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 The
original name of Hinduism is Sanadana Dharma. ‘Hindu’
is the name given by the Persians to the people living beyond
the Indus river. This name struck to the people professing
this ancient religion.
Vedas are the sacred writings
of Hindus. Hindus believe in one supreme God with many attributes.
There are also six main deities all deriving from the one
and only Brahman or the Supreme God.
Hindus can either pray to God with the help of statues or
pray to him in his formless existence. The choice is left
to each individual depending on the spiritual achievement
of the individual. For example, an illiterate farmer may need
the help of the statues in which God is humanised, in order
to help him pray. He sees God in his own form in the statues.
A sage or one who is advanced in theological knowledge will
not need statues to achieve oneness with God. The Sages meditate.
Meditation is an important aspect of Hinduism.
The Vedas are reputed to be the most ancient in the world.
They contain eternal unchanging truth. The sacred wisdom of
the Vedas dominates the entire religious lives of Hindus.
The philosophical content of Hinduism is in the Upanishads.
These sacred texts reveal the search for unity in the heart
of diversity. They deal with Atma and Brahman, that is the
soul and the supreme being.
The Brahman is in each individual in the form of Atma. Through
meditation, mental concentration and Yoga practice, one realises
this Atman. Once relieved of its fleshy attire the Atman is
identical with Brahman. this is the philosophy of adhvaidham.
The goal in Hindu religion is the achievement of this identity
with the Supreme. Other Hindu philosophies are Dhvaidham and
Vishishta-Dhvaidham
Hindu religion had been organised in six different sub sects
with its own identical deities which all derive from the one
Brahman. They are:
1. Sowram
2. Kowmaram
3. Saivam
4. Ganapathyam
5. Vaishnavam
6. Saaktham.
Except for Sowram, the Sun worship, the other five sects have
ardent followers. Saivam has Siva as its main deity, Kowmaram
worships Subramanyam, Vaishnawam deifies Vishnu, Ganapathyam
has Ganapathy as its main deity and Saaktham has Sakti (Goddess)
as its main deity. Saaktham worships the Brahman in the female
form. Each sect has its own rituals, forms of worships, Mantras
and Poojas.
Apart from these, the thirumurthy or trinity of Gods are said
to perform 3 main tasks. That is, Brahma creates (not to be
confused with Brahman) Vishnu protects and Siva destroys.
Krishna is said to be the incarnation of Vishnu. Among all
the deities, only Vishnu is said to have come into the human
world in incarnation to destroy evil from time to time. He
is the author of the world famous Bagvad Gita or song of God.
Bagvad Gita is the preaching of Krishna on the precepts of
the religion.
Hindus believe in Karma. It is a kind of law of Balances.
Hindus also believe in Janmas or reincarnations. Each incarnation
determines the good or bad of the next incarnation. The Atma
is said to be cleansed in each Janma until it finally submerges
in the Brahman. (Soul returns to the creator)
Hindus believe that the sufferings one goes through in the
current birth is the result of the intensity of sins committed
in the previous Janma or birth. Similarly, one’s good
life in the present Janma is the direct result of the good
deeds performed in the previous Janma. God rewards or punishes
the soul in this manner. A sinless atma finally finds bliss
in the Brahman. How else can one explain the imbalances among
the human beings in this world?
The concept of Karma, the principle causation that presides
over human destinies is the central teaching of Hinduism.
Every act and every thought produces good or bad result, and
the one responsible must account for it, either in this life
or the next. The law of Karma and the law of incarnation are
inter-related.
Krishna offers an outlet from Karma. He says Karma ceases
the moment one dedicates to the Brahman, all one’s actions,
words and thoughts. This constant effort is called Dharma
and embodies the religious obligation.
Hinduism has offered two great epics to the world, the Ramayana
and Mahabarata. These two epics have profound influence in
the Central and Far East Asian region. The two epics permeates
in the lives of many Asians from Chinese to Indonesian. These
two epics are the central themes of many art forms in Asia.
Both epics teach human beings to base their lives on Dharma
or good deeds. Mahabarata contains Bagvad Gita which expounds
Krishna’s philosophies.
Besides these, there are numerous mythologies in Hinduism,
each expounding a truth. These are to be used only as guides
in life.
Another aspect of Hinduism, is the building of elaborate and
beautiful temples dedicated to various deities. The Angkor
Wat and Borobodur are two great breathtaking examples of Hindu-Buddhist
architecture, outside India. India is of course said to be
the land of temples. Some of the finest sculptures are found
in the Hindu temples all over the world.
Although, Hinduism stresses individual communications with
God, Hindus also have congregational group prayers in the
temples. Modern Hinduism is centred in the templesand its
festivals. Poojas are performed in temples by accredited priests,
well versed in rituals and Mantras. Hindus often go the temples
in the mornings and evenings and especially on Tuesdays and
Fridays.
Hinduism is considered by many to be the oldest religion in
the world.
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