| The ancient Persians in whose language the letter
'sa' got metamorphosed into 'ha', used to call this land of the river Sindhu
(Indus) as Hindusthan or Hindudesh, the people as Hindus and their religion as
Hind Dharma.
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Question
2.
From whom did it originate and when?
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Unlike the other religions of the world, Hinduism did not originate
with any single prophet or at a particular period of human history.
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Question
3.
What is the basic scripture of Hinduism? Would you epitomize its
contents? |
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The Vedas are the basic scriptures of Hinduism. Literally Veda means
knowledge or wisdom.
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Question
4.
Many persons entertain wrong notions about Yajnas and Yagas. Is it
possible to otter rational explanations to the objections often
raised by them?
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If we are interested in living happily in this world, there must be
the spirit of mutual co operation amongst us.
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Question
5.
Are there other scriptures also, considered sacred and
authoritative?
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In Hinduism, the number of books, considered as sacred, is legion.
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Question
6.
Belief in God is common to almost all the religions of the world.
What Is the nature of God according to Hinduism?
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God is one only, one without a second. His nature is Sachitananda i.e., eternal Existence Consciousness Bliss.
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Question
7.
If the Hindus really believe in one God, why do they worship a
variety of gods like Siva, Devi, Vishau or Ganapati? Is it not
tantamount to accepting many gods and godlings ? As If in approval
of this tenet, don't we see these gods competing and conflicting
with one another, if we an to believe the stories in our ?
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Though Hinduism concedes the existence of several gods or deities,
it accepts only one God, the Supreme.
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Question
8.
Is it not the height of foolishness to worship manmade images of
stone, clay or metal? Does it not betray utter ignorance and
superstition?
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This objection, which is very common, has been raised without
a proper understanding of the great and sublime principle
behind image worship.
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Question
9.
It is customary to install these images in temples which millions of
Hindus visit to offer worship. What is the justification for this?
Also, what is the significance of a temple?
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God exists. He is the creator and controller. His grace gives us
happiness and peace. His wrath brings about sorrow and suffering.
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Question
10.
What is the significance of worship, whether at home or at the
temple? Is there any prescribed method for doing it?
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Puja or worship is a loving entertainment of God, even as we
entertain our friends and relatives whom we love.
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Question
11.
Why should not the ordinary spoken language be used in worship
instead of Sanskrit? Will this not enable us to understand and
follow these rites better? |
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Pita (worship), Homa (sacrifice) and other similar religious rites
are considered as sacred and holy acts.
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Question
12.
Are non Hindus permitted into Hindu temples?
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Of late, non Hindus also are being permitted to enter many Hindu
temples. In some temples, however, admission is restricted to
certain parts of the temple only.
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Question
13. Allied to this topic, two more queries crop up. First Why and
how should we observe the festivals?
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Celebration of festivals and sacred days is a common phenomenon
found in all religions.
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14. Second Where is the need for pilgrimages? Are there set rules to
be observed while undertaking them?
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A routine daily life in this humdrum world generates boredom very
soon.
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Question
15.
It is the bitter experience of Hindu pilgrims that they are
exploited and harassed by unscrupulous Pandas priests in the pilgrim
centre. How can this be eradicated? |
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This is a fundamental problem. Or, rather, it is the symptom of a
fundamental problem.
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Question
16.
Is it true that God incarnates in the harm form? How does it take
place? Are there as recognized limits to such incarnations? |
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In such matters as this, it is the Sastra or the
scripture that is our authority.
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Question
17.
So much about God and Hindu beliefs concerning Him. Coming to man as
a subject, what has Hinduism to say about the nature of man and the
purpose of his life? |
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Though this question appears to be short and simple, it concerns a
very profound subject discussed in our philosophical works.
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Question
18.
In that case, why do we undergo suffering in life? Will it never
come to an end? |
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It is exactly this that has been called Maya, Ajnana or Avidya!
Because of it, we forget our real nature as Atman, identify
ourselves with the body, senses and mind, and consequently suffer.
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Question
19.
Is Moksha the only goal of life? Has Hinduism relegated other goals
concerned with life in this world?
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No; this is in fact one of the misconceptions about Hindu values of
life.
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Question
20.
What is Moksha? What will that experience be like? How can one
attain it? |
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We know from our direct experience that we are separate from the
dress we wear or the house we live in.
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Question
21.
What Is Vedanta? Are there different schools in it? If so, what is
the essential teaching of each school? |
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Meaning of the word anta is end or essence. Since the Upanishads
form the end portions of the Vedas and contain their essence, they
have been termed as Vedanta.
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Question
22.
What is the meaning of Yoga, a word which we hear so often? How many
Yogas are there? How do we practise yoga?
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Yoga is that which unites (yuj to yoke) the Jivatman (the individual
soul) with the Paramatman (the Supreme Self or God).
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Question
23.
In this connection one is reminded of such terms as Guru (teacher),
Sishya (disciple), Ishtadevata (the favourite deity for
contemplation), Mantra (divine mm or the spiritual formula), Pranava
(the syllable Om), Diksha (initiation), Dhyana (contemplation) and
Japa (repetition of divine name or spiritual formula). What do they
mm?
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Guru is one who dispels the darkness of ignorance and bestows the
light of knowledge.
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Question
24.
Is there rebirth for human beings? If so, what causes it? |
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There is rebirth for human beings and it is Karma that causes it. It
is common experience that an injury.caused by a few
seconds' exposure to fire will take several days (=3Dmillions of
seconds!) to heal up.
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Question
25.
Can the theory of Kama stand the test of reason? Can we not say that
this theory has retarded the progress of the Hindu society?
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The theory of Karma is just an extension of the well known maxim:
'As you sow, so you reap', to the inner world of moral values.
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Question
26.
The world we live in, the universe we see and observe how were they
created? Have the Hindu scriptures attempted any explanation of this
phenomenon? Can their explanations stand the scrutiny of science?
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The secret behind the creation of this world as also the process of
creation the mystery surrounding the phenomena of birth and
death.
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Question
27.
The caste system has taken roots firmly and deeply in the Hindu
Society. Mutual hatred based on castes and consequent conflicts are
also raising their ugly head. There is a widespread belief that the
Varna system is directly responsible for this state of affairs. How
far is it true? How did the caste system originate and what is its mature?
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The early Vedic society seems to have been divided into two broad
groups:
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Question
28.
Allied to this problem, two more questions can be raised: Do the
Hindu scriptures Prohibit inter dining, which pre supposes
transcending the caste barrier? Does inter marriage have their
sanction? |
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Many of the Dharmasastras permit even the Brahmanas to accept food
from persons who are of pure character, whatever be their caste.
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Question
29.
All thoughtful people are agreed that untouchability is a blot on
the Hindu Society. Is there any authority for such discrimination in
the Sastras? If not, how did this practice develop? What steps have
been taken by the Hindu reformers to eradicate this evil?
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There are no two opinions about the urgent need for eradication of
untouchability which is universally considered as a blot on the
Hindu society.
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Question
30.
What is the Varna Ashrama system? Are these institutions sill in
vogue today?
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According to the Value system propounded by Hinduism, Moksha or
spiritual emancipation is the ultimate goal of life.
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Question
31.
What is Samskara? How many Samskaras have been listed in out
scriptures? Why should they be undertaken? What are the Samskaras
that are still extant and applicable to all sections of Hindus
society?
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Our life can be compared to a Yajna, a sacrifice. Even as the
implements of a sacrifice are cleaned and purified, every Hindu is
expected to cleanse and purify his body and mind through certain
rites.
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Question
32.
Granting that a Person is purified by these Samskaras what are the
factors that pollute him?
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The Sastras declare that an individual is polluted by physical
impurities while residing in the mother's womb and by Ajnana or
ignorance in later life.
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Question
33.
In this context, can the concepts of Papa (sin, evil) and Punya
(virtue, merit, good) be clarified and explained? Also, are there
moral and ethical principles universally applicable to all sections
of Hindu society?
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The concepts of good and evil, sin and virtue, exist practically in
all religions. There is an oft quoted saying that defines Punya
(virtue or good) as doing good to others and Papa (sin, evil) as
harming others.
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Question
34.
What is the status accorded to woman in Hindu Society? Does she have
equality with man? How much does she enjoy? |
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Hinduism has looked at the status and position of woman from two
standpoints.
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Question
35.
When we observe the evolution of Hinduism through the ages and
recognize that it is still a powerful living faith in spite of the
various vicissitudes it had to pass through, we are obliged to
concede that there must be some basic enduring quality. Do the
various reform movements in Hinduism have a hand in shaping it?
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Undoubtedly. Hinduism has an enduring trait which has been shaped.
sustained and strengthened by the various reform movements over the
ages.
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Question
36.
What were these principal reform movements?
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The sages of the Upanishadic age, were the forerunners of all the
reform movements.
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Question
37.
Have our Mathas (monastic seats) and the several religious
institutions been participating in this movement? Somehow they do
not seem to hold forth much promise as instruments of reform. How
can these institutions he rejuvenated and reactivated?
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Some of the modern Mathas and religious institutions are a direct
outcome of this latest reform movement.
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Question
38.
What should be the ideal daily routine for a Hindu? |
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An ideal daily routine for a Hindu could perhaps be suggested as
follows:
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Question
39.
It seems that the Hindu society is now at the crossroads of history.
What should we do to build up a new Hindu society based on the
eternal values of Hinduism?
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Firstly: We have to lead a good life as suggested in the foregoing
section.
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40.
And lastly What should be the attitude of a Hindu towards other
religions? |
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An ideal Hindu believes that different religions are like the
different radii of a circle, each leading to the self same centre,
the centre being God experience.
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