“Thus spiritualism is not merely a dialectic on what is soul, spirit or Aatma; it has to be, actually , a realization of the Ultimate Pure Energy- the one that is indestructible – uncreatable – formless – faceless – Eternal - Neither delugeable nor inflammable; and to be so established. Yoga is the Most profound and scientific pathway for this attainment.”
By Dr.Mandeep Prakash
New Delhi, June 13, 2019: Ever since man stood up on the Two feet, visualized the Horizon and strange light that changed its color through the day, provoked the Human mind for finding the course and cause of The Creation. The Man was intrigued by happenings around him to which he had no logical explanation.
The resources around him were limited to wild plants and animals; his own skin was naked compared to tough skin of animals; his physical frailties restricted areas to resources as against some stronger animals. His body frame was weak but the mental abilities were far too superior to that of any other being moving around him. He started constructing safe dwellings and building a Society to safe guard the internal and external interests of his clan.
To keep that community and society in a discipline as well as to answer queries of lesser capable brethren of his, he raised an entity above and superior to himself and became Oracle to that Super Human Entity- rituals and customs were devised so that a faith was installed by the clan in the Super Human Entity and Its Oracle .
As the Civilization grew, the Society became more complex; to keep the society together, to protect it and its interests, there was a requirement of Defense, Offence, & internal governance, a differentiation of skills so as to produce & manufacture Goods & Services; the clan progressed and so did the Oracle, In order to maintain ethics- Morals -Values rituals for society to have its norms – participations and sanctions, with the progression of civilization, a body of followers be it called the Church- Sanggat – Sanghthan- Aryavart was added to the Faith in Super Human Entity and its Oracle.
Thus was born the religion. Religion, thus, is a part and an instrument of society and social structure. The word ‘Religion’ it comes from the Latin word ‘Legios’ which meant a unit or formation in an Organization / Army. Religion is basically an ancient device to ensure discipline in society by institution of uniform rituals, a conduct of social events like birth, marriage, death etc., and to institutionalize customs, norms and values so that the whole society works as a singular monolithic organization in a predictable manner.
The religion has four cardinal components (a) a Super Human entity (b) a Church or body community of followers (c) a Code of conduct & defining rituals for social and individual’s life events (d) An unchallengeable Faith. It is very different from the ancient Vedic concept of Dharma.
The concept of Dharma in the Vedic India was akin to the concept of functional duty and changed with the status of the person both with the achieved status as well as the ascribed status.
Thus a man had different Dharma as a Son – as a Father –as a Brother-as a Husband – as a KARTA in the undivided Family; as a member of the society as a Farmer - as a priest – as a Minister –as a Officer of the State - as a King –as a Rich man – as a Servant – as a Master, so on and so forth . The Vedic rituals were associated with the Forces of Nature and each Force had a personalized ‘Deva’ for whom ‘Aahutis’ were offered through Fire or Water and the God Supreme was symbolized by ‘OM’ and chanted as sound A-U-M.
There was no church or the body of followers but the society at large was expected to exercise control by following Dharma by every individual in capacity of the status the individual was discharging. Hence Vedic time did not have any religion in sense of the word as it is understood today.
Historically Gautam Buddh was the inventor and the First person to establish, Religion, perhaps, in the entire world for the propounded the right conduct-The Sangham - and faith in ‘Dhamm’. He did not indulge in the explanation of what is AATMA, - what happens after death – What is Param Aatma, what is God. He simply propounded that life is full of pain and desire is the Cause of pain; to control desire one must follow middle path as per the Vital eight Right values.
Thus the religion in modern sense was born and the followers of Budha were bound to place their faith in the Sayings of Budha. The space and context demands not to Judge the merits or dements; the cause and effects; The Right and Wrong or even the impact of historical course of the development of Nation of India.
However Sanatan Dharma came into being as reaction to Buddhism and Jainism as well as the drive to revive ancient Indian practices and study of Scriptures including Vedas. Today we have umpteen numbers of religions their denominations and then myriads of cults.