Scripture is the word of God who speaks directly or through His pure Devotee.
Man is imperfect and cannot produce perfect revelation.
Lord Krishna - the Supreme Personality of Godhead, directly spoke the Bhagavad Gita to His devotee Arjuna.
The Lord also speaks less directly through Prophets and Saints who commune with Him in their heart. These revelations are also Scriptures.
The Vedic Scriptures are Apaurusheya -they have no human author. The Vedas are Shabda Brahma - the direct word of God reavealed at the time of Creation. When we buy any electronic or household appliance, we get an instruction manual. Similarly, at Creation, God gives us the Vedic Scripture for direction on how to behave in this world.
The Scriptures contain many facts that one cannot explain without understanding that they were divinerevelation.
1) Most of Europe believed 500 years ago that the world was flat. The Vedas (present from the beginning of time & written down 5000 years ago) revealed that the Earth is Bhu-Gol (round earth).
2) Christopher Columbus did not know 500 years ago that there were 7 continents. The Vedas have always said that Bhu-Gol had Sapta-Dvipa (seven continents).
3) Einsteing discussed the relative relationship between Space and Time a short time ago. The Bhagavad Purana describes Kakudmuni's experience of Relativity more than 5000 years ago.
4) Life magazine published photographs of conception and the development of the embryo only recently. The Garbha Upanishad describes this in detail since the time of Creation.
Rejecting God's instruction is the cause of our misfortune on this earth. If we shun the laws of Scripture and act according to our whims and fancies, we must suffer. Through Material Nature, God will force us to obey these laws.
All Scriptures are the word of one God. Still, various Scriptures appear to give dissimilar messages because God speaks to different classes of people at different historical periods. The depraved people living in a degenarate culture the Scripture will necessarily different from the one given to a cultured and civilized populace. Even in Hinduism there are paths for Rajasic (lustful) and Tamasic (ignorant) people.
Although God is seated in our heart we cannot easily hear Him. The voices of Lust, Anger, Greed, Envy, Illusion and Madness drown out His voice. To hear the voice of God in our heart, we need to still the other voices through spiritual endeavor. Until then we should follow the Scripture.
We must read the Scripture "as it is' without distortion or interpretation. We must not listen to the clever oratory of 'intellectual' word jugglers.
The Scriptures are many. There are many arguments about which one is most suitable. The essence of Scripture is in the heart of a pure devotee of God. We should follow his guidance and in his footsteps. Kali Yuga is an ocean. The human body is a sail boat. The Scriptures are like the wind. The Guru is like the Captain of the sail-boat. He directs the sail to catch the wind most favorably. Without his guidance the wind can capsize and sink the boat.
The Scriptures prescribed for Kali Yuga are: (1) Bhagavad Gita (2) Bhagavat Purana (3) Kali Santarana Upanishad
The method of deliverance in Kali Yuga is the chanting of the Holy Name (especially in congregation) - either loudly in Kirtana (chanting loudly), softly in Japa (chanting softly) or silently in Dhyana(Meditiation).
The Kali Santarana Upanishad recommends the Maha Mantra - Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare. As devotees of Krishna, we chant the name of Krishna first.
The final proof of Scripture is direct perception of the Absolute Truth. We can easily taste this through the sincere chanting of the Holy Name and......
Follow the four Regulative Principles - The Vedic Scriptures condemn the following four activities:
a) Meat eating
b) Intoxication
c) Illicit sex
d) Gambling
Hare Krishna!
Courtesy: My spiritual teacher S U N
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