Q. Hindus are proud of the fact that there is no compulsion to conform to a set of religious dogmas. Every individual's inclination to God can differ by choice. Do you agree?

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A: No, we don't. Hindus are basically followers of Sanatana Dharma or Eternal Religion as expounded in the Vedas. Vedic statements, no doubt, have themselves rendered ample scope for varied interpretations because of their parokshavada nature. Parokshavada means describing the primary purpose indirectly and concealing it with a secondary proposal or an indirect description that conceals the actual purpose.

Therefore, many ancient sages have propounded different theories based on their own understanding of various Vedic pronouncements that resulted in a wide spectrum of beliefs in regard to the nature of the Ultimate Reality. Thus, many wholly-erroneous expressions have gained credence over the centuries.

The Bhagavat Gita epitomizes the essence of the teachings of all the four Vedas. Therefore, it is referred to as 'Gitopanishad' and is accepted as an authentic scripture by renowned Vedic scholars as well as by all eminent acharyas including Adi Shankara and Patanjali.

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After graphically delineating all processes of spiritual pursuit, the Supreme Lord of lords Shri Krishna finally instructs Arjuna in the Gita (18.66) to abandon all varieties of religious instructions and surrender only to Him un-conditionally - mamekam sharanam vraja. This totally repudiates your idea that every individual's inclination to God can differ by choice.

In the Gita (15.15), Shri Krishna un-equivocally declares that intense study of the exhaustive Vedas is only to know Him because as Veda Vyasa, He is the compiler of the Vedanta and the knower of actual imports of the Vedas. The Lord reveals this more elaborately to His friend and devotee Shri Uddhava in the following verses (11.21.42/43) of the Shrimad Bhagavatam:

kim vidhatte kim achaste

kim anudya vikalpayet

ityasya hridayam loke

nanyo mad veda kashchana

In the entire world no one but Me actually understands the confidential purpose of Vedic knowledge. Thus people do not know what the Vedas are actually prescribing in the ritualistic injunctions of karma-kanda, or what object is actually being indicated in the formulas of worship found in the unasana-kanda, or that which is elaborately discussed through various hypotheses in the inana-kanda section of the Vedas.

 

mam vidhatte'bhidhattemam
vikalpyapohyatetvaham
etavan sarva-vedarthah

sabdaasthayamambhidam
maya-matram anudyante

pratisidhya prasidati

I am the ritualistic sacrifice enjoined by the Vedas, and I am the worshipable deity. It is I who am presented as various philosophical hypotheses, and it is I alone who am then refuted by philosophical analysis. The transcendental sound vibration thus establishes Me as the essential meaning of all Vedic knowledge. The Vedas, elaborately analyzing all material duality as nothing but My illusory potency, ultimately completely negate this duality and achieve their own satisfaction.