Hinduism

from wikipedia
Hinduism (Hindi: सनातन धर्म; Sanātana Dharma, which means Endless Religion/Eternal Law) is a very old religion that is still practised today. It was one of the first religions that had the idea of reincarnation (that people can be born again after death), karma (one event invents another), and more ideas. Hinduism is the federation of a number of faiths (a group of sub-religions or sects (Sampradaya[1]) joined together, which have evolved from people who lived in the Indian subcontinent (land near the Indian Ocean). One group accepts varna, another declines. One group accepts vedas, another declines. One group accepts god, another declines god itself. But they are all called Hindus. According to the Indian constitution, the definition for a Hindu is whoever who lives in India and is not a Muslim or a Christian.

In Hinduism spiritual practice (such as praying) is very important.
Hinduism encourages tolerance for what other people believe. Hindus believe that there is not only one correct understanding of the one True God.
Not all people agree on whether Hinduism is polytheistic (believing in many gods) or monotheistic (believing in one god). Many people think that Hindus believe in many gods. Others argue that there is only one god in Hinduism. Under this view, this one god (referred to as Brahman) is expressed in multiple ways. Nirguna Brahman is God without form, or God without personal attributes. All personal forms of God in Hinduism, such as Vishnu or Shiva, are different parts of God in personal form or God with attributes. Many Hindus believe that the difference between polytheism and monotheism is not as great as people in the West might think, because they believe there are different ways of looking at the truth.[2]. Many Hindu sects are atheistic (do not believe in God)[3][4].
God's energy is Devi, the Divine Mother. For worshipers of Vishnu (or Vaishnavas) who follow Ramunjacharaya's philosophy, Devi is Lakshmi, the Mother of all, and who pleads with Vishnu for mankind. For worshipers of Shiva (or Shaivas), Devi is Parvati. For Shaktas, that is, worshipers of Devi, Devi is the personal form of God to attain the impersonal Absolute, God. For them, Shiva is personified as God without attributes.


A brief overview[change | change source]
Hinduism takes ideas from the Vedas, the Upanishads, as well as the teachings of many Hindu gurus through the ages. Many different types of thought come from six main Vedic/Hindu schools. Bhakti sects, and Tantric Agamic schools are very common paths within Hinduism.

The Eternal Way[change | change source]
"The Eternal Way" (in Sanskrit सनातन धर्म, Sanātana Dharma), or the "Perennial Philosophy/Harmony/Faith", is the one name that has represented Hinduism for thousands of years. According to Hindus, it speaks the idea that certain spiritual principles are true for all time, surpassing man-made beliefs, and representing a pure science of consciousness. This consciousness is not just that of the body or mind and intellect, but of a soul-state above the mind that exists within and beyond our existence, the pure Self of all. Religion to the Hindu is the search for the divine within the Self, the search to find the One truth that really never was lost. According to this belief, somebody looking for truth will find it, no matter who they are. Everything that exists, from vegetables and animals to mankind, are subjects and objects of the eternal Dharma. This inner faith, therefore, is also known as Arya/Noble Dharma, Veda/Knowledge Dharma, Yoga/Union Dharma, Hindu Dharma or, simply, the Dharma.

What can be said to be common to all Hindus is belief in Dharma, reincarnation, karma, and moksha (liberation) of every soul through a variety of moral, action-based, and meditative yogas. Still more basic principles include ahimsa (non-violence), the importance of the Guru, the Divine Word of Aum and the power of mantras, love of Truth in many manifestations as gods and goddessess, and an understanding that the essential spark of the Divine (Atman/Brahman) is in every human and living being, allowing for many spiritual paths leading to the One Unitary Truth.

An example of Hindu spirituality in daily life is the bindi, which is a common marker for Hindu women. It stands for different things. For some, it may represent opening a "third eye" that helps people gain knowledge. Hindus all think it is important to learn things through meditating. They believe this gives them an intuition beyond the mind and body, something often associated with the god Shiva. Men, too, may place a tilak mark on their foreheads, usually on religious occasions. Its shape may stand for devotion to a certain main god: a 'U' shape stands for Vishnu, a group of three lines for Shiva. It is not uncommon for some to meld both together in an marker signifying Hari-Hara (Vishnu-Shiva indissoluble).

Hinduism states that success can be only achieved by effort. As it is called if karma or prayash is done along with dharma then success is achieved.

Yoga Dharma
Hinduism tells about a particular way of life to lead as a Hindu. This is done by way of Yogas (spiritual practices), mainly as follows:

Bhakti Yoga (Yoga of Loving Devotion)
Karma Yoga (Yoga of Action - selfless service)
Raja Yoga (meditational Yoga) and
Jnana Yoga (Yoga of Knowledge and Realisation)
The way to do all these have been described in the two main texts of Hindu Yoga: the Bhagavad Gita and the Yoga Sutras. The Upanishads also contain important texts about yoga.

The four goals of life
Hinduism believes in four main goals of life. They are kama, artha, dharma and moksha. It is said that all humans seek kama (pleasure, physical or emotional) and artha (power, fame and wealth), but soon, with maturity, learn to govern these legitimate desires within a higher, pragmatic framework of dharma, or moral harmony in all.

The four stages of life
In Hinduism, life of a human being is divided into four stages. These stages are called Ashramas, and they are:

Brahmacharya, the first quarter of life as a bachelor - to be spent in learning, building the body and the mind.
Grihasthya, the second quarter of life as a person with a family, and doing work for livelihood.
Vanaprastha, the third phase of life, spent in forests and in meditation.
Sanyasa, the last phase of life, spent without any feeling and attachment to the world.
Festivals[change | change source]
India, Mauritius and Nepal are very popular to celebrate festivals. In Nepal Dashain is celebrated which is called Dusshera in India. Similarly, Tihar or Diwali is also celebrated where houses are lit up for welcoming Goddess Laxmi. People exchange gifts and have a lot of fun together with their families. Likewise Teej is also a very popular Hindu festivals where ladies fast without water for their husband's long life and also enjoy by singing folk songs and dancing.

Origins, names and society[change | change source]
Historical origins and aspects of society[change | change source]
Little is known about Hinduism origins. It has been around since before history was written down. It has been said to have come from what the Aryans believed. Before the Aryans came to India, there were the hundreds of faith and beliefs of Dravidians, and Harappans living in the Indian subcontinent. They came together under the Hindu name during the British Raj. Different ideas of where the Veda come from, and understandings of whether or not the Aryans were native or foreign to Indian soil can change estimates of Hinduism's age from 4000 to 6000 years.

Historically, the word Hindu comes from before Hinduism was thought of as a religion. This term is of Persian origin and first referred to people who lived on the other side (from a Persian point of view) of the Sindhu or Indus river. It was used to refer to not only ethnicity but also the Vedic religion as far back as the 15th and 16th centuries by such figures as Guru Nanak (who started Sikhism). During the British Raj, the term's use was made standard, and eventually, the religion of the Vedic Hindus was given the name 'Hinduism.' In actuality, it was merely a new name for a culture that had been around for millennia before.

Legal Definition of Hinduism[change | change source]
In a 1966, Supreme Court of India said exactly what Hinduism was for the purposes of the law. The Court's ruling said what a number of conditions a person had to meet to be a Hindu.

Current geographic distribution[change | change source]
The nations of India, Mauritius, and Nepal as well as the Indonesian island of Bali have more people who are Hindus than people who are not Hindus.In these nations, specially Nepal and India Hinduism is very popular. These countries also have many Hindus:

Bangladesh (12 million),
Sri Lanka (2.5 million),
the United States (2.0 million)
Pakistan (3.3 million),
South Africa (1.2 million),
the United Kingdom (1.2 million),
Malaysia (1.1 million),
Canada (0.7 million),
Fiji (0.5 million),
Trinidad and Tobago (0.5 million),
Guyana (0.4 million),
the Netherlands (0.4 million),
Singapore (0.3 million)
Myanmar (0.3 million),
Suriname (0.2 million),
Australia (0.1 Million).
There are also strong Hindu communities in the countries of the ex-Soviet Union, especially in Russia and Poland. The Indonesian islands of Java, Sulawesi, Sumatra, and Borneo also have big native Hindu populations. In its Yoga stream, Hinduism is even more widespread all over the world with 30 million (less than one percent can not be 30 million for US population) Hindus in the United States alone.

Dharma in orthodox Hindu society: caste[change | change source]
According to one view, the caste system shows how strongly many have felt about each person following his or her dharma, or destined path. Many Hindus say it goes against the true meaning of dharma. However, caste plays a big role in Hindu society, although it is now losing favor and is illegal in India.

In early Vedic periods, the Brahmins began not letting young candidates become priests if they were in a lower caste. This became more part of the culture over centuries until it became almost impossible to move up into a higher caste. Even though people had tried to change things for years, caste is so much of a part of in Indian culture that even people who convert to Christianity have been known to have different church meetings for different castes.

Hindu philosophy: the six Vedic schools of thought[change | change source]
The six Astika or orthodox (accepting the authority of the Vedas) schools of Hindu philosophy are Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Purva Mimamsa (also called just 'Mimamsa'), and Uttara Mimamsa (also called 'Vedanta'). The non-Vedic schools are called Nastika, or heterodox, and refer to Buddhism, Jainism and Lokayata. The schools that continue to affect Hinduism today are Purva Mimamsa, Yoga, and Vedanta. See Hindu philosophy for a discussion of the historical significance of Samkhya, Nyaya, and Vaisheshika.

Purva Mimamsa[change | change source]
The main purpose of the Purva Mimamsa line of thought was to make the Vedas more of a part of life, and led people to understand it better. Adi Shankara and Swami Vivekananda followed this line of thought to explain the meaning of Hindu beliefs.

Yoga[change | change source]
The Yoga system is thought to have come from the Samkhya philosophy. The yoga referred to here, however, is specifically Raja Yoga (or meditational union). It is based on the sage Patanjali's text called the Yoga Sutra, which is about the Yoga philosophy that came before. Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita are also important writings in the study of Yoga.

Uttara Mimamsa: The Three Schools of Vedanta[change | change source]
The Uttara ("later") Mimamsa school is perhaps one of the cornerstone movements of Hinduism and certainly was responsible for a new wave of philosophical and meditative inquiry, renewal of faith, and cultural reform. Primarily associated with the Upanishads and their commentary by Badarayana, the Vedanta Sutras, Vedanta thought split into three groups, initiated by the thinking and writing of Adi Shankara. Most Hindu thought today in some way relates to changes affected by Vedantic thought, which focused on meditation, morality and centeredness on the one Self rather than on rituals and meaningless societal distinctions like caste. See Vedanta for greater depth.

Pure Monism: Advaita Vedanta[change | change source]
Advaita literally means "not two"; thus this is what we refer to as a monistic (or non-dualistic) system, which emphasises oneness. Its consolidator was Adi Shankara (788?-820?) expounded his theories largely based on previous teachings of the Upanishads and his own guru Govinda Bhagavadpada.

By analysis of experiential consciousness, he exposed the relative nature of the world and established the non-dual reality of Brahman in which Atman (the individual soul) and Brahman (the ultimate reality) are identified absolutely. It is not merely philosophy, but a conscious system of applied ethics and meditation, all geared towards attaining peace and understanding of truth.

Adi Shankara denounced caste and meaningless ritual as foolish, and in his own charismatic manner, exhorted the true devotee to meditate on God's love and apprehend truth.

See Advaita Vedanta for more.

Qualified Monism: Vishistadvaita Vedanta[change | change source]
Ramanuja (1040 - 1137) was the foremost proponent of the concept of Sriman Narayana as the supreme Brahman. He taught that Ultimate reality had three aspects: Isvara (Vishnu), cit (soul) and acit (matter). Vishnu is the only independent reality, while souls and matter are dependent on God for their existence. Because of this qualification of Ultimate reality, Ramanuja's system is known as qualified non-dualism.

Dualism: Dvaita Vedanta[change | change source]
Like Ramanuja, Madhvacharya (1199 - 1278) identified god with Vishnu, but his view of reality was purely dualistic in that he understood a fundamental differentiation between the ultimate godhead and the individual soul, and the system is therefore called Dvaita (dualistic) Vedanta.

Mandirs[change | change source]
Puja (worship) takes place in the Mandir (temple). Mandirs vary in size from small village shrines to large buildings, surrounded by walls. People can also visit the Mandir at any time to pray and participate in the bhajans (religious songs). Hindus also worship at home and often have a special room with a shrine to particular gods.

Temple construction in India started nearly 2000 years ago. The oldest temples that were built of brick and wood no longer exist. Stone later became the preferred material. Temples marked the transition of Hinduism from the Vedic religion of ritual sacrifices to a religion of Bhakti or love and devotion to a personal deity. Temple construction and mode of worship is governed by ancient Sanskrit scriptures called agamas, of which there are several, which deal with individual deities. There are substantial differences in architecture, customs, rituals and traditions in temples in different parts of India. During the ritual consecration of a temple, the presence of the universal all-encompassing Brahman is invoked into the main stone deity of the temple, through ritual, thereby making the deity and the temple sacred and divine

Alternative cultures of worship[change | change source]
The Bhakti schools[change | change source]
The Bhakti (Devotional) school takes its name from the Hindu term that signifies a blissful, selfless and overwhelming love of God as the beloved Father, Mother, Child, or whatever relationship finds appeal in the devotee's heart. The philosophy of Bhakti seeks to tap into the universal divinity through personal form, which explains the proliferation of so many gods and goddesses in India, often reflecting the singular inclinations of small regions or groups of people. Seen as a form of Yoga, or union, it seeks to dissolve the ego in God, since consciousness of the body and limited mind as self is seen to be a divisive factor in spiritual realization. Essentially, it is God who effects all change, who is the source of all works, who acts through the devotee as love and light. 'Sins' and evil-doings of the devotee are said to fall away of their own accord, the devotee shriven, limitedness even transcended, through the love of God. The Bhakti movements rejuvenated Hinduism through their intense expression of faith and their responsiveness to the emotional and philosophical needs of India. They can rightly be said to have affected the greatest wave of change in Hindu prayer and ritual since ancient times.

The most popular means of expressing love for God in the Hindu tradition has been through puja, or ritual devotion, frequently using the aid of a murti (statue) in conjunction with the singing or chanting of meditational prayer in the form of mantras.

Devotional songs called bhajans (written primarily from the 14th-17th centuries), kirtan (praise), and arti (a filtered down form of Vedic fire ritual) are sometimes sung in conjunction with performance of puja. This rather organic system of devotion attempts to aid the individual in connecting with God through symbolic medium. It is said, however, that the bhakta, through a growing connection with God, is eventually able to eschew all external form and is immersed entirely in the bliss of undifferentiated Love in Truth.

Altogether, bhakti resulted in a mass of devotional literature, music and art that has enriched the world and gave India renewed spiritual impetus, one eschewing unnecessary ritual and artificial social boundaries. See bhakti yoga for more.

Tantrism[change | change source]
Main page: Tantra
According to the most famous Western Tantrik scholar, Sir John Woodroffe (pseudonym Arthur Avalon): "The Indian Tantras, which are numerous, constitute the Scripture (Shastra) of the Kaliyuga, and as such are the voluminous source of present and practical orthodox 'Hinduism'. The Tantra Shastra is, in fact, and whatever be its historical origin, a development of the Vaidika Karmakanda, promulgated to meet the needs of that age. Shiva says: 'For the benefit of men of the Kali age, men bereft of energy and dependent for existence on the food they eat, the Kaula doctrine, O auspicious one! is given' (Chap. IX., verse 12). To the Tantra we must therefore look if we would understand aright both ritual, yoga, and sadhana of all kinds, as also the general principles of which these practices are but the objective expression." (Introduction to Sir John Woodroffe's translation of "Mahanirvana Tantra.")

The word "tantra" means "treatise" or "continuum", and is applied to a variety of mystical, occult, medical and scientific works as well as to those which we would now regard as "tantric". Most tantras were written in the late Middle Ages and sprang from Hindu cosmology and Yoga.

Important symbolism and themes in Hinduism[change | change source]
Ahimsa and the cow[change | change source]
Many Hindus are vegetarians (do not eat meat) because of their respect for life. About 30% of today's Hindu population, especially in orthodox communities in South India, in certain northerly states like Gujarat, and in many Brahmin areas around the subcontinent, are vegetarian.

Most Hindus who do eat meat do not eat beef. Some do not even use leather products. This is most likely because many Hindus have relied so heavily on the cow for all sorts of dairy products, tilling of fields and fuel for fertiliser that its status as a willing 'caretaker' of humanity grew to identifying it as an almost motherly figure. Thus, while most Hindus do not worship the cow, and rules against eating beef arose long after the Vedas had been written, it still has an honored place in Hindu society. It is said that Krishna is both Govinda (herder of cows) and Gopala (protector of cows), and Shiva's attendant is Nandi, the bull. With the stress on vegetarianism (which is usually followed even by meat-eating Hindus on religious days or special occasions) and the sacred nature of the cow, it is no wonder that most holy cities and areas in India have a ban on selling meat-products and there is a movement among Hindus to ban cow-slaughter not only in specific regions, but in all of India.

Hindu symbols[change | change source]
Hindus use many symbols and signs. The two most important symbols used by Hindus are the "Aum" and the "Swastika (Hinduism)".

Forms of worship: murtis and mantras[change | change source]
Contrary to popular belief, practiced Hinduism is neither polytheistic nor strictly monotheistic. The various Hindu gods and avatars that are worshipped by Hindus are understood as different forms of One truth, sometimes seen as beyond a mere god and as a formless Divine Ground (Brahman), akin but not limited to monism, or as one monotheistic principle like Vishnu or Shiva.

Whether believing in the One source as formless (nirguna brahman, without attributes) or as a personal god (saguna Brahman, with attributes), Hindus understand that the one truth may be seen as different to different people. Hinduism encourages devotees to describe and develop a personal relationship with their chosen deity (ishta devata) in the form of a god or goddess.

While some censuses hold worshippers of one form or another of Vishnu (known as Vaishnavs) to be at 80% and those of Shiva (called Shaivaites) and Shakti at the remaining 20%, such figures are perhaps misleading. The vast majority of Hindus worship many gods as varicolored forms of the same prism of Truth. Among the most popular are Vishnu (as Krishna or Rama), Shiva, Devi (the Mother as many female deities, such as Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kali and Durga), Ganesha, Skanda and Hanuman.

Worship of the said deities is often done through the aid of pictures or icons (murti) which are said not to be God themselves but conduits for the devotee's consciousness, markers for the human soul that signify the ineffable and illimitable nature of the love and grandeur of God. They are symbols of the greater principle, representing and are never presumed to be the concept or entity itself. Thus, Hindu image worship is a form of iconolatry, in which the symbols are venerated as putative sigils of divinity, as opposed to idolatry, a charge often levied (erroneously) at Hindus. For more details on this form of worship, see murti.

Mantra[change | change source]
Hindus use several prayers and group of words. Some group of words are called mantras. These words are said to give the speaker a deeper concentration and understanding, thus coming closer to Brahman. A well known mantra is om or aum. It symbolizes Brahman, and is often the opening word in many prayers. To pronounce a mantra well, you should say it slowly, and in a deep voice.

Hindu texts[change | change source]
There are many texts relating to Hinduism. Most of them have been written in Sanskrit and Tamil. These texts are called Hindu scriptures. Some of the important Hindu texts are:

Shruti
Smriti
Puran
Shruti[change | change source]
The Vedas are considered scripture by all Hindus. While most Hindus may never read the Vedas, they strongly believe that the search for eternal knowledge is important (Veda means knowledge). Classed with the Vedas (which specifically refer to the Rig/Rg, Yajur, Sama and Atharva Vedas) are their famous commentaries, the Upanishads.

Smriti[change | change source]
The post-Vedic Hindu scriptures form the latter category, the most notable of which are the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, major epics considered scripture by most followers of Sanatana Dharma, their stories arguably familiar to the vast majoriy of Hindus living in the Indian subcontinent, if not in other places also. Other texts considered important by today's Hindus include the Devi Mahatmya, an ode to Devi, the Divine Mother, and the Yoga Sutras, a key meditative yoga text of Shri Patanjali. There are also a number of revered Hindu Tantras and Sutras that command the respect of various Hindu sects of different persuasion, some including the Mahanirvana Tantra, Tirumantiram and Shiva Sutras.


simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduism

Hindus Symbols Symbolisms

Hindu Symbols and Symbolisms
- Omkar, Swastika, the Saffron Colour and Purna-kumbha

Courtesy
By Sudheer Birodhkar

India is a land of innumerable beliefs, rituals and religious symbols. These beliefs and symbols are highly respected and revered.
The origin of the syllable OM is lost in the misty past. Its not being specific to any one country or civilization is indicative of its being an universally perceptible sound for the human race. This reason for this universal perceptibility possibly lies in the fact that AAAH is the most natural sound that issues from the human larynx. This is evident when a man cries out naturally in extreme pain, anger or fear. When emotions reach an extreme pitch the articulate sounds evolved by man are not the ones that are heard, but the syllable natural to man which is AAAH.
As a devout people we normally do not go into the meaning and interpretation of our many beliefs. It is sufficient for most of us to know that they are part of the heritage handed down to us by our ancestors and in deference to tradition it becomes our duty to scrupulously and meticulously adhere to them. But by doing things without knowing the meaning behind them do we not deprive ourselves of an insight into our heritage?
Culture can be well appreciated and adapted to changing times if the meaning behind its different constituents is well understood. To develop this understanding one has to look upon all human actions as having originated in human society. While answers to all questions cannot be obtained, the acceptance of this approach at least opens the door to inquiry into the circumstances which gave rise to our revered traditions.
An attempt to interpret our religious beliefs and symbols is a challenging task. Many of these issues defy analysis and call for a judicious combination of the study of the social environment, etymology, aesthetics and philosophy. As far as aesthetics and philosophy go there exists a good deal of subjectivism and value judgement. While talking about etymology and the social environment we are on relatively firmer ground. In this chapter we have taken a set of symbols, beliefs and rituals and have attempted to examine the possible meaning behind them and the reasons which could lie behind their origin. The first religious symbol we take up is that of Om or Omkar.
OM or Omkar
The syllable OM is quite familiar to a Hindu. It occurs in every prayer. Invocation to most gods begin with this syllable. For instance we have Om Namaha Shivaya, Hari Om, Om Shanti etc. OM is also pronounced as AUM.
Is OM present in Christianity as 'Amen' and in Islam as 'Amin'?
This term occurs in various ancient and modern civilizations. It exists Hinduism, Christianity and Islam.
In Arabic the first alphabet is pronounced as aliph. In Greek it is alpha, in the Roman script it is A. Thus in many languages the first letter in the alphabet has the syllable A, with which the word AUM or OM begins. In the Greek alphabet the last letter is Omega which comes very close to OM. Thus the significance of the syllable OM as the beginning and end finds a parallel in many of the scripts associated with ancient languages.
The different ways in which Omkar is depicted. The syllable OM is not specific to Indian culture. It has religious significance in other religions also. The word Amen used among Christians at the end of a prayer is also said to be derived from the the syllable OM. Although OM is not given any specific definition and is considered to be a cosmic sound, a primordial sound, the totality of all sounds etc., Amen is said to mean 'May it be so'.
In Arabic a similar term 'Amin' has a religious significance.
This indicates some link between the various symbols and perhaps a common origin. Even in the English language the syllable °m occurs in words having a similar meaning. for instance; Omniscience means infinite knowledge, Omnipotent means having infinite powers Omnivorous means eating or reading every thing. This syllable also occurs in words such as Omen which means a sign of something that is to occur in future, Ombudsman means a person having authority to pronounce a verdict. Thus Om is also used to signify divinity and authority.
The syllable OM is not specific to Indian culture. It has religious significance in other religions also. The word Amen used among Christians at the end of a prayer is also said to be derived from the the syllable OM. Although OM is not given any specific definition and is considered to be a cosmic sound, a primordial sound, the totality of all sounds etc., Amen is said to mean 'May it be so'.
In Arabic a similar term 'Amin' has a religious significance.
This is believed to be the original depiction of the syllable OM. We can see how similar it is to the Englisg (Latin) letter 'M' as also to the greek letter 'Omega'.
Thus the origin of the syllable OM is lost in the misty past. Its not being specific to any one country or civilization is indicative of its being an universally perceptible sound for the human race. This reason for this universal perceptibility possibly lies in the fact that AAAH is the most natural sound that issues from the human larynx. This is evident when a man cries out naturally in extreme pain, anger or fear. When emotions reach an extreme pitch the articulate sounds evolved by man are not the ones that are heard, but the syllable natural to man which is AAAH.
This sound it can be said would have been associated with man, in absence of articulate speech, as are the various sounds of barking, meowing, bellowing that we associate with different animals. This perhaps is the reason why the syllable beginning with the letter 'A' is the first one in most alphabets. And this perhaps is also the reason for the Deification of the syllable AUM or OM.
Swastika
The next religious symbol which is also revered by Hindu and ranks second only to OM is the Swastika. Today, the Swastika is know the world over not as a religious symbolism of the Hindus but as the Nazi emblem. Hitler's use of the Swastika on the flag of National-socialist Germany has besmirched the Swastika. But the Swastika continues to hold a religious significance for the Hindus. Like OM, the origins of Swastika are lost in the misty realms of the past and they can only be guessed by piecing together of the surviving clues.
Unlike OM, the Swastika is not a syllable or a letter. It appears to be decorative charecter which could have originated in a hieroglyphic (pictorial) script.
The various ways in which the Swatika is depicted. is also revered by Hindu and ranks second only to OM is the Swastika. Today, the Swastika is know the world over not as a religious symbolism of the Hindus but as the Nazi emblem. Hitler's use of the Swastika on the flag of National-socialist Germany has besmirched the Swastika. But the Swastika continues to hold a religious significance for the Hindus. Like OM, the origins of Swastika are lost in the misty realms of the past and they can only be guessed by piecing together of the surviving clues.
The word Swastika is normally believed to be an amalgam of the words Su and Asati. Su means 'good' and Asati meant 'to exist'.
As per Sanskrit grammer the words Su and Asati when amalgamated into one word become Swasti (as in the case of Su and Aaatam becoming Swagatam meaning welcome). If this derivation of the word Swastika is true, then the literal meaning of the term Swastika would be 'let good-prevail'.
There exist many types of signs which stand for the Swastika. Even the standard version has two forms the one facing the right also called the symbol of- the right hand path and the one facing the left called the symbol of the lefthand path. These two Swastikas are also considered to represent the male and female. There is also a Swastika which is an amalgam of these two types.
Did the Swastika originate as blueprint for a fort called Su Vastu?
In the conventional type of a fort, the fall of one of the gates to the attacking army would lead to the Enemy's pouring into the fort and lead to massacre or capture of all or most of its inhabitants. But under the Swastika grids fall of one of the four gates could still keep, at least three-fourths of the fort safe. The understanding of the Swastika as a blueprint for a fort can also be etymologically corroborated. In Sanskrit, Vasa means to inhabit and Vastu means habitation. While Su means good. The word Swastika might be an amalgam of the terms 'Su' and 'Vastu' pronounced as as 'Swastu') meaning 'a good habitation'.
All these forms present the Swastika to us as if it were only a symbol. But it is quite possible that Swastika was an object which played an important role in the real lives of people. Some scholars have said that in ancient times forst were builtin the shape of a grid resembling the Swastika, for defensive purposes. Under such an arrangement it was difficult for an enemy to storm into all parts of the fort simultaneously.
Did the Swastika originate as blueprint for a fort called Su Vastu?
In the conventional type of a fort, the fall of one of the gates to the attacking army would lead to the Enemy's pouring into the fort and lead to massacre or capture of all or most of its inhabitants. But under the Swastika grids fall of one of the four gates could still keep, at least three-fourths of the fort safe.
The understanding of the Swastika as a blueprint for a fort can also be etymologically corroborated. In Sanskrit, Vasa means to inhabit and Vastu means habitation. While Su means good. The word Swastika might be an amalgam of the terms 'Su' and 'Vastu' pronounced as as 'Swastu') meaning 'a good habitation'.
Incidentally in Sanskrit the term Swasta means calm or peaceful. Thus the term and concept of Swastika might as well be a derivation of the name of a defensive structure which due to its impregnable character was looked upon as a good habitation.
That this form of a defensive arrangement was a fact is also corroborated by the military practice of Chakra-vyuha used during ancient times. In the Chakra-vyuha, the army was arranged in the form of a circular grid which an enemy army was supposed to break. This was one of the techniques used during the Mahabharata war in which Arjuna's son Abhimanyu was killed. That the Chakra-vyuha was an effective form of defense and it was very diffciult to break it is corroborated by the episode of Abhimanyu in the Mahabharata. Briefly, this episode is as follows:
The clue that the Grid like the Swastika as a defensive arrangement was a fact is also corroborated by the military practice of Chakra-vyuha used during ancient times. In the Chakra-vyuha, the army was arranged in the form of a circular grid which an enemy army was supposed to break. This was one of the techniques used during the Mahabharata war in which Arjuna's son Abhimanyu was killed. That the Chakra-vyuha was an effective form of defense and it was very diffciult to break it is corroborated by the episode of Abhimanyu in the Mahabharata.
When Abhimanyu was on the family way, Sri Krishna used to take Subhadra (Abhimanyu's mother) on excursions. To humour her, Krishna used to relate many of his adventures to the pregnant Subhadra. On one such excursion Krishna was narrating his experience with the technique of Chakra-vyuha and how step by step the various circles could be penerated. It seems that Subhadra did not find this topic interesting enough for she soon went into a slumber. But someone else was interested in Sri Krishna's narration and that was the yet to be born Abhimanyu.
While Subhadra dozed off, Abhimanyu continued to carefully follow Srl Krishna's narrative of the Chakra-vyuha. But after talking for sometime and not receiving any response from Subhadra, Sri Krishna turned back and saw that Subhadra was savouring a sweet nap. Sri Krishna who had at that time come upto the seventh step of the Chakra-vyuha, gave up his narration and returned with Subhadra to the palace.
The unfortunate Abimanyu could never obtain the technique of breaking all the circles in the chakra-vyuha, but whatever he had heard Sri Krishna say, he carefully preserved in his memory. He grew up to be a brave handsome young man. Many years later when during the Mahabharata war the Kavravas set up a Chakar-vyuha and challenged the Pandavas to come forward and break it, none of the Pandavas knew the technique of doing so. At that Juncture to save the honour of the Pandavas, Abhimanyu came forward and offerred his services for the task of breaking the chakra-vyuha. Despite his incomplete knowledge of the technique he entered tne grid and overcame one circle after another till he come to the seventh one for the breaking of which he had no knowledge. Brave and ambitious es he was he fought valiantly in the unequal struggle but in vain. His strength and bravery proved no match against the skillfully laid out maze on warriors fighting whom, he met his end.
Similarly the Swastika could also have originated as a defensive structure which due to its vast practical utility was considered powerful and was sanctified.
Saffron - the auspicous colour for Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists and Jains
The saffron colour is considered auspicious by Hindus. This colour also has a special significance to the Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. Among the Sikhs it is considered to be a militant colour signifying a fight against injustice. Hindus and Sikhs have a saffron coloured triangular flag as their religious standard. This flag is seen flying atop Hindus temples and Gurudwaras.
This colour also has a special significance to the Buddhists, Jains and Sikhs. Among the Sikhs it is considered to be a militant colour signifying a fight against injustice. Hindus and Sikhs have a saffron coloured triangular flag as their religious standard.
Buddhist bhikkus (monks living upon alms) always where saffron coloured robes. But among the Hindus this colour is most prominently visible in their flag, robes, the Tilaka (mark applied on the forehead), statues of Hindu Gods are daubed with saffron paste. In the diverse and multifaceted Hindu religion, the saffron colour is one of the few elements that commands a universal acceptance among Hindus. The fact that this colour is regarded as sacred even by the offspring Buddhist and Sikh religions indicates that this colour must have obtained a religious significance before they came into being.
Jain Munis
Jain Munis and Buddhist Bhikkus (monks living upon alms) always where saffron coloured robes. But among the Hindus this colour is most prominently visible in their flag, robes, the Tilaka (mark applied on the forehead), statues of Hindu Gods are daubed with saffron paste. In the diverse and multifaceted Hindu religion, the saffron colour is one of the few elements that commands a universal acceptance among Hindus. The fact that this colour is regarded as sacred even by the offspring Jain, Buddhist and Sikh religions indicates that this colour must have obtained a religious significance before they came into being.
Thus, Hinduism is the birthplace of the idea that the saffron colour is an auspicious one. The origin of this attitude lies in the hazy past when pigments were few and were highly prized. Plants and minerals have generally been the source for deriving pigments. The saffron pigment is traditionally derived from the saffron plant (Autumn crocus) which is called Keshar from which the saffron colour derives one of its names - Keshari. This plant is grown in the sub-Himalayan regions and is very rare. This rarity could have been a reason for this particular colour to be highly valued and this along with its golden hue raised it to the status of being a holy colour. That the golden colour of the precious yellow metal had a special status apart from the high monetary value attached to it is evident from the term Suvarna that is used to describe it. Suvarna means the good colour (Su=good, varna=colour). This word was normally used to refer to gold rather than the other word Hiranya (derived possibly as an adjective of Harina which means a deer - an animal having a golden-brown sheen). Among other words used to describe the saffron colour are Bhagva and Naranga. The term Bhagva could have been derived from the word Bhagvan (meaning God) to identify this colour as the one associated with God. Incidentally in Sanskrit the term for good fortune is Bhagya which also is indicative of the auspicious significance attached to this colour.
The "Sacred Colour" concept in Different Cultures
The sanctification of a particular colour is not peculiar to Hinduism. In other religions also this attitude is prevalent. For instance Muslims look upon Green colour as their religious standard.. Among present day Christians (originally among the Romans), the purple colour was regarded as a colour of divinity and royalty.
Green Colour in Islam
It would be interesting to recall how the green colour acquired a special significance among the Muslims.
A Mosque with the ubiquitous Green Colour.
Green as the colour of special significance must antedate the birth of Islam. Its special significance originated from the critical role which an oasis played in the lives of the Arabs. Hence the colour which stood for an oasis must have been immortalized in their consciousness. For the desert nomads, a green peck of an oasis in the vast water-starved desert must have been synonymous with hope, survival and pleasure. Islam which became the religion of Arabs in the 6th century derives almost everything from their culture. Islamic folklore and beliefs are largely born out of the culture of the Arabs. Hence the significance of the green colour to the peoples whom the Arabs engulfed in their great Jehad
The Arabs whose homeland is the birthplace of Islam is a vast desert-land. For these desert nomads the appearance of a green patch on the horizon meant an oasis and springs (sources of water) which is the life-blood for human settlement. Green as the colour of special significance must antedate the birth of Islam. Its special significance originated from the critical role of oasis played in the lives of the Arabs that the colour which stood for it must have been immortalized in their consciousness.
For the desert nomads, a green peck of an oasis in the vast water-starved desert must have been synonymous with hope, survival and pleasure. Islam which became the religion of Arabs in the 6th century derives almost everything from their culture. Islamic folklore and beliefs are largely born out of the culture of the Arabs. Hence the significance of the green colour to the peoples whom the Arabs engulfed in their great Jehad.
Purnakumbha
Purnakumbha literally means a "full pitcher" (Purna = full, Kumbha = pitcher). The Purnakumbha is a pitcher full of water, with fresh leaves of the mango tree and a coconut (Sriphala) placed on the top. The Purnakumbha is an object symbolizing God and is regularly used during different religious rites. One instance of the Purnakumbha itself used as an object of worship is the Satyanarayana Puja or the worship of Lord Satyanarayana. The water in the jar is said to be the divine essence. Water has been an object of worship since a very early age among the Hindus.
Purnakumbha literally means a "full pitcher" (Purna = full, Kumbha = pitcher). The Purnakumbha is a pitcher full of water, with fresh leaves of the mango tree and a coconut (Sriphala) placed on the top. The Purnakumbha is an object symbolizing God and is regularly used during different religious rites. One instance of the Purnakumbha itself used as an object of worship is the Satyanarayana Puja or the worship of Lord Satyanarayana.
The five forces of nature - Pancha-Mahabhoota
The five forces of nature Pancha-Mahabhoota which were the first to be worshipped included water. Graphically, water is depicted by a circle in the Pancha-Mahabhootas. This circle seems to be a symbolism for fullness. Water plays an important role even today in Hindu religious rites. During all purificatory rites, water is sprinkled on the object to be purified. Before starting his meal a Hindu sprinkles water around the the banana leaf from which a meal is traditionally eaten. In ancient times before coronation a king was sprinkled with water so as to ensure an auspicious beginning to his reign. A Kumbha called the Ghata was used during solemn occasions especially during marriages to fix the auspicious time for performing the ceremony. ritual a smaller vessel with a small hole at its bottom was floated in a larger vessel full of water. The smaller vessel was gradually filled up with water flowing in through the hole and after it was full to the brim the smaller vessel would sink into the larger one. The auspicious moment decided in this manner with a Ghata was called Ghataka.
The Pancha-mahabhootas (five forces of nature) included (depicted graphically from below) earth, water, fire, air and ether (sky).
The Kumbha Mela
The Kumbha-Mela ceremony that is observed at selected places seems to be having a link with the concept of Purnakumbha. The Kumbha-Mela ceremony is a public religious event which occurs after a lapse of few years. A notable feature of the Kumbha-Mela is that it cannot be observed everywhere even at the selected time. It can be observed only at the few select places. And these select places which are on the banks of rivers like Hardwar and Prayag (Allahabad) on the banks of the Ganga, Ujjain at the banks of the Kshipra, or Nashik on the banks of the Godavari are places where the Kumbh Mela is held periodically.
The Kumbha-Mela ceremony that is observed at selected places seems to be having a link with the concept of Purnakumbha. The Kumbha-Mela ceremony is a public religious event which occurs after a lapse of few years. A notable feature of the Kumbha-Mela is that it cannot be observed everywhere even at the selected time. It can be observed only at the few select places. And these select places which are on the banks of rivers like Hardwar and Prayag (Allahabad) on the banks of the Ganga, Ujjain at the banks of the Kshipra, or Nashik on the banks of the Godavari are places where the Kumbh Mela is held periodically.
The Purna Kumbha Mela and the Ardha Kumbha Mela
The Kumbha-Mela is also of two types, one on the occasion of Purna-Kumbha (the full pitcher) and the other on the occasion of Ardha Kumbha (the half pitcher).
The Sri-Phala - Coconut
The coconut (Sriphala) which is used in the making of a Purna-Kumbha is also an independent object of worship. A coconut alone is also used to symbolize 'God' While worshipping any deity, A coconut is normally an item to be offered along with flowers and incense sticks, etc. But the coconut has a special significance as is evident from the word Sriphala meaning God's fruit. Other similar objects which also are used to symbolize divinity are the betel leaf and the areca-nut (Supari) also called betel nut as it is chewed along with the betel leaf. These items which are the objects of worship have one common element, all of them have a quality of mild intoxication. Juice tapped from a coconut tree and the coconut milk is popularly used in the making of fermented (mildily alcoholic) beverages like Neera.
Some objects which also are used to symbolize divinity are the betel leaf and the areca-nut (Supari) also called betel nut as it is chewed along with the betel leaf. These items which are the objects of worship have one common element, all of them have a quality of mild intoxication.
While this inference may sound incredible, an incidental fact that should be noted is the high value attached to alcoholic drinks like Soma and Sura by Aryans which can be seen in the references to these drinks in Vedic literature. For the hardy war-like Aryans of the Vedic period who lived a nomadic life in the wintry northern regions, such intoxicating drinks had a special significance. It may not be purely accidental that the items which later became objects of worship included those that had a quality of mild intoxication.
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Now we move on to read about the social origins of the Hindu Etiquette of Namaskar and Tilaka.
Sudheer Birodkar