A RESPONSE TO M.N. ANDERSON'S ARTICLE:
"Prophet Muhammad
in Hindu Scriptures?"
Mr. Anderson, while attempting to answer the claims of prophecy about
Prophet Muhammad inHindu scriptures alleges that the Hindu scriptures have been continuously
modified to incorporate Christian and Islamic ideas [1]. He has substantiated his view with citations
from the Rig Veda, Bhavishya Purana, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita. We will soon
realize that Mr. Anderson has drawn his conclusions from translations taken
mostly from the works of Mr. Aravindaksha Menon and Dr. Z. Haq [2,3],
who have mistranslated and
interpolated many verses to extract what they wanted.
Mr. Anderson's view is probably true in the case of
the Puranas but not in the case of Bhagavad Gita, Rig Veda and the Principal
Upanishads. In this article, I produce original translations of the verses and
compared them with those cited by Mr. Menon and Dr. Haq to prove my point.
I have been studying the Muslim claims on the prophecy of
Muhammad in Hindu scriptures for quite some time now. I have also produced my
thoughts on this much disputed claim.
|
SECTIONS
|
| 1 |
Muhammad and Jesus in Hindu
scriptures |
| 2 |
Biblical verses in the Rig
Veda? |
| 3 |
The concept of `hell' in
Hinduism |
| 4 |
Machine, Electricity and
Oxygen in Hindu scriptures? |
| 5 |
Conclusion |
(1) Muhammad and Jesus in Hindu scriptures
Being a tolerant faith, Hinduism
offers a great degree of freedom to interpret its scriptures. Ironically, this
freedom has been abused by Muslim and Christian scholars to read their ideas
into these texts. We will soon see that their claims of prophecies from the
Vedas are a result of mistranslations and misinterpretations.
(i) The status of the Puranas
As regards to Muhammad in Hindu scriptures, I have the
following comments to make about Bhavishya Purana. Hindu scriptures have
been categorized into two: Sruti and Smriti. The Srutis
(="Heard" or Revealed texts) are the primary ones, while the Smritis
(="Remembered") are the secondary ones. While Srutis contain
mostly information of transcendental nature meant for saints and rishis, Smritis
contain mostly teachings of worldly nature for the general public. The
secondary scriptures Smritis were composed by great sages based on Vedic
truths.
Says Swami Mukhyananda: "It is laid down that Vedic
truths must be elaborated and expounded through the Ithihasas and Puranas. The
Smritis derive authority from the Vedas and are subordinate to them. They
may undergo changes and modifications in time. However, anything in them
transgressing the Vedic truths, loses its authority and is inoperative" [6]
Of all the 18 Puranas, only Srimad Bhagavatam
(or Bhagavata Purana) is the most popular one and widely quoted [4]. Citing anything from the Puranas to prove a point has no weightage. In fact there are more Puranas that
the traditional number of 18. Swami Mukhyananda says: "Though the
traditional number 18 is kept up, actually the number of Maha-Puranas and
Upa-Puranas exceeds 18 as new ones have been added". [6]
Other scholars also hold the same view that the
Puranas have undergone change. Talking about Puranas, Sidharth says on page 52
in his famous book "The Celestial Key to the Vedas": "Unlike
the core Vedic literature, the Puranas have suffered additions and
alterations" In spite of the Puranas being classified as Smritis
by Hindus themselves, Muslim scholars like Vidyarthi and Ali have desperately
tried to elevate their status as Revealed literatures or Words of God [5].
The only Smriti literature to be considered as the Word of God is the
Bhagavad Gita and certainly not the Puranas. Vidyarthi and Ali even state
that the Bhavishya Purana is the chief among the 18 Puranas. How ridiculous!
(ii) Prophecies in Sama, Rig and Atharva
Vedas
Mr. Anderson also quotes, from Dr. Haq's article, a verse
from Sama Veda (II:6.8) which supposedly prophecies the advent of Prophet
Muhammad:
Ahmad acquired religious law (Shariah) from his Lord. This
religious law is full of wisdom. I receive light from him just as from the sun.
The copy of Sama Veda I have, follows a
different numbering system [7]
and I am therefore unable to comment anything on the authenticity of this
translation. However, I have a comment to make on the verse from Rig Veda
(V.27.1) which Dr. Haq quotes to prove the prophecy of Muhammad [3].
The
wagon-possessor, the truthful and truth-loving, extremely wise, powerful and
generous, Mamah [Mohammad] has favored me with his words. The son of
the All-powerful, possessing all good attributes, the mercy for the worlds has become famous with ten
thousand [companions].
Dr. Haq has reproduced this translation
from the work of Vidyarthi and Ali [5].
But this is how Griffith translates
the same verse:
THE
Godlike hero, famousest of nobles, hath granted me two oxen with a wagon. Trvrsan's
son Tryaruna hath distinguished himself, Vaisvanara Agni! with ten thousands.
The difference is there for all of us to
see (corresponding words have been highlighted in both translations). Vidyarthi's
'translation' is nothing but a wrong interpretation or a wrong
translation. Is Muhammad in anyway the son of the All-powerful?
How did Dr. Haq miss these words while presenting the `translation'? Don't
these words suit Jesus better than Muhammad?
Dr. Haq also talks about more Prophecies in Atharva Veda! He
quotes three verses from Chapter 10 as a proof for the prophecy about Ka'ba,
the holy house of Muslims. Here I have compared the translations he has
produced with that of the translations by Devi Chand.
Translations in Dr.
Haq's article
|
Translations by
Devi Chand
|
[On Ka’bah]
Whether it is built high, its
walls are in a straight line or not, but God is seen in every corner of it. He who
knows the House of God, knows it
because God is remembered there..
Atharva Veda X, 2,
28:
|
Was man created
in Heaven or the atmosphere or in
all directions is a question worth
considering. He who knows the creation of God, can best answer the question. The soul is called
Purusha as it lives in the world created by God.
|
[On Holy Sanctuary (House) and Ka’bah]
This abode of the angels has eight circuits and nine gates. It is
unconquerable, there is eternal life in it and it is resplendent with Divine
light.
Atharva Veda X, 2,
31:
|
This citadel of the body, unconquerable by the ignorant, equipped with circles
eight and portals nine, contains the soul of full of myriad power, ever
marching on the joyful God, surrounded by the Refulgent Supreme Being.
|
[On Abraham & more on Holy Sanctuary &
Ka’bah]
Brahma (Abraham) stayed in this abode
which is illumined by heavenly light and covered with Divine blessings. It is
the place that gives (spiritual) life to the people and is unconquerable.
Atharva Veda X, 2,
33:
|
God resides in the soul,
bright with exceeding brilliancy, beautiful, compassed with glory round
about, multipowered never subdued.
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I have highlighted (in bold, underline or colour) the
corresponding differences in these two translations. Only the last translation
(of verse X, 2, 33) looks similar. Dr. Haq of course interprets it differently.
Devi Chand's translation clearly indicate that the series of
verses in Chapter 10 of Atharva Veda refer to man and his soul and not the
Ka'ba as Dr. Haq (to be precise Dr. Vidyarthi and Ali) interpret. The words for
"creation of God" has been translated as "House of God",
and the words for "created in Heaven" as "built high". In
the next verse, we see the soul ("the citadel of the body", as Devi
Chand translates) being translated as "abode of the angels"!!
Translator Devi Chand remarks that the eight circles or
circuits are the eight parts of the Yoga: Yama, Niyama, Asana, Pranayamam
Pratyahara, Dharna, Dhyana and Smadhi. By `interpreting' the eight circles as
hills surrounding Ka'ba, Mr. Vidyarthi has let his imaginations run wild!
And what about the 9 gates? According to Vidyarthi and Ali,
it is a reference to Ka'ba!
"The House of God has nine
gates - Baab-e-Ibrahim (Abraham) , Baab-al-Wedaa, Baab-as-Safa, Baab-e-Ali,
Baab-e-Abbas, Baab-un-Nabi, Baab-as-Salaam, Baab-az-Ziyarat, and Baab-e-Haram. Further,
the eight circuits are the natural lines enclosing the areas between the
surrounding hills, the names of which are: Jabal-e-Khaleej, Jabal-e-Qaiqaon,
Jabal-e-Hindi, Jabal-e-Laalaa, Jabal-e-Keda, Jabal-e-Abu Hadidah, Jabal-e-Abi
Qabees, and Jabal-e-Umar".
The reference to 9 gates occur quite
commonly in many Hindu scriptures and one would expect Mr. Vidyarthi to have
cited these verses also to `substantiate' his claim. There are only two
possibilities: Either he was not aware of its occurrence in other texts or he
ignored them as they clearly refer to the body.
Here I have reproduced slokas from the Gita, Upanishad and
Thirumandiram to prove that the 9 gates in these verses refer to the 9 portals
in human body: 2 eyes, 2 ears, 2 nostrils, mouth, anus and genital.
Nine Gates in
Tirumandiram
He fashioned this body,
Into that body He breathed life;
And set gates nine;
(470)
|
Nine Gates in Svetasvatara Upanishad
It
is He who resides in the body,
The city of 9 gates. He is the soul
That sports in the outside world..." (3:18)
|
Nine Gates in
Bhagavad Gita
The stable
person, renouncing work through knowledge,
Neither acts himself, nor forces action on others,
But takes refuge in the body, the city of 9 gates
(V: 13)
|
The verse from Svetasvatara Upanishad clearly proves that
the 'city' is the Body, 9 `gates' are the apertures and 'He' refers to the soul
which resides in the body! All texts of Vedanta, the Upanishads in particular,
predominate with the thesis that the "Atman" (or the individual
"soul") is one with Brahman, the Absolute [22]. This is the message reiterated again and again, in
the verses of Atharva Veda and Upanishad cited above. And not Ka'ba or anything
of that sort!
I do not say that all the other translations which Dr. Haq
has produced to prove the prophecy of Muhammad are mistranslated ones. I don't
have the translations of Bhavishya Purana with me. Soon I will find out the
truth. If the above `translations' of Rig and Atharva Veda are an indication, I
have every reason to doubt the validity of their other `translations' also!
Muslims have invariably tried to understand other religions
from their point of view. Sanskrit words that sound similar to those in Arabic
were often distorted to fit similar equivalents. The best of all examples is
the mistaken identity of `Brahma' for `Abraham'
[3,8]. Dr. Haq mentions a series of similar mistaken
identities: Manu for Nuh (Noah), Saraswathi for Sarah, and of
course Mamah for Muhammad! Indeed, some Muslim scholars have let their
imaginations run wild!
(iii) Semitic prophecies in Vedic texts &
Vedic seers in Semitic texts
The most important point is this. How can Muslims
point out Muhammad's name in Hindu scriptures which the Qur'an doesn't even
mention? Or for that matter, from Vedic texts which are built on the
contrasting doctrine of Samsara (rebirth)? My question is applicable to
Christians too who claim about Jesus in Hindu scriptures [2]. It makes sense to look for
Muhammad's name in the Judeo-Christian scriptures as he not only referred them
frequently in the Qur’an but also regarded his revelation as a
confirmation of the earlier ones.
Some Muslims also claim that the `Kalki' avatar of Hindus,
the `Maitreya' Buddha of Buddhists and the `Soeshyant' of Zoroastrians refer to
Muhammad! [5,9,10].
These
claims leave us in an interesting scenario. While the Hindus, Buddhists and Magians
are eagerly expecting the arrival of the saviour, the Muslims claim that he has
already come and gone! How will the Hindus, Buddhists and Parsis accept some
one who appeared in an alien land and disappeared without their own
knowledge? Muhammad remained unknown to these natives for all these years and
the Muslims had to come, `interpret' their scriptures and tell them that their
Kalki, Maitreya and Soeshyant have already come and gone! What use are
prophecies then?
There are also Muslim scholars who claim that Zul-Kafil
of the Qur’an (21:85) is the Buddha [10]. How can the Quran mention about the Buddha,
who was an agnostic? The Muslims never address these issues but try to convince
others that Buddha's original teaching was built around monotheism! [10]. This is a classic example
of Muslims trying to understand other religions through Islamic eye. The belief
of Islam as `God's Original Religion' has forced Muslims to somehow read
their ideas into other's scriptures. And of course also to convince (or
confuse?) the Buddhists and attract some converts. Interestingly, the Khalifite
web site (www.submission.org) contains a glossary which states that Zul-Qurnain
was most probably the Buddha! First and foremost, Buddha never claimed to be a
prophet. His teachings were based on the Vedic doctrine of Karma
(Action), Samsara (Rebirth) and Moksha (Liberation) and no way
even remotely related to the Judeo-Christian beliefs!
(2) Biblical verses in the Rig Veda ?
In this section, I will refute Mr.
Anderson's view that the Rig Veda contains verses of Biblical origin. We will
soon realize how Mr. Menon has read `Christian' ideas into the Rig Veda, and
managed to extract something `Semitic' out of the Vedic verses.
(i) Mr. Menon's mistranslations and
interpolations
Comparing verse X.92.5 with 1:3 in John, Mr. Menon wonders
"Isn't this similarity in essence between these mutually supporting
statements, amazing?"
From that male the universe
came into being. From that body of the universe came the omnipresent male.
That male thus became manifest, adopted various forms and character
and created the earth and other planets along with the creatures to live in
them. (Rig Veda
X:90:5)
|
"through him God made all
things; not one thing in all creation was made without him"
(1:3 John)
|
I see nothing spectacular for Mr. Menon
to get excited, considering the strikingly similar verses I have produced from
different scriptures in the next section (2.ii). Nevertheless, this is how
Griffith and Flaherty translate the same verse:.
- From
him Viraj was born; again Purusa from Viraj was born. As soon as he was
born he spread eastward and westward o'er the earth. (Griffith)
- From
him Viraj was born, from Viraj came the Man. When he was born, he ranged beyond the earth,
behind and before (Flaherty)
Mr. Menon's `translation' appears to be an interpretation
than a translation. He continues to produce such mistranslations from the Rig
Veda. Verse X.121.1, which is one of the Creation Hymns in Rig Veda, has been
totally `Christianized' by Mr. Menon. This is how Menon interprets this verse
(I don't think it is a translation):
'Prajapathy'
alias 'Hiranya garbha', the first born, was born to the Holy Spirit (Paramatma)
before Genesis. Upon birth, He became one and only God to the universe
comprising the Skies, Stars Earth and the Seas. He rules the endless firmament
and the whole of the earth. We please this deity, Prajapathy, who is called 'Kan' affectionately, with offerings in sacrifices. (Menon)
- IN the beginning rose Hiranyagarbha,
born Only Lord of all created beings. He fixed and holdeth up this earth
and heaven. What God shall we adore with our oblation?
(Griffith)
- IN the beginning the Golden
Embryo arose. Once he was born, he was the one lord of creation. He
held in place the earth and this sky. Who is the god whom we should
worship with oblation? (Flaherty)
So the Hiranyagarbha is the cosmic
Golden Egg and NOT the first born of the Holy Spirit (Paramatma?) as Mr. Menon
says. To equate Hiranyagarbha (Hiranya=Golden and Garbha=Womb or
Embryo, [11]) with Jesus Christ is nothing but nonsense, to say
the least. The next verse he cites is X.90.2, which looks totally different in
other translations!
It
is for the redemption of mankind, he surpassed his immortal sphere and descends
to the mortal sphere. He comes to give everyone recompense as per their deeds
(Menon)
- This
Purusa is all that yet hath been and all that is to be; The Lord of
Immortality which waxes greater still by food.
(Griffith)
- It
is the Man who is all this, whatever has been and whatever is to be. He is
the ruler of immortality, when he grows beyond everything through food.
(Flaherty)
The most interesting mistranslation is
verse X.90.7, the famous one which some Christians in India
use to show that Christ's crucifixion has been mentioned in the Rig Veda.
Devas
of heaven and the ruling fraternity along with the hermits offered the first
born male in sacrifice by consecrating him as the animal of offering by tying
him on a wooden sacrificial post. (Menon)
- They balmed as victim on the grass Purusa born in earliest
time. With him the Deities and all Sadhyas and Rsis sacrificed.
(Griffith)
- They anointed the Man, the sacrifice born at the beginning, upon
the sacred grass. With him the gods, Sadhyas, and sages sacrificed.
(Flaherty)
Where is the Wooden Sacrificial Post
in these translations? The Sacred grass has been conveniently taken as wooden
post! Where is the question of `tying him' when the post itself is
absent? Mr. Menon continues to produce such amazing interpolatory
`translations' from the Rig Veda. Here he `translates' X.90.16 to appear like
Romans 10:9.
Those who worship (chanting
with the lips, believing in the heart) him gets liberated in this world
itself and there is no other way besides this for salvation.
(Rig Veda X: 90:16)
|
Because if you confess with
your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him
from the dead, you will be saved
(Romans 10:9)
|
But this is how Griffith and Flaherty
translate:
- Gods, sacrificing, sacrificed the victim these were the earliest
holy ordinances. The Mighty Ones attained the height of heaven, there
where the Sidhyas, Gods of old, are dwelling. (Griffith)
- With the sacrifice the gods sacrificed to the sacrifice. These
were the first ritual laws. These very powers reached the dome of the sky
where dwell the Sadhyas, the ancient gods. (Flaherty)
Mr. Anderson takes over from where Mr.
Menon left and quotes a verse from Acts (4:12) to `prove' that this hymn (as
`translated' by Mr. Menon) was taken from the Book of Acts! Mr. Menon should be
held responsible for misleading others too. And finally, Mr. Anderson concludes
that the author of Rig Veda had a thorough knowledge of the Bible!
Looking at the way Mr. Menon has interpolated the verses to
suit his preconceived notions, it will now be clear that these verses do not
prove in any way that they were taken from the Bible.
(ii) Similarities do occur
Many scholars have pointed out the similarities between the
Persian Avesta and the Indian Vedas. At least, in this case, we
know that the Aryans were a break away group of people from Central
Asia who earlier shared the same religion and language with the
Persians [12]. We know that
the Quran contains some verses that are similar to those found in the Bible (Q
21:105 and Ps 37:29, Q 48:29 and Mk 4:27-28, Q 21: 104 and Is 34:4, Q
18:109 and Jn 21:25). Yet, it
would be a mistake to conclude that the Quran contains verses copied or lifted
from the Bible. When we see the number of contradictions between the Quran and
the Bible, we can only conclude that the author of the Quran had no access to
any written Biblical materials.
In any case, human thoughts across the globe have been the
same and one cannot come to any drastic conclusion if some verses appear
similar. Mr. Anderson seems to be amazed with the oneness of Hindu
scriptures and the Bible (which anyway is not true, from the verses he cited).
In fact one can find many amazingly similar verses across scriptures even
without any mistranslation. Here I present some astonishingly similar verses
across various scriptures of the world.
Quran and Dhammapada
By the sun and his
brightness,
And the moon when she followeth him,
And the day when it revealeth him,
And the night when it enshroudeth him .....
(Quran 91:1-4)
-----------------------------------------
Stress not in your
religions other than the truth, and follow not the vain desires of folk who
erred of old and led men astray....
(Quran 5:77)
|
By the day the sun
shines,
By night, the moon;
In his armour the warrior shines,
In meditation the Brahmin shines;
Day and night, without ceasing,
The Buddha shines in splendor.
(Dhammapada 387)
------------------------------------------
Those who take error for
truth, & the truth for error will never attain the supreme goal, for they
are led astray by vain desires and false views.
(Dhammapada 11)
|
Dhammapada and Bible
The fool who recognizes his
foolishness, is at least wise in that. But the fool who thinks he is
intelligent, is a fool indeed!
(Dhammapada 63)
|
Even a fool, when he keeps
silent is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.
(Proverbs 17:28)
|
Upanishad and Dhammapada
There the sun cannot
shine,
And the moon has no luster;
All the stars are blind;
There our lightnings flash not, neither any
earthly fire.
For all that is bright is but the shadow of
His brightness
And by His shining all this shines.
(Katha Upanishad, 2.2.15)
|
By the day the sun
shines,
By night, the moon;
In his armour the warrior shines,
In meditation the Brahmin shines;
Day and night, without ceasing,
The Buddha shines in splendor.
(Dhammapada 387)
|
Samyutta Nikaya, Bible and Gita
He who sees the Norm,
he sees me;
He who sees me,
he sees the Norm.
(Samyutta Nikaya
3:120)
|
He who sees Me
everywhere
and sees all in
Me,
to him I do not get lost,
nor does he get
lost to Me.
Bhagavad Gita (6:30)
|
He who has seen Me
has seen the Father.
(John 14:9)
|
Dhammapada and Tao Te Ching
A victor only breeds
hatred, while a defeated man lives in misery, but a man at peace within lives
happily, abandoning up ideas of victory and defeat.
(Dhammapada 201)
|
He (decent man) doesn't
wish them (enemies) personal harm. Nor does he rejoice in victory. How could
he rejoice in victory and delight in the slaughter of men?
(Tao Te Ching 31)
|
Analects and Bible
The love of money is a root
of all sorts of evil...
(I Timothy 6:10)
|
Conduct guided by profit is
cause for much complaint.
(Analects 4:12)
|
Dhammapada and Doctrine of Mean
There is no place in the highest
heavens above, nor in the deepest waters below where moral law in not to be
found.
(Doctrine of Mean 12)
|
Neither in the skies, nor
in the depths of ocean, nor in the rocky caves, nowhere upon earth does there
exist a place a man can hide from death.
(Dhammapada 128)
|
Based on the verses I presented here, it would be a
mistake to conclude that the author of the Bible had a good idea of Analects
and Dhammapada. Such striking similarities do occur, because teachings of all
great sages, in Essentials were the same; the differences exist only in Non-essentials.
(3) The concept of hell in Hinduism
Mr. Anderson quotes the following verse
from the Gita to show that the word `hell' is a borrowing from Christianity and
Islam.
O Krsna, maintainer of the people, I have heard by
disciplic succession
that those who destroy family traditions dwell
always in hell
(Gita 1:43)
Historians and theologians are of the
opinion that the concepts of Immortal souls, Resurrection of body, Devil as
God's adversary, Hell and Heaven, and perhaps even the expectation of a
Saviour, are all in one form or another, borrowings from Zoroastrianism
[13,14]. However, I am yet to see
a scholarly opinion saying that the Gita has been influenced by Christianity
and Islam. I disagree with Mr. Anderson's view that the belief in `hell' is
contrary to the endless cycle of death and rebirth in Hinduism. The concept of
hell in Hinduism is very different from that described in Judaic religions. The
hell in Hinduism has been explained, either as a `worldly suffering' or
`celestial suffering'.
(i) Hell as worldly suffering
For the Hindus, more particularly for Jains and Buddhists,
the universe is a place of misery and sorrow. In all ancient Hindu texts, hell
mean only a state of worldly suffering. Says Swami Vivekananda:
"In India,
the idea of the goal (salvation) is this: There are heavens, there are hells,
there are earths, but they are not permanent. If I am sent to hell, it is not
permanent. The same struggle goes on and on whatever I am. How to go beyond all
this struggle is the problem ........ The Indian idea is not to go to Heaven.
Get out of this earth, get out of hell, and get out of heaven! What is the
goal? It is freedom! You must be free" (Complete Works 6:57) [15].
I quote a verse from Tirukkural
[16] to show that the idea of
hell is not a contradiction to the Hindu doctrine of `samsara' (cycles
of rebirth).
"A fool does deeds in a single birth
That will plunge him in hell (Allaru) in the succeeding seven"
(Tirukkural 835)
The Tamil word Allaru here conveys
the idea of "Depth". The Hindu belief is, one will either "sink
to the hell" or "ascend to the heaven". The idea of
`hell' occurs in Buddhist and Jain scriptures too! Says the Buddha in
Dhammapada:
Some are born in the human womb, evildoers in hell (Niraya),
Those on the good course go to heaven; while
those without effluent, totally unbound.
(Dhammapada 126)
Commenting on this verse, translator
Thanissaro Bhikkhu says: "Heaven and hell, in the Buddhist view of the
cosmos, are not eternal states. One may be reborn on one of the various levels
of heaven or hell as the result of one’s kamma on the human plane, and
then leave that level when that particular store of kamma wears out"
[17].In fact an entire chapter in
Dhammapada (Chap. 22) is titled Hell (Niraya)! Will Mr. Anderson say
that this is also a borrowing from Islam and Christianity?
(ii) The problem of translation
While dealing with the problems in translating the
religious culture of the source language (ST) to the target language (TL), V.
Ramasamy in his book “On Translating Tirukkural” makes the
following remarks [23]:
“Thought
the concept of hell and heaven is available in the English language, the SL and
TL differ in their details. These two words are described in so many couplets.
There are four phrases (used in Kural) to describe the hell: (i) alaru –
a slimy lake, (ii) irul ser innaa ulakam (இருள்
சேர்
இன்னா
உலகம்) – dark world of
suffering, (iii) aarirul (ஆரிருள்)
– world of darkness and (iv) teeyuli (தீயுழி) –
place of fire.” Since these words have different meanings, Ramasamy
stresses the importance of translating these words properly: “The
translators should prefer to give literal meaning of these words so that the TL
readers will have a clear idea about the concept of hell in SL. Otherwise they
will tend to equate their own concept of hell with that of the SL. Pragmatic
equivalence can be avoided in these contexts.”
(ii) Hell as celestial suffering
The Hindu texts imply that hell could also mean some sort of
celestial suffering which the soul experiences before it is reborn. Says Sri
Aurobindo:
"The Vedantic thought did
not envisage rebirth as an immediate entry after death into a new body
.......... before the soul is attracted before terrestrial existence, an
interval in which it assimilates its terrestrial experiences ........ During
this interval, it must dwell in states and worlds beyond and these may be
favourable or unfavourable to its future development" [18].
We see this view being expressed in Manu Smriti (Laws of
Manu), one of the early Hindu Scriptures.
"He who accepts presents from an avaricious king
who acts contrary to the Institutes (of the
sacred law),
will go in succession to the following
twenty-one hells: ....."
(4:87-90)
The idea of `hell' occurs in Buddhist and Jain scriptures too! Says the
Buddha in Dhammapada:
Some are born in the human womb, evildoers in hell (Niraya),
Those on the good course go to heaven; while
those without effluent, totally unbound.
(Dhammapada 126)
Commenting on this verse, translator
Thanissaro Bhikkhu says: "Heaven and hell, in the Buddhist view of the
cosmos, are not eternal states. One may be reborn on one of the various levels
of heaven or hell as the result of one’s kamma on the human plane, and
then leave that level when that particular store of kamma wears out"
[24]. In fact an entire chapter
in Dhammapada (Chap. 22) is titled Hell (Niraya)! Will Mr. Anderson say
that this is also a borrowing from Islam and Christianity?
In Jainism, hell is implied as a stage
between death and rebirth. The Akarangasutra, considered the oldest Jain
scripture extant written in ancient Prakrt [19], says:
The world is greatly troubled by women.
They (viz. men) forsooth say, 'These are-
the vessels (of happiness).'
But this leads them to pain, to delusion,
to death, to hell,
to birth as hell-beings or brute beasts.
The fool never knows the law.
(I Book: 2.4.3)
Contrary to what Mr. Anderson believes,
the word hell existed in Hindu, Buddhist and Jain scriptures even before the
advent of Islam and Christianity. Perhaps it is only in later stages, after the
influence of Christianity and Islam, that the Vedic concept of hell and heaven
was interpreted in the Judeo-Christian way in the Puranas. Says Swami
Vivekananda: "In the Vedas, there is no mention of hell. But our
Puranas, the later works of our scriptures, thought that no religion could be
complete, unless hells are attached to it, and so they invented all sorts of
hells" (Complete Works 1:400) [15].
(4) Machine, Electricity and Oxygen in Hindu scriptures ?
Mr. Anderson has also quoted some verses
from the Gita and Rig Veda to show that the Hindu scriptures contain some
modern terminologies like machine, electricity, enzyme and oxygen. Says Mr.
Anderson: "The Hindu Scriptures can not be taken seriously. Unless we
passionately believe that machines, electricity, oxygen, and enzymes are all
prophecies along with the names of Muhammad".
(i) Machine and Electricity in Bhagavad Gita
Let us first examine the verses from Gita:
- The Supreme Lord is situated in everyone's heart, O Arjuna, and
is directing the wanderings of all living entities, who are seated as on a
machine (Yandra), made of
the material energy. (18:61)
- That supreme abode of Mine is not illumined by the sun or moon,
nor by fire or electricity. Those who reach it never return to this
material world. (15:6)
As far as verse 15:6 is concerned, the
word `Electricity' DOES NOT occur in it. The Sanskrit words Surya, Sasadk
and Parak in this verse mean Sun, Moon and Fire respectively. Where from
this `Electricity' came? Whose translation is Mr. Anderson referring to? Of
late it has become a fashion of sort to add something `modern' by self-styled
translators.
The translation of verse 18:61 is indeed correct. Most
translators (like Swami Swarupananda and Sri Aurobindo) translate the Sanskrit
word Yandra in this verse as "machine" while a
few (like S.C. Vaishya and P. Lal) have translated it as "wheel" .
There is no doubt that the word `Yandra' actually mean `machine' only
(literally: 'something operated upon'). I see no difficulty in
accepting the presence of this word in Vedic scriptures. For instance,
reproduced below is a verse from Tao Te Ching (Chapter 80).
A
small country may have many machines, but the people will have no use
for them; they will have boats and carriages which they do not use;
their armour and weapons are not displayed, for they are serious when regarding
death. (Translator: Stan Rosenthal)
Other translations of Tao Te Ching (by
Muller and Mitchell) also contain the word `machine' in this verse. How
did the word `machine' get into this Chinese classic of 4th century
B.C.? Here is one more verse from Tao Te Ching (Ch.
11).
- Thirty spokes join together in the hub. It is
because of what is not there that the cart is useful.
(Rosenthal)
- Though thirty spokes may form the wheel, it
is the hole within the hub which gives the wheel utility.
(Muller)
- We join spokes together in a wheel, but it is
the center hole that makes the wagon
move.
(Mitchell)
So wheels were made and wagons were
moving in China
during the times of Lao Tzu. I therefore feel nothing unusual to find machines
(Yandra) being mentioned in Bhagavad Gita which was composed sometime during
period between 200 BC and 200 AD [20].
Any attempt to accurately date Indian scriptures is beset with problems. The
first commentary on the Gita available to us is that of Sankaracarya who lived
during the 8th century A.D. [4].
Says Swami Swahananda: "The individual most responsible for helping to
elevate the Gita to its present position is probably the great Vedantic sage,
Sankaracarya. We know from his commentary that earlier commentaries had been
written and were known to him. ........ But Sankara's commentary is the
earliest known to us and certainly the first of any real importance"[20].
We see words `Naraka' and 'Yandra' in the
Gita of his times, thus proving that the Gita has not changed at least
since the time of Sankara. The question of Islamic or Christian influence on
the Gita, therefore, does not arise.
Having said this, I must say that attempts have been made by
some scholars to `prove' that the Gita originally contained 745 verses and not
700 in circulation at present [21].
Unlike Muslims, the Hindus are not fanatic about such views being expressed
openly. Anyway, this finding by Dr. E. Vedavyas only suggests that some verses
might have been lost from the Gita and not anything being added to it.
(ii) Enzymes and Oxygen in Rig Veda
Mr. Anderson has also reproduced the 3rd hymn of
the 163rd aphorism in the 10th volume of Rig Veda. He
wonders how oxygen and enzymes could have been described in an ancient book.
Let us compare the translations of Mr. Menon and Griffith.
O! You sick and
suffering
I herein remove your illness
From the veins of your small intestine
From the veins that carry oxygen and
Enzymes from the large intestine,
From the ghearty
From the mango shaped kidneys on both
sides
From your lungs and spleen
(Menon)
|
From viscera and all
within,
Forth from the rectum,
From the heart,
From kidneys, liver, and
From spleen,
I drive thy malady away.
(Griffith)
|
Where from did Mr. Menon discover oxygen, enzyme and the
rest? Once again, a of case interpretive mistranslation! We should be aware of
modern translators who read their ideas into the text in order to make their
translations look very scientific and rational, often to impress the new
readers. How dare such people call themselves seekers of Truth!
(5) Conclusion
Both Dr. Haq and Mr. Menon have managed
to `discover' Muhammad and Jesus from Rig Veda only by mistranslating the
verses. Interesting indeed is Mr. Vidyarthi's interpretation of the human body
and/or soul as Ka'ba and the 9 portals of the human body as the gates of
Mecca!!
Mr. Anderson's view that Hindu scriptures are being continuously modified does
not hold true in the case of the Gita and Vedas. Let me repeat here again what
Sidharth wrote: "Unlike the core Vedic literature, the Puranas have suffered
additions and alterations"
Mr. Vidyarthi, Dr. Haq and Mr. Menon all
belong to the same school of religious scholars who read their ideas into
others' scriptures to extract what they want. It is unfortunate that Mr.
Anderson has drawn his conclusions about Hindu scriptures from the works of
such people. He should have verified the authenticity of these translations
before making such comments on Hindu scriptures.
References
1. Anderson,
M.N. 1999. Prophet Muhammad in Hindu Scriptures? (Material taken from the
forthcoming book: "Jesus 2000 years after Jesus"). [**]
2.
Menon, A. 1997. DIVINE HARMONY. Divine Printers and Publishers.
Kerala,
India. 110 pages.
geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/6265/
3. Haq, Z. 1990,
1997. PROPHET MUHAMMAD IN HINDU SCRIPTURES. http://www.erols.com/zenithco/index.html.
Also available at http://salam.muslimonline.com/~azahoor/prophhs.html
4. World Scripture.
A comparative Anthology of Sacred Texts. (Ed-Andrew Wilson). A Project of the
International Religious Foundation. pages 11-12
5. Vidyarthi, A.H.
and Ali, U. 19??. Muhammad in Parsi, Hindoo and Buddhist scriptures. Islamic
Book Service, New Delhi. pages 31-118
6. Swami
Mukhyananda. 1986. Hinduism: A brief outline of its framework. Sri Ramakrishna
Math. Puranattukara, Trichur, India. page 114
7. Sama Veda.
Translator: SV Sampath. 1982. Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, Delhi, India. 430
pages.
8.
Coward,
H.G. 1983. Religious pluralism and Islam. In: Religious Pluralism and World
Religions. The Dr. S. Radhakrishnan Institute for Advanced Study in Philosophy.
University of Madras, India. pages 47-69
9.
Pandit
Vaid Prakash. Prophet Muhammad in Hindu Scriptures. (Translated by Mir Abdul
Majeed). Available at: www.geocities.com/Athens/Academy/7368/islam_essays_prophet_hindu.html
10. Muhammad, T.
One God One Creed. (Translated by K. Yaseen Ashraf). Islamic Publishing House,
Calicut, India. 60 pages
11. O' Flaherty,
W.D. 1981. The Rig Veda: An anthology. Penguin Books. page 12
12. Swami
Prabhananda.1989. The Gathas of Zarathustra. In: Holy Scriptures. A symposium
of the Great Scriptures of the World. Sri Ramakrishna Math, Mylapore,
Madras-600004. pages 73-132
13.
Zaehner,
R.C. 1988. Zoroastrianism. In: The Hutchinson Encyclopoedia of Living Faiths
(Ed-R.C. Zaehner). Helicon Publishing Ltd., Oxford. pages 200-214
14.
Kamath,
MV. 1993. Philosophy of Life and Death. Jaico Publishing House, Mumbai.
Zoroastrianism pages 81-84
15. Complete Works
of Swami Vivekananda. Subsidized Edition, 1989. Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta,
India. 8 volumes
16. Tirukkural
(Sacred Couplets) is the Great ancient Tamil classic, attributed to
Tiruvalluvar who lived sometime during the 4th and 5th century AD. Translation
followed here is that of PS Sundaram, 1990. Tiruvalluvar, The Kural. Penguin
Books. 168 pages. Also available on www: [**]
17.
Thanissaro
Bhikkhu (& Geoffrey DeGraff), 1997. Dhamma Dana Publications, c/o Barre
Center for Buddhist Studies, 149 Lockwood Road, Barre, MA 01005, USA. http://world.std.com/~metta/canon/khuddaka/dhp/index.html
18.
Sri
Aurobindo. 1981. The Upanishads. Texts, Translations and Commentaries.
Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, Pondicherry, India. pages 74-83
19. Swamy
Brahmeshananda. 1989. Acaranga: The Crest-Jewel of Jain Scriptures. In: Holy
Scriptures. A symposium of the Great Scriptures of the World. Sri Ramakrishna
Math, Mylapore, Madras-600004. pages 150-165
20. Swami
Swahananda, 1989. Gita. In: Holy Scriptures. A symposium of the Great
Scriptures of the World. Sri Ramakrishna Math. Mylapore, Madras-600004. pages
116-132
21. Srinivasan,
T.A. 1998. The `original' version of the Bhagavad Gita. A book review for
"The ancient Bhagawad Gita". By Dr. E. Vedavyas. University of Vedic
Sciences. Yoga Brotherhood of America (Inc.), USA. In: The Hindu (Newspaper),
Dated: 17/02/1998.
22. Swami
Prabhavananda & Frederick Manchester, 1957. (Eds: & Translators).
The Upanishads: Breath of the Eternal. NY New Americal Library. Vedanta Society
of Southern California
23. Ramasamy, V.
2001. On translating Tirukkural. International Institute of Tamil Studies,
Chennai. Pp 127-128
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Publications, c/o Barre Center for Buddhist Studies, 149 Lockwood Road, Barre,
MA 01005, USA. http://world.std.com/~metta/canon/khuddaka/dhp/index.html
Translations
of Scriptures cited in this article
a)
HINDU TEXTS:
Manu Smriti (G. Buhler) & Rig Veda (T.H.
Griffith): Obtained from www.sacred-texts.com/hin/
Bhagavad Gita: (i) Swami Swarupananda
(transl.), 1996. Advaita Ashrama, Calcutta, India.
(ii) Sri Aurobindo (transl.), 1992. Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, Pondicherry,
India.
(iii) S.C. Vaishya (transl.), 1998. Govind Bhavan Karyalaya Gita Press, Gorakhpur,
India.
(iv) P. Lal (transl.), 1994. Roli Books, New Delhi, India.
Atharva Veda (Devi Chand). 2000. Munshiram and
Manoharlal Publishers Pvt. Ltd., India.
b) JUDAIC TEXTS:
Bible: New American Standard Bible. 1977.
World Home Bible League.
Quran: The Meaning of the Holy Qur'an. MM
Pickthall (transl.). UBSPD Ltd, New Delhi, India.
c) BUDDHIST & JAIN TEXTS:
Dhammapada: The Commentaries on the
Dhammapada. 1989. The Mother (transl.). Sri Aurobindo Ashram Trust, India..
Samyutta Nikaya: Kindred Sayings. TWR Davids
& FL Woodward (transl.). 1950-56. Pali Text Book Society, London.
Akaranga Sutra: Obtained from www.sacred-texts.com/jai/akaranga.htm
d) CHINESE TEXTS:
Tao Te Ching: Stephen Mitchell, Stan Rosenthal
& Charles Muller (transl.). Obtained from www.edepot.com/taoism.html
Analects: Lun Yu: In Chinese, English, Korean
& Tagalog. 1999. A translation by Confucian Publishing Co. Ltd.,Canada.
