VEDAS OF INDIA

Majority of the Hindu and Non Hindu scholars of Vedas accept Vedas to be of a finite date, 4000 years old. They are said to be written by Maharishi Ved Vyasa. Only a minority of Hindus especially the Arya Samajis claim that the Vedas are eternal and beginningless. This they try to explain only by mere conjecture and some philosophical gymnastics. As far as the actual evidence is concerned, there is no reason to believe in this myth of Vedas being eternal. We will  analyse this topic  from many angles and thus build a coherent view that Vedas are of a finite date. When the finite age of the Vedas is established, it will bring to rest many false theories and questions that are built on this supposition that Vedas are eternal.

1. If the Vedic language Sanskrit has itself originated from another language or both originated from a common language then Vedas will be disproved to be eternal.
2. If Vedas never claim to be eternal and from the beginning, but internal evidence shows that Vedas were written at a finite date, then also this claim of Vedas being eternal will collapse.
3. Those who uphold this view of eternity of Vedas also claim that Vedic teachings are for all times. Thus if it can be shown that Vedic teachings are obsolete or time-bound the claim of eternity of Vedas will fall apart.
4. If many teachings and concepts within the Vedas are similar to those of Zoroastrian religion, then why should we not conclude that Vedic Religion has been derived from Zoroastrianism, beacuse the Parsis (Zoroastrians) consider their religion older than the Vedic Religion.

“O Learned man! You have gained knowledge from ancient scholars. You are charitable. Join your trained horses to your chariots, ready to face your enemy and establish yourself on the throne on justice.”

“O Man, follow thou the scholars, those who are aware of the ups and downs,  those who have extensive knowledge, who are righteous, who passed away in the first age (Satyug). This is what I command you.”

“O our Father, Grandfather and Great-Grandfather. Purify our life. Fulfill our wishes and our hard work in all ways. Keep us away from those evil dog-like humans who live near and far.”

“Those desiring to perform Yagya (fire ritual) have given you Soma from the waters… That Soma is majestic, imperishable, having lot of hair on it, and oblique on the edges.” [Rig Veda Mandal 1; Sukt 135; Mantra 6]

“Homage to the conquering, piercing Master of assailing bands, homage to the towering sword-bearer, to the Master of thieves homage! Homage to the gliding robber, to the roamer, to the Master of forests homage!  Homage to the cheat, to the arch-deceiver, to the Master of stealers homage! Homage to the wearer of sword and quiver, to the Master of robbers homage! Homage to the boltarmed murderers, to the Master of thieves homage! Homage to the sword-bearers, to those who roam at night, to the Master of looters homage! 22 To the turban-wearing haunter of mountains, Master of land-grabbers homage! Homage to you who bear arrows and to you who carry bows. Homage to you with bent bows, and to you who adjust your arrows, to you who draw the bow and to you who shoot be homage! 23 Homage to you who let fly and to you who pierce, homage to you who sleep and to you who wake, homage to you who lie and to you who sit, homage to you who stand and to you who run.

[Yajur Veda Adyay 16; Mantras 20-23]

• Sun occupied a very significant position in the religion of Ancient Persia and Zend Avesta. Similarly at  various places in the Vedas, Sun god (Surya Devata) occupies a significant position. [Rig Veda Mandal 4; Sukt 14 ]
• In the Zend Avesta, god Mithra is glorified as “I announce (and) carry out (this Yasna) for Mithra of wide pastures, of the thousand ears, and of the myriad eyes.” [Yasna 1:3]. Similarly Mitra is glorified in Rig Veda 3:59 “MITRA, when speaking, stirreth men to labour: Mitra sustaineth both the earth and heaven. Mitra beholdeth men with eyes that close not. To Mitra bring, with holy oil, oblation.”
• Vayu Devata is mentioned in both Zend Avesta and Vedas. See for example Yasna 25:5
• Yima Xšaēta is mentioned throughout the Zend Avesta and so is Yama Raja mentioned in the Vedas. He has same roles in both the Scriptures, i.e. the ruler of the dead.
• Thrita is called the First Healer in Avesta-Venidad; Fargard 20. Similarly Trita Aptya is mentioned as healer in the Vedas.
• In Zend Avesta, especially in its HOM YASHT section, Haoma is described as a herb and worthy of worship. Similarly, as we have seen before, Soma is called a herb and deserving worship. For details see HOM YASHT in Avesta- Yasna and Rig Veda Mandal 9 SOM MANDAL.
• Agni is taken as an object of worship in both scriptures.
• The methods of sacrifice, worship and the words used in worship are so strikingly similar that were I to reproduce here those passages, it can make a voluminous book. To illustrate I will provide only one example of how similar the prayers to Mitra are

‘We offer up libations unto Mithra, the lord of wide pastures, who gives a happy dwelling and a good dwelling to the Aryan nations.  ‘May he come to us for help! May he come to us for ease! May he come to us for joy! May he come to us for mercy! May he come to us for health! May he come to us for victory! May he come to us for good conscience! May he come to us for bliss! he, the awful and overpowering, worthy of sacrifice and prayer, not to be deceived anywhere in the whole of the material world, Mithra, the lord of wide pastures.
[Khorda Avesta - 10 Mihr Yasht 4-5]

Mitra, of holy strength, I call, and foe-destroying Varuna, Who make the oil-fed rite complete. Mitra and Varuna, through Law, lovers and cherishers of Law, Have ye obtained your might power Our Sages, Mitra-Varuna, wide dominion, strong by birth, Vouchsafe us strength that worketh well.[Rig Veda - Mandal 1; Sukt 2; Mantras 7-9]