On 14 Apr 1997 20:15:17 GMT, Krishna Susarla <susarla.krishna@tumora.swmed.edu> wrote:

>Hare Krishna.
>
>Jahnu wrote:
>
>I don't assume the Vedas to have an author because other books also
>have an author. I assume the Vedas to have an author because it is
>stated in the Vedas that nothing can exist independently of the
>Supreme. Krishna says, aham sarvasya prabhavo mattah sarvam
>pravartate. Krishna says that everything emanates from Him and has
>it's origin in Him.
>
>My comments:
>
>It does not follow to assume that because nothing exists independently of
>the Lord and that everything has the Lord as its source, that therefore the
>Lord created everything. The Lord did not create the jivas, and the Lord
>did not create the Vedas. But both are emanations from Him.
>
>Although perhaps trite, I think my mundane baseball analogy illustrates the
>difference between coming from something and being created by something.
>Perhaps some of the more learned Vedantists can offer better explanations;
>I admit that I am only trying to explain on the basis of my understanding. 
>
>
>Jahnu wrote:
>
>When you claim that the Vedas are not authored by God it sounds to me
>like you are saying that something can exist independently of God. If
>you think that something can exist independently of Krishna or is
>beyond Him, please explain why you think so.
>
>My comments:
>
>No one is claiming that anything exists independently of the Lord. Please
>understand this before you begin criticizing.
>
>
>Jahnu wrote:
>
>If you don't think so, why do hold the opinion that the Vedas do not
>come from God or is not authored by Him?
>
>My comments: 
>
>I hold, on the basis of numerous statements in the Upanishads and the
>'Gita, that the Vedas do emanate from the Lord. I do not agree that they
>are authored by the Lord. I belive I have explained the difference between
>the two already.
>
>Jahnu wrote:
>
>>I find it ironic that you quote this verse, which proves that God did not
>>create the jivas, 
>
>How does the verse I quoted prove that Krishna didn't create the
>jivas? I'm not saying that He did, I just wonder how you arrived at
>that conclusion from the verse quoted.
>
>My comments:
>
>The verse in question, which is 2.12 of Bhagavad-Gita, states pretty
>clearly that the living entities as well as the Lord Himself are eternal.
>Supporting evidence is found in the Katha Upanishad which states nityo
>nityaanaam chetanas chetanaanaam...
>
>If something is eternal, then it always existed at all times. 
>
>To create something implies that there was some point before which that
>thing did not exist. 
>
>Jahnu wrote:
>
>Are the Vedas not the words of the Supreme? How then can you say that
>they are not authored by Him? Is God not the author of His own words?
>
>My comments: Please quote the pramaana which states Vedas are the words of
>the Supreme. I'm not necessarily saying there is no such statement, but I
>want to see it first before commenting on it.
>
>Jahnu wrote:
>
>>From Srimad Bhagavatam 6.1.40
>
>vedo narayanah saksat svayambhur iti susruma.
>
>"The Vedas are directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Narayana,
>and are self-born."
>
>My comments: If Vedas are the Supreme Personality of Godhead, then there is
>no question of them being authored.
>
>Jahnu wrote:
>
>>From Srila Prabhupada's purport:
>
>Dharma is not actually manufactured by Narayana. As stated in the
>Vedas, asya mahato bhutasya nisvasitam etad yad rg-vedah iti: the
>injunctions of dharma emanate from the breathing of Narayana, the
>supreme living entity. Narayana exists eternally and breathes
>eternally, and therefore dharma, the injunctions of Narayana, also
>exist eternally. Srila Madhvacarya, the original acarya for those who
>belong to the Madhva-Gaudiya-sampradaya, says:
>
>vedanam prathamo vakta harir eva yato vibhu,
>ato visnv-atmaka veda ity ahur veda-vadinah.
>
>The transcendental words of the Vedas emanated from the mouth of the
>Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore the Vedic principles should
>be understood to be Vaishnava principles because VISNU IS THE ORIGIN
>OF THE VEDAS.
>
>My comments: However, please note that this is not the same as saying that
>the Lord is the author of the Vedas. This argument necessarily involves
>semantics, but it's pretty clear that any conventional understanding of the
>word "author" cannot apply to the Lord in His position with respect to the
>Vedas.
>
>regards,
>
>-- K
>
>
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