Vedic Religion Analysis and Interpretation

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Table of Contents

Introduction
The Vedic period
Comparison to the Upanishads
References

Introduction

The Vedic religion is also referred to as the Vedic Brahmanism of Vedism. It is the historical predecessor of Indian religions such as Hinduism. (Franklin, 1972) It’s a religious practice centered mostly on sacrificial rites which were administered by the clergy. This tradition is still widely practiced by a small fraction of the conservative Shrautis today within contemporary Hinduism. The Vedas have recorded liturgy that was connected with the sacrifices and rituals which were performed by the Purohitas. The Rigveda hymns according to traditional views were divinely brought out to the Rishis. These Rishis were considered hearers rather than authors.

As noted by Franklin (1972) Rigvedic hymns spoke clearly about composing new and understandable hymns by individual authors who competed with their colleagues. The worship mode was based on worshiping rivers and fire. It also involved the worship of heroic gods such as Indra which was quite similar to the religion practiced by the Greeks. It also involved the performance of sacrifices and chanting heroic songs.

The common man was helped in performing rituals by the priests. People spent their time praying for an abundance of rain, children and cattle or wealth, long life, and live in the heavenly world of ancestors. These worship practices have been preserved to date in Hinduism. It involves recitations by a Purohit or the priest from the Vedas. The recitation centers on issues such as wealth, prosperity, and also general wellbeing.

The Vedic period

The Vedic period in Indian history is the period during which the Vedas, that is, the oldest texts of Hinduism was composed. This period reaches as far back as the Proto-Indo-Iranian times. This period is predicted to have ended at around 500 B.C. The Vedic religion metamorphosed into the current Indian religions such as Vedanta schools of Buddhism and Hinduism. The latter further grew into Puranic Hinduism. The former diversified into Japanese and Chinese schools. The Vedic religion differs from the Upanishads in that while the religious rituals centered on wealth, rain, children, and other material things the Upanishads primarily discussed mostly meditation, philosophy, and the nature of God. It was considered as spiritual or mystic contemplations of the Vedas. (Walpola, 1974)

Comparison to the Upanishads

While the Vedic religion belonged to a particular period the Upanishads do not have a particular period to which they belong. The Upanishads element of worship holds information on basic Hindu beliefs which includes a universal spirit, Brahman, and individual soul called Atman, and also the belief in a world soul. The Gita which dates back to 150 B.C centered on five main philosophical subject matters or five basic concepts of truths namely, Jiva, Ishvara, Prakrti, Kala, and Karma. Jiva meant living beings, Ishvara meant time and Karma meant action.

The tenet that the soul is immortal and eternal was what Krishna began with. Krishna explained that death on a battleground would only take the body but not the soul because the soul is permanent. These developments spread the Vedic religion in that the Gita also focused on life in the heavenly world of the ancestors similar to the beliefs held by the Vedic religion. (Thomas, 1971)

References

Franklin, E. Bhagavad Gita, London: Harvard University Press, 1972.

Thomas J. The Hindu Religious Tradition, New York: Wadsworth, 1971.

Walpola, R. What the Buddha Taught, New York: Grove Press, 1974.

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Vedic Religion Analysis and Interpretation

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