WHAT IS HINDUISM ?

What is Hinduism?
Who is a Hindu?What is unique about the Indian Calendar?
What are the seasons of the Indian Calendar?
What is Ahins?
How does the practice of self-defense fit into the concept of Ahins?
What is the ?tm?
What is Karma?
What is Reincarnation?
What is Moksha?
Why are there so many Gods in Hinduism?
Q.1 What is Hinduism?
A. Summary Answer:Hinduism or Sanatan Dharma is the world's oldest religion. It is thenative religion of India. It predates recorded history and has nohuman founder. Vedic records dating back 6,000 to 10,000 years showthat even in that time period, Hinduism was considered an ancientreligion. Today, there are almost 1 billion Hindus spread around theworld. That makes one out of every sixth person in the world a Hindu.Its modes of worship are complex and range from grand festivals suchas the Kumbhmel? (a religious gathering of over 45 million people) tothe simple darshan (devotional seeing) of home shrines. Its places ofworship include millions of ancient and contemporary shrines andmandirs. Hinduism recognizes the Vedas as the most ancient andauthoritative body of religious literature. They are the foundationalscriptures common to all branches of Hinduism.Explanation:Hinduism: Unity in DiversityThere are two aspects of Hinduism. One is easily seen in the outwardexpression of the faith - the ritual worship, customs and traditionsand codes of social conduct - the practices of Hinduism. The otheraspect of Hinduism is inward - faith itself - the inner world ofbelief. To an observer it would appear that there is a bewilderingarray of often contradictory beliefs embraced by the various branchesof Hinduism. It is because Hinduism encompasses such a wide range ofbeliefs and practices that people find it difficult to cast it into asingle mold. Yet, within this amazing diversity of thought andbehavior, there are common threads that unify the faithful underneaththe umbrella of Hinduism.Common Beliefs of HinduismRegarding GodHinduism acknowledges the existence of many deities but believes inonly one Supreme God who is all-pervasive and transcendent. Hinduismstates that God manifests (avat?r) on earth for the salvation ofinfinite souls and is always present through the murtis, consecratedimages of God. Hinduism teaches that this universe along withinfinite other universes undergoes endless cycles of creation,preservation, and dissolution by this Supreme God.Regarding the ?tma (soul)Hindus believe that all living entities have a soul, or ?tma. Each iseternal - it was never created and will never perish. The ?tm? ischaracterized as unchanging truth, consciousness and bliss(Satchitanand). Moreover, each has the potential to attain God.Hinduism propounds the law of karma, cause and effect, wherein thefruits on an individual's thoughts, words, and deeds are given byGod. Hinduism teaches that the ?tm? casts off old bodies and is givennew ones based on it karmas. In this way the ?tm? passes throughinfinite cycles of birth and death (reincarnation) until it realizesGod and attains moksha. Hindus believe that one requires aspiritually enlightened and God-realized guru to attain God.Common Practices in HinduismThese common beliefs of Hinduism manifest in several commonpractices. All branches of Hinduism emphasize the need for a moraland ethical life. Hinduism upholds the eternal values and ideals ofSatya (Truth), Day? (Compassion), Ahins? (Non-violence), andBrahmach?rya (Celibacy). Remaining faithful to these values and otherscriptural injunctions, the Hindu always tries to maintain a balancein life among the four endeavors of Dharma, Artha, K?m, and Moksha.Dharma - to live righteously, in accordance with scriptural commands -purity of diet, thought, and social interactions.Artha - to accumulate earnings for one's subsistence.K?m- (1) to use one's honest earnings for the fulfillment of one'swishes(2) and for a man to only keep one wife and regard other women as amother, sister, or a daughter; and for a woman to only keep onehusband and regard other men as a father, brother, or son.Moksha - to use the previous three endeavors to attain salvation.Thus, the Hindu system of beliefs provides guidance for both thespiritual and material realm.
Q.2 Who is a Hindu?
A. Summary Answer:A Hindu is a follower of Hinduism, the native religion of the peopleof India.Explanation:A Hindu accepts the authority of Vedic scriptures and follows thecommon practices of Hinduism. A Hindu is inclined to revere thedivine in every manifestation and is tolerant of the peacefulpractices of other faiths.The word "Hindu" was originally coined by the ancient Persians todescribe the people living east of the "Sindhu", or Indus River. Theterm spread westward, and eventually it became popularized throughoutthe world. It was only with the invasion of India, first by theMuslims and then by the British that the term "Hindu" came into usein India. Prior to that, the practitioners of the native religion ofIndia called their religion, `San?tan Dharma' - the Eternal Religion.It was known as eternal, because the Truths revealed by it are truetoday, were true before this universe existed, and will be true evenafter the destruction of the universe.
Q.3 What is unique about the Indian Calendar?
A. The modern western calendar that we are accustomed to is based onthe sun in which a year (365 days, 5 hours, 48 minutes, and 46seconds) is the time required for the earth to complete one orbitaround the sun. This solar year is composed of 12 arbitrarilyassigned months which have either 30 or 31 days, with the exceptionof February.The Indian calendar is based on both the sun and the moon. The Indiancalendar uses the solar year but divides it into 12 lunar months.They are listed in order from beginning to end: K?rtik, M?ghshar,Posh, M?gh (Mah?), F?lgun, Chaitra, Vaish?k, Jeth, Ash?dh, Shr?van,Bh?darvo, and ?so. A lunar month is the time required for the moon toorbit once around the earth and pass through its complete cycle ofphases. These months are formulated not arbitrarily, but inaccordance with the successive entrances of the sun into the 12r?shis, the 12 constellations of the zodiac marking the path of thesun.A lunar month is precisely 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes, and 3seconds long. Twelve such months make up a lunar year of 354 days, 8hours, 48 minutes, and 36 seconds. To ensure that the correspondingseasons according to the lunar months coincide with those of thesolar year, an extra month is inserted every 30 months (approximatelyevery 2? years) because 62 lunar months are equal to 60 solar months.As a result of the adjustment, the seasons and festivals retain theirgeneral position relative to the solar year.Each lunar month is divided into two pakshas (two parts) - the sud orshukla paksh (the bright half of the month when the moon waxes from anew moon to a full moon) and the vad or krishna paksh (the dark halfof the month when the moon wanes from a full moon to a new moon).Each paksha is divided into 15 tithis (lunar days) which follow thenames of Sanskrit numerical system.The era that is currently used in the Indian calendar is the VikramSamvat Era, which began in 57 BCE when King Vikram drove off a Greekinvasion of the Malwa region and came to the throne. Thus, we havethe following conversion to the Indian year. If the western calendardate falls between Kartik sud 1 (the beginning of the Indian Year)and December 31st (the end of the western calendar year), then 57years should be subtracted from the Indian year to make theconversion. If the western calendar date falls between January 1st(the beginning of the western year) and Aso vad 30 (the end of theIndian year), then only 56 years should be subtracted to make theconversion.
Q.4 What are the seasons of the Indian Calendar?
A. In the Indian calendar, the 12 lunar months of a solar year aredivided into six rutus (seasons), each comprising of approximatelytwo months. Since the seasons are solar based, each of the sixseasons - Sharad (late monsoon), Hemant (early winter), Shishir(winter), Vasant (spring), Grishma (summer) and Varsh? (monsoon)commence around the 21st of each even month of the Western calendar.
Q.5 What is Ahins?
A. Summary Answer:Ahins? is not just non-violence. It also encompasses respect andconsideration for life and peaceful, harmonious living.Explanation:The Concept of Ahins?Ahins? is the feeling that attempts to reduce harm to all livingcreatures. The concept of Ahins? is meant to be practiced by:thought - not having thoughts of ill-will towards othersword - not using speech to slander or malign othersdeed - not performing violent physical actionsIn renowned Hindu scriptures such as the Mah?bh?rat (3-207-7), theV?sudev M?h?tmya (20/21), and the Padma Pur?n (1.31.27), Ahins? isreferred to as the highest virtue of life: Ahins? paramo dharma.Bhagw?n Sw?min?rayan has referred to the practice of Ahins?throughout His Shiksh?patri - the code of conduct for devotees:"All scriptures advocate Ahins? as the highest dharma."(Verse 12)"My devotees should not harm any living being. They should notintentionally harm even small insects." (Verse 11)"Even for performing yagnas (ceremonial and divine sacrifices) toplease deities or ancestors, no harm should be inflicted on anyliving being." (Verse 12)"Even for acquiring women, wealth or a kingdom, one should never, inany way, harm or kill any person." (Verse 155)Vegetarianism: An Application of Ahins?A practical application of Ahins? seen in Hinduism is vegetarianism -as it fosters the sentiment of respect for other living creatures.The most ancient Hindu scriptures curbed the practice of killinganimals by imposing strict ritualistic regulations which are verydifficult to ordinarily meet. Those who were following the spiritualpath and wanted to attain God were prohibited altogether from killinganimals and consuming animal flesh because such consumption hindersspiritual progress. Hindu scriptures say that killing animals andconsuming their flesh leads to violence in our thoughts and behavior.It spoils one's character and obstructs one's acquisition of noblevirtues.Today, some people feel that because they are not actually killingthe animal themselves, eating the flesh and other body parts of adead animal does not violate the code of Ahins?. However, Hindusconsider the consumption of dead animal flesh to be a barbaricpractice. The V?sudev M?h?tmya and other Hindu scriptures state thatone who consumes animal flesh, who sells animal flesh, or whoprepares animal flesh - all of these people accrue the same sin asthe person who slaughters the animal. This is similar to the Westernidea that the murderer and the accessory to the murder are bothguilty of the killing.Some people argue that God has given us the ability to kill animalsand digest animal flesh; therefore God must have wanted us to eatanimals. One could easily respond that God has given us theintelligence and ability to kill humans and digest human flesh, so inthat belief system, did God give us this ability because he wanted usto eat human flesh? The flaw in this argument becomes clear here.These people have made the grave error of confusing ability andcivility, or ethics. Men may have the ability to kill animals and eatanimal flesh, but that does not make it right. Humans have theability to do some very bad things. But civilization, ethics,morality, and dharma are all meant to restrain man from exercisinghis full barbaric, animalistic capability and instead, to elevate himfrom this animalistic condition to the plane of humanity and evenhigher to the plane of spirituality. It is with this intent ofelevating mankind from just a human being to a spiritual being thatHinduism has propagated the value of Ahins? and its corollaryvegetarianism.
Q.6 How does the practice of self-defense fit into the concept ofAhins?
A. Ahins? is not just non-violence or not resorting to arms, but itis also the feeling that tries to reduce harm to all livingcreatures. Sometimes, force or violence may in fact be necessary toprevent harm. Suppose a train is heading towards a child who isstanding in the middle of railroad tracks. We would be inclined topush the child out of the way to save his or her life. Suppose that awild animal is running ferociously to attack a group of tourists. Theanimal may need to be wounded to prevent harm to numerous people.Ahins? recognizes the right to defend one's self, family, community,and country through the most feasible and appropriate, yet leastviolent, means necessary. However, defending oneself should never beused to justify violence that is not provoked or warranted. Oneshould be careful that defending one's self does not become a hiddenform of aggression.
Q.7 What is the ?tm?
A. The ?tm? is the soul. It is the individual self, the consciousspirit, the knower, the enjoyer and the doer of actions. There areinnumerable ?tm?s, fundamentally the same, yet each distinctentities. The ?tm? is eternal. It was not created at anytime byanybody nor will it ever perish. Weapons cannot cut it, nor can fireburn it; water cannot wet it, nor can wind dry it. Each ?tm? pervadesthe whole organism, and is different from the three bodies - gross(sthul sharir - physical body), subtle (sukshma - mental body), andcausal (k?ran sharir - accumulation of impressions from past karmas).Yet, it is bound by worldly desires that are formed according to itskarma. Though conditioned by m?y?, the ?tm? can be eternally releasedfrom m?y? by the grace of a God-realized guru or God.
Q.8 What is Karma?
A. Summary Answer:Karma is the law of action and reaction (cause and effect) applied tolife. The ?tm? reaps fruits, good or bad, according to its past andpresent actions; these fruits are experienced either in this life orin future lives. God is the giver of the fruits of all living beings'actions.Explanation:There are three types of karmas - sanchit, pr?rabdha, and kriyam?n.Sanchit karmas - the stock of karmas, or accumulation of past goodand bad actions.Pr?rabdha karmas - are the portion of sanchit karmas used up tocreate the present physical body and the experiences we are toencounter in this life.Kriyam?n karmas - the new actions we perform each day which shape ourfuture experiences of pain and joy.Karma helps explain the disparities that occur in the humanpopulation such as: prosperity or poverty, happiness or misery, goodhealth, illness, or disability. Behind every individual's existencethere partly lies his own past deeds, which are directly responsiblefor many of the events during his lifespan, be it painful orpleasant. We are what we are because of our deeds and actions.One may ask: Why do some sinful people seem happy and why do somerighteous people experience misery? To understand this, consider theanalogy of a large storage vessel for grains. As long as the sacks ofgood grains are emptied in the vessel, there will be no problems. Onewill get good grains as one removes them from an outlet at the bottomof the vessel each day. But, when a sack of bad grains is emptiedinto the container, one eventually comes across it after the layersof good grains have been exhausted. One reaps the benefits of thelayers of past good actions until the bad layers arrive. So, untilthen, the person may seem to live in comfort and happiness, but hehas to eventually bear the consequences of his bad actions. There isno correlation, however, between the order that the karmas wereperformed and the order in which one receives the fruits of thosekarmas. Thus, although it is possible for one to receive the fruitsof one's karmas in the order in which those karmas were performed, asimplied in the aforementioned analogy, this is not always the case.One may receive the fruits of karmas independent of the order inwhich the karmas were performed.Karma is not to be confused as the giver of the fruits of ouractions. In His Vachan?mrut, Bhagw?n Sw?min?rayan says,"Just as when seeds which are planted in the earth sprout upwardsafter coming into contact with rainwater, similarly, during theperiod of creation, the jivas which had resided within m?y? togetherwith their k?ran sharir (causal body), attain various types of bodiesaccording to their individual karmas by the will of God, the giver ofthe fruits of karmas." (Vart?l 6)So, in fact, God is the giver of the fruits of our actions. One mightthink that God is cruel when He dispenses the fruits of bad actions.But, God is impartial towards all. The Brahma Sutras by Ved Vy?ssay, "God is not biased in giving happiness and misery to anyone butgives the fruits of one's karmas." (2-1-34)Not only does God give the fruits of one's karmas, but earning thegrace of God or His realized s?dhu can destroy the harmful karmas ofone's past. Many stories from our scriptures show this to be true.Bhagw?n Sw?min?rayan also says in the Vachan?mrut Gadhad? I-58 thatif a God-realized S?dhu becomes pleased upon a person, thenregardless of how malicious his karmas may be, they are alldestroyed. The blessings of that great s?dhu could make a beggar intoa king, could transform a bad fate into a favorable destiny, andcould dissolve even the most disastrous misfortune.Accepting and understanding that our actions have causes and effectsstops us from performing unrighteous actions for which we would haveto suffer from the further accumulation and consequences of harmfulkarmas.
Q.9 What is Reincarnation?
A. Summary Answer:Reincarnation is the phenomenon where the immortal soul iscontinuously born and reborn in any one of 8,400,000 life-forms untilit attains moksha.Explanation:The ?tm? is characterized by unchanging truth, consciousness, andbliss. The ?tm? is formless and has always been bound by a k?ransharir (causal body). This causal body is not a body in the physicalsense. It is simply an accumulation of the sansk?rs (impressions ofpast karmas). The pure ?tm? together with this k?ran sharir is knownas the jiva.Because the jiva is formless in nature, without a physical and subtlebody, it is unable to enjoy or suffer the fruits of its karmas, norcan it endeavor to attain God. So, out of compassion, God grants theformless jiva a physical and subtle body according to its karmas.Then, just as we cast off old clothes for new, the jiva casts off itsold body for a new one - given to it by God according to its karmas.Hindu scriptures explain that the jiva attains the bodies of 8.4million life forms in rotation and in them, experiences happiness andmisery according to its karmas. It is only possible to attainultimate liberation through the human body. In the Vachan?mrut[Bhugol-Khagol], while explaining the importance of this rare andpriceless human birth, Bhagwan Swaminarayan says,A jiva squanders its human body, which it receives after 35,000,000pr?krut-pralays (i.e. 10,886,400,000,000,000,000,000 human years),for the sake of vain worldly pleasures, and by the refuge of a falseguru. Consequently, it has to suffer the torments of Yam and theagonies of the pits of narak. Moreover, it receives another humanbirth in a place where liberation is attainable only after passingthrough the sufferings of the cycle of 8.4 million life forms, i.e.after another 35,000,000 pr?krut-pralays. This is the interval beforeone receives a human birth again.Therefore, O brother, having understood this today, and having soughtthe refuge of the Sadguru Sant - the granter of liberation - andhaving kept your body, indriyas and antahkaran in accordance with hiswish, strive for the benefit of your ?tm? and reach the abode of God.If you do not realise this fact today and waste this human body,which is instrumental in attaining liberation, you will have to waitfor the aforementioned time before you receive another chance likethis. Only after such suffering, and only at the end of that intervalwill you receive another opportunity to attain liberation, and thattoo if you strive for it. If you do not, you will not attainliberation. This is a fundamental principle. The wise should ponderover this.One with exceptionally good karmas, having attained some form ofcontact with God or the God-realized S ?dhu, maybe released fromhaving to undertake birth within the cycle of 8.4 million life forms.Instead, he would continue to take human births until, offeringdevotion to God, he earns the pleasure of God or the God-realisedS?dhu and attains moksha.
Q10 What is Moksha?
A. Summary Answer:Moksha is ultimate liberation. This is the goal of human life. Mokshais the liberation of the soul from the cycles of birth and death;thereafter, it remains eternally in the service of God in His abode.Explanation:Moksha is when the causal body is destroyed and the pure ?tm?achieves everlasting bliss in the worship of God. The word causalbody implies that it is the cause of the jiva having to undertake aphysical body and bear out its destiny in accordance to its karmas.It is only through the grace of God or the God-enlightened S?dhu(guru) that one's k?ran sharir is dissolved and moksha is achieved.Penance, austerities, yoga, yagnas (ceremonial sacrifices),donations, and other pious actions do not directly give moksha. Thefruit of doing these pious deeds is the contact and association withGod and the God-enlightened S ?dhu. Once such association with Godand the God-enlightened S?dhu has been achieved, understanding theirtrue form, following their commands, and imbibing dharma, gn?n,vair?gya, and bhakti earns the jiva their grace and thus ultimatemoksha.When an ?tm? achieves moksha, God grants it a divine body. With thisdivine body it resides in the abode of God with infinite otherliberated souls. Here it enjoys everlasting bliss in worshipping God.The happiness from infinite universes put together pales intoinsignificance in front of the bliss of God experienced by theseliberated souls. In His divine abode, God grants the ?tm? powers anda form that is similar to His own. Yet, the ?tm? is distinct from Godand forever retains a relationship of servitude towards God. In fact,such powers bear no attraction to these liberated souls because theirexperience of worshipping God brings infinite times more bliss thanthe exercise of any powers.
Q.11 Why are there so many Gods in Hinduism?
A. Summary Answer:Hinduism is not a polytheistic religion. For all Hindus, there isonly one Supreme God.Explanation:The ancient seers of India recognized that all of God's creation doesnot just center around man, but that man shares the universe withnumerous life forms. Some life forms have less powers and abilitiesthan humans while others have more. God grants some of these varioushigher beings cosmic powers and assigns them the responsibilities ofrunning the "machinery of the universe." These higher beings are alsoknown as devt?s, dev?s or gods. While Hindus respect these gods to behigher than humans, and even propitiate them in times of need, Hindusalso readily acknowledge that these gods are clearly subservient toand have their origin and sustenance in one Supreme God. Hindus arethus monotheists, worshippers of one Supreme God, in every sense ofthe word.Historically, many groups have been unwilling or unable to understandthe true position and function of the various gods within Hinduism.Consequently, out of misunderstanding or prejudice, they haveincorrectly labeled Hinduism as polytheistic in the sense of theancient Roman or Greek pantheon. However, this is incorrect. Just asother religions consider themselves monotheistic while stillaccepting the existence of "angels" and other superhuman divinities,Hinduism should be considered monotheistic in the same sense.