Sin death and beyond
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SIN, DEATH AND BEYOND: M.M.NINAN<br />
D<br />
INDIAN RELIGIONS<br />
VEDIC RELIGION<br />
Vedic religion has their origin in the Aryan migrations into India. The early scriptures are Rig,<br />
Sama, Yajur, <strong>and</strong> Atharva . They were written in Persian language commonly referred by<br />
Indian Hindus as archaic Sanskrit. The philosophical reference to after <strong>death</strong> are found only<br />
the tenth m<strong>and</strong>ala which were written close to first century AD. It refers to “a new home<br />
among the Fathers in Heaven” the kingdom of Yama, the King of the dead.<br />
“Meet Yama [god of the dead], meet the Fathers, meet the merit of free or ordered acts, in<br />
highest heaven. Leave sin <strong>and</strong> evil, seek anew thy dwelling, <strong>and</strong> bright with glory wear another<br />
body.” (Rig Veda 10.14.8)<br />
"Yama was the first to find us our abode, a place that can never be taken away, where our<br />
ancient fathers have departed; all who are born go there by that path, treading their own" (Rig<br />
Veda 10,14,2).<br />
Divine justice was provided by the gods Yama, Soma <strong>and</strong> Indra, not by an impersonal law<br />
such as karma. One of their attributes was to cast the wicked into an eternal dark prison out of<br />
which they could never escape (Rig Veda 7,104,3-17).<br />
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