The Hinduism(Article)

The Hinduism

Culture is the dignity of a nation. The term 'culture' covers all the aspects of people of a certain country or a nation, e.g. religion, tradition, art, wearing, rituals, social practices, food habits and so on. Culture of each nation is distinct from another in this world. Indian sub-continental culture is also unique by it's aspects as well.

Indian culture has flourished at the dawn of mankind. It is older than eight thousand years. Various hindrances came to obstruct it's flow in times, but they failed to do so, rather they joined with the main stream. People from every part of the world came here, live here and adapted the sub-continental culture, just like different streams join together to the ocean. They live together, observe their own rituals with other people who belong to different cultures and religions. It is true that they do fight  among themselves for some religious(provoked by mean politics) issues, but there is also a string of unity, that holds them together and never let them apart. It is an Important side of Indian culture. Thus the main flow continues it's journey from past to present and present to future.

But, what is the source of this string of unity?

The meaning of the term "religion" is different here than other parts of the world. The term "dharma" is derived from a Sanskrit verb "dhṛ" which means "to hold". In Indian context, dharma or religion is not apart from the society. Etymological meaning of the term "dharma" is "duties of an individual towards the society". Each and every member of the society has distinct duties towards the society according his competence. When he keeps it up, it means he is obeying his "dharma". In some classical texts like Vedas, Puranas, Manusmriti, different duties are included as dharma. But all of them admitted some common duties, everybody must have to obey. They are : ☆ Abstain from injury to all living creatures(non-violence), ☆ abstain from falsehood, ☆Abstain from unauthorised appropriation of things-of-value from another, ☆Abstain from coveting or sexually cheating on your partner, ☆ Abstain from expecting or accepting gifts from others, ☆ Compassion and faith in others, ☆ Charity to the helpless, ☆ Rendering service to others, ☆ Succour of the distressed, ☆ gather knowledge, etc.. So, dharma here is not controlled by God, rather it is a way to reach to God.

I am not going to use a common pronoun "He" or "Him" to mention "God". Because this notion is different here too.

In general Hinduism is known as polytheism. But it is not true properly. There are 33 types (Koti) of Deities, but they are not "God". From the Rig-Vedic age people worshiped several natural powers for well being. These natural powers like Indra (the king), Chandra (moon), Surya (sun), Varun (water), Vayu (air), Agni (fire) etc. are directly related to our earthly life. But they are not God. God is one and unique. So Hinduism is monotheist.

There are four Vedas, they are Rig, Sham, Yaju(Sukla and Krishna) and Atharva. They have four sections -- Samhita/Mantra, Brahmana, Aranyaka and Upanisada. Rig-Veda Samhita is the oldest text in the world. Among these four sections, Upanisadas described about the ultimate reality of the world. This reality is one and unique. It is pure existence. They named it as "Brahman". Everything, which exist in the world is manifestation of Brahman.

Each and every object of the perceptual world has two faces. One is appearance and other is existence. Appearance is subject of change. The appearance of this world is not stable. Whatever we perceive at present time, were not same in past and will be changed in future. But the existence is stable. The same entity remains in past, present and future. This eternal entity is Brahman. This Brahman is not something apart from us as well as the other objects of world.

To illustrate it simply just think about yourself. We all have two faces --- one is appearance and another is existence. At present we have a distinct appearance which was not same in the childhood and it will be changed in future. But we can feel that our existence has not changed. From origin to decay every object changes entirely by it's appearance, but nothing loses the existence. Same object reveals in another form. So, over all existence is eternal and unique. Upanisadas have mentioned this unique entity as "Brahman". Brahman covers all the objects of universe, including us.

According to Upanisadas, we are nothing but Brahman. Brahman is not apart from us. But we don't feel so. Why? Upanisadas answered it too. Ignorance blocks our thoughts. When ever we look at the world, we think, "it is the creation of God. God is perfect being, almighty and is superior. God is apart from us."

There is a question. If God is a perfect being, then how could be apart from us? If my existence is not included to God, then how we can tell it a "perfect being"?

Ignorance diverts our reasoning and intuition. We assume that pure existence 'Brahman' as 'God' and impose some imaginary powers on that. But Upanisadas said, "You Are That"(tat-tvam-asi). So everything in this world is Brahman (or God). The Upanisadas teach us to serve all the creatures. The Upanisadas teach us to love all and everything as our soul is unique. This is the culture and heritage of India. All the Indians born in this culture, grow up with it and sow it into the thoughts of the next generation.

Here is the main source of the string of unity.

"Hindu" is not a name of a religion. It is the name of a nation. People who live and follow the culture of Hindustan is known as "Hindu". "Dharma" is not mere specific rituals here, but it is other name of "faith", "integrity", "morality" and "devotion". It is a point of view. If you accept the meaning of "Hinduism" in narrow sense, you can find out several domestic walls among the separate religious rituals. But when you accept it in wider sense, you can find out, the people of  separate religious views are performing their duties (dharma) differently with the help of other people of different religious views to maintain the general well being of the nation.
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