity and seriousness then the dualistic illusion (universe) transcends into the nondualistic reality, which is God

A Sufi is the one who realized God in truth. God shines brightly and in which the universe rests. The Sufi is free from ignorance. The Sufi transcends the illusory form, time, and space and is established in the formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.   The nature of God is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. 

It is very difficult to recognize who is a real Sufi because he bears no external mark. Neither nudity nor the religious symbol has anything to do with him. Anyone who follows Sufism does not become a Sufi unless he has realized God in truth.  

A Sufi, on attaining realization, will not give up his vocation in life but will continue it as before. If he was a billniore then he continues so, if a peasant, he will remain one. He still does his duty, but he is fully aware of the fact that his practical life within the practical world is merely an illusion.

Remember: ~

A Self-realized person is a God-realized person because the Soul, the ‘Self’ itself is God on truth. In reality, the ‘Self’ is free from experiencing the illusory form, time, and space as a reality. Man and his experience of the world cease to exist without the illusory form, time, and space.  The real existence is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. The nature of God in truth is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.  The real existence is God.

If God is the formless Spirit, then how does man know God created the world? There is no proof. If man had seen God creating the world, he could admit it, but how could he have seen God before he came into existence? (i.e. were created).

God, the Spirit is the root element of the universe. The Spirit is present in the form of the Soul, the Self. The Soul is present in the form of consciousness. 

From the Spirit, the universe comes into existence. In the Spirit, the universe resides. And into the Spirit, the universe is dissolved. The Spirit is the parent of all that is there is. 

This universe which through ignorance appears as of diverse forms is nothing else but God (Spirit) which is absolutely free from all the limitations of the illusory form, time, and space.

So the fanatics believers in dogmas – they said that God created man, so man can only be a creature, not a creator; and this is profanity, the very apex of profanity to assert that ‘I AM GOD’ – they killed him. And what was Al Hillaj Mansoor saying when they killed him? He said loudly to the sky, ‘You cannot deceive me! Even in these murderers, I see you, – you cannot deceive me. You are here in these murderers! And in whatsoever form you come, my God, I will know you, because I have known you.’

Remember:~

Religion is regarded as sacred and real by the common people, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful. 

Religious fanatics never understood the Spiritualistic interpretation of Anal Hak- they thought he is referring to himself as God but it is not so he was referring to the infinite existence hidden by the finite ‘I’, which is present in the form of the universe.

The Soul is the  Self. The innermost Self is God.  It is not “I AM GOD, but it’s correct to say ‘the SELF IS GOD. 

Before saying ‘I AM GOD’ one must realize what ‘God’ is supposed to be in actuality.   Only ignorant says ‘I AM GOD’ without knowing what it means. 

People say I AM GOD but when God is, how can "I" remain? Only God prevails not I. The ‘I’ exists only in the domain of the illusory form, time, and space whereas the Soul, the Self is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.  The Soul, the ‘Self is God in truth.

There is no God in the domain of the ‘I’ because the ‘I’ is merely an illusory expression of God.

It is erroneous to use the word ‘I’ for the Self, because ‘I’ represents the illusory form, time, and space whereas the Soul, the innermost Self is formless, timeless, and spaceless existence.  

Some people say:  "I AM GOD." This presupposes that they have the same miraculous and creative powers of God. They do not, however, display possession of such power. Such is the fallacy of their logic.

People who say “I AM GOD’ are merely repeating like a parrot word, which they have read in their holy books or heard from a wandering monk or fakir. It does not prove that they have realized the ultimate truth or God. With bookish or hearsay knowledge it is unable to prove that everything is God, which is present in the form of the Spirit. One has to do lots of homework to realize God, the Self. 

The Quranic version of Advaita. 

La illah illa Allah  -- No God  but Allah.

The meaning of La illaha illallah is simple, it means (La) No (illaha) God (illallah) but Allah.

The meaning of the word Allah is unique unlike English, it is purely singular in the Arabic language and cannot be made female or male despite it being a name which means Allah is free from being HE   or SHE. But why scripture uses “he” is another topic up for debate. But La Illaha Illallah means (There is) No god but Allah.

This means there is no God worthy of worship in the universe but the Gid which is hidden by the universe and is the cause of the universe. Allah is God's second to none. Allah is Advaita. 

Remember:~

Sufism is nothing but mystic-orated spirituality. Sufism is nothing to do with religion. Sufism is concerned with God in truth. God in truth is Spirit. There is no God in untruth because God is the truth hidden by the unreal universe.

Mysticism has its pragmatic value but mystics fail to stop and ask "what is the ultimate meaning of this bliss which they feel in the mystic experience?"  Therefore, an inquiry is needed to realize ‘What is the truth?’  ‘What is untruth?’    

The mystic object to introducing inquiry into the quest adopts an attitude as though it were like introducing something which is not sacred.  Mysticism blocks the mystic from realizing the truth hidden by the untruth because he has accepted the untruth as to the ultimate truth.  He is unaware of the ultimate truth, which is Brahman or God. 

The ultimate truth or God can be realized only when he realizes the ‘Self’ hidden by the ‘I’.  The ‘Self the Spirit’ is God, not the ‘I’. Only those who realize the Spirit as the ‘Self’ are a real Sufi.  

Meher Baba: ~ “When the reality appears this ignorance which one thinks as reality becomes unreal. 

Like an ornament made from gold is Gold, that which is born out of the Spirit (God) is Spirit. Like gold is the permanent thing, in ornaments made of gold, similarly, the universe is born out of the Spirit, is Spirit in its essence.

When Sufiism bifurcated from mysticism then it is possible to realize the God hidden by the veil of ignorance. Mysticism takes God for granted without realizing what God is in actuality.   Realization of what God is necessary to become a real Sufi.

Without bifurcating Sufism from mysticism is like beating around the bush without realizing that God is supposed to be in actuality.  One has to penetrate deep in Self-search and realize the God hidden by the ‘I’, which is the state of ignorance. The Sufi is the one who has reached the ‘Self is God' state.

People may not ever have heard of Sufism and you may be a Sufi. A Gnani is the one who has realized God in truth.  A Gnani is a real Sufi.   A Sufi is in awareness of God in the midst of the dualistic illusion. A  Sufi is a person who has established awareness of formless, timeless, and spaceless existence, which is the real nature of the Spirit, God.

Lord Krishna is a Sufi, and Jesus Christ is a Sufi, Sage Sri, Sankara is Sufi and Bhagavan Buddha too is the Sufi and they never heard and they never knew that anything like Sufism. Meher Baba was Sufi. Meher Baba was on the 7^th plane, which is the Self is God's state.  In that state, God alone exists all else (universe) is an illusion.

Meher Baba:~Unless and until ignorance is removed and Knowledge is gained. . . . the Knowledge whereby the Divine Life is experienced and lived . . . everything pertaining to the spiritual seems paradoxical . . . God, whom we do not see, we say is real; and the world, which we do see, we say is false. Inexperience, what exists for us does not really exist; and what does not exist for us, really exists.

Meher Baba said: ~ "There is no higher or lower goal. There is only one goal, Self-Realization." 

Meher Baba said: ~ God is your innermost Self. Do not search for God outside of you. Let these words be inscribed in your heart. Nothing is real but God. Nothing Matters but love for God. God is everywhere and does everything. God is beyond us and is everything. God alone is and all else is an illusion. 

A Sufi bears no outward mark of a holy man. Sometimes he appears to be dull-witted, sometimes wise. Sometimes he seems splendid as a king, feeble-minded. Sometimes he is calm and silent. Sometimes he draws men to him. Sometimes people honor him greatly, sometimes they insult him. Sometimes they ignore him.

Second-hand knowledge of the God gathered from books or fakirs can never emancipate a man until its truth is rightly investigated and applied; only direct realization will do that. 

Realize yourself by realizing the Self is not you but the Soul, which is present in the form of the Spirit. The Spirit is God.

Jesus said: ~ Seek and ye shall find. Knock the doors shall open to you. 

Why did Jesus say different things? Owing to the time and the persons, according to their readiness to listen and understand. What Jesus meant was to leave all and follow the ‘Self’; that means to know the ‘Self’ and realize the ‘Self’, which is the Spirit, the God.

The teachings that are being followed by Christians are not the real teachings that Christ gave. The priests have altered his words, added to his teachings, and spoiled them.

Jesus said: ~ Seek and ye shall find. Knock the doors shall open to you.
***
Gospel Thomas Logian 22:~ Jesus saw infants being suckled. He said to his disciples, “These infants being suckled are like those who enter the kingdom.”

They said to him, “Shall we then, as children, enter the kingdom?”

Jesus said to them, “When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female is female; and when you fashion eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, and a likeness in place of a likeness; then will you enter the kingdom.”

Santthosh Kumaar: ~ “This above passage is Jesus’s version of Nonduality or Advaita. When one realizes mind (matter) and the Soul (Spirit), the Self are one, in essence, there is no place for the duality. Without duality, the universe ceases to exist. Without the universe, your existence within the universe is merely an illusion because there is scope for two because everything is created out of single stuff. That single stuff is the consciousness or Spirit, the God. 

Sage Sankara’s Supreme Brahman (God) is impersonal, Nirguna (without Gunas or attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal, and Akarta (non-agent). God is above all needs and desires. God is always the Witnessing Subject. God can never become an object as God is beyond the reach of the senses. God is non-dual, one without a second. God has no other beside it. God is destitute of difference, either external or internal. God cannot be described because the description implies a distinction. God cannot be distinguished from any other than God. In God, there is not a distinction between substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constituted the very essence or Svarupa of God, and not just God's attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage Sankara is impersonal.

Constant remembrance of the nature of God leads to Self-awareness, which itself is God-awareness.

Until one thinks he is an individual separate from this world he remains in the realm of duality. Duality is the product of ignorance. When the Advaitic wisdom dawns, then the ignorance vanishes. When the ignorance vanishes, then the duality never remains as a reality.  Without duality, God alone exists as the ultimate reality.

No mystic has as yet asked himself the question, "How do I know that my experience is Truth?"

A Sufi is without form, time, and space even though he exists in the domain of form, time, and space.  A Sufi is immersed is aware of the formless, timeless, and spaceless God in the midst of the domain of the illusory form, time, and space.

Until the followers of Sufism speak of God without realizing what God is supposed to be in truth, it is impossible to unfold the mystery of God.  When they realize what God is supposed to be in truth then the truth will start revealing itself.  

When the followers of Sufism can observe their worldview from the non-dualistic perspective then they will realize the truth hidden by the ‘I’.

The look of an object will depend upon the medium through which the observer views it. In fact, our mental and intellectual conditions determine the world, observed and experienced. The commoner viewing the world will see differently from a Sufi viewing the same world. Each one interprets the world that they see in terms of their existing knowledge. The commoner sees everything based on the ego, therefore, experiences the birth, life, death, and the world as a reality, whereas a Sufi sees everything as the consciousness and he is fully aware of the fact that, there is no second thing that exists other than the Soul or the consciousness. Thus, all the egocentric knowledge has to be bifurcated to realize the ultimate truth, which is hidden by the ‘I’.

Meher Baba said~ ‘When we talk of the Infinite and the finite, we are referring to them as two, and the Infinite has already become the second part of the duality. But the Infinite belongs to the non-dual order of being. 

If the Infinite is looked upon as the counterpart of the finite, it is strictly speaking, no longer infinite, but a species of the finite, for it stands outside the finite as its opposite and is thus limited. 

Since the Infinite cannot be the second part of the finite, the apparent existence of the finite is false. The Infinite alone exists. 

God cannot be brought down to the domain of duality. There is only one being in reality and it is the Universal Soul. The existence of the finite or limited is only apparent or imaginary.

God cannot be brought down to the domain of dualistic illusion or Maya.  In reality, there is only the Spirit, which is  God in truth. 

The Spirit, God pervades in everything and everywhere in the universe. When one realizes the universe is nothing but a dualistic illusion created out of the Spirit, God,  then he realizes there is no second thing that exists other than Spirit, God. Thus everything is God.  There is no second thing that exists other than God. Hence God is nondual or Advaita.

God appears as the universe in waking or dream (duality) and the universe disappears as God in deep sleep (nonduality). 

God is not a Christian; God is not a Jew, or a Muslim, or a Hindu, or a Buddhist because God in truth is universal.

Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is required to unfold the mystery of God.  No religion defines God. Spirituality alone points to God in Truth.  God in truth is Advaita.  : ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Manduka Upanishads shows how one opinion may be used to contradict another, so that both may be thrown away. Opinions are not for seeking the truth.+

Upanishads:~ Fools dwelling in darkness, but thinking they wise and erudite, go round and round, by various tortuous paths, like the blind led by the blind. (Upanishads Nikilanada - Ch II-5 P-14)

You along with all the thoughts and words and the world in which you exist are nothing but an illusion created out of a single clay. that single clay is consciousness. When you reduce yourself along with your thoughts, world, and the world in which you exist into single clay the truth hidden by ignorance is grained.

Manduka Upanishads shows how one opinion may be used to contradict another, so that both may be thrown away. Opinions are not for seeking the truth.

Ashtavakra says:~ opinions are merely thought not the truth.

Manduka Upanishad is not meant for all, as it is based entirely on reasoning. Hence, but only a few will be able to understand and assimilate it.

Sage Sankara says the transparent truth of the Self, which is hidden by the illusion, is to be attained through the instructions of a knower of Brahman, (Gnani).

First, know ‘what is the truth’ and ‘what is untruth’ for sure. Without realizing what untruth truth is, it is difficult to know what truth is.

Without breaking away from religion and ancient traditions it is impossible to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Religion and tradition will keep one locked in ignorance.

Sage Sankara: - “The world, filled with attachments and aversions, and the rest, is like a dream: it appears to be real as long as one is ignorant, but becomes unreal when one is awake

Sage Sankara:~ “As fire is the direct cause of cooking, so knowledge, and not any other form of discipline, is the direct cause of Liberation; for Liberation cannot be attained without Knowledge." (Self-Knowledge)

First Mundaka - Chapter 2 (8) - Fools, dwelling in darkness, but wise in their own conceit and puffed up with vain scholarship, wander about, being afflicted by many ills, like blind men led by the blind.

First Mundaka - Chapter 2 (9) - Children, immersed in ignorance in various ways, flatter themselves, saying: We have accomplished life's purpose. Because these performers of karma do not know the Truth owing to their attachment, they fall from heaven, misery-stricken, when the fruit of their work is exhausted.

First Mundaka - Chapter 2 (10) - Ignorant fools, regarding sacrifices and humanitarian works as the highest, do not know any higher good. Having enjoyed their reward on the heights of heaven, gained by good works, they enter again this world or a lower one.

Most of the intellectuals indulge in provocation and unnecessary arguments holding their egocentric knowledge as a yardstick. Such an attitude leads to perversity.

The ultimate truth or Brahman is not some custom-made stuff to please a different mindset. The serious seeker will never indulge in asking perverted questions.

The seeker must have enough patience, humility, and an intense urge to realize the truth. Arguments and provocation will not yield truth.

Perfect understanding of ‘what is what ‘leads to the realization of Nondualistic or Advaitic truth.

As the seeker's understanding of ‘what is what ‘grows, gradually the seeker gets a glimpse of truth. Whatever is based on the waking entity is falsehood and whatever is based on the  Soul, the  Self is real and eternal.

Thus, it is necessary for the seeker of truth to make sure the waking entity (ego) is not the Self but the Self is  Soul in order to acquire Self-knowledge. ~ Santthosh Kumaar

Why India needs uniform civil code?.+

Different Religion has their own code of conduct of ethics and democracy have their own ethics because they are based on false self (ego or you) within the false experience (world).

Almost all the countries of the world have a common civil code for all their citizens. The basic idea behind the formulation of a uniform civil code is to end discrimination based on religions. 

Personal law of nearly all religions has acted as a tool of oppression of the women through which they are suppressed most of the time citing religious and social obligations. 

Personal laws have always played a big role in causing the rise of gender discrimination. The Uniform civil code guaranteed by the constitution has also become a very sensitive and controversial issue that has always been communalized by people having vested interests.

Remember:~ 

The whole Indian populace irrespective of the religion they follow belongs to Sanatan Dharma which existed 2500 years back. Foreign invaders forcefully converted the people of India into their religion and ruled India with their laws meant for the slaves.   

In a country like India where the principle of equality of all citizens is enshrined in the constitution, different sets of personal laws for different religious communities go against this very principle of the constitution. 

Different rules of civil law go against the secular credentials of the republic and also challenge the concept of unity in diversity.  In a diverse society like India, the laws needed to deal with the disputes related to the issues of marriage, divorce, custody, adoption, inheritance need to be the same for all irrespective of religion, caste, or sect. At a time when reforms for strengthening the position of women in society are being given the utmost significance and attention, there is an urgent need for a new civil code to eliminate discrimination against women in society.

A Uniform Civil Code administers the same set of secular civil laws to govern different people belonging to different religions and regions. This does away with the right of citizens to be governed under different personal laws based on their religion or ethnicity. Uniform Civil Code will, in the long run, ensure equality.

Law must be divorced from religion. With the enactment of a uniform code, secularism will be strengthened; much of the present-day separation and divisiveness between various religious groups in the country will disappear, and India will emerge as a much more cohesive and integrated nation.

The crusade for the implementation of the uniform civil code should get the support of all progressive and right-thinking citizens of the country. It is the need of the hour. There is also a need for a political consensus to implement the uniform civil code. In a nutshell, a uniform civil code is necessary to effect an integration of a country as diversified as India by bringing all the communities into a common platform that does not form the essence of a single particular religion. A uniform civil code will also enforce the idea of secularism enshrined in the Indian constitution more forcefully...

There is a need for a quest against the social injustice of caste discrimination and incited a social revolution in Indian society.

The prevailing caste system and social restrictions in Indian society social majoritarian domination and aimed at the emancipation of all human beings that were subjected to this social deprivation.

Abolishing the caste system and religion by bringing a uniform civil code is the only solution to combat the social evils.

Hon, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Indian Judiciary must abolish all the caste-based laws introduced by the British Raj for their divide and rule policy.   

The word Hinduism is the brainchild of British rule.  The word Hinduism did not exist prior to British rule.  

All the religious-based personal laws introduced by Britishers, which is the great crime imposed on the Indian populace.   The laws should be based on humanity, not on religion. 

The uniform civil code is very much necessary. Religion has to be kept away from democracy. Democracy is always secular. Religion is nothing to do with democracy.   The meaning of secularism is to remove discrimination based on religions. 

If every caste in India is given a separate status of religion then the   Hinduism tag, which is created in  British rule will disappear. 

It is very much necessary to educate the people of India on the historical truth of ancient Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion and the difference between  Hinduism and Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion. 

The term Hindu religion is totally a new name that cannot be found in any Indian literature prior to 1794 A.D.

People dwelling in India belonged to different castes and communities, worshipped different gods, and practiced different rites to believe in different dogmas.

The Indian political class is taking advantage of this lack and trying to divide society for their vote bank politics.  

Lingayats are as much as Hindus as other castes because the word Hindu (Sindhu) represents nationality, not religion.  Just because Ligayatism has a different founder and different book it does not qualify it to get separate religious status because every caste in India has deferent founders and believe in different books.  
All the founders of the castes are non-Vedic because propagated Non-Vedic Gods are barred by Vedas. 

There is a need for deeper research to realize Vedas and Vedic religion are nothing to do with present-day Hinduism.

 The word Hindu is a misnomer. The correct word should be a Sindhu the people belongs to the Indus valley. The ancient peoples of Indus Valley or undivided India were called Hindus by Muslim Invaders. 

It is time for the Govt of India to replace the word Hindu with Shindu or any other suitable word to recognize the Indian populace and secular India because the word  ' Hindu' originated from the Muslim Invaders. 

Peep into the religious history: ~ 

The Supreme court of India correctly pointed out Hinduism as a religion, incorporates all forms of belief without mandating the selection or elimination of any one single belief,“ It is a religion that has no single founder, no single scripture and no single set of teachings. It has been described as Santana Dharma, namely, eternal faith, as it is the collective wisdom and inspiration of the centuries that Hinduism seeks to preach and propagate,”  ---Hinduism has no single founder or scripture. 

The Supreme court fail to observe that preset Hinduism is not ancient Santana Dharam or Vedic Religion. 

Hinduism is not a religion. Rather it is a group of caste found within India that share common beliefs while still remaining very different. Many may even argue that it is not a religion but more a way of life. The term "Hinduism" was not developed by the practitioners, but by groups outside of the religions as a means for labeling the entire Indian people.

Many groups within Hinduism claim a sort of "going back to the Vedas". While these groups are attempting to create a bond with the Vedas, they will never be followers of Vedism while they still hold their core ideals.

These core beliefs are at odds with those of the Vedas. Many followers of Hinduism do translate the Vedas to fit into Hindu thought by changing the translation to reflect the beliefs of monism, reincarnation, the caste system, and the absence of animal and human sacrifice. However, these poor translators

Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion has no founders whereas Advaita and qualified Advaita and Dwaita and all other sects and castes identified as Hinduism are identified with their founders. 

All of these castes have non-Vedic Gods, rituals barred by the Vedas. The dualism came only in the 12th century. The orthodox Advaita and Dwaita area is based on the Abrahamic framework. Both Advaita and Dvaita schools are based on Vedas and they condemn each other with Upanishads and Puranic citations and try to prove they are right and others are wrong. The orthodox Advaita is nothing to do with the ultimate truth or Brahman because they worship idols, human worship, and symbol worship and indulges in non-Vedic rituals barred by Vedas.

As one peeps into the annals of  Indian religious history, Hinduism is not ancient Sanatana Dharm or Vedic Religion. 

Upon close examination we discover that the religion of the Vedas was not the religion of the Hindus, nor were the Vedic people Hindus, nor will the Hindus of today approve the replacement of the term ‘Hinduism’ with ‘Vedic Religion’. None can say exactly when the Aryans became Hindus because neither the name Hindu nor its major beliefs and practices existed in the Vedic times. To this, one must add the marginal place the Vedic gods occupy in today’s Hindu pantheon. Also, as we have seen, the Vedas themselves are not attractive to most of today’s Hindus as sacred texts. The Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavad-Gita, Puranas, and Manusmriti, may have more to do with the Hinduism of today than the Vedas.

Thus, it is clear that there is no direct ancestry of modern Hinduism traceable in the Vedas, though it does have some influence on it “The Vedic corpus reflects the archetypal religion of those who called themselves Aryans, and which, although it contributed to facets of latter-day Hinduism, was nevertheless distinct”.

The caste system which is so integral to Hinduism was also not practiced in the Vedic times. There is hardly any evidence of a rigid caste system in the Vedas. It is argued that the purushasukta hymn of the Rig Veda (X.90) which is often referred to give a religious sanction to the caste system, was a later interpolation. The Vedas, however, speak of various classes of people, which appear to have been names of professions, and they were not hereditary.

“The very concept of castes by birth, upper/lower castes, superior/inferior castes, outcastes, untouchables, Dalits, etc. are clearly prohibited by Rigveda”.

Rigveda prohibits: ~ “The very concept of castes by birth”.

There is hardly any evidence of a rigid caste system in the Vedas. It is argued that the purushasuktahymn of the Rig Veda (X.90) which is often referred to give a religious sanction to the caste system was a later interpolation.

The Vedas, however, speak of various classes of people, which appear to have been names of professions, and they were not hereditary.

The very concepts of castes by birth, upper/lower castes, superior/inferior castes, outcastes, untouchables, Dalits, etc. are clearly prohibited by Rig-Veda”.

The caste system which is so integral to Hinduism was also not practiced in the Vedic times.

The Book of Manu was made by Manu Dharma Shastra. The Book of Manu was a book that originated in India in and around the 9th century A.D. This book of Manu was given a false spiritual interpretation by orthodoxy. And this book was projected as ‘Manu Dharma Shastra’ by orthodoxy. It is the Manu Dharma Shastra that is the foundation and cause of caste discrimination. 

Manu Dharma Shastra is nothing to do with the Vedas and Sanatana Daharam or Vedic Religion. 

The orthodoxy has taken upon the responsibility to maintain, propagate and perpetuate the authority of caste discriminating principle called Manu Dharma Shastra.

This caste discrimination led to umpteen numbers of castes and sub-castes within the Indian population. Today because of this caste discrimination makes the Hindus hate each other, fight each other therefore there is no unity among the Hindus.

This caste discriminating tool is used by modern-day politicians to divide and destroy the social fabric of India. The politicians and the orthodox cults preserve and promote Varnashrama Dharma for their own advantage, which is non-Vedic. Orthodox cults and politicians glorify, preserve, enforce and perpetuate caste discrimination in India.

As we peep in the annals of religious History we find:~ 

Out of the five Indian religions of Buddhism, Jainism, Saivism, Vaishnavism, and Sikhism; Saivism and Vaishnavism were brought under the Varnashrama principle.

After naming the discriminating principle of casteism of Manu Dharma as Hinduism, the religions of Saivism and Vaishnavism, which were enslaved to the caste discriminating principles, were given a new name as ‘Hinduism’! Thus, the Hindu religion is different from Santana Dharma or Vedic religion.

The term Hinduism came into existence in British rule. Hinduism is the caste discriminating principle of Varnashrama Dharma based on the Book of Manu.

The Manusmṛti also spelled as Manusmriti, is an ancient legal text among the many Dharmaśāstras of Hinduism. It was one of the first Sanskrit texts to have been translated into English in 1776, by Sir William Jones, and was used to formulate the Hindu law by the British colonial government.

After 1750 A.D., Europeans captured certain parts of India and started ruling those areas. The capital of then British India was Calcutta the present-day Kolkata.

The Britishers were duty-bound to administer justice to the people living within their dominion. Thus, they set up courts of justice. They needed laws to administer justice through the courts.

To administer justice to the Christian citizens of India living within their dominion, there was Christian Law, based on Biblical principles.

To administer justice to the Muslim citizens of India living within their dominion, there was Islamic Law, based on Quranic principles. But to administer justice to non-Christian and non-Islamic citizens living in British dominion, there was no law book. This created problems for the Britishers.

The term Hinduism came into existence in British rule. Hinduism is the caste discriminating principle of Varnashrama Dharma based on the Book of Manu.

At this time, Sir William Jones was appointed as the chief justice of the Supreme Court at Calcutta. Local pundits made Sir William Jones believe that the book of Manu was the law book for the people of India.

Sir William Jones believed pundits and translated the book of Manu from Sanskrit to English. Thus, based on the laws of Manu, a law was formed for administering justice to non-Christian and non-Muslim Indians of the British dominion, and this law was called the Hindu law.

The principles of the book of Manu which was used for drafting the Hindu Law were called Hinduism. The basic principle of the book of Manu is caste discrimination.

The name coined by Sir William Jones to denote caste discriminating principles is Hinduism. It is not a religion. It is a way of Life. It is the way of life of the Indus people.

In this, a historic false perception crept in. That is when they called the terms Christian Law, Muslim law, and Hindu Law, both Christian Law, and Muslim Law were associated with the Christian religion and Islamic religion. But in respect of Hindu Law, a false perception of religion was wrongly attributed to it as if it was also associated with a ‘Hindu religion’ which was not there.

This false perception developed a false notion that non-Christian and non-Muslim Indians of the British dominion was belonging to the Hindu religion.

Out of the five Indian religions, since Saivism and Vaishnavism were already enslaved to Varnashrama dharma i.e. caste discrimination or Hindu ideology, the people of India began to use the newly originated common name of ‘Hindu religion’ to denote Saivism and Vaishnavism. The context and substance of the term Hinduism or ‘Hindu ideology; coined by Sir William Jones is different from the context and substance of this term ‘Hindu religion’, which was substituted erroneously and used by the people to denote Saivism and Vaishnavism.

The Orthodoxy believes in Varnashrama Dharma or caste discrimination. People of India wrongly believe that Hinduism is an ancient religion because they are unaware of the fact that Hinduism is not the Santana Dharma or Vedic religion.

People of India have to liberate themselves from the stranglehold of casteism to realize their original religion is not Hinduism which is full of different caste and creeds but Vedic religion or Santana Dharma. The people should be educated about the historical truth of the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.

Remember:~ 

The caste system which is so integral to Hinduism was also not practiced in the Vedic era. There is hardly any evidence of a rigid caste system in the Vedas. The Vedas, however, speak of various classes of people, which appear to have been names of professions, and they were not hereditary.

The Lingayat sect is seeking for a separate minority religion because they do not belong to Hinduism. Lingayat thinks it was wrong to classify Lingayat as a Hindus because its founder rejected the Varnashrama dharma, the Agama Shastras, Vedas, and Upanishads, so they are not a part of the Lingayat sect.

The onus is on Ligayath's to prove all other castes other than Lingayats belong to the Vedic ideology. All the caste founded by founders of the castes is indulging in worshipping in non-Vedic-Gods and non-Vedic rituals barred by Vedas.   

Since all the castes of India along with Lingayat are entitled to get minority status because all the Hindu castes are nothing to do with Vedas and Vedic Religion or Sanatana Dharma and Vedic culture.  

The people on the Indian side of the Sindhu were called Hindu by the Persian and the later western invaders. That is the genesis of the word `Hindu'.

 When we think of the Hindu religion, we find it difficult, if not impossible, to define the Hindu religion or even adequately describe it. Unlike other religions in the world, the Hindu religion does not claim any one prophet; it does not worship anyone God; it does not subscribe to any one dogma; it does not believe in any one philosophic concept; it does not follow anyone set of religious rites or performances; in fact, it does not appear to satisfy the narrow traditional features of any religion or creed. It may broadly be described as a way of life and nothing more.

Hinduism seems to be a name without any content. Is it a museum of beliefs, a medley or rites, or a mere map, a geographical expression?

The Vedas as a body of scripture contains many contradictions and they are fragmentary in nature. For most Hindus of today, scriptures like the Bhagavad-Gita, Ramayana, Mahabharata, and Puranas are more attractive and appealing than the Vedas.

The Gods and Goddesses they worship differ considerably from the Vedic ones. The collection of hymns called Vedas that are written in praise of certain deities by poets over several centuries does not seem to have much significance for the Hindus of today.

Hinduism is ‘Puranic based on mythology. Hinduism is based on the myth because it believes in mythological Gods. Vedic Gods like Indra, Varuna, Agni, Soma, and the like, whom the Vedic people worshipped, hardly have any significance in present-day Hinduism.

Rig Veda 1/164/46: ~ “They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, or the heavenly sunbird Garutmat. The seers call in many ways that which is One; they speak of Agni, Yama, Matarishvan.

Rig Veda 8/58/2:~ Only One is the Fire, enkindled in numerous ways; only One is the Sun, pervading this whole universe; only One is the Dawn, illuminating all things. In very truth, the One has become the whole world.

The Gods and Goddesses important to the Hindus of today are Ram, Krishna, Kali, Ganesh, Hanuman, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, and the respective consorts of the last three, namely, Saraswati, Lakshmi, and Shakti. None of these deities figured prominently in the Vedic pantheon and some of them are clearly non-Vedic. The major Gods of Hinduism like Vishnu and Shiva are non-Aryan in origin. Though they may have belonged to the Vedic tradition they played no major role in the Vedas.

Thus it is important to bifurcate Hinduism from the Ancient Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma the importance of ‘going back to the Vedas’ to realize the Vedic religion is nothing to do with the Hinduism, which is based on the diverse belief in non-~Vedic Gods, dogmas, ritual, and worship of human being, which is barred by Vedas.

Indian people are sentimentally attached to religion because they have inherited an adulterated version of Vedism and they call it Hinduism. Hinduism was founded by the different foundress of sect and castes from time to time.   Thus, understanding Hinduism is very much necessary to realize the ancient Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma, which existed prior to Buddhism and Jainism was nothing to do with the present Hinduism. Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma was caste-free, temple-free, priest-free, free of dogmas. 

Remember:~ 

It is argued that the purushasukta hymn of the Rig Veda (X.90) which is often referred to give a religious sanction to the caste system was a later interpolation.

Rigveda prohibits: ~ “The very concept of castes by birth, upper/lower castes, superior/inferior castes, outcastes, untouchables, Dalits,

Bhagavata clearly says in 7.11.35: ~ “Just because one is born to a Brahmin doesn’t automatically make him a Brahmin. But he has more chances of becoming a Brahmin by acquiring Self- knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana. Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana is the only qualification of Brahmin to become a Brahmin. If a person born to a non-Brahmin who acquires Self- knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana possesses he/she should be immediately accepted as a Brahmin.”

In the Vedic era, a Brahmin was a person who had acquired Self- knowledge or Brahma Gnana Atma Gnana. This was an extremely difficult path of the discipline of body, mind, and intellect, and people irrespective of their birth or class, who were dedicated to such an austere life, were recognized as Brahmins.

A great example of this tradition (that a person becoming a Brahmin, rather than born as one) is the case of Vishwamitra, a warrior (Kshatriya), who became a Brahmin after attaining Atma Jnana or Self-Knowledge.

A Smritis or code of conduct composed by sage Atri defines Brahminhood very clearly.

"By birth, every man is a Shudra (an ignorant person). Through various types of disciplines (samskaras), he becomes a dwija (twice-born). Through the studies of scriptures, he becomes a vipra (or a scholar). Through the realization of supreme spirit (Brahmajnana), he becomes a Brahmin.”

The belief that people born in the Brahmin caste, automatically become Brahmins, is a much later concept in very ancient India. Thus, Brahmin means not a caste but one who has attained Atma Jnana or Brahma Jnana.

By birth everyone is Shudra only with Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Brahma Gnana every Shudra can become a Brahmin. Those who identify themselves as Brahmins caste without Brahmajnana are not Brahmins.

Religion caste and creed are nothing to do with God. Humanity itself is a religion. Love peace and equanimity are much necessary to discard the religion and sect which breeds hatred, violence in the name of God and religion.

Santana Dharma deserves to be treated on its own as a distinct religion with its own sacred texts and practices without inter-linking it with Hinduism.

It is for the Prime Minister of India and Indian Judiciary to recognize all the castes which come under Hinduism are entitled to get minority status, because, all the castes of Hinduism indulge in believing in worshipping non-Vedic Gods and non-Vedic rituals and having their own code of conduct.   The Vedas and Sanatana Dharma are nothing to do with the present caste-infected Hinduism.  

The word Hindu holds all the caste together. By removing the Hindu tag from castes all the present minority religions become the majority and all the Hindus belonging to the castes become a minority.  

Remember:~

The taboo on cow slaughter is not Vedic in origin.  The taboo on cow slaughter and beef-eating did not exist in Vedic times. Criteria like taboo on beef-eating or belief in reincarnation might stamp the Vedic seers as non-Hindus”. The question, of whether the Vedic people practiced cow slaughter is debated among Hindu traditionalists. The cow was a sacred animal that the authors of the Vedas sacrificed cows and ate beef on special occasions. This argument only substantiates the view that the cow was not an inviolable animal and that beef-eating was not a taboo in Vedic times.

As is clear from the above, several aspects that are intrinsic to the Hinduism of today, such as the doctrine of re-incarnation, avatars (‘descent’) of gods, caste system, the taboo on cow slaughter, and beef-eating were absent in the Vedic Religion. It was shown by a critical study of the Vedas that the Aryans had no developed idea of the caste system, (.…)  The taboo on the use of beef was shown to be of later origin, that the cow was freely killed for ceremonial and other purposes in ancient India”.

Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma is distinct from Hinduism. The Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma deserves to be treated on its own as a distinct religion with its own sacred texts, rites, rules of social life, beliefs, and practices without inter-linking it with Hinduism. Perhaps it is right to maintain that the Mimamsa School which is concerned with the investigation of the Vedic texts, their correct interpretation, and the meticulous performance of the Vedic rituals and ceremonies has preserved and defended a part of the heritage of the Vedic tradition.

The Vedanta school also may have received a part of the inspiration from the Vedas. For the rest of the Hindu philosophical schools and religious sects, the influence of the Vedas is nominal. However, in as much as elements from the Vedas have influenced some aspects of Hinduism, it may be considered as one of the many factors influencing modern Hinduism.

But by no means can it be maintained that Hinduism has its direct ancestry in the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma. Therefore, Hinduism of Vedic times is an imagined community. Hinduism is of a much later origin, and a historical view of Indian religions would endorse a dichotomy between Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma and contemporary Hinduism.

Hinduism does not have a long ancestry as is often presumed or propagated by the Hindu ideologues. In fact, historically, religions like Buddhism and Jainism can claim greater antiquity than the Hinduism of today. Hinduism began to take a systematic form from the time of Sage Sri, Sankara (8^th century A.D). In this sense, he may be considered as the ‘founder’ of Hinduism but he never called it Hinduism. 

Thus, Hinduism came into existence with its own code of conduct beliefs, rituals after the 8^th century. Hinduism as one knows it today is of recent origin. He states: “Hinduism did not really achieve its status as a coherent, though still baffling, religious complex until after the establishment of the British rule in India.

In discussing the Vedic Religion it is also to be remembered that in the course of history, many non-Aryan elements entered into the Vedic Religion. The Vedic Aryans freely borrowed elements from the culture and the society around them. But we cannot say with precision, which are the non-Aryan elements in the Vedic Religion. Therefore, the thesis of the direct ancestry of Hinduism of today from Vedic Religion is to be considered as a myth purported by orthodoxy.

Other aspects:~  

Religion is regarded as sacred and real by the common people, by the wise as false, and by the politicians as useful. 

The word Hindu is a misnomer. The correct word should be a Sindhu the people belongs to the Indus valley. The ancient peoples of Indus Valley or undivided India were called Hindus by Muslim Invaders. 

The term ‘Hindu’ is originally a geographical nomenclature. In the Arabic texts where the term ‘Hindu’ is initially used, refers to the inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent, the land across the Sindhu or Indus River. Al-Hind was, therefore, a geographical identity, and the Hindus were all the people who lived on this land. 

Thus, the term ‘Hindu’ was used to describe those who professed a religion other than Islam and Christianity. It is also noteworthy that the use of the word ‘Hindu’ in non-Islamic sources is known probably only from the 15^THcentury A.D.

The term ‘Hindu’ became a term of administrative convenience when the rulers of Arab, Turkish, Afghan, and Mughal origin ― all Muslims ― had to differentiate between ‘the believers’ and the rest.

The word Hindu is derived from the Indo-Aryan and Sanskrit word Sindhu, which means "a large body of water", covering "river, ocean". ... The term 'Hindu' in these ancient records is an ethno-geographical term and did not refer to a religion. The Arabic equivalent Al-Hind likewise referred to the country of India.

Origin of the word 'Hindu'. Many scholars and historians have concluded that the word 'Hindu' was coined by the ancient invaders who could not accurately pronounce the name of the River Sindhu. According to Sir Monier Williams, the famous Sanskrit lexicographer, the words 'Hindu' and 'India' evidently do not possess ...

Interestingly the word "Hindu" came into existence because of mispronunciation of a Sanskrit word by the ancient Persians some 3000 to 4000 years ago. The word "Hindu" is not a Sanskrit word. It is not found in any of the thousands of native dialects and languages of India. Neither is it a religious word. It is a secular word...

Hindu means nothing. Hindu and word Hinduism were given by Irani and Persian people who can’t pronoun Sandhu, so they call people opposite sides of river Sandhu as HINDU & Hinduism was given by Britishers. 

The word 'Hindu' has no meaning actually. Hinduism is derived from the word Sindhu in Sanskrit, the historic local name for the Indus River. The word 'Hindu' occurred first as a Persian geographical term for the people who lived beyond the river Indus. Hindu was a geographical term and did not refer to a religion.

People of India are not in contact with their religious history therefore, they believe their inherited beliefs as the ultimate truth. People of India think Hinduism is not Vedic Religion or Sanatana Dharma but it is not so.  Vedic Religion or Sanatana Dharma is prior to Buddhism. Hinduism was established after overthrowing Buddhism.     

People of   India have to liberate themselves from the stranglehold of casteism to realize their original religion is not Hinduism which is full of different caste and creeds but Vedic Religion or Sanatana Dharma. The people should be educated about the historical truth of the religion of Vedas. 

People of India are not in contact with their religious history therefore, they believe Hinduism as their religion.   People of India are sentimentally and emotionally involved with their inherited religion. They think it is irreligious to think or speak that their religion is not ancient Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma.  

Hinduism is not a religion. Rather it is a group of religions found within India that share common beliefs while still remaining very different. Many may even argue that it is not a religion but more a way of life. The term "Hinduism" was not developed by the practitioners, but by groups outside of the religions as a means for labeling the entire Indian people.

Some groups within Hinduism claim a sort of "going back to the Vedas". While these groups are attempting to create a bond with the Vedas, they will never be followers of the Vedic religion while they still hold their core ideals.

These core beliefs are at odds with those of the Vedas. Many followers of Hinduism do translate the Vedas to fit into Hindu thought by changing the translation to reflect the beliefs of monism, reincarnation, the caste system, and the absence of animal and human sacrifice. However, these poor translators.

Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru:~ 'The word Hindu can be earliest traced to a source the tantric text in the 8th century and it was used initially to describe the people, it was never used to describe religion. (The discovery of India” on pages -74 and -75) 

According to Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, Its connection with religion is of late occurrence. The word Hinduism is derived from the word Hindu.

The word Hinduism was first used by English writers in the 19th century to describe the multiplicity of faiths of the people of India.

In Encyclopaedia Britannica it says:~ The word Hinduism was first used by the British writers in the year 1830 to describe the multiplicity of the faiths of the people of India excluding the converted Christians. (Volume -20, Reference -581)

Swami Vivekananda says: - The word Hindu is a misnomer; the correct word should be a Vedantins, a person who follows the Vedas.

The word Hinduism is a misnomer.

Aryans were ancient people who originally inhabited Central Asia and later migrated southwards to the regions stretching from Iran to northwest India. These early Aryans had a similar language, race, culture, and religion with many variations. The Aryans were influenced by the Dravidic culture and in later centuries other peoples also invaded and migrated to India bringing other influences and mixing many cultures' ideologies and beliefs.  

Ancient peoples of India belong to the Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma, therefore, they have nothing to do with present-day Hinduism. 

Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma is not Hinduism. The word Hindu came originated from the word Sindhu which is another name for the river Indus. Maybe people who stayed along the Sindhu (Indus) valley came to be known as Hindus. 

An exact date of the birth of Santana Dharma cannot be given.  They say that Santana Dharma is as old as planet earth. Some claim it is 5000 to 7000 years old Ancient India consisted of indigenous people.  Aryans, Dravidians, Jews, Christian, and Muslims have invaded India and all ingenious people were converted to different faith from time to time.  Thus, Hinduism is a group of different caste, creeds, and faith. 

The Hindus believed in polytheism, believing all of their Gods to be separate individuals, which were introduced much later by the founders of Hinduism which contains diverse beliefs caste, and creed.  

Max Müller says: ~ "The religion of the Veda knows no idols; the worship of idols in India is a secondary formation, a degradation of the more primitive worship of ideal Gods."

When the religion of the Veda knows no idols then why so many Gods and Goddesses with different forms and names are being propagated as Vedic Gods. Why these conceptual Gods are introduced when the Vedic concept of God is free from form and attributes.

Hindus are idol worshipers of a large number of Gods and Goddesses whereas in Vedas the God has been described as:-

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!

The Hindus believed in polytheism, believing all of their Gods to be separate individuals, which were introduced much later by the founders of Hinduism which contains diverse beliefs caste, and creed.

Remember:~

The DaVita, Vedanta borrows a 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 states that Soul attains liberation. 

Hinduism is based on myths and thus people of India are unaware of the facts of their inherited religious history.

The Vedic system did not have the castes system.  The caste system was a fake created in the name of Hinduism. This non-Vedic belief system called Hinduism created hatred in the low caste Hindu for the higher caste. 

Hindu idol or deity or temple is nothing to do with the Vedic Religion. Vedic people ate beef. The Hindu practices of idol worship and temples worship ban on beef-eating introduced many centuries later.

The vast ocean of Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma was consistently steady and calm for a very long period. It appears that as a consequence of the rage of the Buddhist revolution it got suddenly disturbed and flowed down to us in disorder. Even today Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma has not recovered from the onslaught of Buddhism and Jainism and is not able to settle in people's hearts in its original form in the same old measure.

The Buddhist influence is seen in a great measure in the Vedic philosophy which is followed by the majority of Indians. Thus, it is clear that Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma has not retained its original form, but has been influenced by other religions has undergone a sea change. Thus the influence of Buddhism on Santana Dharma is extraordinary. Even Kumarila Bhatta, who fought with great heroism for the revival of Vedic Religion, was so much influenced by Buddhism that he established for the first time in the country, an atheist Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma. There is no room for any doubt to assert that the Kumarila Bhatta School was influenced by atheist Buddhism because the school which is based on the validity of the Vedas and rituals refutes the existence of God.

It is also necessary for the people to know why Ancient Vedic Religion or Sanatana Dharma is not present Hinduism if they are seeking truth in India.

It is very much necessary for the Indian populace to know why Ancient Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma is not present in Hinduism. India is a spiritual supermarket with diverse philosophies, theories, ideologies, and yoga beliefs. 

Hinduism indulges non-Vedic beliefs such as idolatry, ancestor worship, pilgrimages, priestcraft, offerings made in temples, the caste system, untouchability, and child marriages. All these lack Vedic sanctions, therefore, Hinduism is not Ancient Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma.

Hinduism is the museum of diverse beliefs and dogmas. Hinduism is not the means to ‘Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana All Hindus indulge in non-Vedic practice barred by the Vedas introduced by the different founders of the different sects of Hinduism at a different time, whereas the Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma is ancient and has no founder.

Hinduism is not Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion. Hinduism is not a religion. Rather it is a group of religions found within India that share common beliefs while still remaining very different.

Hinduism is not a religion but more a way of life. The term "Hinduism" is used for labeling the entire Indian people irrespective of any religion.

The new religion was introduced with new add-ons by Sage Sankara a great Advaitic  Sage to uplift the Vedic culture and Santana Dharma, which were in ruins in the clutches of Buddhism. 

18 Puranas are introduced in the name of Sage Veda Vyasa not by Sage Sri, Sankara but the saints or founders of different caste because the Puranic Gods are non-Vedic Gods. Vedas bar worship of non-Vedic Gods of Hinduism.

As one goes deeper in the annals of the history, it indicates the fact that somewhere someone has added the Puranas in the name of Sage Veda Vyasa the grandmaster of Vedas. It is impossible to accept and believe that Sage Veda Vyasa authored and introduced Puranas which have all conceptual gods because:~

That is why Swami Vivekananda~ The masses in India cry to sixty million Gods and still die like dogs. Where are these gods? - Swami Vivekananda-The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 1/Lectures And Discourses/The Gita II

In Reality, Hinduism is not ancient Vedic Religion or Sanatana Dharma. Hindus do not follow  Vedas. People of Inda think Hinduism is Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion but it is not so.

As one peeps into the annals of religious history he finds that Hinduism which exists today is not a continuation of the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma, and it has no real historical foundation.  Hinduism is of a much later origin.

As per the researchers, the two faiths the Hindu belief system has drifted miles away from the Vedic faith so the two seem to be two distinct faiths. It is not difficult to discover that there is no noticeable continuity of Hinduism from the Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma.

The distinctive characteristics of the Hindu belief system cannot be traced in Vedic literature. Besides, although the Vedas are revered as sacred texts, many people in India do not know what ‘belief in the Vedas’ means. In most cases, the acquaintance of the Hindus with the Vedas is limited to the few hymns that are recited in temples and household liturgies.

As one peeps into the annals of religious history he finds that Hinduism which exists today is not a continuation of the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma, and it has no real historical foundation.  Hinduism is of a much later origin.

As per the researchers, the two faiths the Hindu belief system has drifted miles away from the Vedic faith so the two seem to be two distinct faiths. It is not difficult to discover that there is no noticeable continuity of Hinduism from the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma.

The distinctive characteristics of the Hindu belief system cannot be traced in Vedic literature. Besides, although the Vedas are revered as sacred texts, many people in India do not know what ‘belief in the Vedas’ means. In most cases, the acquaintance of the Hindus with the Vedas is limited to the few hymns that are recited in temples and household liturgies.

God and Goddesses worshipped in India today are non-Vedic Gods.   Such God s and Goddesses cease to exist without the dualistic illusion. Whatever belongs to the dualistic illusion is bound to be a falsehood.

Hinduism is based on myths and thus, the 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!

To be considered an orthodox Hindu one need only accept the authority of Shruti, however, there is no universal agreement among Hindus what constitutes Shruti. Vedantins consider the Vedanta, i.e., the Upanishads as Shruti but also include the Bhagavad-Gita and Brahma Sutras as authoritative. For some Vaishnavas, the Bhagavata Purana is to be considered Veda. Some consider the Tantras are considered Veda. Thus we find that there is ample scope for different philosophies and practices under the very broad umbrella of Hinduism. 

The  Hindus indulge in non-Vedic practice barred by the Vedas introduced by the different founders of the different sects of Hinduism at a different time, whereas the Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma is ancient and has no founder. Thus to acquire Self-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, the seeker has to realize his inherited religion is adulterated in the past and it becomes a great obstacle is realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman.

Hinduism is based on mythology 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 ritual and conduct oriented practices has been contributed largely by the orthodox priests to suit their convenience!

The Buddhist influence is seen in a great measure in the Vedic philosophy which is followed by the majority of Indians. Thus, it is clear that Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma has not retained its original form, but has been influenced by other religions has undergone a sea change. Thus the influence of Buddhism on Santana Dharma is extraordinary. Even Kumarila Bhatta, who fought with great heroism for the revival of Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion, was so much influenced by Buddhism that he established for the first time in the country, an atheist Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma. There is no room for any doubt to assert that the Kumarila Bhatta School was influenced by atheist Buddhism because the school which is based on the validity of the Vedas and rituals refutes the existence of God. Sage Sankara endeavored towards establishing Vedic Religion 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 Vedic religion that flourished before the Buddhist revolution in its pure form is discernible.

Many thinkers since his time have said about Sage Sri Sankara that he made use of many important tenets of Buddhism and presented to the people the very Buddhism in the guise of Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion. Though the Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion represented by Sage Sankara is like a conglomeration of many things he deserves the credit of having turned the Hindu mind which was once averse to Vedas -the root of Hinduism, towards the Vedas once again. For this, the followers of Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion should be grateful to Sage Sankara.

The brilliance shown by Sage Sankara, a man of wonderful genius, a matchless speaker, and an extraordinary dialectician is really a great spectacle in history. In his time, there was a severe conflict between Buddhism and the atheist Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion of Kumarila Bhatta. Utilizing this opportunity age Sage Sankara intervened in the conflict and made use of some concepts and methodology of both the Kumarila Bhatta School and Buddhism presented a new coalition religion before people.

Sage Sankara gave an extraordinary charisma to this religion with the help of his methods of logic and style of exposition. Its influence was so much that both the Bhatta School and Buddhism had to flee from India without leaving a trace. The absence, even today, of a single follower of the Kumarila Bhatta School as well as of Buddhism, is proof enough for the great achievement of Sage Sankara. This indeed is a historical miracle.

One can see in the Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion expounded by Sage Sri Sankara a different version of the Kumarila Bhatta School and Buddhism. That is why the tradition of following Kumarila Bhatta methodology in expounding the Advaita thought at the empirical level gained ground in the Advaita School. Different types of the methodology of Buddhism were absorbed into the Advaita thought, of course, under new labels. There is a very clear similarity between the Vedic Religion of Sage Sri Sankara and Buddhism and the Advaita School have given the world a common message. The essence of both schools is:~

The entire world which man perceives is illusionary; it is just an appearance of unreality and there is only one indeterminate and attributeless Sat at the root of this world".

Some Saints in the past introduced the concept of God with attributes and attributeless gods, but Yajur Veda says: ~ 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.

Therefore, all these add-ons prove that the form and attribute-based concepts are introduced by some sages of the past with a new belief system and code of conduct in the name of Vedas.

Thus, it proves that Hinduism is nothing to do with the ancient Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion.

Hinduism does not consist in struggles and attempts to believe a certain doctrine or dogma. From the high spiritual flights of the Vedanta philosophy, of which the latest discoveries of science seem like echoes, to the low ideas of idolatry with its multifarious mythology, the agnosticism of the Buddhists, and the atheism of the Jains, each and all have a place in the Hinduism.

The vast ocean of Vedic religion or Santana Dharma was consistently steady and calm for a very long period. It appears that as a consequence of the rage of the Buddhist revolution it got suddenly disturbed and flowed down to us in disorder. Even today Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma has not recovered from the onslaught of Buddhism and Jainism and is not able to settle in people's hearts in its original form in the same old measure.

As we peep into the annals of the religious history of India we find that Santana Dharma or Vedic religion was not the religion of the Hindus: ~

Every one of the great religions in the world, excepting our own, is built upon such historical characters; but ours rests upon principles. No man or woman can claim to have created the Vedas. They are the embodiment of eternal principles; sages discovered them.

Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion was not the religion of the Hindus, nor were the Vedic people Hindus, nor will the Hindus of today approve the replacement of the term ‘Hinduism’ with Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion. None can say exactly when the Aryans became Hindus because neither the name Hindu nor its major beliefs and practices existed in the Vedic times.

To this, one must add the marginal place the Vedic gods occupy in today’s Hindu pantheon. Also, as we have seen, the Vedas themselves are not attractive to most of today’s Hindus as sacred texts. The Ramayana, Mahabharata, Bhagavad-Gita, Puranas, and Manusmriti, may have more to do with the Hinduism of today than the Vedas.

Thus, it is clear that there is no direct ancestry of modern Hinduism traceable in the Vedas, though it does have some influence on it “The Vedic corpus reflects the archetypal religion of those who called themselves Aryas, and which, although it contributed to facets of latter-day Hinduism, was nevertheless distinct”.

The book of Manu is nothing to do with the Vedas and Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma.

Indians populace wrongly believe that Hinduism is an ancient religion because they are unaware of the fact that Hinduism is not the Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion. The people in India believe in Varnashrama Dharma or caste discrimination.

The people of India have to liberate themselves from the stranglehold of casteism to realize their original religion is not Hinduism which is full of different caste and creeds but the Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion. The people should be educated about the historical truth of the religion of the Santana Dharma or Vedic Religion.

Out of the five Indian religions, Saivism and Vaishnavism were already enslaved to Varnashrama Dharma i.e. caste discrimination. The people of India began to use the newly originated common name of ‘Hinduism’ to denote Saivism and Vaishnavism. The context and substance of the term Hinduism; coined by Sir William Jones is different from the context and substance of this term ‘Hindu religion’, which was substituted erroneously and used by the people to denote Saivism and Vaishnavism.

The term Hinduism came into existence in British rule. Hinduism is the caste discriminating principle of Varnashrama Dharma based on the Book of Manu.

After 1750 A.D., Europeans captured certain parts of India and started ruling those areas. The capital of then British India was Calcutta the present-day Kolkata.

The Britishers were duty-bound to administer justice to the people living within their dominion. Thus, they set up courts of justice. They needed laws to administer justice through the courts.

To administer justice to the Christian citizens of India living within their dominion, there was Christian Law, based on Biblical principles.

To administer justice to the Muslim citizens of India living within their dominion, there was Islamic Law, based on Quranic principles. But to administer justice to non-Christian and non-Islamic citizens living in British dominion, there was no law book. This created problems for the Britishers.

At this time, Sir William Jones was appointed as the chief justice of the Supreme Court at Calcutta. Local pundits made Sir William Jones believe that the book of Manu was the law book for the people of India.

Sir William Jones believed pundits and translated the book of Manu from Sanskrit to English. Thus, based on the laws of Manu, a law was formed for administering justice to non-Christian and non-Muslim Indians of the British dominion, and this law was called the Hindu law.

The principles of the book of Manu which was used for drafting the Hindu Law were called Hinduism. The basic principle of the book of Manu is caste discrimination.

The name coined by Sir William Jones to denote caste discriminating principles is Hinduism. It is not a religion. It is a way of Life. It is the way of life of the Indus people.

In this, a historic false perception crept in. That is when they called the terms Christian Law, Muslim law, and Hindu Law, both Christian Law, and Muslim Law were associated with the Christian religion and Islamic religion. But in respect of Hindu Law, a false perception of religion was wrongly attributed to it as if it was also associated with a ‘Hindu religion’ which was not there.

The people must realize that Hinduism is nothing to do with Spirituality because Hinduism is based on the matter whereas Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma is based on the Spirit(Atman). 

Remember: ~

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 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 Chapter 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 experts of this language, translated it into the Sanskrit language and manipulated the meanings in time, and gradually, all the practices changed.

The Vedas confirm God is Atman (Spirit), the  ‘Self’.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman the innermost ‘Self’. May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Rig Veda 1/164/46: ~ “They call him Indra, Mitra, Varuna, Agni, or the heavenly sunbird Garutmat. The seers call in many ways that which is One; they speak of Agni, Yama, Matarishvan.

Rig Veda 8/58/2:~ Only One is the Fire, enkindled in numerous ways; only One is the Sun, pervading this whole universe; only One is the Dawn, illuminating all things. In very truth, the One has become the whole world.

Rig-Veda 1-164-46 and Y.V 32-1 clearly mention that God is “One”.

Rig Veda declares God is ‘ONE’ and God is Atman, then why believe and worship in place of real God.

In Yajurveda – chapter- 32:~ It has been said that God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions. Thus, Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God) is in the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.

People, who worship the religious belief in the religious idea of God, are hallucinating that they become one with such God.

Vedas itself declares: May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman? Thus, to know the real God Self-realization is necessary. Self-realization is God-realization. Self-realization is real worship.

How can you worship God? That implies two ~ the worshipper and the worshiped, whereas God is nondual. One can worship his idea of God only or realize his unity with it when he can’t worship it as apart.

When Upanishads and Vedas declare that, “God is present in the form of the Athma, and God is indeed Athma itself” then why accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman.

God is the Supreme Being the One eternal homogeneous essence, indivisible consciousness, and intelligence, which is beyond form, time, and space. To which the Sages describe in a variety of ways through diverse words.

The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad declares: "He who worships the deities as entities entirely separate from him does not know the truth. For the Gods, he is like a pasu (beast)". (1. 4. 10)

Bhagavad Gita: ~ Brahmano hi pratisthaham ~ Brahman (God) is considered the all-pervading consciousness, which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material. (14.27).

When Bhagavad Gita says, God is considered the all-pervading consciousness which is the basis of all the animate and inanimate entities and material then nothing has to be accepted as God other than consciousness.

Bhagavad Gita: ~ ‘All those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires, they worship many Gods. (7- Verse -20)

Brihad Upanishad: ~ “If you think there is another entity, whether man or God there is no truth."

Upanishad itself says: ~ Sarvam khalvidam brahma ~ all this (universe) is verily Brahman. By following back all of the relative appearances in the world, we eventually return to that from which it is all manifest – the non-dual reality (Chandogya Upanishad).

Sage Sankara’s Supreme Brahman (God) is impersonal, Nirguna (without Gunas or attributes), Nirakara (formless), Nirvisesha (without special characteristics), immutable, eternal, and Akarta (non-agent). It is above all needs and desires. It is always the Witnessing Subject. It can never become an object as it is beyond the reach of the senses. Brahman is non-dual, one without a second. It has no other beside it. It is destitute of difference, either external or internal. Brahman cannot be described because the description implies a distinction. Brahman cannot be distinguished from any other than It. In Brahman, there is not a distinction between substance and attribute. Sat-Chit-Ananda constitutes the very essence or Svarupa of Brahman, and not just Its attributes. The Nirguna Brahman of Sage  Sankara is impersonal.

As indicated in ISH Upanishads:~By worshipping Gods and Goddesses you will go after death to the world of gods and goddesses. But will that help you? The time you spend there is wasted because if you were not there you could have spent that time moving forward towards ‘Self’-knowledge, which is your goal. In the world of Gods and Goddesses, you cannot do that, and thus you go deeper and deeper into darkness.

Yajur Veda says: ~ They sink deeper into darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc. - (Yajurveda 40:9)

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.)

It clearly indicates that:-If the human goal is to acquire ‘Self’-Knowledge then why does one have to indulge in rituals and glorify the conceptual gods, goddesses, and gurus to go into deeper darkness. Instead spend that time moving forward towards ‘Self’-knowledge, which is one’s prime goal.

Since it is eternal and infinite, it comprises the only truth. The goal of Vedic religion, through the various yogas, is to realize that consciousness (Atman) is actually nothing but Brahman.

The Vedic pantheon of gods is said, in the Vedas and Upanishads, to be the only higher manifestations of Brahman. For this reason, "ekam sat" (all is one), and all is Brahman.

One must remember that for all periods the Vedas are the final goal and authority, and if the Puranas differ in any respect from the Vedas, that part of the Puranas is to be rejected without mercy.

If Hindus believe in one God, why do people worship so many Gods? There are 33,000,000 Gods and Goddesses in Hinduism.

Unfortunately, Hindus have started worshipping so many idols. In fact, Vedas specifically say that idols have not to be worshipped. Here are quotes from the principal Scriptures which say that Idols shouldn’t be worshipped.

Hindu idol or deity or temple is nothing to do with the Vedic religion. Vedic people ate beef. The Hindu practices of idol worship and temples worship ban on beef-eating introduced many centuries later. therefore Hinduism is not non-Vedic nothing to do with Vedas or Vedic religion.  : ~ Santthosh Kumaar