What Arya Samaj Rejects !

Gurudom (In the name of Gurus !)

As per taittiriya Upnishad, the rishi tells his disciples – “Dear children! Please follow our good deeds in your life but never follow our shortcomings. No one Is perfect; everyone has good and bad qualities.  Therefore a Guru does not mean that he needs to be followed blindly. One should always trust his own intellect and should not just get indulged in blindly following all right and wrong directions of the Guru”.

In many cases, it has been seen that when a Guru dies, one of his disciple becomes Guru in his place with the same name. This is called Gurudom , which is not approved by Arya Samaj. Such systems glorify a Guru even above Ishvar.

There are Gurus who expect their disciples to drink the leftover of their drink as Prasad, the food touched by his hand or feet as Prasad- this is all rubbish, and one should be cautious of such Gurus. Guru is one who imparts knowledge and not one who gives all kind of false promises and bluff.

Navgrah Pooja

This is a ritual being followed by most of the hindus. This is a ritual said to be designed to offer prayers to nine planets. The concept of worshipping nine planets has been derived by misinterpreting some of ved mantras.  Arya Samaj worships only Ishvar – who is the one and only God and worth worshipping !

Sati

Sati pratha had been prevalent in India. There are two types of example. One example is of Rani Padmini who along with her friends jumped into a well of fire to save themselves from the cruel Moghal emperors. This was considered as an act of bravery by those ladies as a life in the hands of Moghals would have been much more shameful and painful for them.

However Sai-pratha is another kind of cruel system in which a live widow is made to sit in a pyre of fire after the death of her husband. This is a heinous act which was practiced in hindu society. The so called religious leaders used to brainwash the poor miserable lady who had not even recovered from the grief of losing her husband by luring her to go to Heaven (Swarg) to her deceased husband by this process. A big procession used to be taken out to go along with the lady with lot of fanfare and band etc. Even against her wish and will the poor widows were pushed into the fire forcibly.

Swami Dayanand Sarswati condemned this practice openly. Arya Samaj condemns such practices as well glorification of such incidents. Fortunately Government of India has realized the atrocity against woman in the name of the practice of Sati and has banned it completely.

Ganit and Falit Jyotish (Shubh- Asubh, Rashifal, Forecast of future, Janmpatri etc.)

Jyotish is one of the six components of Vedas. Jyotish is the science of understanding the movement and attraction between different planets, stars etc. The speed of movement of earth, moon, solar and lunar eclipse , the tithis (dates) of hundreds of year before or after- all these are worked out by this science. In the modern times the calculations of rocket movement is a part of jyotish science only. This type of Jyotish is known as Ganit (Calculation based) Jyotish. Arya Samaj fully subscribes to this science of very high utility.

However there is one more kind of jyotish , called Falit Jyotish, which has become quite popular not only in India but also in many other countries. This Jyotish is a way to cheat people by encashing their weaknesses.   Shubh ( auspicious), ashubh (inauspicious) – these are the words which are the base of this false belief. Remedies are sold to get good results in every field of life- of course at a price!

Aryasamaj strongly believes that every jeev is free to do his karma. He gets the Fal (rewards) as per his karma. If the Falit Jyotish is to be believed than a person is not free to do his karmas as everything will be assumed to be happening by itself at its given time. Whatever true predictions take place are just a fluke which is always possible out of the theory of probability. It is ridiculous to believe that entire mankind can be divided into 12 Rashis (Horoscopes) , and each group will have his bhagya(fate) similar.  Falit Jyotish has very adverse effect on the spirit of mankind- a person who is told to get everything good and nice in his future, he will lose the initiative to do hard work for success; on the other hand if someone is told to have a bleak and blank future, he too will lose all his enthusiasm to perform. Aryasamaj does not believe in Janmpatris also because of the above beliefs.

Murti Pooja ( Idol Worship)

Ishvar does not have a shape, size or visible look hence he is formless and bodiless. Imagining him into a manmade statue is wrong. Worshipping such a clay statue does not take one anywhere. Our Soul (Aatma) is also formless and bodiless; this bodiless soul is introduced to various feelings with the help of various limbs like eyes, ears, hands, tongue etc. The feelings associated include vision, touch, smell, hearing and also the pleasure or pains resulted out of the same. To feel the bodiless Ishvar, our Soul has to feel his existence in the mind and heart without the help of our limbs.

The argument that an Idol makes one imagine Ishvar is a wrong argument. When we look at the idol of a human being, we are reminded of human only. God’s creation is visible in his creation of a small ant to a giant animal like elephant, from a grain of sand to Huge mountains, from a small leaf of a tree to giant trees, from a drop of dew to huge oceans; still by looking at all these we are not looking at Ishvar. He can be seen only where the Soul and Ishvar both are available; and that place is our own heart. We can see, feel and blessed by his presence if we sincerely try to find him in our hearts, as only our heart is a place where our soul and Ishvar both are present.  

Arya Samaj opposes worshipping of Idols, but not of Idols as such. Making statues of our leaders, Gurus or forefathers is not wrong as they resemble the actual persons; but again worshipping them does not please them because the statues are lifeless material only.

Many Arya samaj followers put Photo of Swami Dayanand on the wall of their house. Sometimes a question is raised that if you don’t believe in Idol worship, why you display photo of Swami Dayanand in your houses. The reason is simple- one because the photo resembles the person who was and second it reminds us and our children of his contribution to the world. We may find the photo of Dr. Honeyman in the chamber of some homeopathic doctors as he was the father of homeopathy; that does not mean that some worship process is to be done to the photo by all homeopathic doctors.

Ganga-The River

Arya Samaj belives that Ganga is an ancient and historical river of India which originates from Himalayas, flows across the chest of India and terminates into the Ocean. However unlike the general belief Arya Samaj does not believe that a dip into the River Ganga will make one free from his sins and misery.

In Vedas, the word Ganga has been used for the veins and nerves of the body. It is implied in Vedas that proper practices of Yoga with respect to these veins and nerves will make one free from the bodily ailments hence misery. The shlokas are misinterpreted by ancient hindu pundits by making the same connected to River Ganga.

Miracles

There is a huge collection of stories of miracles in all parts of the world and almost in all religions. A Miracle means happening of something which is un-happenable. And the fact is that something which is un-happenable cannot happen. What is described as Miracles are either lies or wrong perceptions or just imaginations. Hindu scriptures are contaminated by adding such absurd story of miracles. Example - the story that Ahilya was turned into a woman from a stone! Such things can never happen and hence should not be believed.

Sometimes magic tricks are dished out as miracles. Famous magicians of India have many a times challenged the miracle performing babas of the society.

Janm-Patrika ( Janm Kundli or Teepni)

Janm Patrika is nothing but a misguiding document of ones life created by pundits of believer of faulty system of Falit-Jyotish. Arya Samaj does not believe in Falit-Jyotish, as it has no roots anywhere in Vedas or our other ancient scriptures. Swami Dayanand once mentioned during his famous Poona-pravachan that there is not a single word mentioned about falit-Jyotish in the eventful epic Mahabharata.

Swami Dayanand has criticized the Janm-Patri strongly in his ultimate book of true knowledge- Satyrthprakash. In his second samullas, he has referred to a Janmpatri as a document prepared to imbibe fear and doubts about one’s own life. He has opposed of preparing such Janpatri of children, because such documents are the Documents of Doom for their future and nothing useful.

In the eleventh Samullas, Swamiji has written that the so called Jyotishis get their own sons and daughters married in accordance of their Janpatris; then why such children become untimely widow or widowers or divorcees ? Hence, he believed, that the movement of planets have no part to play in the lives’ of individuals.

Bhoot Pret (Ghosts Spirits)

Bhoot means what is past. Everyone who is dead is a bhoot. The noun Bhoot is used for all those who were present in the world some day but are no more alive today. This noun is also used for posts; as when a person retires from a post- he is addressed as Bhoot-poorva. A wrong notion has been established that Bhoot is an existing form of people after their deaths.

In society , there are different reasons for spreading such myth; some are –

·         To terrorize related people for one’s own benefit

·         To make series of such books and literature based on bhoot prêt for business

·         To hit  a man’s weakness during his bad times and to keep him misguided

·         To mis-diagnose the mentally disturbed patients as the victim of some Bhoot

The rebirth of a dead person makes him a ‘Pret’. The great philosopher Vatsyayan in his book on Nyay Darshan has said that a person reborn after death is a Pret.

Arya Samaj does not subscribe to the fantasy of Bhoot and Pret. In fact we tell all parents not to put such wrong beliefs in their children’s young minds as it will make them scared and suppressed.

Shubh Ashubh (Auspicious Inauspicious)

Ishvar has created the whole Shrishti. Nothing is inauspicious (ashubh) in his creation. All 12 months, each and every day and week – everything is a part of Ishvar’s system ; therefore how can any moment be inauspicious for mankind ? This is ridiculous that man has invented his own theory of auspicious and inauspicious and confused the intelligence of mankind. To prove his absurd philosophy he took the help of unpleasant events relating them to certain type of days or times. This kind of mindless belief is prevalent in all kinds of followers; be it hindus, muslims or Christians. The interesting thing is that each group has a different set of reasons and days for calling those inauspicious or even auspicious.

Arya Samaj does not subscribe to these absurd theories. A day is good for a family because a child is born, but the same day can be bad for another where some tragic death has taken place. How can anyone call such a day as auspicious or inauspicious? A rainy day may be Shubh for a farmer, but can be devastating for a person who makes clay pots. Arya Samaj believes that every morning should be welcomed as a new day with enthusiasm without announcing that day as inauspicious. Such beliefs only give birth to disappointments and unnecessary disheartening. In the modern times of such developed stage of science, no one should remain blind with such beliefs.

Shraddh-Tarpan

The word Shraddh is a derivative of the word ‘Shraddha’. Shraddh means service of elders with respect. The word ‘Tarpan’ is a derivative of the word ‘Tripti’. Tarpan means the satisfaction of the elders from their children for their services. Offering respectful services and to satisfy the elders with such services is only possible for our living elders. We with our mortal body can serve the mortal bodies of elders during their life time.

The word ‘Pitar’ means the elders like Parents, Grand Parents , Parents in law etc. Arya Samaj believes in Panch-mahayagya – which includes Pitru-yagya, which means the respectful services to our elders.

Unfortunately the hindu society is misguided by certain section of Brahmins who introduced the practice of Shraddh and Tarpan for the deceased elders of the family. This is irrational and against all possible logical reasons. Arya Samaj rejects the Shraddh and Tarpan as practiced by hindus.

Muhurt ( Auspicious day or time)

The word Muhurt means the date or time fixed for any work or ritual or journey etc. This dates and times need to be fixed as per convenience of all concerned and not by referring to pre-decided prejudices about certain days being auspicious or inauspicious. Such practices cause unnecessary chaos in the society on certain days and times because of such days and times being labeled as auspicious.

The subject is also explained under the subject ‘Shubh-Ashubh’. Arya Samaj does not believe in the theory of Shubh or Ashubh Muhurts.

Vrata ( Upvaas or fasting)

Vrata is defined erroneously as a ‘Fast’ as a ritual on certain days. Fasting should be observed for health reasons from time to time and as per individual’s suitability and not to please Gods etc. Ishvar does not ask anyone to keep himself hungry to please him or to get any favour as a reward from him.

As per Arya Samaj , Vrata means firm commitment to oneself to achieve a target. Vrata can be for any purpose- for any objective of life related to family, business or society etc.

Teerth (Pilgrimage)

General belief in Hindus as well as many other religious groups is that certain geographical locations are more auspicious than other places. By visiting such places or by taking dips in certain rivers, one becomes free from his sins and earns special bonus points of Punya . This is absurd and illogical.

Arya Samaj believs that Teerth means an attempt to swim through the ocean of life by facing all pains or pleasures of life in order to reach ones ultimate target of life. Teerth is performing Yagyas; Teerth is the study of Vedas and other scriptures; Teerth is service of parents and other elders – because all these are the channels of achieving ultimate target of the life. Just by visiting certain places or temples or rivers nothing is achieved.

Swarg-Narak ( Heavens and Hells )

These are just hypothetical locations out of the world; these are nothing but imagination of certain people who taught the society a wrong lesson that people go to heaven or hell after their death.

Arya Samaj does not recognize any such hypothetical locations which are never visited or experienced by any living being on this earth. Swarg is just an adjective for a place full of happiness- which can be one’s own home. Similarly Nark is an adjective for a place full of pains and misery- which again can be one’s own home.

Surya-Grahan (Solar Eclipse) – Chandra Grahan (Lunar Eclipse)

Ishvar has designed a great system involving all planets and stars in such a way that they all keep on moving as per his design without colliding with each other. Day and Night, Sun Rise and Sun Set, Changing seasons like winter, summer, rains, spring and autumn etc. are all outcome of his design of the movement of planets and stars.

Ishvar has provided human mind the capacity to find out the details of his system to the extent his curiosity takes him. Man has knowledge of distances, speeds and positioning of various planets and stars; though very few which are close to his habitat – the earth.

Man has been able to find out the reason and truth of Surya-Grahan and Chandra-Grahan too. Any school student now knows that when the earth , sun and moon fall in one line with moon in the middle, than the Surya Grahan takes place; similarly when the earth comes in the middle of the sun and moon , than a Chandra Grahan takes place. These processes are recurring and bound to Ishvar’s design.

Surprisingly, many so called pundits created lots of mythical theories to misguide people, mainly in India. Funny stories of different planets fighting with each other or particular planets anger on an individual etc were created to frighten and cheat simpletons of the society. People were taught that to save and please Sun God and Moon God they have to perform lot of poojas and Keertans. In the guise of all these rituals a practice of collecting money started.

Arya Samaj does not approve such falsehood in the name of God. All rituals related to Surya Grahan and Chandra Grahan are meaningless and are the result of massive misguidance by certain miscreants of the society.

Somras

Unfortunately those who tried to destroy the message of Vedas by misinterpreting to hindu society did a great injustice with Somras by calling it another name of wines. The actual meaning of Som is opposite of wine. Som is provider of pleasure.

Som is the name of Ishvar, in the context that Ishvar is the creator of all and also provider of pleasure and prosperity to mankind. Moon is also called Som as the soothing cold effect of moon gives happiness. The produce obtained after hard work is also termed as Som. A scholar equipped with good education as well as high moral is also known as Som. The vegetation which gives pleasure by its juices are also called Som. In ancient times The Sages (Rishi Munis) used to drink all such juices of vegetations produced in their surroundings.

The crux of the meaning of the word is all sources which provide pleasure to mankind, be it Ishvar, scholars, Moon or vegetations. When the word Ras is added to Som, it implies the soothing effect in one’s body and mind.

Aryasmaj rejects the popular and erroneous definition of Somras as spread by unscrupulous people of our society.

Vastu Shastra

The word Vastu Shastra means Science Of Architecture. As obvious this deals with the art of making houses, buildings etc. in the best possible way. In the seventh mandal of Rigveda under the sukta 54 and 55 there is mention of this science. In the ninth mandal of Atharvveda this subject is discussed in the third sukta.

In Ramayana and Mahabharta also there are great descriptions of the architectures of the ancient cities of Ayodhya and Indrprastha.

Swami Dayanand Sarswati has written about the house construction and its warming in his book Sanskarvidhi, while talking about Grahsth Aashram. He has quoted many mantras from Vedas while describing the importance of strong, airy and illuminated  house.

This means that Vastu Shastra is as ancient as our Shrishti and it has not been invented recently. What is invented in recent times is the misinterpretation of the Vedic Mantras. The so called Vastu Shastris started creating fear in peoples mind using the guide lines of Vastu Shastra. Nowhere in Vedas is written that if a house does not follow certain directions related to locations of its various components some trouble will be created in business or personal life etc. These unscrupulous Vastu shastris cheat  ignorant people by frightening them with ill effects of vastu in their business and life if certain changes are not implemented immediately as advised by them. Their benefit is the hefty fees that they charge from their blind believers. This is nothing but a great fraud done on society in the name of Vastu Shastra. People should not entertain such fraudulent people. In todays world where mass housing is created, it is impossible to stick to all details of Vastu Shastra, which were more apt for the independent bungalows built on large plots in ancient times.