That the Riga Veda is the most ancient of the Hindu scriptures has never been denied. Yet the common Hindus today do not read the Riga Veda and do not regard it as a scripture that offers instruction or comfort. The scriptural texts that are widely followed today are the Gita, the Bhagavata Purana and the Rama Charita Manas.
In fact, it is argued that there is a total disconnect between the monotheistic and moralistic Hinduism of today and the esoteric and pantheistic content of the Riga Veda.
In their book In Search of the Cradle of Civilization Frawley, Kak and Feuerstein argue that the disconnect is only an apparent one, which is a result of an incorrect and incomplete understanding of the Riga Veda. In this book the authors identify the major tenets of contemporary Hinduism and trace them to verses in the Riga Veda. Their analysis is summarized in this article.
Moksha and Law of Karma in the Riga Veda
The objective of life is to attain moksha, which is to realize that the self is but a manifestation of the divine and through this experience become one with God. This has been explained in the various Upanishads notably by a seer named Vamadeva. Book 4 of the Riga Veda is largely attributed to Vamadeva. In hymn XXVI of this book Vamadeva writes “I was Manu and now I am the Sun.” Here Manu represents the human self and the Sun represents divinity. This verse describes the experience of moksha.
Rebirth is something all Hindus believe in. Till the self attains moksha it will have to participate in the cycle of death and rebirth. This is known as the law of karma. Once the self realizes its divinity it will become free from the cycle. The law of karma has been elucidated to perfection in the Gita. However the seeds have been sown in the Riga Veda. Verse LXXXVIII in Book 10 of the Riga Veda speaks of two paths that of the Gods and that of the ancestors. Those who have realized divinity traverse the path of the Gods, whereas the rest have to be born again and again.
Yoga in the Riga Veda
Yoga is the foundation of the spiritual practice of religion. Patanjali, who codified these practices, refers to seven types of Yoga. Of these Hatha Yoga that deals with physical fitness is what the Western world sees as Yoga. Mantra Yoga is said to be the simplest form of Yoga. It consists of proper recitation of sacred words.
There is a reference to this in Book 1 Hymn CLXIV of the Riga Veda. It says that in the supreme space where all Gods reside is the syllable of the holy praise-song. Those who do not know this cannot derive any benefit from the holy praise-song. But those who know it well participate in the recitation together. The reference here is to Om or Aum the source of all mantras.
Surrender to the divine as a means of attaining salvation is a process that is common in all religions. Only the method of salvation differs. The practice of touching ones head at the feet of the idol as an acknowledgment of surrender is something one would see at any Hindu temple today. This practice has been advocated in the Riga Veda in Book 6, Verse LI.
“Surrender is truly powerful. … By means of surrender, I take refuge from whatever wrong actions [I may have committed].”
In In Search of the Cradle of Civilization the authors have suggested that the Vedas, particularly the Riga Veda, need to be reinterpreted. The interpretation has to go beyond the metaphor and has to be done in the context of the larger Hindu philosophy.
Sources:
In Search of the Cradle of Civilization; Feuerstein, Kak and Frawley; Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi.
The Riga Veda; Accessed from Sacred-texts.com.
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