Religion becomes a great obstacle is realizing the ultimate truth or Brahman or God in truth.+

The followers of Vedic Religion or Sanatana Dharma never worshipped idols because the Vedic God is Athma. The Vedas bar idol worship.

In the AyurVeda – Chapter 32: ~ It has been said that God Supreme or Supreme Spirit has no ‘Pratima’ (idol) or material shape. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions. Thus, Idolatry does not find any support from the Vedas.

All the idolized Gods are non-Vedic Gods. The Vedas clearly mention not to accept another God in place of the Atman , nor worship anything other than the Atman.

Rig Veda: ~ The Atman is the cause; Atman is the support of all that exists in this universe. May ye never turn away from the Atman, the innermost ‘Self.’ May ye never accept another God in place of the Atman nor worship other than the Atman?" (10:48, 5)

Brihadaranyaka Upanishad: ~ Brahman (God) is present in the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself.

When Upanishads and Vedas declare that “God is present in the form of the Athma, and it is indeed Athma itself’ then why accept another God in place of the Atman or worship anything other than the Atman?

Yajur Veda indicates that: ~ They sink deeper in darkness those who worship sambhuti. (Sambhuti means created things, for example, table, chair, idol, etc. - (Yajurved 40:9)

Those who worship visible things born of the prakrti, such as the earth, trees, bodies (human and the like) in place of God, are enveloped in still greater darkness; in other words, they are extremely foolish, fall into an awful hell of pain and sorrow, and suffer terribly for a long time."- (Yajurveda 40:9.)

Thus, to acquire ‘Self’-knowledge or Brahma Gnana or Atma Gnana, the seeker has to realize his inherited religion is adulterated in the past.

God is a formless, timeless, and spaceless existence. Thus, according to the Vedas, God neither has any image nor God reresiden any particular idol or statue. God cannot be seen directly by anyone. God pervades all beings and all directions.

From the Vedic perspective, Lord Krishna has been just a Mahan yogi and not God himself. Because the Bhagavad Gita itself says: ~ Brahman (God) is considered the all-pervading consciousness.

All Hindus indulge in non-Vedic practices barred by the Vedas introduced by the different founders of the different sects of Hinduism at different times, whereas the Vedic religion, or Santana Dharma, is ancient and has no founder.

Hinduism is not a Vedic religion or the Santana Dharma. Hindus do idol worship, while the Vedas bar idol worship.

The Vedas do not talk about idol worship. In fact, till about 2000 years ago, followers of Vedism never worshipped idols. Idol worship was started by the followers of Buddhism and Jainism.

Vedas speak of one God that is the supreme ‘Self’ i, e., A,tman or Soul, but Hinduism indulges in worshiping 60 million Gods.

The Hindus believed in polytheism, believing all of their Gods to be separate individuals, which was introduced much later by the founders of Hinduism w, which contains diverse beliefs c, caste, and creed.

When the Vedic religion or Santana Dharma knows no idols, then why are so many Gods and goddesses with different forms and names being propagated as Vedic Gods? Why are these conceptual Gods introduced when the Vedic concept of God is free from form and attributes?

Hindus do idol worship, while the Vedas bar idol worship. According to the Vedas, God pervades everything and everywhere.

People who worship the belief of God are hallucinating that they become one with such God because they believe the false God as real God.

To be considered an orthodox Hindu o,ne neneedsnly accept the authority of Shruti, ;owever, there is no universal agreement among Hindus whon at constitutes Shruti. Vedantins consider the Vedanta, i.e., the Upanishads aasShruti but also include the Bhagavad-Gita and Brahma Sutras as authoritative. For some Vaishnavas, the Bhagavata Purana is to be considered Va eda. Some consider the Tantras to be the Veda. Thus, we find that there is ample scope for different ideologies, philosophies, and practices under the very broad umbrella of Hinduism.

Hindus indulge in non-Vedic beliefs such as idol worship, ancestor worship, pilgrimages, priestcraft, offerings made in temples, the caste system, untouchability, and child marriages. All these lack Vedic sanctions; therefore, Hinduism is not Anthe cient Vedic Religion or Santana Dharma.

Religion becomes a great obstacle to realizing the ultimate truth, or Brahman o, or God. Religion becomes a great obstacle to realizing the ultimate truth, or Brahman, or God. : ~ Santthosh Kumaar