WHAT IS A RELIGION ?

A dictionary defines the word “Religion” as “An institution to express belief in a divine power”. In that case, any institution which expresses belief in divine power will qualify to be called as a religion and those institutions which profess atheism will automatically get excluded from the purview of Religion. In such a scenario, atheistic institutions like Jainism and Buddhism will not qualify to be called as Religions. But world over, Buddhism and Jainism are addressed as Religions !

What then should be the basic principles of institutions which qualify them to be called as a Religion ? What then are the essential features which ensure eternality of a Religion?

There seven basic principles which should be adhered to by any institution to be called as a Religion. They are :

1. Irrespective of the number of people practicing the religion, be it in lakhs or crores each and every individual practicing a religion should be clearly aware of the principles that govern his / her religion.

2. The religion should have in it, uniform daily religious rites / rituals that can be practiced by all the followers of that religion. The entitlement to these rituals should not be limited to a select group or caste within the religion but applicable to all.

3. Irrespective of gender, all should be well aware of all the religious practices. If not all, atleast the most important ones. They should not be in a position where they are influenced by another person and act in a mechanical manner.

4. A religion should not contain any rule or postulate, the observance / practicing of which will put others in jeopardy and destroy harmony, peace and cause hurt to the life and limbs of others.

5. A religion should not contain any provision which would prevent its followers from exercising their basic fundamental rights with regard to their spiritual / mundane life which is in tune with nature. No provision of a religion should infringe upon the rights of people irrespective of gender, to property, education / higher education, marriage, re-marriage or religious observances etc.

6. A religion should not have any component which insults or injures anyone’s feelings. No innocent person should be persecuted in the name of religion

7. A religion should not contain any provision which is impractical, against nature and contrary to the rules of creation and thereby impossible to be practiced and exists just on paper.

Any Religion which has the above seven principles inherent in it will prosper and will exist eternally. Our bhAratIya vedamata or the vedic religion or sanAtana dharma of this great country had all the above seven priniciples to start with. Does this religion conform to the above principles today? If not what ails our Religion? 

THE CONCEPT OF BRAHMACARYA – ITS TRUE MEANING, NATURE & IMPLICATION

Brahmacarya as the name signifies, relates to brahman. The word ‘brahma’ derives its meaning from the root bRhmi “bRhmi dhAtvarthagocaraM vastu”  (बृह्मि धात्वर्थगोचरं वस्तु) .  The more famous term “brhatvAt bRhmaNatvAcca brahma ityucyate budhaiH” (बृहत्वात् बृह्मणत्वाच्च बृह्म इत्युच्यते बुधैः) neatly explains brahma - Meaning, “In view of its vastness of size or extent and in view of its expansiveness, it is called as brahman by the wise”.  The brahman is so called because of its inherent ability to expand.  This has already been explained elsewhere in this group.  It will thus be known that brahman is nothing but the form of supra-conscious shakti (paracit shakti) that is the cause of this creation.  viewed in this context, the real meaning of the word “brahmacarya” would be the religious anuShThAna-s or practices related to shiva-shakti or the experience of brahman in the turIya state or more appropriately, the anusaMdhAna of shiva-shakti.

Besides the above, the vedas are also collectively known as brahma.  This can be inferred from the words of shiva in bRhannIlatantra –

ekovedaH caturdhAbhUt yajussAma RgAdayaH |

vedo brahmeti sAkShAdvai jAneham naganandinI ||

It is thus very clear from the above that the vedas were one and later branched out into four as Rgveda, yajurveda, sAmaveda & atharvaNaveda later.  The fact that the word brahma refers to the vedas and vice-versa can be inferred from innumerable mantras of the vedas

“yena devA apunata| tena divyena brahmaNA | idaM brahma punImahe|” (Y.V)

“mahimAnamagnervihitasya brahmaNA” (A.V. 18-4-8)

“gAtrANi te brahmaNA kalpayAmi” (A.V. 18-4-52)

The above verses are but a few examples which reveal that brahma is the name for vedas.  And hence, veda- adhyayana or learning of the vedas is called “brahmacarya”.  Since control of the senses is laid down as a condition for the learning of the vedas, what is popularly known as “CELIBACY” in english has now come to be termed as brahmacarya and the true import of the word “brahmacarya” and its true meaning has been completely obscured.  Today people simply know brahmacarya as abstinence or celibacy !

One should know that true brahmacarya is actually being in marital life.  In the grihasthAshrama, the couple involving in conjugal bliss after being totally devoted to each other is known as brahmacarya.

  

Says yAjJavalkya in his smRti on the time favourable for conception

ShoDashartunishA strINAM tasmin yugmAsu saMvishet |

brahmacAryeva parvANyAdyAshcatasrashca varjayet ||

“ Of the first sixteen nights from the onset of periods in woman, intercourse should be had with them in the even nights avoiding parva-s (amAvAsya & other parva like saMkrAnti) and the first four nights.  By doing so, he will verily be a brahmacAri”

While commenting on the above verse, vijJAneshvara observes that the fruit of brahmacarya is attaining of brahmaloka.  Hence, the observance of brahmacarya by couple in their marital life is not a bar for intercourse with the wife had with the purpose of obtaining progeny :-

“…….. yatra brahmacaryaM coditaM tatra gacchatopi na brahmacaryaskhalanadoShaH….”

It is therefore amply clear from the above that brahmacarya has nothing to do with abstinence or celibacy and the union of the husband with his wife is indeed what is known as brahmacarya as it is aimed at begetting progeny.   It is in this context that lord Krishna though a much married man, is a nityabrahmacArI and not as sought to be conveyed / confused by the sanyAsimata-s