The Indology Interpratation is Best for Hinduism

 The Indology Interpratation is Best for Hinduism


Up until now, I have been trying to analyse the Smriti texts from a traditionalist point of view, not resorting to the indology perspective where the texts like Manusmriti are a product of certain socio-political context as opposed to literally being divine revelations by sages and gods. However, I realise, that in order to defend Hinduism, we must adopt the indological position. 

Hinduism can use the Indological interpratations, because, being a pagan religion, it has and still can evolve with the times. The Egyptian religon in the Old Kingdom was different from when it was during the Middle Kingdom or New Kingdom. Why should Hinduism be different. Moreover, if you believe in evolution, which most Hindus do, you are forced to treat these texts as compilations of laws and customs merely attibuted to divine beings for symbolical purposes. Think about it. As per the Puranic accounts, Swayambhuva Manu lived at the start of this Kalpa, which, if you do the math, is 1.92 billion years ago. This contradicts the evolutionary history, which states that the eukaryotic cells were emerging. 

Even that aside, Vaivasvata Manu of the 7th manvantara, as per the Puranic time scales, lived ~127 million years ago. At this time, there is no evidence of man for man did not evolve. Moreover, dinosaurs ruled the Earth, and the Puranas don't mention those. India did not collide with Asia to form the Himalayas. How could Manu's boat land on the Himalayas if the latter did not exist? You could say that Manu's flood occured in an alternate dimension where mankind and the Himalayas existed ~127 million years ago, but that is abusrd.  You could deny evolution, but the evidence for evolution is too much and most Hindus believe in evolution any way. The only conclusion is to accept that the legend of Manu and the flood is symbolic and not to be taken as literal. You could argue that Manu's flood happened say 7000 years ago and that the large time scales found in the Purana are a later development, but this is literally applying an Indological analysis to the texts!

I suggest that we Hindus take advantage of the fact that our religion is a pagan tradition, and declare that our laws and practices are from texts that were merely codifying and philosphizing on contemporary phenomenon and got attributed to divine beings because that is what human societies do. The only exception to this is the validity of the Vedas. We shall uphold the infalliability and permenance of the Vedas, for they are the cornerstone to Hinduism. 

We understand that the Smriti tradition are rooted in the Vedic tradition, but it has been evolved, modified, and/or corrupted since then. Hence going forth, I shall be more favouring to this Indological interpratation.   

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