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8. AGE OF REASON
Thus, the period was a period of enlightenment, which advocated reason as the primary authority as opposed to the Vedas. A close parallel with the 18th century Age of Reason is easily discerned. This was a liberation movement of the time. Gradually India began to turn away from the gory ritualistic sacrifice of animals and humans and of the Vedic gods. They opposed the caste system and exploitation of masses in the name of religion
This Age of Reason swept away Vedism and Brahminic superiority. By the beginning of Christian Era Vedism was practically dead. A few Vedic Brahmins remained scattered all over India, but without Power.
Bhavishya Purana explicitly admits this in the following statement:
"At this time, reminded of the Kali Age, the god Vishnu became born as Gautama, the Shakyamuni, and taught the Buddhist dharma for ten years. Then Shuddodana ruled for twenty years, and Shakyasimha for twenty. At the first stage of the Kali Age, the path of the Vedas was destroyed and all men became Buddhists. Those who sought refuge with Vishnu were deluded"
Buddha and Mahavir Jina (the founder of Jainism) were eventually considered incarnations of Vishnu, and hence Vaishnavas now consider Buddhism and Jainism as subsects of the Vaishnava religion!
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