What is Hinduism? - David Frawley -
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- Опубликовано: 25 апр 2019
- #IndicTalks #DavidFrawley #Hinduism #PadmaBhushan #VamadevaShastri #Dharma
In this Indic Talk, David Frawley gives a short introduction to his critically acclaimed and highly popular work titled "What is Hinduism". Through this talk, Frawley shares his life-long journey and connection with Hinduism; his interaction with great Hindu gurus and traditions and the whole Hindu knowledge system.
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Hinduism teaches that the Supreme Being(Divine):
-Manifests in different forms
-Can be worshipped by various means
-Speaks to each individual in different ways to enable them to not only believe in God, but know God..The worldview of pluralism is not just applicable to Hindus, but to all members of this universal family. Accordingly, Hinduism acknowledges not just the possibility, but also the existence of more than one path (religion) or way of relating to Truth (God). This true,unadulterated pluralism is captured in the ancient Sanskrit hymn:
Ekam sat vipraha bahudha vadanti
Truth is one, the wise call it by many names.Against the backdrop of this understanding of equality and unity, the Hindu world has been able to embrace the reality of diversity through its philosophy of pluralism. Every being, with their varying likes and dislikes, their unique personalities, and their different cultures,not only connect with one another in their own unique ways, but connect with the Divine in their own individual ways.
Hinduism has preserved the Atma-Vidya, the knowledge of the Supreme Self, for all humanity.The Vedic vision perceives nature as a manifestation of the Divine, extending to our own senses and pranas(CHI / Life Energy), but recognizes a transcendent Self behind this magical display .
Veda is knowledge and Yoga is its practice.
In the Vedic view the true goal of civilization and human life is Moksha or the liberation of consciousness from body, mind and karma.
Abrahamanic civilization is based upon body consciousness and ego assertion even in the realm of religion.
India's profound Vedic intellectual tradition is rooted in Yoga, mantra and meditation.
Connects the human mind with cosmic intelligence. Takes us beyond the mere dualistic opinions of the ego-mind.
In Vedic view, the universe is a manifestation of supreme consciousness and Self-awareness; physics not yet there but beginning to suspect.
Until the Vedic mantras are properly understood in their cosmological depths, we will not know our yogic connections as a species or the true essence of Hindu dharma.
The Rishi vision rests upon the unity of Consciousness in and beyond innumerable lokas.
(REALMS)
In HINDUISM , God is the universal consciousness, Ever new Joy,the ocean of bliss which can only be experienced. God is universal consciousness and the ocean of bliss. He is formless, but he can manifest Himself in any form.
He can appear to his devotee in the form of Ram,Krishna, Buddha,Mahavira , Guru Govind Singh,Guru Nanak and of other Self Realized masters.
God is both personal and impersonal. He is the Absolute, beyond form, but He also makes Himself manifest in many ways. He is visible everwhere, in everything He has created, and in the workings of His intelligence governing all creation.
God cannot be bound by any form, even His personal aspect in the universe is also infinite.”
“The impersonal God cannot be described, or even understood with the intellect. The only way you can know the Absolute is to be one with Spirit.
It is only the personal God that you can think of or worship. Without a personal example of God’s divine qualities, nobody could not concieve of Him at all.
What are the differences between Hinduism and Islam?
The stark difference is in the matrix in which these two religions arose.
Islam arose in the deserts of Arabia and Hinduism in the jungles of India. The concepts, teachings and practices of both reflect their environmental origins.
Both Islam and Hinduism teach the golden rule - do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Both have common moral teachings on compassion, generosity, honesty, living healthy lives in moderation, care for the poor, kindness, charity, truth, etc. etc.
But the philosophical and theological differences are vast.
A comparison is extremely difficult because Islam, like the desert is rather simplistic whereas Hinduism like the jungle is extremely complex.
Islam is Theo-centric - i.e. God is at the center of Islamic theology.
Hinduism is Anthropo-centric i.e. Human beings are at the center of Hindu philosophy.
Islam has two major sects Sunni and Shia and the minor Sufi sect. Hinduism has hundreds. So one can affirm certain basic principles of Islam in general but it is hard to affirm corresponding simplicities in respect of Hinduism.
The major similarity is that both religions have a complex code of Law covering ever aspect of one’s daily life from rising to sleeping. For Muslims it is the Shariawhich is the consensus of scholars based on the Quran and Hadith - deriving from Allah and imperatively applicable to every Muslim. For Hindus it is Dharma Shastra derived remotely from the Veda with no consensus and applicable on whoever accepts it as a guide.
Theology is a more complex subject. Muslims are strict Monotheists (tawhid) and Hindu are essentially Monists (wahd-el-wujud).
In Islam God creates the world from nothing, in Hinduism God becomes the world of quantum matter.
In Islam God creates souls, Hinduism rejects the concept of created souls in favour of a doctrine of rays or emanations of consciousness from God (like rays of light from the Sun).
Islam is a duality - God i.e. the world and souls are all separate. In Hinduism there are three variations:- Duality, Non-duality and Qualified non-duality.
Islam is based on linear time:- creation, existence, destruction, judgement day then bifurcation into heaven for believers and hell for unbelievers for the rest of linear eternity.
Hinduism is based on circular time:- no beginning no end, episodes of involution punctuated by periods of rest/latency. Nothing eternal everything temporary even heaven and hell.
The ultimate goal of Islam is to attain association with God in a heaven (jannat) which is described in the Quran in very material and sensual terms: rivers, gardens, luxurious couches, sherbet, meat of birds, sex with beautiful houris etc.
The ultimate goal of Hinduism is to return to our source and find complete union - merging with God, like the rivers flowing into the ocean (mokṣa)
In Islam for the unbelievers there is eternal damnation and torture in the Hell fire. (Some Sufis consider that Hell is temporary and not eternal.)
Hinduism rejects such a doctrine as being incompatible with the infinite compassion of an omnipotent Being - there is no consequence of disbelief just further cycles of human rebirth.
The spiritual path is based on submission to the will of Allah in Islam and obeying his laws and following the five pillars - i.e. the path of servitude. In Islam there is only one relationship one can have with God and that is master/servant. (The Sufis differed.)
In Hinduism one can choose from a number of different ways to relate to God according to one’s personal inclination. Servant/master, lover/beloved, friend/friend, parent/child, saviour/saved, husband/wife, supporter/supported, the enjoyer/ object of enjoyment etc.
MONOTHEISM(TAHWEED) Of ISLAM Vs MULTIPLICITY OF DIVINE IN HINDUISM -
I mean why people bother about the Form of God or about a No Form of God ? This is stupid ! God has no Form but can have unlimited Form (Sanctified Form that can represent Him as a Form of worship). So where is the confusion ? If God cannot have a Form then His is incomplete and his power is limited ! That God is no God ! Allah is not a complete God in the sense that He is not supposed to have Form ! Then he is incomplete and with limited power ! Hinduism Go has ALL in one ! Hindu God has no Form (Brahman - Niraakar or Nirguna) and has Unlimited
Infinitude os Forms (Saguna - Sakaar) and dwells in the heart of everyone (Antaryami) and pervades all inanimate and animate material as well as spiritual Worlds. On the contrary, the Concept of God is even better in Hinduism (Vedic Dharm) than in other abrahamic faiths
I don’t want to either defend idol worship or condemn their critics. But it is an undeniable truth that irrespective of whatever label you give, everyone is worshipping idols. - Muslims putting decorated sheets on graves, celebrating birthday of Prophet and promoting photo of Mecca is idol-worship. - Majority of non-Arabic Muslims have no understanding of Arabic, but they still keep Arabic names, have Arabic slogans to remember God, and even put gothic pictures of their religious slogans. This is idol-worship. - They try to mimic even clothing and grooming habits of Prophet despite knowing that he lived in a completely different era. The typical beard style without mustache that Muslims keep is because they believe this is how Prophet used to keep himself. If idol worship is a sin, Muslims are greatest idol worshippers. As for Hindus are concerned, they do not worship idols. They worship God through idols. Idol is just a medium for them. That is why after completion of festive period, they throw away the same idols without any emotional attachment. Only those complete devoid of intellect would attempt to hate Hindus as idol-worshippers. How can anyone in world prove that idol-worship is sin? What is wrong with idol-worship? If I worship idols, if I keep making new and new idols and worship them in new and new ways, what is anybody’s problem? Does it cause loose motion in someone? Does it kill someone? Does it rob anyone’s property? Does it rape someone?Don’t give me this crap that idol-worship is insult of God because God is only One.First, if God has real problem with my idol-worship, he would come directly and deal with me directly. Its between me and Him. Is he on sick-leave to delegate that to an incompetent person like you?Second, how do you know God is One or Many or Here or beyond Seven Skies? Did you meet Him? Can you give some evidence? If not, then what right you have to enforce your unverifiable notions on me? You are free to follow whatever you feel like. God has no idols. Hence idol-worship is a sin - How are you so sure that God has no idols? Did God come and tell you? When, where? Do you have any video recording of the meeting? Or any other proof? - I am sure you can’t answer above. Because apart from mental asylums, there are no other places in world where you would find people who have met God. - Let us assume for a while that you are one of those rare mental cases who met God and verified His “non-idolness”. Did He then make you an Authorized Agent to snatch peace and happiness from lives of those who worship His idols? Can you show the exclusive Authorization Certificate that God gave you? Let us now assume further that despite you having never met God nor he sending you the Authorized Agent Certificate by courier, still idol-worship is sin. Then who is forcing you to worship idol? Worship whatever you want. Or don’t worship at all. Who is stopping you? But what right you have to hate others for what they believe? Hate God if you indeed have to hate. He is to be blamed for not meeting you. Or hate the courier company which did not deliver your Authorization Certificate. But my Holy Book prohibits idol-worship. It says idol-worshippers are worst of creatures. This raises many questions that you must answer. How do you know the book is indeed Holy? Did God come and tell you? Or it was some ‘potency doctor’ of Ghaziabad? Different parts of world have different popular ‘Holy Books’. How do you know yours alone is the right one? - Did you read the ‘Holy Book’ yourself? Most ‘Holy Books. are at least a thousand years old. The language is completely different from modern times. So people rely on translations. Who translated the book for you? Was it the ‘potency doctor’ or someone with a sharper mental aptitude? Is there a way for you to verify whether the translation is authentic? And whether the translation is exactly of the authentic Holy Book alone and not something else? Don’t simply accept it on basis of what the ‘potency doctor’ or his clients say. If there is no clear foolproof easy way for any layman to verify the authenticity of Holy Book or its translation, it only means that God does not give the Holy Book too much of importance. So use it with a pinch of salt. Accept the fact that this is the way God wanted things to be. - Your ‘potency doctor’ may fool you by claiming that this confusion is because God is testing your loyalty. If he indeed says so, better find a different doctor than risk your potency on such a quack. Because, if indeed God is intelligent, He will give same test to all, and also define the syllabus of test before conducting the test. Ask your doctor to give a certified instruction-sheet for the test. I bet He will only try to scare you with divine punishments or entice you with luxuries. That is the tried and tested “carrot and stick” formula to control animals. Beware. If indeed idol-worshippers are worst of creatures, why did God make them in first place? Why did not God send everyone with entire Holy Book already etched in their brains? If you are talking of Hindus, let me put very clear. Hinduism is not a religion based on fear of Hell or fondness of Heaven. It is a celebration of freedom. It encourages each individual to explore and choose his own path. Because eventually, each individual is master of his own destiny. - Yes there are many books and saints that criticize idol-worship. But none asks to kill those who do idol-worship. They simply put forward their own critique on the subject and offer alternatives. It is all an intellectual discussion to discover the ultimate truth. There is no threat or lure. More importantly, no Hindu worships idol in the way morons believethem to worship. They merely use idols as means for a higher goal. When they pray even in front of idol, they close their eyes and look inwards. The Hindu God lies within each individual. Ultimate goal is to be completely at bliss with the divinity within. Different people adopt different ways to pull their thoughts inwards. To create idols is one of them.Vedas form primary source of Hinduism. They neither prohibit nor recommend specific rituals to please God. They discuss the concepts alone and leave it to individual to discover the truth through his own efforts. There is no force, fear, threat, lure here. You are free to either go to temples, pray through idols, or meditate on formless God, or be atheist. You can recommend your own best practices and strongly oppose prevalent ways of society. There is complete freedom. Nothing is mandatory. Everything is a recommendation. That is why Hinduism is most rational and reasonable way of life. Now coming to Hinduism,Hindu Dharma honors Self-realization and God-realization for all, with diverse forms of worship and meditation to achieve it. Hindus pray for universal peace and happiness, not the triumph of one faith or belief. Hindu Scriptures donot talk of God as a person sitting up. They talk of God as Universal Infinite Consiousness. Hindu view is Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma, Everything is Brahman or Being-Consciousness-Bliss. Monotheism may have One God but has two humanities, the saved(Believers) and the damned(Disbelievers), and is trapped in conflict and duality. The One God is also at war against the many Gods and Goddesses. Monism is more than monotheism, sees the same Self in all beings. Understanding that sunlight is scattered throughout land but if you place a piece of paper it will not lighten it up.But If u use a magnifying glass to focus sunrays at paper, it will than lighten it up.Similarly God is Infinite Universal Consciousness. But u will not feel him n neither will it develop any devotion in ur heart.but if u use an IDOL, it will concentrate God's Infinite Consciousness into an object and will help in developing devotion in ur heart.Hindu religion has been incorrectly recognized as worshiping idols because of their many gods.If u go deep,u will find these gods are nothing but representatives of the many attributes of the one God. It is therefore “ideal worship” rather than “idol worship.” an Idol is a tool to connect to Divine.Why do Hindus do Idol Worship? A Scientific and Spiritual exploration
t.co/wXR7LJkOwg
REJOINDER TO DR. ZAKIR NAIK TYPE MUSLIMS -
The good Dr. Z.N. is a charlatan. He regularly misquotes Vedas to prove an Islamic point of view. Gullible people are in awe of his rhetoric and their self-ignorance and become unsettled and conflicted. So I shall respond here to his most popular quotes.
1.“NA TASYA PRATIMA ASTI”
There’s no image of him (Yajurveda. 32:3) The verse actually says “there is no counterpart of Him (Hiranyagarbha) whose glory is verily great.”The verse begins by saying that “THAT Ultimate Reality is Agni, the Sun, Wind and the Moon………………..” It is an affirmation of pantheism and not monotheism. The key word here pratimāwhich Dr. Naik takes to mean “image” in the context actually means “similarity” or “equivalent” and is referring to the glory of Brahman/Hiranyagarbha. Pratimā in a different context can also be an iconic representation. (Sanskrit Dictionary for Spoken Sanskrit) spokensanskrit.org/index.php?direct=se&link=yes&mode=3&script=hk&tran_input=pratimA
2. SHUDHAM APAPVIDHAM”
He is body-less and pure (Yajurveda: 40:8) Śuddham means pure and papa-vidham means untouched by sin NOT body-less. The whole sections reads:- He has filled all, He is radiant, bodiless, invulnerable, devoid of sinews, pure, untouched by evil. He, the seer, thinker, all-pervading, self-existent has duly allotted different functions to the various and eternal Prajā-patis or creator gods. Again it is referring to the all-pervading and pantheistic nature of the Supreme Being who has empowered the various creator gods (including Allah).
3. “NA SAMDRSE TISTHATI RUPAM ASYA, NA CAKSUSA PASYATI KAS CANAINAM”
His form is not to be seen, no one sees him with the eyes. (Svetasvatra upanishad. @ )The verse is addressed to Shiva-rudra and actually says:- “His form is not to be see; no one sees him with the eye. Those who through heart and mind know Him as abiding in the heart become immortal. ‘You are unborn’ with this thought someone in fear approaches you O Rudra, may your face which is gracious protect me.” The whole two verses read as follows:- “His form is not to be see; no one sees him with the eye. Those who through heart and mind know Him as abiding in the heart become immortal. ‘You are unborn’ with this thought someone in fear approaches you. O Rudra, may your face which is gracious protect me.”
4.“EKAM BRAHM, DVITIYA NASTE NEH NA NASTE KINCHAN”
There is only one GOD, not the second not at all, not at all, not in the least bit. (Brahma suta)Brahma sutra Topic-7: Brahman is One without a Second Brahman (Godhead) is the totality of being, including both the efficient and the material cause of the Universe. The Vedas also say - sarvam khalvidam brahman - meaning everything in the universe both sentient and insentient is that ONE Brahman. There is no difference between the creator and the created - they are two aspects of the same Totality of Being.It does not refer to Allah and creator of the universe from nothing. Islamic theologians claim that Allah is FORMLESS - (we totally agree) then there are hundreds of anthropomorphic references to Allah in the Quran;- Allah creates, destroys, spreads out, speaks, beholds, covers, reveals, judges, owns, disowns, loves, hates, blesses, curses, approves, disapproves, appoints etc. All adjectives pertaining to FORM. There are also many references to his throne - which he doesn’t actually sit on but sits “above” it. Qur’an 25. al-Furqan: 59. He who created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days and then established Himself above the Throne - the Most Merciful, so ask about Him one well informed. (Sahih International) So Islam grants both FORMLESSNESS and FORM to the Godhead. (Just as we do!) The only difference between us is the clear distinction which is made and the degree to which we take our theological conclusions in both directions So while in Islam there is no clear distinction made between the two, in Hinduism the two are clearly demarcated and differentiated. The Hindu concept of the Formless aspect (nirākāra) of God is more profound I would suggest than any description in the Qur’an. While giving Allah descriptive semantic form the Qur’an categorically forbids worship of any form. But since we know that humans cannot relate to a formless God, symbols are substituted by the faithful - i.e. The Ka’aba, the Quran, caligraphy etc. Hindus go to the other extreme and create sophisticated iconic symbols and unashamedly use them for worship and meditation. BUT the worship of icons is NOT mandatory in Hinduism, it is one of many tools found in our spiritual toolbox:- other tools are mantras, yantras, mandalas, yoga āsanas, prānāyāma and a variety of contemplations, visualizations, stotras, fasting, etc. etc. etc. So Hindus are free to use icons or not to use them - we are free to relate to the Godhead in whatever we want to - for God accepts us however we approach him as he dwells in our hearts and knows us better than we do ourselves.
WHY DO HINDUS DO IDOL WORSHIP?A SCIENTIFIC AND SPIRITUAL EXPLORATION
t.co/SskPG8FptZ
For More Information Read these books -
What is Hinduism?: A Guide for the Global Mind
www.amazon.in/gp/product/B07HFR9QZ9?pf_rd_p=f2b20090-067d-415f-953d-b8dcecc9109f&pf_rd_r=9VKCAQH6SFHMN544YZ89
Hinduism: The eternal tradition
www.amazon.in/gp/product/B00280LC4I/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i12
Universal Hinduism Towards a New Vision of Sanatana Dharma
www.amazon.in/gp/product/8185990891/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i38
The Hindu Way of Awakening
ITS REVELATION, ITS SYMBOLS: AN ESSENTIAL VIEW OF RELIGION
www.crystalclarity.com/shop/books/the-hindu-way-of-awakening/
David Frawely g ...More indian than majority of Indians
Huge respect for you Sir 🙏🙏🙏
Sir i salute you for your great work
Thank you for explaining sir.
I am a big fan.
Pranam to Shri Vaamadeva Shastri🙏💐
Har Har Mahadev
Jai Shree Ram
I'd love to read that book. I think it is nearly impossible to define Hinduism.
While there are numerous philosophies to describe the depth of Sanatan Dharm and its comprehensivness which the priestly class i.e. Pandits who know nothing about it and the foreign forces have distorted over time resulting in caste system, superstitious beliefs, etc. hiding its real essence and vasteness like
1) Believe in God ! - Aastik - Accepted
2) Don't believe in God ! - You're still accepted as Nastik and can be a very good Hindu....
3) You want to worship idols - please go ahead. You are a murti pujak(idol worship)
4) You dont want to worship idols- no problem u can focus on Nirguna Brahman.
5) You want to criticise something in our religion. Come forward. We are logical. Nyaya, Tarka etc are core Hindu schools
6) You want to accept beliefs as it is. Most welcome. Please go ahead with it.
7) You want to start your journey by reading "Bhagvad Gita"- Sure !
8) You want to start your journey by reading "Upanishads" - Go ahead
9) You want to start your journey by reading "Purana"- Be my guest.
10) You just don't like reading Puranas or other books. No problem my dear. Go by Bhakti(devotion) tradition.
11) You don't like idea of Bhakti(devotion) ! No problem. Do your Karma(moral duty) Be a karmayogi.
12) You want to enjoy life. Very good. No problem at all. This is Charvaka Philosophy.
13) You want to abstain from all the enjoyment of life & find God - let's go ! Be a Sadhu, an ascetic !
14) You don't like the concept of God. You believe in Nature only - Welcome. (Trees are our friends and Prakriti or nature is worthy of worship).
15) You believe in one God or Supreme Energy. Superb! Follow Advaita philosophy
16) You want a Guru. Go ahead. Receive gyaan(knowledge).
17) You don't want a Guru.. Help yourself ! Meditate, Study !
18) You believe in Female energy ! Shakti is worshipped.
19) You believe that every human being is equal. Yeah! You're awesome, come on let's celebrate Hinduism! "Vasudhaiva kutumbakam" (the world is a family)
20) You don't have time to celebrate the festival.
Don't worry. One more festival is coming! There are multiple festivals every single day of the year.
21) You are a working person. Don't have time for religion. Its okay. You will still be a Hindu.
22) You like to go to temples. Devotion is loved.
23) You don't like to go to temples - no problem. You are still a Hindu!
24) You know that Hinduism is a way of life, with considerable freedom.
25) You believe that everything has God in it. So you worship your mother, father, guru, tree, River, Prani-matra, Earth, Universe!
26) And If you don't believe that everything has GOD in it - No problems. Respect your viewpoint.
27) "Sarve jana sukhino bhavantu " (May you all live happily)
This is exactly the essence of Hinduism, all inclusive .. That is why it has withstood the test of time inspite of repeated onslaught both from within and outside, and assimilated every good aspects from everything . That is why it is eternal !!!.
Ano bhadrah Krathavo Yanthu Vishwathah" Let the knowledge come to us from every direction.....
The subtle and highest is definitely not for lowly thinking. It takes lifetimes of refinement to start understanding the real way is only for self discovery!!
Thank you !!
Respect for your knowledge and self realization. Learn more about your experience.
Love you sir ❤️
🙏❤️
Namaskaram ! Vamadeva sashtri
Hindu Dharma honors Self-realization and God-realization for all, with diverse forms of worship and meditation to achieve it. They talk of God as Universal Infinite Consiousness. Hindu view is Sarvam Khalvidam Brahma, Everything is Brahman or Being-Consciousness-Bliss. Monotheism may have One God but has two humanities, the saved(Believers) and the damned(Disbelievers), and is trapped in conflict and duality. The One God is also at war against the many Gods and Goddesses. Monism is more than monotheism, sees the same Self in all beings.
Understanding that sunlight is scattered throughout land but if you place a piece of paper it will not lighten it up.But If u use a magnifying glass to focus sunrays at paper, it will than lighten it up.Similarly God is Infinite Universal Consciousness
But u will not feel him n neither will it develop any devotion in ur heart.but if u use an IDOL, it will concentrate God's Infinite Consciousness into an object and will help in developing devotion in ur heart.Hindu religion has been incorrectly recognized as worshiping idols
because of their many gods.If u go deep,u will find these gods are nothing but representatives of the many attributes of the one God. It is therefore “ideal worship” rather than “idol worship.” an Idol is a tool to connect to Divine.
Anything one desires intensely becomes for him, in a sense, a god. This is the true meaning of idol worship. An idol is not a statue or a painting that people use to remind them of some high ideal. Such people are indeed ideal worshipers, not idol worshipers. Idol worship means
to harbor a desire for anything other than God.Every man unless he loves God alone is in this sense an idol worshiper To love somethng or some person, becoz it reminds him of God is a virtue, not a fault. To get to the top floor of a building one must ascend by the other floors No one can leap all the way to the top. To feel love for God as He really is, formless and impersonal, is almost impossible for human beings. Such love comes naturally, however, to those who first envision divine perfection in some human form.
The important thing in such worship is always to keep in mind that the form one loves (even of a living person) serves one only as a window onto INFINITY.There is nothing wrong or contrary to spiritual truth in using images as reminders of high principles.
How many people are able to visualize such abstractions as love or wisdom? The Hindu images are not idols. They are symbols of different aspects of God. Their very variety shows a recognition of the fact that God is infinite in nature.
The Devatas (Gods and Goddesses) areForms of One Brahman.. Each Hindu Devata has its form, symbols, vahana, yantra, mantra, ritual, meditation and cosmic meaning, reflects all levels of existence.
people bother about the Form of God or about a No Form of God ? This is stupid ! God has no Form but can have unlimited Form (Sanctified Form that can represent Him as a Form of worship). So where is the confusion ? If God cannot have a Form then His is incomplete and his power is limited ! That God is no God ! in the sense that He is not supposed to have Form ! Then he is incomplete and with limited power ! Hinduism Go has ALL in one ! Hindu God has no Form (Brahman - Niraakar or Nirguna) and has Unlimited Infinitude os Forms (Saguna - Sakaar) and dwells in the heart of everyone (Antaryami) and pervades all inanimate and animate material as well as spiritual Worlds.
The Ultimate Reality Brahman/God is declared by ALL the Hindu scriptures to be omnipotent (sarva-śaktimān), omnipresent (sarvaga), omniscient (sarvajña), omni-benevolent (dayā-sāgara), devoid of all qualities (nirguna), devoid of form (nirākāra), inconceivable (agocara), inexpressible (nirvacanīya) etc.
He/She/It is sat (Being), cit (consciousness), ānanda (bliss absolute), ananta(infinite) and amalam (immaculate).
Hindus do not worship a stone or metal "idol " as God. They worship God through the image. We invoke the presence of God from the higher, unseen worlds, into the image so that we can commune with Him and receive His blessings.
The stone or metal deity images in Hindu temples and shrines are not mere symbols of the Gods. They are the form through which their love, power and blessings flood forth into this world. We may liken this mystery to our ability to communicate with others through the telephone. We do not talk to the telephone; rather we use it as a means of communication with another person. Without the telephone, we could not converse across long distances; and without the sanctified icon in the temple, we cannot easily commune with the Deity. Divinity can also be invoked and felt in a sacred fire, or in a tree, or in the enlightened person of a satguru. In our temples, God is invoked in the sanctum by highly trained priests. Through the practice of yoga, or meditation, we invoke God inside ourself. Yoga means to yoke oneself to God within. The image or icon of worship is a focus for our prayers and devotions.
Another way to explain icon worship is to acknowledge that Hindus believe God is everywhere, in all things, whether stone, wood, creatures or people. So, it is not surprising that they feel comfortable worshiping the Divine in His material manifestation. The Hindu can see God in stone and water, fire, air and ether, and inside his own soul. Indeed, there are Hindu temples which have in the sanctum sanctorum no image at all but a yantra, a symbolic or mystic diagram. However, the sight of the image enhances the devotee's worship.
Elaboration: In Hinduism one of the ultimate attainments is when the seeker transcends the need of all form and symbol. This is the yogi's goal. In this way Hinduism is the least idol-oriented of all the religions of the world. There is no religion that is more aware of the transcendent, timeless, formless, causeless Truth. Nor is there any religion which uses more symbols to represent Truth in preparation for that realization.
Humorously speaking, Hindus are not idle worshipers. I have never seen a Hindu worship in a lazy or idle way. They worship with great vigor and devotion, with unstinting regularity and constancy. There's nothing idle about our ways of worship! (A little humor never hurts.) But, of course, the question is about "graven images." All religions have their symbols of holiness through which the sacred flows into the mundane. To name a few: the Christian cross, or statues of Mother Mary and Saint Theresa, the holy Kaaba in Mecca, the Sikh Adi Granth enshrined in the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the Arc and Torah of the Jews, the image of a meditating Buddha, the totems of indigenous and Pagan faiths, and the artifacts of the holy men and women of all religions. Such icons, or graven images, are held in awe by the followers of the respective faiths. The question is, does this make all such religionists idol worshipers? The answer is, yes and no. From our perspective, idol worship is an intelligent, mystical practice shared by all of the world's great faiths.
The human mind releases itself from suffering through the use of forms and symbols that awaken reverence, evoke sanctity and spiritual wisdom. Even a fundamentalist Christian who rejects all forms of idol worship, including those of the Catholic and Episcopal churches, would resent someone who showed disrespect for his Bible. This is because he considers it sacred. His book and the Hindu's icon are much alike in this way.
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I have purchased the book recently and read 1/3rd of it. Glad to invest time on this awesome perspective. But I have a question:
On one side, Sadhguru says "Hindu is not a religion as we don't have a codified language like other Abrahamic religion" whereas Dr David Frowley says "Calling Hindus as a way of life not a religion, we are putting our sacred sites in danger".
What's your take on these different opinions?
Please do inform when 'book release' happens in Bangalore
@At 6:22 The Hindu definitions start
We Hindus worship *many* Gods because they all lead to same one path called as "LIBERATION/ TRUTH"
We have many choices to worship God both in Finite and Infinite forms
Because *God is* nothing but an *ENERGY* who resides in all atoms, plant cells, animal cells, air, water, soil, fire, breath, emotions, intellect, strength, thoughts, and in whole universe
The Ultimate Reality ParaBrahman/God is declared by ALL the Hindu scriptures to be omnipotent (sarva-śaktimān), omnipresent (sarvaga), omniscient (sarvajña), omni-benevolent (dayā-sāgara), devoid of all qualities (nirguna), devoid of form (nirākāra), inconceivable (agocara), inexpressible (nirvacanīya) etc.
He/She/It is sat (Being), cit (consciousness), ānanda (bliss absolute), ananta(infinite) and amalam (immaculate).
Now, having said that the Agama states:-
nirākāra tu deveśa na arcanam bhaven nṛnāṁ, na ca dhyānam, na ca stotram tasmāt sākāram arcayet ||
Which means : “The Absolute Godhead is formless (nirākāra), but meditation, worship and praise of a formless Being is impossible for humans, therefore worship a form (sākāra).”
So the Icons (NOT “idols” which is pejorative term used by the Abrahamics to denigrate and traduce Hindu forms of worship!) - are our graphical user interfaces with the Formless Godhead.
No idolator in the history of idolatry has ever considered the image itself to be anything other than a SYMBOL of a higher ideal. The icon in itself is simply wood, stone or metal but it becomes sacred through our projection onto it of the notion of Divinity. Just as Muslims do with the Qur’an which becomes an idol and a fetish.
If you announce on facebook that you’re having a Gita or Veda burning day - not a single Hindu will turn up or even care or if they did it would be to take selfies. The Gita or the printed copy of the Veda is simply a book from a printing press. But do the same with the other Holy Book and see the reaction - there will be world-wide riots and huge damage of property and life. A book will be burned by some crazy pastor in California and dozens of people will be murdered in Afghanistan - is this not some form of idolatry?
The icons/images are made in strict accordance with the directions of the Agama Shastra which are equal to the Vedas in authority. Each and every detail has a symbolic meaning which I won’t go into but which can be found in books on Hindu Iconography.
THE JUSTIFICATION FOR ICONS-
1. The Godhead is omnipresent - therefore It is present in the icon.
2. The Godhead is omniscient - therefore It knows that we are worshiping It through the medium of the icon and not the Icon itself.
3. The Godhead is omnipotent - therefore in response to our prayers and out of Its omni-benevolence - It condescends to remain present in the icon to receive our worship.
To respond that God is NOT in the icon is to negate His omnipresence. If God thinks we are worshiping the idol instead of him then his omniscience is compromised. If he is incapable of accepting worship through the medium of an icon then his omnipotence is compromised, and if he refuses, then his omni-benevolence is compromised.
WHY THERE ARE DIFFERENT GODS IN HINDUISM LIKE VISHNU,RAMA,KRISHNA,SHIVA ETC.?IF SUPREME GOD IS ONLY PARABRAHMAN
In a Hindu context what is meant by “worship of Vishnu,ram,krishna.” There are a number of terms used in Sanskrit for this particular activity with a variety of implications.
Pūjā/ Arādhana - worship as in making offerings (upacāras) of various types from 5 (scent, flowers, incense, lamp and food) to 108.
Upāsana - literally “sitting close to” which is a process of visualization and meditation. Offerings of food, fruit, flowers, incense
water and leaves are made as the expression of gratitude to the cosmic forces embodied as the devatas. It’s always a good thing to express gratitude - always! There are 100’s of volumes written on the subject of “worship” known as the Tantras or Agamas - I am vainly attempting to give you a tweet version! The most important aspect of Hindu spiritual practice (sādhana) is Upāsana- visualization and meditation - this is considered to be the highest practice. The fundamental principle of Vedānta philosophy is that we are sparks/rays/ modes or particles of the Divine
(tat tvam asi - thou art that). We are reflections in matter, of the Divine Nature, like the sun is reflected in buckets of water. In simple terms God is within us. So the process of Upāsana, also known as Dhāraṇa is to visualize God/Goddess within ourselves and to commune
with Him/Her/It. This is known as Deity Yoga Practice. Meditation can be done without using any form. It can be done by focusing on the breath or to contemplate emptiness - but this is very difficult, as our minds are conditioned to be constantly processing data in
the form of
name (nāma) and form (rūpa). So using form (rūpa) is the easiest and most convenient type of meditation. So what form should we use? We use the form of that deity to which we are naturally attracted and to which we have become attached. If we do not have an specific
deity then we consult an astrologer and according to our charts our personal deity can be discovered. So meditation consist of visualizing the chosen deity and reciting his or her mantra is the highest form of worship. This Upāsana is a technical process which cannot be justly
dealt with in a brief public post.
Iconography is the basis for dhāraṇa or visualization another HUGE subject which I think I may deal with in a blog seeing it is one of the most important and one of the leastunderstood aspects of Hinduism. The purpose of meditation is to bring
aboutself-transformation and to become more enlightened and compassionate beings
Anything one desires intensely becomes for him, in a sense, a god. This is the true meaning of idol worship. An idol is not a statue or a painting that people use to remind them of some high ideal. Such people are indeed ideal worshipers, not idol worshipers. Idol worship meansto
harbor a desire for anything other than God.Every man unless he loves God alone is in this sense an idol worshiper To love somethng or some person, becoz it reminds him of God is a virtue, not a fault. To get to the top floor of a building one must ascend by the other floorsNo
one can leap all the way to the top. To feel love for God as He really is, formless and impersonal, is almost impossible for human beings. Such love comes naturally, however, to those who first envision divine perfection in some human form. The important thing in such worship is always to keep in mind that the form one loves (even of a living person) serves one only as a window onto INFINITY.There is nothing wrong or contrary to spiritual truth in using images as reminders of high principles. How many people are able to visualize such abstractions as love or wisdom? The Hindu images are not idols. They are symbols of different aspects of God. Their very variety shows a recognition of the fact that God is infinite in nature.
Murti pooja is a prepatory step for a person to concentrate his energies for developing devotion .It prepares a person for higher Vedantic vision of Self Realization of divine bliss through Yoga,Meditation .Idols and Icons Why Murti Should Be Used Instead
The Devatas (Gods and Goddesses) as Forms of One Brahman.. Each Hindu Devata has its form, symbols, vahana, yantra, mantra, ritual, meditation and cosmic meaning, reflects all levels of existence.The Devatas (Gods and Goddesses) as Forms of Brahman
Hindu Gods and Goddesses, more properly called Devatas or Divine principles, are usually treated by modern scholars in a superficial sense as powers of nature or as imaginary spirits of the primitive…
www.vedanet.com/the-devatas-gods-and-goddesses-as-forms-of-brahman/
Hindu Iconography explained
This blog is focused on the unpacking and explaining of Hindu Iconography.
hinduiconography.quora.com
Hinduism greatest gift to humanity is its profound science of consciousness through mantra and meditation
Hindu ICONOLOGY explored in depth. How do Idols represent GOD
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HINDUISM FOR BEGINNERS
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ALL ABOUT HINDUISM
www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/all_about_hinduism.pdf …
APPLIED HINDU DHARMA - This book will give comprehensive understanding of HINDUISM .One of the accusations against Hinduism is its lack of practical resources in terms of simple cookbook style "self-help" manuals and group therapy sessions like those provided by other religious groups.This Book will address this.
www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/applied_dharma.pdf …
THE BASICS OF VEDĀNTA PHILOSOPHY
www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/the_basics_of_vedanta.pdf …
BRAHMA SUTRAS
www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/brahma_sutra_sivananda.pdf …
WHAT IS PRAYER IN HINDUISM.Does God answer Prayer? A Hindu Perspective.
www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/does_god_answer_prayer.pdf …
BHAGVAD GITA -With Commentary
www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/ramanuja_gita_bhashya.pdf …
UPANISHADS -with English Translations and Commentary
www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/katha_upanishad.pdf …
www.srimatham.com/uploads/5/5/4/9/5549439/taittiriya_upanisad.pdf …
God in the Bible, Qur'an and Gita - Comparative descriptions of God from the three source texts.
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•Hindu response to Dawa - the invitation to ’revert’ to Islam
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No one can answer this
Reason unlearned about veda
Brahmaputra river name meaning
What
Did you read bible
Did you read Quran
No then veda is unfinished one for you
quran stole from bible and bible stole from judaism, that is why these two religions are becoming a failure. The base of the foundation when is lies, deceit, wherein you steal from other, then there is only one result CHAOS and failure
@@bharathvansh5127
true.
Hinduism is wrong word it's actually spirituality
a load of shit, thats wat
He is very much fantacised by his similarity in skin colour with brahmins. He is blabbering utter nonsense, only he can correct it by studying deep in the nuances of culture and religious practices of ancient Tamil literature. Only then he can understand that it is entirely opposite of Vedic Culture, where there was no Savarna Principle and all human beings were equal, education was given prime importance and all came to end in about 400 AD after the migration of Brahmins to the Tamil Land.
I don't know why tamilians have many problems with north India.
@@pkmkb9795 It is a natural response to a bunch of people who make it a habit to forcefully thrust their language (no their ancestral language which they lost to Sanskrit and Hindi) and culture using political clout on another group of people who have a rich heritage of their own unlike other southern states whose language is huge mixture of sanskrit (with proto-dravidian or proto -tamil) which is a father/mother figure for them, hence no opposition and always longing for more north-indianness. The feeling will be understood only in a situation when someone thrust theirs upon them. If you can, try to understand this video which is in Tamil ruclips.net/video/MXmCHuj3Wvg/видео.html.
I'm sorry but your thoughts Absolutely fact-less and disproved by many indologists with very concrete evidence. We have evidences of Velinar Kings of Tamil Nadu ruling Dwaraka for 49 Generations. Hence, all this nonsense about Savarna Principle and migration of Brahmins have no basis in history or research. This land has been one land with one people with pluralistic beliefs. It is all the more evident with many historical evidence !
@@sanatanchaitanya4704 dont create myth in the name of history. The Indian subcontinent was the land of Tamils. Unlike your mythical stories, we have our own sanga period and earlier poetical evidences. So, as you said, India was ruled by Tamils and Tamils from Tamil nadu ruled India (Ref: Babasaheb Ambedkar). I understand that your history is the present day manipulated history that says yellow skinned people migrated from India towards Europe, while the Archeological and genetic evidence of Modern science says the opposite. However, I am not expecting you to accept your views, but want you to know myth is different from historical, archeological and genetic evidences. Can you put some references on velinar kings?. Its so unfamiliar to me. Like to know more.
@@andoovellayan fuck tamil stupid language