India, May 17 -- Would you think that an ideology that considers the Vedas to be "incoherent rhapsodies" suffering from contradictions, errors, untruths and tautology, could be part of Hinduism? Would you believe that a school of philosophy that denies rebirth, the soul, an atman, religious rites, karma, heaven or hell - svarga-nark - gods or moksha, could be part of Sanatana Dharma?

If you are about to say no, then think again. The eclectic intellectual adventurism inherent in the Hindu faith allows for such a school of thought to be a part of its conceptual corpus. The invigorating philosophical ferment around the 6th century BCE, post the Upanishads but predating the rise of Buddhism and Jainism, saw the emergence of the influential L...