HINDUISM

Hinduism also known as Sanatana Dharma is the oldest of the Religious Traditions of the world. Vedas from the main source of this  tradition . the early portions of Vedic Samhits consisted of prayers to Nature gods like Agni and Indra who were  propitiated  for gifts of plenty and prosperity. They also spoke of Rita the natural order behind the events of the world and Satya the One Invisible Divine Force animating all sentient beings and gods. The nature of the Supreme god was revealed by a Rishi by means of the famous Gayatri Mantra ,

                  ( ॐ ॐ ॐ

                         ॐ भूर् भुवः स्वः
                           तत् सवितुर्वरेण्यं
                             भर्गो देवस्य धीमहि          

                                धियो यो नः प्रचोदयात्)

                               

                                             

                                   His form is described as Savita ,the morning sun, and his name is given as 'OM'. All knots of the heart are said to be removed when one has his Darsana. Only a few people could grasp this teaching of high religion.The priest took the direction of ritualistic  worship. They developed sacrificial rituals and Yajnas and yaga to appease the gods. The karma kanda was believed to ensure worldly walfare  and Savarga hereafter. They also believed  in rebirth in another body after  death according to one's Karmas-Punya or Paap -in higher or lower animate forms. After deep speculations into the nature of the results of this sacrificial religion and karma Kanda ,seers endowed with insight gave out the Upanishads which contained higher religion of Vedanta. They spoke of the individual spirit, the Atman,the universal spirit of Paramatman and their essential unity. The universal spirit is explained to be of the nature of Sat . Chit and Ananda ,Truth and Intelligence and Bliss. He is all-pervading and transcendental and immortal and he is the creator of all this universe. His true name is 'OM' .Their teachings were imparted by the realized ones, the Rishi gurus ,to be eligible seekers of the Truth. The two paths of Preyas-seeking of pleasures , and sreyas-seeking eternal happiness and release from births and deaths were distinguished from each other. Similarly a  distinction was made between worldly  knowledge and obtained through  the study of different subjects the Apara Vidya, and transcendental  knowledge obtained through internal spiritual  practices, the knowledge of Brahama Purasha, the Universal Soul -the Para Vidya .The four ends of life Dharma, Artha ,Kama,and Moksha were enunciated . 

     The high teachings were taught by the Guru to one who was endowed with discrimination of what is permanent and what is nor permanent ,spirit of renunication of pleasures here and hereafter,control over body, senses and mind and  a strong desire to attain Moksha. In course of time the  ritualistic religion gained upper hand once again when Lord Krishna , the incarnation of Param Brahma came and taught his worship as aa means to attain him and laid foundation of Bhakti Marga. His teachings in the Bhagavadagita declared that caste in society is determined by Guna,i.e,qualities and kara ,i.e., actions but not by birth. Bhagavadagita also integrated Jnana , Karma and Bhakti Margas for salvation and other prevalent philosophies like Sankhya and Yoga..Thus it became the prime exponent of Hindu religion and philosophy . Belief in cycle of birth and re-birth and the doctrine of Karma can be said to be central to Hinduism.

   

      Side by side with the Vedic tradition ,there developed the Agamas and Puranas teaching the worship of Vishnu, Shiva and Shakti identifying them with Param Brahama ,the Supreme Being of Para Shakti ,His Power.The Vaishnava tradition developed nine forms of worship listening to the glories of the Lord-Sravana, singing the glories of the Lord-Kirtana ; remembering the Lord-Smarana ; serving at the Feet of the Lord-pedasevana ; worshipping the Lord Archarna  ; paying obeisances to the Lord-Vandana ; Service to the Lord-Dasya; cultivating friendly love towards the Lord-Sakhya ,and self surrender to  the Lord -Atma-Nivedana .Among great exponents of Bhakti we should mention Narada Bhakti Sutras and Sandilya Bhakti Sutras and Srimadbhagvata. In the same way devotion to shiva and Shakti were also taught by the respective Tantras and Puranas. Several types of Mantras and Tantras ,incarnations and rituals of worship were developed in these traditions. As a result variety, of myths ,idol-worship and festivals became prevalent in Hinduism obscuring the profound Truths of Religion and philosophy . Some of them slid into undesirable practices and superstitions. The arrival of the British and Western thought gave rise to reformist movements like those of Raja Rammohan Roy and later revivalist movements of Arya Samaj and Rama Krishna Mission who advocated going back to Vedic and Vedantic tradition.

  

     The path of devotion to the Supreme Being and Bhakti in preference to the paths of Karma, observance of rituals and Gyan ,i.e.,pursuit of spiritual knowledge gradually took shape. Sufism in the North and the Tamil Vaishnavite Alwars and shaiva Nayanmars spread Sagun Bhakti in  the South where Ramanand was one of the foremost exponents of the philosophy . In the north, Gyaneshwar ,Chaitnaya and Ravi Das expounded the path of Bhakti .Kabir Sahab advocated Nirguna Bhakti. This was the time for the advent of Saints who taught Surat Shabd Mard and revealed the secrets of the highest regions.

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