Ancient India and the Vedic Gods

By HENRY ROMANO

These four Vedas comprise a highly developed religious system - the Rig, Sama, Atharva, and Yajur Vedas. Through the worship of the demigods, or the Vedic gods, these Vedas were primarily intended to encourage the satisfaction of material desires. Thus, the Vedas clearly explain how to perform the required worship and sacrifices or rituals to these devas (demigods) to receive the blessings required to increase one's power and position or reach the heavens in the future or for other purposes.

The point is that the devas participate and affect all universal management and activities, including the weather or who is blessed with certain opulence, such as riches, beautiful spouses, large families, good health, etc. A person could worship Agni to gain power, Durgadevi to obtain good fortune, Indra to have a healthy sexual life, or Vasus to earn money. Karma-kanda is the section of the Vedas that many consider the most essential part of Vedic teachings. Thus, people will be able to live a good life and enjoy a decent existence. Of course, various actions, or karmas, are motivated by our aspirations to achieve specific results. Several sections in the Vedas deal with Karma-Kanda. Although this is not the complete understanding of the karma-kanda segment, which provides rituals for purifying our minds and actions in pursuit of our desires, and not limiting ourselves to only acquiring everything that one needs from the demigods. One's habits and thoughts become purified when one has faith and steadiness in the performance of the ritual. As one becomes pure and free of those desires, one gradually acquires one's needs and assuages one's desires. When we purify our consciousness, we can achieve a higher level of spiritual activity. The karma-kanda rituals had this higher purpose. Unless one recognizes this, one misses the point and remains attached to ways to satisfy material desires, which will keep one in earthly existence.

• Language: English
• Publisher: DTTV PUBLICATIONS
• Release date: Jun 16, 2022
• ISBN: 9798201615086

Book preview

HENRY ROMANO

These four Vedas comprise a highly developed religious system - the Rig, Sama, Atharva, and Yajur Vedas. Through the worship of the demigods, or the Vedic gods, these Vedas were primarily intended to encourage the satisfaction of material desires. Thus, the Vedas clearly explain how to perform the required worship and sacrifices or rituals to these devas (demigods) to receive the blessings required to increase one's power and position or reach the heavens in the future or for other purposes.

The point is that the devas participate and affect all universal management and activities, including the weather or who is blessed with certain opulence, such as riches, beautiful spouses, large families, good health, etc. A person could worship Agni to gain power, Durgadevi to obtain good fortune, Indra to have a healthy sexual life, or Vasus to earn money. Karma-kanda is the section of the Vedas that many consider the most essential part of Vedic teachings. Thus, people will be able to live a good life and enjoy a decent existence. Of course, various actions, or karmas, are motivated by our aspirations to achieve specific results. Several sections in the Vedas deal with Karma-Kanda. Although this is not the complete understanding of the karma-kanda segment, which provides rituals for purifying our minds and actions in pursuit of our desires, and not limiting ourselves to only acquiring everything that one needs from the demigods. One's habits and thoughts become purified when one has faith and steadiness in the performance of the ritual. As one becomes pure and free of those desires, one gradually acquires one's needs and assuages one's desires. When we purify our consciousness, we can achieve a higher level of spiritual activity. The karma-kanda rituals had this higher purpose. Unless one recognizes this, one misses the point and remains attached to ways to satisfy material desires, which will keep one in earthly existence.

However, with the compilation and presentation of other Vedic literature, the focus shifted from focusing on rituals and prayers to understanding the self and the relationship with the Supreme. In addition to the Upanishads, these texts included the Mahabharata and Bhagavad-gita and the Puranas and other readers. Various divinities, such as Vishnu and Krishna, are featured in Vedic shastras or spiritual books that elaborate on Vedic spiritual truths and help one achieve moksha or complete release from material existence. These liberations cannot be provided by the other demigods. Thus, the entire Vedic library contains information on all levels of spiritual knowledge, the highest levels of which lead a person to become free from desires for material comforts or the need to worship demigods for such blessings and to attain entrance into the spiritual realm, the highest level of spiritual achievement.

VEDIC DIVINITIES ARE VIEWED IN TWO WAYS

According to Vedic tradition, the Vedic divinities are generally viewed in two ways. Some impersonalists believe the Supreme is not a person but an impersonal force from which all things are created, such as the great Brahman effulgence. They commonly thought that all Vedic Divinities are different forms or manifestations of the same Supreme or Absolute Truth.

Thus, it does not matter if someone worships Shiva, Krishna, Ganesh, Murugan, or any other Vedic deities or gods, since they all embody the same Absolute Truth or God in various forms.

As this book progresses, we will see the differences between Lord Krishna's avatars and the other devas.Conversely, some believe that the Absolute Truth ultimately has a personality. Their view makes a difference in which of the Vedic divinities you worship because they offer varying benefits and results. Each God serves a distinct purpose.

Therefore, some people wonder why Hinduism or Vedic culture seems to have so many gods, and if this is the case, which one should they worship? As a result, when we analyze the situation correctly, we will understand that each of the Vedic divinities has its own function, and there is, in fact, only one Supreme Being with many agents or demigods to handle the various aspects of the creation of the universe and its natural forces. In addition, like everyone else, if they are correctly approached with prayer or worship, they may grant the person-specific wishes within that demigod's jurisdiction. Let's start with an explanation.

First of all, in some early Vedic texts, there are references to 33 or even 33.3 million Vedic gods. Indra and Prajapati (Brahma) and eight Vasus together make up the 33 gods of Hindu mythology. The eleven forms of Shiva are considered Rudras, and the twelve Adityas are regarded as forms of Shiva. Other positions may be considered minor devas or major devas. According to the Vedas, devas do not exist as imaginary or mythological beings but simply serve as agents of the Supreme Will to administer various aspects of the universal affairs. Devas also represent multiple aspects of nature. Therefore, they manifest on both our existence's physical and subtle levels. Thus, a transcendentalist understands that everything has a personality behind it.

The names of these demigods are considered offices, not their names as demigods. In the United States, we may call the country's president by his personal name or simply Mr. President. He has certain powers because of the position itself. A living being can only become a demigod after building up a significant amount of pious credit. The individual then becomes an Indra, a Vayu, or a Brahma or attains another position that gives him a specific power or the ability to control certain aspects of material energy. Such entities are not gods but demigods, for they exist only within this material creation. However, some may refer to them as the Vedic gods for ease of conversation.

As another example, try walking into a big factory and seeing all the workers at work. Initially, you may believe the factory's workers are behind whatever happens. The foremen, managers, and executives oversee and direct the workers. One of the meanings of Shiva's spout of Ganga water on his head is that he is one of the foremost devotees of Lord Krishna, Vishnu, or Lord Rama. Activities are more important than the workers themselves.  You will find people of different levels of authority among them. One of them will be responsible for designing the products. The other may be in charge of finance. Another might be responsible for personnel, and someone else might be responsible for factory maintenance. The most crucial position is that of the chief executive officer or president. The company may not even exist without him. It may not be obvious, but the president's decisions are being implemented everywhere since all workers work on the projects he decides. As his authorized agents, managers and foremen keep things moving accordingly. All of the various demigods represent some aspect or power of the Supreme Will regarding the functions of nature. Because of this, some Hindus say there are 33 million different gods. Additionally, every living entity possesses a form of God called a Supersoul.

In the human species alone, there are over eight billion gods who run through this world, so if you look at it in that light, over eight billion gods circulate through our world right now. Even though there are many forms, avatars, or aspects of God, there is only one Ultimate God or one Absolute Truth. All that exists comes from God.

Another view of the Vedic devas or demigods is that they represent different facets of our self-knowledge, primarily when practicing Yoga and meditation. Vayu, the God of wind, also controls the breath in pranayama and appears in Yoga as the breath. The fire god Agni is related to the fire of