Insight into Hinduism

Hindu Dharma is also called Vaidika Dharma or Sanatana Dharma. Though the word Hindu does not have an indigenous origin, it is a well-known word.

Swami Vivekananda proudly called himself a Hindu. According to him, Hinduism is Vaidika Dharma - philosophy and practices that have their origin in the Vedas. The Vedas are eternal. They are not written by a human author. Hence, the Dharma that is revealed in the Vedas are also eternal. Hence it is called Sanatana Dharma.

Almost all spiritual practices in India can directly or indirectly be traced to the Vedas. Vedas are our primary scriptures. The Hindu scriptures are called shastras. We have a different concept of scriptures. The Abrahamic religions have the concept of ‘book.’ Book is a religious authority. If one does not follow the dictates of the book, he deserves punishment. On the other hand, Hindus do not look upon the scriptures as authorities that dictate terms. Our shastras are pramana – means of Knowledge. They reveal the truth and the way to find it.

We have a vast body of scriptures. The Vedas themselves are very vast. Then there are secondary scriptures likes smrtis and puranas. They are based on the vedas. Bhagavadgita is a beautiful summary of the teachings of the Vedas.

There are various traditions of Hindus – Shaivas, Shaktas, Vaishnavas and so on. All their practices and philosophies can be traced to the Vedas. Lingayats are a group of Shaivas – worshippers of Shiva. Some of their leaders make claim of rejecting the Vedas. Yet, one can note that Shiva is a Vedic deity. Om namah Sivaya – the mantra that every pious Lingayat chants – is a Vedic mantra. Hence, the tradition of Lingayats is Vedic in origin. They may not follow the Vedas as the orthodox people do. But they cannot rule out the Vedic origin of their faith and practices. The founders of Lingayat tradition of Hinduism like Basavanna criticised the practice of blindly following the Vedic rituals. The modern separatists, with their vested interests, misinterpret the words of such great reformers. Rejection of Vedas will mean rejection of Shiva and the worship of Linga.

The western religions are monotheistic in nature. They believe in One God. Every religion believes that its God is the only true God. Such a belief is exclusive in nature. Such a faith is a threat to religious diversity and freedom. According to Islam, Allah is the only true God. Other Gods are not acceptable in Islam. In pre-Islamic Arabia, people worshipped many Gods like al-Lāt, al-'Uzzā etc. Al-lah was one of the many Gods. Mohammad established Al-lah at the cost of all other Gods. Pre-Christian Europe was full of religious diversities. There were many forms of Gods and many ways of prayers. The rise of Christianity destroyed the religious diversity and religious freedom of the west.

Unlike the western religious books, the Hindus do not accept a God who is confined to a given realm or form. Our God is all-pervasive and infinite. He resides in everything. He resides in our hearts as well. The Vedas reveal a unique vision of Brahman. The concept of Brahman is logical as well as inclusive in nature. It does not denounce any form of God. Instead, all forms are included in Brahman. Hence, we can worship the same Brahman in any form.

The Hindu concept of Avatara is different from the Abrahamic idea of prophet. The God is different from prophet. Prophet is a human being sent by the God. On the other hand, Avatara is a manifestation of God Himself on the earth. Texts like Srimad Bhagavadgita explain the principle of Avatara.

According to the western religions, idol worship is blasphemous. They do not understand the beauty of worshipping the God in image. Our all-pervasive God resides in stones, mountains and rivers alike. Hence, we can invoke the God even in a stone image. The experiences of a practicing Hindu bears testimony to the effectiveness of image worship.

Hindu Dharma is inclusive in nature. We do not say, our God is the only God and your God is false. We do not impose a faith on others. We believe in religious diversity and freedom. There is beauty in diversity. There is growth in diversity.

Hinduism is not a threat to humanity. Hindus do not encroach into anybody’s territory. We do not slit the throats of those who disagree with us. We celebrate differences. We respect differences. The greatest sign of maturity is to be able to disagree with others without being intolerant. Hence, Hinduism is a culture of universal acceptance and universal harmony.