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( 35 ) What-is Hinduism ? Íhe religion of the Hindus. But who are the Hindus? They say those Aryas who lived on the banks of the Indus. But were all these Aryas the followers of the Vedic Dharma, the doers of sacrifices ? Were not also among them Aryas who objected to these sacrifices ?- Were not also among then the fore-fathers of the Jains, the Charvakas, and many other sects forgotten now ? Are we not Hindus in that sense ? Why should the Vedic religion, the religion of sacrifices, be called Hinduism then ?
Again what is Brahmanism? The religion of the Brahmans. But what is meant by the religion of the Brahmans? A religion founded by the Brahmans or a religion to be observed by the Brahmans ? In the former case there is no such thing as a religion founded by the Brahmans. We know that the Kshatriyas were also great teachers, nay, in some cases greater than the Brahmans, and who can say what part the Kshatriyas played in founding a religion which is exclusively called the religion of the Brahmans? We know that the teaching of Krishna and the example of Ramā might be made his solace in life by any personi breathing on earth. Who can say what other Kshatriyas like Rama and Krishna played a part in ancient India to found the religion now called Brahmanism.
If you say Brahmanism means a religion to be observed by the Brahmans, it cannot represent the Vedic religion in that case too. The Vedic religion
