8
OBSCENE EPISODES IN BIBLE, MORAL CODE OF CONDUCT IN VEDAS

1. OBSCENE EPISODES IN BIBLE

(i) Noah drank wine and remained naked 

The Holy Bible states that Noah, the hero of righteousness, drank wine, and was so much intoxicated that he made himself naked in his tent.  Ham, the son of Noah, saw the nakedness of his father and informed his two brothers Shem and Japheth, who took a garment and covered the nakedness of their father.  Here is the text :

66. “20. And Noah began to be an husbandman, and he planted a vineyard.”
- Genesis, 9/20

67. “21. And he drank of the wine, and was drunken; and he was uncovered within his tent.”

- Genesis, 9/21

68. “22. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brethren without.”

- Genesis, 9/22

69. “23. And Shem and Japheth took a garment, and laid it upon both their shoulders, and went backward, and covered the nakedness of their father; and their faces were backward, and they saw not their father’s nakedness.”

- Genesis, 9/23

70. “24. And Noah awoke from his wine, and knew what his younger son had done unto him.”

- Genesis, 9/24

71. “25. And he said, Cursed be Canaan; a servant of servants shall he be unto his brethren.”

- Genesis, 9/25
(ii) Reuben’s sexual intercourse with his father’s concubine

72. “And it came to pass, when Israel dwelt in that land, that Reuben went and lay with Bilhah his father’s concubine; and Israel heard it.”

- Genesis, 35/22
(iii) Onan’s sexual intercourse with his brother’s wife

Holy Bible mentions that Judah instructed his son Onan to marry (have sexual intercourse with) his elder brother’s widow Tamar and produce children in the name of his brother (not in his name).  Onan did not like that the children produced by his sperm might be called the progeny of his brother; hence he slept with his brother’s widow, had sexual intercourse with her, but spilled his sperm (semen) on the ground, because he did not want to produce children out of his sperm for his brother.  This action on the part of Onan displeased Biblical God, and the Lord killed him.  Here is the text :

73. “8. And Judah said unto Onan, Go in unto thy brother’s wife, and marry her, and raise up seed to thy brother.”

- Genesis, 38/8

74. “19. And Onan knew that the seed should not be his; and it came to pass, when he went in unto his brother’s wife, that he spilled it on the ground, lest that he should give seed to his brother.” 

- Genesis, 38/9

75. “10.  And the thing which he did displeased the Lord; wherefore he slew him also.” 

- Genesis. 38/10

Col. Robert G. Ingersoll, the famous orator and statesman of U.S.A., who popularised the criticism of the Bible on the basis of a humanistic philosophy and scientific rationalism, observes :

“The believers in the Bible are loud in their denunciation of what they are pleased to call the immoral literature of the world, and yet few books have been published containing more moral filth than this inspired word of God.”60

- Col. Robert G. Ingersoll
(iv) Judah’s sexual intercourse with his widowed daughter-in-law

The Holy Bible states that when Tamar, the widowed daughter-in-law of Judah came to know that her father-in-law was to go to Timnath to shear his sheep, she put off her widow’s garment, wrapped herself in veil and sat on the way to Timnath.  When Judah saw her, he, not knowing that she was his widowed daughter-in-law, requested her to allow him to have sexual intercourse with her.  She said to him.  “What will you give me for having intercourse with you ?” Judah replied, “I shall send one kid out of flock of my goats.” She said, “Till you send the kid to me, you may keep with me your tokens like signet (seal), bracelets and your staff (stick) which is in your hand.” Judah gave these things to her and had sexual intercourse with her, and she conceived by him.  Read the Biblical text :

76. “13. And it was told Tamar, saying, Behold thy father in law goeth up to Timnath to shear his sheep.”
- Genesis, 38/13

77. “14. And she put her widow’s garments off from her, and covered her with a vail, and wrapped herself, and sat in an open place, which is by the way to Timnath;……”

- Genesis, 38/14

78. “15. When Judah saw her, he thought her to be an harlot; because she had covered her face.”

- Genesis, 38/15

79. “16. And he turned unto her by the way, and said, Go to, I pray thee, let me come in unto thee; (for he knew not that she was his daughter in law.) And she said, What wilt thou give me, that thou mayest come in unto me?”

- Genesis, 38/16

80. “17. And he said, I will send thee a kid from the flock.  And she said, Wilt thou give me a pledge, till thou send it?”

- Genesis, 38/17

81. “18. And he said, What pledge shall I give thee?  And she said, Thy signet, and thy bracelets, and thy staff that is in thine hand.  And he gave it her, and came in unto her, and she conceived by him.”

- Genesis, 38/18
(v) Biblical God caused his prophet Isaiah to walk stark naked for three years

Holy Bible narrates that God caused his prophet Isaiah to walk stark naked for three years.  The Lord said that it was a sign for the people of Egypt and Ethiopia, and the king of Assyria will heap the same type of shame upon Egypt by displaying the Egyptian and Ethiopian prisoners, young and old, naked and barefooted, even with their buttocks uncovered.  Read the following three verses :

82. “2. At the same time spake the Lord by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins, and put off thy shoe from thy foot.  And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.”

- Isaiah, 20/2

83. “3. And the Lord said, Like as my servant Isaiah bath walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and wonder upon Egypt and upon Ethiopia;”

- Isaiah, 20/3

84. “4. So shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian prisoners, and the Ethiopian captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, even with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.”

- Isaiah, 20/4
Count Tolstoy, the renowned Russian writer and thinker, opines unambiguously :

“The very foundations of this religion (Christianity) admitted by all and formulated in the Nicene creed, are so absurd and immoral, and run so counter to right feeling and to commonsense, that men cannot believe in them.”61

- Count Tolstoy

On February 22, 1901, Leo Tolstoy was proclaimed an enemy of the Church and was ex-communicated62 on account of his candid statements about Christianity.  He wrote :

“With me, life makes religion, religion does not make life.”63
- Leo Tolstoy
(vi) Castration recommended by Jesus Christ

85. “12.  For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb; and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men; and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.”

- Matthew, 19/12

The early Christians faithfully carried out the afore-mentioned divine injunction.  A Christian sect in Russia long practised castration as an act of obedience to Christ’s command.64

Origen, (c. 185-c. 254), the most influential theologian of the early Greek church, castrated himself so as to work freely in instructing female catechumens.65

(vii) The daughters’ sexual intercourse with their father

The two daughters of Lot, who was the nephew of prophet Abraham, made their father drink wine at night, slept with him, had sexual intercourse with him and gave birth to two male children by their father. The elder daughter gave birth to a son named Moab.  He is called the father of Moabites till today.  The younger daughter gave birth to a son by her father.  He was named Benammi.  He is called the father of the children of Ammon till today.  Here is the full text consisting of seven verses :

86. “32.  Come, let us make our father drink wine, and we will lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.”

- Genesis, 19/32

87. “33. And they made their father drink wine that night; and the firstborn went in, and lay with her father; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.”

- Genesis, 19/33

88. “34. And it came to pass on the morrow, that the firstborn said unto the younger, Behold, I lay yesternight with my father; let us make him drink wine this night also; and go thou in, and lie with him, that we may preserve seed of our father.”

- Genesis, 19/34

89. “35. And they made their father drink wine that night also; and the younger arose, and lay with him; and he perceived not when she lay down, nor when she arose.”

- Genesis, 19/35

90. “36. Thus were both the daughters of Lot with child by their father.”

- Genesis, 19/36

91. “37. And the firstborn bare a son, and called his name Moab: the same is the father of the Moabites unto this day.”

- Genesis, 19/37

92. “38.  And the younger, she also bare a son, and called his name Ben-am-mi: the same is the father of the children of Ammon unto this day.”

- Genesis, 19/38

If the readers peruse chapter 19 of Genesis fully, they will come to know that Lot was not one of those whom Biblical God abhorred.  He was dearer and nearer to God.  That is why God, being merciful to him, saved him by bringing him and his family out of the city through two angels, before the city was destroyed by God.

Here some questions arise : Do the educated Christians of modern civilized era approve of and believe in the afore-mentioned verses which narrate sexual intercourse of daughters with their father ? If they don’t, why do they not raise voice against the said immorality and incest and compel the Pope to delete this text from the Holy Bible ? Why do they not openly profess that they dislike the said text ? Why do they say that each verse of Bible is holy and true ? How do they claim that Bible contains all the answers to all the problems of life ? They call the non-Christians as infidels, but actually an infidel is he who pretends to believe in what he does not actually believe.  Thomas Paine, the famous thinker and innovator, expresses the same idea.  He says :

“I do not mean by this declaration to condemn those who believe otherwise; they have the same right to their belief as I have to mine.  But it is necessary to the happiness of man, that he be mentally faithful to himself Infidelity does not consist in believing, or in disbelieving; it consists in professing to believe what he does not believe.”66

- Thomas Paine

Ronald Reagon, the President of the United States, who had power to control the weapons that could obliterate all life on earth, once remarked about Holy Bible as under :

“Within the covers of that single book, are contained all the answers, to all the problems that we face today.”67

- Ronald Reagan

Almost all educated persons, who read the above verses regarding sexual intercourse of the two daughters with their father, will surely scoff at Ronald Reagan’s above remark.

(viii) Lot offers his two daughters to a riotous mob of sodomites

Lot, the nephew of prophet Abraham, offers his two daughters to a riotous mob of homosexuals in order to save two angels who visited him.

93. “8. Behold now, I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes; only unto these men (two angels) do nothing; for therefore came they under the shadow of my roof.”

- Genesis, 19/8
(ix) The prophet Abram’s illicit connection with maid servant

Holy Bible states that Abram’s wife Sarai was barren.  So she gave her Egyptian maid, Hagar, to her husband Abram to be his wife.  When the Egyptian maid conceived, Sarai felt that she was despised in the eyes of her maid, so she (Sarai) drove her to wilderness with the consent of Abram.  Hagar gave birth to a son named Ishmael.  At that time Abram was 86 years old.  Read the following five verses :

94. “3. And Sarai Abram’s wife took Hagar her maid the Egyptian, after Abram had dwelt ten years in the land of Canaan, and gave her to her husband Abram to be his wife.”

- Genesis, 16/3

95. “4. And he went in unto Hagar, and she conceived; and when she saw that she had conceived, her mistress was despised in her eyes.”

- Genesis, 16/4

96. “5. And Sarai said unto Abram, My wrong be upon thee; I have given my maid into thy bosom; and when she saw that she had conceived, I was despised in her eyes; the Lord judge between me and thee.”

- Genesis, 16/5

97. “6. But Abram said unto Sarai, Behold, thy maid is in thy hand; do to her as it pleaseth thee.  And when Sarai dealt hardly with her, she fled from her face.”

- Genesis, 16/6

98. “16. And Abram was fourscore and six years old, when Hagar bare Ishmael to Abram.”

- Genesis, 16/16

Is it morality that Abram, the prophet, debauches his maidservant and later on drives her along with the child produced by her of him, to wilderness ?

Count Tolstoy, the renowned Russian writer and thinker, remarks :

“Really no religion has ever preached things so evidently incompatible with contemporary knowledge or so immoral as the doctrines preached by Church Christianity.”68

- Count Tolstoy
(x) The prophet Abram marries his sister 

The Holy Bible states that Abimelech, the king of Gerar, took away Sarai, the wife of the prophet Abram, and kept her in his palace.  Abram, the prophet, himself admitted to king Abimelech that Sarai, his wife, was his sister, the daughter of his father.  Read the following verse :

99. “12. And yet indeed she is my sister; she is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife.”

- Genesis, 20/12
(xi) Abram, the prophet, barters his wife’s honour 

Holy Bible mentions that when Abram, the prophet, along with his wife Sarai went to Egypt, he said to his wife, “You look beautiful; when the Egyptians will see you, they will kill me and will allow you to remain alive, hence you may announce that you are my sister.  In this way I shall be saved.” Here is the text

100.  “11. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Sarai his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon;”

- Genesis, 12/11

101. “12. Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife; and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive.”

- Genesis, 12/12

102. “13. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister; that it may be well with we for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee.”

- Genesis, 12/13

When the princes (officers) of Pharaoh saw Sarai, they commanded her before the king Pharaoh, and she was taken into Pharao’s palace.  The king Pharaoh kept Sarai in his palace and pleased Abram by giving him gifts of sheep, oxen, asses, camels, male servants and maidservants.  Thus the prophet Abram passed on his beautiful wife Sarai, calling her as his sister, to Pharaoh and allowed her to remain in his royal palace by receiving in return the afore-mentioned gifts.  The readers are advised to peruse the last ten verses of chapter 12 of Genesis to understand this episode fully.  However for the sake of brevity, here two verses are cited :

103. “15. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commanded her before Pharaoh; and the woman was taken into Pharaoh’s house.”

- Genesis, 12/15

104. “16. And he entreated Abram well for her sake; and he had sheep, and oxen, and he asses, and menservants, and maidservants, and she asses, and camels.”

- Genesis, 12/16

The Holy Bible continues saying that when God plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues, he (Pharaoh) sent her back to her husband, Abram, who, however did not seem to have returned the gifts which he had received from the king.

The prophet Abram played the same trick with Abimelech, the king of Gerar, and received from him the gifts of sheep, oxen, male-servants, maidservants and one thousand pieces of silver.  Here is the Biblical text

105. “14. And Abimelech took sheep, and oxen, and menservants, and womenservants, and gave them unto Abraham, and restored him Sarah his wife.”

- Genesis, 20/14

106. “16.  And unto Sarah he said, Behold, 1 have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver;……”

- Genesis. 20/16
Joseph Lewis, the president of Free Thinkers of America and the editor of ‘The Age of Reason’, writes :

“The writers of Bible had slight concern for the principles of morality.  They were more concerned with rape, murder robbery, slavery, licentiousness, brutal ignorance and derogatory superstition.  If the ministers of the Gospel are too dense and stupid to realise the moral mischief resulting from the perverse teachings of the Bible, then it is about time to bring them to their senses.”69

- Joseph Lewis
(xii) Abandonment of women was a covenant with God!

The Holy Bible mentions abandonment of women and their children, and it is called a covenant with God ! Will the feminists of the world like it ? Will women of the globe approve of it ? Here is the verse :

107. “3. Now therefore let us make a covenant with our God to put away all the wives, and such as are born of them……”

- Ezra, 10/3
(xiii) David locked up ten concubines

108. “3. And David came to his house at Jerusalem; and the king took the ten women his concubines, whom he had left to keep the house, and put them in ward, and fed them, but went not in unto them. So they were shut up unto the day of their death, living in widowhood.”

- II Samuel, 20/3
(xiv) Moses : Keep alive virgins for your enjoyment and kill non-virgins

The Holy Bible states that Moses, one of the towering figures in Bible, instructed his soldiers to kill all boys and all those girls who had lost their virginity by sleeping with males, but to keep alive for their enjoyment those virgins, who did not have sexual intercourse with males.  Read the following five verses :

109. “17. Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that bath known man by lying with him.”

- Numbers, 31/17

110. “18.  But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves.”

- Numbers, 31/18

111. “32.  And the booty, being the rest of the prey which the men of war had caught, was six hundred thousand and seventy thousand and five thousand sheep.”

- Numbers, 31/32

112. “35. And thirty and two thousand persons in all, of women that had not known man by lying with him.”

- Numbers, 31/35

113. “40. And the persons were sixteen thousand; of which the Lord’s tribute was thirty and two persons,” 

- Numbers, 31/40

The afore-mentioned verses indicate that thirty two thousand virgins were captured as booty and distributed among the congregation and the Lord.

Mark Twain, the great American humorous writer, throws light on the above passage as under :

“Their naked privacies were probed to make sure they had the hymen intact.  After this humiliation, they were sent away from the land that had been their home, to be sold into slavery; the worst of slaveries; bed slavery; to excite lust and satisfy it with their bodies; slavery to any buyer, be he gentleman, or be he coarse and filthy ruffian. (Letters From the Earth)”70

- Mark Twain
While commenting upon the afore-mentioned five verses, Thomas Paine, the great thinker of America, remarks : 

“Among the detestable villains that in any period of the world have disgraced the name of man, it is impossible to find a greater than Moses, if this account be true.  Here is an order to butcher the boys, to massacre the mothers, and debauch the daughters.”71

- Thomas Paine
Charles Smith, the editor of ‘The Truth-Seeker’, states wrathfully :

“Which is the wrose, the Old or the New Testament ? If bad books are burned, the largest bonfire should consist of Bibles.”72

- Charles Smith
(xv) Sale of daughters for sexual gratification 

Will the members of Human Rights Commission approve of sale of daughters as mentioned in the following verses of Holy Bible ?

114. “7. And if a man sell his daughter to be a maidservant, she shall not go out as the menservants do.”

- Exodus, 21/7

115. “8. If she please not her master, who hath betrothed her to himself, then shall he let her be redeemed; to sell her unto a strange nation he shall have no power, seeing he bath dealt deceitfully with her.”

- Exodus, 21/8

One must question to Christian missionaries : Is woman like a toy ? As long as you enjoy sexual satisfaction, you may keep her with you, but when she ceases to satisfy you sexually, you may throw her ! Is it morality ? No civilized states would tolerate such infamy.

The Britishers often boasted that they were the civilized nation for centuries.  Will they dare deny that sale of daughters was practised in England for seven hundred years, after the introduction of Christianity ? Ms. Matilda Joslyn Gage, renowned American writer, corroborates the above statement as under

“While the sale of daughters was practiced in England for seven hundred years after the introduction of Christianity, we note that by the ancient law of India, a father was forbidden to sell his daughter in marriage, or receive the smallest present there for In mediaeval England the daughter was held as a portion of the father property to be sold to the highest bidder.”73

- Matilda Joslyn Gage
(xvi) Killing male enemies, and marrying their females

Holy Bible allows and justifies killing of male enemies, then marrying their beautiful females from among the captives, and abandoning them later on if such captive wives do not give sexual satisfaction.  Here are five Biblical verses in this connection :

116. “10. When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the Lord thy God bath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive.”

- Deuteronomy, 21/10

117. “11. And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;”

- Deuteronomy, 21/11

118. “12. Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;” 

- Deuteronomy, 21/12

119. “13.  And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month; and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.”

- Deuteronomy, 21/13

120. “14.  And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will;……”

- Deuteronomy, 21/14

Can it be called marriage or rape ? No civilized man will approve of marrying captive women by force and throwing them away when they cease to give sexual satisfaction.

Here is another passage in Holy Bible, which allows and justifies killing all male enemies, and taking away their women folk for sexual gratification

121. “13. And when the Lord thy God bath delivered it into thine hands, thou shalt smite every male thereof with the edge of the sword:”

- Deuteronomy, 20/13

122. “14. But the women, and the little ones, and the cattle, and all that is in the city, even all the spoil thereof, shalt thou take unto thyself., and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies, which the Lord thy God hath given thee.”

- Deuteronomy, 20/14

Note : ‘Spoil of war’ means plundering of the possessions (including women and children) of enemies in war after they are killed.

With all this, the Christian missionaries claim that only the religion of Christ and Holy Bible will lead men and women to moral progress.  The readers, after having read the afore-mentioned instances, will themselves judge whether the religion of Christ and Holy Bible will lead men and women to moral progress or retrogress.  In this connection the remark of Bertrand Russell, the renowned philosopher, who was awarded the Nobel Prize for literature in 1950, is worth quoting.  He says :

“The Christian religion as organised in its Churches has been and still is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world.”74

- Bertrand Russell
Thomas Paine, one of the founders of the U.S.A., opines : 

“Whenever we read the obscene stories, the voluptuous debaucheries, the cruel and torturous executions, the unrelenting vindictiveness, with which more than half the Bible is filled, it would be more consistent that we called it the word of a demon; than the word of God. It is a history of wickedness, that has served to corrupt and brutalise mankind,- and, for my own part, I sincerely detest it, as I detest everything that is cruel.”75

- Thomas Paine


2. MORAL CODE OF CONDUCT IN VEDAS 

Holy Vedas consist of complete moral code of conduct for men and women of the world.  It is not possible to cite here all instances.  If the readers want to acquire Vedic knowledge in toto, they are advised to go through my book ‘Philosophy of Vedas’ authored by me in 1982.

Holy Vedas, being practical guide to mankind, emphasise upon pure and pious life full of pure and pious deeds.

Sauwa: pautaa Bavata yai&ayaasa: |
                    à Pgvaod 10ó18ó2

Be pure and pious
O worshippers !
                    - Rig Veda 10/18/2

Purity is the key of spiritual treasure.  It elevates and exalts man.  Prayer without purity is as useless as body without soul.  Not only purity of body, but that of mind is required.  He who is pure and pious in thoughts, words and deeds, can alone tread on path of spiritualism.  Those who are pure within and without, hold the passport to enter the kingdom of God.  Vedas emphasise upon piety and purity.  Hence man should pray to Providence not for personal power, position and prestige, but for purity and piety.

jaatavaod: paunaIih maa |
                    à yajauva-od 19ó39

May the omniscient Lord 
Make me pure and pious. 
                    - Yajur Veda, 19/39

Vedic message is divine message which inspires and elevates man, exalts and uplifts him, invigorates and ennobles him, infuses and enthuses him to soar high to achieve immortal bliss. Vedic philosophy admonishes us never to descend but to ascend and ascend to sublime thoughts and deeds.  Holy Vedas precept us to live with dignity

{VanaM tao paur]Ya naavayaanaM jaIvatauM tao dXataaitaM kRxNaaoima |
Aa ih raohomamamaRtaM sauKaM rqamaqaijaiva-iva-dqamaa vadaisa ||
                    à Aqava-vaod 8ó1ó6

O man, elevate thyself,
Ascend high, do not descend low, 
I endow thee
With vigour and wisdom
To live with dignity.
Come, enter the divine chariot Of immortal bliss,
And impart thy knowledge
To assembly of people.
                    - Atharva Veda 8/1/6

Prof. Emerson, the American essayist and poet, states :

“Vedas exalt our life.  All philosophies and science of Europe appear insignificant before Vedas.  All men of the earth must return to Vedas.”

- Prof. Emerson

Prof. Pall Thema, the great thinker of the West, appreciates Holy Vedas in the following words :

“The Vedas are noble documents, documents not only of value and pride to India but to the entire humanity, because in them we see man attempting to lift himself above the earthly existence.”

- Prot Pall Thema

Holy Vedas condemn and criticise lustful life in the form of unrestrained looseness in sex.  To indulge in sexual conjugation with wife of another person is nothing but immorality and intemperance, debasement and debauchery, lewdness and lechery.  The lewd and lecherous man as well as woman is not entitled to participate in yajna according to Rig Veda :

maa iSaEnadovaa Aipa gauP-taM na: |
                    à Pgva-od 7ó21ó5

The licentious persons are not fit 
To participate in yajna.
                    - Rig Veda 7/21/5

He who indulges in debauchery loses his energy and strength, vision and vitality, memory and manliness, dignity and decorum.  His age is tremendously reduced.  Shri Manu corroborates the statement as under

nahIdRSamanaayauYyaM laaokox Bavaita ikMxcana |
yaadRSaM paur]Yasyaoh pardaraopasaovanama\ |
                    à manau 4ó134

In the world,
There is no other sin,
Which reduces age so quickly
As that of sexual intercourse
With wife of another man.
                    - Manu, 4/134

Vedas therefore emphasise upon purity and piety, chastity and sanctity of body and mind which enables us to lead healthy life full of healthy thoughts and healthy deeds to serve God and guide, father and mother, saints and seers, country and community.  This is the only way to enjoy life and gain admiration and immortality.

Bad`M kxNao-iBa: EaRNauyaama dovaa Bad`M paSyaomaaXaiBaya-ja~aa: |
isqarOrD:gaOstauYTuvaaMsastanaUiBavya-Saoma dovaihtaM yadayau: ||
                    à Pgva-od 1ó89ó8

Ye enlightened pious souls,
May we hear with our ears
What is good,
May we see with our eyes
What is good,
May we enjoy
Full span of our life
With pure limbs and pure body
And full satisfaction of mind
In the service of supreme Lord.
                    - Rig Veda 1/89/8

Holy Vedas emphasise on upliftment and elevation of all beings.  The good of an individual lies in cumulative progress of all persons.  That is why Vedic religion precepts man to purify not only himself but also others.

vaOEvadovaIM vaca-sa Aa rBaQvaM Sauwa Bavantau: Saucaya: paavakxa: |
AitaÚamantaao duirtaao padaina SataM ihmaa: sava-vaIra madoma ||
                    à Aqava-vaod 12ó2ó28

Begin to lead pure life
To attain universal splendour,
Purify thyself,
And make others pure,
Cross over the troublesome paths
Along with all heroes,
And live cheerfully
For a hundred autumns.
                    - Atharva Veda 12/2/28

====================================
“Bharat is one nation with only one culture.  Culture is the soul of Bharat.  It is only our culture that can protect and develop Bharat.”

- Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya
====================================
 

Footnotes:

60 Brahm Datt Bharti : ‘The Vedas and the Bible’, New Delhi, 1967, p. 38

61 (i) Count Tolstoy : ‘What is Religion ?’

(ii) Brahm Datt Bharti : ‘The Vedas and the Bible’, New Delhi, 1967, p. 41

62 Victor Shklovsky : ‘Lev Tolstoy’, translated by Olga Shartse, Raduga Publishers, Moscow, 1988, pp. 572-573

63 Ibid., p. 406

64 W.P. Ball and G.W. Foote : ‘The Bible Handbook’, Revised Edition, 1986, U.S.A., p. 245

65 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Vol. 16, U.S.A., 1967, p. 1094

66 Thowas Paine : ‘The Age of Reason’, published by Watts and Co., London, 1796, p. 1

67 ‘Australian Broadcasting Corporation Radio’, dated November 5, 1984

68. (i) Count Tolstoy : ‘What is Religion ?’

(ii) Brahm Datt Bharti : ‘Max Muller - A Lifelong Masquerade’, 1992, p. 218

69 Brahm Datt Bharti : ‘The Vedas and the Bible’, New Delhi, 1967, p. 45

70 Colin Maine : ‘The Bible : What It says ?’, reprinted by Voice of India., New Delhi, p. 15

Mark Twain died in 1910, but the letters were suppressed by his daughter, 

Clara Clemens Samossoud, for a long time for their irreverent tone.  They were published half a century later by Harper and Row, New York

71 Thomas Paine : ‘The Age of Reason’, published by Watts and Co., London, 1796, p. 42

72 Charles Smith : ‘The Bible In the Balance’, first published in Europe, reprinted by Hindu Writers’ Forum, New Delhi, p. 20

73 Matilda Joslyn Gage : ‘Woman, Church and State’, New York, 1893, reprinted by Voice of India, New Delhi, 1997, p. 301

74 Bertrand Russell : ‘Why I am not a Christian and Other Essays on Religion’, latest seventh edition, 1996, London, p. 25

75 Thomas Paine : ‘The Age of Reason’, published by Watts and Co., London, 1796, pp. 7-8


Back to Contents Page   Back to VOI Books   Back to Home