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Why Do the Vedas Emphasize Rituals Over Philosophy? || Acharya Prashant (2024)
Scriptures and Saints
2.8K views
11 months ago
Vedas
Upanishads
Vedanta
Honesty
Spiritual Evolution
Atharva Veda
Wisdom
Sages
Description

Acharya Prashant explains that the massive volume of the Vedas, including the ritualistic portions, is a testament to the honesty of the compilers. Instead of presenting only the final, finished product of the Upanishads, the compilers revealed the entire process of spiritual evolution. He suggests that if only the Upanishads were provided, people might feel overawed or develop an inferiority complex, believing such heights are beyond human reach. By including the struggles, inadequacies, and failures alongside the glories, the Vedas present a very human and organic growth toward wisdom. He emphasizes that the sages did not hide anything from the seekers because they loved them and believed they deserved to know the entire truth. This transparency includes parts that may seem like superstitions or petty squabbles, which are presented without being chiseled or manicured. Acharya Prashant notes that even in the early Upanishads, the wisdom is not always as cleanly filtered as in later texts like the Bhagavad Gita, yet it was all preserved. This disclosure shows that glory emerges through tribulations and failures, rather than falling perfectly from the sky. Ultimately, the sages placed trust in the inheritors of this knowledge to use their discretion and common sense. It is the responsibility of the seeker to sift through the vast compendium to identify what is timeless and of contemporary use versus what is historical or merely preparatory. The Vedas represent the entire process of 'making the apple' rather than just the fruit itself, allowing the seeker to understand the full journey toward the summit of knowledge.