Do Vedas refute Dualism? ...Contd

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The reader further makes a comparison of Vaishnavism and Christianity! He writes:

"Ramanuja's teachings are similar to Christianity and if one replaces Jesus with Narayana, one can see the similarity that exists between Christianity and for that matter any religion that preaches duality and Vaishnavism."

In terms of philosophical and logical depth of arguments, there is no comparison between Vaishnavism and Christianity. Vaishnavism spread in India on the strength of the scholarship of its scholars and saints.

Hinduism is the only religion in the world which has the beautiful concept of Ishta Devata - of choosing a favourite personal deity towards whom the devotee can direct his single minded devotion. Yaska, the 9th century philosopher comments that when the population of India was 33 crores, the Indians also worshipped 33 crore Gods and goddesses! Every human being had the freedom to choose his or her own god, with the understanding that the Supreme Divine principle can manifest in any form which the devotee chooses.

Scriptures like the Gita emphasise this single minded devotion to a particular form, called Ishta Nishtha but at the same time they do not encourage intolerance or hatred towards worshippers of other forms.

The same reader who condemns dualism supports Saivism instead!

"Only Shiva is supposed to be the never-born creator, sustainer and destroyer of the universe, under whose instructions gods like Vishnu who is subject to birth and death act."

So, any form of dualism that praises Siva is good but worshippers of Vishnu are all deluded?!

To make premature statements about Dvaita and Vishishta Dvaita without studying them under a proper teacher, betrays our own ignorance. Many Indians today, including many descendants and followers of Ramanuja & Madhva, are grossly ignorant of their own philosophy because the secular education system in India deprives them of a systematic study of their own scriptures. Many of them read neither the Gita nor the Koran nor the Bible, but proffer their rude comments on all of them!

In the next two columns, I will try to present the gist of the Dvaita and Visishtha Dvaita schools of Vedanta for the benefit of such readers.