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This is a very
short chapter. Whether the Supreme Being is denominated as Hari or Siva, popular Hinduism
does not differ in
respect of the awe, reverence and surrender to the Will of that Supreme Being from the
followers of Christianity, Judaism or Islam, or other monotheistic religions.
Sophisticated Hinduism also has gravitated from its subtle discussion to this simple
monotheistic and what may be called Dwaita approach.
Sri
Sankara himself, the great expounder of Adwaitic philosophy has sung devotional songs of
superb beauty demonstrating that metaphysical enquiry apart, the Bhakti approach is what
he approves and prescribes for all Hindus.
But there is a distinction, which marks Hinduism. It is its
reconciliation of monotheism with the polytheistic approach of traditional Hinduism. All
the gods and goddesses worshipped by the Hindus are aspects of the Supreme Being governing
the Universe and well recognized as such, both by the learned and by the least
learned.
Author : Shri C. Raja Gopalachari
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