Hindu family life?

1. What is it like to be the oldest male sibling in a Hindu family?
2. How does your religion play into your family's values?
3. Do you get any strange looks or harassment from other religions and people?

Answer taken from

http://au.answers.yahoo.com/answers2/frontend.php/question?qid=20071001210652AARvav9

Hinduism, the world’s oldest religion, has no beginning--it precedes recorded history. It has no human founder. It is a mystical religion, leading the devotee to personally experience the Truth within, finally reaching the pinnacle of consciousness where man and God are one. Hinduism has four main denominations--Saivism, Shaktism, Vaishnavism and Smartism.

The following nine facts, though not exhaustive, offer a simple summary of Hindu spirituality or about Hinudism.

1 Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality.

2 Hindus believe in the divinity of the four Vedas, the world's most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God's word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion.

3 Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution.

4 Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.

5 Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be deprived of this destiny.

6 Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals, sacraments and personal devotionals create a communion with these devas (divine beings) and God.

7 Hindus believe that an enlightened master, or satguru, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry, meditation and surrender in God.

8 Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, noninjury, in thought, word and deed.

9 Hindus believe that no religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine paths are facets of God's Light, deserving tolerance and understanding.

The Veda is the Hindu holy book. The four books of the Vedas—Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva—include over 100,000 verses. The knowledge imparted by the Vedas ranges from earthy devotion to high philosophy. Their words and wisdom permeate Hindu thought, ritual and meditation. The Vedas are the ultimate scriptural authority for Hindus. Their oldest portions are said by some to date back as far as 6,000 bce, orally transmitted for most of history and written down in Sanskrit in the last few millennia, making them the world’s longest and most ancient scripture. TheVedas open a rare window into ancient Indian society, proclaiming life’s sacredness and the way to oneness with God.

Hinduism is unique among the world's religions. I boldly proclaim it the oldest religion in the world. To begin with, it is mankind's oldest spiritual declaration, the very fountainhead of faith on the planet. Hinduism's venerable age has seasoned it to maturity. It is the only religion, to my knowledge, which is not founded in a single historic event or prophet, but which itself precedes recorded history. Hinduism has been called the "cradle of spirituality," and the "mother of all religions," partially because it has influenced virtually every major religion and partly because it can absorb all other religions, honor and embrace their scriptures, their saints, their philosophy. This is possible because Hinduism looks compassionately on all genuine spiritual effort and knows unmistakably that all souls are evolving toward union with the Divine, and all are destined, without exception, to achieve spiritual enlightenment and liberation in this or a future life.

Now to your questions

1.

A respected member of the family, who oversees the family activies and advises family members whenever requested.

2.Hinduism plays an important role in the family life. Some examples

Instructions for Men

SUTRA 81: MODESTY WITH WOMENDevout Hindu men speak to and associate mostly with men. Conversation with women, especially the wives of other men, is not prolonged. To avoid intimacy, one's gaze is directed at the hairline, not into the eyes. Aum.

SUTRA 82: RESPECT FOR WOMENAll Siva's men devotees go out of their way to express respect, bordering on reverence, for women. They never demean them in speech, watch vulgar or erotic shows, or associate with lustful or promiscuous women. Aum.

SUTRA 83: KINDLINESS TOWARD WOMENSiva's men devotees never argue with women, antagonize, disrespect, tease or abuse them in any way. They are always kindly, protective, helpful and understanding, honoring the mother spirit within women. Aum.

SUTRA 84: WEARING TRADITIONAL CLOTHINGSiva's men devotees dress, whenever appropriate, in impeccable traditional Hindu attire, always at home, in the temple and at religious/cultural events. Their outer elegance is equaled only by their inner dignity. Aum.

SUTRA 85: THE HOME AS REFUGESiva's men devotees, on arriving home from work, immediately bathe and enter their shrine for the blessings of Gods and guru to dispel worldly forces and regain the state of Siva consciousness. Aum Namah Sivaya.Instructions for Husbands

SUTRA 86: CARING FOR ONE'S WIFEEach of Siva's married men devotees loves and cares for his wife, despite any shortcomings. He is forbidden to strike or speak harshly to her or ignore her needs. If he does, he must seek family and professional help. Aum.

SUTRA 87: RESTRAINT WITH OTHER WOMENSiva's married men, in the workplace and in the world, hold a courteous aloofness toward all women, whether young, older, single, married, divorced or widowed. They reserve their affections for wife and family. Aum.

SUTRA 88: COMMUNICATING DAILY When away from home, each of Siva's married men devotees contacts his wife every day to express his love and inquire about her day. He avoids rowdy company and never visits another woman's home alone. Aum.

SUTRA 89: FULFILLING ALL HER NEEDS AND WANTSSiva's devotees who are husbands practice the mystical law of caring for and giving the wife all she needs and all she wants, thus releasing her shakti energy from within, making him contented, successful and magnetic. Aum.

SUTRA 90: FAMILY TOGETHERNESSEach of Siva's devotees who is a husband spends time with his wife and children daily. Monday is a family evening at home. One night monthly is devoted to the wife alone in an activity of her choice. Aum Namah Sivaya.

Instructions for Women

SUTRA 91: WOMEN'S ATTIRE Siva's women devotees wear, whenever appropriate, traditional Hindu attire, always at home and in the temple, adding rich jewelry for cultural events. Ever modest and elegant, they never expose breasts or thighs. Aum.

SUTRA 92: MODESTY WITH MENDevout Hindu women associate mostly with women. Conversation with males, especially married men, is by custom limited. Intimate exchange of energies is avoided by looking at the hairline, not into the eyes. Aum.

SUTRA 93: HER MONTHLY RETREATSiva's women devotees, by custom, rest and regenerate physical forces during menses, refraining from heavy or demanding work. On these days they do not enter temples or home shrines, or approach holy men. Aum.

SUTRA 94: UPHOLDING FEMININE DHARMADevout Hindu women are fulfilled in living and passing on the dharma to the youth as their special duty, unlike those who, swayed by feminist thinking, feel unfulfilled and criticize Hinduism as being male dominated. Aum.

SUTRA 95: NOT CONTROLLING MEN EMOTIONALLYSiva's women devotees never become angry with a man, maliciously belittle or verbally abuse him, or use other emotional controls, such as disdain, accusation, crying, or prolonged pouting or silence. Aum Namah Sivaya.Instructions for Wives

SUTRA 96: SHE WORSHIPS HER WEDDING PENDANTEach of Siva's married women devotees each morning worships her wedding pendant, for it betokens her dear husband, whom she reveres as Siva Himself, and the spiritual bond and goals she shares with him. Aum.

SUTRA 97: BEING MODEST WITH OTHER MENSiva's married women maintain a kindly and modest reserve toward all men, be they young, older, single, married, divorced or widowed. They shower all their love and attention on their husband and family. Aum.

SUTRA 98: FULFILLING MORNING DUTIESEach of Siva's married women devotees observes the custom of arising before her husband, to bathe, ready the shrine and prepare his morning beverage. First up and last to retire, she is in charge of her home. Aum.

SUTRA 99: MEALTIME CUSTOMSEach of Siva's married women devotees joyously observes at mealtimes the ancient custom of serving her husband and family first. When they are satisfied, she is fulfilled and only then sits down for her own meal. Aum.

SUTRA 100: TAKING ACTION IF ABUSED Each of Siva's married women loves and serves her husband, despite any shortcomings. But if he ever strikes her or the children, she is duty-bound to seek help from family, friends and community. Aum Namah Sivaya.

There are many more guidelines to live a harmonious life in this planet. Hinduism influences our daily life.

3.

Yes,those culture or group of people from overseas who are very materialistic, fundamentalists, think that their religion is the greatest and try to unethically convert and control illiterate masses in India for money and create problems within our society. The invaders for centuries plundered our country, took all the wealth from us and they now call us beggars.

What makes up the Hindu religion?

1. Hindus believe in the divinity of the Vedas, the world's most ancient scripture, and venerate the Agamas as equally revealed. These primordial hymns are God's word and the bedrock of Sanatana Dharma, the eternal religion which has neither beginning nor end.

2. Hindus believe in a one, all-pervasive Supreme Being who is both immanent and transcendent, both Creator and Unmanifest Reality.

3. Hindus believe that the universe undergoes endless cycles of creation, preservation and dissolution.

4. Hindus believe in karma, the law of cause and effect by which each individual creates his own destiny by his thoughts, words and deeds.


5. Hindus believe that the soul reincarnates, evolving through many births until all karmas have been resolved, and moksha, spiritual knowledge and liberation from the cycle of rebirth, is attained. Not a single soul will be eternally deprived of this destiny.


6. Hindus believe that divine beings exist in unseen worlds and that temple worship, rituals and sacraments as well as personal devotionals create a communion with these devas and Gods.


7. Hindus believe that a spiritually awakened master, or satguru,, is essential to know the Transcendent Absolute, as are personal discipline, good conduct, purification, pilgrimage, self-inquiry and meditation.


8. Hindus believe that all life is sacred, to be loved and revered, and therefore practice ahimsa, "non injury."


9. Hindus believe that no particular religion teaches the only way to salvation above all others, but that all genuine religious paths are facets of God's Pure Love and Light, deserving tolerance and understanding.

.
The millions of gods:

Just as a single force in space can be mathematically conceived as having various spatial components, the Supreme Being or God, the personal form of the Ultimate Reality, is conceived by Hindus as having various aspects. A Hindu deity (god or goddess; note small g) represents a particular aspect of the Supreme Being. For example, Saraswati represents the learning and knowledge aspect of the Supreme Being. Thus, if a Hindu wants to pray for acquiring knowledge and understanding, he prays to Saraswati. Just as sunlight cannot have a separate and independent existence from the sun itself, a Hindu deity does not have a separate and independent existence from the Supreme Being. Thus, Hindu worship of deities is monotheistic polytheism and not simple polytheism.

Hindus declare that there is only one Supreme Being and He is the God of all religions. There is no "other God." Thus the Biblical Commandment "Thou shalt have no other God before me," really means, "Thou shalt not deny the Ultimate Reality or worship any power other than the Ultimate Reality."

Hindus view cosmic activity of the Supreme Being as comprised of three tasks: creation, preservation, and dissolution and recreation. Hindus associate these three cosmic tasks with the three deities, Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Lord Brahma brings forth the creation and represents the creative principle of the Supreme Being. Lord Vishnu maintains the universe and represents the eternal principle of preservation. Lord Shiva represents the principle of dissolution and recreation. These three deities together form the Hindu Trinity.



One must clearly understand that Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva are not three independent deities. They represent the same power (the Supreme Being), but in three different aspects. Just as a man may be called a doctor, father or husband based upon the tasks he performs, the Supreme Being is called Brahma, Vishnu or Shiva when conceived as performing the three different cosmic tasks of creation, preser-vation, and dissolution/recreation. "The oneness of the three gods Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva is brought out by the mystic symbol AUM where 'A' represents Vishnu, 'U' Shiva and 'M' Brahma."


Hindu religion is often labeled as a religion of 330 million gods. This misunderstanding arises when people fail to grasp the symbolism of the Hindu pantheon. According to the Hindu scriptures, living beings are not apart from God, since He lives in each and every one of them in the form of atman (BG 10.39). Thus each living being is a unique manifestation of God. In ancient times it was believed that there were 330 million living beings. This gave rise to the idea of 330 million deities or gods. Actually, this vast number of gods could not have been possibly worshipped, since 330 million names could not have been designed for them. The number 330 million was simply used to give a symbolic expression to the fundamental Hindu doctrine that God lives in the hearts of all living beings.



Caste system:

We learned how human kind can be divided in four general categories. There are those who can think and intellectualize; they are the Brahmins; these include people like Einstein and Gautama Sidhartha. Then there are those who have the capacity to rule; these include people like Winston Churchil or Adolph Hitler. There are others who can generate wealth; these include people like William Gates and the Walton family. Lastly there are people who derive pleasure in service and these are people like Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi.


These categories do not match each other as per the current caste system. Einstein a Jew , Gautama sidhartha a Kshatriya and Mother Teresa a Catholic. What happened? Is there a relationship between the Varna system that Krishna talked about in Gita and the caste system of today? There does not appear to be.


Let us accept that there are four different kinds of people. Let us accept Krishna’s classification that is to find the potential of these people when they are young and then give them appropriate opportunity. This is not as simple as it sounds. Aptitude detection is one of the hardest challenges we face. If we could channelize a singer into a music school and a painter into a painting school, life will be so wonderful for all of us.


The same thing happened 2500 years or so ago when the King found out that his son is going to be an ascetic. The infant was no other than Gautama Sidhartha, the future Buddha. A saint came and proclaimed to the King that his son will be a saint. The King could not accept the destiny. He tried to change the fate by shielding the boy from anything that could lead him to becoming a saint. The boy grew up and became an adult. He was shielded from seeing any old age and any one die. He saw one death and one old age and his life changed. A Brahmin (Gautama Buddha) was born in the family of Kshatriya and the Kshatriya King was unable to deal with this child (Sidhartha).


It is possible that a system was put in place long time ago to avoid such mishaps. A system could have put in place to facilitate a Brahmin temperament soul to find a suitable place where his potential will have a better chance of becoming accepted. The journey is not limited to one life. Our journey continues from one life to another ,we are going to die one day. We are not enlightened. Our journey is not finished yet. We have to come back. What can facilitate us to come to a family and society where we can progress further from where we stand today. A system in was placed in the society then. The society then understood the journey from life to life better than we do today. Our scriptures describe the devaloka and pitriloka as if they were in touch with each other. There were some people who had researched in those areas to an extent that they could communicate with those spaces.


It is therefore not inconceivable that this system in place created the caste system. The meaning was to facilitate different kinds of people to further themselves in their own areas. Accidents did happen in those times as well. Mahavira was born to a Kshatriya family as well. But, by and large the system worked well. This perhaps was one of the most important experiments performed in our history.


What went wrong? How vulnerable was this system. The result is in front of our eyes. The caste system of today has become a hierarchical system and has been totally corrupted and it is no wonder that it does not work. The Brahmins were revered. The King used to travel to the Brahmin. Raja Dasarath would go to Guru Vashishtha and listen to what he has to say. He will never go against what Guru Vashishtha has to say. Guru will also not say something because he wants a favor from the King. What happens now? Many Gurus are known today by which politicians go to them. They are not important because they have something divine in them. They are important because they keep company with the Prime Minister or some other such body.


The caste system of today has been corroded. Blames can be laid on several factors including the people in the higher pedestal at one time. The system is non-functional in strict sense. Varna system is no more there for last 2000 years. It has met a natural death. In its place a discriminatory Caste System was installed.


It is unfortunate that the experiment based on Varna system had to end this way. However, that does not mean the classification is wrong. There are still four categories of people. They are no easier to identify and the system in place is not that helpful for channeling their potentials. The Varna system of classification still is as true as it was in Krishna’s time. The caste system on the other hand has met its demise. This is the reality although there are those who wish it were otherwise.


Perhaps we should now blame Bible for discrimination against blacks & jews in Europe & America.







The movie Matrix trilogy can even be considered as an example to better understand some of the concepts of Hinduism. There are many parallels between The Matrix trilogy and Hindu philosophy. As a matter of fact the Wachowski brothers studied the Vedas & Upanishads before making the movie. Maya, Moksha, the concept of God and the balance of good and bad can all be understood through its well-known story. For those who haven’t seen the movies, The Matrix is about a computer hacker (Neo) who is given the knowledge by Morpheus that the world he was living in is not real, and just a simulation created by machines of the future. He races to save the city of the real world (Zion), created by others like him, from the machines.


Let’s start from the beginning of the story. Neo, a computer hacker, is wondering about what The Matrix is, after he hears about it in a chat room. It haunts him for a long time, until he meets Trinity, aide of Morpheus, who tells him how to find out. Neo asks her, "What is the Matrix?", to which Trinity replies, "Twelve years ago I met [Morpheus], a great man, who said that no one could be told the answer to that question. That they had to see it, to believe it." Morpheus here acts as a guru or teacher, a realized one who leads his followers to truth. He tells Neo exactly what Ramakrishna Paramahamsa said to Swami Vivekananda’s question, "What is God?" Hinduism says that God cannot be explained…the truth can only be experienced.



Then in the story, Morpheus shows and explains to Neo about the Matrix, the world from which he was living in before he got to the real world. Neo asks, "This isn't real?" To which Morpheus replies, "What is real? How do you define real? If you're talking about your senses, what you feel, taste, smell, or see, then all you're talking about are electrical signals interpreted by your brain."




In Hinduism, this concept of the "Matrix" is called Maya. It is said that the world we live in is just an illusion, created by our minds. Our senses, feelings and emotions are just illusions we trick ourselves into believing in. In explaining Maya, Sankara very often refers to the example of the rope and the snake. As long as one mistakes a rope for a snake, he is frightened and reacts to the rope as if it were a real snake. When he realizes that what he sees is only a rope, he laughs.




The Hindu concept of God is the state in which one realizes that the world is just a Matrix, or Maya, and that everything around him is an illusion. This state is called Moksha, or Nirvana, which Neo attains in the movie after he realizes what the Matrix is.



Then, in the second movie, the maker calls Neo "an unbalanced equation". By this he is saying exactly what Hinduism believes. Good cannot be alone in this world. Without Bad, the earth will not spin. There has to be a balance of good and evil, of creation and destruction. One of our Gods, Shiva is called the destructor. Destruction is also necessary because "Everything that has a beginning has an end."


Hinduism is such a scientific way of life that it automatically applies to the modern world. To fully realize Hindu philosophy, we must do what a well known phrase says – "Wake up, Neo."



Source(s):

http://www.indiadivine.org/audarya/

http://www.hinduwisdom.info/ http://www.kamakoti.org/newlayout/template/shlokas.html

http://www.hinduism.co.za/

http://www.bhavans.info/

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/hinduism/

http://www.stephen-knapp.com/

http://www.ramakrishnavedantamath.org/publi.html

http://www.aurobindobooks.com/

Temple List
http://www.hindulinks.org/Temples_Yatra_and_Organizations/Temples_and_Ashrams/

http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/index.htm

http://www.dharmicscriptures.org/

http://www.hinducounciluk.org/newsite/hindu-kids.asp


IF SOME OF THE LINKS DO NOT WORK
Try adding it to Google and see if you can find similar Links

http://vedabase.net/bg/

http://www.dharmicscriptures.org/scriptu...

http://www.karamsad.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism

http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_7615...

http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Hinduism

http://www.floridavediccollege.edu/

http://www.hinduism.fsnet.co.uk/

http://www.hinduismtoday.com/

http://www.encyclopediaofauthentichindui.../

http://www.avatara.org/

http://faculty.washington.edu/kpotter/

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resource...

http://www.advaita-vedanta.org/avhp/

http://www.rep.routledge.com/article/F00...

http://www.geocities.com/lamberdar/_cast...

http://www.godrealized.com/



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http://in.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080202133518AAgtI9E
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Posted by 'kumara'

The Quote "all life is sacred, to be loved and revered" comes from?

Question asked
I am researching Hinduism, and the quote "all life is sacred, to be loved and revered" continuously appears. It would help greatly if the quote, or something along those lines, came directly from a sacred book or text. If you've any idea, please tell me where it can be found and try to be as specific as possible.


Answer given

This quote in English comes from an article written by http://www.himalayanacademy.com/basics/p... to highlight the nine beliefs of Hinduism.

It has since been used almost on every Hindu literatures and websites. But the idea of the nine beliefs and hence the quote come from the teachings within the Vedas and the Bhagvad Gita. It originates from the idea of Ahimsa –non-violence.

Here are some quotes from various ancient scriptures.

1]

SahanA vavathu

sahanou bhunakthu

saha vIryankaravAvahai

tEjaswi nAvadhIthamasthu mAvidvishAvahai

(Source: Taitreya Upanishad)

Meaning: Let us all grow together, enjoy together, perform heroic deeds together; let our strength of intellect come together, let the bright intellects shine, and let us live without any hatred.

2] “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam" ---whole earth is my family

(Source: Maha Upanishad 6.71)

Treating your fellow-human as one in your family is a perfect example of broad-mindedness. We should throw away race, color, & creed, and create a society of oneness.

3] "Sarve bhavantu sukhinam".... may all be happy ...may all be enlightened

sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ

sarve santu nirāmayāḥ

sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu

mā kaścit duḥkha bhāgbhavet

Meaning:Happiness be unto all,Perfect health be unto all. May all see good in everyone, May all be free from suffering. This is a prayer for the prosperity and welfare of humanity. There is an adage that says we will be happy only if people around us are happy. Pray for welfare to all, and you will be blessed.

Ref: Wikipedia

4]

maitri-karuna-muditopeksanam

sukha-dukha-punyapunya-vishayanam

bhavanatas citta-prasadanam

(Source: Patanjali Yoga Sutra I. 33)

The essence:Friendship, mercy, gladness, and indifference, being thought of in regard to subjects that are happy, unhappy, good, and evil respectively, shall pacify the Chitta.

Meaning:With the cultivation of these sentiments of friendliness and loving kindness (maitri), mercy (karuna), joy and desire for the happiness of others (mudita), and equanimity (upeksanam) toward all beings and events, regardless if the events are auspicious or inauspicious (punya-apunya), or their conditional circumstances (visayanam), the underlying serenity and clarity of the citta (citta-prasadanam) is always cultivated and thus can manifest.

5] “Om Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu”Meaning: Let the whole world be happy.

6]Ajyeshthaso akanishthasaete sam bhrataro vavridhuh saubhagaya

Meaning “No one is superior (ajyeshthasah) or inferior (akanishthasah).

All are brothers (ete bhratarah). All should strive for the interest of all and should progress collectively (Saubhagaya sam vavridhuh)”.

Ref: Rig Veda

7] Here is the last mantra of Rigveda… A verse which is dedicated to the human world and is a prayer for harmony and peace among us.

samAnI va AkUtiH samAnA hRdayAni vaH

samAnamastu vomano yathA vaH susahAsati

(Source: Concluding part of Rigveda)

Meaning: Let there be oneness in your resolutions, hearts and minds. Let the strength to live with mutual co-operation be firm in you all. This mantra comes back to the simplicity of the fact of being human: a union of hearts and a oneness of spirit, the overcoming of isolating individualisms by harmonious living together, because Man as person is always society and yet not plural.

SOURCE of all Quotes

http://sanskritvoice.com/home/

My thoughts on Quotes

The wonderful thing about Hinduism is that you don’t have to rely on the teachings of ancient scriptures or find some one single quote from somewhere or someone who said this an that AND if we find it only then we can say its great or we should follow.

Christians and Muslims are always busily trying to find some quotes from their Bibles to justify their action today.

This is not the case with Hindus.

Messengers of GOD today are still preaching Hindus the Truth, the Light, the Way, and all that. So anyone who preaches today "all life is sacred, to be loved and revered" then that is good enough for us to take his Words of wisdom and good advice and try to live and learn from that.

Why does it matter that someone 5,000 years have had to say it?

Only then should we follow that advice?

Why does it even have to come from some god or prophet?

Your teacher, your parents are your first Gurus and you learn a lot from them so why is it hard to learn from some Guru of today?

Hindus tend to follow the teachings of their Gurus rather then trying to find some quotation from the Upanishads or Vedas or Bhagavad Gita or other scriptures.

• If Morari Bapu (a popular teacher today still alive and teaching) preaches this then you will find that his words will be authorities and respected.

• The follower of Swami Narayana will get quotes from their Swami [ http://www.baps.org/index.htm ].

• A follower of Gayatri parivar will quote from their Guru Shri Ram Sharma Acharya [ http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gayatri_pa... ]

• A follower of Swadhyay Pariwar will follow the teachings of Pandurang Shastri Athavale [ http://www.swadhyay.org/ ]

• A follower of Mahatma Gandhi or Sri Prabhupada (Hare Krishna) etc etc will quote you his teachings.

Each teacher is respected and valued and their teachings are spread amongst all Hindus across India and the world.


Source(s):
http:// hinduism.iskcon.com/tradition/121...

http://sanskritvoice.com/home/

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hinduinfo/



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Extremely helpful, went above and beyond.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/?qid=20080317174511AAdKdkS

Life After Death Is there any Proof?

This was a question asked on Yahoo and the reply is not given by me.

Do you question whether you will go to a heavenly state in afterlife? If so,
why? If not ,why not?

It was Best Answer - Chosen by Asker


Based on my book, Life After Death: The Burden of Proof
Dr Deepak Chpora

To dispel the common notion, held even by scientists, that the afterlife is a matter of faith that cannot be proved. In fact, there is a large, even overwhelming body of evidence. The main areas are as follows:

1. Near-death experiences. Thousands of patients have died, almost always from heart attacks, and then been resuscitated who experience some aspect of the afterlife. One Dutch study put the percentage at around 20% of all such cases. Amazingly, these patients were brain dead, showing no electrical activity in the cortex while they were dead. Yet they experienced sights and sounds, met deceased relatives, felt deep emotions, etc.

2. Near-death experiences in traditional cultures. The most famous of these are the delogs of Tibet, people who die and come back to life with detailed descriptions of the Bardo, the intricate Buddhist realm of heavens and hells.

3. Children who remember their past lives have now been studied in detail at the Univ. of Virginia. In some of the most striking cases, the child was born with a birthmark that matched the way he had died in the previous life (for example, entry and exit wounds from a bullet). The number of cases is now over 2,500.

4. Evidence of mind outside the brain. If consciousness is created by brain chemistry, there is little likelihood of a conscious afterlife. However, many intriguing experiments now exist to show that a person's thoughts can move beyond the brain. Besides the various experiments in telepathy and 'remote viewing,' which are much more credible than skeptics will admit, there is a replicated study from the engineering department at Princeton in which ordinary people could will a computer to generate a certain pattern of numbers. They did this through thought alone, having no contact with the machine itself.

5. In the area of information theory, a rising body of evidence suggests that Nature preserves data in the form of information fields. The most basic units of creation, such as quarks and gravity, may be interrelated through information that cannot be created or destroyed, only recombined into new patterns. If this is true, then it may be that what we call the soul is a complex package of information that survives death as well as precedes birth.

6. Then there are mysteries that no scientific theory can explain without consciousness. Foremost among these is consciousness itself. Inside the brain a hundred billion neurons register chemical and electrical signals. The brain contains no sights, sounds, smells, or tastes. It is a dark, semi-solid mass about the consistency of cold oatmeal. And yet this conglomeration of inert atoms somehow produces the entire visible, tangible world. If this metamorphosis can be explained, then we may find out how the brain might create subtler worlds, the kind traditionally known as heaven. If the secret lies not in brain chemistry but in awareness itself, the afterlife may turn out to be an extension of our present life, not a faraway mystical world.

7. Finally, there are traditions of spirituality--going far beyond organized religion--that tell us about consciousness from the viewpoint of wisdom. Science isn't the only valid way to extract knowledge from nature. The ancient Vedic rishis of India provided a clear, coherent worldview that fits perfectly into advanced concepts from quantum theory. The merging of wisdom and science has much to offer.

I've barely sketched in the outline of the argument offered in “Life After Death," but it's enough, I hope, to dispel the prevailing notion that nothing can be known about the afterlife and that faith is our only resort. Nothing in my book is based on faith. Yet I wrote the book for a second reason connected to faith: to offer consolation to the multitude of people who fear death. Far from being an end-point, death is part of a continuum. The awareness you cherish today carries over beyond death, and therefore it can be said that each of us is shaping our life after death right this minute.

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=Arx5MUeQXt8PZKIe1rxySH3sy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20061018062117AAkZsY0&show=7#profile-info-a02b6a6735ce7d0969445b6ac00ca918aa

HINDUISM A Brief Introduction

This is one of the most common questions asked on Yahoo.
What is Hinduism?
Hopefully this will give a base for your own more in-depth research and discovery of Hinduism.
This is a simplified version of Hinduism based on the many similar questions from a Christian’s perspective.


Namaste, (this is a respectful greeting)


FOUNDER OF HINDUISM:-
The founder of Hinduism was GOD Himself.
There are no records of a Human founder since this is a very ancient religion and it was passed on by word of mouth from Guru to Disciple for many years.
The many thoughts and scriptures were compiled by Ved Vyas. So in a way he could be considered the ‘founder’ or the establisher of Hinduism.

Let me explain why God is he founder.
In the very beginning Lord Brahma, the Creator, imparted a Divine Knowledge to the Rishis or seers. The Vedas are said to be these Divine knowledge.
The Rishis then disseminated the Divine knowledge.

The most revered scriptures Bhagvad Gita of Hindus was passed on by Lord Krishna Himself.
Ramayana was based on the life of Lord Sri Rama.
Srimad Bhagvatam accounts the stories of Hindu Gods. Hindus learn a lot about life from this book.

It is with this thought that I say God is the founder of Hinduism.


“The beauty of Hindu Dharma lies in the fact that its existence is not dependent on any great personality nor is it confined to the biographies and teachings of one or two prophets as is the case with other religions.
If the personality of any of the founders of these religions is removed the religion almost ceases to exist.
Hindu Dharma on the other hand has no such founder. Even if the names of Rama and Krishna were obliterated Hindu Dharma will continue to live without any loss to its fundamentals because Hindu Dharma has existed even before Rama and Krishna were born. They too, believed in Hindu Dharma.”


ORIGIN: -
India since time began as explained aboveThe Vedas are the eternal truths revealed by God to the great Yogis of India.


FOLLOWERS:-
All LIVING beings—plants, animals, humans, aliens and others ie spiritual kinds beyond the realms of this world.
Let me explain this also
Hinduism is based on the practice of Dharma, the code of life.
Therefore anyone who practices Dharma, the Code of Life, can call himself a Hindu.


‘Despite being the oldest religion, the truth realized by the seers prove that
the Truth and path provided by Hinduism is beyond time.’



THE RELIGION:-
Hinduism is referred to as Sanatan Dharma meaning the eternal faith.
India's Sanatana Dharma, is a family of religions with four principal denominations

Saivism. ----Those who worship Lord Shiva (Saivites).

Vaishnavism. -----Those who worship Lord Vishnu (Vaishnavites).

Shaktism. -----Those who worship a Goddess as Shakti (Shaktas).

Smartism. -------For Smartas, liberal Hindus, the choice of Deity is left to the devotee.

Contrary to prevailing misconceptions, Hindus all worship a One Supreme Being, though by different names. Information taken from
http://www.hinduismtoday.com/archives/2003/10-12/44-49_four_sects.shtml


This is the religion that calls
‘Let the good things come from all the directions of the world’
(aa no bhadrAH kratavo yantu vishvataH).
Thus this religion nurtured the good concepts with a neutral mindset.
Hinduism is a dharma (discipline) than a religion.
Various religions stand over this dharma.
In general this is not the religion of just postulations.



SCRIPTURES:-
Scriptures or Shastras are religious books.
They contain knowledge that tells us about the religion.
By reading these books we widen our knowledge and purify our mind,
And we are able to differentiate right from wrong.

Hindu Scriptures are broadly classified based on its origin into -
Shruti meaning 'heard from God'
The Srutis come from the Vedas, of divine origin and unchangeable. They encapsulate the greatest truths.

Smriti meaning 'remembered'
The Smritis, referred to as the Dharma Shashtras, are of human composition. They govern the daily conduct of people, including the actions of the individual, the community, and the nation, and may change over time.

Nyaya meaning 'logic'
The epics are those stories or fables in which the philosophy of the Vedas is told. The most important epics are the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

The Puranas are the Hindu scriptures that convey the truths of the Vedas and the Dharma Shashtras in the form of tales. These stories form the basis of religious education for the common man.

The Agamas record the doctrine for the worship of different deities, including Shiva, Vishnu, and Shakti.

The Darshanas encompass the six schools of Hindu philosophy; they guide scholars



Some of the important Shastras or Scriptures are
VEDAS
UPANISHADS (Books of Vedanta)
MANUSMRITI
RAMAYANA
MAHABHARATA
BHAGAVAD GITA (The Gita is a part of the great epic, Mahabharata)
TIRUKKURA (The literary masterpiece of the Tamil language)
THE SIX DARSHANAS
SATYARTH PRAKASH
(Please use Search Engine to learn about each.)


‘The truths contained in all religions are derived from the Vedas and are ultimately traceable to the Vedas.’

‘The Vedas have guided our religious direction for ages and will continue to do so for generations to come. And they will forever remain the most comprehensive and universal of all ancient scriptures.’



‘The Hindu scriptures instead of defining the way, in which the Hindus should live in a better way, act as supporting material for the individual to decide the course of life and stand by that.’

‘Hinduism is the place which suits both the adventurous intellectual who wants to explore the essence and the real truth and the simple person who would be happy to follow a simplified procedure set that would easily uplift him/her without having to break the head with philosophies.’

‘It is a roaring gigantic waterfall that runs into streams and substreams that joins and finally into the ocean.’



GOD

The aim of Hinduism is not the worship of any one of the deities, but rather the means with which the individual soul or Atman will become one with the Brahman, or the Universal Soul.


Arjuna in the Bhagvad Gita asked Lord Krishna to show him His real form.
Lord Krishna told him that he would not be able to see God with his ordinary eyes and so gave him ‘Divya Drishti’, Divine Vision.

By performing Saadhan (spiritual practice) it is possible for have this divya drishti.
It is said by opening our ‘third eye’ we can get this divya drishti (Divine Vision). Gayatri Mantra helps us to open our third eye.
Krishna shows Arjuna his True form and is described as thus
“If there be the effulgence of a thousand suns bursting forth all at once in the heavens, even that would hardly approach the splendour of the mighty Lord” Gita 11:12



Among the most commonly worshipped gods are:
Nirguna Brahman—The Universal Soul who transcends time and space and is formless.
Saguna Brahman—The concept of Ishwara, the Great God, with a form upon which the individual mind may fixate during prayer and meditation.
The Trinity—As personified by the three attributes of Ishwara, including their feminine dimensions: creation (Brahman), preservation (Vishnu), and destruction (Shiva).


IMAGES OF GODS :-
You cannot consider any god as a person, like a human being, but we cannot think anything except in terms of personality, due to the habit of the mind so, though Brahma, Vishnu, and Siva, or Durga, Lakshmi and Sarasvati, cannot be regarded as having a body like ours, we can think them in no other way.

We consider Brahma as an old father of the universe; sometimes he is even considered to have a beard, as the supreme father. And, Vishnu is a grand, majestic, beautiful person. Siva is an austere, inwardly drawn, ascetic. They are with their consorts Durga, Lakshmi, and Sarasvati - Durga having so many hands, Lakshmi also is having so many hands, and Sarasvati has four. Everyone has four hands. They can have more, also.

‘But they all have an inward mystical meaning. They form an outward symbology of an inward spiritual connotation. All the powers of the psyche are concentrated in a single act of thought, or awareness, in these divinities.
All these religious figures are symbols of a higher abstract principle, which ordinary people cannot comprehend.’
http://www.swami-krishnananda.org/ans/ans_43.html


To learn about the symbolic images and meanings please browse through these
http://www.hinduwisdom.info/Symbolism_in_Hinduism.htm
or
http://www.hinduwebsite.com/symbolism.asp




CREATION:-
Krishna says :-
“The whole of this universe is permeated by Me as unmanifest Divinity” Gita 9:4

“..during the Final Dissolution all beings enter My Prakrti (the prime cause) and at the beginning of creation I send them forth again” 9:7

“I am the sustainer and ruler of the Universe, the father, mother and grandfather, the one worth knowing, the purifier, the sacred syllable Aum and the Vedas…Gita 9:17

“I am the supreme goal, supporter Lord, witness, abode, refuge, well-wisher seeking no return, origin and end….” 9:18

“I radiate heat as the sun and hold back as well as send forth showers. I am immortality as well as death; even I am being and non-being both.” 9:19

“…what will you gain by knowing all this in detail Arjuna? Suffice it to say that I stand holding this entire Universe by a fraction of My Yogic Powers” Bhagvad Gita 10:42




TEACHINGS ABOUT MAN:-
“For whatever a great man does, that very thing other men do also; whatever standards he sets up, the generality of men follow the same” Gita 3:21

Arjuna asks how does a man of stable mind speak, how he sits, how does he walk? 2:54
“The man whose mind remains unperturbed amid sorrow, whose thirst for pleasures has altogether disappeared and who is free from passion, fear and anger is called a stable of mind” 2:56

“He who is unattached to everything and meeting with good and evil neither rejoices nor recoils his mind is stable” 2:57

“The man dwelling on sense-objects develops attachment for them;
from attachment springs desire and
from desire (unfulfilled) ensues anger”
“From anger arises infatuation;
from infatuation, confusion of memory;
from confusion of memory, loss of reason;
and from loss of reason one goes to complete ruin.”
Bhagvad Gita 2:62,63


“As the water of different rivers enters the ocean which though full on all sides remains undisturbed, likewise he in whom all enjoyments merge themselves attain peace; not he who hankers after such enjoyments.” Gita 2:70



SOUL and REINCARNATION:-
“In fact there was never a time when I was not or when you or these kings were not. Nor is it a fact that hereafter we shall all cease to be”. Bhagvad Gita 2:12

“Just as boyhood youth and old age are attributed to the soul through this body, even so it attains another body. The wise man does not get deluded about this.” 2:13

“The soul is never born, nor dies, nor does it become only after being born. For it is unborn, eternal, everlasting and ancient; even though the body is slain, the soul is not” Gita 2:20


“Arjuna perform your duties established in Yoga, renouncing attachment and even tempered in success and failure; evenness of temper is called Yoga” 2:48


SOUL, HEAVEN AND HELL AND SPIRITUALITY
Everything you want to know about the Soul is clearly and simply explained in easy English.
INDEX
http://www.hindu-spirituality.info/index.html

1 Rebirth and the Soul
http://www.hindu-spirituality.info/rebirth-and-the-soul.html
2 Two Realms of Existence
http://www.hindu-spirituality.info/two-realms-of-existence.html
3 Creation-Annihilation
http://www.hindu-spirituality.info/creation-annihilation.html
4 The Trapped Soul
http://www.hindu-spirituality.info/the-trapped-soul.html
5 Karma: The Puppeteer
http://www.hindu-spirituality.info/karma-the-puppeteer.html
6 Liberation/Mukti
http://www.hindu-spirituality.info/liberation-mukti.html
7 The Journey Home
http://www.hindu-spirituality.info/the-journey-home.html


SIN :-
“Even if the vilest sinner worships me with exclusive devotion, he should be accounted a saint; for he has rightly resolved. (He is positive in his belief that there is nothing like devoted worship of God).

Speedily he becomes virtuous and secures lasting peace. Know it for certain Arjuna that My devotees never falls.” —9:30-31



“I am equally present in all beings; there is none hateful or dear to Me. They however who devoutly worship Me abide in Me and I too stand revealed in them” 9:29


Arjuna asks why does man commit sin even involuntary as though driven by force?
Gita 3:36

Krishna replies
“It is desire begotten of the elements of Raja which appears as wrath, nay it is insatiable and grossly wicked. Know this to be the enemy in this case”

As flame is covered by smoke, mirror by dust and embryo by the amnion, so is Knowledge covered by it (desire)”

Knowledge stands covered by this eternal enemy of the wise—desire.

The senses, the mind and the intellect are declared to be its seat;
screening the light of Truth through these—desire, deludes the embodied soul.

Therefore Arjuna you must first control your senses.

The senses are said to be greater than the body;
But greater than the senses is the mind,
Greater than the mind is the intellect;
And what is greater than the intellect is He (the Self).
Bhagvad Gita 37-42




SALVATION :-
“Those whose mind and intellect are wholly merged in Him, who remain constantly established in identity with Him, and have finally become one with Him, their sins being wiped out by wisdom, reach the state whence there is no return” Bhagavad Gita 5:17

“To those wise men who are free from lust and anger, who have subdued their mind and have realized God, Brahma, the abode of eternal peace is all-around” Bhagavad Gita 5:26

“He who looks upon well-wishers and neutrals as well as mediators, friends and foe, relatives and objects of hatred, the virtuous and the sinful with the same eye, stands supreme” Bhagavad Gita 6:9

“Thus constantly applying his mind to Me, the Yogi of disciplined mind attains the everlasting peace, consisting of supreme bliss, which abides in Me” Bhagavad Gita 6:15



WORSHIP :-
Whoseoever offers to Me with love a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water, I appear in person before that disinterested devotee of sinless mind and delightfully partake of that article offered by him with love” Bhagavad Gita 9:36



WITNESSING TO NON-HINDUS :-
Pray to your God with all thy mind and heart.
He will listen and you will attain.




ABOUT HINDUISM
Hinduism is a religion, a philosophy, and a way of life. It guides people along paths that will ultimately lead to the individual soul (Atman) becoming one with the Universal Consciousness.

The religion recognizes that everyone is different and has a unique intellectual and spiritual outlook. Therefore, it allows people to develop and grow at their own pace by making different spiritual paths available to them.
It allows various schools of thought under its broad principles.
It also allows for freedom of worship so that individuals may be guided by their own spiritual experiences.

The strength of Hinduism lies in its adaptability to the infinite diversity of human nature. It has
a highly spiritual and abstract side suited to the philosopher,
a practical and concrete side suited to the worldly individual,
an aesthetic and ceremonial side suited to the person of poetic feeling and
imagination, and a quiescent and contemplative side suited to the lover of peace and seclusion.


Another feature unique to Hinduism is its belief that liberation or deliverance (moksha) can be achieved in this life itself: one does not have to wait for a heaven after death.
http://www.answers.com/topic/hinduism




A BRIEF LOOK AT OTHER ASPECTS OF HINDUISM
Rebirth or reincarnation.
The Hindus believe that one must go through several births and rebirths before attaining liberation. The hardships of the current world are a result of the actions of a previous life that have to be atoned for in the present life.

Karma.
The law of karma (or action) also supports the above theory. It suggests that every action has a similar or related reaction. Although it is not possible to change one's past life, it is possible for one to shape the future and to pave the way for a better life in rebirth through the actions of the present.

Dharma.
Dharma refers to duties that have to be performed at different stages of one's life. These must be completed without a thought of possible rewards or benefits and should also be accomplished to the best of one's ability. They are responsible for the prevailing social order in the world. There are four stages of Dharma:
Student or Brahmachari—This first phase involves living and studying with a guru.
Householder or Grihastha—This next phase starts with marriage.
Retirees or Vanaprastha—The third phase occurs when the duties of child rearing and work are over.
Sanyasi—This is the final phase when all worldly desires are renounced and the individual spends all of his or her time in meditation.

Moksha.
There are essentially three paths to attain oneness with the Universal Consciousness:
Bhakti yoga (the path of devotion)—The vast majority of people choose this path of single-minded devotion to a favorite god.
Karma yoga (the path of action)—Those who choose this path believe in the dictum "work is worship." No job is too menial or too low for this devotée, as all work is a means of realizing God.
Jnana yoga (the path of knowledge)—This is perhaps the most difficult of the three paths and therefore chosen by very few, usually scholars. Knowledge of the Vedas, Upanishads, and Bhagavad Gita is essential.
http://www.answers.com/topic/hinduism

Caste System
This does not form part of any Hindu teachings just as being or rich has nothing to do with one being a Christian. It is merely a system that was devised by the people of those times; a social classification system called Varnashrama was devised so that the human race could have a smooth and ordered life in society.
The system created the castes of Brahmins, the intellectual class, Kshatriyas, the warrior class, Vaishyas, the trader class and Shudras, the service people. Don't you see that every society has a need for teachers and/or preachers, defense, trade and commerce, and service even today? Our forefathers realized this need for order in society even then.
Of course, the original concept of social order has been abused over the ages into its present mutilated form. The original caste system also supported the moving of individuals from one caste (order) to another (order) based on one's actions and performance in society. Great examples are found in the Mahabharat where we see a priest becoming a warrior, a fisherwoman becomes a queen, A prince marries a cannibal-like people, a Shudra after his education and intellect was recognised became a Priest. Nothing was frowned upon in those days. We are gradually seeing the return of those days in Free India which is only 60 years old. It will take a few more decades.



A BRIEF HISTORY OF ITS SPREADING IN THE WEST
Americans learned about Hinduism in the late eighteenth century from European scholars and from missionaries and traders returning from India. Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson incorporated Hindu themes in their transcendental philosophy in the 1830s and 1840s.

The first Indian to successfully promote Hinduism in America was Swami Vivekananda, who represented Hinduism at the World's Parliament of Religions in Chicago's 1893 Columbian Exposition. He went on to establish Vedanta Societies in major American cities, teaching a variety of Hinduism that emphasizes social reform, religious tolerance, and the unity of self (atman) and Absolute (Brahman).

Swami Paramahansa Yogananda's Self-Realization Fellowship, established in 1935 to teach kriya yoga, soon surpassed Vedanta in popularity.

In the 1960s, transcendental meditation and the International Society of Krishna Consciousness, or Hare Krishna Society, gathered large numbers of followers among Americans seeking spiritual alternatives to mainstream religion, and the civil rights movement drew inspiration from Indian nationalist Mohandas K. Gandhi's interpretation of the Hindu tradition of ahimsa (nonviolence).

After the passage of less restrictive immigration laws in 1965, a large influx of Asian Indian immigrants brought a new plurality of Hindu practices to the United States. They contributed the first major, Indian-style Hindu temples, built to accommodate immigrant Hindus, to the American landscape. In 2000, there were approximately one million Hindus in the United States.
http://www.answers.com/topic/hinduism



Aum Shanti (Peace)