TODAY IS GREAT SOCIAL REFORMER JYOTIRAO PHULES DEATH ANNIVERSARY. HE, ALONG WITH SAVITRIBAI PHULE STARTED, THE 1ST GIRLS SCHOOL IN MAHARSHTRA. HE WAS THE PIONEER OF ANTI-CASTE STRUGGLE AND WOMENS EDUCATION IN INDIA. THE FOLLOWING IS AN EXCERPT FROM HIS WRITINGS. TAKE YOUR TIME TO READ HOW HE DECONSTRUCTS OUR COMMON UNDERSTANDING BY LOGIC THE GREATNESS OF VEDAS??? As I concluded writing the third part of the Cultivator’s Whipcord, a saffron-clad shudra sadhu, an enthusiastic, garrulous member of the Kabir sect parading a holy tulsi garland, A regular visitor to Pandharpur (Maharashtra) came to my house and sat on a bench on my courtyard. I asked the sadhu what it is that he desired. To which the sadhu replied: Sadhu- Are you Jotirao Phule? Jotirao- Yes, indeed, I am the one. Sadhu- You are a born Hindu. Because of your English education you have been lately attacking Hinduism. So I thought I should discuss with you if the four principles Veda, the main scriptures of Hinduism, are indeed divine in origin…. and satisfy myself. I have come here for the purpose. Jotirao- Have you yourself actually seen the four Vedas with your own eyes? Sadhu- Well, yes. I have seen all of them in a Brahman’s house. Jotirao- Can you offer any reliable evidence to prove that these scriptures were written by God Himself? Sadhu- Nothing, apart from what the Brahman told me during our chat. Jotirao- OK. To begin with do you think God has a definite shape? Sadhu- How can he? God is supposed to be shapeless Parmatma. Jotirao- How is it then that this shapeless God authored the four Vedas? Sadhu- Only the Brahmans can answer that question. You’d better ask them. Jotirao- Secondly, is it the case that God authored the Vedas with a view to liberating mankind Sadhu- Yes, indeed. Jotirao- Thirdly, in which language did God compose the Vedic scriptures? Sadhu- In a Sanskrit language. Jotirao- Fourthly, is Sanskrit understood and spoken all over the world? Sadhu- Very few people know this language. Jotirao- This would prove that the Vedas were not written for the upliftment of all mankind because most people of the world do not at all speak or know Sanskrit. How can a scripture, which people don’t understand, liberate them? Sadhu- May be when they were written, people all over the world spoke Sanskrit. It is possible that later various kinds of languages developed. Jotirao- This would mean that God did not know that there would be multiplicity of languages in the future. Does not it go against the omniscience of God? Further many German, Scottish, English scholars like Max Muller have studied the Vedas rather well. Is not it surprising that they did not disown Christianity and adopt the Vedic religion? Sadhu- Scriptures May be the thought of having to bathe thrice a day with a white thread around his neck like the Brahman in the climate of Europe scared Max Muller. In any case he alone can answer your question. How I say anything on it? Jotirao- If God had created the Vedic scriptures for the liberation of entire mankind, the bhat brahmans would not have prohibited the shudras and the atishudras for studying the Vedas. The bhat brahmans have thus violated God’s commandment and are not the shudras and the atishudras suffering for that? Why should they trust either the God who is supposed to have created the Vedic scriptures or the scriptures themselves? Or indeed why should they call themselves Hindus?
Posted on: Fri, 28 Nov 2014 04:17:56 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015