The True Followers of the Vedas - Moving Beyond Ritual to Devotion
The term "Vedic culture" is often used loosely in the modern world to describe a variety of Indian rituals, philosophies, and social customs. However, Śrīla Prabhupāda cuts through the confusion by clearly defining who the actual followers of the Vedas are. He explains that true adherence to the Vedas is not merely about performing rituals for material gain, but about reaching the ultimate conclusion of all knowledge: pure devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Nominal Followers and Fruitive Desires
The vast majority of people who claim to follow the Vedas are actually trapped in the lower stages of spiritual understanding. Śrīla Prabhupāda points out that the Bhagavad-gītā describes these people as veda-vāda-ratāḥ—blind followers who are attached only to the karma-kāṇḍa section of the scriptures. Instead of seeking liberation or love of God, they perform elaborate sacrifices and rituals simply to secure a better material life, economic development, and elevation to higher planetary systems.
- The veda-vada followers of the Vedas are generally inclined to karma-kanda, the performance of sacrifice according to the Vedic injunctions. They are thereby promoted to higher planetary systems. They generally practice the Caturmasya system.
- Even among this small (followers of Vedas), exclusive number, most are addicted to the processes described in the Vedas' karma-kanda section, by which one can elevate oneself to the perfectional stage of economic development.
- In the Bhagavad-gita such people are described as veda-vada-ratah, supposed followers of the Vedas. They do not understand the real purport of the Vedas, yet they think of themselves as Vedic authorities.
- The supposed followers of the Vedas say that there is nothing beyond the Vedic ceremonies. Indeed, there is a group of men in India who are very fond of the Vedic rituals, not understanding the meaning of these rituals.
Danger of Hypocrisy
Worse than those seeking material gain are the so-called followers who actively subvert the true meaning of the scriptures. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that impersonalists and modern speculators formally claim to accept the Vedas, but indirectly disobey all their injunctions by interpreting them to suit their own godless agendas. Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu considered these hypocritical, hidden atheists to be far more dangerous than the Buddhists, who at least have the honesty to reject the Vedas directly.
- The Buddhists plainly declare that they do not accept the authority of the Vedas, but the impersonalists masquerade themselves as followers of Vedas, but actually they are hidden Buddhists.
- Those who are so-called followers of the Vedas are more harmful than the Buddhists. The Buddhists have the courage to deny the Vedas directly, but the so-called followers of the Vedas have no courage to deny the Vedas.
- The so-called followers of the Vedic injunctions make their own interpretations of the Vedic injunctions, and thus they establish different parties and sects of the Vedic religion.
- So-called followers of Vedic principles simply accept the Vedas formally, but they act against Vedic principles. This is symptomatic of this Age of Kali.
Historical Context of Lord Buddha
The complexity of Vedic authority is perfectly illustrated by the appearance of Lord Buddha. Śrīla Prabhupāda clarifies that when the veda-vāda-ratāḥ began abusing the Vedic injunctions to justify unrestricted animal slaughter, Lord Buddha descended to stop it. To accomplish this, he had to completely reject the authority of the Vedas. Consequently, strict followers of the Vedic principles rightly classified his philosophy as atheistic (nāstika), even while recognizing him as a divine incarnation.
- Lord Buddha wanted to stop completely animal-killing; so therefore he adopted a new type of religion. But those who were followers of Vedic religion, they did not accept because that is not religion because it is against the Vedas.
- When Lord Buddha preached his theory of nonviolence, he was obliged to deny the authority of the Vedas, and for this reason he was considered by the followers of the Vedas to be a nastika.
- The word sruti jatam indicates that in the Vedas animal sacrifice is recommended, but Lord Buddha directly denied Vedic authority in order to stop animal sacrifice. Consequently Lord Buddha is not accepted by the followers of the Vedas.
- We, the followers of Vedic culture, accept both Lord Buddha and Lord Caitanya as incarnations of God, as both of them are stated to be so in the authorized Vedic scriptures.
Pure Devotees as the True Followers
Ultimately, the purpose of all Vedic literature is to understand and surrender to the Supreme Lord. Therefore, Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that the pure devotees (Vaiṣṇavas) are the only true, perfect followers of the Vedas. Because they have bypassed the lower ritualistic stages and directly engaged in bhakti-yoga, they have achieved the ultimate perfection that the śruti (Vedas) and smṛti (corollaries) point toward.
- The Vedas contain nothing besides the instructions of Visnu, and one who follows the Vedic principles is a Vaisnava.
- Actually those who are followers of Vedas, they worship Krsna, only Krsna or Visnu. Tad visnoh paramam padam (Rg Veda 1.22.20).
- Vedanta-vadis, or the followers of the Vedanta, indicate the pure devotees of the Personality of Godhead.
- When one comes to the platform of visnor aradhanam, or bhakti-yoga, one has attained the perfection of life. Otherwise, as indicated in Bhagavad-gita, one is not a tattva-vadi but a veda-vadi, a blind follower of the Vedic injunctions.
Conclusion
To be a true follower of the Vedas requires far more than cultural affiliation or the mechanical performance of rituals. It requires the sincerity to look past the alluring promises of material elevation and the honesty to reject the hypocritical interpretations of the impersonalists. As Śrīla Prabhupāda so clearly teaches, only by taking shelter of a pure devotee and engaging in unalloyed Kṛṣṇa consciousness can one truly claim to have followed the ancient, eternal wisdom of the Vedic path.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
The instructions of the pure devotee are our eternal guide. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Followers of the Vedas. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience the teachings in their direct, verbatim form.