1 chapter hinduism

7/30/2019 1 Chapter Hinduism

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s e c t i o n o n e

thomaskelly

Hinduisms special treasures, its four main

denominations, its precepts and practices,scriptures and two paths of dharma

Hinduism is a joyous, reverent, mystical faith, as

evidenced in its fabulous festivals, such as theKumbha Mela, pictured here being celebratedin Haridwar in 1998 on Mahasivaratri, Sivasgreat night, where 25 million devotees gatheredto honor and seek blessing of the Divine.


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mike

brygider

c h a p t e r 1

eligion is mans association with the Divine, and t

objective o religion is realization o Truth. Forms

bolize Truth are only indications; they are not Truth

transcends all conceptualization. The mind in its eorts to

Truth through reasoning must always ail, or Truth transcen

mind which seeks to embrace it. Hinduism is unique among

religions. I boldly proclaim it the g reatest religion in the wor

with, it is mankinds oldest spiritual declaration, the very oun

aith on the planet. Hinduisms venerable age has seasoned it

It is the only religion, to my knowledge, which is not ounde

historic event or prophet, but which itsel precedes recorded

duism has been called the cradle o spirituality and the mo

ligions, partially because it has inuenced virtually every maand partly because it can absorb all other religions, honor an

their scriptures, their saints, their philosophy. This is possible b

duism looks compassionately on all genuine spiritual eort

unmistakably that all souls are evolving toward union with

and all are destined, without exception, to achieve spiritua

ment and liberation in this or a uture lie. O course, any rel

world is a mind stratum within people, isnt it? It is a group o p

think consciously, subconsciously and subsuperconsciously al

are guided by their own superconsciousness and the superco

o their leaders which make up the orce feld which we ca

It does not exist outside the mind. People o a certain religi

been impressed with the same experiences. They have all ac

same or similar belies and attitudes, and their mutual conc

ates the bonds o ellowship and purpose, o doctrine and c

Rites of Communion: (Photo, let) or eleven days in 1997, one-hundredone priests surrounded 11 fre altars in a huge worship hall at the SringerCenter in Pennsylvania or the grandest o all fre ceremonies. The Ati RuMaha Yajna, witnessed by 6,000 devotees and ollowing liturgy set thouo years ago, was perormed or the frst time on American soil, a demono Hinduisms strength and geographical breadth in our modern age.


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t l w hdum md uu. ty udd, kwldg, d lv l f ll l-g, m m w md bg lgul. t hdu uly blv gl el p,bu d blv y lg ly vld l-g ly lg wll ld ul lv. r, el p d ll lg.

t u wy, wll f Gd Gd wk ll gu w d v. i d hdu u

tu . p my. t f tu, f Gd, lld s Dm, el p, bu -r ul lf, wr rlg bg. t , rur su, v x m, d wk w

w f . t m d m . W d mu m fm? i mfrm d f m mlf. tu, hdum vr vbr dlv, f dd gl u f , mul f r w, gvg rgy d vbrcy wbl lly w.

nully, hdu fl f bd, ml d ffv um f ul ufldm, bu lud hdu md ll lg f wld x- f erl p d udrd c rrly ccrdc w dcr d dgm. h kw crblf d ud m duv ul gw , d ll lg , f, m. tydff m wy. Y, wv h-dum f ly . a dvu hdu uv f ll ff ld u d vuu lf d wuld d uk-bl dud dv fm f. t hdu md, d w w , w w d w

w ff .W f d l bk w lg

r wuld cdr umly krm drwmly bcu blvd dffrly. t h r rc f ul mur r m ul lg my b by du ggy. t hdu kw mgdurb drm f dvdul f ull mlgu , d wuld u uvyb. h kw, , cry xly m wy ll Gd by m

A Religion of Experience

sll, hdum l xmly , lg blf. i dcr f krm d rcrf vl d m, y f d x d uvly ld wv. p du f hdm f x f d. i flw, t u f tu, d w tu my b lzd. h v wd m d vd m ffv. nm yur w lf, rv m yurlf. aw . hdum wll v y, Yu mu d r b cdmd. i hdum blvd dmd. t lvg d umgd f lf r r i bldly y g lg wld.

W hdum, w vy lgu ycl m f g ury, kwldgf lf. e hdu jd d uj bly d m. h mu f vu d d f . h mu vlg w mmuy. h uld d d ml d k m dvd, ld ul, f mlf, udk fm fsadha

onight we want to speak on the joys

and happiness ound in Hinduism, our

ancient religion which brings orth

the wonderul eelings o a belie in the cos-

mic processes o reincarnation coupled with

knowledge o the laws o karma and the

wisdom o dharma in which everyone has

his rightul place and purpose in lie. It brings

the broadmindedness o total acceptance oall other religions as expressions o the One

Gods creation, the blessing o a complete

devotional path revolving around powerul

temples, the ulfllment o a proound mysti-

cal teaching ounded on yoga and brought

orth by the seers and saints and gurus, and

so much more. Our religion is so strong, so rich

and varied that very ew can claim to under-

stand it in its completeness. It is immense, an

immense religion, so immense that we have

difculty sometimes explaining it to those who

hold to a simpler doctrine, especially i they

have been subjected to erroneous concepts

about our religion promulgated by invaders

and missionaries o a score o alien religions.

It is time that the world knew o the great-

ness o Hinduism, knew it as it is. O course,we cannot explain it in an evening. My satguru,

the great Siva Yogaswami o Columbuthurai,

would say, The time is short and the subject

is vast. But we can have a look at some o the

aspects o Hinduism that bring such joys and

happiness to over a billion devotees around

the world. Each Hindus belie in reincar-

nation is so strong that it totally eliminates

the ear and dread o death. No true Hindu

really ears death; nor does he look orward

to it. The word death in the vocabulary o the

Hindu holds a dierent meaning. He

does not take death to be the end o

existence; nor does he look upon lie

as a singular opportunity to be ol-

lowed by eternal heavenly existence

or those souls who do well, and by

unending hell or those who do not.

Death or the Hindu is merely tran-

sition, simultaneously an end and a

new beginning. Over two thousand

years ago, Saint Tiruvalluvar wrote,

Death is like alling asleep, and birth

is like awakening rom that sleep

(Tirukural 339). In one o the ancient

languages o our religion, the physi-

cal body had a name which literally

meant that which is always drop-

ping o. The Hindus knowledge o reincar-

nation gives him the hope o attaining a uture

birth and in that birth making urther prog-

ress toward the perection t

knows is his atman, his sou

this lie to gain enough goo

The Joys of Hinduism

thomas

kelly

thomastkelly

Profundity: (Clockwise) Prof. E. Chamuramoki reviews preciousscriptures at the Oriental Research Institute, Tirupati; the PorramFestival in Thrissur, Kerala, led by 15 gold-caparisoned elephants;a woman rings the bell as she enters the Gadhikalika temple insacred Ujjain city, signalling her presence to the angelic hosts

phal

s.girota

6 what is hinduism? chapter 1 : hinduism, the greatest religion in


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dl d m.tug bd d fdm f md -

qur, hdum rrwly rc xc f dvmr wkd ul, gr dmd d rbllcd u m. ad ug r ym f blf r fully cc-bl md uu w uu f g md, wy u f hdum. t xmmu. t m f v. t lvg hdum yu vfmlly d d b d. Wy ? t buhdum wl f lg w lf. t

r rlg wc c d by lvg hdum, ly r f lg w um f m ll, elp, s Dm.

i wuld y , f lkd ll qul f -mddd m d l ju md, hdum wuld b gr rlg b f rfud mycm l. n f b u d d dug m f myr f xc, r v mycl ym. tu f lgu vl hdum b kd.i kw f qul w. i ym f yg, fmd d ml d slf rlz. nw l r uc gful rvl f r bd f m, ubl d k, y w v ym.ir f urccu r xlrd d md fully hdum, fm l w lg g d ud wd wkd r ccu f m. i W mylly wkd ul w dw hdum f udd-g f f u, dvg f d kg hdum w w d x lw d bl f gudg w v-dg md .

Hinduisms Unbounded Tolerance

i , u w uxl w w uld lv, d d r u g v ld u mbl hdum g l f w frgv fr w fl. i lk w lvg lf dg w . iv my, my . Yu d v d b u lg, yu v lv. t hyd ll l , lz dg um bdy d lk w wuly.

t hdu blv . h bl

bdy w lv, bu ul w bdy f d u. h blv b bdy b b, dd gl lf, rc cuu, lm lf my m blf km u m b bwdly wll m ly f bv f d bv dg hdu , wll uff f glf, fuu lv, my by w y f -lld f b, g lf ff b w fld.

t blf km d xluy my l wld dy, w rlgu r , r cmg m ccluld blv bu url wy, frm d mr gl lf brg hdu grh kw muy f ul k mudd f lv. if f g w,kw rgrg, r wll b mf lg d gwg. t lm xy vyg ll g . tf m lm, f mdg d ulm d ud. t uddg

punya, to deserve welcome into a ne religious

amily as a good soul that will not upset the

amily but add to its love and harmony and

productivity. That is one aim ever on the

mind o the devout Hindu, to live well that

he may live even more perectly in a uture

lie on this planet. That is our aim; and our

other belies, our accumulated knowledge

and the many acets o our religion, give

us the strength and the wisdom to believe

in such a ar-reaching way, to look beyond

the immediate day-to-day concerns intoour ultimate objective, which is realiza-

tion and liberation, moksha. Nor is this

belie in the cycles o earthly existence, in

reincarnation, merely a belie. It is a cer-

tain knowledge or those who have had

even a tiny glimpse into their origins to

the point o remembering another lie or

just intuiting that the soul d id not come

into existence just beore ones birth. The

Hindu believes that the soul undertakes many

sojourns on the planet. We see the wisdom in

this cycle o birth, death and rebirth.

Karma Is Always Just: We see reincarna-

tion as an explanation or many o the appar-ent inequalities observed in lie. Thus we

understand the airness even in a bad

birth, say a birth as a cripple or a child

who dies in inancy. To the Hindu this is

not an accident, but is a natural event

brought orth by the soul itsel through

the karma o unseemly acts and desires

in a previous lie. To the Hindu there is

not one orce in the universe at work tomake all things good and an opposing

orce trying to destroy the soul. No. All

is Gods work. All karma is natural and

worthy o the soul to which it comes.

The Hindu knows that it is the young-

er souls who lack understanding, who

cannot live in harmony with others and

who shun the higher orms o culture

and aith. Rather than inheriting eternal su-

ering or their acts, they earn instead another

opportunity or experience, or learning, or

evolving. The ideas o sin and evil

are dierent in Hinduism rom the

concepts held by Abrahamic reli-

gions. I there is such a thing as sin

to the Hindu, it is the breaking o

the natural laws, a lapse in the pat-

terns o karma and dharma, and

that transgression brings its own

punishment in the orm o an addi-tional karma created to then be

worked out. Thus the Hindu does

not live in ear o sin or under the

notion o original sin. We do not

look upon humanity as inherently

sinul, but inherently perect and

striving to unold that perection

rom within. The Hindu knows that

we will have as many opportunities as needed

to rene and evolve our naturea thousand

lives or more i needed. We dont have to think

that we only have a single ch

which everything must be a

all desires must be ullled.

not in a hurry

We exhibit m

circumstance

who believe

we are more

selves when w

it is that Hindu

joy to its ol

ing o earleso death, an

continuation

ater physica

assurance tha

its own karma

ma is just and

seems that so

ortunate tha

thomas

kelly

david

tropf

thomastkeely

Dedication: (Clockwise) Shaven-headed aspirants await the auspi-cious moment of brahmachari initiation and entry into an order ofworld-renouncing sadhus; pilgrims touch the sculpted stone feet ofVishnu in Tirumala Temples Srivari Padalu shrine; a traditionalKathak dancer in outrageous, colorful costume

8 what is hinduism? chapter 1: hinduism, the greatest religion in


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gv hdu mkbl g um d d f ll m ll g f ul dvlm.

hdum bd. W l f d l f . t l f bgg d f w u bgg. t l f llg - d ly f rm fr fl. t buy f hdum d dmd f vry ul rfc lf, crylu f w blv gl lfm dug wum f g mu b vd. Blf - gv hdu f vy lvl f umy.sm ul r mly ldr ul r, bu ll r rly m, ly mml d f u f Dv.

Hindu Views of the Divinei hdum blvd Gd lvg, kg, dy-m bg w lv dff wld, wld mm w wld w x gmcrcm vbl mcrcm. Fr hdu, urrdr Dv Wll d d vd d gud u-v l. t hdu blv bg gud ux e, ully uly gud vluy. tf, w bg g bg mlf, d m ubjv ud wd m,wdrg f ud w grd frc f uvr,f rl wll w w gr bg wuldv m d. t gv b g ulu, g ud, g l d kd . i gv u-mly lf wk fl umly, bu

g d mu f gd bf w d ully bw.

t d b mll f Gd ug ly fw mj D ully wl. t Gd my b wrd Dv FM Kg f kg f blgff l d g , wll c c f Dy wc m d d bl. t b fug hdu. W rlg mm d duld lym, d y f lg

Gd hdum d b , b byd md d vy ub

t dl f hdu k f Gd lwyd b vr ccu f Gd rc. t drcd Gd, ablu Lrd. t fr cmlv dcl. t fr wll-w wd ffully ml, uu d fud satguru.

Fr m hdu, Gd m Gd, f dv d Mdv w vl u lgl g ul w my v v kwbg w vd l, vd fmd Bg, d w gud vlu. su Gffrg rc d drc fllwr hdu ud k f Gd vry mu fGd vrywr. of cur, m f u d k mu dy. t hdu du d l lgu v, vry dy ml r m r. t ur Gd d Gd.

hdum, s Dm, e e lg vy dff fm g, y m v. hduBuddm, f Budd w b d dd ggv b lg f e, tskm d .

ate has unairly given all the advantages to a

ew. All these things are bestowed on Hindus

simply because they understand the doctrine

o reincarnation. Hinduism is a hopeul and

comorting religion. Hope or a uture

lie makes this lie worthwhile, joyous,

contented and happy, because the

Hindu can live and deal with current

problems, knowing that they are tran-

sitory problems, that they will not last

orever; nor will they aect us orever.

They are problems; we cannot deny

that. But they are problems to be

worked out with a positive attitudeand a high energy and a helping hand

rom our Gods.

The World As Our Teacher: The

Hindu also wants to improve condi-

tions in the world, in the physical

world. We do not look upon all that

happens to us as unreal. That is a misconcep-

tion. It is real. Lie is real. It is through lie that

we progress. Lie is the means provided by

the Primordial God or nding Reality. True,

it is maya. But it is maya in the orm o mind,

in the orm o orm. Maya, or orm, or mind,

is created or a purpose, to help man evolve,

not to bind him in illusion. The Hindu under-

stands this. We want to help humanity,

and simultaneously we know that we

may well return in another physical body.

So we are working not only or ourselves,

but or our loved ones, not only now, but

in the uture as well. We are improving

the world or uture generations in which

we will play a part. Through our knowl-

edge o reincarnation, we have a great

love and un derstanding or every human

being, or they have been our mothers,

our athers, our sons and daughters, our

grandparents and companions in many

past lives, or perhaps will be in a uture

incarnation. This expanded knowledge o

the interrelatedness o humanity brings

with it a deepened appreciation, helping us to

understand why it is that some people seem

so close to us though we hardly know them

and others are strangers or even enemies ater

years o close association. To the Hindu,

everyone younger is his brother or sister.Everyone older is his mother or ather, and

he maintains a deep respect or others.

We have this knowledge by having lived

through many hundreds o lives on this

planet and having been associated with

many thousands o people. We know that

in our current pattern in this lie we oten

attract those to us whom we have been

with in past lives. So we have a great joyand happiness in meeting them again and

a deep knowledge o our relationships,

our psychic relationships, with them in

past lives. The Hindu believes in the law

o karma, the ability to earn ones rewards

as well as punishments. All this we can do our-

selves with the help o our Gods and our per-

sonal relationship with our Ishta De vata, the

individual God that we have chosen, or rather

that God who has chosen t

protect us through an incar

ism there is no priest stand

devotee and God. The prie

the God, just as is

tee. Even the satg

teacher, does not st

disciple and God, bu

strengthen the devo

riential relationship

The Hindu thus nd

relationship with Go

is his relationship, an

to perpetuate it. No

work or him or on h

a great happiness t

devotee and the Go

Hindu temple, whic

nication point with

sacred home shrine.

basilsa

ge

Out of the worshiparise cultural arts

and traditions

that embody thephilosophy anduplift the spirit

himalayan

academy

thomaskelly

Intensity: (Clockwise) Devotees in North York, Ontario, pullthe chariot of Goddess Durga around their temple on July 21,2004; a sadhu sits in a circle of embers for three hours, part of

a 12-year, daily penance, using re in summer, standing in coldwater in winter and in the rain during the rainy season; theelegant face of a Deity icon of Lord Siva Nataraja at KauaisHindu Monastery, site of the editorial ofces of Hinduism Today

10 what is hinduism? chapter 1: hinduism, the greatest religion in


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Three Pillars: Temples, Philosophy, Preceptors

t d f hdum: ml, -ly d satguru. i vy fu l w d-d hdu ml v ly umfd wld. t ml eu, n am, su am, au-l, af d ugu su a. t hdu mld mg wrk cl fr Dy, fr Gd,w v v mg d, ubl fm,g l lv ug gg v u wm ug d. pl m d mld g wy, d y lwly gd fm d u. ty v gd bu vy lf f gd, md b gd d m v

udg ubl fm. t ml f hdum mg mmy d bly lz wld, F Wld f yl, u x d sd d td Wld.

hdu ml d ud m,ug my b ly m d w ml wdv uuly d quly ug. t m, md, d gud w f lgm. t ml m f D, d dv g dg w mg d fr w rculr d. sm my g wd k l m f w, wl mululy - wll b j gd fu d g Gdm kgvg. nurlly, crm f m-gvg dmg d f lly d w ml. o ly d hdu ml dug fvl dy u g gy d vly f lg.

i d , ly, hdum ud

d lgu k f ll ulu ug kw gl ly w b lbld h wk f my l, m mg d vldy f , y d grl c f gl, rd md w. i mu b cludd rmu rry f crur, yvl bj d lcl x wc r cr wld.

i ul d f g, ml w i ll w ml, w d u fd w wld mmu,d u m d mg. i dv m m lk f bg lv m

v f Dy, wg dw w ug md r wrg, f y r fful urc Gd, bcm crur d mk u lt l d l vc f rug uv, dud mg l, by yg d dvu k. i bl b glg ly d v gg mgg ml d v g f d

hdum ll w , d , llum, ul . mv f dk. h w kw l wkg f ml, d w m d ml. t guu w lvl. Lk ml d ly, d u f lrg, r frm f lgrm u f kwldg, d mlf lgm

suld ll ml b dyd, y wuld fm d f ly, fm ad f ll u d ll wwuld b w g fm m u. s h

dyd. i v b dyd. i x w bg. i , ml, satguru, dvdully rc, k gr mm vl d bud lg wld.

The Joy of Pilgrimage: In our religious lie,

one o the most ullling aspects is pilgrimage.

We have a joy in looking orward to a spiritual

journey, and we e xperience a contentment

while on our pilgrimage and later

bask in the glowing atermath o

the pujas. It is like going to see a

great riend, a devotees most loved

riendthe Ishta Devata. We trav-

el to the ar-o temple where this

great riend is eminently present. At

that particular temple, this personal

God perorms a certain unction,oers a speciic type o blessing

to pilgrims who make the pilgrim-

age to that home. In this way, di-

erent temples become amous or

answering certain types o prayers,

such as requests or nancial help,

or prayers or the right mate in mar-

riage, prayers to be entrusted with the raising

o high-souled children, or help in matters oyoga, or help in inspiring bhakti and love. The

Hindu does not have the eeling o having to

take a vacation to get away rom it all. We

dont lead a lie o mental conusions, religious

contradictions and the rustrations that result

rom modern hurried living. We lead a mod-

erate lie, a religious lie. In living a

moderate lie, we then look at our

pilgrimage as a special moment, a

cherished time o setting ordinary

concerns aside and giving ull st age

to our religious longings. It is a time

to take problems and prayers to our

personal God. Unlike the proud

ree thinkers who deem themselvesemancipated, above the religious

lie, we Hindus eel that receiving

the darshana rom the Gods and

the help that comes therein invigo-

rates our being and inspires us to be

even more diligent in our spiritual

lie. Unlike the rationalists who eel

condent that within themselves lie all the

resources to meet all needs, and that praying

to Gods or help is a pathetic exercise in util-ity, the Hindu wisely submits to the Divine

and thus avoids the abyss o disbelie. All

in lie that one would want to get away

rom the Hindu takes with him on a pil-

grimage to the temple, to the eet o his

personal God, to the inner-plane being or

Mahadeva, who needs no physical body

with which to communicate with peo-

pleto the God who has a nerve system

so sensitive and well developed that as ithovers over the stone image, which looks

similar to how the Deity would look on

the inner planes, this being o light can

communicate with the pilgrims who

visit the temple. This being o light, this

Mahadeva, can and does absorb all o

the dross the devotees have to oer, and

gives back blessings which bring happiness

and release to them. Thus, the pilgrimage is

not travel in the ordinary sense o travel, but

rather going to see a person

is nearest and dearest, but

physical body. The Hindu

joythe certaint y o

in difcult times, we a

knowledge o our relig

that no soul that ever e

exist in uture ex trapol

space will ever ail to

The Hindu knows that

day merge into God; a

God, who created all so

our maturing into His lback to Himsel, whic

rom ourselves. The Hin

ing and personal devel

on this planet, knows t

God is the nal goal. T

this belie release us ro

any superiority by w

dinodia

thomaskelly

Joyousness:(Clockwise) In Jejuri, as the palanquin carrying the

images of Khandoba and Malshabai circumvent the temple, anexuberant crowd showers turmeric powder, coloring everyonein the yellow kinship of devotion. Modern, well-to-do Hindus onpilgrimage in Tirupati; women at the marketplace in Nepal

thomaskelly



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Hinduisms Fathomless Diversity

hdum gd dvy mg my . t d-vy lf g, wg w bd d mghdum . i d k v ll dv blv xlylk. i f, l uy, gl gzd u- w uld v lm f u m. t mm uy, bu l g d wdm fhdum dvry, vry. tr r my c whdum yu culd d lfm udyg m d vrbg m ll. Mr r y gl um bguld ml gl lfm. hdum, f, mgm dw u bk mmy lf f lf. e my b d b full lg w g, w ll

crm f f, w cry r mg. trfr, c wk f dvdul w mlly, d l- ll . i d lly dv lf fm , dyg blf, bu mly xud lmd r f v ly, r frm ll r, b udd by lmd ful f m.

t vu d dv w hdum ll gfm u. M hdu blv dl Gd wll l Ld Gd, d y w bud f f m f -blv, f f g w g d dvlg blf. tbg uqu u lg b f y.t u g hdum, f gl g v blf. D d sadhana dd blu, bu m blu d, d y b ld dvdul d d u. My satguru wuldy dff qud f dff lm.

i hdum ul ubw m d Gd. i f, hdum t ml v f D k f Gd u. h d r f ml, bu d rv bwd Gdwv f my Gd w my b wg. Wu md, fully u dvdul. t h bl f , f ug, f l w Gd. h mu wk u d, wu udu dd u xu, mu l, mu my b w v vuly g ug w w

ug d uzd dgmd bg g lf fm w mlfW ly, l lm

b fud w m f m d dlv w mlf ug kudl mlf wkg f f d lzd h dl wll h f w l x bu uu d bd.

hdum uqu bcu Gd d m, md v md, llcul md d urccu m, dg vlu f dvdul. eg w lf-d km, w fu g f vlu, w dblly v, w ll ll gudd by m d mul, ty v l x f Dy glly fful x. ty fd f m dug uj g w df lv l. h w l x

bu x f lv, f d f u, d by d. e x f Gd lr. tr -bw, rbrr f ml Gd xly

considers himsel or hersel as especially mer-

iting Gods grace while others are lost. For the

Hindu, there is an assurance that all souls will

eventually enjoy liberation, and that includes

ourselves and all o our riends and

amily. We need never ear otherwise.

The Joy of Mystisicm: Then there

is the joy o the mysticism o Hindu-

ism. It is the worlds most magical reli-

gion, oering worlds within worlds o

esoteric discovery and perception. The

inner worlds are what Hindu mystics

tell o in the greatest richness and

reedom o expression that exists on

the planet. Mysticism in Hinduism is

more out-ront than in all the other

religions o the world. As a result, it is

enjoyed by more o the people in our

religion. Mysticism is discussed more

broadly and not limited to a ew great

souls or a handul o pandits. The mysticism

o Hinduism is or all the people; yet, too, in

its esoteric aspect it is protected at its core

and kept sacred by being kept secret. How

grand is the Hindu mystical tradition, with its

sadhanas and yogas, with its wealth o under-

standing o the etheric bodies, o the nadis

and the chakras, o the aura and the pranas,o the various states o consciousness

and levels o existence, and so much

more. No other religion on the Earth

can ever begin to equal Hinduisms

mystical teachings; all that wealth is

the rightul inheritance o each Hin-

du. The Hindu enjoys all the acets

o lie as transmuted into a religious

expression in art. The Hindus art is a

religious artdrawing, painting and

sculpture o the Gods, the devas, and

the saints o our religion. The music

is devotional and depicts the tones o

the higher chakras, echoes the voices

o the Gods; and the dance emulates

the movements o the Gods. We are

never ar away rom sights, sounds and sym-

bols o our religion. A mountaintop represents

Lord Siva; a hill represents Lord Murugan, Kart-

tikeya; and sugar cane elds represent Lord

Ganesha. Every thing that one sees on the

planet represents something religious. Art is

not merely or egotistical and existential sel-

expression, but or spiritual expression, doneconsciously in service to the Divine. That is why

one seldom sees or even knows the name o

the artist o the great Hindu artistic creations.

The artist is not creating in order to be come

amous or rich. He is surrendering his talents,

serving his Gods and his religion through his

art, and his art takes on a certain sacredness.

One great joy that the Hindu has is the appre-

ciation or all other religions. Hinduism is theo-

centric, that means God-centric, whereas most

other religions are prophet-centric, revolving

around the personality o some living person

or some person who once lived in history and

interpreted religion to his culture in his time.

Hinduism has no ounder. It was never ound-

ed. It has neither a beginnin

coexistent with man himse

called the Sanatana Dharma

It is not one mans teachingIt is not limited to a single a

consists o the entire spectrious components as i throu

not say that this religion is w

right. It sees God everywhe

the great religions. The HinBuddha without becoming

understand Jesus without

tian. Thereore, the joys o

the world become the joys o

as Hindus, we must rst thi

happiness within our own

our blessings. Come closer

religion. The many Gods a

world now and have cir

planet with their shakti o

david

tropf

devraj

agarwal

zumapress,charla

jone

s

phals.girota

Devotion: (Clockwise) Devotees observe evening re offerings

to the Ganga River at the Kumbha Mela in Haridwar,1998;the Kandaswamy Temple in Kuala Lumpur; a boy, representingLord Ganesha, is ceremoniously bathed during the Holy

Waters Festival at Torontos Varasiththi Vinaayagar Temple



8/9

penetrate with spiritual power, bringing har-

mony and culture, balancing out the dharma

o the planet. Hinduism is such a great reli-

gion. All practicing Hindus are very proud o

their religion. Unortunately, these days

too many born into the religion are not

all that proud to be Hindus, but this is

slowly changing. Hindus are now wel-

coming into their religion others who are,

o their own volition, adopting or con-

verting into the Sanatana Dharma. They

are proud enough o their aith to want

others to share its wisdom, its mysticism,

its scriptures, its broadmindedness, its

magnicent temples and its nal conclu-

sions or all mankind. To all Hindus, who

today are ound in every country on the

Earth, I say: Courage! Courage! Cour-

age! Have the courage to know beyond

a doubt that Hinduism is the greatest

religion in the world. We must be proud o this.

Hinduism Cannot Be Destroyed: It is alse

to think that one has to be born a Hindu in

order to be a Hindu. That is a concept postu-

lated by certain caste-based Hindu lineages

and reinorced by the Christians in their eortto hinder the growth o our religion, to deprive

it o new lie, to hold it down while they in

turn try to convert Hindus en masse

to their religion. Swami Vivekananda

(), a Hindu monk and mission-

ary who wrote extensively on the Hindu

Dharma, when conronted by this sameissue in the West would explain how Hin-

dus who have been converted by orce

should not be denied an opportunity o

returning to their ancestral religion. As

or the case o those not born into Hin-

duism who might be interested to join it,

he simply said, Why, born aliens have

been converted in the past by crowds,

and the process is still going on. Dr. S.

Radhakrishnan (), the distin-guished Hindu philosopher who became

the second president o India, conrms this

view in writing, In a sense, Hinduism may be

regarded as the rst example in the world o a

missionary religion. Only its missionary spirit

is dierent rom that associated with the

proselytizing creeds. It did not regard as

its mission to convert humanity to one

opinion. For what counts is conduct and

not belie. The ancient practice o vra-

tyastoma, described ully in the Tandya

Brahmana,shows that not only individu-

als but whole tribes were absorbed into

Hinduism. During the era o Indias

domination by alien religions, when Hin-

duism was scheduled to be destroyed,

the attack was to be carried out in three

ways. The rst strategy was to convincethe women to abandon their age-old stri

dharmao maintaining the home, its

purity and ways o worshipthus draw-

ing them away rom the household in order

to receive a so-called higher education or to

teach in alien religious schools, thus denyinguture generations the mothers religious coun-

sel and grounding in the dhstrategy was to overtly break

castes o temple priests by accept other, oten higher pa

thus leaving the t

ed. The third st

vince Hindus th

ited a crude and

This last attack w

mainly through

ing every aspec

that could poss

For example, tho

Hinduism claime

ments. Why, Hin

sacraments, mo

ceremonies or i

perhaps any oth

world. These sa

the namakarana

Within Hinduism Is a Place for Everyone

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t hdu md m , ld Gd- lg. t f hdlu, ml, fml, l Gd w mfu d m f fm vblh d u fm fm myd f Gd

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thomaskelly

pradip

gupta/dinodia

lindsayhebbard

hindusismt

oday

People: (Clockwise) Holy men at the Allahabad Kumbha Melain 2001 parade to the bathing ghats, carrying elaborate dandas,symbols of spiritual authority; ower vendors in Kalikut, readyat dawn with garlands of marigolds, prepared as offerings to the

Gods. During Raksha Bhandan a girl ties a bracel et on her broth-ers wrist, betokening her love and prayers for his welfare, andhis commitment to protect her. Pilgrims arrive at Tirupati Templewearing yellow as a sign of austerity and sacrice.



9/9

giving sacrament; annaprashana, rst eeding;

karnavedha, ear-piercing; vidyarambha, com-

mencement o learning; vivaha, marriage; and

many others. Though India was politically

dominated or generations by adherents o

alien aiths, and though every attempt

was made to discourage, weaken and

crush the native religion, the careully

calculated, systematic assault ailed to

destroy Hinduism. Hinduism cannot

be destroyed. It is the venerable eter-

nal religion, the Sanatana Dharma. But

it was an eective campaign that has

let in its wake deep samskaricpatterns,

deep subconscious impressions, which

still persist in the minds o the Indian

people. It is going to be diicult tocompletely eradicate these im pressions,

but with the help o all the millions o

Hindus throughout the world, in adher-

ing to and extolling the benets and

joys o Hinduism and the gits which it

holds or mankind, this is possible and easible,

within the range o accomplishment, perhaps

within this very generation.

Bringing in Ardent Seekers: Hindus

should reely welcome sincere devotees into

their religion, not those who already have a

rm religion and are content, but those who

are seeking, who believe, as millions in the

West already believe, in the laws o karma

and reincarnation and the existence o the

ever-present God that permeates thisplanet and the universe. Hindus should

reely embrace those who believe in

the Gods and all we have been speak-

ing about earlier, or whom other reli-

gious avenues have proved empty and

ruitless. There are certain matured

souls or whom the Sanatana Dharma

can be the only true religion, who have

no other religion and who will seek

and seek until they come upon its pro-

ound truths, perhaps in an old scrip-

ture, or in a temple sanctum during puja or in

the eyes o an awakened siddha yogi. These

souls we must help. We must teach them o

our religion and allow them to ully accept or

reject it, to accept it because they know it, or

to reject it because they know it and

are not ready to meet Maha Ganapati

and humbly sit at the eet o this most

proound Lord. There are many lost

souls on the planet today who die inthe physical worldlose their physical

bodywander on the astral plane a

short time and are caught up imme-

diately in another womb. They have

no knowledge o other states o exis-

tence or o the workings o reincarna-

tion. They have no time or the bliss o

these in-between, astral states. They

have no time or assessing their last

lie and preparing or the next, which

they could then enter with new knowl-

edge, no time or inner attunement

with the Gods in the inner worlds between

death and birth. Instead, they are caught in a

constant cycle o esh, making esh and liv-

ing in esh, with the soul being immersed in

ignorance and the darkness o the conscious-

ness o esh. Hinduism erad

oering knowledge o the s

and death and then lie aga

impressions within the min

uals, which then bring the

drome so that they c

years, in act, o edu

edge in the inner pl

ness between births

come back into a

more awakened sou

let their last physica

We must not be

come these sincere

to assist them in n

they seek and do n

It is our dharma to h

ism has always wel

and converts. Bring

the religion. Teach

Counsel them. Prodence. Have courage

Argentina4,000

Jamaica25,000 Trinidad: 320,000

Guyana: 450,000

Netherlands180,000

England: 1,300,000

Germany: 100,000France: 150,000

Belgium: 6,000Austria: 6,100Spain: 12,500

Portugal: 8,000

Nigeria: 30,000

Uganda: 20,000

Zambia: 25,000

Malavi: 3,000

Botswana: 7,000

Zimbabwe: 6,000

Japan: 6,000

Bhutan: 300,000

Bangladesh: 12,100,000

Myanmar: 294,000

Vietnam: 5,500Thailand: 7,000

Philippines:1,100Indonesia: 5,900,000

Fiji: 600,000

New Zealand47,000

India895,000,000

Sri Lanka2,200,000

S.Yemen: 7,000Somalia: 6,000

Kenya: 75,000Tanzania: 70,000

Reunion: 290,000Mauritius: 700,000

:Madagascar 1,100

South Africa: 1,430,000

Malaysia1,290,000

Singapore171,000

Bahrain: 24,000Egypt: 6,000

Ethiopia: 3,000

Afghanistan130,000

Pakistan1,200,000Hawaii: 700

Kauai Aadheenam: 30Gulf States: 310,000

Italy: 25,000

French Guyana: 5,000

Martinique andGuadaloupe

50,000

Nepal: 21,000,000

Norway: 11,000

Switzerland: 60,000

Russia: 15,000

Sweden: 8,000

Denmark: 15,000

Suriname: 200,000

Serbia & Montenegro: 8,000

China: 93,000

Brazil: 25,000

Canada: 470,000

United States:2,000,000

Australia:75,000

sunder

raj

sat

sahitya

prakashan

trust

Youth: (Left) Hindu school girls in Ban-

galore; right, boys attending Ramesh-

bhai Ozas Hindu school at Sandipani

Vidyaniketan near Porbandar, Gujarat

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cg ............100

clmb ........60

cub ..............100

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Fld ..........100

Gb .............100

G ..............600

Gu ................50

hugy .............50

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World PoPulation 2002

hdu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 bllcl . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 .4 b ll Mul m . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 .3 bl lnblv . . . . . . . . 900 mllp . . . . . . . . . . 600 mllcfu . . . . . . . . . . 400 mll Budd . . . . . . . . . . 360 mlltbl . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 ml lt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50 ml ls . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 mll

Jw . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 mllsk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 mll

J . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 mllZ . . . . . . . . . . . 125,000o F . . . . . . . . . 77 mllTotal 6 25 bil lion


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