Written by Sulaiman Razvi
In the Vedas, homage is paid to Rudra in following epithets,
Yajur Veda 16.20-22 “…homage to the towering sword-bearer, to the Lord of thieves homage! Homage to the gliding robber…Homage to the cheat, to the arch-deceiver, to the Lord of stealers homage…to the Lord of robbers homage…to the Lord of plunderers homage…Lord of land-grabbers homage…” Tr. Ralph T.H. Griffith
Devi Bhagavatam 7.33.1-19 “I am the “Sutrâtman, Hiranyagarbha that resides in subtle bodies and it is I that am the Virât, residing in the gross bodies. I am Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes’vara; I am the Brâhmâ, Vaisnavi and Raudrî S’aktis. I am the Sun, I am the Moon, I am the Stars; I am beast, birds, Chandâlas and I am the Thief, I am the cruel hunter; I am the virtuous highsouled persons and I am the female, male, and hermaphrodite. There is no doubt in this. O Mountain! Wherever there is anything, seen or heard, I always exist there, within and without, There is nothing moving or unmoving, that can exist without Me…” Tr. Swami Vijnananda
In the Rig Veda, Varuna is described as an Asura,
अस्तभ्नाद दयामसुरो विश्ववेदा अमिमीत वरिमाणं पर्थिव्याः |
आसीदद विश्वा भुवनानि सम्राड विश्वेत तानि वरुणस्य वरतानि ||
Rig Veda 8.42.1. LORD of all wealth, the Asura propped the heavens, and measured out the broad earth’s wide expanses. He, King supreme, approached all living creatures. All these are Varuṇa’s holy operations.
Varuna here is considered an Asura. Rig Veda 1.174.1 calls Indra as Asura, in many verses of Rig Veda, Vedic gods like Mitra, Varuna, Savitr, Agni, Pushan etc. are considered Asuras. It will require a lengthy explanation to understand this better, But it’s not possible to explain it in this article as the explanation will divert the readers to other topic, hence I will not indulge in deep analysis, It is better to have a separate article on this topic. But I will analyse this verse from Arya Samaj point of view. The belief of Arya Samaj is that Varuna, Indra, Agni etc., are all names of one and only god, where the attribute Varuna denotes ‘holiest of all’. But Varuna in the above verse is considered an Asura, Arya Samaji scholars has wrongfully translated the word Asura here as omnipotent. Below is Pundit Javdev Sharma’s Hindi translation,
Below Hindi translation is taken from Arya Samaj website,
The meaning given by Arya Samaji scholars is contrary to the meaning given by Arya Samaj founder Swami Dayanand Saraswati who translated the word Asura as,
“The good and learned were also called Devaas, while the ignorant and wicked, such as dacoits (robbers), were called Asura.” Satyarth Prakash, by Swami Dayanand Saraswati, ch 8, page 264, Tr. Chiranjiva Bhardwaja
So the Veda calls their god a dacoit, robber. Dayanand contradicted his own meanings in several places as it is normal for Arya Samajis to give their own meanings to suit their interests.
Vedic god Indra is referred in one verse as Mayabhir Indra which means deceitful Indra. He used to trick people by changing his forms, such as changing himself into woman among women and man among men when he sneaked into the house of Asuri Vilistenga which is discussed in another article. It is also stated that he used to take up the shape of a ram to steal Soma. Vedic god Indra deceived his enemies to kill them. It is mentioned in Rig Veda that Indra sought the help of Vishnu to kill Vritra,
Rig Veda 6.20.2 Even as the power of Dyaus, to thee, O Indra, all Asura sway was by the Gods entrusted, When thou, Impetuous! leagued with Viṣṇu, slewest Vṛtra the Dragon who enclosed the waters.
It was Indra who started the feud with Vritra by killing his brother Trisira for no fault of his, Trisira was an ascetic who was engaged in study of Vedas so Indra was afraid that Trisira may replace him from the status of king of gods so he killed him. Vishvakarma was the father of Trisira and he was enraged over murder of his son so he performed penance and Vritra was born with a sole motive of killing Indra. Indra was scared of him and sought help of Vishnu who then hatched a plan to kill Vritra. He advised Indra to befriend Vritra and then kill him deceitfully as mentioned in Mahabharata Udyog Parva 5, Section 10. Indra used similar tactic to kill Namuchi. He befriended Namuchi and entered into a covenant with him and cunningly beheaded Namuchi.
Rig Veda 8.14.13 13 With waters’ foam thou torest off, Indra, the head of Namuci, Subduing all contending hosts.
Mahabharata 9.49 gives a brief account of how Indra deceived Namuchi and killed him. I have explained these two stories of Indra killing Vritra and Namuchi briefly in my article Killing Infidels in Hinduism, I have only given summary here so please go to the article and read for more information.
In another verse the Vedic god is commanded to steal wealth of infidels like a thief,
Rig Veda 1.103.6 “To him, who is the performer of all deeds, the possessor and giver of strength, the truly powerful Lord, we offer devotional prayers. He a highwayman, snatches wealth from the godless exploiters and gives it to honest devotees.” Tr. SatyaPrakash Saraswati
Griffith’s translation,
Rig Veda 1.103.6 “…The Hero, watching like a thief in ambush, goes parting the possessions of the godless.” Tr. Ralph T.H. Griffith
Hindu god Vishnu is said to practice deception.
Gita 10.36 “I am also the gambling of cheats, and of the splendid I am the splendor. I am victory, I am adventure, and I am the strength of the strong.” Tr. Swami Prabhupada
Swami Prabhupada comments on this verse,
“There are many kinds of cheaters all over the universe. Of all cheating processes, gambling stands supreme and therefore represents Kṛṣṇa. As the Supreme, Kṛṣṇa can be more deceitful than any mere man. If Kṛṣṇa chooses to deceive a person, no one can surpass Him in His deceit. His greatness is not simply one-sided – it is all-sided…” Swami Prabhupada on Gita 10.36 http://www.vedabase.com/en/bg/10/36
It is mentioned in Brahmanda Purana,
Brahmanda Purana 2.3.24.6 Lord Vishnu the most excellent among all persons is reputed to be a Mayavi.
Maya, Mayinam, Mayavi means fraud, deception, illusion.
Narada Purana II.52.55 “…Mayavin one who has Maya (deception).” Tr. G.V. Tagare
Following are some definitions by V.S. Apte,
[Rig Veda Samhita, page 439, Vol II, by Svami Satya Prakash Saraswati and Satyakam Vidyalankar, Published by Veda Pratishthana 1977, New Delhi]
So Hindu god Vishnu is ‘reputed’ of being a Mayavi (fraud).
This kind of deception was practised by Asuras also,
Brahmanda Purana 1.2.36.209b-212a “It is heard that the Earth was once again milked by the Asuras with an iron vessel and the all round yield was the power of Maya (deception, illusion). Virocana, the extremely famous son of Prahlada, was the calf unto them. Rtvikdvimurdha (?) the son of Diti was their milkman. With the (different types of) Maya for their milky yield all the Asuras became Mayavins (experts in making use of Maya). Those persons of great virility sustain themselves by means of Maya. That is their great source of strength.” Tr. G.V. Tagare
It is mentioned in Shiva Purana that Shiva used deception to behead his innocent son Ganesh who was only obeying his mother Parvati’s command. Shiva was helped by Mayavi Vishnu,
Shiva Purana Rudra Samhita 4, Kumarakhanda IV, 16.7-8 O sage, after fighting for a long time along with the army and seeing him terrific, even Siva was greatly surprised. Thinking within himself ”He has to be killed only by deception and not otherwise” he stayed in the midst of the army. [11-12] Then Ganesa the heroic son of Sakti following the course of heroes, at first worshipped (i.e., struck) Visnu with his staff, Visnu who confers happiness to all. ”I shall cause him delusion. Then let him be killed by you, O lord. Without deception he cannot be killed. He is of Tamasika nature and inaccessible.”
In the Rig Veda, Vedic gods are said to use deceit (Maya). Ashvina is said to use deceit in Rig Veda 5.78.5. In Rig Veda 5.63.4 Mitr-Varun used Maya. In many verses Indra is also said to use deceit (Maya), it is mentioned in Rig Veda,
Rig Veda 1.11.7 “Indra, thou didst kill by stratagem, the wily Sushna; the intelligent know thy (greatness); multiply their food.” Tr. M.N. Dutt
Shri Ram Sharma’s Hindi translation
Pundit Ram Govind Trivedi’s Hindi translation
Indra calls himself the master of Maya (fraud) in Bhagavad Purana,
Srimad Bhagavatam 8.11.3-4 “…Indra the wielder of Vajra, spoke to him as follows: Just as a roguish conjuror makes gullible persons as if blind folded by his conjuring tricks (and incantations) and robs them of their money, you desire to conquer us, the masters of such Mayas (black magic and illusory tricks) with your Maya, Oh fool.” Tr. G.V. Tagare
It is mentioned in Devi Bhagavatam,
Devi Bhagavatam 6.7.18-40 …O King! Everywhere then there was this gossip in the assemblages of the gods, in their gardens, at the meetings of the Gandharbas that Indra had deceived Vritra who had relied on him, on the words of the Munis and then killed him by pretext, and so had done, indeed, a horrible crime…
In the Devi Bhagavatam, god calls himself as thief,
Devi Bhagavatam 7.33.1-19 “I am the “Sutrâtman, Hiranyagarbha that resides in subtle bodies and it is I that am the Virât, residing in the gross bodies. I am Brahmâ, Visnu, and Mahes’vara; I am the Brâhmâ, Vaisnavi and Raudrî S’aktis. I am the Sun, I am the Moon, I am the Stars; I am beast, birds, Chandâlas and I am the Thief, I am the cruel hunter; I am the virtuous highsouled persons and I am the female, male, and hermaphrodite. There is no doubt in this. O Mountain! Wherever there is anything, seen or heard, I always exist there, within and without, There is nothing moving or unmoving, that can exist without Me…” Tr. Swami Vijnananda
It is mentioned in Bhagavad Purana,
Srimad Bhagavatam 1.9.18 “This venerable Lord is veritable Narayana the Primeval Man who deluding the world with his power called Maya (illusion) moves incognito among the Vrsnis.” Tr. G.V. Tagare
Varaha Purana says that god will create a scripture to delude people in Kali Yuga,
Varaha Purana 71.54-55 This Samhita was named Nissvasa, and Babhravya and Sandila were absorbed in it. Deluded by me, people out of selfish motives, will promulgate their own sastras in Kaliyuga.
Many verses of Bhagvad Purana praises Krishna of using Maya (deception, fraud, illusion). Not just that Hinduism also says that gods reincarnated themselves as Buddha to deceive people into following the wrong way called Buddhism, If time permits me I will give you more detail but let me show you a glimpse,
Padma Purana 6.236.7 O goddess, in the age of Kali, I will appear in the form of a brahmana to preach the false doctrine of Mayavada which is simply covered Buddhism.
Agni Puran chapter 16 shows Buddha’s followers as Daityas (Demons) who will make people leave Vedic religion. Also read Lying in Hinduism.
