DOCTRINE OF ‘BE GOOD, DO GOOD’ IN BOTH VEDAS AND BIBLE 1. DOCTRINE OF ‘BE GOOD, DO GOOD’ IN VEDAS Vedic philosophy does not revolve round long lessons and lengthy sermons of empty idealism. It urges on practical life. Vedas teach man to lead practically pure and pious life full of philanthropy and fellow-feeling, benefaction and benevolence. This is the only way to salvation. ‘Be good and do good’ is the gist of Vedic philosophy. He who recites with tongue holy mantras of Vedas and performs religious rituals and ceremonies, but himself does not lead pious life, nor is he good to others, is like a man who ploughs the field but does not sow. He who, besides reciting the religious theories and doctrines, puts them into practice in daily life, is like a man who not only ploughs and sows the fields but also reaps the harvest. An ounce of action is better than a pound of sermons. Vedas, being practical guide to mankind, emphasise upon noble life and noble actions. Sauwa: paUtaa Bavata yai&ayaasa: | The doctrine of ‘be good, do good’ is based on the ‘doctrine of truth’. In modern era of reasoning and rationalism various people debate as to what is good and what is bad. Their problem is how to distinguish good from bad, true from untrue, right from wrong. The best method of judging a thing whether it is good or bad, true or untrue, right or wrong is to apply the principle to one’s own self. Do to others as you wish it to be done to you by others. If you want others not to take away your life, you should also not take away the life of any creature. Is it not a matter of fantastic irony that on one h and you expect God to be merciful to you, while on another hand you fail to show mercy to the creatures of the same Lord ? God has provided everyman with the best adviser called conscience. When a man does ignoble deed, his conscience pricks and pinches him, notwithstanding the fact that satanic elements within him try utmost to stifle the voice of conscience. The voice of conscience is the voice of truth which is another name of religion. The religion which is not based on truth, cannot be called religion. The following quotation of Mahabharat categorically corroborates the statement : Qama-: sa naao ya~a na satyamaista | Vedic religion preaches and precepts nothing but truth which is defined as universal law of nature or voice of conscience or divine voice. Ptasya paqaa pa`ota |
(i) Treat others as you wish to be treated by others Jesus Christ says :
What a fine piece of sermon it is ! I like it most. But men are known by what they do, not by what they say. During their four hundred years’ reign of terror and tyranny in Goa, the Christian rulers captured Hindu women from their houses and raped them, and then burnt them alive. Their children were sold as slaves. Hindu temples were destroyed, and in their places churches were built. If, after independence, Hindus treat them in the same manner, would they like ? The Hindus, who are the Aryans (the noblest), would never indulge in such barbarous activities. Is it not a matter of shame that Francis Xavier, who was responsible for the establishment of the ‘Holy Inquisition of Goa’, under which Hindu women were raped and burnt alive and Hindu temples were demolished, is canonized as saint, and Christian schools and colleges in Bharat are established in his name ? Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru writes about ‘Inquisition, the terrible weapon of Roman Church’ in his book ‘Glimpses of World History’ as under : Pandit Nehru further states :
The victims of the Holy Inquisition included Galileo who was imprisoned for life, and another astronomer Giordano Bruno, who was burnt at the stake. It is worth noting here that Lady Teresa justified the Inquisition of Galileo. Sita Ram Goel quotes Colonel James Todd in his Introduction to first Indian reprint of ‘Women, Church and State’ authored by Ms Matilda Joslyn Gage, as under : Commenting on the horrible atrocities-massacres of population, burning of villages, capture of young males and females for sale as slaves, plunder of property-committed by the Portuguese in 1532 and 1549 on Hindus living in the coastal areas of Saurashtra, Colonel James Todd had observed :
“Human soul is a free agent and is responsible for all his actions. This responsibility cannot be shaken off by any means without repudiating the principle of justice. Hence evil actions cannot be condoned. Man must reap as he sows. Sins cannot be forgiven. An outside agency cannot undo the effect of sins.” - Swami Dayanand
Saraswati
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Footnotes: 110 Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru : ‘Glimpses of World History’, p. 230. 111 Ibid., p. 289-290. 112 (i) Matilda Joslyn Gage : ‘Woman, Church and State’, New York, 1893, reprinted by Voice of India, New Delhi, 1997, p. V (Introduction) (ii) Colonel James Todd :
‘Travels in Western India’, London, 1839, reprinted in New Delhi,
1997, p. 260
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