Hinduism

Hindutwa

– The only way of Life

About 6000 years ago, the only religion in the whole world was Sanatana Dharma, also known as the Vedic Religion. Sanatan Vedic religion refers to living life in the manner as described in the Vedas. The Vedic route is believed to be the only means to take human life to its height in every way.
The place between Vindhyachal and Himalaya Mountains was called Aryavarta. In ancient times, the north of Himalayas was called Sindh. When the British came, they called the area between the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean as Hind, and the people living here called Hindu, the word Hind gradually became Ind and the name of this region became India.
Hindutva being the oldest tradition in the world explains every aspect of life in scientific, social, topical and logical way. Hindutva considers the world as a family believing in the concept of universal brotherhood. It is believed that there is God in every particle.
“Hindu”, which is basically a modern adaptation of Sanatan Dharma and Hindutva, is the lifestyle of that great tradition.

Hinduism –

At least 5000 years old

Hinduism is one of a few ancient religions to survive into modern times. The collection of traditions that compose modern-day Hinduism have developed over at least the past 5000 years, beginning in the Indus Valley region (in the nations of modern India and Pakistan), in what was the largest civilization of the ancient world. It is believed that there is no ‘founder’ of Hinduism, nor single prophet or initial teacher. Hindus believe their religion has no identifiable beginning or end and, as such, often refer to it as Sanatana Dharma (the ‘Eternal Way’). As for the name itself, ‘Hindu’ is a word first used by Persians, dating back to the 6th century BCE, to describe the people living beyond the Indus River. Initially it did not have a specific religious connotation. The religious meaning of the term did not develop for roughly another 1000 years.

The Vedas

one of Hinduism’s primary religious texts

Hinduism does not have a single holy book that guides religious practice. Instead, Hinduism has a large body of spiritual texts that guide devotees.

1. The Vedas (“knowledge” in Sanskrit)
The Upanishads
The Puranas
Hindu scriptures and epics
4.1 The Ramayana
4.2 The Mahabharata- the world’s longest epic poem
4.3 The Bhagavad Gita
4.4 Others

Hinduism- one of four ‘Dharmic’ or ‘Indic’ traditions

Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism can be referred to as the “Dharmic” or “Indic” traditions. The Dharma traditions share a broadly similar worldview and share many spiritual concepts, such as dharma, karma, samsara and moksha though each religion understands and interprets them differently.

Hinduism- four goals in life:

Dharma (conducting ourselves in a way conducive to spiritual advancement),
Artha (the pursuit of material prosperity),
Kama (enjoyment of the material world), and
Moksha (liberation from the attachments caused by dependence on the material world and from the cycle of birth and rebirth

Hinduism sees the divine presence in all existence

The deepest single spiritual truth presented through the Vedas is that Brahm “ब्रह्म” (roughly understood in English as ‘the Absolute’ or ‘the Divine’) pervades the entire universe. This divine reality, or its essential nature, is present in all living beings, eternal and full of bliss.

Nature of the Divine is understood in different ways in different lineages

Within Hinduism there is a broad spectrum of understandings about the nature of Brahm. Some Hindus believe that Brahm is infinite and formless and can be worshipped as such or in different forms. Other Hindus believe that the Divine is infinite and has a transcendental form. For example, some Vaishnavas believe that the one supreme form is Krishna, while Shaivites call this form Shiva.

Hinduism worships the Divine in both male and female, animal form

Because Hindus believe that Brahm can take form, they accept that there are a variety of ways in which all human beings can connect with the Divine. This universal Divinity is worshipped in both male and female forms. The female form is known as devi, which is a manifestation of shakti (energy or creative force). Other forms combine male and female aspects together and some resemble animals, such as Ganesh or Hanuman. Each of these forms has a symbolic meaning. Hindus have long told stories about these various forms of the Divine to inspire devotion and instill ethical values

Hindus pray to different aspects of the Divine

Hindus pray to different forms of Brahm as manifestations of particular divine qualities or powers. For example: Lord Ganesh is honored by Hindus (as well as sometimes by followers of other Indian religions) as the remover of obstacles and honored for his great wisdom and is often invoked before beginning any important task or project; Saraswati is the Goddess associated with learning and wisdom; Lakshmi is worshipped as the Goddess of Prosperity. God is believed to have the taken human form of Rama to show people how to live the path of Dharma. Krishna is said to have come to eradicate evil and protect good. Shiva is worshipped as the lord of time and change. Furthermore, the prominence of each of the aspects of the Divine varies depending on the lineage of the individual Hindu.

Hindus use images in worship to make the infinite comprehensible to the human mind

Hindus represent the various forms of God in consecrated images called murti. A murti can be made of wood, stone or metals (and sometimes can be naturally occurring rather than fashioned by human hands). Murti offer a way to visualize and meditate upon Brahman, which due to its infinite nature is believed to be beyond the grasp of the human mind. Murti is often inaccurately translated as ‘idol’ but a more accurate translation is ‘embodiment’. Hindu families conduct their daily worship at home altars and also at temples on special occasions. Many Hindus consult gurus (recognized spiritual teachers and guides) for advice or answers to spiritual questions.

Hindus believe the soul is eternal and is reborn in different forms

Hindus believe that the soul, atman, is eternal. When the physical body dies, the soul is reborn in another body. This continuous cycle of life, death and rebirth is called samsara. Rebirth is governed by karma: the principle that every action (be it physical or mental) has a result, like cause and effect. What an individual experiences in this life is the result of their past actions, either actions they have already taken in this life or actions from a past life. How an individual acts today impacts the future, both in terms of effects felt later on in this life or in a future birth. Though the effects of karma make certain actions easier or more difficult to take, just as our personal habits influence our lives, this is not a deterministic or fatalistic system. Rather, we all have the ability to freely choose how to act in any situation.

In Hinduism paths to “Moksha”

Hindu scripture outline four primary paths to experience God’s presence and ultimately obtain the fourth goal, Moksha. These paths are not mutually exclusive and can be pursued simultaneously depending on an individual’s inclination. These paths are: Karma Yoga (performing one’s duties selflessly), Bhakti Yoga (loving God through devotion and service), Jnana Yoga (study and contemplating sacred texts) and Raja Yoga (physically preparing the body and mind to allow deep meditation and introspection, so as to overcome suffering caused by material attachments).

Acknowledges the potential for truth in other religions

Hinduism is a deeply pluralistic tradition, promoting respect for other religions and acknowledges the potential for truth in them. Hindus see the varieties of religions and philosophies as different ways to understand and relate to God. This philosophy leads to pluralism within Hinduism and outside of it. The core philosophy of Hinduism is the search for truth, not the specific path taken. A quote from the Vedas that summarizes the Hindu perspective is, “Truth is one; the wise call it by various names.”

Hindu Dharma and Santana Dharma

Dharma: Dharma as generally understood, refers to a structured religion or religious duties as mandatory in the scriptures of established monotheistic religions like Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, or Judaism. But in the context of Hinduism or Hindu-dharma, it has a different connotation which refers to the unchangeable nature of human beings irrespective of any religious affiliation.
Sanatana-Dharma: Thousands of years before the term Hindu or Hinduism came into existence, the term ‘Sanatana-dharma’ finds reference in Veda the oldest literature in the world. Sanatana-dharma consists of duties that are typically spiritual in nature. It refers to atman or spirit and thus cannot vary from person to person. This is universal and beyond life and death and has nothing to do with one’s belief system.
Hindu-Dharma: The term Hindu does not find mention in ancient literatures like Vedas and Puranas. It has been coined by Persians to mean people living beside the river Sindhu. Basically Hindu means the people living in a particular geographical territory i.e. Indians living beside Sindhu river.

Later during 19th century ‘Hindu’ became to be recognised as Hindu religion engulfing the people of India and the Sanatana-dharma.

Swastik

An ancient religious and cultural symbol originating from Sanskrit word “स्वस्तिक” symbolizing surya (sun), prosperity and good luck and four branches represents fourfold principles of Sanatan Dharma including :

Four Vedas i.e. Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samveda and Atharvaveda
Four Aims i.e. Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha
Four stages of life i.e. Brahmacharya, Grahastha, Vaanprastha and Sanyas
Four Varnas i.e. Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Sudra
Four main directions i.e. Poorav (East), Pashchim (West), Uttar (North) and Dakshin (South)

Swastik is drawn before commencing any religious ritual in Sanatan Dharma to remove negative energy and bringing well being to devotees.