Debunking gotquestions.org PART 5

 Hare Krishna 

All Glories To Sri Guru And Sri Gauranga!

The arguments can be found here.

This is going to be the last post on refuting the claims of the website gotquestions.org.

There are many articles on their website on diwali, hinduism, which do not deserve one's attention and hence, we, therefore consider unworthy of refuting any claim made.

Pūrvapakṣa 1: The Vedas are a set of four Hindu holy texts, written about 2,500 years ago. 

Refutation: The vedas were written in around 3000 BC, it can be proved by showing the dating of mahabharata and the itihasas, which can be found here. Moreover it is simply foolish to say that the mahabharata and vedas were written in different eras as they are written by the same person, i.e., Veda Vyasa.

Gopatha Brahmana, purva 2.10—

evam ime sarva veda nirmitah sa-kalpah sa-rahasyah sa-brahmanah sopanisatkah setihasah

sanvakhyatah sa-puranan

"In this way, all the Vedas were manifested along with the Kalpas, Rahasyas, Brahmanas,

Chandogya Upanisad 7.1.4—

nama va rg-vedo yajur-vedah sama-veda atharvanas caturtha itihasa-puranah pancamo

vedanam vedah

"Indeed, Rg, Yajur, Sama and Atharva are the names of the four Vedas. The Itihasas and Puranas

are the fifth Veda."

Pūrvapakṣa 2:  Even the texts today are somewhat fluid, varying from school to school in the Vedic tradition, and divided into shruti (“the heard”) and smriti (“the remembered”). 

Refutation: Yamunacarya himself in his Agama Pramana, 96, Says—

“It is not a very proper procedure to deny things that are proved by smrti (and not by shruti);

since both sruti and smrti spring from perfect knowledge, they are equally valid.”

Scriptures suggest to study Vedas through Puranas, not independently. Vedas are sheltered and protected by the Puranas. Therefore, Vedas should be interpreted through the Puranas, not the other way, or else there's no point of learning Vedas through Puranas if the Puranas are forced to be interpreted through the Vedic perspective, even if there's an abundance of unequivocal statements in the Puranas.

Vaishishtha Smriti 27.6—

"Let him strengthen the Veda by (studying) the Itihāsas and Purāṇas. For the Veda fears a man

of little learning,(thinking) 'He will destroy me."

Padma Purana, Shristhi Khanda, 1.51—

"One should nourish Veda with Itihāsa and Puranas. Veda, thinking 'he would deceive me', is

afraid of a (person) of little learning."

Mahabharata (Adi Parva 1.267, and also in 1.64) States–

"One must complement one’s study of the Vedas with the Itihasas and the Puranas."

Pūrvapakṣa 3: The Vedas are unlike the Bible in that they do not proclaim truth and salvation. They are mainly thoughts, ideas, speculation, and poetry about man and the universe, plus prescriptions for sacrifice and ritual. They are undoubtedly fascinating and beautiful writings, but they cannot be relied upon to reveal the knowledge of God. Only the Bible, which is God’s own communication to mankind, can be relied upon as true. Only the Bible is trustworthy to lead men from sin to a saving knowledge of God in Christ (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19–21).

Refutation: Madhvacharya says,

Vishnu is the greatest deity, residing in the heart of all and beyond imperishable. He is the highest bliss, the greatest firmament. He is remembered as Narayana. He is ever risen, unrestricted by conditions, perpetual bliss and absolutely pure.

ŚB 1.2.28-29

वासुदेवपरा वेदा वासुदेवपरा मखा: । वासुदेवपरा योगा वासुदेवपरा: क्रिया: ॥ २८ ॥ वासुदेवपरं ज्ञानं वासुदेवपरं तप: । वासुदेवपरो धर्मो वासुदेवपरा गति: ॥ २९ ॥

वेदोंका तात्पर्य श्रीकृष्ण में ही है I यज्ञों के उद्देश्य श्री कृष्ण ही है I योग श्री कृष्ण के लिए ही किए जाते है I और सभी कर्मोंकी परिसमाप्ति भी श्री कृष्ण में ही है ज्ञानसे ब्रह्मास्वरूप श्रीकृष्ण की ही प्राप्ति होती है तपस्या श्रीकृष्ण की प्रसन्नता के लिए ही की जाती है I श्रीकृष्ण के लिए ही धर्मों का अनुष्ठान होता है और सब गतिया श्रीकृष्ण में ही सम जाती है I

In the revealed scriptures, the ultimate object of knowledge is Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the Personality of Godhead. The purpose of performing sacrifice is to please Him. Yoga is for realizing Him. All fruitive activities are ultimately rewarded by Him only. He is supreme knowledge, and all severe austerities are performed to know Him. Religion [dharma] is rendering loving service unto Him. He is the supreme goal of life.

"There is no shAstra higher than the Veda and there is no deity higher than Keshava". (vedAt shAstram param nAsti na daivam keshavAt param).

गुरु गौरङ्ग जयतु। जयतु वैष्णवधर्मः। इदं सर्वं कृष्णार्पणम्।

“May victory be unto Guru and Gauranga. May the doctrine of Vaishnavism be triumphant. All this is thus offered to Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.”

Hare Krishna!

ṣri kṛṣnārpaṇamasṭu