Who is a HINDU?
1.Belief in one God, many adorable forms, names and incarnations
2.Acceptance Karma and the fruits of each deed 3.Upholding Dharma as a duty towards all aspects of life 3.A true Hindu will give up his life to defend and protect Hinduism. 4.Will fight evils perpetrated against our religion and will take up arms if his/her Bharat, its’ people and religion are under threat from enemies 5.Knowing Hinduism as the eternal religion 6.Acceptance of various paths leading to God 7.Respecting all ancient Hindu scriptures 8.Seeing God in all 9.Body dies but the soul is eternal 10.Belief in the concept of reincarnation 11.All living things have souls & moksha as the final destination 12.Respect of Gurus and their teachings A true Hindu is one who has tasted the sweetness of freedom of choice and is wiling to choose death before giving up his freedom. Freedom of choice to follow a path is the basic human right and no one shall tell him/her otherwise. Any Hindu who converts to islam or christianity is giving up his rights and virtually giving himself and his future generations to slavery. A Hindu is one that believes in one God who incarnates, as and when He feels fit, in the shape and form He wants. God creates, sustains and destroys when time comes. Many names and forms are given to each with the love and affection of each individual devotee. He has, can and will send us as many prophets (Only prophet?) , saints and sons (only son?) and is fully capable of doing so. Our Dharma is eternal, so is God and all the souls. It is our conviction that body dies but not the soul. The old scriptures are a guide to salvation and an individual can steadily make his way back to God in the speed and path selected. Karma (deeds) and results of Karma are the basis of our lives. Knowing that good karma will bring good results and vice versa, our lives can be guided towards fruition of Salvation termed as Moksha. Guru plays a very important part in molding our lives and whilst the Holy book Gita can be accepted as Guru so can the word of Guru Nanak . A Hindu may or may not agree to some of the points above but he will willingly give his fellow human the right to practice religion as and how the other sees fit. Future of islam as per Hinduism
The future of one religion is mentioned in the Kalki Purana.
It says when the dharma is destroyed by Asura (Rakshasas); Lord Vishnu will take form of Kalki and destroy the Asuras. Thus the truth, dharma and peace will be established in the universe. Now, who are Asuras? Kalki Purana describes Asuras like this: 1. The meaning of Asura is those who do not drink sura (alcohol/liquor). What religion officially prohibits alcohol? 2. Asuras will breed fast in the earth – their population growth will the fastest. Which is the fastest growing religion in the world? 3. Asuaras are always involved in mundane and physical sexual pleasure – they will have multiple wives. Who can have multiple wives? 4. Asuras derive pleasure from killing cows. 5. Asuras enjoy killing “sajjana” (good and innocent people) 6. Their Guru (Master/Prophet) will be Sukracharya and their worship day will be Sukravar (Friday). Which religion considers Friday as sacred? 7. While normal human beings and gods will grow their hair in the head and shave off facial hairs (moustache and beard), Asuara will do the other way around. 8. Asuaras will be a faith cult and will not believe in cosmic truth. They blindly trust their Master with a slavery mind. (Truth has nothing to do with belief) 9. Asuras will be “vigraha-bhanjags” – they don’t worship idols, they break idols everywhere. Which religion destroyed temples, shrines and places of worship all over the world? Who destroyed 125,000 temples in India? Who destroyed the biggest Buddhist statue in the world? 10. Asuras do not believe in education and deadly against “vijnana” (knowledge). They destroy gurukula (ancient universities and libraries). Who destroyed our ancient universities in Nalanda and Taksila? They say, it took more than six months to burn all books in those ancient libraries. I might point out however that the sastras speak of them not drinking “soma” not “sura.” Soma is the nectar of the gods that brings immortality that was created by churning the Ocean of Milk. The asuras are “a (non) suryas (gods),” in other words, demons. In Indian philosophy demons are often evil humans rather than spirit beings as in Christianity and many other religions (for instance, Hiranyakasipu, Ravana, Kamsa etc). At the end of kali yuga (the current age) these demons will arise and attack the humans of this planet as you describe. Lord Kalki (the final Visnu Avatar) comes to defeat them and brings the world, after some time, into satya yuga (the first and highest age). The rise of the Muslim Ummah appears to be fulfilling many prophecies in diverse religions. NATHU RAM GODSE’S SPEECH AT THE TRIAL
” On January 13, 1948, I learnt that Gandhiji had
decided to go on fast unto death. The reason given was that he wanted an assurance of Hindu-Muslim Unity… But I and many others could easily see that the real motive… [was] to compel the Dominion Government to pay the sum of Rs 55 crores to Pakistan, the payment of which was emphatically refused by the Government…. But this decision of the people’s Government was reversed to suit the tune of Gandhiji’s fast. It was evident to my mind that the force of public opinion was nothing but a trifle when compared with the leanings of Gandhiji favourable to Pakistan. ….In 1946 or thereabout, Muslim atrocities perpetrated on Hindus under the Government patronage of Surhawardy in Noakhali made our blood boil. Our shame and indignation knew no bounds when we saw that Gandhiji had come forward to shield that very Surhawardy and began to style him as ‘Shaheed Saheb’ – a martyr – even in his prayer meetings… ….Gandhiji’s influence in the Congress first increased and then became supreme. His activities for public awakening were phenomenal in their intensity and were reinforced by the slogans of truth and non-violence which he ostentatiously paraded before the country… I could never conceive that an armed resistance to the aggressor is unjust… Ram killed Ravan in a tumultuous fight… Krishna killed Kansa to end his wickedness… In condemning Shivaji, Rana Pratap and Guru Govind as ‘misguided patriots,’ Gandhiji has merely exposed his self-conceit… Gandhiji was, paradoxically, a violent pacifist who brought untold calamities on the country in the name of truth and nonviolence, while Rana Pratap, Shivaji and the Guru will remain enshrined in the hearts of their countrymen forever… ….By 1919, Gandhiji had become desperate in his endeavours to get the Muslims to trust him and went from one absurd promise to another… He backed the Khilafat movement in this country and was able to enlist the full support of the National Congress in that policy… very soon the Moplah Rebellion showed that the Muslims had not the slightest idea of national unity… There followed a huge slaughter of Hindus… The British Government, entirely unmoved by the rebellion, suppressed it in a few months and left to Gandhiji the joy of his Hindu-Muslim Unity… British Imperialism emerged stronger, the Muslims became more fanatical, and the consequences were visited on the Hindus… The accumulating provocation of 32 years, culminating in his last pro-Muslim fast, at last goaded me to the conclusion that the existence of Gandhiji should be brought to an end immediately… he developed a subjective mentality under which he alone was the final judge of what was right or wrong… Either Congress had to surrender its will to him and play second fiddle to all his eccentricity, whimsicality… or it had to carry on without him… He was the master brain guiding the civil disobedience movement… The movement may succeed or fail; it may bring untold disasters and political reverses, but that could make no difference to the Mahatma’s infallibility… These childish inanities and obstinacies, coupled with a most severe austerity of life, ceaseless work and lofty character, made Gandhiji formidable and irresistible… In a position of such absolute irresponsibility, Gandhiji was guilty of blunder after blunder… ….The Mahatma even supported the separation of Sindh from the Bombay Presidency and threw the Hindus of Sindh to the communal wolves. Numerous riots took place in Karachi, Sukkur, Shikarpur and other places in which the Hindus were the only sufferers… ….From August 1946 onwards, the private armies of the Muslim League began a massacre of the Hindus… Hindu blood began to flow from Bengal to Karachi with mild reactions in the Deccan… The Interim government formed in September was sabotaged by its Muslim League members, but the more they became disloyal and treasonable to the government of which they were a part, the greater was Gandhi’s infatuation for them… ….The Congress, which had boasted of its nationalism and socialism, secretly accepted Pakistan and abjectly surrendered to Jinnah. India was vivisected and one-third of the Indian territory became foreign land to us… This is what Gandhiji had achieved after 30 years of undisputed dictatorship, and this is what Congress party calls ‘freedom’… ….One of the conditions imposed by Gandhiji for his breaking of the fast unto death related to the mosques in Delhi occupied by Hindu refugees. But when Hindus in Pakistan were subjected to violent attacks he did not so much as utter a single word to protest and censure the Pakistan government… Gandhi is being referred to as the Father of the Nation. But if that is so, he had failed his paternal duty inasmuch as he has acted very treacherously to the nation by his consenting to the partitioning of it… The people of this country were eager and vehement in their opposition to Pakistan. But Gandhiji played false with the people… ….I shall be totally ruined, and the only thing I could expect from the people would be nothing but hatred… if I were to kill Gandhiji. But at the same time, I felt that Indian politics in the absence of Gandhiji would surely be proved practical, able to retaliate, and be powerful with armed forces. No doubt, my own future would be totally ruined, but the nation would be saved from the inroads of Pakistan… ….I do say that my shots were fired at the person whose policy and action had brought rack and ruin and destruction to millions of Hindus… There was no legal machinery by which such an offender could be brought to book, and for this reason I fired those fatal shots… ….I do not desire any mercy to be shown to me… I did fire shots at Gandhiji in open daylight. I did not make any attempt to run away; in fact I never entertained any idea of running away. I did not try to shoot myself… for, it was my ardent desire to give vent to my thoughts in an open Court. My confidence about the moral side of my action has not been shaken even by the criticism levelled of against it on all sides. I have no doubt, honest writers of history will weigh my act and find the true value thereof some day in future.” |
Interesting Facts about Hinduism
Hinduism or Sanatana Dharma is the oldest of the world’s living faiths. Though its origin is dated between 10,000 – 7,000 BCE by most historians, its traditions extend back before recorded history. Despite its antiquity, Hinduism is interestingly still a living and growing religion and has global acceptance. There is no founder to give credit to its discovery and establishment. Rather, Hinduism is a dharma or way of life evolved by the great sages of ancient India. I Hindu Philosophy, Rituals and Myths In every religion there are three main parts: philosophy, rituals and myths. It is important to completely understand these aspects since many people have misconceptions about Hinduism. Philosophy is the essence of religion. It sets forth its basic principles or fundamental tenets, the goal and the means of attaining it. Myths explain and illustrate philosophy by means of legendary lives of great men or of supernatural beings. Ritual gives an even more concrete form to philosophy so that everyone may understand it. Ritual consists of forms, ceremonies, etc. All religions have their own mythology. Although the word mythology is sometimes deliberately used by the media about Hinduism, Hinduism is more about “Truth” at different levels of understandings. It is difficult to make a clear distinction between history and mythology. If a Christian stands up and says, “My prophet did such and such a marvelous thing,” others will say, “This is only a myth. Our prophets did still more marvelous things which are really historical.” It is not easy to differentiate the two into watertight compartments. Hindus hold the belief of the four Vedas high in their minds. This is considered the most ancient scripture in the world. The Puranas describe the teachings of the Vedas through myths, legends and examples of great people. The cosmogonic myths of the Puranas are very interesting. A certain portion of Hindu mythology is even now presented to the public in the form of dramas during days of Hindu festivals. Thus the minds of the people are saturated with sublime ideas and ideals and lifted to great spiritual heights. Basic tenets of Hinduism Hinduism is a conglomeration of diverse beliefs and traditions and hence cannot be confined to any one system of belief and ideas. Nevertheless, the prominent themes include: • Dharma (ethics and duties) • Samsara (rebirth) • Karma (right action) • Moksha (liberation from the cycle of Samsara) Hinduism also encourages truth, honesty, non-violence, celibacy, cleanliness, contentment, prayers, austerity, perseverance, penance, and pious company. The essence of the Hindu vision of reality lies in the relation between dharma (social duty or righteousness) and moksha (release from the material world, final liberation from the endless cycles of rebirth). Both these perspectives, the world-supporting and the world-denying, are necessary to fulfill human destiny. Hinduism is a way of life, a Dharma, that is, the law that governs all action. It has its own beliefs, traditions, advanced system of ethics, meaningful rituals, philosophy and theology. The religious tradition of Hinduism is responsible for the creation of such concepts and practices as Yoga, Ayurveda, Vastu, Jyotish, Yajna, Puja, Tantra, Vedanta, Karma, etc. Hundreds of millions of people continue to believe in the multitudes of gods which inhabit the Hindu pantheon. This tapestry of religion is the result of millennia of integration. The Indian sub-continent has been a crossroad for several cultures, and the Indian people have incorporated numerous ideas from different faiths. Though there are some core beliefs common to virtually all Hindus, there really is no “Hindu orthodoxy”- no hard and fast dogma that all Hindus must believe. It’s actually a family of gradually developing beliefs and practices. Ten important Hindu Realities vs. Myths Hinduism is like an ocean of the combined knowledge of various rishis, sages, and saints. It was they who gave the religion the depth and complexity for which it is known today. Because of them Hinduism became more or less like an ocean that would absorb every thing that flowed into it from all directions. There are wide misconceptions about the Hindu religion. According to my understanding, the following facts are realities in an effort to clarify such misconceptions. 1. Who is Hindu? Anybody who practices a little of and believes in the above listed tenets of Hinduism is a Hindu. There is no baptism, no fixed gods, and going to the temple is not compulsory. 2. Idol Worship: Hinduism does not promote idol worship. To the contrary, Hinduism urges to transcend all physical aids to worship, in our spiritual progress. Realizing that it is impossible for the mortal human to visualize the Infinite and instead of sustaining false hopes of such achievements, the religion urges us to slowly and steadily continue our progress in pursuit of the Truth. For such steady progress, it asks to start with physical aids such as temples and idols, and through practice and devotion, ultimately succeed in visualizing God without the aid of temples and idols. 3. Habits: There are no specifically laid out rules constricting a person’s eating/drinking habits, or clothing style or anything like that. In fact, Hinduism deals with concepts on a much higher platform, where such things are insignificant. It deals with the spiritual aspects of trying to understand God and to approach Him through many varied means (principal of which is love). As natural fallout, it also shows how to lead a meaningful life full of bliss, peace and love. 4. Conversion: Since Hinduism is a way of life, there is no formal conversion process. In fact, there is no fixed name for Hinduism; some call it Sanatana Dharma, some call it just Dharma, some call it Bhagawat Dharma, etc. There was no name “Hindu” in old scriptures but later invaders of India named people here as Hindu because they used to live on the banks of the river Sindhu. 5. Unity: This feature of Hindu religion has been unique. Some call the religion broadminded because Hindus believe in ‘Vasudhev Kutumbakam,’ meaning that all the world’s people are one family. 6. Rituals or superstitions: Hinduism runs on value education and some rituals. These rituals are added from time to time and changeable. But these rituals convey a lot of meaning when deeply thought and understood. They are not compulsory for Hinduism; some follow, some don’t. 7. Criticism: Another feature of Hinduism is there is no blasphemy clause; you may criticize openly some features you don’t like and may not follow or change them still you will be a good Hindu. I think it’s democracy like. 8. Food: Though many Hindus are vegetarian, still many Hindus are not. The rationale behind a vegetarian diet is to promote a physically, mentally and spiritually healthy lifestyle. However, there are no rigid rules concerning vegetarianism. 9. Caste System: The caste system, originally described in the Vedas, but much abused and maligned over the years, is nothing but a representation of an efficient human society. The four castes described in the scriptures are – the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas, the Vaishyas, and the Shudras. According to the Vedas, an efficient human society is based on the strength of its educational/knowledge-pursuit system (Brahmin), its military and defense system (Kshatriya), its economical and business system (Vaishya), and a strong, happy, productive workforce (Shudras). This noble representation was misinterpreted, exploited, and abused by a few in the Indian society, leading to the indiscriminate creation of thousands of castes and sub-castes, including the so-called “upper” castes. It can be seen as a means of maintaining the status quo to the benefit of those in power. However, in ancient times, castes were not rigid (one could move from one caste to another). They were based on one’s karma (actions), not birth. Fortunately, the distorted caste system has been more or less abolished since Indian independence and the distinctions are beginning to disappear. 10. Hindu Women: The role of women in Hinduism is often misunderstood. In Vedic times women and men were equal as far as education and religion was concerned. In ancient India, women occupied a very important position, in fact in some ways, a superior position to men. It is a culture whose only words for strength and power are feminine -”Shakti” means “power” and “strength.” All male power comes from the feminine. There are many stories and media attention about Child Marriage, Dowry, Bride-Burning, and Property matters for equality, mass Wife-Burning (Jauhar), Widow-Burning (Sati). Due to Islamic conquest, political instability, poor economic conditions and foreign invasion further made women’s freedom impossible. Hence, society became more protective about the women community, education, power, name and fame; also they linked these issues with caste status. Such situations ceased women rights. But after India’s freedom, the law again restored and protected women’s rights. How Hinduism differs from other organized religions: In summary, Hinduism differs from other organized religions in the following aspects: • It is not based upon one particular founder. • It is not based upon one particular book. • It is not controlled by a central institution or authority such as a church or an association. • It is not averse to examine and assimilate fundamentally diverse thoughts and beliefs into its system. • It accepts other religions as various paths to salvation and does not favor organized attempts to convert people. • It has been evolving continuously, through internal reforms and as a reaction to the threats and challenges. • Hinduism is a way of life, more than a religion • An attitude of understanding and tolerance is taught within the religion, where all religious teachings are not to be looked down upon and that no one way of worship should be considered better than another. Interesting Facts about Hinduism Hinduism teaches the following simple and interesting aspects that are very important to our daily life: Healthy lifestyle: Unlike others, Hinduism is not a religion but a way of life. Hinduism grants you a healthy lifestyle. The Hindu practices like bath in the morning, do Yoga, stay away from meat etc. promote health and hygiene. Promotes peace universally: Hinduism does not say that only Hindus go to heaven, nor proclaims that only Hindu gods are the true one. Hinduism is the only religion, which says that all paths lead to that ultimate one. An important Hindu prayer is “Loka Samastha Sukhino Bhavantu” which means let the whole world be happy! Respect living beings: Hindus believe that there is divinity in every one. The Hindu salutation ‘Namaskar’ or ‘Namaste’ means that I bow to that divinity in you. No hard and fast dogma: Hinduism is flexible and there are really no hard and fast rules you need to follow. It is entirely dependant on you to choose what you want to do. For instance, we are free to worship God in whichever form we choose, wherever we choose, and whenever we choose. No conversion, no pressure: You do not need to undergo a formal conversion ceremony to lead a Hindu way of life. Care for the environment: You will see that the temples have gardens and promote growing of trees and vegetation. Even snakes, cows are given a place and fed in some places. Animals are given protection and shelter. The Hindu way of life is based on living in harmony with the environment and not exploiting nature. Promotes art and art forms: The Hindu temples themselves are masterpieces of art and sculpture. Dance and music forms an integral part of the religion and the classical dance and music are closely tied to Hinduism and a must for many Hindu festivals and occasions. Hindu festivals: There are lots of fun activities associated with Hindu festivals. For Deepavali or Diwali, playing with fireworks or crackers. For Holi, playing with colors and the list is endless. For Hindus, life is a celebration. Conclusion The foundation of Hinduism has been laid on the bedrock of spiritual truths. The entire structure of Hindu life is built on eternal truths, the findings of the Hindu Rishis or seers. That is the reason why this structure has lasted through scores of centuries. The glory of Hinduism lies in the fact that it has all the features of a universal religion. Its Dharma is universal. Its doctrines are sublime. Its philosophy is grand. Its ethics are soul-elevating. Its scriptures are wonderful. Its Sadhanas or Yoga-Vedanta practices are unique. It has a message to give to a world to get rid of hatred, dissension and war—the message of cosmic love, truth and non-violence, the gospel of unity of Self or Upanishadic oneness. |