Ever since cosmos came into being with explosion of big bang, God Almighty (Brahman) acts as Dhrishta (onlooker) never interfering with creation of his.
Initially came, tree of Dharma (righteousness) something inherent in all living beings including human beings! Guided by Dharma human beings in the nascent stages of life lived cordially, a time when not even a single religion was present. Then came Lord Krishna (an avatar of his era), God manifest in human form! The advent of Lord Krishna was for a purpose… re-establishing of Dharma!
As the tree of Dharma grew further it developed its first branch and came, Mahavira (24th Tirthankara of Jainism, preceptor). About 77 years later the tree of Dharma developed another branch and advent Siddhartha Gautama. About 423 years later another branch and came Jesus Christ. A few centuries later another branch and entered Prophet Mohammed.
Prior to coming of Mahavira existed 23 more Tirthankaras (enlightened ones) but it was only in times of Mahavira… the teachings of Jainism spread worldwide. With coming of Gautama Buddha, Buddhism religion came into existence. Every religion evolved after mortal death of a particular preceptor, enlightened one! The following of Jesus Christ was termed Christianity and that of Prophet Mohammed… Islamic Dharma! Not all enlightened ones developed a following.
In the last about 150 years amongst 7 billion people existing world over only Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Maharishi Ramana succeeded in reaching God. But the following of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Maharishi Ramana did not evolve into a religion. The reason was apparent. Both Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Maharishi Ramana traveled path of spirituality to reach stage of enlightenment in their lifetime. They showed entire humanity the path to reach God.
The need for teachings of Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa and Maharishi Ramana evolving into a separate religion did not exist. Both followed path of jnana yoga (contemplation) to reach God in their lifetime. As ordained by God in a timeframe of 100 to 200 years a maximum of one or two enlightened souls manifest on mother earth. This was only to guide humanity to its logical end of life. The end goal of all religions always was one… reach God in present life but entire humanity was more interested in following religious practices (rituals) than path of pure spirituality, a sure shot method of reaching God in present life. None wanted to realize the abstract truth.
Religions primarily were community of like-minded human beings bonded together to live life in a meaningful manner! Unless we break the cordon of religion and follow path of spirituality we could never reach God in our lifetime. Spirituality was part of religion but also distinct from it. As detailed in Bhagavad Gita… as many human beings as many different paths to God Almighty can there be!
Irrespective of different enlightened souls, prophets … avatars… we must form a definite spiritual goal of life to reach God in present life. Religion relates to the physical manifest form and spirituality to reality of our true inner self existing in our heart as our soul atman, the consciousness! To engage in community gatherings, congregations… religion was necessitated; to reach God… spirituality was necessitated!
By: Vijay Kumar “Atma Jnani”… The Man who Realized God in 1993 – (Ref. 161123)
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