Why we should not follow Vedas?

Krishna repeats Himself two times to enforce why we must not get to much involved with various Vedic injunctions.

Chapter 2, Verse 42-43.
Men of small knowledge are very much attached to the flowery words of the Vedas, which recommend various fruitive activities for elevation to heavenly planets, resultant good birth, power, and so forth. Being desirous of sense gratification and opulent life, they say that there is nothing more than this.

Chapter 2, Verse 44.
In the minds of those who are too attached to sense enjoyment and material opulence, and who are bewildered by such things, the resolute determination of devotional service to the Supreme Lord does not take place.

Further

Chapter 2, Verse 53.
When your mind is no longer disturbed by the flowery language of the Vedas, and when it remains fixed in the trance of self-realization, then you will have attained the divine consciousness.

Krishna elaborates more on it in:

Chapter 2, Verse 45.
The Vedas mainly deal with the subject of the three modes of material nature. Rise above these modes, O Arjuna. Be transcendental to all of them. Be free from all dualities and from all anxieties for gain and safety, and be established in the Self.

Chapter 2, Verse 46.
All purposes that are served by the small pond can at once be served by the great reservoirs of water. Similarly, all the purposes of the Vedas can be served to one who knows the purpose behind them.


To summarize when Krishna is directly given knowledge why we need to read Vedas. That’s why Gita is above Vedas. Whatever a person achieves by reading Vedas is automatically achieved by Krishna’s instruction in Gita.

Question arises why then anyway Vedas are required and why in other Yuga’s people were studying them. Answer is again hidden in above verses – “Men of small knowledge are very much attached to the flowery words of the Vedas”.

Secondly we have to think of how practical it is to read Vedas. Is 100 years of lifespan enough for that? To read and understand Vedas one must be very good in Sanskrit. So first we must learn Sanskrit and then we have to study Vedas. Again Vedas are vast and hence Vyasa Deva divided them into four at the beginning of this Yuga and each of these streams was further sub-divided. Each sub-stream was experted by various disciples and disciples of disciples of Vyasa Deva.

In Satya Yuga with lifespan of one lakh years it was possible but not now.

However, ultimate aim of Yoga is to know God, Krishna. If one already knows this directly from Krishna then why take trouble of reading Vedas. But this doesn’t in any way de-mean the importance of Vedas. Vedas are also words of wisdom imparted to Brahma by Vishnu and only after that Brahma can start the creation. There are various Vedic reference we quote to substantiate various facts. Vedas are meant for all classes. Even for lowest grade of man there are Vedic injunctions to slowly elevate his position to topmost level. That’s why many time Vedas indicate the material benefits person will get out of certain yajnaya (fire sacrifice). Any way further in Gita Krishna says that ultimately he takes that sacrifice and provided the desired result to people performing yajnaya but He doesn’t recommend it as the ultimate aim is forgotten in such activities.