Meaning of: VEDIC and word Hindu - Part II

[Guest guest]

Contd: From Part I (Vedics and Hindu) Q&A Session.

 

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Q 3: If we are called Vedics, then what does Hindu actually mean then?

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One popular notion is that Hinduism is the derivation of a series of geographic

landmarks:

 

HIMALAYAM SAMARABHYA YAVAT BINDUSAROVARAM

HINDUSTHANAMITI QYATAM HI ANTARAKSHARAYOGATAH

 

"The country lying between the Himalayan mountain and Bindu Sarovara

(Cape Comorin sea) is known as Hindusthan by combination of the first letter

`hi' of `Himalaya' and the last compound letter `ndu' of the word `Bindu.'"

 

This thought may have some basis in fact.

History reveals that the term Hindu came from the Arabic word Al-hind,

denoting the land south of the Indus River valley from which the Arabs took

slaves.

 

The word Hindu was derived from the Iranian word sindhu, literally referring to

the

“Indus river” and the culture pertaining to Sind, the Indus Valley.

 

Due to the phonetics of the Persian language, the ‘S’ of Sind became an H.

This is how the people to the South of the Indus Valley came to be known

as “Hindus” by the Persians. This name has been used by Mid-Easterners

and was later re-enforced by the invading Moguls, who used it in a derogatory

way to refer to their slaves.

 

It is important to note that this name "Hindu" refers to a people,

not the faith that they practice.

 

Vedic religion is universal in its precepts, and is available to anyone,

irrespective of race, caste, creed or gender.

 

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Q 4: How do you explain the term Indian?

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India is simply an ancient Greek form of Hindu, with the “H”in Persian,

changed to “ I” in Greek. Ancient Greek: Indikos and Latin: Indicus

 

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Q5: So “Hindus” are the people born in India, and not the followers of

a religion. This is not what is being understood today. How do you explain?

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Over the years of Mogul and British rule, our desire for spiritual knowledge

and proper Vedic understanding has become less and less important to the

thirst for material success that these outside rulers have infused into our

thoughts and lives.

Consequently, even basic knowledge of what is truly Vedic is being lost to

what is at best, a more cultural understanding of the importance of religion

in our lives. But, whatever be the popular opinion, the fact remains that Hindus

do not make up a religious community.

 

The term Hindu has little to do with religion

 

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Q 6: So what makes a Vedic religious community?

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A proper understanding of Vedas and Vedic life is something that does not

only better us on individual levels, but can better us as a community, and

indeed, as a society as a whole.

 

Such an understanding, however, can only come about through a commitment to

learning from proper teachers, who represent a pure non-diluted understanding

of our Vedic wisdom.

Such teachers, the Acharyas and gurus, are pillars for religion in Vedic

society,

because people don’t normally “belong” to churches or temples as do people of

other faiths.

So, a community that is centered on service to the Acharyas and service to

their disciples is what makes a good Vedic community, and it is this community

that is the very

heart of what the Vedic religious tradition is all about.

 

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Q 6: So who are the True Acaryas?

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We had a session on Acharyas and their unique role. The transcipt of that

session is available at http://www.radioramanuja.com/docs/mag.htm.

 

Further questions to ramanuja

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azhwAr emperumAnAr JeeyAr thiruvadigalE sharanam

 

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

Mukundan Vangkipuram Pattangi

http://www.radioramanuja.com